Home Defense Handgun

3143 Views 42 Replies 23 Participants Last post by blzn69, Jun 20, 2003

TheGermanGuy

Discussion Starter · Apr 2, 2003

I am currently looking to buy my first handgun. It's purpose would be to defend my home from intruders. It should have enough knock down power for that reason, but I also want my wife to be able to use it. If that's a factor.

Neither one of us have any experience with handguns. I grew up in Germany, where the only guns you're allowed to have... are pellet guns. So once we purchase this gun, I would like to take some sort of class with my wife, to really know what we're doing. Wonder if there is a class for home defense out there!?

Another factor is that my budget is rather small right now, since the economy in CA is still bottoming out. Which is another reason to get some sort of home defense. You never know when one of those crack heads decides that there's gotta be something of value in your house...

Any suggestions on what to buy? I'm looking forward to your responses!!

TheGermanGuy :sniper:

God bless America!!

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Camera man

· #2 · Apr 2, 2003

Nothing better than a good wheel gun. I love S&W, you can find then used for less. Tarus us pretty good too. I would say a 4in 357mag would be best. You can start out with lite 38 special loads. Work you way up to 38+P's. Which would not be a bad place to stop for the wife. Or move onto 357mags. There are even lite loads for them. 110grn med. vol. loads. The best 38+p hit with about 278 foot pounds. A full house 357mag hit at about 578 fp. The 110grn runs at about 410 fp's. More pop, but less punch. The Smith K frame is a good size. A lot of folks like semi auto's. And they are good. But you say you and your wife are starting out. A wheel gun is the easyest to learn to use. And seldom jam. If it does not go bang, most times pull the trigger again and it will work. If a semi jams, its not as easy to clear. I have many of both types of hand guns. But my travel and house gun is a six shooter. A Smith mod 66 with a 4in bbl. Both my kids and my wife know how to make it work. With all that said, I think the best house gun is a pump shotgun. You can pick up a 20ga and with a little work every one in the house could hit a bad guy. With a shotgun, you do not have to be exact, sometimes, close is good enough. As the old saying goes. A shotgun speaks louder to a croud. I hope this helps a little and I hope you never need to use it.

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Camera man

· #6 · Apr 3, 2003

All this is true. But Coyote hit the nail on the head. A wheel gun will never have a stove pipe. And if it happeneds at the right/wrong time, your dead. And you must remember, law inforcement folks are highly trained on how to use a semi. These are comon folk. And searcher5 is right about the one in your hand is the best. But you must be able to use it, with out thinking. As for the 1911, I love mine, but in a dark hall with a bad guy coming is not the time to try to clear a jam. I know that a wheel gun only has 6 rounds, but the average house firefight only last a total of 3 rounds. 6 will do just fine in most cases. And the wheel gun has been around about 150 years. That has to mean something. A nice 100 pound pit bull works real good too : ) It would slow the bad guy long enough to get a nice clear shot.

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Camera man

· #9 · Apr 3, 2003

Don't forget the 357 mag. It has a higher 1 shot stopping % than eather. A 45 hydra shock has a 92% one shot stop and a full house 357 as about 96%. But after the 357, I would take the time proven 45. As for a 9mm, don't let people fool you. There are thoes who hate it. But with all the new bullets out there, a good 9, like the Fed. personal defence load is very good. A few PD's are going back to them. But thats probley due to the lawers telling them that there is less of a chance of being sued if they do. I would and have bet my life on a 9, but it has to be the right 9.

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Camera man

· #24 · Apr 4, 2003

What he said. You put it a lot better words than I did drobs, thanx. I have used a few 100's. You can't go wrong. And like I said before, a 4in. bbl may be best all around. I have several Smiths, and only shoot them double action. A few have bobbed hammers. My 442 has an internal hammer. The main reason I shoot only Smiths is for the double click they make shooting double action. With some work I have gotten a rythem with them and can now shoot them better double than single. What ever and witch ever you get. PRATICE. If you or your wife thinks or feels they could not shoot a bad guy, buy pepper mace. If you know you can not pull the trigger, a gun is no good and can and will be used to harm you. Good luck and good hunting : )

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Camera man

· #36 · Jun 18, 2003

As I have said in some of my other post is that I love wheel guns. When I started 30 some years ago. The wheel gun was the best way to start. And I have never given them up. I shoot almost totaly double action only now. But I must say that my house gun is now a hi-cap 380. If I can not get the job done with 26 rounds of 380+P's I'll be in deep @#$%. I have put a lot of rounds and time in with the 380. With less muzz. flash and muzz. flip I can get back on target pretty fast for the double tap. And 380's are not going to go through 6 wall boards and kill my friend next door. Shot placement and ease of use will pay off, no matter what you use. Like I have herd others say. The best gun to use is the one in your hand.

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