Gun Cost

[nhcigarfan]

Never heard it called that. I find them real easy and placing the shot on target in a home invasion-type senero - like within 10 feet or so, has never been a problem. But I see where your coming from.

 

[Bucky]

Thanks so much for all your advice guys. I knew that the people on here must be more knowledgeable than me. I'll take your advice into deep consideration, but it sounds as if I need to talk to my mother first...

 

[BlindedByScience]

I will have to disagree with most everything that has been said here. I disagree with the point that a gun is more likely to be used against the owner than against the intruder. Can you site any reputable statistics on this ? I disagree that having a loaded gun around your house is asking for trouble. A loaded gun in a safe is no more likely to shoot somone than a parked car with the brake applied is to start running people over at random.

I think the biggest mistake people make when buying a gun is purchasing one that they can afford instead of one that they can shoot well. I do agree that you should go to a range or go shooting with a knowledgeable friend. Having a gun that is easy for you to shoot and that you are comfortable with is very important.

I also disagree about a shotgun being the home protection weapon of choice. Don't get me wrong, they have their place, but if something goes bump in the night I'm way more likely to grab one of my hand guns than my shottie.

Yes, yes, and yes.

First and foremost, take classes. Then take some more classes. Then, more. Spend some time at the range. The one I visit has rental guns so that you can shoot a variety before you purchase anything. Solid advice; a gun has to fit you and your expectations. What fits one may not be for another.

A quality firearm is an investment. It's a lifetime investment in a precision machine that can save your life and last almost forever, if properly cared for. Don't be cheap here.

Also, lots of guys have recommended a shotgun. Two problems I see here; one, a shotgun of legal length is sometimes hard to swing in a hallway. For gods sake, don't cut the barrel down to an illegal length. If the "gravest extreme" happens and you have to lay waste to a bad guy, the last thing on earth you want to have in your hands is an illegally modified weapon. Second, shotguns at typical home defense ranges don't "cover the wall" as some would imply. Even with a cylinder bore (no choke) the pattern 10-20' away isn't as big as you might think. A shotgun has to be aimed and fired with reasonable precision in cases like this and you'll also have the recoil to deal with. Make no mistake about it; the sound of a 12 being racked and the impact of a load of buckshot is formidable, but all things considered, the gun of choice in my upstairs safe is a handgun.

I'm with Miami Cubano on this one; it's really hard to beat a good revolver for a first gun. A quality 4-6" .357 can be had for reasonable prices. You can shoot .38 specials in them for training or shooting targets and there are substantial defense loads that have moderate recoil and low muzzle flash that would work in a pinch for home defense. Have your local gunsmith add some Meprolight night sites to the gun and it would be a fine choice. I'm very partial to my Glocks, but I shoot once a week and have taken a bit of professional training. They also fit my hand an point perfectly for me.

Which brings me full circle to my first point - training and practice. Your first step should be to seek out a local range and take some classes. Besides, it's a lot of fun as well....

Good Luck - B.B.S.

 

[CigarStone]

Let's assume pistols are out due to complication of use which leaves revolver and shotgun.

Shotgun:
Pros.......It's called a scatter gun for a reason and the shot pattern at "defense" distance is 2-5 inches wide as opposed to a bullet which is less than 1/2 inch in diameter thereby increasing your chances of hitting the target.

Cons.......Too long to wield in an instant

Will have a safety which will need to be deployed, and in the nervous situation at hand can lead to deadly delay.

Revolver:
Pros.....No safeties, no buttons, no foreign action required....just point and shoot. Shot shells can be purchased for pistols as well thereby increasing likelihood of target impact. Keep it loaded with the first 4 cylinders containing shot shells and the last 2 with bullets in case he keeps coming or making sure he knows he's dead!

Easy to keep in a safe, hidden, place for instant access.

Con's....You might miss.

A stray bullet could penetrate a wall and injure an innocent person.....buy bullets which mushroom on impact ....these carry incredible stopping power and slow down quicker on impact with building materials.

 

[BlindedByScience]

Let's assume pistols are out due to complication of use which leaves revolver and shotgun.

.....I always thought a revolver was a pistol...but, what do I know....

I understand what you meant; just struck me funny.

Regards - B.B.S.

 

[CigarStone]

Let's assume pistols are out due to complication of use which leaves revolver and shotgun.

.....I always thought a revolver was a pistol...but, what do I know....

I understand what you meant; just struck me funny.

Regards - B.B.S.

Yeah I could have been more clear.... :thumbs:

From wikipedia....for what that's worth

The word "pistol" is often synonymous with the word "handgun". Some handgun experts make a technical distinction that views pistols as a subset of handguns. In American usage, the term "pistol" refers to a handgun whose chamber is integral with the barrel, making pistols distinct from the other main type of handgun, the revolver, which has a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers.

 

[billbaker3]

A quality firearm is an investment. It's a lifetime investment in a precision machine that can save your life and last almost forever, if properly cared for. Don't be cheap here.

This is how I buy guns. Is it going to be worth the same in 5 years? or more? Most guns dont depreciate much. If you have it for a long time and they stop making that gun you can make a pretty penny on it. Depending on the gun of course.

 

[Bucky]

I thought that they were the same too. My mom is pretty small, so I don't know how she'd do with a shot gun. I know shes shot a gun before (I have not...thats what you get for living in mass.) so maybe she would have better aim than me. But isn't it a lot more difficult to get a revolver than a shot gun?

 

[WhiteAshes]

In Massachusetts you can get a Firearms ID (FID) on a "shall issue" basis. Once you have that, you can get a shotgun rather easily.

Handguns fall into two categories for purposes of licensing in Massachusetts: Small Capacity and Large Capacity. A Small Capacity handgun holds fewer than ten rounds and can not be modified to hold more than ten rounds. Large Capacity handguns hold ten or more rounds or are any handguns that can be modified to hold ten or more rounds.

When you're licensed, you'll either get a Class A (Large Capacity) license or a Class B (Small Capacity) license, and it will either be restricted or it won't. Most licenses are restricted to range and hunting, so you're restricted from concealed carry. But having it at home isn't an issue (once you're licensed). You'll learn all sorts of things about the [screwy] laws here in Massachusetts when you take the safety course.

As has already been suggested: go to a range, rent a few guns, and try 'em out. Check out www.WhereToShoot.org to locate a range near you; there are many near Worcester, and doubtless most if not all offer approved safety courses.

 

[CigarStone]

WOW with all this talk about Mass. your best bet might be to move to the midwest where you are safer anyway

 

[Devil Doc]

WOW with all this talk about Mass. your best bet might be to move to the midwest where you are safer anyway

No, he's just got to move a 100 mi. North, to VT or NH. VT has no gun laws, other than F&G regulations and NH might as well not have any. I shoot in Mass regularly and it a source of anxiety every time I go to a shoot. Vt. has the lowest incident of violent crime in the Nation. Go figure.

Doc.

 

[LouieD]

As others have said, shooting a pistol "accurately" is NOT easy. I was at my Gun Club yesterday observing a local police pistol training exercise. These guys were doing live fire training with targets at 20 feet. Half of these professionals had problems with hitting the target plates and these guys know what they are doing.

If you are going to own a handgun, you must be willing to invest the time in training and practice, practice, practice!!

Find a NRA Certified Pistol Instructor and take the NRA course from him/her.


Edited to add "accurately"

 

[drew_goring]

12 ga. with with 00 buckshot would be great as long as you aren't in too tight of quarters.

 

[tigger]

All of what follows is one man's opinion. I'm somewhat knowledgable about these matters, but others are far more experienced than I.

I agree wholeheartedly with the notion of a shotgun generally being the preferable tool for what you're talking about.

Hallways shouldn't be an issue for a couple of reasons:

1. (The less important of the two, IMO) Any shotgun designed for defensive purposes is quite maneuverable, with double-barreled "coach guns" being even easier to move around.

2. Whether it's you, your dad, your mom, your grandmother - it doesn't matter, none of you should be moving around the house if you think there's an intruder around. You should call 911 and stay put, with whatever firearm you've chosen to buy.

And if you were to buy a shotgun, I would lean toward a 20 gauge, as it is sufficient for the task you'd be putting it to, but less punishing on an older person who needed to use it.

I would also be fairly wary of the idea that a shotgun is that much easier to shoot than a handgun. You might have a few inches margin of error, but in order to take full advantage of what a shotgun does, shot placement is almost as important as it is with any other firearm.

All of that said, in your particular situation, with people around who aren't likely to get much training or practice, a four inch .357 Magnum revolver loaded with .38 Special or .38 Spl +P ammunition would be your best choice. A Ruger Security Six can still be had at a reasonable price, and unless you start shooting full house magnum loads with serious regularity, it will likely outlive all of you, and get passed on to a future generation.


Or you might go with the tried and true phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.

 

[khari]

...Or you might go with the tried and true phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.

Just what you see, pal. :laugh:

 

[Bucky]

I've lived in both VT and NH...those were much happier times.

 

[TMarquis]

I have years of shooting under my belt, since being taught how to shoot by my uncle when I was 5 years old (He was a Scout Sniper for the USMC), all the way to high risk security when I was a bit younger.

Go with a shotgun, it's easier to use, and you're less likely to shoot through the person you're aiming at, and either hitting a family member in another room, or hitting a neighbor in their house next door. Those are the dangers you run into with a handgun or a rifle, unless you spend quite a bit extra on ammo designed not to leave the body of your target. Combat Handguns magazine had an article where they tested how many walls each specific caliber of handgun ammo would go through when shot. 9mm, which many pro's advise being the smallest caliber used to stop a human, went through 9 walls before stopping, now last time I checked, I didn't have more than 9 walls on any side of my house, which means if I don't hit a bone, the bullets leaving the house. There are loads that restrict this from happening, but don't bet your friends and families lives on it.

 

[Turk10mm]

I didn't read all the posts here, but I think some folks are definitely incorrect in their assumptions about shotguns. The spread of shotgun pellets in a CQB situation is in the realm of a few inches at most. Shotguns don't blast big patterns out like you see in the movies. Its simply false. Also, if you do choose a shotgun don't use 00 buckshot. It overpenetrates like CRAZY. Far worse than a high performance hollow point such as a speer gold dot bullet. Use 000 at the very most.

A handgun is the easiest weapon in the home to handle, aim, fire, and keep handy/safe.

Shotguns are for hunting and assault, not defense. Cops are quickly learning that carbines and SBR's short barreled rifles are far more effective in fire power and accuracy.

Get a good pistol. Learn to shoot it. Learn in it as a tool, something you never have to question your ability with. Practice, practice, practice. I prefer Glock pistols because they don't have a lot of crap to screw up on or "forget" in the heat of battle/adrenalin. The safety is in your brain and on the trigger itself. The trigger must be pulled in order to fire, as there's a safety release built into the trigger. I also shoot a 10mm round which is as devestating or more so than a 357 magnum yet is almost as controllable as a .40SW

Please refer to some sites like ar15.com and glocktalk.com if you want expert advise from people who know what they're talking about with firearms.

 

[Turk10mm]

AGGGGGGG you people who say shotguns don't overpenetrate and are easier to defend yourself with need to go to a range and shoot some ply wood and bring some turkeys from teh grocery store. you just see what 00 and 000 buck do to those. Then shoot those same things with pistol rounds and or a 5.56mm from an AR15. Set some wood up behind a turkey. shoot the turkey and compare the damage to the wood from the 3.

99% of what people think about is right for home defense comes from the movies.

fyi, any 9mm that shoots through 9 walls was using jacketed ammo. NO good hollow point will penetrate like that. NONE.

do what you want, but I'm 100% confident in my gear and ability. are you?

 

[Turk10mm]

Whoops.. I'll post a vid here as soon as its ready..