Buying a hand gun

[silver surfer]

Need suggestions on buying a hand gun for home security. I have read about safety, storage, waiting periods(joke). Any recommendations on models or selection?

[Craig]

A friends Mom's house got broke into a few years ago and she asked the investigating officer the same question about a gun for home protection. He told her don't waste your time with a hand gun. He told ger get a 20 gauge shotgun. A burglar is more apt to flee at the sight of that shotgun due to the greater chance of the owner scoring a hit! You also reduce the chance of incidental injury to your neighbors if you have to fire it. A 9 mm can travel quite a distance through your window and do damage down the street compared to a shotgun. Who knows

[wgarland]

Hey SS, if I were going to buy one I'd make sure it was one with a clip quick to load if need be. I guess I'm lucky living in an area where there isn't a whole lot of worry, 3 murders in 10 years I can't complain.
Bill

[Casanova]

When I was a kid, a neighbors St. Bernard bit onto my sisters face and wouldnt let go.
Us kids couldn't do anything to help her. The dog destroyed her face. A tragedy she lives with every day.
From that point on, we've had a gun in the house.
I would never hesitate to kill a vicious dog.
I have no feelings for them or their owners.
I recomend if you have little kids, avoid revolvers. If they get a hold of it, or worse yet if their friends go snooping around and get a hold of it, it's easy to fire.
Automatics take some work to operate, and some knowledge that adds another step to their use.
I have a Glock 9mm with Extreme Terminal Penetration rounds (ETP) with a locked trigger, and the key in a secure place.
My sons had NRA safety and handeling training. Do the same for your family members. It's free.
I recomend Stevensons Gun Country in Burbank Calif. Go in, see what Automatic pistol feels comfortable to you and consider it.
They have a good attitude there and will guide you through your decision making.
They will also help you with NRA instruction.

[lynden]

I'd have to agree on the Shotgun idea!
I've got a 12 GA. full of 00buck. I dare someone to come into my house and try to harm my family.
Dad, at the other end of the house has a .44 mag(8 inch barrel, Ruger - Dirty Harry gun) With hollow points in it that are so big you can use em for an ashtray!
Mom has a baseball bat!
BTW did I mention that I live in TX!!! Viva la NRA!!

[v-drive]

Listen to the officer and go with the 12 guage pump. If nothing else the sound of the shell being loaded into the chamber is intimidating. Oh yeah if someone is climbing through the window make sure both feet hit the floor before firing ...v-drive

[HOSS]

9mm,,,,,,,,,,ha,,,,,,,,,,,,we use that to shoot nutria. If you are looking at defense get a compound bow. There ain`t a gangbanger that`ll mess with ya. Looks way to painful. Get a gun rack in your truck and hang it in the back window.
Just another tip from your buddy HOSS!

[Seadog]

I would go with a short .410 break action if you are not an expert. Not enough kick to scare the uninitiated and a tight pattern. With only one shot, there is less chance of collateral damage. If you do hit an innocent by mistake, more chance of recovery. If it is not an innocent, the fool is not going to stick around. He is either going to the hospital/morgue or the sound of the shotgun going off will scare the sh!t out of him.
If you are expert with a handgun, I would go with the Ruger 9mm auto

[OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET]

Shotgun is all around best home defense, however, I keep a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber in the night stand. all around best pistol you can buy IMO. recoil not as bad as .45 or .44 which means you can get more than one ACCURATE shot. big heavy projectile with lots of knock down power. Light enough and small enough to carry on your person if you decide to get a consealed handgun liscense. (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) I suggest you go to your local gun range and ask people if you can fire their gun (Offer to buy ammo) here in Texas people do it gladly. Try out different ones and find what you are comfortable with. I also have a GLOC 9mm although it wouldn't be my choice to take someone down. light projectile high muzzle velocity. tends to put holes in people and not knock them down. Whatever you get buy hollow point bullets for maximum effect. One more tip, in the event someone does enter your house. make sure you KILL them. I know that sounds bad, but dead people can't sue you and it has been known to happen here before. So make sure you finish the job. Oh yeah and buy an automatic not a revolver. If you do decide to take the consealed handgun course be sure to use an automatic as that qualifies you to use both revolver or automatic but if you take it with a revolver you are only liscened to carry a revolver. it is way to easy to get a revolver hammer caught on the edge of your pocket trying to get it out in an emergency situation. And as always never pull a gun unless you are fully prepared to use it. The rules that I stated apply in Texas I can't speak clearly for other states although I am sure they are the same or very similar. Good Luck!!!
Omega (likes guns and chit)

[Havasu Luvr]

Although the thought of a shotgun is much better then a handgun with solid projectiles I would have to disagree with it. A shot gun is big and bulky and the shot pattern would be very tight in a home defense situation. I have found that a revolver (6 shot) with the first 3 rounds being "Bird Shot" is the best for home defense. Picture this; darkness and a mussle flash so big that it would scare off the intruder, no solid profectile traveling through walls and creating liability from law suits from innocent by-standers. Also, a huge shot pattern from a 4-6" barrel that will cover most of the room, so you will not have to be a "Marksman" to hit your target, just point in the general direction and pull the trigger. If the intruder is hit with only one pellet, he's going to think twice after seeing the mussle flash and the pain.
02 cent