Currently in the market to purchase my first hand gun and possibly a shot gun. The handgun would mainly be for self defense for the home, and the shotgun for recreation. I am def. not as knowledgeable as some of you are in this field so I would appreciate any help I can get. I am however not a noob and never held a gun before. I've been out a couple of times with my friend who is a CO in Vacaville and shot his 45, 22 and an old hunting rifle.

I'm not looking to spend a lot of money, but I do want something that will last awhile and be dependable for when and if I need it. Which brands should I look into and which ones should I stay away from? So again any help would be appreciated...

Thanks

 

Appropriate that my 1000'th post should be about guns.

On this forum you will get alot of different oppinions on what manf. makes the best gun and what you should get. I can pretty much say I have fired every major Manf pistol out there and they all have different qualities.

When purchasing my wifes sig I took her to reeds indoor range and had her rent and fire all the pistols they had. We made our selection based on what she was comfortable with and what she was most accurate with.

I then shopped all major stores to be sure we were getting the best price.

I purchased hers in 9mm as it is not a home defense weapon but a target pistol and 9 mm is cheap. However if you are looking for home defense I would look more at a 40 or 45ACP but that a whole different argument of stopping power vs penetration. I want to keep it simple.

I know Brucelee among others is extremely knowlegable on this subject so you might want to hit him up or visit his forum www.gunaddicts.com I think you have to pm him though to become a member.

In summary rent what you think you like. Find the pistol you like, then shop around to be sure you are getting the best price.

 

I've used my 870 remington shotgun for years, never had a single problem/complaint from it.

I'm also a big fan of the Sig Sauer pistols. I have a .40 Sig and it's a great gun!

 

may i recommend a revolver?

the simplicity of a revolver can sometimes make up for the lack of ammo at hand.

 

+1 for revolvers, it is real simple to use but reloading isn't as easy. shoot around and see what fits you best. i keep a .40 as i nightstand gun.

 

I think his site is www.gunatics.com but I could be wrong..

I am in the same boat. Going to get a shotty and a handgun for recreation if it works out. My plan is to continue renting and firing, narrowing it down. So far my fav is a Les Baer Thunder Ranch Custom but... $$$$ Next time I am going to take a crack at the .357 7 shooter they have down there... Just for fun. My last hand gun was a classic .38 police unit handed down through family, and a .22 Colt Woodsman that my dad gave me when I was a kid.

 

I'd say go to a shoot range and test some. If you're in the market for a handgun, let me recommend Sig Sauer, H&K USP, or S&W. 9mm
they have a great feel weight wise, not too much kick, easy loading, etc.
they have a pretty solid price tag, but worth it imo

 

there is nothing better for home defense than a shotgun. wont pass through walls and hit other houses/people,harder to miss and the simple act of pumping a shotgun will take care of 75% of threats.

now if you must have both look for a simple 12ga pump. mossberg or 870.
as for handguns it really comes down to what you like. i have a sig p220,xd40,kahr 9mm,s&w hammerless .38,glock 19. i love them all and they all do what i need them to very well. my kahr is hands down my favorite for CC. when i carry for work and such a .40 primary 9mm backup is a good combo.
heres a couple pics to give you an idea of how easy it is to conceal my kahr.
you can see it comes up shorter and thinner than a Wii controller. i can wear the gun w/a t-shirt and shorts all day and never know its there.
if you want to head up to vacaville we can head out and you can shoot all my guns and see what you like.

 

Nice! An 870 is my top choice for a home unit at the moment. A buddy just let go a NICE one that was really set up, but I missed it.

 

you can score REALLY nice deals on shotguns at big5. if used is ok there are a couple nice tac out units at my local gun store. i need more ammo so ill swing by and make a note of what they have.

 

+1 on big 5 shotgun deals.

I personally have a Springfield XD Tactical in 40s&w for home defense/recreation. I've put about 700 rounds through it and it's been a fantastic weapon thus far. As neat as some revolvers are, I'd highly recommend against one for a home defense situation. The ability to reload in 1-3 seconds with another *ten* rounds (thanks CA) isn't something you should turn your nose up to.

Here's a photo of mine. The Tactical has a 5" barrel. Standard is 4", compact is 3".

 

LOL, we now have a new use for the wii controller!



I agree with the Remington 870 shotgun. Reasonably price, military uses them, pretty much trouble free. I have had one for years and never had a problem with it ever.

I am also a big fan of Beretta, favorite one is the 92fs, definitely not a CC weapon though, though most of us will never get to enjoy that in this state...

 

+1 My 870 has stood up to a lot of abuse, and keeps on bucking!

 

This all depends on if you're using birdshot or slugs

Or HE rounds

 

Here's me.. Tell me what I am doing wrong!