A gun for a first time user?
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Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
https://www.mainemilitary.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=161&idproduct=1216
Maverick 88 Security 12ga. 8 shot (7+1) capacity and 20" barrel.
I have that exact gun, except with the silver MarineCote finish. It currently stays loaded with slugs, since the wild hogs are back. If needed for home invaders, the slug is really no disadvantage, since at inside-the-house distances, a pattern of 1/0/00/000 buck won't be any larger than your fist.
And for the OP- if you *Must* have a handgun, then I wholeheartedly agree with the recommendation of a good DA revolver, in .38 Sp or .357 Mag. The S&W full size models(6 shots or more), or the Ruger DA, are excellent.
BUT: if you have *no* firearms experience at all, at least consider a shotgun. The Maverick above is also available with a barrel 1.5" shorter, in a 5+1 shell capacity. If I was gonna go out & buy a new one that would probably be my choice. It's much quicker & easier to get reasonably proficient with a shoulder-fired gun than a handgun. Good defensive buckshot loads are available these days in reduced recoil versions- plus that Maverick comes standard with a recoil pad. And if trouble comes- 1.*Nothing* commands respect- or fear- like a shotgun at close range. 2. If you do have to shoot, the stopping power of buckshot up close(where you either miss or hit with the full load) is just about the ultimate fight-stopper.
Of course, if concealed carry is your eventual goal, that pretty much rules out the shotgun!
Best of luck with whatever you choose.
https://www.mainemilitary.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=161&idproduct=1216
Maverick 88 Security 12ga. 8 shot (7+1) capacity and 20" barrel.
I have that exact gun, except with the silver MarineCote finish. It currently stays loaded with slugs, since the wild hogs are back. If needed for home invaders, the slug is really no disadvantage, since at inside-the-house distances, a pattern of 1/0/00/000 buck won't be any larger than your fist.
And for the OP- if you *Must* have a handgun, then I wholeheartedly agree with the recommendation of a good DA revolver, in .38 Sp or .357 Mag. The S&W full size models(6 shots or more), or the Ruger DA, are excellent.
BUT: if you have *no* firearms experience at all, at least consider a shotgun. The Maverick above is also available with a barrel 1.5" shorter, in a 5+1 shell capacity. If I was gonna go out & buy a new one that would probably be my choice. It's much quicker & easier to get reasonably proficient with a shoulder-fired gun than a handgun. Good defensive buckshot loads are available these days in reduced recoil versions- plus that Maverick comes standard with a recoil pad. And if trouble comes- 1.*Nothing* commands respect- or fear- like a shotgun at close range. 2. If you do have to shoot, the stopping power of buckshot up close(where you either miss or hit with the full load) is just about the ultimate fight-stopper.
Of course, if concealed carry is your eventual goal, that pretty much rules out the shotgun!
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
A good for home and target practice would be an Ruger GP100 or S&W 686 in a 4" barrel. .38+p for the defense ammo.
For carry depends on what size you are and how you dress.
There have been a few threads here with a LOT of EXCELLENT info. I'd highly suggest you look for those and read up.
Whatever you do, SHOOT THE WEAPON BEFORE BUYING one. And once you get something, shoot it often to stay sharp! I just got back increasing the lead count at the range by about 300 rounds.
Take care and BE SAFE! Bill
++1
A good for home and target practice would be an Ruger GP100 or S&W 686 in a 4" barrel. .38+p for the defense ammo.
For carry depends on what size you are and how you dress.
There have been a few threads here with a LOT of EXCELLENT info. I'd highly suggest you look for those and read up.
Whatever you do, SHOOT THE WEAPON BEFORE BUYING one. And once you get something, shoot it often to stay sharp! I just got back increasing the lead count at the range by about 300 rounds.
Take care and BE SAFE! Bill
++1
If you have no firearms experience at all, stay away from a shotgun.
Personally (and professionally) I love them, as they are a very versatile weapon if you know what you are doing.
And they intimidate the living hello out of people who own and "operate" handguns on a regular basis.
Stick with a revolver (Colt, Ruger, or S&W) as your first purchase; 4-inch barrel, not a 2-inch; .357 capability, but use .38 caliber +P lead semi-wadcutter hollowpoints (158-grain) or 125-grain holow points from Speer, Hornady, Winchester, or Remington.
Practice. This ain't TV-Land out in the real world. Practice at distances of two yards to ten yards maximum. And focus on two things: front sight and trigger control!
Personally (and professionally) I love them, as they are a very versatile weapon if you know what you are doing.
And they intimidate the living hello out of people who own and "operate" handguns on a regular basis.
Stick with a revolver (Colt, Ruger, or S&W) as your first purchase; 4-inch barrel, not a 2-inch; .357 capability, but use .38 caliber +P lead semi-wadcutter hollowpoints (158-grain) or 125-grain holow points from Speer, Hornady, Winchester, or Remington.
Practice. This ain't TV-Land out in the real world. Practice at distances of two yards to ten yards maximum. And focus on two things: front sight and trigger control!
Very good advise.
"If you have no firearms experience at all, stay away from a shotgun."
Why is that? Everything I was ever taught, that recognized both long & short guns, was to learn long gun first- then short gun. NRA(way back when), former LE, and several instructors still active now. One thing I heard over & over from these people, & have seen several times myself- the "wrong way" factor. That is, it's much easier to teach & keep green adult shooters from pointing a long gun the wrong way. It's frightening to see how often some people will turn, with handgun turning with them & pointing at whoever they decide to talk to. I dunno if it's because a handgun is so short & handy, or because a long gun is bigger, longer, & heavier(hence a REAL GUN).
Recoil? Practice with light-load, short-brass #8s. Most recoil trouble is at least partly noise trouble, so wear earplugs & muffs.
I totally agree with everything else you said- but agan, why avoid learning with a shotgun?
Why is that? Everything I was ever taught, that recognized both long & short guns, was to learn long gun first- then short gun. NRA(way back when), former LE, and several instructors still active now. One thing I heard over & over from these people, & have seen several times myself- the "wrong way" factor. That is, it's much easier to teach & keep green adult shooters from pointing a long gun the wrong way. It's frightening to see how often some people will turn, with handgun turning with them & pointing at whoever they decide to talk to. I dunno if it's because a handgun is so short & handy, or because a long gun is bigger, longer, & heavier(hence a REAL GUN).
Recoil? Practice with light-load, short-brass #8s. Most recoil trouble is at least partly noise trouble, so wear earplugs & muffs.
I totally agree with everything else you said- but agan, why avoid learning with a shotgun?
Originally Posted By: dkryan
If you have no firearms experience at all, stay away from a shotgun.
Personally (and professionally) I love them, as they are a very versatile weapon if you know what you are doing.
Stuart: read the two lines again.
If this is, in fact, the first firearm that you will own and you do not have extensive experience with long guns (and there IS a difference between operating a 12 gauge versus operating a .223 or a .308), then learn the revolver first.
A six or seven-shot revolver is versatile enough to provide more than adequate protection for your family and home, while allowing you to be able to carry it concealed, if deemed necessary.
If, after selecting a quality revolver and practicing with it so you are consistent under stress in driving that particular platform, then by all means, add a nice Remington 870 to your collection.
If you have no firearms experience at all, stay away from a shotgun.
Personally (and professionally) I love them, as they are a very versatile weapon if you know what you are doing.
Stuart: read the two lines again.
If this is, in fact, the first firearm that you will own and you do not have extensive experience with long guns (and there IS a difference between operating a 12 gauge versus operating a .223 or a .308), then learn the revolver first.
A six or seven-shot revolver is versatile enough to provide more than adequate protection for your family and home, while allowing you to be able to carry it concealed, if deemed necessary.
If, after selecting a quality revolver and practicing with it so you are consistent under stress in driving that particular platform, then by all means, add a nice Remington 870 to your collection.
Also, it is not necessary to "learn" or "teach" safety on a long gun first.
Common sense applies in every gun handling situation, whether it be a Ruger .22 or a Barrett .50 caliber: keep your finger off of the trigger at all times until you are on target and ready to shoot and, more importantly, don't point the long gun or handgun at anything you do not intend to destroy!
I see way too much TV and movies on the firing range, whether they are attempting to learn on handguns or long guns.
Common sense applies in every gun handling situation, whether it be a Ruger .22 or a Barrett .50 caliber: keep your finger off of the trigger at all times until you are on target and ready to shoot and, more importantly, don't point the long gun or handgun at anything you do not intend to destroy!
I see way too much TV and movies on the firing range, whether they are attempting to learn on handguns or long guns.
Hmm- well, I'm hardly new to firearms. I grew up with shotguns, .22s, & later, deer rifles. Formal instruction was from NRA, Scouts, & former LE instructors, even one former Army range instructor.
No argument on the safety ideal- all guns are always loaded, don't point it at anything you aren't willing to destroy. Still, I stand by the idea that in *Practice*, it's easier to get 'em to actually doing that, then *living* that, with a long gun.
I own a very serious handgun, plus a smaller yet pretty serious handgun that's much easier to conceal. But if trouble comes at home, I'm grabbin' the shotgun. Much of what's said about training & practice boils down to building familiarity & muscle memory- under stress you do what you have long experience doing- and for me, that's a pump gun with safety on the trigger guard.
A handgun's advantage is portability. For concealed carry, or to take along in the car, it has no peer. But at home a shotgun has some advantages too. Example- with a pump, there's nothing like the sound of racking the slide & chambering a round to make someone decide he has urgent business elsewhere.
And the way our little town is going, it could happen here any time.
So to the OP I'd say, a good DA .357 revolver, as dkryan described above, is surely the premier home defense *handgun* for the first-time owner, you betcha.
Still- you might try a few shots of light-load birdshot in a 12-ga riot gun, then maybe work up to a round or two of buckshot. You might decide to make that your 2nd gun.
No argument on the safety ideal- all guns are always loaded, don't point it at anything you aren't willing to destroy. Still, I stand by the idea that in *Practice*, it's easier to get 'em to actually doing that, then *living* that, with a long gun.
I own a very serious handgun, plus a smaller yet pretty serious handgun that's much easier to conceal. But if trouble comes at home, I'm grabbin' the shotgun. Much of what's said about training & practice boils down to building familiarity & muscle memory- under stress you do what you have long experience doing- and for me, that's a pump gun with safety on the trigger guard.
A handgun's advantage is portability. For concealed carry, or to take along in the car, it has no peer. But at home a shotgun has some advantages too. Example- with a pump, there's nothing like the sound of racking the slide & chambering a round to make someone decide he has urgent business elsewhere.
And the way our little town is going, it could happen here any time.
So to the OP I'd say, a good DA .357 revolver, as dkryan described above, is surely the premier home defense *handgun* for the first-time owner, you betcha.
Still- you might try a few shots of light-load birdshot in a 12-ga riot gun, then maybe work up to a round or two of buckshot. You might decide to make that your 2nd gun.
A duty sized (medium/large frame with 4 or 6 inch barrel) .357 magnum revolver is a good first gun choice. If used with 38 Special Ammo, the extra weight soaks up recoil making the gun easier to shoot. Less recoil makes the gun more fun to shoot. For the newbie a gun that is fun to shoot encourages the perosn to practice.
The revolver is very simple and can accomodate a wide power range for ammunition. From pleasant 38 wadcutters up to full house magnums. Low power loads in a semi-auto will result in failure to feed or failure to eject unless springs are matched to the power of the ammunition being used.
The revolver is less likely to suffer from jams induced by shooting stance/way you hold the gun. If your wrist is not locked when you shoot an autoloader, you will get a stovepipe jam.
The revolver is very simple and can accomodate a wide power range for ammunition. From pleasant 38 wadcutters up to full house magnums. Low power loads in a semi-auto will result in failure to feed or failure to eject unless springs are matched to the power of the ammunition being used.
The revolver is less likely to suffer from jams induced by shooting stance/way you hold the gun. If your wrist is not locked when you shoot an autoloader, you will get a stovepipe jam.
I would only recommend an auto if you intend to practice a lot and get really familiar with it. The average handgun owner doesn't practice enough to handle an auto well in stress situations, IMO. Otherwise a plain vanilla S&W or Ruger revolver will suit you well in .38 Special or .357 magnum. I like a 4" barrel as a minimum.
If you aren't looking for a family heirloom there are still a lot of police trade-ins in gun shops at reasonable prices. Most of them are worn but perfectly functional.
If you aren't looking for a family heirloom there are still a lot of police trade-ins in gun shops at reasonable prices. Most of them are worn but perfectly functional.
IMO shotguns are a bit to handle.
The revolver suggestion is a good one.
I won't discuss firearms with lay folks that think they know what is going on but I have trained many men that carry for a living and do so myself.
Get a decent gun. Any made in USA revolver is plenty good for a first (and even only) handgun. Take classes and get training. Skills are far more important than the gun.
Enjoy being a free American man. Owning handguns is very American by nature and I respect you for wanting to protect your family. Join the the NRA.
I won't discuss firearms with lay folks that think they know what is going on but I have trained many men that carry for a living and do so myself.
Get a decent gun. Any made in USA revolver is plenty good for a first (and even only) handgun. Take classes and get training. Skills are far more important than the gun.
Enjoy being a free American man. Owning handguns is very American by nature and I respect you for wanting to protect your family. Join the the NRA.
If going to carry = .38/.357 revolver. Just get a quality brand that fits your hand well.
If for the house only = 20ga pump youth model shotgun. Shorter, lighter, and with less kick than a full sized 12ga. and will get the job done just fine. Can be had cheap and doesn't look like a killing machine.
If for the house only = 20ga pump youth model shotgun. Shorter, lighter, and with less kick than a full sized 12ga. and will get the job done just fine. Can be had cheap and doesn't look like a killing machine.
A distant second thing to consider is availability and the price of your ammunition. Maybe I'm just cheap, but the price of ammo decides how much I will shoot/practice.
Besides a .22 which is dirt cheap and found anywhere, a 9mm will be the next cheapest in my search.
About the same price of a 9mm is 12 gauge #7.5-8 bird shot.
I've shot a few guns in the past and my first bought gun was a 870 Remington a few years back. Recently I thought someone was going to cause me harm so I considered having a gun with me and thought a .22 was the way to go. I could shoot it every weekend for pennies and since its a light load I could easily fire off several rounds to compensate for being the lack of lead. Another reason I got that gun was that I feared a 'real' gun would jump out of my hands like that youtube video of the 500 S&W.
Well, the 9mm I traded the .22 in on is more comfortable and fits more like a glove (so you can handle it better) and while its a more serious round it wont scare you. After a hundred rounds with both hands I tried it right handed only, then a few weeks later got the nerve up to try it left handed only. After you load a single round (for fear of dropping it) you could then fire a full magazine through it. Although my slide didn't retract at the end (I guess I kind of limp wristed it because that's never happened before) I was fairly accurate.
Talk with your gunsmith about moving up if you so please. Going from a .22 for 4 months to a 9mm costed me ($40) $215 purchase price -$175 trade in. It worked well for me, but feel I could have started out on something bigger, but I view it like motorcycles. Why start out on a literbike when you're more likely to master the liter if you go from a 250 to a 600 and so on? Its your life and motorcycles and guns are just as serious as one another. Both demand safety, skills and fear of what happens when handled improperly.
Besides a .22 which is dirt cheap and found anywhere, a 9mm will be the next cheapest in my search.
About the same price of a 9mm is 12 gauge #7.5-8 bird shot.
I've shot a few guns in the past and my first bought gun was a 870 Remington a few years back. Recently I thought someone was going to cause me harm so I considered having a gun with me and thought a .22 was the way to go. I could shoot it every weekend for pennies and since its a light load I could easily fire off several rounds to compensate for being the lack of lead. Another reason I got that gun was that I feared a 'real' gun would jump out of my hands like that youtube video of the 500 S&W.
Well, the 9mm I traded the .22 in on is more comfortable and fits more like a glove (so you can handle it better) and while its a more serious round it wont scare you. After a hundred rounds with both hands I tried it right handed only, then a few weeks later got the nerve up to try it left handed only. After you load a single round (for fear of dropping it) you could then fire a full magazine through it. Although my slide didn't retract at the end (I guess I kind of limp wristed it because that's never happened before) I was fairly accurate.
Talk with your gunsmith about moving up if you so please. Going from a .22 for 4 months to a 9mm costed me ($40) $215 purchase price -$175 trade in. It worked well for me, but feel I could have started out on something bigger, but I view it like motorcycles. Why start out on a literbike when you're more likely to master the liter if you go from a 250 to a 600 and so on? Its your life and motorcycles and guns are just as serious as one another. Both demand safety, skills and fear of what happens when handled improperly.
Thanks for all the advice guys...there has been some good stuff here. I'm going " shooting" next weekend with trusted friends to get my hands on some different weapons, to get a feel for what I like.
Wish me luck...I'm report back with my thoughts...
Wish me luck...I'm report back with my thoughts...
Excellent!
Be safe and ASK a lot of questions!
Be safe and ASK a lot of questions!
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