Want to buy a gun/advice needed

research into the Bersa .380. It's small, light and compact. It is such a "safe" pistol, that you can't fire it unless the magazine is inserted into the pistol...

Really? How do I come to a happy medium then? I do not want there to be any chance that pulling out that gun and loading it is a "quick, hair-trigger" decision. It has to be thought through a little bit. If I had it loaded and at my fingertips, I may be groggy and shoot my husband when he sneaks in late at night!

I raised my kids around firearms...hiding them one makes them curious and forbidding it makes them want it even more...education is the key


ABSOLUTELY agree 100%!! I want them to know how it works, what it can do and how to use it. So they know what NOT to do also. I was raised around guns and I had a healthy respect for them.


we would even test them when they were very young, with an unloaded gun set out and we'd secretly spy...it's funny to watch them look, then look closer because they can't believe it's just sitting there, and then come running to tell us, LOL

Last Edited by BRIEF on 04/27/2012 01:00 PM

Magazine! That is what it is called! Thanks! Do they all have a safety too?

Get the Gen 3 Glock 19 instead.

Tiny bit larger than the 26, but feels much more 'solid' in the hand.

As far as brands go, it's hard to beat a Glock (price, reliability, ruggedness, accuracy, etc.)

Two other brands I've come to like a lot are: Springfield and CZ.

Good luck OP and practice, practice, practice.

ABSOLUTELY agree 100%!! I want them to know how it works, what it can do and how to use it. So they know what NOT to do also. I was raised around guns and I had a healthy respect for them.


we would even test them when they were very young, with an unloaded gun set out and we'd secretly spy...it's funny to watch them look, then look closer because they can't believe it's just setting there, and then come running to tell us, LOL


I am all for this! When I was a kid, we wanted to try all of the forbidden things right! I never went near the guns because I had access to them and was taught how to use them. No big curiosity there for me..
Now, alcohol...hmmmm Different story.. lol They locked that up but not the guns!

Active safeties have gotten a lot of people shot or killed. In the heat of the moment your brain will be going a million miles per hour. A lot of people forget to disengage the safety and that small amount of time gets them in trouble.

Use a pistol with passive safety features and keep the gun in a safe place. Educate your children about guns.

Oh I will practice thank you. I am pretty comfortable with holding/shooting guns, but in no way enough to feel like an expert. I would have had one already if it weren't for small children in the house. They are getting old enough now to "get it."

I have small hands and my Dad's pistol, forget what it is, kicks back pretty weird and we all get nicked on our thumbs. My Dad is a hick though! (in a good way)

Good choice. Many .357s made for ladies. For home defense the Taurus Judge is also a great choice. It will chamber 410 shotgun shell (won't penetrate into the kids' room) and. 45 (for outside use).

Passive safety features? I need to research that. I just figured it has a safety or doesn't...

Really? A hand gun that can use a shotgun shell.. That will do some damage to an intruder without piercing through the walls into another room! Shoot that's cool!

we would even test them when they were very young, with an unloaded gun set out and we'd secretly spy...it's funny to watch them look, then look closer because they can't believe it's just setting there, and then come running to tell us, LOL


I am all for this! When I was a kid, we wanted to try all of the forbidden things right! I never went near the guns because I had access to them and was taught how to use them. No big curiosity there for me..
Now, alcohol...hmmmm Different story.. lol They locked that up but not the guns!


Meh, nothing wrong with letting them have a sip...

Don't get a gun for home defense. Get a medium to large size dog. Treat it well, shower it with affection and attention. Then if someone does break into your home, the dog will kill to protect you and your kids. And the dog will do it better than you could ever hope to. JMO

I use mine for snakes -- those with two legs and those without legs.

I guess I was wrong, you do want it for home defense also. No carry in Chicago unless you are well connected BTW.

Buy a bedside safe that can be opened by your fingers (the kind that have the shape of a hand and you can push in your fingers in the right order) or a biometric safe. Make sure you have a good and bright flashlight, preferably mounted on the weapon.

Also have a solid and hidden safe where you can put it during the day if you will be the only user if you are so inclined. Also, if something bad happens, in Chicago showing all those safes and such will help a lot so that you don't go to jail for defending yourself (land of the free, home of the brave).

You MUST load it when it is in your bedside safe and you are home!! You can always leave a speed loader full for your revolver in the small safe and the gun in the "main" safe. This will separate ammo from gun while you are not home. Chicago PD and judges like that.

Get a good sized .357 that has a lot of weight to it. The light ones will probably not make you want to practice, which is a huge negative due to recoil. If recoil doesn't bother you, get a smaller one.

If you are in a condo or dense neighborhood, it is practically a requirement that you use frangible self-defense ammo. Cor-Bon is good for this. Practice with the cheap stuff, but put at least one box of your self defense round through the gun to get used to it and to pattern. More is better, but it can get expensive quickly!

Safety first.

Guns don't eat and shit...just say'n

Well now that's a funny coincidence. I have a BIG dog. He is a Golden Doodle. (Had one before--very smart) He is so sweet and smart BUT...afraid of his own shadow. I do not believe he would protect us. He is 2 now, and still skittish. Maybe we baby him too much, IDK but I think it is just in his nature.

He was sleeping on the floor a few weeks back, and he farted. The noise sent him literally scrambling in fear as he was looking back at his butt, he slammed into a wall.. I kid you not, he is a HUGE scaredy cat! His own farts terrify him.. Sigh~ Can't get rid of him, we love him and he is family so don't suggest that or another dog..

Tru Dat!!!

GREAT advice!! Thank you! I am super nervous still but all of this info helps. You just can't possibly know everything about it unless you have the experience, which I don't. You rock!

Yes, it has an active safe as well. I don't use the active safe since it has the passive safety on it (magazine has to be in the pistol).

somethin really big that holds a lot of bullets

You know, you got me thinking, would I even have the frame of mind to pull out the pepper spray or would I be paralyzed with fear? And if I am not composed enough to do that, how the heck am I going to lock and load??? Actually, I may surprise myself.

If you are not a gun nut then a revolver might be best for you....

First off, alot can happen in twenty seconds. Done believe me? Go outside your house and lock you door. Now start a timer, unlock you door, walk in your house and go to your bed room. I guarantee you will still have plenty of time left by the time you get there. Now, intruder is entering your home from your room, how much time do you have now?

Now, lets think real scenario. You think you can get to your safe, get your firearm and load it fairly quickly right? Well, there is something that kicks in when you are put in a situation like this called fear and adrenaline. Both with reduce your response time by a significant amount. Your 20 seconds will take longer than 20 seconds.

Here's my advice. Before purchasing a hand gun, go take the class for a concealed handgun permit. You will have time in the class to learn about firearms and have the opportunity to fire one. You can make your decision on which pistol you would like after you have finished the class.

As for where to keep the firearm, there are many companies out there that make custom hideaway boxes that you can mount on your bed for easy retrieval in the middle of the night. Only keep the firearm in here when you are sleeping. During the day, carry the firearm concealed.

Being a gun owner is a big responsibility and should not be taken lightly. You can't just "choose" when to carry since you will never know when you will be a victim. The biggest thing to also remember is YOU MUST go to the range on a regular basis to use your firearm. I suggest once every three to four weeks. You don't buy a golf club and expect to be able to use it if you ever decide to go play golf. Same thing with a firearm. You need practice. If you are one of the firearm owners that purchase one and hide it away until you need it, I guarantee the odds will not be in your favor.

I recently saw a video on YouTube where a gentlemen in a Jewelry Store was being robbed. The owner happen to have a pistol right under the counter with a loaded magazine however, he did not have a round loaded in the chamber. For a semi automatic weapon, you have to pull the slide on the top of the pistol back and let it go to load the first round. The whole process takes about half a second. Well, the owner pulled the pistol out, being nervous he was unable to grab the slide and was having trouble pulling the slide back. The robbers unloaded and entire magazine in the owner before he even had a chance to shoot.

If your going to have a firearm, spend time learning, researching, practicing and keep your firearm loaded and ready to fire. The most you should have to do is flip a safety if the gun you purchase has one. I personally do not like an active safety as you need to practice even more to condition yourself to muscle memory to flip the switch before you fire. Something like a revolver or a Glock are great as they include internal safeties to reduce the amount of steps to fire.

Having a loaded firearm around children is not an issue if you practice being a safe firearms owner. The children that shoot themselves are the ones that have negligent firearm owners.

Please stay away from a .380 for personal protection. These things are called "back up guns" for a reason. Yes, they are small, however with this size comes a major disadvantage.

1) The small frame makes them harder to control when they fire. A larger and heavier handgun will be MUCH EASIER to control. Trust me. My wife bought a Taurus TCP .380 for her first firearm. She hates it. It's very hard to control and will hurt your hand after firing a few rounds. Some of the heavier revolvers would be MUCH easier to shoot.

2) A .380 round will not have as much stopping power as a .40 or .45 Don't think that just be cause of the size that they will be harder to fire. Again, it comes down to the type of pistol you are using.

There is no better weapon for home defence then a shotgun with buckshot ( .32", 9 pellets). But judging buy your answers you won't have the courage to use a firearm against an intruder and if you do, you won't be able to shoot accurate enough with a handgun.

If you decide to go with a semi-automatic pistol instead of a revolver, look at the Glocks. I have a Glock G23 and my wife loves it. It's very easy to shoot, very easy to clean, and I conceal carry it every single day. Best of all, it holds 13 to 17 rounds of ammunition. Thats two to three times as many as a revolver. A 6-8 Shot revolver can be very limiting when you have multiple intruders.

It depends on how you're going to use it. Take a class on how to use a handgun. A closed carry permit class will teach you everything you need to know - how to use it, clean it, what the laws are, etc. I wanted one to carry concealed that would be light enough but powerful enough to be effective. I chose a Smith & Wesson model 642 snubnose revolver .38 special because it's easy to hide, small, lightweight, and safe. You have to really want to shoot it, it can't go off accidentally because it has a 12 pound pull for the trigger. Other guns have an easier trigger which makes them less safe. I wanted it for self-defense because society is getting crazier all the time. I have a shotgun for home defense that I keep loaded at my bedside. But I take the revolver out with me on walks and to stores. I was approached in a parking lot one night and will never feel that terror again. I am confident now in my knowledge and ability to use this gun. But I don't have little kids at home. Take a class, that's my best advice.

I agree 100%. Shotgun is absolutely the best option for a home defense firearm. They are just much harder to hide in your home. If it was just you and your spouse I would recommend this over a hand gun. In your situation, since your worried about your children, a hand gun would be easier to conceal.

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