Want to buy a gun/advice needed

A gun is fine if you are trained on the workings and how to use it.

The best defense for intruders is pepper spray. Not the pen type that so many think of. Buy bear spray that is intended for knocking a bear down so you can run. Once you knock your intruder down then run for the gun and call 911.

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

One more: if you buy a revolver, get a double-action. Don't get one with an exposed hammer.

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.

That's what hollow points are for :)

Yes, they kick harder then the average larger pistols due to their small size. You shouldn't have to shoot more then twice in close quarters though and having a smaller pistol is a greater tactical advantage for hallway sweeping.

If I had my pick for a pistol it would be the Mateba Model 6 Unica.

[link to cyberpunk.net.pl]

Don't listen to the revolver fanatics...while ok, if you have to shoot more than 5 or 6 times, you've just screwed the pooch.

After reading this thread, I'm going to go off the topic of guns. Consider going to REI (or similar store) and purchasing a canister of Grizzly repellent. Accessorize with a holster. This will stop any intruder at 10+ yards. The canister (similar to a small fire extinguisher) has a thumb safety to prevent accidental discharge.

keep the gun disassembled, like having the barrel removed and hidden somewhere close but not obvious, that way you can have the ammo in the gun and all you need is to find the barrel hidden somewhere and quickly assemble it, this way no one can bring their own mag and shoot with your gun either

glock 26. Nuff said.

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.

Would that be quicker than loading it? How about any obvious dangers that I am not aware of. Ie; something you may all have learned the hard way?

I am SO appreciative and I just knew there were a bunch of smart cookies on this site! ((((hugs))))

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.

Depending on where you live, you can actually get arrested for this. If you stop the intruder with the pepper spray then get your gun, your in a mess of legal troubles.

do NOT get a glock

>>>glocks are for stupid people<<<

(who know nothing about guns
or for impressionable youtube morons)

especially if this is your first gun

you also should NOT buy 'something small' as it might actually be more difficult and painful to shoot
until you are well trained


go to a store and feel different guns in your hand
9mm is probably your best bet for start

at the end of the day cz-75 is still the best value

New profile..Anyways...IMO guns in general were meant to be loaded at all times...hence the Double Action...so 1 could draw.....squeeze and done. The Ruger SR9c is a semi-auto just like a glock. One thing it DOESNT have is a drop release. I didnt like that...besides the light weight of the gun made the recoil absurd. Get a mini gun vault that you can open up in the dark...with a double action. Keep loaded so when you REALLY REALLY need to you can just open point and shoot. Besides NOBODY should have access to YOUR gun! Hope this helps

You obviously dont know much about Glocks. They are one of the most accuratge reliable(never jam) easy to maintain guns on the market. They also have a wide range of grip mods which will improve your hold of the gun and accuracy. 70% of all police in the U.S.A now carry them.

Apparently the majority of the police force in the U.S.A are stupid people. LOL

I have a Ruger LCR - Lightweight Compact Revolver.
Picture here - [link to www.tuckergunleatherblog.com]

It's perfect for a novice because its just point and shoot. You don't have to worry about it jamming because it's a revolver. It comes in 357, which can shoot 357 mags and .38 special, and .38, which just shoots .38.

Most handgun encounters happen between 3-10 feet so as long as you can point and pull the trigger, you will probably hit your target in the range.

Good luck