What is your favorite hand gun? - Page 3

If you fear for your life to the point of wanting a gun on you at all times it seems like the best solution is to move somewhere else.

Have you went to an indoor range where they have pistols you can test out? A lot of ranges have rentals, you can then find what fits you the best ergonomically.

Yes, I had a holster made. Most of the big names in this craft will take anywhere from 4-12 months to make you one. I had one made in black shell cordovan.

IMO, the best gun for CCW is the Smith & Wesson Model 60. Perfect size, accurate, reliable, and a true classic.

pffft, the best ccw pistol ever was the noisy cricket.

They are also much harder to use in confined spaces (like your home), and its easier for a potential assailant to wrestle it out of your hands because of the increased leverage. Also, asking people what their "favorite gun" is will get you pretty much an infinite variety of useless answers. We are all built differently, have different shaped hands, experiences, and preferences. Personally, I've never shot a better gun than the H&K USP45 Elite. At 45 feet I shot a smiley face into a man sized targets head with my off hand the first time I picked it up. Not very concealable, but I'd rather be able to shoot it than hide it in my waistband. I'd much rather get something I was comfortable shooting, than something based on any reccomendations of "intimidating" "good looking" or "safe" (whatever the hell thats supposed to mean, its a GUN remember? None of them are safe, thats the point.) The only way to figure out what fits your hand, and your needs is to go try a bunch of them out at a shooting range. I'd highly reccomend taking a shooting safety course if you haven't done so already, otherwise, you are being incredibly irresponsible and potentially dangerous to yourself and everyone around you. Just my 2 cents.

If you are on a budget of ca. $300, I would second the advice to go with a good double-action revolver. You won't find anything good new for that price except maybe a few of the lower-end Taurus revolvers (which are perfectly okay). However, you should be able to find plenty of good second-hand Smith & Wesson and Ruger revolvers in very sound shape for around that price or a little less. For general purpose defensive duty, I'd recommend a medium-frame revolver with a three- or four-inch barrel in .38 Special or .357 Magnum. (I think you will get the best balance of stopping power and controllability with .38 Special ammo loaded hot or .357 Magnum ammo loaded mild, which amount to about the same thing ballistically. As you may know, a .357 Magnum revolver can shoot all .38 Special ammo as well--but with some loss of velocity and often not-so-good accuracy.)

I think a second-hand Smith & Wesson or Ruger would be your best bet. Colt revolvers are semi-collectible these days, and a Smith or Ruger will usually give you more for your money. Besides, the lockwork on Colt revolvers tends to be more delicate. The Taurus revolvers made in the last 15 years or so can be quite comparable to Smith or Ruger revolvers. The ones made between the mid-1980s and the early 1990s are, well, okay but usually not the equal of Smith or Ruger. The Taurus revolvers made during the 1970s were really rough and crude and not quality arms. A Smith or Ruger from any era should be fine although I would caution that medium-frame Smith & Wesson .38 Specials made before 1957 (when they started stamping mode numbers on them) are not recommended for the most powerful ammunition in this caliber.

I still believe a good double-action revolver is more likely to give you a reliable, trouble-free gun right out of the box than an auto pistol. I also believe that a good second-hand DA revolver purchased for $250 or so will protect you just about as well as a $3,000 custom 1911.

A virtue of the revolver is that you can start with very mild loads like .38 Target Wadcutters and work your way up as you become more proficient and used to recoil. Its simpler manual of arms also makes it safer and more user-friendly for the novice.

Just my $.02.

Since the title of the post asks what our favorite hand gun is, I prefer expensive semi-custom full-size 1911s. I also have a Glock 19 that I like a lot.

JLib was being tactful and helpful, and gave excellent advice. So did Globe and Tokyo. Listen to it. As it is, I don't feel impelled to a similar height in terms of discretion. I am concerned that comments made do not indicate the appropriate knowledge, experience, or mindset to be considering carrying a firearm for defense. At least not yet. You may "prefer a lighter trigger pull" at the range, but not if you may be pointing it at somebody's chest; not if you are drawing it in public; not if there are other people around; not if you are in a scuffle for the weapon. From an experienced/trained shooter that comment may be acceptable, but from someone in your position... no. Especially if, as may be anticipated, you were planning on carrying an SAO semiauto in Condition I. Globe made a good point: 9mm is cheap, and you'll need practice. A debate of 9mm vs. 40 vs 45 is almost academic at this point (btw, there is a plethora of available compact .45s). If you're serious, you need to take a class, have a taste of trying to shoot under a fraction of real world stress, get barked at by the RSO a few times, and mainly find out what you need rather than what you think you want. In answer to the question, though none of even my three favorite handguns would be even the slightest bit relevant: 1. S&W Model 41, .22LR caliber target pistol 2. S&W 3566 Limited, .356 TSW 3. H&K Tactical, .45ACP, very legally suppressed Take a class, practice, keep your wits about you and be safe. Best, Huntsman

I crush intruders with my bare hands. Suckers.

But seriously, for home defense, almost everyone I've talked to who knows guns recommends a shot gun. Now, if you want to carry it cause you think you're a badass, that's a different issue entirely.

This is an age old debate, but "almost everyone you've talked to" is pretty vague. There are quite a few serious home defense expert type people who strongly reccomend AGAINST using a shotgun as your primary home defense weapon for the very reasons I mentioned. Not only is it incredibly awkward to try and use in most home defense situations, walking from room to room with the shotgun leading the way is a bad idea. Having the shotgun pointed at the floor or ceiling is an even worse idea. The increased length of the gun and its position far away from your body when at the ready gives a close range burgler/rapist/murderer/etc. a lot of leverage against you. Long guns, no suprise, are at their best outside the home, not in it. Collateral damage with buckshot isn't really any less than with a 9mm, its just spread out over a much larger area and will cause more secondary trauma like electrical shortages, gas and water leaks, stray shot hitting bystanders, and etc. Buckshot WILL penetrate several layers of drywall, just so you know. Hell, it will penetrate an 8 gauge metal deer crossing sign on any rural road in B.F. USA at ten paces. Only the most fortunate amongst us have a home with rooms that span more than ten paces across. You can buy low power rounds for shotguns, but does that sound like a good idea or a bad idea? If a peice of shot cannot penetrate drywall, it can also not penetrate very well into the human standing in front of it. You will HURT someone, but you will not STOP them. You are also prone to fire more shots indiscriminately with a shotgun because its not a weapon you neccesarily have to "aim" with. This significantly increases the chances that your loved ones, innocent bystanders, or neighors will be hurt. Also, remember that a 12 guage shotgun using buckshot fired indoors in your typical home has a pretty high probability of causing permanent traumatic hearing damage to yourself and anyone near you. Don't get me wrong, for SOME people a shotgun works. To blindly follow the notion that it is the "best" home defense gun option for everyone is not only wrong, but is the worst kind of wrong. The dangerous kind. Just something to think about.

not funny

Of course its not funny, nobody's told any jokes. Well, aside from LSeca.

And the stupid farmer thing.