My First Handgun

[tcwest10]

Having been properly licensed by the State of Pennsylvania to open carry and carry concealed, I've been perusing my first weapon. I like the idea of cheap and readily-available ammunition, so the .22's have my eye. There are some people who tell me that, yeah, the ammo is cheap and you can get it at WalMart, but for practice and learning, the accuracy at any kind of range beyond 15-20' is poor. I've looked at long barrel, stubbies, revolvers, semis...all nice looking, because they're new.
I'm not worried about the concealed part, particularly. I applied for that to try and eliminate the possibility of being accused of concealing a weapon that I intended to open carry, but was obscured by a jacket or something along those lines. At this time, I can't imagine a circumstance where I'd need to carry concealed, but at least I can.
Ultimately, I want something with good accuracy that'll stop a home invader or an animal with hydrophobia. In the meantime, I need something to get good on.
Since we've got a large number of ex-military and possibly some bank robbers here (not you, CLL. I know that was an accident), I was hoping to get an education from my brethren.

[VetSkinsFan]

I am not really an expert, but my father (who I would deem an expert) never had naything smaller than a 9mm for this purpose. They can be relatively small, easily concealed (if the need arises), and ammo isn't expensive to my knowledge.

Also, from what my father has told me, .357/ .40 have great stopping power. These will kick a little more than the 9mm, but there is little doubt that these latter calibers will fail to stop the intruder.

A .22 or .25 may not have the stopping power that you would want.

Snub nose barrels will kick more.

I've always been partial to semis as opposed to revolvers.

A thing to consider is hand size. You don't want a small pistol if you have a large hand. It should fit comfortably in your hand without your pinky hanging off.

I'm sure that there are many other more important comments, but this should get the party started.

[Cappster]

I am not really an expert, but my father (who I would deem an expert) never had naything smaller than a 9mm for this purpose. They can be relatively small, easily concealed (if the need arises), and ammo isn't expensive to my knowledge.

Also, from what my father has told me, .357/ .40 have great stopping power. These will kick a little more than the 9mm, but there is little doubt that these latter calibers will fail to stop the intruder.

A .22 or .25 may not have the stopping power that you would want.

Snub nose barrels will kick more.

I've always been partial to semis as opposed to revolvers.

A thing to consider is hand size. You don't want a small pistol if you have a large hand. It should fit comfortably in your hand without your pinky hanging off.

I'm sure that there are many other more important comments, but this should get the party started.

I agree with what you said. If I had to make a recommendation on what he wants, I would say go for a 9mm. They are have less kick than the bigger calibers, but still have enough power to stop someone in their tracks. I would also recommend in getting some type of hollow point bullet if your main purpose is self defense. They help with blunt force impact and are designed to open up to deliver a bigger blow. Use regular full metal jackets for target practice to get familiar with your gun.

The ammo is a bit cheaper than a .40 caliber (I own a Springfield XD .40) and you can usually fit more bullets into a 9mm semi auto clip. Grip is also very important in controlling your gun. If you have larger hands, you probably wouldn't want any type of subcompact hand gun. Go to a gun store and try out different types guns and test their grips.

I would also look at what type of accessories the gun can hold. I have a small tactical flash light that I mounted to the bottom of my gun. Some manufacturers like the Springfiled XD series make accessories that fit their model of guns perfectly. Laser sights and laser + tactical light accessories are available too. I also purchased a quick loader (don't know the exact name) which makes pushing the final few bullets into the clip a lot easier and saves your fingers in the process.

I would stray away from a .22 as they aren't very good for self defense. That is all I have for now unless I can think of something else to add.

[Bob 0119]

Yeah, you definately want to try the gun out before you buy it.

Find a store that has a range and they'll usually let you try it out (they may sell you the ammo for it, or charge you for range time).

Keep in mind that pistols are really designed to be close range weapons. It's good to be as accurate as you can, but in most cases, self defense range is measured in 10' feet or less. Anything over 50' you should probably have a rifle.

[Countertrey]

What is the point of the weapon?

I do not personally carry... my job simply does not lend itself to it... if I did, my philosophy would be, "If I must show the weapon, I must be prepared to use it. If I use the weapon, my intention will be to kill." That is the reality of carrying. Any philosophy that sees "wounding" as an option is really an invitation to getting yourself, or someone you care about, killed. Center of mass only.

Of course, one never knows until confronted by reality... and, fortunately, I never had that confrontation.

Having said that, it follows that I don't think much of small (22/25 cal) weapons for personal defense. 38/357cal /9mm would be about as small as I would chose. (I carried a 357 for a time, when I was much younger). My preferrence would be 45/10mm. If it were necessary for me to fire in my or my family's defense, I don't want the sucker getting up again.

OTOH... if you are just plunking cans, the 22 is fine... but you really wouldn't need a carry permit for that, now, would you?

[Kilmer72]

22 magnum pistol

nice and quiet and packs a punch

[Countertrey]

22 magnum pistol

nice and quiet and packs a punch

Ahhh... so, I guess it's a myth, huh?

[Kilmer72]

He did ask Countertrey. Living on a farm I did notice those bullets would go through the side of an old washing machine. Even though it was legal to shoot on my property you still had the law show up. Not with this gun though.

[VetSkinsFan]

Ultimately, I want something with good accuracy that'll stop a home invader or an animal with hydrophobia. In the meantime, I need something to get good on.

I don't know why you would need a conceal license for home invaders, so I think we're a little confused about your primary intent of this firearm.

After reading the replies and seeing the above as the focal point, here's what I think:

Calibers I would suggest are:

9mm - good all around caliber. Adequate power for home protection, easy to handle, not intimidating to fire. Can be very accurate
.357 - very powerful, more than adequate for home protection. Great stopping power. More intimidating to fire for the faint of heart.
.38 - Good all around caliber. Adequate for home pretection. Not intimidating to fire. Note here, that some revolvers fire both .38 and .357(I think it's the .357 that will fire .38 ) so you can practice with the cheaper .38 ammo. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm basing this on a lot of old memories. We used to have an old police .38 Special when I was a kid and that was our starter gun. I think I started on it when I was ~6 or 7. Fun, easy to handle and deadly accurate.
.40 - Good stopping power. More than adequate for home protection. Accurate as I recall (I've only fired one Sig .40 ).
.44 - Great stopping power. Very powerful. Can be intimidating to fire. I wouldn't want to fire a snub nose .44, a lot of recoil.
.45 - Also good home protection. I've only fired two .45s and they were accurate. Fun to shoot, not intimidating.
10mm - large caliber. I'm not too familiar with a 10mm, but I imagine it has great stopping power.

the 9mm, .40, .45, 10mm are all good semis. Semis hold from 7+1(1 in the chamber) to typically 15+1, although the high capacity clips are harder and harder as we go on.

As you get bigger calibers, you're looking at more recoil and more $$$ for ammo. Also more power.

The revolvers are typically 6 shooters although since I was in to guns, they've come out with 7 shot revolvers and the .50 cal I think is a 5 shot revolver.

With revolvers, you have:
single action : In a single action revolver, the hammer is manually cocked, usually with the thumb of the firing or supporting hand. This action advances the cylinder to the next round and locks the cylinder in place with the chamber aligned with the barrel. The trigger, when pulled, releases the hammer, which fires the round in the chamber. To fire again, the hammer must be manually cocked again. This is called "single action" because the trigger only performs a single action, of releasing the hammer. Because only a single action is performed and trigger pull is lightened, firing a revolver in this way allows most shooters to achieve greater accuracy. Additionally, the need to cock the hammer manually acts as a safety.

Double Action : Most double action revolvers may be fired in two ways. The first way is exactly the same as a single action revolver; the hammer is cocked, which advances the cylinder counter-clockwise (clockwise on a few models) when viewed from the rear and when the trigger is pulled, this releases the hammer. Double action revolvers also can be fired from a hammer down position, by pulling the trigger. In this case, the trigger first cocks the hammer (thus advancing the cylinder counterclockwise or clockwise, depending on the gun's manufacturer) and then releases the hammer at the rear of its travel, firing the round in the chamber.

Certain revolvers, called double action only, lack the latch that enables the hammer to be locked to the rear, and thus can only be fired in the double action mode. With no way to lock the hammer back, double action only designs tend to have bobbed or spurless hammers, and may even have the hammer completely covered by the revolver's frame. These are generally intended for concealed carrying, where a hammer spur could snag when the revolver is drawn. The potential reduction in accuracy in aimed fire is offset by the increased capability for concealment.
Revolver

Ultimately, there are many options for home protection. the most important choice is which gun you feel most comfortable with. Good luck and let us know what you get.

One afterthought: If you're never heard of it and you can pay for it with pocket change, chances are it's not what you want. You get what you pay for. Personally, I'm partial to Walther, Sig Saur, Smith, Ruger, Baretta. There are many good names out there.

[Chris Luva Luva]

A relative of mine has a Sig 380 which is very nice. Compact, reliable and packs a punch.

[langleyparkjoe]

My cousin has a Beretta Px4 Storm (F) and he loves it. It's a 9mm and weighs 28 ounces (I think that's the standard these days). One thing he loves about it is that the safety button is for both left and right handed folks. He doesn't take it out of the house though so I'm thinking your needs may be different, he only bought his to protect the fam. and the house. Good luck though man, I'm going to be getting mine one of these days but I'm waiting until I can afford the Deagle

[VetSkinsFan]

My cousin has a Beretta Px4 Storm (F) and he loves it. It's a 9mm and weighs 28 ounces (I think that's the standard these days). One thing he loves about it is that the safety button is for both left and right handed folks. He doesn't take it out of the house though so I'm thinking your needs may be different, he only bought his to protect the fam. and the house. Good luck though man, I'm going to be getting mine one of these days but I'm waiting until I can afford the Deagle

Desert Eagle is so cliche.

[Bob 0119]

I fired off a few rounds on my Uncle's .44 D-Eagle and I was impressed. It didn't kick hardly at all.

Of course, it weighed a ton, but it was a smooth shooter.

I carried a Rossi .357 Mag for a while (when I was younger), and I did have to pull it once. Much like Trey said, I was ready to put the guy down (long story, but sufficed to say, the guy was coked up and looking to beat me down).

Thankfully, it achieved the desired results without anyone having to be killed.

Also, keep in mind that carrying a gun may make you feel like a badass, but you really don't ever want to pull it on someone.

I spent the next three years looking over my shoulder, wondering if the guy I drew mine on would come looking with a gun of his own.

[tcwest10]

Well, unless rabid racoons start packin' heat, I won't have to look over my shoulder...and I don't need a gun to feel like a badass. I go to the playground and push little kids down for that.

[langleyparkjoe]

My cousin has a Beretta Px4 Storm (F) and he loves it. It's a 9mm and weighs 28 ounces (I think that's the standard these days). One thing he loves about it is that the safety button is for both left and right handed folks. He doesn't take it out of the house though so I'm thinking your needs may be different, he only bought his to protect the fam. and the house. Good luck though man, I'm going to be getting mine one of these days but I'm waiting until I can afford the Deagle

Desert Eagle is so cliche.

so true my friend.. I think I just like the triangular shape at the front of the barrel.. its just so damn cool! Bob's right too, it wasn't the kick I expected and the sucker was pretty heavy. A buddy of mine had a .357 Taurus and that thing fired effortlessly (sp). Either way though, mine will be locked in a box under the bed and unless I use it at the range, I hope I'll never have to.

[Bob 0119]

Well, unless rabid racoons start packin' heat, I won't have to look over my shoulder...and I don't need a gun to feel like a badass. I go to the playground and push little kids down for that.

and here I thought I was the only one that did that...

If you're looking for something to deal with rabid raccoons, then I highly recommend a Collie.

Make sure he's had his rabies shots and you should be fine!

Their safer around kids, and mine did a heckuva job on a raccoon that entered our yard.

[PulpExposure]

I know you got the carry permit, but for what you want to use the gun for I can't understand why you just don't get a shotgun.

The benefit of using a shotgun for home defense is that the 12 gauge rounds (or whatever you choose to use) generally won't penetrate walls, whereas a more high power round can penetrate walls. That may be a concern if you confront an intruder in a room, with family members in another room...

The Sig 380 is a very, very nice gun btw.

[VetSkinsFan]

My cousin has a Beretta Px4 Storm (F) and he loves it. It's a 9mm and weighs 28 ounces (I think that's the standard these days). One thing he loves about it is that the safety button is for both left and right handed folks. He doesn't take it out of the house though so I'm thinking your needs may be different, he only bought his to protect the fam. and the house. Good luck though man, I'm going to be getting mine one of these days but I'm waiting until I can afford the Deagle

Desert Eagle is so cliche.

so true my friend.. I think I just like the triangular shape at the front of the barrel.. its just so damn cool! Bob's right too, it wasn't the kick I expected and the sucker was pretty heavy. A buddy of mine had a .357 Taurus and that thing fired effortlessly (sp). Either way though, mine will be locked in a box under the bed and unless I use it at the range, I hope I'll never have to.

I'm more of a .44 Ruger Super Blackhawk with a 6"1/2 barrel if I'm going cool. You wanna talk about a thing of beauty.



My dad has one with a Leupold scope and a shoulder holster that he goes hunting with. .300 Weatherby Magnum for longer range (power lines, open fields), or the .350 Remington Magnum for shorter (less than 300 yds) range. If it's within 50-100 yds(something to this effect, it's been a long time since we went hunting together), it's the Ruger. Father out, it's the rifle.

[Bob 0119]

My personal preference for cool looking revolvers is the .357 Colt Python with the 6inch barrel.

I've always liked the bridge across the top.

[langleyparkjoe]

Vet, that Ruger... Clint Eastwood, Wyatt Earp?

[VetSkinsFan]

Vet, that Ruger... Clint Eastwood, Wyatt Earp?

I thought it was Dirty Harry-ish, too, but it turns out, Clint used a Smith & Wesson Model 29. It was a .44 Mag, but not a Ruger. As for Earp, it was probably a Colt considering the era.

[Countertrey]

Vet, that Ruger... Clint Eastwood, Wyatt Earp?

I thought it was Dirty Harry-ish, too, but it turns out, Clint used a Smith & Wesson Model 29. It was a .44 Mag, but not a Ruger. As for Earp, it was probably a Colt considering the era.

Earp most likely carried a Colt Single Action Army .45.

[1niksder]

Having been properly licensed by the State of Pennsylvania to open carry and carry concealed, I've been perusing my first weapon. I like the idea of cheap and readily-available ammunition, so the .22's have my eye. There are some people who tell me that, yeah, the ammo is cheap and you can get it at WalMart, but for practice and learning, the accuracy at any kind of range beyond 15-20' is poor. I've looked at long barrel, stubbies, revolvers, semis...all nice looking, because they're new.
I'm not worried about the concealed part, particularly. I applied for that to try and eliminate the possibility of being accused of concealing a weapon that I intended to open carry, but was obscured by a jacket or something along those lines. At this time, I can't imagine a circumstance where I'd need to carry concealed, but at least I can.
Ultimately, I want something with good accuracy that'll stop a home invader or an animal with hydrophobia. In the meantime, I need something to get good on.
Since we've got a large number of ex-military and possibly some bank robbers here (not you, CLL. I know that was an accident), I was hoping to get an education from my brethren.

I would have recommended a

but then I read:

Well, unless rabid racoons start packin' heat, I won't have to look over my shoulder...and I don't need a gun to feel like a badass. I go to the playground and push little kids down for that.

and thought back to what the guy that "might" have been involved in a accidental bank robbery (or maybe not have been ) had posted:

A relative of mine has a Sig 380 which is very nice. Compact, reliable and packs a punch.

It's a good fit for what you are looking for and will fit in a lunch box

[tcwest10]

I'm sorry, 'niks...but there's no way I'm carrying Chrissy around in a lunchbox.
Not for free, anyway.

[Skinsfan55]

I own 8 guns and have one other that I've recently sold. That doesn't make me an expert, but I have a little experience with guns.

Still, no one is really going to be able to tell you what is right for you, it's about comfort, feel etc.

If it's primarily for home defense a pump action shotgun is probably the best possible weapon you could have. It's distinct sound (ka-CHUN!) is enough to scare away even the most hardened professional burglar. (Then again if you have to fire and miss you're asking for a repair bill.)

If you're really looking for a pistol you're just going to have to go into gun stores and handle a few until you find a comfortable grip with a manageable trigger pull. You'll have to see if you're more comfortable using a revolver vs. a semi-automatic etc.

Personally I would recommend a semi-automatic pistol over a revolver, and since you have a concealed carry permit you might as well look for one that could be easily concealed. .22, .25 or .380 isn't really going to have a heck of a lot of stopping power for home defense so I'd recommend something bigger. Don't worry about price too much, the difference in cost between 9mm, .38 cal, .357, .40 and .45 isn't terribly high. (Besides if you were going to use it for home defense it would be smart to keep around some personal defense cartridges which always cost more anyway.)

If you find a gun you really like it shouldn't matter much what caliber it is, if it's comfortable and has a good feeling to it then take it.

Also, for home defense purposes it would be smart to either buy a gun with accessory mounts for a flashlight (or buy a tactical LED flashlight available at most gunstores) to keep by your pistol when it is stored at home. Doing so would greatly decrease the risk of you accidentally shooting a friendly target because of poor visibility.

Even though owning a firearm is a serious responsibility (as I'm sure you know, you have a concealed carry permit and I don't) target shooting can also be an enjoyable hobby. Make sure after you make your purchase to take it to the range and practice. After a few trips you'll know all the little nuances and quirks in your new firearm. You'll probably be pretty accurate with it to boot.

Make sure to fill us all in when you've made your final selection, so we can stay away from PA until you've mastered target practice.