Author Topic: gun advice (Read 1259 times)

SMIDSY · « **on:** April 14, 2006, 12:58:09 PM »

ok, i need something for personal defence in the near future. i dont want something that is too small, because i would rather scare the guy off than kill him (if ya kill him, he wont learn nuthin). also, money is an issue.

EDIT
oh dear god!! first i get the mild southern drawl from you guys, now i want a gun for personal defence! HELP!! I DONT WANNA BE A REDNECK!!!

rpm · « **Reply #1 on:** April 14, 2006, 01:09:43 PM »

9mm is always a good choice. Light, powerful and accurate. Personally, I like something with a little more punch so I carry a .45 ACP. Guarenteed knockdown and plenty intimidating.

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 14, 2006, 01:11:31 PM »

Best idea is to go to a local range that rents guns. Try before you buy. Find what suits your hand. If money is an issue, I'd be looking at .38/.357 revolvers and 9mm semi-autos. My personal pref. there would be the revolver, but thats just me. Like I said, see what suits you.

Also, if you are not experienced with a handgun, I highly recommend a basic handgun course. It will familiarize you with them, most have you check out on several types and calibers, so its a good all around education in handgun safety and use. Some ranges that have courses will also give you a discount if you buy a gun from them after you pass the course. Shop around on this also, there are no rules regarding the content of the courses offered. Talk to people and see what they think of the place.

Once you select a gun, PRACTICE. Owning a gun wont do you a damn bit of good if you arent familiar with it and how it feels and how it reacts and how YOU react when you pull the trigger.

Finally, research ammo. Find out what makes the best defensive ammo for the primary use you are going to put the gun to. Home defense? Concealed carry self defense? Dont just buy cheap ammo at Sports Authority or Wal Mart and expect it to do the same job the same way as more specialized stuff.

Hangtime · « **Reply #3 on:** April 14, 2006, 01:29:17 PM »

Personal protection 'on the street'? or Home Defense?

Nothing scares crap outta a would-be home intruder more than the sound of racking the action of a pump shotgun. With the very nice array of loads available you can cover pretty much any home defense situation.

On the street... not my area of expertiese. I don't go armed on the street, and I stay the hell outta areas that would make the mere thought of 'going armed' a reasonable precaution.

..but that's just me.

SMIDSY · « **Reply #4 on:** April 14, 2006, 01:32:56 PM »

unfortunately, that is not an option for me. my best friend also happens do work with illegal things. conciquently, his and by proxy, my likelyhood of needing a gun to scare off people is higher than the average person.

john9001 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 14, 2006, 01:37:41 PM »

i have a 357 and a 9mm but my carry gun is a hammerless alu framed 38 snub-nosed revolver, small light concealable, let me explain.

down here the drugdealers carry small cal. cheap throw away semi-autos. When they have a business dispute and must shoot , they aim for the thigh. their opponent gets the message and the cops figure it's just another badguy vs badguy.

When the badguy goes to the ER with a little bullet in the leg the cops just write up the report and move on to more high priority business. But if you kill someone it goes from a shooting to a killing and then the cops and the DA get VERY INTERRESTED.

As long as you don't hit a major artery in the leg they will not die, and you can run away wile they are hopping around on one leg.

As you said , you would rather deter than kill.

SMIDSY · « **Reply #6 on:** April 14, 2006, 01:41:16 PM »

that is all well and good, but i need something large. i would rather not even need to fire the gun.

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 14, 2006, 01:46:28 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by john9001
i have a 357 and a 9mm but my carry gun is a hammerless alu framed 38 snub-nosed revolver, small light concealable, let me explain.

down here the drugdealers carry small cal. cheap throw away semi-autos. When they have a business dispute and must shoot , they aim for the thigh. their opponent gets the message and the cops figure it's just another badguy vs badguy.

When the badguy goes to the ER with a little bullet in the leg the cops just write up the report and move on to more high priority business. But if you kill someone it goes from a shooting to a killing and then the cops and the DA get VERY INTERRESTED.

As long as you don't hit a major artery in the leg they will not die, and you can run away wile they are hopping around on one leg.

As you said , you would rather deter than kill.

No. Not even close. Do not do anything from this post.

Shooting to 'Wound' defenses fall apart in court, so don't even try.

Hangtime · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2006, 01:46:57 PM »

Yah still havent indicated if your gonna carry the thing around on the street of if it's for home defense.

With just 'need something large and cheap and scary looking' and 'never need to fire it' I'd say go to a toy store.

SMIDSY · « **Reply #9 on:** April 14, 2006, 01:55:22 PM »

well the people i would most likely be defending myself against are not the sueing type, i can gauentee that. i will need it "on the street" as you say.

it is true i said i needed something so scary that i most likely would not need to fire it. however, i want the fella to go down if i do have to fire.

also, i will not kill a guy just so i can avoid a lawsuit. i would rather spend loads of time in jail and lose all my money than go to hell.

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 14, 2006, 02:00:06 PM »

I'm pretty sure I didn't say anything about a lawsuit.

You shoot to stop your attacker, nothing else. It's federal court you should be worried about, not a lawsuit.

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 14, 2006, 02:00:34 PM »

In which case he's more likely to get himself killed by someone who has a gun and isnt bothered by using it.

If you really dont want to use a gun, dont buy one. If you pull a gun out and dont fully intend to use it when you do, you are going to die. I cant be any more blunt than that. A gun isnt a toy, especially a handgun. It isnt for intimidation. Rifles or shotguns you can use for hunting as well, but handguns were designed for only one thing. Killing people. Period. In your hands for self defense, it hopefully kills the other guy before he can kill you. In your hands to try to scare someone, it becomes your death warrant. Lets say you succeed and scare the guy so bad he's peeing down both legs. He really thinks you might pull the trigger. If he has a gun, he's going to take a chance and go for it, because at that point he figures he has nothing to lose. If you arent ready for it, he's going to get that gun out and before you can say Oh **** he's gonna put a hole in you. If he DOESNT have a gun, he's going to jump you and try to take that gun away. Either way, you lost because you didnt want to use it.

And what if you DO try to use it and you hit someone else by mistake, someone not even out there. The bullet goes through a window and kills some little kid or a kid's mother. Or maybe splatters Fido. Whatever. You dont sound like the kind of guy that wants to carry that kind of stuff around in his head.

If thats what you want a gun for, take my advice and leave it alone. Buy a big baseball bat instead. One with spikes and stuff.

john9001 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2006, 02:03:31 PM »

Hang is right, the worst thing you can do is carry a gun to "scare" the badguy, if your not willing to shoot someone forget the gun. The badguy will see the fear and hesitation in your eyes and take the gun from you.

Go learn karate or something.

SMIDSY · « **Reply #13 on:** April 14, 2006, 02:04:13 PM »

im willing to take the chance of dying. i will not kill somebody if i can avoid it. that does not meen i will not kill in self defence, i would just rather the guy not die.

Tarmac · « **Reply #14 on:** April 14, 2006, 02:04:53 PM »

You need to seriously examine your reasons for buying a self-defense weapon. I don't know you in real life, but your posts make you sound like the kind of guy who would rather throw flowers, excuses, and welfare checks at a bad guy than do what is necessary to save yourself. The day you decide to keep a loaded gun on you is the day you make the decision to kill -- if the bad guy steps over the line in your head. Carrying means you're a killer who just hasn't pulled the trigger yet. Anything short of that, any hesitation when the time comes, is more likely to get you and those around you killed than diffuse the situation.

Scaring people off is a nice side effect of guns, but that's not what they're for.