Best Self-Defense Firearm

[Saurdaukar]

None of the guys claiming "paranoia" have ever been in a situation where a firearm might have proven useful, have they?

Pretending the problem doesnt exist does make it really go away.

[rpm]

Originally posted by Martlet
I agree, however killing someone would be a last resort for me.  That said, my safety and that of my family comes before any punk wanting my tv.

I have been awakened by an intruder while in bed. Jealous ex-husband didn't like the fact I was banging his ex-wife. The only reason he lived was because we were at her house and I didn't bring a gun. I always keep one within arms legnth in my bedroom. I'm just glad he didn't bring a gun either.

Point being, you have no idea what they want or how they are armed when they wake you up in the middle of the night.

[AdmRose]

Well I've caused quite a controversy here, but maybe a few facts about the glorious city I live in will help you understand my desire for a weapon. Reading is a major drug distribution hub between the south and New York. Many of the shooting deaths in Reading are New Yorkers doing a pickup. Last Friday, a lightweight boxer considered one of the front runners for the world title was gunned down in Reading. Police managed to wound one of the assialents, but this is a rarity - usually the police just clean up the mess. Earlier this year a 15 year old girl was caught in the crossfire between two rival drug dealers and mortally wounded in front of her own home. Her family watched her die on the sidewalk. As far as I know nobody has been arrested in that case yet. Last year, a police officer was killed during a drug deal gone bad. He was shot in the back of the head by his partner who mistook him for the shooter due to the fact he was in plain clothes. The person who started the shootout in which he was killed has been arrested and possibly faces the death penalty. Hardly a week goes by that I don't read something in the paper about another shootout. One of our dishwashers at work has been mugged in the city twice in the past year. Fortunately the muggers just ruffed him up a bit, sometimes they just shoot the person dead and then rob them. I even hear gunshots from my 9th floor apartment some nights, and I don't even live in the "bad" section of the city, though really the whole city is bad. I hope that sheds some light on my mentality. I also realize maybe I was a bit vague with the term "first timer." For handguns yes, but I've been around rifles my whole life and I'm comfortable with them.

P.S. If I could get away with it, the weapon in my avatar would be my personal choice for a concealed weapon. (Probably too many mafia movies on my part )

[rpm]

Adm, I still say a .38 Special is exactly what you are looking for. A snubnosed .38 is easily conceiled, light, accurate, reliable and deadly. You don't need a big, heavy, long barrelled pistol for close personal protection. You can get a chrome or nickle plated one if you want to be sure they can see it in your hand.

[AdmRose]

Originally posted by rpm
Adm, I still say a .38 Special is exactly what you are looking for. A snubnosed .38 is easily conceiled, light, accurate, reliable and deadly. You don't need a big, heavy, long barrelled pistol for close personal protection. You can get a chrome or nickle plated one if you want to be sure they can see it in your hand.

Yea thats what I'm leaning towards.

[Martlet]

Originally posted by rpm
Adm, I still say a .38 Special is exactly what you are looking for. A snubnosed .38 is easily conceiled, light, accurate, reliable and deadly. You don't need a big, heavy, long barrelled pistol for close personal protection. You can get a chrome or nickle plated one if you want to be sure they can see it in your hand.

My father, an avid hunter with a safe full of guns, recently picked up a .38 snub for carry.

I prefer my P220 chambered in .45, or SW9VE because as David Dyer-Bennet once said..

"Worse, semi-autos have more failure modes........You have to know the clearance drill for all this stuff, and you have to be able to execute that clearance drill rapidly and correctly under the stress of a deadly attack.  Revolvers have their own failure modes. But don't worry about it during the attack. If your revolver locks up on you, you're not going to fix it before the attack is over. You've just found yourself armed with a short club."

[Bodhi]

You guys are freaking NUTS if you are suggesting a .22 for a noob for self defense.

#1, it has LOW penetration, only the LR version has any hope of killing first shot.

#2, (someone) already touched this, the sound alone is too low, and sounds like a far off shot, so no help there.

I think someone suggested a snub .357, or a .38 special for a good all around first time revolver self defense weapon, and I have to agree.

If you are experienced with lots of loot, don't **** around, buy a damn H+K USP .40, if you really want some 'splainin to do, get a H+K MP5

But in all seriousness to AdmRose's question, I say this:

I carry a Taurus .45 in my truck, loaded with Hydrashoc ammo.  Between my matresses, there is a Beretta 92F (9mm) loaded alternating with HP (hollowpoint) and standard slugs.  By the night stand is a 12 guage Beretta alternating Standard Slug, Buckshot.

As for running, I have a snub .38, and it conceals great.

As for those joking about carrying, I say, grow up.  Your country is not better, we can atleast defend ourselves.


Ohh, and for the knucklehead advocating not shooting to kill... get real, a wounded perpp is most likely to sue your arse into destitution as opposed to a dead perp.  Remember the simple rule that the dead do not talk.

[Pooface]

Originally posted by Bodhi
Ohh, and for the knucklehead advocating not shooting to kill... get real, a wounded perpp is most likely to sue your arse into destitution as opposed to a dead perp.  Remember the simple rule that the dead do not talk.

i presume ure talking about me?

this is precisely the american view (and im not talking about you), that you have to kill the guy. have you no compassion. would you just kill a man for no reason other than your thoughts. he may have a good reason for doing what he's doing, like some guy will kill his daughter if he doesnt get something for some guy, or worse, if you misunderstand the situation, say some guy walks into your house coz u left the door open. he walks in to check if your ok, and you shoot him. you must be an idiot if you just want to kill someone. if you shoot him in the leg, he aint runnin at ya, he down on the floor screamin. then you run and call the police. nothing wrong with carrting a gun for protection, but there is with a guy who trigger happy and uninformed.

then the next american thing of suing. wtf is that all about??? if you have a legitimate claim, eg some restaurant was deliberately selling poor quality food, and you get seriously ill, then thats ok. but suing a microwave company coz you put ure dog in a microwave to dry!!!, or worse, youre a burglar, and you screw up. you hit ure head on a table, and sue the people you were robbing!!!

ill make clear that this isnt pointing the finger at you or americans, but world culture. america, being the worlds most developed country, leads the way. these trends of getting out of something easy are sreading throughout the world. if people dont start to pull theyre own weight soo, and belt up, we're gonna be looking at one really crappy century:(

never shoot to kill, but to incapitate. if you shoot to kill the guy, you are lower than the thief, and just a plain savage salamander

[Saurdaukar]

Originally posted by Pooface


never shoot to kill, but to incapitate. if you shoot to kill the guy, you are lower than the thief, and just a plain savage salamander

Big negative here.

No one shoots to incapacitate outside of a Hollywood movie set.   Most people, when faced with this situation will be pulling the trigger until the clicking starts.  Youre not pretending youre Neo and "aiming for the knee cap" or some such crap.

Pulling a gun means you intend to use it to kill - nothing else.

[StarOfAfrica2]

Have to agree.  My grandfather was a christian man and would never hurt a soul intentionally.  But he understood that there are times when a man needs to use force to protect himself, his family, or those around him.  He taught his sons, and his grandsons the same thing.  

Just having a gun is a responsibility.  It has a use.  Owning one has nothing to do with fear, it has everything to do with being prepared.  If you carry one in public, your responsibility is even greater.  You think before you act, because if you pull that gun out you damn well better be prepared to use it, and take responsibility for your choice.  It doesnt come out so you can threaten people, pulling a gun doesnt give you more options.  It takes away every option but one.  Use it, or have someone else use theirs on you.  You dont pull a gun out unless every other option available to you has been used and there is no other alternative.  When you pull it out, you use it and you shoot to kill.  If that other person is enough of a threat to warrant pulling a gun, he's enough of a threat to warrant taking his life.  Thats the responsibility you are granted when they give you a license to carry a gun, thats the choice you have to make.  If you arent ready to make it, dont carry a gun.

Words to live by.  My family produced 3 police officers in 3 generations, and 2 more in the extended families.  I do security.  Most of us have guns, a few of us carry.  I choose not to anymore, although I used to.  I decided I cant be sure of that choice in public.  For anyone who does, these guys are right Pooface.  If you feel there is enough of a threat to pull a gun, there is no such thing as "shoot to wound".  There is nothing in this world more dangerous than a wounded animal, and Man is the most dangerous of animals.  Remember that.

[storch]

Originally posted by Saurdaukar
Big negative here.

No one shoots to incapacitate outside of a Hollywood movie set.   Most people, when faced with this situation will be pulling the trigger until the clicking starts.  Youre not pretending youre Neo and "aiming for the knee cap" or some such crap.

Pulling a gun means you intend to use it to kill - nothing else.

I think you may need to read the shall issue law carefully in your state.  you are allowed to shoot until you deem the threat to be over.  a double tap center of mass followed by a head shot = manslaughter charges at the very least.  I guy who works at a shop next to ours was assaulted at gunpoint at an ATM  the dingdong perp had a 1911 .45 with the hammer down the "victim" saw this and took the gun away from the guy killing him with three shots, he served five years for manslaughter and in my opinion rightly so.  an asswhooping would have been sufficient.

[Martlet]

Originally posted by storch
I think you may need to read the shall issue law carefully in your state.  you are allowed to shoot until you deem the threat to be over.  a double tap center of mass followed by a head shot = manslaughter charges at the very least.  I guy who works at a shop next to ours was assaulted at gunpoint at an ATM  the dingdong perp had a 1911 .45 with the hammer down the "victim" saw this and took the gun away from the guy killing him with three shots, he served five years for manslaughter and in my opinion rightly so.  an asswhooping would have been sufficient.

That's injustice.

[Saurdaukar]

Im very familiar with the laws in my state.  The general rule of thumb is that a firearm has but one purpose.

In the situation you are describing, perhaps deadly force was not necessary - thats the issue there - not whether or not he should have shot him once in the stomach and them kept a gun on him.

...if Im understanding you correctly.

Pulling a gun and using it means you perceive your life to be in danger and youve reached the last resort.

[Martlet]

Originally posted by Saurdaukar
Im very familiar with the laws in my state.  The general rule of thumb is that a firearm has but one purpose.

In the situation you are describing, perhaps deadly force was not necessary - thats the issue there - not whether or not he should have shot him once in the stomach and them kept a gun on him.

...if Im understanding you correctly.

Pulling a gun and using it means you perceive your life to be in danger and youve reached the last resort.

It probably wasn't the deadly force.  There was probably more to the story, like the third shot to the back of the skull.  Only an insane jury would convict a man for wrestling the gun from an armed robber and shooting him.

[FUNKED1]

Originally posted by AdmRose
Title says it all, any suggestions for a first timer?

FN P90