What gun to buy?

[900classic]

I'm not too familiar with guns but my wife and I have decided that we would both like to take the gun safety classes that are offered at our local gun shop and purchase guns.

What would you recommend as a good handgun for home/personal protection for a man? and for a woman?

We'd also like to purchase a rifle. Just about everyone that I have spoken with has recommended either a 30-06 or a 270.

What are the best guns the price? Any help would be great! Thanks!

[airforce1]

Interesting question.
I really like the Kimber Pro Carry.
45 cal, good balance and plenty of knockdown if needed.
Bit of a kick for a little lady, but training would fix that.
A handgun is not my first selection, though.
A good dog, outside lights, even an alarm system will give you good protection with less chance for confrontation or liability issues.
I've kept a 1911 model for years and have been happy to have never needed it.
IMHO, a rifle is a pretty poor choice for home/personal protection.
A shotgun is pretty handy, but don't saw it off!
If you ever have to use any of them, be prepared for major legal issues!
The safety course won't hurt you a bit, though!

[900classic]

I have been reading about the 1911 model. It seems to be a very reliable handgun.

The rifle isn't for defense. I should have specified that. The owner of the company that I manage has several acres of land and has several deer tags every year. He has offered to teach/take me hunting after I get rifle and proper gun safety training.

[airforce1]

Originally Posted by 900classic

I have been reading about the 1911 model. It seems to be a very reliable handgun.

The rifle isn't for defense. I should have specified that. The owner of the company that I manage has several acres of land and has several deer tags every year. He has offered to teach/take me hunting after I get rifle and proper gun safety training.

Ah,
Re: the handgun, the 1911 is a generic name for a .45 semiautomatic
Several manufacturers make them.
I avoid the Glock, really like the Kimber.

Rifles: Well, my personal favorite rifle is a 30-06.
Hunters, like bikers, will all have various opinions, but that one has plenty of range and knockdown. This might sound a bit, well, rough, but I don't shoot at anything that can't shoot back anymore...
Enjoy the deer season and the venison if it works out that way!
Think twice about going with him if his name is **** Cheny, ok?
grinnnn
Best of luck, have a great evening and a good day tomorrow!

[lcberlin]

Personal defense, small size, easily handled, inexpensive, reliable and more than adequate for all self-defense situations.....Polish P-64, surplus military pistol in 9x18.

Deer rifle, for a first time hunter, .243 Winchester. Plenty powerful for whitetail and mule deer. Doesn't have near the recoil of the .270 or 30-06.

Just my choices.

Best way to pick a handgun is to go to the store and find what fits YOUR hand comfortably. Anything from a .32ACP and up is good for CCW and self defense.

[StarGate]

Can't really give you any experienced advise on the handgun even though I've owned a few over the years and have 1 now. I do have 17 rifles and shotguns and am an avid hunter. Leaving for deer camp very soon. While the info on the 243 is accurate, I don't like it for deer. Although I've never owned one, the 30-06 is one of the best deer rifles you could use and has a proven track record over many years in production. It has great knockdown with good ballitics. It also has one of, if not the widest selections of ammo for hunting different game. The one reason I would say it's a great gun for a new hunter is that if the shot placement is "less than good", it's going to do enough damage that tracking the animal will more likely end in success. The 30-06 is also less likely to get deflected by a twig in the woods than a smaller caliber. If the shot placement with a 243 is off, it can lead to a dissapointing hunt. I have two friends that have used a 243 and they could tell you all about that. I also have a friend whos wife has abbandoned the 243 in favor of a 270 because of lost dear. My current weapon of choice is a 280. It has the ballistics of a 270 with a bit more knockdown. My only dissapointment with it is lack of ammo choices but I've had it 8 years and after approx. 14 kills, have never had to track a deer more than 60 yards.

[RichLockyer]

I'm sure the 1911 guys will be here any time...

Woops... too late

Seriously... a couple of things to consider for a PD weapon.

Yes, if you hit them with a .45ACP, they aren't going to keep coming after you.
A smaller round MIGHT take two shots to do the job (though the 1st shot will tell them that you mean business). Common feeling is that caliber is like cubic inches... with a .45 and a 10rd mag, you can neutralize 10 targets reliably. With a 9mm and a 15rd mag, you may only be able to neutralize 4 or 5 targets reliably.

But here's some things to consider:
How is your budget? I don't mean the budget to purchase the weapon, but your MONTHLY "mad money"... Do you have only an extra $40 or so to put 200 rounds of 9mm downrange, or can you swing $100 or more to practice with the .45?

Recoil... I handed my wife my Springfield XD9 and her first mag she got 8 out of 10 in the coke bottle and 5 out of those 8 in the 9 ring.
She had not fired ANY weapon at all in close to 25 years, and had never fired a 9mm semi-auto.
A .45 is not going to be as forgiving to a smaller person (though practice at the range will help to neutralize this issue).

[xcgates]

You want to talk budget?

If you want something to plink with, something to learn how to shoot, be able to spend hours at the range just shooting, well .22s are pretty good deals at Wally World, 550 rnd pack for about $13.

I take my rifle, a bunch of the mentioned .22s, and have fun. Mind you I don't hunt, and a .22 isn't about to take down a deer, but its just so fun to shoot, and I can smile and tell a friend to shoot as much as he needs to for practice, cause its just so dang cheap.

Just something to think about.

[insolentminx]

[polizei]

For home defense, I would recommend a .40 or .45, and a .38 Snub Nose for your wife!

Check out 1911's (Kimber), Glocks, XD's, and S&W, Sig's, H&K. All are great choices, but you need to SHOOT each one to see which fits you! I know some people cannot fire a Glock correctly because of hand issues/frame size, yet they can shoot 1911's GREAT! It depends on the person.

Be careful with Glocks, they have 3 internal safeties, but NO external safety, which can be good/bad. For a beginner, I would probably shy away from a Glock for this reason, as it can be extremely dangerous. However, if you forget the safety is on, and go to shoot someone who has a gun aimed at you...well, that could also be bad. Lol, take that as you will. That said, when I become a Police Officer someday, I plan on using a Glock for carry, and a Kimber Ultra Carry II (3" .45) for backup. Actually, my background picture on my computer is a Kimber Ultra Carry II, lol.

-Cody

[AC3102]

Originally Posted by 900classic

I'm not too familiar with guns but my wife and I have decided that we would both like to take the gun safety classes that are offered at our local gun shop and purchase guns.

What would you recommend as a good handgun for home/personal protection for a man? and for a woman?

We'd also like to purchase a rifle. Just about everyone that I have spoken with has recommended either a 30-06 or a 270.

What are the best guns the price? Any help would be great! Thanks!

I like a 1911, but if you both are new mabye a revolver might be a better option. They are a little for forgiving in nervous hands, 38 ,357,44 or 45 you have a lot of options as far as a rifle ,how long will be your shots? Its hard to beat a good old 30-30 . Just my .02

[jaseman]

For home defense, nothing beats a 12 gauge shotgun. Point and shoot simplicity. You don't have to have great aim, just be relatively close, as the buckshot will spread quickly (think of the beam from a flashlight). And it won't go through the walls into your kid's rooms, or the neighbors house. And with a shotgun, you may not even need to pull the trigger, as the "shlik-click" sound of racking one into the chamber is enough to deter most intruders.

As for handguns, your gonna get a wide range of answers. But for home-defense, they don't really replace a shotgun. That said, it's gonna depend on what else you pan on using the firearm for. Nothing drops a body like a .45, but it's a big gun, that can get expensive to shoot. And if you plan on getting a CCW permit, it can be a bit unwieldy if you not a big person. I personally, am a fan of 9mm or .40 cal's. Not quite as big and bulky as the .45, but still have good stopping power. Most intruders (not all) are going to go down with one round from either. But still, if your not a big person, carrying concealed may still be an issue. I'm 6'1", but very slender, and my Firestar .40 (a compact design) is still a bit bulky for me to comfortably carry.

.380's are a nice, middle of the road round. Small package, fairly accurate, with moderate stopping power. It's not gonna drop someone like a .45 will, but it won't be as intimidating for your wife to learn on either. And if you plan on carrying, it'll be much less cumbersome. With practice, a well placed shot from any pistol will be enough to stop most attackers. Your average criminal is gonna turn-tale when fired upon. They don't wanna die anymore than you or I do.

The other thing to remember when deciding on size is, the bigger the caliber bullet, the larger the frame of the pistol needs to be to accurately fire. My .40 is the size of most .380's. And while that makes it much nicer to carry, it's not as consistently accurate as a full framed one. So if you want a large caliber AND reliable accuracy, you'll be looking at larger frames.

Biggest thing to remember is this: the biggest, baddest, best made firearm is useless in the wrong hands. Whatever you get, go out and practice on a regular basis. Go to the range and run at least 100 rounds through each time. If your not proficient with it, it can be more of a liability than an asset.


And get a good dog. He'll warn you of an intruder in the middle of the night, long before you need to draw your weapon!

[Box]

Hey Insolentminx, if you are going with that style, you might want to consider the discreet version.

[polizei]

Originally Posted by jaseman

Biggest thing to remember is this: the biggest, baddest, best made firearm is useless in the wrong hands. Whatever you get, go out and practice on a regular basis. Go to the range and run at least 100 rounds through each time. If your not proficient with it, it can be more of a liability than an asset

Being proficient IS the most important thing, however more rounds don't equal greater proficiency. Often times it's better to only shoot 25-50 rounds a time, and work on your coordination and aim vs. just putting rounds down the range. You will see a HUGE difference.

-Cody

[Jamie C.]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

Yes, if you hit them with a .45ACP, they aren't going to keep coming after you.
A smaller round MIGHT take two shots to do the job (though the 1st shot will tell them that you mean business). Common feeling is that caliber is like cubic inches... with a .45 and a 10rd mag, you can neutralize 10 targets reliably. With a 9mm and a 15rd mag, you may only be able to neutralize 4 or 5 targets reliably.

Rich, I've carried about every caliber to be had, over the years, and have discovered one thing about all of them: they all work equally well if you put the bullet in the right place. The size of the hole just doesn't matter much, in the grand scheme of things, since all the parts of the human body that will shut it off/down immediately will do so with almost any disruption. And given that, a 15 shot 9mm in the hands of a person that knows how to shoot could easily put anywhere from 7 to 15 people on the ground, permanently.

Still, there's no such thing as a "magic bullet", and all calibers - even the mighty .45 ACP - can and do fail.

Anyway... the best thing I can advise 900classic to do is go here, and start reading. And if you have any questions, sign up and ask 'em. Somebody will pipe up and answer.

[jaseman]

Originally Posted by polizei

Being proficient IS the most important thing, however more rounds don't equal greater proficiency. Often times it's better to only shoot 25-50 rounds a time, and work on your coordination and aim vs. just putting rounds down the range. You will see a HUGE difference.

-Cody

Your absolutely right, Cody. While I do tend to go through about 100 rounds each time I'm at the range, it's definitely NOT about just slinging lead down range. I can probably keep proficient with 25-50, as you said. I just like to shoot when I'm out there!! (of course, I've ussually got more than one firearm with me when I go, as well!)

[tricker]

Rifle... 30-06 is a good all around rifle. if your looking for something with less kick a .308 or a 30-30 are also good choices. Brand.. well i'm using a rifle that's oh... 60 or 70 years old so can't help you on that one. But my dad has a weatherby that's pretty nice.

Pistols. one I dunno about concealment (40S&W) and my 44 mag i couldn't conceal if i wanted to.

[jaseman]

Originally Posted by AC3102

Its hard to beat a good old 30-30.

I love my lever-action Marlin 30-30 carbine. Doesn't reach out quite as for as a 30-06, but when I was still hunting, it was all dense woods and brush. The short carbine was perfect, and the lever-action let me re-rack the chamber quicker than a bolt if necessary. It's still my favorite to take out to the range!!!

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by polizei

Be careful with Glocks, they have 3 internal safeties, but NO external safety, which can be good/bad.

That's what I like about the Springfield XD.
It's not going to AD from dropping or any other careless handling.
I suppose it's POSSIBLE for it to AD during a struggle, but it would actually be safer than a Desert Eagle or other 1911 with ONLY the lever safety.

Grip safety on the back and trigger safety on the front. The only way to discharge is with a FIRM proper grip on the grip while the trigger is being squozed.

What I really like about it... in 9mm at least... I can sit out in the desert and send 1,000 rounds downrange and be just as accurate on #1000 as I was on #100. Practically no fatigue, and the weapon performs flawlessly.
I used to get about one jam every 100rds. It would jam on the feed, not the ejection.
Turned out that about 1 out of ever 100rds of the Winchester $15/100rds cheapies from Wally World have a small defect in the edge of the casing where the slug is pressed in. This "lip" was getting caught on the edge of my ramp, which was banana peeling it back and jamming the round halfway into the barrel.

Careful inspection of the rounds going INTO the mags now results in being able to run 1000+ rds a day without a single misfire or misfeed... and then a 2nd day of the same abuse BEFORE cleaning.

[nomidlname]

There are lots of choices out there but for home protection and conceal carry the three most sought after choices are 9mm, 40 cal. and 45 acp.

After 98 years, the classic John Browning design for a semiautomatic pistol still remains one of the most popular. The 1911 basic design has been built by the millions for both military and civilian use in several different countries, and by countless manufacturers. It has been manufactured by some of the largest gun makers, and also in several small one-man shops. An entire cottage industry has emerged and prospered just to service the custom 1911 parts market. It is the most popular pistol design used in the fast-action pistol shooting games, and also continues to dominate bullseye target shooting.

The tide of popularity of the 1911 has receded and swollen over the years, but it is now more popular than ever. Aside from the tremendous popularity of the design among competitive shooters, many elite law enforcement units have also adopted the 1911 as their primary fighting pistol. Why, after all these years, do so many prefer the old slab-sided warhorse as their pistol of choice? Because no one has yet developed a better design.

In the late 1970s and 1980s, the high-capacity auto pistol was going strong. It seemed as if every pistol factory in the world was cranking out a nine millimeter pistol that would hold almost half a box of ammo in the magazine. Then, with the passing of the magazine capacity limitation of ten rounds, suddenly the modern "wonder nines" lost much of their appeal. Shooters soon realized that they would prefer to carry eight or nine .45s instead of eleven 9mm cartridges. This has led to a proliferation of choices in a 1911 style pistol, and with competition, the quality keeps getting better.

The 40 S&W was introduced in 1990 in response to a call by the F.B.I for a caliber more powerful than the 9mm Luger yet still able to fit in smaller handguns with manageable recoil. The 40 S&W’s goal is to deliver more power than the 9mm Luger with less recoil and higher capacity than the 45 ACP. The 40 S&W has been widely adopted by police departments and federal agencies throughout the U.S.

The 40 S&W is a excellent compromise to the 1911. It's recoil is less than the 1911 while providing very good stopping power. That being said nothing has better stopping power than the 1911. If a round from the 45 hits you... you will go down. Arm, leg, chest, ankle, even if the criminal is high on pcp... they will be stopped. Compare that to a 9mm and you will see a dramatic difference. You hit a large man in the arm or leg and it's very possible they might keep coming and if they have a weapon that's something you don't want to happen. 9mm are very nice and have decent stopping power, and if you shoot someone in the right place they will be stopped immediately. Of course, if you or I are forced to pull our guns it's probably going to be in a situation of dire need. Aim will most likely be affected tremendously. You can help that being attending IPSC courses and learning how to shoot your weapon correctly. Go here -->United States Practical Shooting Association to learn about the fun you can have with your new weapons.

I personally carry a 40 S&W and 9mm Ladysmith as my backup. It what works for me. Some of my friends carry just the 1911, and some carry just a 9mm. Find a gun shop with a range attached and rent a gun and buy some ammo and abuse the he!! of of their weapons. That will help you and your misses decide on which weapons fit you best. Good luck, have fun, and stay safe.