OT: Hand guns

[Texas Homer]

I would go with a 9MM for the stoping power. I would also recommend the Glock G26. It is a subcompact and you can carry it any where. They also have very good purse holders. The reason I recommend the Glock is because it doesn't miss fire, shoots very true and is basically indestructible. The gun will take a beating and a ton of abuse, but will keep firing, unlike many other more expensive pistols.

Blue Horn wins the Internet! ! To suggest the 9mm for its stopping power is the funniest thing I read on this thread! I will put my Ruger or Sig against your Glock any day my friend but that is for some other time. If you want controllable stopping power you need to go with either 45, 40, or 357 or 10 mm.

 

[Juan]

I wonder if they have arguments like this on the Vermont football board?

 

[castlebravo1]

I carry a Kahr CM9. It's a great and reliable 9mm. In my opinion, there are two things that are the most important about a gun: 1) Does it go bang when you pull the trigger 2) Do you hit the target when you shoot it.

Regarding point #1, I have a .380 that I originally bought to carry, but could never make it shoot reliably. It never makes it through a magazine without jamming. I'm not sure if it's a defect in the gun or me not holding it "strong" enough - what they call "limp wresting". Anyway, I don't have that problem with any of my other guns so there must be a problem with the gun (It's become my "lab" gun to see if I can fix it myself). Some people only carry revolvers for this reason.

Regarding point #2, People sometimes get the idea that bigger is better. That's true, if you can hit the target. If not, a smaller caliber shot accurately is always more effective than large caliber shot inaccurately. I've been with friends who were trying to decide between a .40 and a 9mm. They always get the 9 because it's easier to shoot.

Finally, whatever you get, shoot it a lot. You want to be as comfortable using that gun as using your cellphone...

 

[Blue Horn]

Blue Horn wins the Internet! ! To suggest the 9mm for its stopping power is the funniest thing I read on this thread! I will put my Ruger or Sig against your Glock any day my friend but that is for some other time. If you want controllable stopping power you need to go with either 45, 40, or 357 or 10 mm.

Seriously? First, I was referencing her trying to decide between the .380 and the 9mm. Second, a defense round in a 9mm and has plenty of stopping power. Third, many women do not like the kick of a 40, 357 or 10 and will be more accurate with a 9mm. Obviously, hitting your target equals more stopping power than missing. Since the 45 is more of a push than a muzzle kick, it is not as bad as the others mentioned. The biggest problem with the 45 is that it is a bit to big and bulky for many women.

Sig's are great guns, but the Ruger 9mm sucks and jams a lot. The Glock is a great gun for beginners because it is ridiculously reliable, almost indestructible, it is much easier to rack than most autos, is one of the most accurate guns on the market and is extremely simply to operate. I would also highly suggest the Gen 4 over the Gen 3. The Gen 4 fits the hand much better and is a better all around gun. BTW, I never really liked Glocks until looking for a gun for my wife. It is a great beginner gun that rarely if ever jams and requires much less maintenance than other autos. It is kind of like the M16 and the AK47.

If I was choosing a home defense gun, I would choose a 45. For concealed carry, I would choose a subcompact 9 with defense rounds. I would have no problem taking someone down with a 9mm loaded with defense rounds.

 

[Blue Horn]

When I bought my wife her M&P Shield 9MM we went in the store to buy the Glock 26. It just didn't feel as good in her hand as the M&P which is much narrower. Fortunately for us the guy at Red's didn't just hand me the box when I told him we wanted a 26. He started asking my wife ?'s and showed us several very nice handguns. He then took the M&P out and said I saved this for last. For her it was a home run. If I were buying a compact for me I would likely get the sig or glock. But for a womans hands you can't beat the M&P. And I'm not too worried about it's ability to fire when the time comes either. Very well built firearm.

I agree with regard to the Gen 3, but I like the Gen 4 Glocks better. The fit is amazingly different between the two. My wife and I were both shocked. The M&P is also a great gun. You can't go wrong with either. Personally for me, the Glock feels better to me and I am more accurate with it. With the Glock, I would recommend getting a rubber or grit wrap for the handle.

 

[mesoHorny]

I agree with regard to the Gen 3, but I like the Gen 4 Glocks better. The fit is amazingly different between the two. My wife and I were both shocked. The M&P is also a great gun. You can't go wrong with either. Personally for me, the Glock feels better to me and I am more accurate with it. With the Glock, I would recommend getting a rubber or grit wrap for the handle.

I prefer the glock as well. But my hands are big. My wife has dainty hands and the M&P grip width is much narrower. I can't remember if the 26 we looked at was gen 3 or 4. Anyway SFGIRL. You can't go wrong with a glock, m&p, sig, or kimber. All are fantastic firearms.

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

What's a good hand gun for a girl?

Caliber... I wouldn't go with a .380 or a 9mm, they both lack real stopping power. Most PDs are gravitating toward .40 cal pistols.

Pistol size... The smaller the pistol the fewer the rounds you possess. In times when you may legitimately need to defend yourself you want to give yourself the best chance possible and a revolver(6 rounds) does not fit that need. Count on adrenalin to pull at least a couple rounds.

Brands... As far as the brands being named... They all feel different in your hand. The most important part is that you like the fit to your hand. So I'd suggest you find a gun show and go out your hands on some guns. Some will feel better than others.

Lastly... Once you purchase... Find somebody to train you. Last thing you want is to be shot with your own gun. So much more goes into carrying a gun besides ownership.

Check out a Glock 27 gen 4... .40 caliber... 9 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber. Glocks are battle proven and as reliable as you can get.

 

[doc longhorn]

LOL! It's interesting hearing peoples opinion about stopping power. At best, a handgun is a weak firearm - in spite of the wonderful new exotic ammunition being made today. True stopping power is a 12 gauge shotgun with double ought loaded in it.

It's interesting to note that the Israel Massad agents carry .22's for their wet work. What does that tell you?

Remember what the man said "Enough bullets in the right place is the TRUE stopping power".

As far as 9 mm's, the famous Florida case is the very reason the FBI went from 9 mm to 10 mm to 40 mm to 45 mm hand guns. Their exhaustive tests proved the larger bullet, loaded correctly, was the best choice in a hand gun. They carry Sig 228's. So do the Marines.

The US Army finally is getting rid of the incredibly heavy, God awful Berretta's and are going back to....you guessed it - US Gov't 1911, John Browning style, .45 caliber hand guns - made by Kimber and Springfield.

As far as stopping power, again. I've seen a 130 lb. woman shot 8 times with a .380 that left the hospital in three days. None of the rounds hit a vital organ. Had she had been shot with a .45, in the same places on her body, she would have been dead.

Finally, NO ONE should be cavalier about shooting someone. And IF you have to pull a weapon on someone, you should be mentally prepared to to kill that person. And I will wager there is not a soul on this board that is!

I've seen what the after effects have done to policemen that have had to legally kill someone.

You will never be the same.

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

Blue Horn wins the Internet! ! To suggest the 9mm for its stopping power is the funniest thing I read on this thread! I will put my Ruger or Sig against your Glock any day my friend but that is for some other time. If you want controllable stopping power you need to go with either 45, 40, or 357 or 10 mm.

.40 is the perfect combination of controllability, capacity and stopping power... IMO

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

LOL! It's interesting hearing peoples opinion about stopping power. At best, a handgun is a weak firearm - in spite of the wonderful new exotic ammunition being made today. True stopping power is a 12 gauge shotgun with double ought loaded in it.It's interesting to note that the Israel Massad agents carry .22's for their wet work. What does that tell you?

Remember what the man said "Enough bullets in the right place is the TRUE stopping power".

As far as 9 mm's, the famous Florida case is the very reason the FBI went from 9 mm to 10 mm to 40 mm to 45 mm hand guns. Their exhaustive tests proved the larger bullet, loaded correctly, was the best choice in a hand gun. They carry Sig 228's. So do the Marines.

The US Army finally is getting rid of the incredible heavy, God awful Berretta's and are going back to....you guessed it - US Gov't 1911, John Browning style, .45 caliber hand guns - made by Kimber and Springfield.

As far as stopping power, again. I've seen a 130 lb. woman shot 8 times with a .380 that left the hospital in three days. None of the rounds hit a vital organ. Had she had been shot with a .45, in the same places on her body, she would have been dead.

Finally, NO ONE should be cavalier about shooting someone. And IF you have to pull a weapon on someone, you should be mentally prepared to to kill that person. And I will wager there is not a soul on this board that is!

I've seen what the after effects have done to policemen that have had to legally kill someone.

You will never be the same.

There are a lot of members to this board... I'll take that wager.

 

[doc longhorn]

Caliber... I wouldn't go with a .380 or a 9mm, they both lack real stopping power. Most PDs are gravitating toward .40 cal pistols.
Pistol size... The smaller the pistol the fewer the rounds you possess. In times when you may legitimately need to defend yourself you want to give yourself the best chance possible and a revolver(6 rounds) does not fit that need. Count on adrenalin to pull at least a couple rounds.

Brands... As far as the brands being named... They all feel different in your hand. The most important part is that you like the fit to your hand. So I'd suggest you find a gun show and go out your hands on some guns. Some will feel better than others.

Lastly... Once you purchase... Find somebody to train you. Last thing you want is to be shot with your own gun. So much more goes into carrying a gun besides ownership.

Check out a Glock 27 gen 4... .40 caliber... 9 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber. Glocks are battle proven and as reliable as you can get.

I love jawing about firearms as they are a passion of mine. I would challenge you on the Glocks being as battle proven as you can get. The Gov't 1911 is DOCUMENTED as the most battle proven hand gun - ever! (You can see this pistol is my preference).

I have SEEN what this caliber does to the human body and I have seen what most of the other calibers do as well.

Being from the old school, I am not a Glock fan. I think they are UGLY and I just don't like plastic guns. I have shot several of them many, many times and I can see they are a fine firearm. But they, and all of the plastic guns, are not for me. The aesthetics of a gun are important to me and I don't want Old Ugly in my hand when I can carry Old Slabside instead. That being said, I have many Sig's and they could be construed as ugly as well. But I like to think they are MANLY looking and I compare them to a Rottweiler, whereas I compare the plasticware to mongrels.

And, by-the-way, don't start telling me that they may be ugly but they can kill as well as the metal guns. That's a weak argument because I doubt ANY of you are going to kill anyone - anyway. And like, the young lady on here, I want a gun that looks good as well as shoots good.

That's just me - sue me!

 

[txscallywag]

Others have already mentioned it, but go and find yourself a reputable dealer when you get back to Austin, preferably one with a range. Only then will you truly be able to determine what's best for you. Don't let anyone bully you into buying a gun that your not comfortable with. Other than the quality of the gun, the comfort level you have while holding the gun is important. You need to be able to hold the gun correctly while feeling comfortable with the safety switch, trigger pull and recoil.

I would suggest a .380 or 9mm. With the right ammo, either one will provide you with what you need. Just my 2 cents. Hope all the info provided on this forum helps.

FYI; remember to squeeze the trigger not pull. Pulling results in the barrel being pulled up and you ultimately being off target. Never get complacent, but don't be scared.

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

I love jawing about firearms as they are a passion of mine. I would challenge you on the Glocks being as battle proven as you can get. The Gov't 1911 is DOCUMENTED as the most battle proven hand gun - ever! (You can see this pistol is my preference).
I have SEEN what this caliber does to the human body and I have seen what most of the other calibers do as well.

Being from the old school, I am not a Glock fan. I think they are UGLY and I just don't like plastic guns. I have shot several of them many, many times and I can see they are a fine firearm. But they, and all of the plastic guns, are not for me. The aesthetics of a gun are important to me and I don't want Old Ugly in my hand when I can carry Old Slabside instead. That being said, I have many Sig's and they could be construed as ugly as well. But I like to think they are MANLY looking and I compare them to a Rottweiler, whereas I compare the plasticware to mongrels.

And, by-the-way, don't start telling me that they may be ugly but they can kill as well as the metal guns. That's a weak argument because I doubt ANY of you are going to kill anyone - anyway. And like, the young lady on here, I want a gun that looks good as well as shoots good.

That's just me - sue me!

Out of curiosity... Do you have a military or LE background?

 

[doc longhorn]

There are a lot of members to this board... I'll take that wager.

It's a wager that cannot be proved and let's hope not. But you would lose the wager - particularly if I could show you what a bullet does to a person. And particularly, if you considered that person you just killed had a family or was a 16 year old teenager or was, at one time, someones beloved little baby.

We all can be Rambo's talking about what we would do if someone was threatening our family, but talk is not the same as reality.

If you can run or escape from a dangerous situation, that is the best choice. If you catch someone running out your back door with your lap top - let him go. That is your best choice. If someone has a knife and wants your wallet - let him have it. That is your best choice.

 

[doc longhorn]

Out of curiosity... Do you have a military or LE background?

No, my lifetime was invested in medicine. The closest I have come to the military is a span of time I spent in a VA hospital.

 

[txscallywag]

It's a wager that cannot be proved and let's hope not. But you would lose the wager - particularly if I could show you what a bullet does to a person. And particularly, if you considered that person you just killed had a family or was a 16 year old teenager or was, at one time, someones beloved little baby.We all can be Rambo's talking about what we would do if someone was threatening our family, but talk is not the same as reality.

Hey Doc, no offense but did you ever stop to think that maybe some folks on here have been in those shoes?

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

Thanks for all the feedback. Based on looks, I really like the Walther PPK and Kimber Ultra Carry II. A bit pricy though.

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

It's a wager that cannot be proved and let's hope not. But you would lose the wager - particularly if I could show you what a bullet does to a person. And particularly, if you considered that person you just killed had a family or was a 16 year old teenager or was, at one time, someones beloved little baby.We all can be Rambo's talking about what we would do if someone was threatening our family, but talk is not the same as reality.

If you can run or escape from a dangerous situation, that is the best choice. If you catch someone running out your back door with your lap top - let him go. That is your best choice. If someone has a knife and wants your wallet - let him have it. That is your best choice.

Your opinions and life experience differ greatly from mine... And I strongly disagreed with your approach to the scenarios your stated. You head out my backdoor with my laptop, you better hope I'm not home. I will have my laptop back. But everybody has their place in life.

The Glock is the most "battle tested" in respect to govt agencies, law enforcement, and global use. The 1911 is at it's least practical in combat. The 1911, while pretty to look at, is not practical for the meaning of this original thread nor is a shotgun. You take your 1911(7+1) and ill keep my Springfield XD(16+1 x 2). It's all a matter of opinion but I wouldn't suggest this young lady carry a 1911.

 

[Bevostuntdouble]

Thanks for all the feedback. Based on looks, I really like the Walther PPK and Kimber Ultra Carry II. A bit pricy though.

Kimbers are very pricy. Haha Start out with something cheaper as you get into shooting and the shooting concept. IMO.

 

[doc longhorn]

Hey Doc, no offense but did you ever stop to think that maybe some folks on here have been in those shoes?

Of course, what is your point?