Guns

[Desert Fox]

hey guys, I'm a newbie to guns but I'm looking to get one for self defense, but mostly for sport and target shooting.

I'm wondering if anyone has advice on where I can start and resources on how to find a good dealer and picking out a handgun.

I was never interested in guns, but I'm moving to a new state in about 2 months, which has more restrictive gun laws than my current state, but my uncle lives there and has a pistol. He said it's good for self defense, but I am more intersted in the sport as aspect having played a little paintball and airsoft as a teen.

 

[Quiksilver]

Start with something cheap, that has cheap ammo as well.

I would recommend a Ruger 10/22

It's a rifle, and I think rifles are more suited to sport and target shooting than pistols.

Head down to the local range and test a few firearms out. See which one feels the best in hand and which one shoots the best for you, then buy it.

 

[Desert Fox]

I am not allowed to have a rifle in the state I'm moving to according to my uncle.

I can only have handguns and the magazines hold over 10 rounds. I know, crappy law. Basically it seems like I need to get a subcompact with a 10 round mag or something like that.

What do you think of the springfield xd9 (compact and subcompact)? I know the New Yrk PD cops carry that. Also my friend has a tactical light he is willing to give to me for half price for that gun, which he also has.

However the xd9 is a 9mm and I think that's good for self defense, but not so much for sport and the bullets are going to be more expensive. Maybe a 1911 or .22 would be better? I also learned from talking to many people that caliber is overrated and a .22 vs a .45 comes down to your aim, not the caliber.

I used to want the USP, but there are some reliability issues with that or so I hear. Right now its between the glock and the xd9, probably with a lower caliber. Again i'm a noob so correct me if I'm off base on any of this. I know we have a few army vets on here.

 

[user43770]

Like Quicksilver said, a 10/22 is perfect for plinking around at the range. They're lots of fun to shoot. If you're looking for self-defense at home - and maybe some skeet shooting - I'd look into getting one of these. If you're looking for self-defense away from home, you're going to want to look into getting a pistol of some sort.

 

[Bible_Belt]

The problem is that self-defense typically requires a larger round, but the ammo is too expensive for you to be a very avid target shooter. A .357 revolver is a decent compromise, as it will also shoot the cheaper .38 special rounds for target practice. I have a .357 that looks like this: http://anthonybove.com/S&W 357 Mag.jpg
That gun would take down a bear.

If you're going to target shoot a lot, you might as well just buy two guns so that you can shoot .22 ammo in one. A 12 gauge shotgun is probably the best weapon for home defense.

 

[user43770]

I have a 1911 and a Glock 26 (the sub-compact 9mm). I love both of them for different reasons. The 1911 looks cool, holds a .45 caliber round and is accurate as hell; the Glock is utterly reliable, easily concealable and the 9mm ammo is relatively cheap. If you're trying to decide between the Glock and the XD, I would recommend that you find a shop where you can hold both of them - night and day difference.

 

[SoldMySoul]

The problem is that self-defense typically requires a larger round, but the ammo is too expensive for you to be a very avid target shooter. A .357 revolver is a decent compromise, as it will also shoot the cheaper .38 special rounds for target practice. I have a .357 that looks like this: http://anthonybove.com/S&W 357 Mag.jpg
That gun would take down a bear.

If you're going to target shoot a lot, you might as well just buy two guns so that you can shoot .22 ammo in one. A 12 gauge shotgun is probably the best weapon for home defense.

Bible made a perfect point about the 12 gauge! Just the rack of the slide of one will make a criminal $hit his pants and re think whatever he is doing.... I have 4 of them right now. Funny thing is that I should have one ready for self defense, but in all honesty, I do not. Good thing about a shotgun if you are using Buck shot is it will not over penetrate through walls and you just point a squeeze the trigger and it will freaking destroy whatever it hits. Of course the shotgun is limited in range.

Of course moving with a shotgun through a house can present problems and if not careful it could be taken away and used against you. It is best not to try and clear large building with one unless you are proficient with handling it.

I love guns and have PLENTY!!! I was reloading my own ammo for over a year and it was fairly cost effective. If you want a good defense weapon to carry a shotgun would not be the choice. Any handgun from a reputable manufacturer would serve well. I happen to love 45 acp and that is my main choice, but I like 40 caliber too and own a 9mm. If you are new and not used to recoil, I would suggest going to a gun range and renting a few different calibers and see what agrees with you.

 

[Julius_Seizeher]

I can't imagine living anywhere without my rifles. Where are you moving, hell I think rifles are still legal even in Commiefornia!

I've heard of counties or municipalities where you aren't allowed to shoot rifles, for the obvious reasons of population density. But this is America, you should be able to own a rifle anywhere.

Some of the best fun can be had with a .22 and a hanging steel plate. If it is true that you cannot own or shoot a rifle (sucks!), grab a .22 semi-auto pistol by Colt or Ruger. They can be bought for 200-300 dollars and you can shoot them all day long for 10 bucks. IMO, centerfire pistols (9mm, .40 s&w, .45, etc.) are only good for self-defense, I don't enjoy shooting them as much as a .22 and my .40 cal. ammo is getting pricey.

I always play devils advocate when someone talks about getting a conceal carry. There are so many strings attached to a CC license and most federal, state, and municipal gun laws contradict (and supercede) CC regs. Even when carrying a gun with a license, it is much more likely to get you in serious trouble than to ever protect yourself.

I like what Bible said, get a .22 pistol for fun and a 12 gauge for home defense. Though I have a cabinet with such names as Colt, Winchester, Marlin, Henry, Sig Sauer, etc., my go-to home defense gun is a 60 year old Winchester side-by-side 12 gauge with 30" barrels.

*If any of you guys want to talk shop, I love to talk guns til the cows come home

 

[horaholic]

I had a home invasion, and i pointed my shotgun at the guys face. He moved in quicker than lightning and pointed the barrel away from him and we wrestled over it while his buddy was punching me in the face. Barely escaped with my life.


Im no fighter or anything, but after that I firmly believe a handgun is superior for in home defense. Shotguns are great, but if its TOO close in range, they can be taken/pointed away easily. Any hesitation, like what I did, could cost you your life. I (and the assailant for that matter) got very lucky that day.

Like Tyteeyes said, a 1911 or a glock is a great choice. I bought a Llama .45 the day after my home invasion incident. They are not reputable guns, but it was dirt cheap, it shoots straight, and doesnt jam after a hundred rounds.

Dont trust anything with a long barrel for home defense.

 

[user43770]

Even when carrying a gun with a license, it is much more likely to get you in serious trouble than to ever protect yourself.

Please elaborate on this.

 

[Quiksilver]

I am not allowed to have a rifle in the state I'm moving to according to my uncle.

I can only have handguns and the magazines hold over 10 rounds. I know, crappy law. Basically it seems like I need to get a subcompact with a 10 round mag or something like that.

What do you think of the springfield xd9 (compact and subcompact)? I know the New Yrk PD cops carry that. Also my friend has a tactical light he is willing to give to me for half price for that gun, which he also has.

However the xd9 is a 9mm and I think that's good for self defense, but not so much for sport and the bullets are going to be more expensive. Maybe a 1911 or .22 would be better? I also learned from talking to many people that caliber is overrated and a .22 vs a .45 comes down to your aim, not the caliber.

I used to want the USP, but there are some reliability issues with that or so I hear. Right now its between the glock and the xd9, probably with a lower caliber. Again i'm a noob so correct me if I'm off base on any of this. I know we have a few army vets on here.

I would get a Glock 19 over the Springy XD9. It's better in almost every way, IMO. Still not a bad gun though.

Depending on price, don't bother with the tac light. unless you're training on a course with it, it's just a gimmick and talking point. and it makes the gun heavier

It's a full size gun, so if you're thinking about concealed carry in the future, it's a bad option. It's more of a holster gun.

Count yourself lucky. Australia has some of the most restrictive (and frankly gay) firearms laws around, after the UK that is.

I can own a handgun over here, but I have to register it and pay $250 a year + attrocious ammo prices, and risk getting it confiscated if I don't use it once a month at the range. fairly lame. sport shooting is one of my hobbies, and the restrictions on the sport here may cause me to ditch this country once I'm done studying. That's a different discussion though.

Enjoy it!

 

[Bible_Belt]

Dont trust anything with a long barrel for home defense.

I actually don't even keep a gun in my house. I don't need one; I have these: http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x252/dotheopposite/2shepherds.jpg

Overall, I like dogs a lot better than guns. They have the potential to hurt someone just as badly, but yet get me in a lot less trouble.

 

[mpimpin]

Like Quicksilver said, a 10/22 is perfect for plinking around at the range. They're lots of fun to shoot. If you're looking for self-defense at home - and maybe some skeet shooting - I'd look into getting one of these. If you're looking for self-defense away from home, you're going to want to look into getting a pistol of some sort.

I love that mossberg. I've used it a couple times for skeet shooting. Pretty decent price and target gun.

 

[Kerpal]

I had a home invasion, and i pointed my shotgun at the guys face. He moved in quicker than lightning and pointed the barrel away from him and we wrestled over it while his buddy was punching me in the face. Barely escaped with my life.


Im no fighter or anything, but after that I firmly believe a handgun is superior for in home defense. Shotguns are great, but if its TOO close in range, they can be taken/pointed away easily. Any hesitation, like what I did, could cost you your life. I (and the assailant for that matter) got very lucky that day.

Like Tyteeyes said, a 1911 or a glock is a great choice. I bought a Llama .45 the day after my home invasion incident. They are not reputable guns, but it was dirt cheap, it shoots straight, and doesnt jam after a hundred rounds.

Dont trust anything with a long barrel for home defense.

If you hesitate it doesn't matter what gun you use, they'll still take it from you. The solution here is to stop hesitating, not to get a different gun.

 

[Desert Fox]

I would get a Glock 19 over the Springy XD9. It's better in almost every way, IMO. Still not a bad gun though.

Depending on price, don't bother with the tac light. unless you're training on a course with it, it's just a gimmick and talking point. and it makes the gun heavier

It's a full size gun, so if you're thinking about concealed carry in the future, it's a bad option. It's more of a holster gun.

Count yourself lucky. Australia has some of the most restrictive (and frankly gay) firearms laws around, after the UK that is.

I can own a handgun over here, but I have to register it and pay $250 a year + attrocious ammo prices, and risk getting it confiscated if I don't use it once a month at the range. fairly lame. sport shooting is one of my hobbies, and the restrictions on the sport here may cause me to ditch this country once I'm done studying. That's a different discussion though.

Enjoy it!

Ok can you give reasons why the glock is better? They seem basically like the same gun to me except the XD9 looks different and is a little heavier. Both are excellent and don't fail after thousands of rounds.

Also, I told you guys I can't have rifles or assault aka "scary looking" weapons so no shotguns or rifles lol, even after that some guy told me to get what looked liek a godamn sniper rifle lol.

Anyways, to clarify, by self defense I meant home self defense as I will be owning a house pretty soon. I cannot conceal carry in the new state for sure. I can only keep a gun in my house. Australia's laws sound pretty lame man. I lived in the UK for 2 yrs for a fellowship and the laws here + CCTV cams are pretty damn police state-ish coming from America.

 

[user43770]

Mechanically, the Glock and XD are pretty much exactly the same. It all depends on how they feel in your hand. You may also want to consider that the XD has an external safety, while the Glock does not. My brother has recently been looking into getting a XDM 3.8 - those things look badass.

 

[Julius_Seizeher]

Please elaborate on this.

There are many considerations with a CC. For instance, if you carry it into a place where alcohol is sold, and you are caught with it, you're going to prison. There's just too many strings with the CC, plus I don't need a gun to go krogering.

And then there's the auto laws...even though you may be licensed to carry a gun on your person, if you are caught with it in your vehicle (obvious if you are going to carry it), there are a litany of contradictory gun laws regarding vehicles. Like, you have to keep any bullets "well out of arm's reach", in which case to follow the letter of the law, your gun becomes a paperweight if the bullets are in the trunk.

It's just a whole lot of BS to carry one in public, but any malicious individuals on my farm will get blown away.

 

[Magma]

Where I live, I can carry in my vehicle without a CCW. I can even keep it in the glovebox or center console and it's still not considered concealed. Love that.

To the OP, I have an XD-40 4" service model. It's been a tremendous pistol for me so far. It's eats ammo very well, and I haven't had a single "failure to feed" in nearly 2,000 rounds. I like the single action, dual external safeties, and an external visual indicator that lets you know (by sight or feel) if you have a round chambered.

I might suggest that you look at the 9mm, Glock or Springfield. To me, they're both fine pistols with tremendous track records. I might lean slightly toward the Glock simply because of the aftermarket support that is available. More aftermarket items are becoming available for the XD, but you can walk into any gun shop in the country and you know they'll have Glock magazines.

I suggest the 9mm to you because the ammo is cheaper and it will take you a lot of rounds just to be able to develop things such as grip acquisition and sight picture since you are new to handgun ownership (although you can practice those things without live ammo, nothing compares to real range time). 9mm doesn't have as much recoil as a .40 or .45, which will help you to become more accurate more quickly. But I don't think that the recoil is THAT much greater in the .40 and .45.

I would also suggest getting Magpul Dynamic's "Art of the Dynamic Handgun." Tremendous teaching tool that will introduce you to real life dynamic self-defense scenarios which you can practice at any range that allows you to draw from a holster.

But I think accuracy, and not caliber, is the most important aspect in delivering a lethal shot. Check out Dave Sevigny here on Youtube. Sick. It doesn't show the targets, but just watch any other video with Sevigny and you'll see how deadly accurate this guy is. Speed and accuracy. But this point is debatable amongst handgunners.

Just go hold some different models and see what feels best. Let us know what you decide!

 

[Quiksilver]

Ok can you give reasons why the glock is better? They seem basically like the same gun to me except the XD9 looks different and is a little heavier. Both are excellent and don't fail after thousands of rounds.

The Glock 19 holds more rounds than the XD9, and personally I hate the safety on the XD9, but that might just be me. The XD9 is heavier, holds less ammo, and equally or perhaps slightly less reliable, there are more aftermarket parts for the G19, and the XD9 is more expensive generally.

If you're keen for the XD9, go try it out and then buy it. You'll be happy with it, Springfield has a looong track record of solid firearms. However the XD9 was modeled after the Glock 19, to IMO, slightly lower standards.

Also, I told you guys I can't have rifles or assault aka "scary looking" weapons so no shotguns or rifles lol, even after that some guy told me to get what looked liek a godamn sniper rifle lol.

Eh, maybe I'm just crazy but I've never thought of any firearm as "scary".

 

[Desert Fox]

The Glock 19 holds more rounds than the XD9, and personally I hate the safety on the XD9, but that might just be me. The XD9 is heavier, holds less ammo, and equally or perhaps slightly less reliable, there are more aftermarket parts for the G19, and the XD9 is more expensive generally.

If you're keen for the XD9, go try it out and then buy it. You'll be happy with it, Springfield has a looong track record of solid firearms. However the XD9 was modeled after the Glock 19, to IMO, slightly lower standards.



Eh, maybe I'm just crazy but I've never thought of any firearm as "scary".

ok guys, I went out today and got a feel for both guns. Now I have to wait like 6 months to get a goddamn license. Anyways, I got friends

thanks for the advice, the glock and springfield xd is what it comes down to. Definite the 9 mm is what I'm going with for either one I choose.

Quick, as for the glock's 19 round mag there is now apparently a limit to 10 rounds in my goddamn gun according to thise dealer and several of the shooters in their range who were very helpful as well. The XD9 feels better in my hand, looks more expensive and cooler, AND IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE LOL. reliability is my #1 concern and glock has some solid rep, but so does the xd9.

tough choice, but I can afford the xd9 so I'll probably just go with that one. fits my hand really effin well.

P.S. I don't think any gun looks "scary" but my lawyer friends told me that's basically how they define "assault weapons" for assault weapons bans in the law...pretty lame IMO.