i have got $400 to spend and need some advice

[llama.45]

i have got $400 to spend on a new sidearm and i was wonderin what everybody thinks i should get and what caliber i should getand whether it should be a wheel gun or auto loader. it is gonna be used for protection

[punchie]

Any CZ in any caliber you feel comfortable with.

[llama.45]

i have been talking to my dad and he has me leaning more toward a wheel gun.any suggestions on one of them?

[Marlin]

I think the King of the crowd is the Smith Model 686, 4" .357 mag. New they are more than you have to spend but a good pre-owned one might be available.

I went looking. There is a nice one at Auction Arms within your price range:

[rglbegl]

MAKAROV!!!!!!!! Beautiful round! EVIL within 25 yards. Cheap ammo, low recoil. Ask around about different Makarovs, bet you won't hear anything negative.
Here's the best part........ The gun AND 2000 rounds cost me $400.
PRACTICE,PRACTICE,PRACTICE!!!!!!!! 2000 rounds will get you proficient with the weapon. Mine has never had a hiccup, I have full faith this gun will work when I need it to.
Wheel guns are nice, just not my favorite. Find what feels best for you. A well placed .22lr is worth more than a .357mag that misses.

Or just buy a Kimber

--Beagle

[Hydra Shok]

I was wanting to get a Glock 26 to be BUG to my 19, but then I found this Taurus and man I almost got one at the gun show last weekend but talked myself out of it. I bought a NAA .22 mag instead.... anyway, the Taurus would have cost me $299 out the door... that's ok I'll get it when I get my safety bonus.

Link: http://www.taurususa.com/products/pr...egory=Revolver

[LDBennett]

For protection it is best to get a revolver. The have no safety to worry about taking off in an emergency, They are safe when loaded and don't need a safety. And all you have to do to use them is to pull the trigger. That is personal defense!

No one makes a more nicely done revolver than S&W and no size is easier to handle or more versitle than a 357 Mag that will also take 38 Special. The 686 series with a 4 inch barrel is particularly nice, what with being relatively small but more than strong enough for full power 357 loads if you so desire. The latest S&W revolvers I think are nicer than the ones I bought back in the 1980's and 1990's. They are great target guns, too, and shoot nice tiny groups. The triggers are excellent and can be made even better for target use with a simple change of the trigger and hammer springs (don't do this to a protection gun as the lawyers will have real fun in court with your "hair triggered man killing" gun if you ever have to use it to defend yourself.

If it is an automatic that you just have to have get one of the steel framed CZ's. Take your choice on caliber but the 40S&W caliber is a good defense choice and is no bigger than the 9mm guns. I'd not buy any plastic gun if you want to pass it down through your family for generation to come as all plastic eventually hardens and breaks. Steel or aluminum is forever!

LDBennett

[llama.45]

well, from what everybody is saying i will get a 357 if i decide to go with a wheel gun. i was thinkin about a 44 mgnum but i already got a new model super blackhawk in 44 mag.does a 357 have pretty good stopping power?

[Salvage33]

Does a 357 have good stopping power? Does a wild bear poop in the woods?

Yes!!! It was the standard sidearm of almost every law enforcement agency at one time or another...and that includes the FBI.

However, CZ is a good automatic, along with the Tanfoglio..known also as the "Witness" available through EAA Corp. Just note that MY preferences would be .40 cal at a minimum. You might also check out the Bersa Thunder 45. Retails for around $350, has ambidextrous safety, is smaller than a full size 1911, and the one my buddy shoots has eaten every type of ammo without a malfunction...and that now stands at somewhere around 3000 rounds. It is his carry gun.

Just my opinions...

John

[LDBennett]

Is 357 a good defense cartridge?

Anything from 38 Special up is OK if you load it with the correct expanding defense load. There are several hollow points available and several defense only bullets (limited penetration or full expansion). 357 is no problem for self defense.

LDBennett

[Country101]

I prefer the Super Redhawk in .44. It's a bit differant from the blackhawk. The cylinder swings out so you can load as quickly as you want(instead of the one at a time) and the grip is differant. The Super has a little more meat on it as well. If you're meanin on carryin, get a shorter barrel, but if it's gonna be in your bedside table or somethin, get a 7 1/2" barrel or something. It's just plain scary lookin to have a gun that big pointin at ya. :-D

That's my $.02 worth. I'm a little biased though.

[llama.45]

how much does a super redhawk usually cost?

[offeror]

Most folks agree the .44 Magnum is a bit too much for defense, in terms of kick, overpenetration, and even lower stopping power on humans. The .357 is ideal. It gets top stopping power honors in most statistical reviews and in a 4" S&W it will be a pleasure to own, practice with, etc.

For defense in the .44, I'd prefer a S&W 4" Mountain gun, myself, or even a Lew Horton snubbie, but, again, that is a handful and not recommended for newer shooters. It's just too much gun short of stopping those bears that poop in the woods.

The semi-autos are today's preference for defense by most people, and the .40, .357 SIG and .45 ACP are at or near the .357 numbers for stopping power. I'd recommend something that is simple to learn and get comfortable with, like a Glock, Kel-Tec, Kahr, which have few control levers and buttons. If you really don't mind the levers, you could also consider the CZ-75/85, the Springfield XD9/40, or the Berettas.

For defense, make sure by dry firing in the store that your loved ones can pull the trigger of any gun you consider. Some smaller folks have trouble with a 12-pound double action, and need a trigger pull of 9 pounds or less. That can mean looking at a striker fired gun or an LDA (light double action).

[llama.45]

i am not new to shooting, i am 18 now and i received my first gun at 5. and i dont want anything plastic,my buddy has a kel-tec p-11 and i hate that gun and my uncle has a glock in 10mm and i hate that gun also and me and my dad make fun of them for having plastic guns.i think i have decided on a 357. at a local gun shop there is an older s&w revolver for about 350. the blueing looks worn some but that can be taken care of.but i am still not sure which 357 i will end up with

[junpangilinan]

Does a .357 have good stopping power?

In the book "Handgun Stopping Power" by Marshall and Sanow, the .357 hollowpoint (I forgot the bullet weight) has a one-shot-stop rating of about 95%.....much better than a .45 or other bigger bullets.

[llama.45]

thanks for the info

[iamhe]

Sounds like you need a lot of study, practice, and coaching. I'd get a used Browning Buckmark .22, the 4" skinny barreled version, for $175, and a Star BM compact 9mm, $175 out the door, The Star costs your dealer $130 at AimSurplus or J &G Sales. $20 for him to get it for you, $10 sales tax, and $10 shipping costs. $50 will buy 200 rds of 9mm ball (100 pack Winchester) at Walmart, and 1650 rds of .22lr Federal HP in the bulk pack.

[iamhe]

Marshall's been many times proven to be either lying or mistaken about his "statistical" data. The Star is a compact 7.2" long, a single stack mag, single action auto, all machined steel, 28 ozs. It's worth $300, easily. Don't forget to get at least one spare mag for it. It has a nice set of sights, trigger pull, and safety lever. Very reliable, durable, accurate, concealable, controlable piece.

[llama.45]

i have ended up getting a brand new smith and wesson semi auto model 1076 in 10mm,it cost me 375 out the door

[SouthernMoss]

Glad you found something you'll be happy with!

[llama.45]

thanks southern moss