The best handgun for defense

Rich in Lincoln
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(6/14/02 1:43:44 am)
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First of all it was hard to get in this room with all the cobwebs in the way! I thought I would come in and light a fire and see who comes along.


The best handgun for defense (or offence) in my opinion is the one you use and enjoy shooting the most! In a stressful situations (like a burglar in your house or a mugging) we tend to have problems with fine motor skills and remembering things like how to operate a specific safety. That’s why I believe the best handgun is the one you are the most familiar with. If you shoot the same gun a lot, you start to develop mussel memory and that gun of yours becomes an extension of you. I believe it’s better to put 3 .32 ACP center of mass that to fumble with a .45 ACP your not familiar with. I have a buddy that caries the most unlikely of carry pistols; a single action 4” Ruger Vaquero. He shoots at cowboy competitions and can handle that thing like guys with semi-autos!

So, practice scenario and drawing your weapon (with the clothes that you can expect to be wearing with your gun) over and over and over! A friend of mine wile looking at my collection reminded me of the old saying, “ beware the man with only one gun”.

What’s your favorite hand gun to shoot?


TallTLynn
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(6/14/02 11:54:03 am)
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ezSupporter
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Rich, for me it would be the Beretta 92F. Only 9mm but I figure 15 rounds in a clip if I can't hit at a close range - I deserve what I get.

It's also the most comfortable handgun I own.

Tac401
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(6/14/02 2:55:38 pm)
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Summer it's a S&W model 60 with 38+P+ LE ammo,
fall through winter it's a Colt Double Eagle compact
officers 45acp.
TFF VMBB Email Tac

gpostal
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(6/14/02 5:50:31 pm)
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in my house ,since i have kids "12 gage" cant fumble to much with it

as for carry , i call it mood guns ,sometimes i feel like a auto, some times a small revolver , sometimes a big revolver ,heck sometimes both, but generaly stay in the .357 or 9mm range

Rich in Lincoln
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(6/16/02 11:28:55 am)
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Gpostal, you prove why you are senior staff. I can’t agree more, a shotgun IS THE DIFINITIVE home defense weapon. I figure if I can hit a small duck doing 60mph up a slue, looking more like Luke Skywalker in a Tyfighter, I can take out any uninvited guest in my casa! There is also less chance of injuring the people your trying to protect.
BUT…
I was thinking more of the “take it with you” kind of defensive weapon. TLYNN, I also use a high-cap 9mm. I figure a whole swarm of 9ns tends to do the job just fine. I like to shoot it, I shoot it a lot and because of the last two reasons, I am very good with it. I might change my mind when I get my new .45 ACP in the same frame.
-Rich


Ratso3
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(6/17/02 5:24:04 pm)
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Personally I prefer my Govt. Model Colt .45 1911 A1.
Loved it while in the service. Loaded with Hydra-Shocks and aim for the center of mass.

Xracer
*TFF Senior Staff*
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(6/17/02 5:34:55 pm)
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On the street....the largest caliber weapon you can comfortably carry, conceal, and shoot well.

At home....a short barrel 12 guage pump shotgun.

AntiqueDr
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(6/17/02 5:43:16 pm)
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I've adopted a Sig P245, stuffed with CorBon +P.

I can neither confirm nor deny the existance of a KelTec P32 in my front left pants pocket.

At home, a Lab/Shepherd crossbreed backed up by the Sig and a custom Winchester 1200.


We Buy Guns! 1 - 100, Antique or Modern!
www.apaxenterprises.com
Master Dealer for Kimber, Wilson Combat and Dan Wesson

Rich in Lincoln
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(6/18/02 12:30:28 am)
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AntiqueDr , I have always liked your choices.

hung41584
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(10/14/02 2:15:29 am)
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If you want to live and not die in your own house because of a burglury or whatever. Just lock your bedroom door with powerful locks and make sure it can not get kicked down. Also, get a peep hole. If some fag wants to knock you out while you are sleeping, they have to take a long time to get to you and that will be enough time to get your gun. The peep hole is so that you know who is knocking on your door, it could be one of your family members calling you for help from the burgler so you REALLY don't want to shoot them. And you know, don't live in ****** neighborhoods and get some type of alarm that makes a loud sound when someone knocks down the doors and windows.

edited for language

Edited by: Bob In St Louis at: 10/14/02 6:49:35 am

Zigzag2
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(10/14/02 6:06:19 am)
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hung41584, and what's your choice of hand gun inside your fortified bedroom?
In this age where truth is fleeting and mass manipulation is common, the ability to detect when something doesn't make sense is a valuable one.


kornhauser
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(10/17/02 7:28:06 pm)
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I carry a Beretta 96F in .40 caliber. That's in uniform and off-duty. If dress requires it, I've got a S&W model 60 snub in .38 special.

However, at home and beside the bed is a .357 magnum. Model 66 with a four inch barrel.

Xracer
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(10/18/02 8:06:26 am)
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"get some type of alarm that makes a loud sound when someone knocks down the doors and windows."

I have......his name is "Lucky", and he's a rottweiller and retriever mix.

anchored
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(10/18/02 9:34:53 am)
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I favor my pt-101Af in .40, except i have a tendency when trying to stress fire to slap the safety from all the way up to all the way down, instead of stopping in the middle where I can actually fire. I know I can hit what I'm aiming at with this gun, as long as I can actually get the trigger to work.


As a dreamer of dreams and a travelling man, I have chalked up many a mile; read dozens of books about heroes and crooks, and I've learned much from both of their styles.
-J. Buffett
{ONE PARTICULAR HARBOUR}{Auction45}{Famous Flying Yen}

shooter45 us
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(10/18/02 9:52:45 am)
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Anchored, this habit can be overcome with LOTS of dryfire practice. If not, then you really need to look into something else to carry. Good luck.

anchored
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(10/18/02 12:34:51 pm)
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Well, I am more of a 1911 fan, and when I get rich I'll get one to carry, but in the meantime, you're right, it's a matter of practice. Plus, I kinda like the possibility that, if someone gets my gun away from me, he'll likely have the same problem.
As a dreamer of dreams and a travelling man, I have chalked up many a mile; read dozens of books about heroes and crooks, and I've learned much from both of their styles.
-J. Buffett
{ONE PARTICULAR HARBOUR}{Auction45}{Famous Flying Yen}

Crpdeth
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(10/18/02 2:27:00 pm)
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Hung: Thanks for getting this thread up and rolling again...I must have missed it the first go a round.

I dont understand locking the bedroom door...I think if someone is tring to break in, I'll be more likely to hear them with the door open. Invest that money in better locks for exterrior doors and windows.
My wife had to get used to the way I do things, but I like the inside of the house totally dark, while the outside is lit up along with motion sensor flood lights...If you are awakened in the middle of the night it really only takes a moment to adjust to the dark, while anyone fooling around outside will cast shadows in the dark house. Any intruder using a flashlight inside the home will become an instant target, any intruder fumbling around in a pichdark home that they are unfamiliar with will be making much noise.
My bedside friend: Colt .45 loaded hot with XTP's
Wife's choice: .38 special +p revolver
One 5 cell Maglight apiece.

I sometimes sit on the front porch of our home late at night and wonder where some of my neighbors heads are...No porch or lawn lights, no motion lights...but parts of the inside of the house is lit up all night.
All I would have to do is walk up to 90% of these homes and look through the thousand little holes in their mini blinds, see that the room was empty and try to jimmy the window.
I guess people are to "trusting" in my quite little neighborhood.
~"And every moving thing that liveth, I give unto you as meat" (Gen 9:3)

mpprr
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Posts: 2
(12/11/02 6:55:59 pm)
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"Amen" on that Maglight comment above...what wonderful creations those are!

My carry gun also serves as my primary home defense firearm, a Kimber Custom 1911 .45ACP in five-inch trim loaded usually with 230-grain JHPs, sometimes with Cor-Bon 165-grain +P "Pow'rball" loads.

There is a Romanian SAR-1 (AKM clone) not too far away, too, though

And another "amen" on the remarks on canines I've been reading. Our sweet little Spitz mix "Princess" is one heckuva watchdog, always sounds the alarm when someone's nearby.

JayL
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(12/14/02 11:03:33 pm)
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Alarm and first line defense at home, 1 Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog, 1 Chocolate lab/Staffordshire cross, and 1 Black Lab/Akita cross, 2nd line, Mossberg 500 shortbarreled folding stock, loaded alternating 3" 00 15 pellet Federal Premium and Lyman 525gr Sabot slug.

On the street, Springfield 1911 MilSpec Loaded, with Rainier 230gr HP in front of 9.0gr HS6.

"If the skeeters don't get him then the gators will."
Jay L

"Move, Shoot, Communicate!"

[llama.45]

well, i have my llama .45 until i sell it on the 11th.then im gonna buy a 357 but i real y prefer my stoger double barrel 12 gauge

[Dave W.]

You could ask this question to 20 different guys and get 20 different answers, I enjoyed the original idea of the post though. But I had to chime in as I also have a shorty, stoeger 12 gauge loaded in the bedroom for home defense. Doesn't take much to be "good" with a side-by-side.


Dave

[358 winchester]

Dave you could always get a goofy gun 12gauge pump 12 shots and a red dot sight
Ron

[tucsonpilot]

I have to agree, for home defense, nothing is better than a good 12 gauge shotgun, on the street however, I go with my Glock 19, it takes a beating and is easy to conceal.

[llama.45]

well now my taurus raging bull in 480 ruger guards the bedside table

[TheIceMan]

I have to go with the shotgun for home also and my SW9VE for CCW

[Jay]

Just asking a question........

Has anyone fired a shotgun at a target 10 feet away with a shotgun? I have not, and don't own a shotgun, but I wonder what the pattern if any would look like?

[Marlin]

Cuts a purdy BIG hole, Jay!!!

[inplanotx]

Originally Posted by Jay

Just asking a question........

Has anyone fired a shotgun at a target 10 feet away with a shotgun? I have not, and don't own a shotgun, but I wonder what the pattern if any would look like?

About a fist sized hole in yer chest! Spaghetti for insides with a proper load of 7 1/2's.

[Jay]

We,, there ya go. As I said I was just asking a question. As long as the overpenetration factor isn't a concern, and the shooter is proficient with a shotgun, then that's the weapon he/she should use. Personally, I could put my handgun into play faster than I could a long gun, and more accurately, so that's the one I'll employ. It's one of those "to-each-his-own" things, where there may be many correct preferences.

[Recon 173]

When I go out and about, I carry a Glock 22-C with an extra magazine on me. That gives me about 30 rounds with good punch and diameter to use. My gun is loaded with Hydra Shok ammo with one in the tube. Since I used to have to shoot all sorts of guns and ammo I wanted my handgun to be accurate and pleasing to shoot. That's why I went with a Glock 22-C. I shoot that pistol all day long without my hand getting tired or hurting at all. That gun is fun to shoot and, after it was broke in with a few thousand rounds, it got to be extremely accurate. There were only about 2 guys out of a police department of over 200+ officers who could outshoot me... that was if they were having a really good day too... on the range. A lot of the .40 caliber guns would beat the center of my hand to death for some reason. I think that was because I have very small hands for a guy. Any way my Glock 22-C has been a reliable charmer for me. I love it. I've had it since Glocks first came out in the .40 caliber and I will never part with it. Obviously, my Glock does NOT have rails to mount lights and lasers on it but I don't care. It just shoots and shoots and shoots.

[Cincinnatus]

lovin the new beretta px4 subcompact

[ggtgary]

The best handgun I have for defense is the one I always carry, always practice with, and is small and light enough that is never left behind. In my case it is a Kahr PM 9 with 147 gr Winchester Bonded Lawman hollowpoint ammuntion. It gives me with a warm fuzzy feeling to always have it.

[wpage]

Best handgun for defense is anyone near me when needed.

[chuck56]

Remington 12 Ga. side-by-side and Ruger .357 Service Six with Corbon +P

[focusmaniaczx3]

Judge

[BillM]

Originally Posted by Jay

Just asking a question........

Has anyone fired a shotgun at a target 10 feet away with a shotgun? I have not, and don't own a shotgun, but I wonder what the pattern if any would look like?

Cylinder bore will spread about 1 inch per yard. Choked guns will be
tighter. Shot a 16 ga full choke at a board at 10 feet or so, hole
was about 1 1/2".

[carver]

For me the best handgun for defense is my old stand by, a 1911A. I carry it year round, and no matter what I'm wearing, I sometimes forget that it is there. It's a Jim Clark special, and is more accurate than I am, plus it's fun to shoot! When it's on the night stand it has a 20rd. mag. in it. For carry I use the standard 7rd. Mag., plus one in the pipe, along with two back up mags.

[bluesea112]

Originally Posted by carver

For me the best handgun for defense is my old stand by, a 1911A. I carry it year round, and no matter what I'm wearing, I sometimes forget that it is there. For carry I use the standard 7rd. Mag., plus one in the pipe, along with two back up mags.

I still don't understand how you are able to conceal that hand cannon so well. When I saw you reach into your shorts and pull out that large frame .45, it reminded me of a magician pulling a rabbit out of his hat.

[Terry_P]

For carry it's an SP101 in OWB, IWB or pocket carry and is always close by when in the home. For the nightstand I have a Ruger P94 in 40S&W or a GP100 with the SP nearby as well.

[dbltap]

Originally Posted by Jay

Just asking a question........

Has anyone fired a shotgun at a target 10 feet away with a shotgun? I have not, and don't own a shotgun, but I wonder what the pattern if any would look like?

Depends on the choke and shot. #8 birdshot will be one nasty pattern from a modified choke.

[vytoland]

here, there or any where..........my S&W model 64 NY-1

[Deacon_Man]

My home is protected by a 17 shot 9mm Taurus Pro and I'm good with it.

[wpage]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Man

My home is protected by a 17 shot 9mm Taurus Pro and I'm good with it.

That should do it!