Hello fellow F-150 owners,

I'm in the market for a handgun and it's been over 20 years since I owned one. I used to own several guns actually but I lost interest and sold them 'cause I needed the money for college. I used to own a Stainless Steel Ruger security six .357 and several Remington 12 gauge shotguns.

The guns were in my wild days when I drove 4x4 with 36" tires and had 20% tint on the windows so no one could see what was happin' in my truck drivin' or sittin'. I used to be a heavy drinker too, I know what's that got to do with guns. I guess I'm just trying to convey that I'm not an idiot with firearms, it's just been a long time.

I'm looking for something that'll fit in my glove box of my screw and is either semi-automatic with a clip type magazine or a double action revolver and can be moved to the house when not needed in the truck.

I have a 2 year old Son and I just want to have something for our protection but never want my son to be able to get his paws on a loaded gun, no matter what. However, I do want to be able to blow some a$$holes head off if they knock one of my doors down and try to kill or rob us.

I don't want to spend too much money but then again I don't want a saturday night special either. I'm willing to spend several hunderd dollars and just am not sure if that's even close to what a good handgun goes for these days.

I'm gonna start a search on the net as soon as I get done with this thread so I can see what's out there from all the big names like Smith and Wesson, Ruger and I'm sure many more. Just don't have first hand knowledge anymore of major players in the handgun market.

Any suggestions/help would be appreciated.

DaveMan

 

I have always been a fan of my glock. I have the 23 model which is a full size .40cal. They are very light since the receiver is made from a polymer. The only thing is that there is no safety lever altough there are three built in safeties. Glock makes an extensive range of calibers and sizes (Small, mid, full). It's an easy gun to carry and I like a 40. caliber, IMO better ballistics and power than a 9mm and more round capacity and less kick than a .45. Although SIG makes a sweet pistol I think it is called the p226 it's a .45 and I love the way that one feels in my hand. I might pick one up soon.

 

I agree sig makes a sweet gun i have three different models myself. the 228 which is a 9mm a 220 wich is a 45 and a trailside. which is a 22. if you ever find one buy it. i had to waite over a year for mine. but sig is a prett pricey gun. well over $500 for even the 22

 

Ruger has the best handguns for the money....and they're 100% American made. Happy hunting

 

I own a whole bunch of hand guns, I am not a big fan of revolvers although I own a few, but my favorite by far is my H&K USP Compact .40S&W. Weights in a just over 1.5lbs. Semi-auto, holds 11 rounds (w/1 in the chamber). These bad boys are tough...INS agents use em and they have been tested by the military. Quick story, HK put one of their guns in a locked cage and put in the ocean for something like 2 months. Pulled it out, washed it off and ran 500 rounds through it without skipping a beat. These things were meant to be abused but, they are expensive. Best deal I found was $630.00 and I've seen em as high as $800!!

As far as saftey, I agree with you on the child issue..Please Make Dam Sure Your Child a) cannot get to any wepons without your supervision and b)knows how to safetly handle a gun. I carry mine with one loaded in the chamber and never worry about it going off since the gun is designed to be carried "locked-n-****ed". HK makes a model that has the safety in the handle and it is hard as hell to engage for me so you know it would be tough for a child. Check out their web sitehttp://www.hecklerkoch-usa.com/

Other than that, Sig and Glock both are very nice guns, although I don't particularly like the Glock not having an external safety.

Either way you go, please be responsible and teach your childern the rights and wrongs on guns.

 

I would just go to the gun store or range and try out the guns. See which one fits you hand, weight, etc. If your at a gun range, you might be able to test out he guns. With all guns, a gun safe is the best thing you could buy, not only will it protect your child, but you can put other valuble things in it.

 

waturner,
hey man i hope you don't carry a gun that has a safety for protection. do you honestly think that you are going to remember to take that safety off when the @#* goes down.

just some friendly advice from one gun lover to the next.

oh and as far as safes go. i like the Liberty myself. also don't spend the extra $ and get the digital entry system. i don't trust them myself. ya know kids these days are pretty darn smart with electronics.

 

Skagel,
Yes, actually I do.
Practice makes perfect big man! I feel, and this is my opinion, that if you own a handgun, its your job to become intimate with that gun. I practice so much that it is second nature to me to draw, disengage saftey, aim and squeeze off that I hardly have to consciously remember to disengage the saftey. Knowing the capablities, and limitations, of you and your particular weapon is a must.

Agree on gun lover bit, not trying to flame anyone, its nice to know their are others that have the same interests as I do.

Daveman,
PhillipSVT hit the nail on the head, best way to find what fits is to go try one.

 

Thanks for all the good suggestions gang,

That's not a bad type gang but the good type. I want to be able to easily find and use my gun if someone breaks into my house and threatens me or my family.

I would guess I would have just under 10 seconds once I heard something to react, find the gun, load it with the magazine and get ready to use it before a criminal would be in my face.

As far as safety, I just don't want my Son to get access to my gun, I would never be able to deal with him getting injured or worse, getting killed by it if I had it in the house and he got his paws on it. If I can't figure out this system I'm imagining here then I'm gonna have a difficult time convincing myself that my Son is safe from the dangers of a gun.

DaveMan

 

HK P7 M8 if you can find one. It's the best (and safest) 9mm that money can buy. German police carry them... It has a unique squeeze **** that makes it very very diificult for a small child to fire. The glock is a fine gun, but the only safety is on the triigger. Not so safe if a kid gets ahold of it. The interesting thing about the P7 is that it unc0cks when you let go of the squeezec0cker and renders it extremely safe. It also has a polygonal rifled barrel making it unreal accurate.

http://www.hecklerkoch-usa.com/pages...7frameset.html

 

one of the biggest dangers is ignorance. honestly i don't carry and i don't even keep one locked and loaded next to the bed...against my brothers will since i am a single chick.....but i always fear my son getting his hands on my guns. i have a pretty big safe that i can't even open sometimes, but no matter how good the safe and kid can always get inside it i don't care what people tell you. you most of all need to educate your kid/s. make sure they know the difference between a real one a fake one and to never, i mean NEVER touch a real gun, if they see one to alert an adult.

waturner,
i hope you are right about that instinct you talk about.

 

1st and foremost plan on spending money on the firearm and a good way to secure it. Like everybody else said keep the gun away from the kid. I'm sorry keep the gun away from the kid when unsupervised. Otherwise, show them, teach them take the mystery out of it. I would suggest picking up one of the better push button style handgun safes. Only takes seconds to lay your hand over it and push the combo. Door springs open and walllah.

2nd, you make the comment about having time to grab it and load it. An unloaded gun is nothing more than an expensive club. As long as the firearm is secured or in your immediate possession at all times there will be no problem with a loaded firearm. If you are not comfortable with a loaded firearm, you should really think about getting something else like a defense spray. I would recommend Freeze +P.

As for what kind of gun to get it really depends on a lot of factors. Of course there is cost and personal preferance but also think about how much knowledge you have or are willing to learn. Semi autos are great but do you know how to clear a jam quickly and safely, Do you know about cycling your magazines to keep the springs in good shape etc. and so forth. Will you be practicing on a regular basis? Practice is a must. Firearm skills deteriorate quickly.

Revolvers are great house and car guns because they are rugged and simple as hell. If it doesn't go bang, keep sqeezing until it does. Still requires cleaning and practice but generally an easier firearm to own if you don't plan on getting into shooting for fun also.

Think about caliber. You talk about home defense. Sure .357 or .44 magnum will pretty much ruin anybodys day but what if you miss. The round goes through your drywall and kills your neighbor two blocks away. Too much gun for suburbia. Personally I am a .45 jacketed hollow point kind of guy. Might not be as lethal but it will put you on your *** and that is really what you want, to put the other guy down quick.

If you are thinking strict home defense, think about a nice Remington 870 12 gauge, lets face it the whole world speaks 12 gauge and more robberies have been stopped just by making that ker slack sound when your rack in a shell.

Another great rifle for home defense is an AR15 varient, I know you guys are saying I am crazy. .223 blitz rounds have proven to over penetrate less then a 12 gauge pellet. 20 and 30 round mags are cheap, ammo is cheap and they are fun to boot.

As for handguns I would trust my life to any of the new Ruger P series. P95 9mm or P97 .45(My house gun). Their revolvers are spectacular and if you run out of ammo you could surely beat someone to death with one. Best yet the price is right.

Glock makes a phenomonal gun. But they are not the most comfortable, aint the cheapest and a lot of people don't like the safe action trigger and many feel they are unsafe to carry chambered, which they are not. It is just an anxiety thing. Glocks work but don't let anybody tell you they never ever jam. They do jam. Rarely but it happens to all semi autos.

Sig, great guns, crappy finish. way too much money. Very reliable but they require a lot of work to keep the finish looking good.

HK very expense magazines and guns, but like Glock they work period. They tend to be a bit more comfortable than Glocks but in my experience a tad more tempermental. But they are like comparing a Porsche to a Ferrarri, both spectacular just different quirks.

My two off the wall votes go for the HS2000 or a Makarov in 9x18. Both very inexpensive, both very very reliable. Ammo and magazine are cheap and plentiful. The HS is a croatian gun but don't let that stop you. So far the ones I have shot including my own have been every bit as tough and reliable as my Glock. The Makarov is the AK47 of handguns. Let it rust, step on it, kick it, throw it in the mud...pull the trigger it works. Great little gun.

Feel free to email me if you want me to bore you anymore. From what you have said I would probably go with a .357 Ruger double action revolver, probably a redhawk or SP101 and keep it loaded with .38 Special +P hollow points. Like a said if you run out of ammo it is like having a steel bar to beat somebody up with.

Sorry for the long post.

Chris

 

cslinger,

ditto to all, but your safe preference.......i couldn't agree with you more on every other point you made.......wow.......if i wasn't so against dating right now i'd ask your age and if you were single......oh yeah i guess i should add that i am a chick huh!

 

Sig 228 and Sig 226. I own both and they are sweet guns to shoot. I`ve had others in the past but these will stay in my possession for years to come. They are getting harder to come by and pricey but well worth it. The Ruger KP85 I used to have was also a good shooter but weighed more and wasnt as balanced as the Sigs.
I also have children in the house so when not in use or in my truck they are trigger locked and then put in the safe. Guns(rifles, shotguns etc) have always been around the house and they were taught that they are not toys and not to touch. I felt teaching them proper safety and openly talking about them and the dangers has prevented some of the curiousity of seeking them out to play with and explore them. Only hope that this has proved to be the right thing and they understand and respect that. Trigger locks are another positive thing with kids around just in case. They are not 100% effective in preventing accidents but they help.

 

27 going on 6 and soon to be happily married come Sept 7 2002.

Wow a girl who is a gun nut, be still my beating heart. Kudos to you. If you are ever in the Nashville area drop me a line and the three of us will go pop a few rounds off. Maybe you can convince my fiance' that wanting one of everything is not crazy, it's just variety.

Actually I am very lucky. She likes to go shooting quite a bit and is a pretty darn good shot. I can see it now, broken glass in the middle of the night. Honey, wake up and go shoot the burgler. No you go shoot the burgler awww come on.....

So many toys so few dollars.

Take care