Should I Go Get My Sister's Gun?

If you've never used a firearm before, my advice would be to start with a shotgun, preferably a 12 gauge, and DEFINITELY find someone who can teach you how to use it or any other firearm safely or take a class for the same purpose. There's nothing wrong with a handgun, but they take a good deal more practice to become proficient. By contrast, you can usually teach someone to be a halfway decent shot with a rifle or shotgun in an afternoon. Not much will lay down the law like a 12 gauge loaded with 00 buckshot will at short range, or even out to about 100 yards with rifled slugs.

Besides, they're cheap. You can get a brand new, dependable pump 12 gauge for under $200 at Wally World. You can also consider a 20 gauge or even a .410 if the recoil is too stout, though I'd load only slugs in the latter as a home defense weapon.

Once you get comfortable with that, then consider a handgun. For my part, I'd go with either a .38 revolver or a 9mm or 40 S&W pistol. I'd recommend the revolver and a couple of speedloaders for simplicity. They aren't as 'powerful' as some other rounds, but loaded with hollow points, any of those will get the job done. Plus, they generally have less recoil, making follow-up shots easier if necessary.

And one more thing: consider buying a handgun or rifle in .22lr. Its much, much cheaper to practice with a .22lr than anything else and the skills you pick up with it will mostly translate over to another weapon. Plus, its not exactly a BB gun in self-defense, though I'd never advise using one in that role except as a backup.

More people get killed by .22LR than any round each year. I wouldn't discount the little guy just yet. I bought a GSG-5 rifle which is a MP-5 .22LR clone. The rifle shoots really good and its easy to rapid fire a whole clip into a chest at 25 yards...



Seriously though don't be too intimidated with guns they are not the boogey man. You need to look at them as a tool and every tool has its purpose. If You don't feel comfortable with them go out and buy a BB gun and sit in Your back yard shooting cans all day. A BB gun is still the same thing and the point is You get a natural practice for shooting a gun. Plus You can use a BB gun on that annoying cat next door which will teach him to mind himself real quick without killing him. I would recommend though that You learn to shoot the .38 and especially You need to lean that its a tool. Remember its not guns that kill people its idiots with guns that kill people. I wouldn't get a revolver though because most of them are double action meaning You have to cock it before You shoot it. Now You can just pull the trigger but most of the time the trigger pull has so much weight that you pull the barrel up slightly when You shoot. As far as what type of gun to get I would go with a .40 because its not the most popular gun yet but its not bought up like every other round. The 9mm round is the most popular and people are stocking up like crazy so I would stay away from this. You also said You wanted to be prepared so if thats the case You might want to look into some EVIL BLACK RIFLES. I have a few myself and just because You have one doesn't mean You are a Timothy Mc'Veigh or some right wing crack pot. I am glad that You are finally waking up and I wish You look in Your purchase.

reply to post by hotbakedtater


Its best to stick with what you know, stay at home...its where all your stuff is and you will still need all the things you do right now. There you have family, friends and neighbors. It sure beats being in the wilderness with no protective walls around you or roof over your head. This whole gun thing is a bad idea, many people end up being killed with their own gun. Killing another person is not as easy as you might think. When you are pointing a gun at a person with your finger on the trigger an endless string of questions pop into your mind, the what if's.....You buy a gun, you must buy ammunition, then a holster and ammo belt. How many bullets are you prepared to buy? There are no "funsies" in a gun fight. How many are you willing to kill? There is a much cheaper option and it has the advantage of being silent, a huntsman "slingshot" and a tube of .25 caliber ball bearings, if and when you run out of ammo you can use stones. It is very hard to hunt with a pistol, so you would have to buy a rifle and/or a shotgun and all the ammunition and.......i think you get the point. If things get that bad, you, your family and friends should unite. Maybe if we all unite now we can avert this terrible self-fulfilling prophecy.

OP, if your idea of a good time does not include regularly field stripping and cleaning your weapon, definitely consider a revolver over a semi-auto. What you lose in the amount of rounds available per draw, you gain in absolute reliability and the confidence that when you pull the trigger, it'll go 'bang' without any worries of jams. Revolvers can take a little more abuse and a lot more neglect and still stay ready to go.

Also, keep the 'new reality' in mind when purchasing a weapon. The price and make of the firearm isn't going to be quite as important as the price and availability of the ammunition. Go to whatever stores you might go to purchase ammo and check the shelves. See what they have and what it costs. Ammo these days is getting hard to come by and rather pricey. Make sure what you shoot is going to be easy to find and won't break you every time you want to go to the range to practice.

Lastly, consider stocking up on whatever you think will be hard to come by when you get your new firearm. At the top of this list is ammo. While it may seem extreme to have many rounds on hand, consider that you'll be burning through a lot to practice with. You should always have a couple boxes at home. For every box you buy for the range, buy a second for home. That way, if even the most common rounds of ammo become scare, or way too expensive, you'll be in good enough shape to skip out on the madness. Save all of your spent brass, too. It is a commodity for reloaders and if you make a friend in the gun world, they might make you some new ammo in exchange for all of your brass.

Good luck and have fun!!! I just bought my first a couple of months ago (got a couple more since... addictive!)

Oh, and politics and gun ownership are not exclusive and good for you in recognizing that. You should be heralded as an example of good common sense... political stigma be damned!

reply to post by larphillips


I live in Northeast Ohio and the 9mm flies off the shelf the same day it gets delivered to the stores. I no longer go to the range with my handguns and I don't want to get raked over with high prices. I've got 10 boxes left at home and that's the way it will have to be for a while. I practice in my basement with an airsoft replica of a sig 226. Cheap and easy and I can maintain overall muscle memory. The trigger is a little different but I'll get by. I just wish they made an airsoft copy of my Springfield XD.

Plenty of ammo for my shotgun.

[edit on 7-4-2009 by jibeho]

reply to post by hotbakedtater


Coming from the UK, but before we banned guns, my Uncle used to have a gun range in London, plus I shoot every time I go on my hols in the US.

A bit of a related issue, I suggest you go paintballing first, just a couple of times, to get used to 'shooting' and aiming, plus you ain't gonna kill anyone or get too hurt yourself.
Then like others have suggested go to a local gun range, most 'decent' ranges will talk youthrough what to do and what NOT to do with a handgun, The LasVegasGunstore is one of teh best, but the gunrange in Florida was uber crap, my wife tried a gun and she fired off 2 shots and got bored.
Go to a gun range and listen very hard to the instructor, I would even think about booking one to one training.
But its all well and good having all the training in the world , but when it comes down to the time to actually use it in self defence ALL training goes out the window if your a civilian.
You will panic, and your first shot always misses when your fretting. I can only suggest do what I did ( both in guns and Motorcycling, start small and end big, go for a very small .22 caliber firearm, and when you feel comfortable head up to a 9mm, then if you can ALL the way upto a .50 cal, pistol .
I'm used to all types, my fav is the colt 1911, I was used to a magnum .357, glock, beretta and I was happy with the way they handled, then I tried a Desert Eagle with .50cal ammo, ( had to try it) , I fired ONE shot and actually put the gun on the counter and stepped back, it was very , very powerful, after that shot whatver respect I had for guns tripled.
Its not about what gun you have, or what training, it all depends on whether or not you can use it when the need arises, can you say to yourself , " can I shoot another person?" , if you feel comfortable with doing it in self defence or in defence of loved ones then you can fell comfortable using a firearm.
But if you think it would be fun to shoot someone then I'd suggest you step away from guns and stick to your knives.

The question I ask myself is: "Does the woman who complained about a pedophile "joke" bumper sticker on her car losing her job at a daycare center need a firearm?" In a word: NO.
Don't get a gun, you'll only end up shooting yourself, or worse, somebody else.

If you get a gun, I'd suggest one that has a flag in it that pops out and unfurls...

"BANG!"

Get a big, slobbery dog that loves your kids and sounds mean behind a closed door... Leave the guns to people that don't have fits of rationalization and twisted logic, ok?



Edit: Sorry! Had to do it...

[edit on 8/4/09 by cbianchi513]

I would recommend Keislers firearms in Jeffersonville IN. They deal with many police and military people and are a pleasure to work with. Talk to these people and TRY many different types before you buy so you will be comfortable with what you get. They will direct you to the proper people to get you through the KY concealed carry class and get you permitted.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

well i wouldn't then you would leave your sister unarmed.

reply to post by hotbakedtater


No.
Get yourself one of your own and you and your sister make it a *girls night out* to go to your local IRA meetings and find a gun class to go to!

peace