Want to buy a handgun for home protection,,,,,Need Help

[Oh Shoot]

.... I'm going to go with the Taurus because it fits my wife well and if I can get her into using it ...

Both of you should put minimum 200 rounds through it. And make sure say, 100 of what you choose for your SD ammo; assuming you choose one of the top 10, that 100 rounds will cost you $60-80 bucks right there, but you want to know that the gun likes them, eh?

- OS

[towerclimber37]

Someone asked how much experience I have with handguns and the answer is very little. I have only shot a few here and there but nothing serious. I am a very quick learner though and have been doing a lot of research online trying to educate myself for future purchases. I'm going to go with the Taurus because it fits my wife well and if I can get her into using it then that means I can go out and buy something more expensive later. I can tell this has already become an addiction.

Is it just me or is DeerSlayer scary as hell. lol

ahahahahahahahahahaha

he's a big teddy bear. from what interaction I've had with him on the forum he's quite a nice fella! not one I'd attempt to accost with a baseball bat though..mebby a tank..but definitely not any type of small arms.

OHshoot has a very valid point. now that your choice is made..find an ammo that your weapon likes to eat and go to work. keep in mind that long range shooting is NOT what a pistol is designed for.

anywhere from 5-25 feet is gun-fighting range. yep..I know it's a short range. you may want to find someone to go to the range with you and give you a primer on shot placement, breathing, aiming, etc. I know that when I teach novices, they tend to improve their shot placement dramatically.

good luck and happy shooting!

[Guest shortfri]

Someone asked how much experience I have with handguns and the answer is very little. I have only shot a few here and there but nothing serious. I am a very quick learner though and have been doing a lot of research online trying to educate myself for future purchases. I'm going to go with the Taurus because it fits my wife well and if I can get her into using it then that means I can go out and buy something more expensive later. I can tell this has already become an addiction.

Is it just me or is DeerSlayer scarry as hell. lol

congrats on your choice. Now just follow the advice on shooting it as much as possible.

Oh shoot you can find out all the info about the rounds at magsafe.com while i understand your concern about someone being misinformed about a home defense round, I do think for a begining shooter this is a round they need to use for home protection. I think if you read the data you'll see that it's not rat shot, but a special round developed for home security.

[Guest bkelm18]

congrats on your choice. Now just follow the advice on shooting it as much as possible.

Oh shoot you can find out all the info about the rounds at magsafe.com while i understand your concern about someone being misinformed about a home defense round, I do think for a begining shooter this is a round they need to use for home protection. I think if you read the data you'll see that it's not rat shot, but a special round developed for home security.

I'm sorry, but I would never trust my life on something like that. I'll lump that ammo into the same group as Extreme Shock and all that. I'm going to trust my life on something that has been proven, not something cooked up to sell to mall ninjas. Seriously, when they slap on a name like .45ACP Super SWAT to one of their rounds, what else are they trying to do?

[Guest canynracer]

Someone asked how much experience I have with handguns and the answer is very little. I have only shot a few here and there but nothing serious. I am a very quick learner though and have been doing a lot of research online trying to educate myself for future purchases. I'm going to go with the Taurus because it fits my wife well and if I can get her into using it then that means I can go out and buy something more expensive later. I can tell this has already become an addiction.

Is it just me or is DeerSlayer scarry as hell. lol

LMFAO...I think I peed a little!!!

Dont sweat Deerslayer, he carries a Glock, which means he will probably shoot himself in the azz...

Seriously though...he is a cool dude, I have met him, very knowledgable and damn quick (and accurate) on the draw...

[deerslayer]

Yes, I have picked up quite a bit of speed since starting Jenny Craig and trading my Harley for a Huffy. Plus, with all the weight I have lost, my ass is now a smaller target for my Glock.

Edited September 28, 2008 by deerslayer

[Oh Shoot]

....

Oh shoot you can find out all the info about the rounds at magsafe.com while i understand your concern about someone being misinformed about a home defense round, I do think for a begining shooter this is a round they need to use for home protection....

Frangible ammo is crap. Even the sky marshal program gave up on it even though it seemed logical for use in an airplane "on paper".

You seem to think that a "beginning" shooter should be less protected than an "advanced" shooter. Frangible ammo for self defense is likely to make either one a "dead" shooter.

- OS

[strickj]

Yeah,please dont use something that wont go through sheetrock! I'm sorry but that the dumbest thing someone could want to do.

Think about it. Sheetrock is about a quarter inch thick concrete held together by paper.If a round wont penetrate a fragile wall board,its not going to stop a human

[Almond27]

yes I would go with some JHP's

[Guest shortfri]

1 an experienced shooter will know how to quarter and move to where his round if it over penitrates won't strike someone in his household. They have more confidense with their weapon and their abilities then an inexperienced shooter.

2 how many of the people buy their home defense rounds and then go out and shoot them to see what they will do. Meaning shoot thru drywall, kitchen appliences, couches and so forth. my bet is very few.

strickj the magsafe rounds will go thru drywall, What i'm trying to say is the more the round penitrates the more likely you are to shoot someone in your household.

I don't know who these bad guys are that you guys feel that it'll take a laws rocket launcher to stop them, but i hope they stay in your area.

william

[Guest Tom@GunDepot]

What "experience" do you have with one?

Have you defended your home with one?

I have a lot of "Experience" with them. I own 2 personally (one for each night stand) and would and do stake my life on this gun. 410/45 LC hollow points loaded every other shot. we have shot over 200 rounds of each ammo with these guns and recoil is very manageable for a women. my wife is 5'2" and loves to shoot it!!! No pumping motion just point and unload!! [ame]

[/ame]

I feel sorry for the mother than comes calling in my home!!!

[Guest bkelm18]

I don't know who these bad guys are that you guys feel that it'll take a laws rocket launcher to stop them, but i hope they stay in your area.

william

No offense, but that seems like a very "Hollywood" mentality. A BG isn't going to drop to the ground with one shot. Especially if they are on drugs. Do you really want to trust your life to some junk ammo with no proven track record or some ammo that has a proven record (like many of today's JHPs)? As various tests have shown, frangible ammunition simply does not have the penetration or the capacity to produce sufficient damage to be an effective self defense round.

[Guest bkelm18]

I have a lot of "Experience" with them. I own 2 personally (one for each night stand) and would and do stake my life on this gun. 410/45 LC hollow points loaded every other shot. we have shot over 200 rounds of each ammo with these guns and recoil is very manageable for a women. my wife is 5'2" and loves to shoot it!!! No pumping motion just point and unload!!

I feel sorry for the mother than comes calling in my home!!!

Yeah... but in the video it looks like he's using birdshot. It just looks impressive on the Shoot-N-See target, but it'll just piss a BG off. If you opt for buckshot (which you will only get I believe 3-4 balls per shell), gelatin tests have shown that you will get nowhere near enough penetration (on average 5" in gelatin) to be considered lethal (12" in gelatin). However I'm certain the .45LC will put down a BG nicely. I'm not knocking your preference for a defensive firearm, but its not something I would recommend to a novice.

[Guest Centennial]

Honestly the best all aroung handgun that BOTH of you can use will be a .38 revolver.

Excellent advise!

[Oh Shoot]

1 an experienced shooter will know how to quarter and move to where his round if it over penitrates won't strike someone in his household. ...

Not 1% of people with handguns have ever shot an intruder in their homes.

"Experience" in this context is not relevant.

The idea is, if the worst happens, to stop the threat, period. If the primary threat is not stopped, everyone in that household is in much more danger than the odds of being struck by a defender's errant rounds.

I wish anyone using frangible ammo the very best of luck should the worst happen. They'll need it.

- OS

[Guest bkelm18]

Not 1% of people with handguns have ever shot an intruder in their homes.

"Experience" in this context is not relevant.

The idea is, if the worst happens, to stop the threat, period. If the primary threat is not stopped, everyone in that household is in much more danger than the odds of being struck by a defender's errant rounds.

I wish anyone using frangible ammo the very best of luck should the worst happen. They'll need it.

- OS

+1, not to mention you might not have the time to maneuver around to prevent over penetration. You might just have time to point and shoot, at that point, over-penetration would be the very last thing on your mind.

[strickj]

First of all shooting someone with family behind them is BAD! Dont do it regardless of the brand or caliber you're using!

Second,history has taught us that the more weight retention thats maintained in bullets after they are fired has a far better chance of one shot stops. Using a bullet that is designed to fragment means that very little weight will be maintained.That means less penetration,and less damage to the vitals...if they even reach the vitals!

The use of frangible ammo is a gimmick,and a fad,a bad fad at best!

"Frangible ammo is used by military,and police forces" they all say.What they dont tell you is its only used for target practice,and live fire drills.

We are not being condescending,or just trying to make you feel,or look bad here.We are trying to get you to see how horrible that stuff really is as far as a self defense round goes.

[Guest grimel]

Buy a Taurus M94 4" 22lr AND a used 38spl 4" med frame revolver. Use the 22lr to learn how to shoot and keep practicing. Use the 38 for defense.

[Almond27]

Buy a Taurus M94 4" 22lr AND a used 38spl 4" med frame revolver. Use the 22lr to learn how to shoot and keep practicing. Use the 38 for defense.

Thats a good suggestion IMO

[Guest shortfri]

First of all shooting someone with family behind them is BAD! Dont do it regardless of the brand or caliber you're using!

Second,history has taught us that the more weight retention thats maintained in bullets after they are fired has a far better chance of one shot stops. Using a bullet that is designed to fragment means that very little weight will be maintained.That means less penetration,and less damage to the vitals...if they even reach the vitals!

The use of frangible ammo is a gimmick,and a fad,a bad fad at best!

"Frangible ammo is used by military,and police forces" they all say.What they dont tell you is its only used for target practice,and live fire drills.

We are not being condescending,or just trying to make you feel,or look bad here.We are trying to get you to see how horrible that stuff really is as far as a self defense round goes.

with most of what you have said above i agree. I don't feel like you are trying to belittle me. I thought we were trying to discuss different thoughts on a good home defense ammo for a novice shooter.

But i would still like someone to tell me if they have shot this fragmetaion ammo. Because i have years ago. It doesn't fragment coming out of the weapon it fragments upon entering whatever you shot. Kinda like the door knob round. We thought just like you guys are till it was tested, then we were impressed. I personally don't use it as a home defense, because i don't want to get up in the mornings and change mags every time i walk out of the house. But i would trust it as much as any hollow point out side hydrashoks. And if they're drugged you're gonna have problems putting them down even with black talons. So i guess to make everyone feel all happy inside how about we load one round frag, one jhp, and one armor pierceing. With the laws in the left corner and the double barrel 8 gauge in the right.

[Guest bkelm18]

with most of what you have said above i agree. I don't feel like you are trying to belittle me. I thought we were trying to discuss different thoughts on a good home defense ammo for a novice shooter.

But i would still like someone to tell me if they have shot this fragmetaion ammo. Because i have years ago. It doesn't fragment coming out of the weapon it fragments upon entering whatever you shot. Kinda like the door knob round. We thought just like you guys are till it was tested, then we were impressed. I personally don't use it as a home defense, because i don't want to get up in the mornings and change mags every time i walk out of the house. But i would trust it as much as any hollow point out side hydrashoks. And if they're drugged you're gonna have problems putting them down even with black talons. So i guess to make everyone feel all happy inside how about we load one round frag, one jhp, and one armor pierceing. With the laws in the left corner and the double barrel 8 gauge in the right.

You know, I'd post a nice little discussion on how flawed your logic is, but I can tell you're one of those that isn't very receptive, so I'll just let you go on about your gimmick ammo.

[Guest shortfri]

You know, I'd post a nice little discussion on how flawed your logic is, but I can tell you're one of those that isn't very receptive, so I'll just let you go on about your gimmick ammo.

Please feel free to either post, or p.m. your thoughts. I need laughs. I'm very receptive to people that have done something besides set behind a computer screen and quote a companys stats. I have shot both the magsafe and jhp of all brands into different stuff. And still say that the magsafe is a good round for a person that doesn't have a lot of handgun knowledge to start off with. I have never said that the jhp isn't a better round just that the magsafe will put someone down, and that they are safe for their home. I have yet to hear you say that you have tested the rounds and found a reason (other then your own thought) that they won't work. I wouldn't say that i'm not the receptive one here.

[strickj]

Are there even any reports of frangible ammo being used in defensive situations?

[Oh Shoot]

Are there even any reports of frangible ammo being used in defensive situations?

Not by the defenders themselves.

- OS

[Guest canynracer]

Yes, I have picked up quite a bit of speed since starting Jenny Craig and trading my Harley for a Huffy. Plus, with all the weight I have lost, my ass is now a smaller target for my Glock.

Well Played!!