Guns

[tsywake]

No, no children in the house. Whichever gun you recommend, where is the best place to get one? Pawn shop, gin show, etc?

It wouldnt be a bad idea to go to a local shooting range and try out a few to see which you like the feel of the best. They typically have a wide variety you can shoot without having to buy them up front. Just pay a small rental fee, which sometimes includes the ammunition. Once you narrow it down, you can then look into buying one.

You can do it online in NC too.

But he lives in SC, so I was linking that one to get him credit.

 

[HeltonCreek]

I don't own a gun and my parents never had one in the house when I was growing up. I used my grandfather's shotgun to hunt while in college but have not fired a firearm in 25 years. I have come to the conclusion lately that having a pistol around that both my wife and I can handle may not be a bad idea. Of course I want to know everything about it as well as taking the proper lessons to handle it. What would a good gun for this?

I'd recommend a 9mm or 357 / 38sp (A 357 revolver can shoot 38 special, but not the other way around). Your wife, with training and exposure, should be able handle either 9mm or 38sp without any issues. Ultimately, "a good gun for this" is one that you're both comfortable with. There's really no right answer - you need to go to the gun store and find something that's comfortable in your hand. For starters check into:

Glock G17
Glock G19
Springfield Armory XD
Smith & Wesson M&P
Sig P229
Ruger SP101
Smith & Wesson 686

I would recommend taking a lesson in person somewhere and also going to a rental range to try out a few before you buy one. Also, if you have friends with guns, maybe go to the range with them and trying theirs. If you want 9mm, I would highly recommend Beretta in addition to the ones already mentioned.

 

[lbE08]

It wouldnt be a bad idea to go to a local shooting range and try out a few to see which you like the feel of the best. They typically have a wide variety you can shoot without having to buy them up front. Just pay a small rental fee, which sometimes includes the ammunition. Once you narrow it down, you can then look into buying one.

Interesting law in Oregon- you have to own a gun to rent a gun.

 

[leftcoastdeac]

No, no children in the house. Whichever gun you recommend, where is the best place to get one? Pawn shop, gin show, etc?

Just wondering about children because that can influence the specific safety feature recommendations to look for, but that's not really a consideration for you at this point.

As LBE said, gun store is the best place for a new owner. Try to find a gun store with a range and see if they will let you fire some different models. Not available every where, but a great way to get a feel for what each pistol will be like when you fire it. Gun shows and pawn shops are best for people that know what they are looking for because the staff will either not be knowledgeable enough to help (pawn shop) or too busy to want to take a lot of time to help you (gun show).

 

[lbE08]

Of the ones mentioned I've shot these:
Glock 17
Glock 19
S&W M&P
(and another 9mm, Glock 26)
Woman's perspective- I like the feel of the Glock 26 in my smaller hand (because it is smaller) but the overall shooting/feel/balance of the Glock 19. Can't stress enough to include your wife in all of this so she can be comfortable with it.

 

[tsywake]

Interesting law in Oregon- you have to own a gun to rent a gun.

That is odd. Even at a range? Do you have some sort of special card you carry signifying you own a gun? Is purchasing a gun any more difficult?

 

[lbE08]

That is odd. Even at a range? Do you have some sort of special card you carry signifying you own a gun? Is purchasing a gun any more difficult?

there was a string of suicides over a couple years, where people went to the range and rented the guns... awful. because they can't check mental health in any way when you rent, they get around this by requiring you show ownership of your own gun (be it papers or the actual gun) before they'll rent you one to ensure that if that was your intended use for a gun, you could have done it already... again, terrible. purchasing isn't any more difficult, to my knowledge. i think it may even be easier than NC?

 

[HeltonCreek]

Of the ones mentioned I've shot these:
Glock 17
Glock 19
S&W M&P
(and another 9mm, Glock 26)
Woman's perspective- I like the feel of the Glock 26 in my smaller hand (because it is smaller) but the overall shooting/feel/balance of the Glock 19. Can't stress enough to include your wife in all of this so she can be comfortable with it.

I've shot some Glocks and they are good guns but the angle of the handle throws me off. My buddy said it had the old Nintendo zapper type handle and it's a pretty good description.

I would recommend shooting several. You can figure out if you want a striker fired gun, gun with a hammer, and what kind of safety you prefer. You also may prefer a revolver over a semi-auto. Also consider what your wife feels comfortable with. You may have to get a smaller frame gun for her hand if it's much smaller than yours.

 

[lbE08]

I've shot some Glocks and they are good guns but the angle of the handle throws me off. My buddy said it had the old Nintendo zapper type handle and it's a pretty good description.

I would recommend shooting several. You can figure out if you want a striker fired gun, gun with a hammer, and what kind of safety you prefer. You also may prefer a revolver over a semi-auto. Also consider what your wife feels comfortable with. You may have to get a smaller frame gun for her hand if it's much smaller than yours.

true... and i played a lot of duck hunt, so maybe that's why i'm ok with it

 

[leftcoastdeac]

Of the ones mentioned I've shot these:
Glock 17
Glock 19
S&W M&P
(and another 9mm, Glock 26)
Woman's perspective- I like the feel of the Glock 26 in my smaller hand (because it is smaller) but the overall shooting/feel/balance of the Glock 19. Can't stress enough to include your wife in all of this so she can be comfortable with it.

I don't like recommending sub-compacts to new gun owners because the feel is so much different when you've got a finger or two hanging off the bottom of the grip.

 

[bojanglefunk]

It wouldnt be a bad idea to go to a local shooting range and try out a few to see which you like the feel of the best. They typically have a wide variety you can shoot without having to buy them up front. Just pay a small rental fee, which sometimes includes the ammunition. Once you narrow it down, you can then look into buying one.



But he lives in SC, so I was linking that one to get him credit.

Ah! Duh. Haha.

 

[lbE08]

I don't like recommending sub-compacts to new gun owners because the feel is so much different when you've got a finger or two hanging off the bottom of the grip.

but if you put a regular mag in there it extends the bottom so your ring/pinky arent falling off...

you're right, though. it was more a 'these guns work for my small hands' post and it wouldn't be best for them.

 

[RacerDeac]

but if you put a regular mag in there it extends the bottom so your ring/pinky arent falling off...

you're right, though. it was more a 'these guns work for my small hands' post and it wouldn't be best for them.

If you need something better for a smaller hand, just get away from Glock all together IMO. Kahr, S&W, etc all make some nice compact and full size guns with much smaller grips than a Glock.

All of that said, hard to beat a revolver for people who aren't familiar with guns and won't be shooting them often, but want to have something around the house. Hell, even better, grab a 20 guage and call it a day. :thumbsup:

 

[BigEastDeac]

If you need something better for a smaller hand, just get away from Glock all together IMO. Kahr, S&W, etc all make some nice compact and full size guns with much smaller grips than a Glock.

I'd agree with this as well. Of course a lot of manufacturers, including Glock, are all making guns with backstraps of varying sizes that are easy to switch out.

 

[RacerDeac]

I'd agree with this as well. Of course a lot of manufacturers, including Glock, are all making guns with backstraps of varying sizes that are easy to switch out.

Even the Gen4 with no back strap feels "big" to me. I still like it a lot, but when holding a M&P compact vs a Glock 19, I like the feel of the M&P better. And they S&W a step below the M&P is a great gun for the $$ IMO. A Beretta 92F is something else to consider. Heavier gun than the plastic frames, so it's much easier to shoot.

 

[DeacWatcher]

What kind of clip will a 9mm have?

Also what can I expect to pay and should it be new or used?

I feel like I am going to buy a car having never driven a car, just heard about them.

 

[lbE08]

Should have a double stack... what do you mean, what kind? it's like the movies/tv, when they pop out the bottom of the grip and load a new clip in place and start shooting again.
most of the guns mentioned here are in the $400-$600 range. New or used is your preference, but sometimes used ones are really gunked up and could use a good cleaning. New ones can stand to have a few rounds put through them to smooth them out (which you should be doing anyway to practice). If you're going to a reputable place, there's nothing wrong with used, but sometimes it's nice to know you're the only owner to have ever shot a particular gun.

 

[RacerDeac]

Should have a double stack...

Not necessarily. There are some single stack options out there that would make a great gun for women or a family where the husband and wife both need a gun they can shoot comfortable.

Kahr CW9 is a great little 9 mm.

I'd look at the S&W SD9 too. Great gun. Not as expensive as the M&P, but has the same thinner handle since it uses thinner metal magazines compared to the composite magazines of a Glock, etc.

 

[leftcoastdeac]

What kind of clip will a 9mm have?

Also what can I expect to pay and should it be new or used?

I feel like I am going to buy a car having never driven a car, just heard about them.

I think you're asking about magazine capacity (it's not a clip).

This will vary depending on the weapon; it could be anywhere from 7 to 15 rounds (or more). Depends on the size of the pistol (sub-compact, compact, full size) and the configuration of the magazine (single vs. double stack). Most of the pistols being suggested have "double-stack" magazines.

 

[DeacWatcher]

I think you're asking about magazine capacity (it's not a clip).

This will vary depending on the weapon; it could be anywhere from 7 to 15 rounds (or more). Depends on the size of the pistol (sub-compact, compact, full size) and the configuration of the magazine (single vs. double stack). Most of the pistols being suggested have "double-stack" magazines.

Yes magazine (showing my ignorance on subject here).