Advice Needed on Hanguns

[GeekSportsFan]

With my wife now retired (I still word), and at home full-time, we are going to purchase a handgun. We both have some experience with guns and have taken the NRA safety course (but that was decades ago). We are going to sign up to take the safety course again and take a conceal/carry class. So the questions are:
1) Is it a good idea to shop around for a used handgun, or stick with new?
2) What's a good handgun for self protection? We don't have kids but do have nieces/nephews and grandkids around sometimes. Is it best to get a gun safe, trigger lock, or both to ensure gun safety when the kids are around?
3) Are there any specific gun brands or types to avoid?
Thanks for the input!

 

[Podunkparte]

Yes, have a safe. An affordable table top version would be fine, but don't count on a trigger lock to safely store the weapon with kids in the house.

Consider a revolver. Easy to use. Goes bang every time, and enough weight to absorb some of the recoil. If you're not too experienced with a handgun, in the rare instance you'd have to use it, a semi auto pistol can have certain malfunctions that you should know how to fix quickly. Stovepipes, misfires, slide not in battery, etc.

Definitely go with a name brand. Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Glock if you go the semi auto route. Used is not a bad idea, just buy from a reputable place.

Stay away from the bargain junk (sub $300) and the small, light guns. You'll most likely be able to handle a full sized pistol better than a snappy little pocket gun.

Lastly, don't get a caliber smaller than 9mm. .38 Special/.357 Mag would be a good idea for a revolver.

Hope this helps as a starting point.

 

[Innermind]

2) What's a good handgun for self protection?

Are you looking for concealed carry, or a home defense handgun?

If for home defense, is it a large home with wide open areas & lofty ceilings, or a smaller home with tight hallways and low ceilings that would significantly reverberate sound?

If for concealed carry, you would need a smaller, lighter gun which unfortunately makes it tougher to shoot/control. If for home defense, you should get a full size firearm which would be easier to shoot/control.

 

[Innermind]

.....continued


For home defense, a 4" .38 Special/.357 Magnum revolver would be a very good choice... Ruger offers very good revolvers, particularly their GP100.

If a smaller home, it would be best to load it with .38 Special ammo as opposed to .357 Magnum because the magnum rounds feature a very loud blast and blinding flash not suitable for confined spaces.

 

[GeekSportsFan]

.....continued


For home defense, a 4" .38 Special/.357 Magnum revolver would be a very good choice... Ruger offers very good revolvers, particularly their GP100.

If a smaller home, it would be best to load it with .38 Special ammo as opposed to .357 Magnum because the magnum rounds feature a very loud blast and blinding flash not suitable for confined spaces.

We are getting it for home defense.

 

[GeekSportsFan]

Yes, have a safe. An affordable table top version would be fine, but don't count on a trigger lock to safely store the weapon with kids in the house.

Consider a revolver. Easy to use. Goes bang every time, and enough weight to absorb some of the recoil. If you're not too experienced with a handgun, in the rare instance you'd have to use it, a semi auto pistol can have certain malfunctions that you should know how to fix quickly. Stovepipes, misfires, slide not in battery, etc.

Definitely go with a name brand. Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Glock if you go the semi auto route. Used is not a bad idea, just buy from a reputable place.

Stay away from the bargain junk (sub $300) and the small, light guns. You'll most likely be able to handle a full sized pistol better than a snappy little pocket gun.

Lastly, don't get a caliber smaller than 9mm. .38 Special/.357 Mag would be a good idea for a revolver.

Hope this helps as a starting point.

Thank you!

 

[GeekSportsFan]

We have a smaller home and from what I have read and what Innermind says, I think we are going to be looking at a .38 revolver.

 

[Tomhusker]

Mossberg 500 shotgun is a better home defense option.

 

[Innermind]

As I stated earlier, the Ruger GP100 4 inch .38 Special/.357 Magnum is an awesome home defense revolver. But if on a tighter budget, you can get yourself a very good 4 inch .38 Special/.357 Magnum revolver for approx. half the price of a Ruger GP100.... the Windicator (pronounced Vindicator) model # 770133 imported from Germany by EAA.

Windicator- Weihrauch

The Windicator is a beefy, durable, reliable revolver. My nephew has one and he loves it. The only real knock against it is the lack of aftermarket grips...you pretty much need to be satisfied with the standard equipped grips, which are actually pretty good.

 

[Innermind]

.....continued

If money/budget is not a problem, the Ruger GP100 4 inch .38 Special/.357 Magnum revolver model # 1705 is a top choice as I mentioned earlier. This revolver is built like a tank.

Ruger® GP100® Standard Double-Action Revolver Model 1705

There are plenty of very nice aftermarket grips available for the Ruger GP100. Hogue makes some very nice wood grips as well as G10 grips for the GP100.

GP100 - Super Redhawk - Ruger Grips - Handgun Grips - Hogue Products

 

[Myles]

Yes, have a safe. An affordable table top version would be fine, but don't count on a trigger lock to safely store the weapon with kids in the house.

Consider a revolver. Easy to use. Goes bang every time, and enough weight to absorb some of the recoil. If you're not too experienced with a handgun, in the rare instance you'd have to use it, a semi auto pistol can have certain malfunctions that you should know how to fix quickly. Stovepipes, misfires, slide not in battery, etc.

Definitely go with a name brand. Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Glock if you go the semi auto route. Used is not a bad idea, just buy from a reputable place.

Stay away from the bargain junk (sub $300) and the small, light guns. You'll most likely be able to handle a full sized pistol better than a snappy little pocket gun.

Lastly, don't get a caliber smaller than 9mm. .38 Special/.357 Mag would be a good idea for a revolver.

Hope this helps as a starting point.

While I agree with most of what you said, I'd advise him to buy a .22 pistol as well. Fun to shoot and cheap ammo. This would be above and beyond whichever revolver they choose.

A shotgun would be a good purchase too.

 

[Innermind]

With the coronavirus gun buying frenzy going on, prices will be higher than normal. Generally speaking, prior to the crisis one could find a Ruger GP100 4 inch for approx. $600 at several retailers, and even under $600 at a few places. However, the lowest I currently see is $619.99 with free shipping to your local FFL dealer from Smoky Mountain Guns & Ammo.

GP100 .357 MAG 4` SS

Most other places are currently $650+ plus additional shipping.

 

[BadMotoWeazal]

I'd have to concur with Innermind, My first gun purchase was a S&W model 66, .357 revolver. Easy to operate, point & shoot, easy to clean & it will shoot .38 caliber too, so cheap way to target practice.

 

[Bridgeburner]

If you decide to go revolver I would probably just buy the .357 version of whatever you decide on and load it with .38 ammo. More ammo options.

 

[Wild Turkey]

We have a smaller home and from what I have read and what Innermind says, I think we are going to be looking at a .38 revolver.

Go to a range and they should have guns you can rent in order to shoot. That way you get to test drive and make a more informed decision. Since your wife is going to be using the revolver as well it's important that you find something that is comfortable for both of you.

Getting a range membership is a very good idea and make it a point at least once a month to go and target shoot. The last thing you want is to be in the situation where you need the gun and when that time comes you want to be as familiar with it as you possibly can be. Plus it can be a fun time where you do something together.

 

[TheDayMan]

Go to a range and they should have guns you can rent in order to shoot. That way you get to test drive and make a more informed decision. Since your wife is going to be using the revolver as well it's important that you find something that is comfortable for both of you.

Getting a range membership is a very good idea and make it a point at least once a month to go and target shoot. The last thing you want is to be in the situation where you need the gun and when that time comes you want to be as familiar with it as you possibly can be. Plus it can be a fun time where you do something together.

This. Internet advice is good and all, but you can make a day of it, have fun trying out everything you can imagine, and get what you like.

 

[Wild Turkey]

This. Internet advice is good and all, but you can make a day of it, have fun trying out everything you can imagine, and get what you like.

This is true because my first purchase was a Glock 19c and I bought it without going to the range and trying other things. One day at the range the guy next to me offered to let me shoot his Smith & Wesson M&P 45c and by the time I got through the clip my mind was made up to buy one.

The Glock still gets shot but the 45c is what everyone wants to shoot.

Things fit differently in your hand.
Some guns you are simply more accurate with.
Some just have a configuration that you like better.

Time spent on the range shooting rented guns is time and money well spent.

 

[rjshull]

For home defense you could always go with The Judge. You can use either .45 or .410 shotgun shells. And it is fairly inexpensive at around $400, The Governor is similar but holds 6 rounds compared to the Judge at 5, but the price is almost double.

 

[night]

With my wife now retired (I still word), and at home full-time, we are going to purchase a handgun. We both have some experience with guns and have taken the NRA safety course (but that was decades ago). We are going to sign up to take the safety course again and take a conceal/carry class. So the questions are:
1) Is it a good idea to shop around for a used handgun, or stick with new?
2) What's a good handgun for self protection? We don't have kids but do have nieces/nephews and grandkids around sometimes. Is it best to get a gun safe, trigger lock, or both to ensure gun safety when the kids are around?
3) Are there any specific gun brands or types to avoid?
Thanks for the input!

Used guns are not a bad option for the right price but under most circumstances the transaction is final. If it ends up not working properly or doesn’t meet your expectations you’re going to have to either take a loss or invest more into getting work done on it. I’m not saying that it is a high probability but you have to go into the transaction knowing this risk.

Nearly everyone here is saying revolver and I don’t necessarily disagree but there are a lot of great semi-automatic options out there. I personally think a full-sized 9mm would be the best option for sharing with your wife. Considering you may want to store your gun empty and it would still be timely to insert the bullets even with a speedloader when seconds are precious in a home defense situation the semi-automatic shows an advantage. This is because you can have a loaded magazine outside of your empty stored weapon ready to insert. It only takes a second to pop it in too.

I wouldn’t necessarily take the approach of avoiding specific brands as I would say there are brands that are well-known for a reason (quality). For home defense, I take the approach of relying on quality as much as I can if my life or the people’s lives who mean the most to me are on the line.

For semi-auto CZ makes fantastic guns. The SP-01 and 75B models are really nice. For revolvers you cannot go wrong with a Smith & Wesson .357 but they tend to be on the expensive side (be prepared to open your wallet if you’re considering that option).

Mossberg 500 shotgun is a better home defense option.

The Remington 870 is also a very good option.

 

[Airraidtech]

Find a gun shop you can rent from. Take class if you have zero experience and then get some range time.

try before you buy. Because if you hate it or don’t feel confident with it you’ve wasted your time and money.

I’m not a revolver guy, probably because I’m younger.
9mm with self defense hollow points a nice capacity of 16-19 rounds will do just fine.