OT: MGoGUN discussion: What's your favorite hand gun/semi auto pistol/rifle??
Long story short, I moved to a place where there have been recent break-ins. I ended up purchasing a Beretta Storm PX4 full sized chambered in 9MM (de-cocker and safety combo). I'll learn how to use it and then think about adding a shotgun later.
Two questions:
1. Anyone have experience with this pistol? What do you like and dislike about it?
2. If you don't own a PX4, what do you own/swear by?
3. What do you use to clean and lube your guns?
And to tie in some football-related material, I can't wait to see Shea in the Pistol!
gosh dang it...make that 3 questions...grrr....
Obligatory:
Nice try ATF.
ya know, I was going to be nice and knock on your door before raiding your home but, nope. No announcement for you!
Just don't shoot my dogs!
Comment of the month.
Insert -good shit, Jed-.gif
Have you ever shot a gun before?
yes, but long ago. I’ll obviously take a shooting class.
I’ve never taken a shooting class. I think you should buy this and head to a range/gun club and feel it out. Guns are tools. Understand exactly what happens when the hammer meets the primer.
Stick to Crunch Berries, Craptain. After taking a good look at your userpic, I think that's the safer option for all of us.
Do you intend to conceal carry? If not, I'd highly recommend an AR15 for home defense. It's much much easier to learn to shoot a rifle proficiently than a handgun, and counterintuitively the 5.56 round actually has less over-penetration risk because it tends to fragment and/or tumble when striking something.
If you get a pistol, I'd get a striker fired gun like a glock or m&p. Hammer fired guns like the px4 are a bit more confusing for a beginner as far as having different trigger pulls in single and double action, needing a separate step to decock after loading etc. Striker guns are dead simple. I recommend getting a quality holster that covers the trigger even if you don't carry and keep the gun in it to avoid accidentally pulling the trigger should you try to grab it in a panic.
Also, a gun is just one part of a good hime defense stategy and the last resort. Good doors and locks, an alarm, motion sensors, and a dog are all good ideas to have in place before worrying about getting a gun, IMO.
Stop making so much sense, reshp1.
You don't need a rifle. A pistol will do.
A pistol is fine in the hands of someone who knows how to shoot one. OP said in the post I replied to he's not familiar with shooting. Learning to shoot a pistol reasonably well is a lot harder than people think. If you can hit a 6" target at 25 yards, you're in pretty rarified company. Do that under stress and managing recoil to get followup shots is a whole 'nother level. A rifle with a red dot sight is basically trivial for a beginner to pick up. I take a lot of newbies shooting and within one range trip, they're all making good hits and with 5.56 there's basically no recoil to manage.
I don't think the OP will be shooting intruders at 25 yards. It will probably be 10 yds and under.
Ok, but 10 yards still is no easy task with a pistol for a beginner.
This is true. I'm not an expert though i figured it would be a lot easier for him to handle a pistol in a situation like that.
Nope. You have three points of contact with a long gun to aim and only one with a handgun. Recoil goes into your shoulder vs into your wrists (which are also trying to aim the gun, which means tensing up and spoiling the aim when the gun goes off). Also a lot easier to mount a optical sight to a rifle, which makes aiming much more intuitive than iron sights, especially in the dark.
I do not know but I heard it stated by a friend who is a pretty good authority that the best gun for home defense, especially for someone who does not shoot on a regular basis, is a shotgun. He said that shooting a pistol accurately is very difficult especially under pressure. A shotgun provides ample room for error.
This here is some very sound advice. The AR15 advice is spot on 5.56 dumps energy crazily when striking objects which mean less chance of the round exiting your house and entering your neighbors.
If you do choose a handgun though a modern 9mm is what I'd recommend as well. They're easier to keep on target and there's quite a variety of self-defense ammo to choose from for it.
If you're going to use it for home defense get a weapon light to mount on the pistol with a pressure switch, that way you can gain a tactical advantage in the dark.
A 5.56mm round can over-penetrate if the wrong bullets are chosen. A copper solid at around 3000 FPS muzzle velocity has plenty of punch, even with a 55 grain bullet. Plus a rifle is somewhat unwieldy in tight quarters.
Conversely, that pistol round could feature hollow point bullets, which expand rapidly on impact, imparting energy onto/into the target while not penetrating much at all. Plus the maneuverability can’t be beat.
So, you’re not wrong, but the inverse of your statement is equally true.
Well, I have never shopped for a handgun before but I have new ads now. Also, this site SUUUUUCKS on mobile.
We are looking at a mobile app again.
Walther PPK
OG Bond special
I was looking at one of these a month or so ago $700 is a bit rich for my blood for a .380.
Nothing scares the crap out of a B & E person like the sound of a shotgun being racked!
I wouldn't know. Maybe we can ask one of the 11Warrior Lurkers.
Springfield xdm 9mm
Ergonomic, hi capacity, accurate, reliable, easy to clean, picatinny rail.
Breakfree clp to clean.
My favorite "pistol" is a sig 556 sbr with folding/collapsible stock, red dot sight cowitnessed with irons. Better suited for a bug out bag though.
I have joked with family members that the gun is also for the zombie apocalypse.
Everyone thinks it's funny... until it happens.
I don't know what you think a 9mm is going to do for you against a zombie. Need more stopping powah!
Who said anything about killing zombies? All you need it to do is shoot the guy running next to you when you're being chased.
Found Shane
It’s all fun and games until someone eats an eye . . .
I have the 9mm xd-s which was purchased as a carry gun, if I ever take the class. They make great pistols.
My current favorite pistol is a home built 300 Blackout with an 80% milled lower, Rise 140 cartridge trigger, 8.5" barrel and Sig Romeo 5 and a SBA3 forearm/shoulder brace.
I have an xds 9mm that I conceal carry when I ride. Been a solid gun thus far. Really like the safeties.
I have an XDM as well, love that gun. But it’s a bit heavy for conceal especially in summer in South Carolina so I also have a Glock 43 which I also like.
For home defense I have a 12 gauge Mossberg and a PSA AR15 with red dot scope and a light for the dark.
Mossberg 500, for the win!
I agree. It's my truck gun / open carry gun.
I have a ruger lcp and an lcr for conceal carry. The lcr has crimson trace grip that I like.
I like a good old fashioned musket with a bayonet personally.
My Nerf collection would make you all terrified to be the victim of a drive by darting.
I know you're joking, but one of my fondest memories with my dad and brother was when we assembled and finished some muzzle loaders when I was a kid. No bayonet though. Dad thought that was too dangerous. He was probably right. Faster to run up and stab someone with one of those things than it would have been to load one.
1. If you don’t know how to use it, get training and lots of range time
2. Once you’ve completed #1, get more range time.
3. Once 1 and 2 are done, shoot 200-400 rounds per month or get rid of the gun.
4. Get insurance, specifically gun liability insurance. If you ever use it, in self defense or otherwise you WILL need an attorney to represent you.
I’m very familiar with guns, understand the permanence of a decision you make with one. Do you have kids? If so it needs to be in a safe at all times, period. That means always. If you don’t, do you have a girlfriend? If not, do you keep it in the bedside dresser and have girls over for the night? Do you have a cleaning service? The point is, when you bring a gun into the house everyone who enters your house has the potential to be impacted. You are responsible for all of that and you have to manage to even the most unlikely scenario. If you don’t respect your gun, sell it. If you fear your gun, sell it. Otherwise read 1-3 above again. Ps Hoppes products for cleaning never let you down and for a quick clean after a couple hundred rounds buy a bore snake.
Thanks. All good points and ones I have thoroughly researched and considered before making the purchase.
I wish all gun owners had your attitude.
I would add that if you have kids, teach them how to shoot and educate them properly.
Other rules...
1. Always assume that your gun or any gun is loaded.
2. Never put your finger on the trigger unless you are going to fire it.
3. Never point a gun at anything unless you are going to shoot it.
4. Know what's behind the target and understand that the bullet will likely hit that too.
5. Keep your weapon on safe until you intend to fire.
Why did I get negged for saying an abbreviated version of this and you get upvoted to sainthood?