[matches]

Can anyone recommend a rifle, shotgun and pistol for self defense? I don’t know what the average cost of a pistol would be but I have looked at rifles and shotguns at Wal-Mart and I like the idea of spending $150-200 for something like that. I am not interested in spending a small fortune on any of these because I am neither a gun enthusiast nor a gun hater. I have been consistently moderate on the issue my whole life. I think now is the time to consider home protection for my family.

So please, recommend what you consider to be the best bang for your buck for all three weapons: rifle, shotgun and pistol

Thanks

[Slateman]

Wow, um . . . take a seat.

If its home defense, go with a 12 guage shotgun. Nothing stops a bad guy like a 12 guage. Well except maybe a flame thrower.

The NRA offers courses Take the First STEPS and Basic Shotgun classes (http://www.nrahq.org/education/training/find.asp)

If you got family, you need to think about safety. You can ask a boat load of questions at the class. Take it. This is not the place to make the decision. And if its for protection of family, don't skimp on price. You don't have to spend a fortune to get a quality shotgun.

[MudPuppy]

Depending on where you live, my humble suggestions are (and everyone will have an opinion):
12 Gauge: Mossberg 500 Persuader is a good gun for not much money ($250). It'll hold 6+ and has a 18 barrel. Nice and handy, but not a hunting shotgun unless you aint got another.
Pistol: Ruger P95DC. Around $300--also pretty inexpensive, but a thumper. If you're in situation that you're relying on a pistol, you want it to stop the threat quick. It's a bit safer (IMHO) than single actions.
Rifle: An AK-47. Even the $350 WASR types will do the job. Utterly reliable.

A few other suggestions if I may--try 'em before you buy them if at all possible. And use them after you get them. Learn how to take them apart and clean them, shoot them fairly often.

Take care!

[Baba Louie]

matches,
Welcome.
Shotgun. Remington 870 Express 12 or 20 ga. (Winchester 1300 equivalent)
Handgun. S&W Model 10 .38 special 2", 3" or 4" barrel
Rifle. Ruger 10/22 w/ at least one 25 rd. magazine... tho once you master the shotgun, buy a few slugs since bigger is better. It's just that the 10/22 is a lot of fun and helps your overall proficiency, and is easy for some family members to shoot and thus master.
Take the class that Slateman suggests.
Buy ammo
Practice
Have Fun
Drill the gun safety rules into head until you live them
Buy more ammo
Practice
Have more fun
Prepare a plan for household emergencies, including fire extinguishers, flashlights, cell phones, locked doors, taking cover, teaching any children responsible behavior about firearms, strangers at door, etc.
Buy more ammo
Practice
Have more fun.
And like the Fire Extinguisher, pray you'll never need to use them for their intended purpose, just for plinking at soda cans.

[ruger270man]

Get yourself a decent used pumpaction 12 gauge, remington 870, mossberg 500, mossberg 835, all good choices.

Good luck.

[Mannlicher]

not bad advice. Look around this, and other gun boards. There is a lot of BS and 'mall ninja' advice, but there is a lot of real knowledge too.
Getting training, and practicing is as important as WHAT gun you get.

[fisherman66]

pawn shops sometime have great deals. It will take some leg work though.

[M-Rex]

First and foremost. Do you have any experience with firearms? If so, what is your experience level?

[cslinger]

Remington 870 Home Defense Model
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=36434941

Handgun
Ruger P95
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=36867737

Rifle
Marlin 336C or similar lever gun
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=36807162

You could do lots worse then the above. Each is around $300 or so. All will be stone reliable, all are plenty powerful, all are easy to find ammo for anywhere ammo is sold.

The links I posted are to a sight called gunbroker.com, think ebay for guns. I did this to show you pictures and give you an idea of real world prices. Should you decide to buy a gun online you will have to have it shipped to a local FFL(Gun Seller) who will then have to transfer the gun to you. Figure about $20-$25 shipping and another $20-$40 for transfer charges.

Good luck, shoot safe, and learn to use and maintain your weapons as well as all laws regarding their use.

Chris

[gripper]

Home defense longarm?Earlier suggestions are good.Tapping into a similar vein of thought,look into an SKSUsually can be had for under $200.00,peasant proof durable reliability...and th eadvantage of being legal in many places the AK type rifles are not.Same cartridge,a little easier to shoot in the prone.Makes a better club ,IMHO :evil:

[Mugsy90/10]

I will let the others make firearm selections; you will get plenty of opinions from them.

MAKE SURE you learn proper firearm safety AS SOON AS POSSIBLE preferably before you buy anything. Chances are the 5 min intro that the fella at the gun shop is going to give you is not going to be sufficient to learn the proper maintenance of the firearm much less it's safe handling.

If you have children in the house please make sure you take the proper precautions to keep them safe. Either LOCK the guns up so there’s no chance they can get to them or if they are mature enough teach them to shoot and handle your firearm(s) as well.

Be safe, have fun, and welcome to a great hobby.

[beemerb]

I wish I knew where you lived. Makes a big difference as far as what you can buy.
I have bought a lot of guns out of pawn shops but if you haven't a good knowledge of firearms find someone who is to go along.It sounds like you want to keep the price down so here is my list;
1-shotgun- any of the above but don't overlook store brands. As a second shotgun I have a J.C.Higgins. It was made by Hi Standard and is a fine shotgun.
2-Smith and Wesson wheel gun in 357 mag. Don't overlook Taurus.The quality is very good.
3-rifle- Low cost a SKS-For lever get a rossi-marlin 357 mag so you can interchange ammo from rifle to pistol.
All my personal opinion of course.
Bob

[matches]

Thanks a lot guys. This is a great help and excellent start. Just for the record and any future posts that come up. I am currently living in Virginia but could be living in New Mexico, Cal. or Oregon in the future. The budget issues one are because I don't exactly have $500-$1000 to put into a high quality firearm. My wife also is not the biggest fan of guns so spending too much will make things difficult. My sons are turning four this month and I will fully intend to have out of sight completely for a while. I definitely plan on getting an education in safety, proper use and maintenance. Fortunately for me, I don't do anything with out doing it 100%. Thanks again all your help, and feel free to add more it is very appreciated.

[ruger270man]

if you could be living anywhere, especially california, I think a pump action shotgun would be legal just about anywhere..

and you say you plan on keeping the guns out of the childrens sight.. unless you lock them up in a strong steel safe, before you hide them, I would teach them that guns can be dangerous, and to never touch one if they find it. Gun accidents are usually caused by kids who never learned about them, and their curiosity peaks, so they do things they shouldnt be doing.

The NRA has a program to help you out, Eddie Eagle..

http://www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/

actually, now that I think about it, you probably dont want to keep a home defense gun in a safe, you might have trouble getting to it when you most need it. Just teach your kids about gun safety, and to never touch your guns, and how the consequences could be fatal. Keeping them in the dark is more dangerous.

[Justin]

I have been consistently moderate on the issue my whole life. I think now is the time to consider home protection for my family.

Before you go out and spend money on a bunch of guns, I have a couple of rhetorical questions for you:

1)Are you willing to take at least one safety course and one defense-oriented course where you learn the proper and legal role for employing firearms?

2)Are you willing to spend at least a minimum amount of time practicing to maintain proficiency?

3)Are you willing to take another human life?

[Rexrider]

Welcome aboard Matches.

Whatever you decide to go with, please remember one thing.

Owning firearms does not make you and your family safe. No more then buying a hammer and nails makes you a carpenter.

You will need to practice and follow the safety rules. Also, don't get overwhelmed with all the choices. Just start somewhere (shotgun is a good place to start) and you will learn as you go just like the rest of us did.

Good luck and by all means, check back with any questions you have.

[Mugsy90/10]

As I'm sure you know, kids can be quite resourceful. PLEASE make sure if you’re not going to LOCK up whatever your firearm choice is, that you at least keep the firearm and the ammo in VERY separate places. I'm not trying to tell you how to keep your home or raise your kids but accidents do happen.

My advice; at least buy a cheap cable lock or similar.

[matches]

1)Are you willing to take at least one safety course and one defense-oriented course where you learn the proper and legal role for employing firearms?

2)Are you willing to spend at least a minimum amount of time practicing to maintain proficiency?

3)Are you willing to take another human life?

1. Yes, I guess I wasn't clear above. I totally intend to educate my self to the fullest. This forum was my first stop after making my decision today. My next stop is to follow some of your advice and learn.

2. Practicing isn't an issue. I have shot with friends in the past and had a great time. I just was never interested in owning any firearms as a hobby.

3. I truly hope I am never in the position to take another persons life. If I am, well, so be it. If someone is putting my family and me in danger then I will not hesitate to put a hole in that person. Nor will I feel any remorse.

[matches]

I certainly will take the right precautions and lock these weapons up. At the moment my concern for safety isn't focused on an intruder. So locking them up until needed (hopefully never) is not a problem. I am just looking at what goes on with people regarding their nature in tough times. Some people are very helpful and some are very ruthless. The fact of the matter is I am in N. Virginia which at the moment is probably target No. 1 for a dirty bomb or something like that. That means, worst case scenario, the DC metro area will be F@$%ed. I don't want to be paranoid but I also don't want to be caught with my pants down... so to speak.

[ruger270man]

well matches, you seem to have the right attitude. Welcome aboard, and I think you will find soon enough that guns can be more than just a defense-tool, and eventually a big money pit :D ( or as some say , a good investment ;) )

[matches]

As you know I am looking for something more affordable. What am I looking at typically for resale if I want to upgrade? Do guns lose there value like cars, do some makers actually gain value like Steinway pianos (that’s what I heard at least)

[MikeIsaj]

Welcome Matches. It sounds like you are taking a thoughtful approach to this. Listen to everyone, than make up your own mind. Good luck.

Personally I would recommend a revolver, .38cal or larger. Many will disagree but I believe them to be more reliable if they are going to spend a lot of time at the ready but not being used. The biggest reason is no magazine springs to get tired. I also think they are a little easier to use.

Whatever you decide on, practice regularly. A weapon is a tool and you need to be proficient if you want to get the most out of it.

And don't forget to let us know what you decide on.

[Justin]

Good, you're thinking from the right place then. Believe it or not, there are people who think that a gun works like a crucifix on a vampire, that you just wave it in the general direction of an interloper and and they'll go away.

As far as value, guns generally don't depreciate as much as cars. If you buy good or high quality firearms, they will generally not depreciate a great deal.

For what you're looking to spend, consider paring it down to one or two choices. Perhaps a shotgun and a pistol.

Also, I would highly recommend that your wife also attend the basic intro class. Even though she doesn't like guns or shooting, it's extremely important that she at least be familiar with the basics of gun safety.

[ruger270man]

Guns are actually pretty good investments.

I agree, a shotgun and/or a pistol, preferably a revolver. Easier to use, clean, and maintain.

[waterhouse]

I'd second or third or 4th what everyone else said. I'm a dealer, and recently I have had a lot of friends that have decided that they need guns. I've actually talked a couple of them out of it because they weren't really interested in spending any time learning to use them. Please take the time to learn safety and practice with your gun.

As for guns:

If I could only have one gun for self defense, it would be a 12 gauge pump. I prefer the 870, but those mossbergs seem to work as well.

[LaEscopeta]

I was facing the same decision as you a few months ago; buying a firearm for home/family defense, after not having touched one since I was 14 years old, at summer camp. This is the advice I took that turned out to be good (most of it also found above in this thread):

1. Take a NRA course. Or two.
2. Just having a firearm does not make you safer; you also have to be able to use it. This means training enough to be able to hit the required target, and then practicing regularly to stay proficient. Make a realistic assessment of the time and ammo money you are going to be able to devote to training, practice and gun cleaning.
3. If practice is fun, you will do it more often
4. Being able to use a firearm for defense may mean doing it in the middle of the night when you are half asleep and your home is dark. Think out what could happen and have a plan for dealing with a wide range of possibilities. Be ready to recognize if what is actually happening to you is not something you planned for, so you can know it is time to abandon the plan.
5. Gun accidents happen all too often, some with results just as tragic as the types of crimes you are getting a firearm to defend against. Know how to store and handle your firearm(s) safely. Store and handle them safely all the time. These four rules can’t be repeated enough:
i. Handle all firearms as loaded firearms.
ii. Always know the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction.
iii. Know your target and what is beyond, for the entire range your ammo will go.
iv. Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you have the target in the sights and have decided to fire.
6. As stated above, there is a lot of good information and advice on the internet. Also on books, magazines, owners’ manuals, from vendors at gun shops and gun shows, from other people at the range, from instructors, etc. There is also a lot of bad information and bad advice from all those sources. You are going to have to figure out the good from the bad, and what applies to your situation (including what I am saying.)

Good luck. Take your time, and I’m sure you will know what is right for you and your family.

[Wiley]

Welcome matches.

The only addition I would suggest is: Include your wife! She doesn't have to like guns but, she must be able to handle one safely and approprietly.

(As an aside, she will probably rapidly outshoot you, take over any firearm she likes and once familiar with them, be far more rabid in defence of the kids than you can even conceive of being. Many male members here have been in the same situation :D. If she has any questions, the Ladies here will be happy to answer them.)

In my opinion, a simple inexpensive pump shotgun is just about all you need for HOME defense. If you decide to carry there are many, many more decisions to make. None of which need be expensive.

Good luck and let us know how you fare.

[ruger270man]

I predict that he AND his wife will become big gun nuts in no time :D

[matches]

I went to Walmart.com and there are lots of choices for the 870. Can you give me a little direction on the right one for me. Below is a link to Remington 870. There are two pages with more on the second page. Thanks for all the help!

Link to Walmart (http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=Remington+870+12+gauge+pump+shotgun&search_constraint=0&ics=20&ico=0&ref=null)

[XLMiguel]

Welcome, Matches. Lotsa good advice so far, but I'll throw in my $.02. Don't confuse price with quality, all the firearms suggested so far are good, reliable, quality no-frill firearms that will serve you well.

Simple is better, especially in stressful situations. A few thoughts:
- Home defense scenarios are generally close quarters kind of things, so do a handgun first and then a shotgun (Rifles are more powerful, but secondary by your criteria).
- Handguns are easier to handle indoors and easier to secure.
- A .357 revolver can be fired with inexpensive .38 Spl for training and practice. Nice police trade-ins can be had for a very reasonable price.
- Practice counts alot, don't worry about caliber-wars, shot placement counts more than anything else.
- A pump shottie, revolver, or lever gun are all easy to learn, but plan to practice as much as you can with whatever you choose. 12 ga., .38, 9mm practice ammo is realitively inexpensive.

Ask all the questions you want here (there's no such thing as a dumb question). There is a huge wealth of knowledge here available from a lot of folks who truly enjoy sharing and feel duty-bound to help new responsible gun owners.

Where in VA are you located? Chances are there are some THR folks about who might be willing to hook up with you for a little one-on-one 'tutoring'. ;)

[ruger270man]

I would go with an 870 Express, 12 gauge, with an 18.5" barrel. (bare minimum)

not the youth or turkey version, no need for that. synthetic or wood is fine.


I dont see an 18.5" on that.. hmm...

[cslinger]

Just as an aside.

I realize you are not a "gun enthusiest" Read(Gun Nut) like many of us. :D but it would do you good to buy guns with the fun of shooting in mind.

The reason I say this is that the chances of you ever needing to use a gun in anger, God willing, are very small, so you should at least get some fun and through that fun practice from your firearms.

Based on your Walmart search realize that the Remington 870, any 870 is a time honered, well proven, solid, reliable firearm. Basically it's tough to go wrong here. If your primary concern is self defense then think 18-20 inch barrel and possible an extended magazine 6-8 rounds. Other than that they all pretty much work all the time everytime.

The key really is buy what fits, and practice, practice, practice. To coin the phrase of our local shotgun guru, BA/UU/R or Buy ammo, use up, repeat. Make this gun an extension of yourself. It's not the best gun that wins fights it's the best gunslinger.............or tactical use of artillery and air strikes but I digress :D

The fact is any quality 12 gauge or .38/.357 revolver will do you and your family just fine as long as you are willing to practice and learn how to use and employ it under a stressful situation.

Now all that heavy stuff aside, guns are fun and get something you will have fun busting clay or plugging paper targets with as well. Training is a fancy world for fun. :D

Just learn to shoot, learn to be safe and be a responsible gun owner, that is all I ask. Heck I am sure any of us who are local would be happy to meet up with you and let you try out several differnt weapons for you to get a feel. I am in TN but if you want you just drop me a line and I will drive up with a series of firearms for you to try before you buy.

Take Care,
Chris

[Double Maduro]

matches,

3. I truly hope I am never in the position to take another persons life. If I am, well, so be it. If someone is putting my family and me in danger then I will not hesitate to put a hole in that person. Nor will I feel any remorse.

I agree with everything except the remorse part, you won't know until it happens, God forbid.

Welcome, to the forums.

For a pistol, I like my Ruger P90. It is a .45 and I shoot .45 better than 9mm.

I back the P90 up with a 2" .357 mag EAA Windicator, and then a Makarov.

I don't have to worry about anyone finding the P90 because if I have my pants on it is IWB.

For a shotgun, I like the Remington 870 Express 12ga, it is also excellent for hunting and trap.

For a rifle for home defense, I like my Benelli Nova 12ga. I don't expect to be shooting at people from my windows at ranges beyond that of a 12ga. If it comes to that I will use my '03 Springfield, and Heaven help them.

I hope this helps, let us know what you decide.
DM

[matches]

I am in Sterling VA.

[cslinger]

You know at heart I am a bastard and to be honest I don't like people as a whole but if I am ever required to take another human being life I know that I will have remorse.....I just don't belive that it is natural for normal human who belives in law, order and human life to not have remorse at taking anothers life no matter how riteous of an act it might be. Taking life should never be a light hearted thought and should always be the utmost last resort.

That is my two cents but then again I am a wimp.

Chris

[Double Maduro]

cslinger,

<quote>That is my two cents but then again I am a wimp.</quote>

I don't think this attitude qualifies you as a wimp. I think most of us who carry feel the same way. We know we will probably have some remorse and quilt, but it is better than not doing anything.

I also believe that most of us hope we never need our CCWs.

DM

[MachIVshooter]

IMO, the most effective and economic trio:

Rifle: Ruger Mini-14

Shotgun: Remington 870

Pistol: EAA Witness 9mm

All three should come in for a total of ~$1,200 and all are boringly reliable.

[odysseus]

it would do you good to buy guns with the fun of shooting in mind.

Yes! Very important. The more you get into them, the more you will understand, and the more the best answer for this question will come from yourself! Have fun too. There are a few things in life that really put a smile on my face like shooting sports do.

[matches]

I will certainly get a kick out shooting a gun. Like I said above I have been very moderate on the issue owning a weapon just because I felt no need for one at the time and as far as hobbies went I had enough. So, practicing and studying will be good fun for me.

I have good news...My wife was surprisingly supportive of the my choice. So that is good. I would have made purchase anyway because I feel very strongly about this issue but, it makes that much easier with behind me.

Now...as for remorse. You are probably right. It is too easy to say I wont feel any remorse right now in my comfortable chair in front my computer and everything is easy. I never want to be put to the test and pull the trigger. The thing is, I know myself pretty well in this area. I have a pretty simple life right now. But I have been on my own since I was fifteen. I mean really on my own. No support from friends’ families or any thing like that. I have had to deal with some pretty hairy situations. Fortunately non requiring taking a life. I am a very moral person then and now. One major goal in my life is treat people fairly, be gentle and kind, be caring even when people don't treat you the same way. But knowing what I know of my past experiences. If I were to play out those scenarios again but this time include my wife and two sons in the picture. I truly believe I know how I would react to the situation during and after.

Also, I want to make it clear. I really am not concerned about burglary, intruders or anything like. If you knew where I lived you would see that it is really unlikely (knock on wood). Not because it really nice or anything. It just doesn't lend it self to intruders very easily. I am really more concerned (call me paranoid) about a marshal law kind of scenario. It is just something I have a bad feeling about right now.

[GEM]

Of course, one suggests serious training for such an endeavour - which is expensive.

However, my two cents is that:

1. You are better off with a handgun than a long arm as they are harder for the novice to manipulate. Yes, the shotgun will kill Godzilla - that's nice but I'm practical.

2. I suggest a revolver as easiest to use. Your budget is a tad limiting. Might one get up to $250 -300 ish. Then one can get into a new Taurus 357 or 38 spl revolver or a decent used SW 38 spl.

If you really want to stay at the $150-200 range, you can get a crappy big caliber gun but might be able to swing a new 22 LR semi - like a Ruger. Horrors - a 22 LR is not a manstopper but budget is budget.

Best to train a bit - find the bucks for a decent weekend and then get a decent 9mm semiauto pistol like a Ruger or Glock and you should be set reasonably well if you are not an enthusiast.

[R.H. Lee]

It wouldn't be a semi auto pistol unless you (and the entire family) are willing to practice with it all the time. Too many things can go wrong with the manual of arms, limpwristing, holding too high a grip or placing the thumb on the back of the slide, etc. It also wouldn't be a revolver with only 6 shots. Any handgun will be harder aim and hit the target with than a long gun.

It wouldn't be a semi-auto rifle either. Is a round chambered or not? Is the safety on or not? If it has a detachable mag, that introduces another thing to go wrong.

Bolt action? Hardly

Lever action? Maybe. Operation is instintive, quick to deploy and powerful enough to stop an attack.

My first choice would be a pump action 12ga shotgun.

[ruger270man]

for a cheap, decent revolver, check out a charter arms or a taurus.

[akodo]

what type of remington 870? Stick with Express, they are the 'economy model' However, they cannot be cleaned with wd-40 i am told, unlike more expensive wingmaster models.

really, just find the most inexpensive pump action shotgun they have, even that new england one on your link is going to be fine. Check out the used rack. Now, a short barrel and an extended magazine tube would be great, but not necessary. Shotguns have been defending home and hearth for years before short barrels and extended mags were readily available. And while i'd pay a little extra for a shorter barrel (18-22 inches) vs a longer duckhunting length(26-28), i don't think i'd pay extra for an extended mag.

I'd also recommend getting a 20 guage rather than a 12. A 20 will meet all your home defense needs and the some, it just lacks the ability to reach high flying geese, but you aren't buying it to go hunting.


For a handgun? check out Taurus revolvers, a 4 inch 357 with ajdustable sights is going to be a GREAT gun. As mentioned, a 357 revolver can also shoot 38 specials, for easy and inexpensive practice. Plus, revolvers stand up extremely well to civilized neglect. If you have to choose a gun to stand up to dustbunnies or banging around in a sock drawer, i'd go revolver.

A reasonable alternative woudl be a makarov pistol.


for rifles? go for a lever action winchester, marlin, or what have you. 30-30 is fine, but so is 45 colt, 44 magnum, 357 magnum, etc etc.

Seriously, get yourself an inexpensive used 22 bolt action rifle, or a ruger 10/22 autoloading .22 as they are the BEST learning tools out there.

Now, i've gone 'budget home defense' shopping with people, one of who had a handgun already (a makarov) and the other had only a .22 bolt action.

In BOTH CASES money was a big concern, and in both cases we eventually found that the best gun we could buy on a budget was a 20 guage bolt action shotgun.

Of two guns of equal condition and age, a gunstore is going to pay less for the bolt action shotgun because it is much less popular, hence it is easy to find some very good to excellent to almost NIB bolt action shotguns in the 100-150 range, vs 150-200 for an equivalent pump action gun. Same thing with 12 guage vs 20 guage, it is just less popular, so gunstores give less credit when you trade one of them toward your new gun, and then charge less for them.

as i said, both walked out with 20 guage mossberg bolt action guns made in the 1960s. One was JC higgens/Coast to Coast or somesuch, the other was a mossberg, both were in excellent condition. The jc higgens was for 80, and came with a magazine (capacity 2+1), the end was threaded for choke tubes but it had none; and the mossberg went for 100 even, but included 1 choke tube or bulb really for the muzzle, and a similar mag.

In both cases these old guns were cheaper and better buys than slightly used single shot NEF hinge action shotguns.

[roscoe]

I vote for a 4" .357 loaded with .38 special rounds. You can leave a revolver around, ignore it for years, and it will do exactly what you want when you need it. Nothing to remember about safeties, loaded chambers, etc. - perfect for someone who is not a gun enthusiast. I say .357 rather than .38 because you can shoot .357 rounds and .38s, and while .38s are probably plenty for around the house, you never know if you will need something with more power down the road. I also vote revolver over shotgun because it is more portable, and can be carried conveniently in a car, or on your person. Also - you hear a bump in the night - how do you open doors with a shotgun in your hands, or pick up your child? I like to have one free hand, call me crazy.

For $200 you could get a used Ruger .357 and it will outlast you.

[XLMiguel]

Matches -
You're real close to Blue Ridge Arsenal (near Rts 28 & 50) which rents handguns, and the NRA Range (Rt 50 & 66) for classes (they don't rent, unfortunately, but have a very nice range). VA Arms in Manassas (on 28 just south of Old Town Manassas) is IMO the best gunshop in the area, good prices and great service.

PM or E-mail me if you'd like to get together (I'm in Falls Church) and punch some paper.

[USSR]

matches,

Here is the right one for you:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3170096

The only thing you should do, is replace the RemChoke that comes with it with either a modified or improved cylinder RemChoke.

Don

[Sewerman]

pistol taurus .38 spcl, shotgun mossberg pump, rifle sks or SMLE no4
total price tag for all 3 6-800 bucks :D