[indie]

My weapons are budget conscious reliable guns for personal/home defense.

I currently have a taurus 66 - 7 shot, 357 magnum.
a Hi Point 995 carbine 9mm with ATI stock, collapsing forend grip, bsa red dot and a light with pressure switch.
And i have what i plan to make my ccw, an armscor 206 38 special colt detective clone arriving to my ffl tomorrow or thursday.



I plan on having children soon, and 3 guns is my compromise with my wife. A CCW pocket carry revolver, a HD pistol and a HD carbine.

My first purchase was the taurus 66. I originally bought a 357 magnum because of its reputation as among the best manstoppers among pistol calibers, and because of its simplicity and reliability and being new to guns, but I keep it loaded with 38sp+p out of concern for hearing damage/muzzle flash indoors.

I have been thinking if i am shooting 38 special out of the magnum gun, and it is purely a home (maybe truck occassionally) gun, that i could be better served with a higher capacity 9mm?

Ruger P95DC really peaked my interest, especially given its close in price to the value of my taurus. It would be my first semi-auto handgun if i do decide to get rid of the taurus and go with the ruger.

I just wanted to get some feedback on this decision and see what people think.

I am left handed if that matters?

[machinisttx]

I plan on having children soon, and 3 guns is my compromise with my wife. A CCW pocket carry revolver, a HD pistol and a HD carbine.

Que? I can see her not wanting more firearms if the finances do not permit it, but not because you plan on having kids.


Now, how well does the ruger fit your hand? If it's a poor fit, it's going to take a lot of effort and practice to shoot it well.

How well are the controls set up for a lefty? If the answer is "poorly", why would you get rid of a gun that works for you, and replace it with one that won't?

How well will your wife be able to use the Ruger? If she can't rack the slide or operate the controls, it being a HD piece is out of the question. Both of you need to be able to operate it. It will be useless to her if she can't.

[Majic]

and because of its simplicity and reliability and being new to guns,
That still applies. With a revolver there is no FTF OR FTE problems. There is no tap, rap, bang drill to learn. It's just point and pull the trigger. Remember the carbine is there to provide back up.

[indie]

Machinisttx, its in large part finances, but also, more guns = more trouble in the eyes of my wife and I cant change her mind. Every gun purchase has been a fight.

I have used my friend's Ruger p89 at the range and i really enjoyed shooting it. My wife enjoyed it more than the revolver too although her hands are a bit small for both. It took her longer to find her grip on the revolver for some reason.

Now that i have a smaller grip revolver, that will probably be what I will hand her in a bump in the night situation.


I understand that the model P95 i want has an amibidextrous decocker. I would like more opinions from lefties on this model.

i have also heard that the slide is very easy to rack and the ruger is difficult to limp wrist.

All of the factors you have mentioned i have considered and applied to the semi-auto format, and the ruger p95 seems like a good choice according to owners and users.


and to Majic, thats the one issue that has swayed me towards revolvers at first, along with the caliber. However with me not using a 357 magnum load, I think that shifts things a bit where I could have capacity and a quick reload in a reliable semi-auto, with a similar amount of ammunition power.

Another consideration is the ability to mount a laser on the rail, and carry a flashlight.

My carbine is currently my go to gun because it has proven reliable, and because i think the 9mm+p out of the 16 inch barrell will have a little more oomph than the 38 special +p out of the 4 inch revolver, while also allowing quicker follow ups and negligible recoil. And i have a forend grip for better handling and a light mounted on the gun with pressure switch.

One the side of the 357 magnum. I do like having the option of that caliber, and i do have 125 grain gold dots i have practiced with.


I am back and forth on it, but im still going to see what is said on the matter and hope i can be at peace with my decision.

Thanks!

[machinisttx]

If it were me, I would try to find something with a smaller gripframe that would be a better fit for her hands. With that said, my wife's bedside gun is a CZ75 9mm that is slightly too large for her. She picked it out though, and enjoys shooting it.

A long gun is almost always a better choice than a handgun, so using your carbine will be preferable to either handgun you currently own, or the one you intend to trade for/purchase.

[indie]

thanks for the advice and it is taken into consideration. I have huge hands and im a huge guy, my wife is a tiny little woman lol

[Dienekes]

I am not a fan of Ruger P-series pistols--and I own stock in the company.

Personally I would trade up to a K-frame S&W in .38 or .357; lots of possibilities around and the quality and reliability are legend. My daughter has a 3" Model 10 she really likes and I just gave her a worn but solid old M&P (pre Model 10) in 4" barrel. Your options for grip fit and size are much more varied with a revolver, and it's enough with the proper .38 Spl. load (i.e., 158 gr SWCHP +P). Everything you need, and nothing you don't. :D

The Ruger SP-101s in .3" barrel aren't half bad, either...

[indie]

Dienekes, thanks for the input. If im going to stay with a 357 magnum revolver, I dont really want to trade up to a smith or a ruger because the taurus has performed flawlessly so far, and because i'd lose a chamber. My revolver now is 7 shots,which was one of my main reasons for purchasing it because of the higher capacity.

But the thing is, since i wont be actually loading it with 357 mag for home defense and since i will have another 6 shot, 38 special snubbie, I was thinking it would make since to get rid of the taurus and get a 9mm ruger p95 that can handle +p+ and has a larger capacity 15+1, that i can mount a laser on the rail, and that can fire double action. And it would share cheaper ammo with my carbine, and magazines are inexpensive.

Thats what made me even consider giving up the taurus, especially with being able to get it for around the value of the taurus. The ruger models 95dc and 89dc are pretty much the only semi-auto's i am considering giving up my Taurus 66 for.

[Fishman777]

I am a Ruger revolver man, but I do like S&W revolvers as well. I think that Ruger's designs are better than S&W's and Taurus's designs. That is just one man's opinion, so take it with a grain of salt. If you want a 7 shot revolver or even a 8 shot revolver, a 686 or a 627 would be better options than your Taurus.

I were you, I would use the carbine as your primary defense weapon and the revolver as a back-up. I think that your current collection is ideal. If your wife is not a shooter, she could still use the revolver without having to worry about inducing a malfunction. That is the primary reason that I own revolvers: I have three revolvers, because I know that I shoot them very well and so does my wife (who doesn't like shooting that much).

[SaxonPig]

1. never sell a gun. You will eventually regret it.

2. Don't make promises to your wife about limiting your life. If you don't have enough money to pursue your hobby then get more money. If that doesn't settle the dispute... well, I don't let my wife tell me what to do. You do what you think is best for you.

[wnycollector]

Indie, I feel your pain man! Once I got the 2nd gun safe...my wife and I compromised on a "1 gun in, one gun must go" policy:( My wife did buy me a new polish Tokarev for fathers day though:)

I personally like having a pistol/rifle combo that uses the same ammo. I have a CZ40B/keltec sub2k that share ammo. maybe in the fall I will sell off one of my nagants and get a .357 lever action to go with my .357 revolvers.

I would make the trade for the P95. Ruger makes VERY tough, reliable pistols. Ya their DA trigger pulls could be better...but you get used to it!

[W.E.G.]

I have at least one Ruger P95.

Very rugged and reliable guns, albeit not especially accurate.

Plenty accurate for its intended purpose though.

Avoid the DAO versions. Trigger pull is truly teh suk.

There are plenty of things that can cause a revolver to let you down.
I don't buy that "revolvers are more reliable" nonsense for one second.
A malfunctioning gun is simply that. A malfunctioning gun - whether it be a revolver or semi-auto.
It is your responsibility to know whether your gun is reliable.

[indie]

i really cannot decide lol

[hornsmoker]

Hey indie, Get your Armscor 206 yet? I've been thinking about one - the price is right. How bout some pics? Also, I would not trade your 66 - suggest you get a HD shotgun instead.

[indie]

hornsmoker, it arrived at my ffl yesterday but i havent been able to catch him to pick it up yet, been trying to get him today because he said he would be home after 3:30.

Should pick it up this evening.

Im really more fond of getting something with a higher capacity but portable and less unwieldy than a shotgun.... and something that both my wife and i can take to the nearby indoor range and practice with. If my wife wont go, at least i can enjoy taking it to the range lol. But i intend to practice with my weapons, and i want something versatile enough that it can be carried or thrown in the glove box once i get my CCW permit.

And economically 9mm makes the most sense for home defense/occassional carry and range.

[weregunner]

Good reasons to keep the revolver and get the pistol. There are some exceptions.

The revolver can be altered for the wife or yourself by changing the grips and not for much money either.

Simplicity means the wife, even if she's not into guns, can learn the revolver and the ammo can be tailored to here or your needs. Not so much with the pistol.

Most real world defense scenarios still do not require but a few shots to end the confrontation. Granted there are exceptions and no one can ever have to much ammo. Still all this is documented in the police and tactical journals. Recent ones at that.

Rugers are good picks for those on the budget. So are the Taurus 24/7s full size guns. They'll fit her more likely than you. Have to consider her again. Doesn't mean that it won't fit you. Just something to consider.

I have 2 Ruger P95DC and love them. Ambi-slide decocker is not a bad thing to have.

Do have short hands and stubby fingers. The Ruger P95 fit the best out of all the pistols that are currently out there. Ruger P95 or other Ruger models should fit your hand as well.

Cannot change the grip on a polymer psitol unless it comes with the three different sized ones. Rugers are not one of those that can be changed out unless a rubber sleeve of some kind is used. That's all that can be done for a change. Can add the sleeve, but cannot take panels off.

You are on a budget. Police trade in pistols from a local source,Shotgun News, or reputable online gun auction house might get you a basic good used gun at a lower price than paying full price for a new one.

For example www.jgsales.com/index.php/c/handguns/cPath/16

has surplus or trade in guns by the various gun makers. So does
www.aimsurplus.com

There are used SIG P6/225 single stack pistols that are used. True, they hold only 8 rounds in the mag, but 8 in the mag and one in the chamber should be able to get you through most scenarios. They hide better than double stacks and carrying a spare mag or two is never a bad idea.

If your looking for cheap, reduced recoil, but still full size gun J&G sales and AIM Surplus have CZ82s or CZ83s.
CZ82s are in the 9x18 Russian caliber, but ammo supplies are around. Hornady and other ammo makers do make JHP ammo for it. So do the Russians though their JHPs deform more than expand dynamically.

The CZ 83 is in .380ACP. While this is not the greatest defense caliber it would give you a decent amount of protection (longer barrel-more velocity over the pocket pistols) and both the wife and you could handle it.

Both CZs are double stack pistols,reliable, and serve well.

I went one step down in size and bought two Bulgarian Makarovs that are single stack.

Take your time and do the research in choosing the gun.

Could bring all the Taurus 24/7 links, but reading them all is a career. Just ask over there at the Taurus forum and see what they say or I can bring all the links up if you so desire.

[frogger42]

I'd look at the new Ruger SR9. They did have some problems with the first run of them so you will see some poor reviews out there, but I understand those issues have been resolved. It looks much thinner and I think would be easier for your wife to control. Also, consider a used Glock.

For good info about Rugers, try out

www.rugerforum.com or
www.rugerforum.net

They are actually two different but equally good forums that have more brand specific info. Good luck with whatever you choose.

[bestseller92]

The P95 is a great gun.

[goon]

I'd say if you like the P-95 and are considering replacing your .357 with it, buy the P-95 outright rather than trying to trade for it.
First, you always lose money when selling or trading to an FFL. It's just business. They need to make money to keep selling guns and they're in a position to buy low from you and sell high to someone else. But it serves you better if you can sell high on your own.
Second, maybe you won't like the P-95 or maybe there will be something wrong with it. Then you have sold your reliable primary defensive gun and are "stuck" with something that isn't as good. Better to keep the proven one, at least until the P-95 is at least as proven. If at all possible, try and get a used one to save yourself some $ and some grief with the wife. If you buy used and decide to sell later, you won't lose as much on a used gun as you would on a new one - Rugers don't have the highest resale value. You may even come out ahead if you like the P-95 and decide to replace the .357 with it.
Last, if you do a search for posts by me, you'll see that I've bought and sold a lot of guns. I won't tell you to never sell one, but don't sell one that you like. If you like your .357 and it works well, keep it. Don't sell it to get the newest, best thing or to make an imagined improvement. I've never kicked myself for keeping a good gun, but I have kicked myself for selling good ones and buying bad ones and especially for trading good ones for bad ones.
Run the search if you doubt my credentials. Trust me on this. ;)

On the gun itself, I owned a P-95 for awhile and wound up selling it - the accuracy wasn't so hot. But I'd probably try another one so I'm in no way bashing them. As for you being a lefty, the Ruger has ambidextrious controls for the safety/decocker and for the magazine release. The slide release is positioned for the right thumb but a lefty could use his/her left trigger finger to activate it or just use the slingshot method.
Basically, I see no problems with a left handed person using one.

[ArchAngelCD]

Indie,
You keep focusing on higher capacity, why? If you can't solve your problem with 7 rounds of 38/357 having a few more won't help. IMO the simplicity of a revolver outweighs your wanting more rounds. In the middle of the night when you first wake up it's hard to do many things well. A revolver makes things easier, all you will need to do is identify the target and either pull the trigger or not. Once you start throwing in a safety and possibly having to rack the slide or clear a jam you will have problems.

Keep it simple, you use the Taurus at night and your wife will have the .38 which will probably fit her hand better. Actually, if it were me, I would be grabbing my 12ga shotgun instead of a revolver or pistol.

[Mike J]

If you are considering a new P-95 I'd suggest checking with CDNN. I'm not sure if they still have them but a few months ago they had blued models for $249 stainless ones for $279. Of course you'd still have to pay for a transfer but it might be worth checking into anyway

[Defensory]

Springfield Armory XD9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knt264inrCE

http://springfield-armory.primediaoutdoors.com/SPstory11.php

[edw8ri]

I have a Ruger P-95 and I have nearly a thousand rounds through it. I have to say that it has been absolutely reliable. I have never had any type of jam or misfeed. Not one. I have pumped lots of different ammo types through it and it runs like a top. For the money, it is really hard to beat.

[Blue Brick]

1+ P95DC, I love mine.

[sandy4570]

I don't have P95 but I have P 97 and it is a great pistol . I think you might just go out and buy it instead of get rid of the Taurus because the P 95 is not that expensive and you won't get much out of the Taurus to cover the P 95 cost anyway. :)

[novaDAK]

another +1 for the Ruger. I have two myself, and after my mother shot one of them a few times she went out and bought the new version with the rail for herself and her's has been 100% reliable just like my two :)

[bruss01]

1. never sell a gun. You will eventually regret it.

2. Don't make promises to your wife about limiting your life. If you don't have enough money to pursue your hobby then get more money. If that doesn't settle the dispute... well, I don't let my wife tell me what to do. You do what you think is best for you.


+1 on the above.

I will give you some unasked for advice, friend. When it comes to other kissing other women, do what your wife says. When it comes to remodeling the kitchen, do what your wife says. But when it comes to your personal hobbies and how you spend your own personal disposable income - you make your own decisions. As long as you're not leaving guns out on the coffee table, or getting gun stuff all over the living room carpet, or letting guns take you away from your family every evening and weekend - then WTH is her problem? Does it make one blind bit of difference how many guns you own, as long as you didn't deprive your family of needed funds in order to get them? How can a gun that is unloaded and locked up be a safety hazard? These are irrational lines of thought. You can either explain it to her the way it is, and tell her that within limits, you are going to do as you see fit in this area of your life - or you can resign yourself to a lifetime of marital despair - or you can end things now and get out before you have to worry about child support payments.

A midnight intruder is not, IMHO, the current greatest threat to your peace and prosperity. You need to think long and hard about the choices you have made in the past and the ones that lie before you now. You will never have a better chance to either nip a bad situation in the bud and save your marriage, or to realize you made a mistake and fix it now before you get in any deeper.

Sorry, not the question you asked, I know - but one I'll warrant you need answered more than the one you asked anyway IMHO. Good luck and God speed, friend.

Now, back on topic -

I have a Ruger P345 decocker. I like it a lot, it's a dependable workhorse. With W Ranger 230gr SXT .45ACP +P in the hopper I have a lot of confidence in it to make badness stop. I know, not a P95, but the same basic family and lineage. It is my nightstand gun, that's how much confidence I have in it.

ETA - it's easy to get some part time work to fund a hobby - heck, if times are really hard then sell some plasma or some other bodily fluid. Deliver papers, sell hot dogs at the stadium, do SOMETHING... money is not that hard to get for those who have a bit of determination. Don't go selling guns unless you absolutely cannot stand them, have no use for them. Unless you hate a gun, never sell one to fund a replacement - there's no surer way to learn the truth of that old "grass is greener" saying.

[MCgunner]

Never sell a good gun. Just buy another. I leaned the hard way over the years. :banghead:

[indie]

Hello everyone. Just wanted to give you an update on what I ended up doing.

I did end up selling the .357 magnum. Mainly because I would only use it with 38 special.

I got what i wanted for it price wise and set out looking into the ruger p series pistols.

I decided not to get the 95, and instead to get a metal framed p series so that i could change the grips. I missed the boat on a couple of p93dao's i really wish i could have gotten. But i ended up getting a great price on a nice P90DC stainless in 45.

I wont be able to shoot it as much as i would a 9mm, but i have read so many great things about the p90 on these forums that i couldnt pass it up for $250, with 7 round and 15 round mags, and hogue grips.

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/6268/pix700073750pu0.jpg

I feel that this will make a fine HD/Truck Gun replacement for my Taurus 66 if it proves to be as reliable as people are saying it is. The previous owner is changing caliber as he starts police academy and needed to fund another gun purchase.

[Frizzman]

Well, I was going to agree with those who said to keep your revolver and maybe save for the auto. I keep my guns locked in a safe and have had a kid in the house with no problem. My wife doesn't care how many or what kind of guns I have as long as I don't spend too much on them.

Since you have already done what you did, I will tell you that I had a P90DC once myself(another one that I wish I hadn't traded). I found it rather blocky but it was VERY accurate and reliable and easy to shoot. It was a very good pistol and I think you will enjoy it. Good Luck!

[jaholder1971]

The P90 is a good choice to keep. They're accurate and study as all get-out.

An Armscor revolver for CCW? You're a braver man than I am.

[commygun]

The P90 is a very good choice! I have a variety of pistols but the P90 is the one that goes in the nightstand. Stone reliable, pop can accurate, and it's size and weight make it rock steady in the hand. $250 is an outstanding price in my neck of the woods.

[Defensory]

indie:

Excellent choice!

There are a lot of .357 owners in the same boat as you were. Not willing to fire full .357 Magnum loads, so they made a major compromise by firing .38's, which have noticeably less stopping power than both the .357 and .45 ACP.

For years, many LEO's referred to the .38 Special as the "Widowmaker". So named due to the significant number of LEO's who were killed in the line of duty, because the .38's inconsistent stopping power didn't get the job done in a lot of shooting situations.

[chauncey]

That still applies. With a revolver there is no FTF OR FTE problems. There is no tap, rap, bang drill to learn. It's just point and pull the trigger. Remember the carbine is there to provide back up.

sorry, I disagree. I've only ever had two ftf's with handguns. an Accu-Tek 380 and a Taurus 44 sp revolver.

any handgun can ftf. revolvers aren't death or taxes, and at least one has been less reliable than almost every autoloader I've used (except 1).

[novaDAK]

The only Ruger p-series I like better than my P95s is my KP90 :)

Great choice!