Recommendations for my first gun?

[The Exile]

Hey guys!

I'm finally getting to the point in my life where I can fulfill my life long dream, owning a firearm. I've been window shopping for years now but now I feel ready to actually start seriously considering options and as ready as I thought I was I'm now drowning in a sea of options. I've narrowed it down to three options but I cannot find a forum where the three options were discussed in reference to my situation.

I'm looking for something specifically for home defense. I'm a poor college kid so my options are fairly constrained by a lack of funds. I've decided to build up a budget of 1000$ and for that I'd like...

The gun, obviously
A cleaning kit
Hearing protection, not gonna skimp here
50 rounds of premium top notch brand name defense load ammo.
3 magazines (2 for training, 1 painted red and only loaded for defense)
Whatever is left over worth of junk training rounds (Tula, Wolf, etc.)
Mounted flashlight? (The gamer in me is worried about telegraphing my position)

Here's some things I'm not looking for.

A hunting gun - I don't like nature and it doesn't like me

A concealed carry gun - I don't leave home often but when I do the places I go frown upon CC

A competition gun - I'm engaging targets at 20 feet at the most. I don't need to pay 100$ for a the ability to aim a .01 inch closer to center of mass

A 22lr gun - I understand that many people preach that 22lr is THE first gun for anyone but I don't want to take chances, I don't want to assume an intruder's state of mind, I want him physically out of the fight. I don't want to compromise my budget on training.

A revolver - I don't want a magnum round and the auto loaders I've selected shouldn't leave anything to be desired in terms of reliability. Ammo count and rapid reloading is probably worth the money.

Anything overly idiot-proof - While simplicity is a virtue in a defensive gun I don't need anything that compromises performance for people who aren't going to give their gun the time, attention, and training it deserves.

Here are some of the options I've considered.

Mossberg 500/Remington 870 (depending on what I can find for cheaper)

The pump action shotgun is probably the king of self defense guns, but
does it live up to it's reputation? Looking at 12 gauge models, I live in
Minnesota so I think the popular deer cartridge will be much easier to find.

Glock 19/Beretta 92FS (Depending on what fits my grip better)

A 9mm pistol is another very popular defensive weapon and one that
generally caters only to two legged threats. Ammo is cheap and easily
found and the pistols in 9mm typically have larger magazine capacities
as well as manageable recoil so I'm mainly looking at something in that
caliber but I am asking for advice so it's not a set in stone decision.

An AKM variant (possibly polish)

This choice worries me that I'm letting apocalypse fiction corrupt the
purity of my decision, not to mention my love of cold war history. Still
30 rounds of 7.62 and legendary reliability isn't bad, right?

So there's my situation, I hope you can offer some great insight and since this is my first post on THR I hope we can all have some fun!

 

[txblackout]

AR-15 from palmetto state armory will run about $600. Lots of light mount options. Great at short range. Very accurate and will stop someone even if they are wearing body armor. Good capacity, mags are cheap right now.

training ammo is very affordable right now.

If you end up doing other gun related things then it will be useful.

 

[oneounceload]

A shotgun will be easier, IMO, to learn and become more proficient quicker with than your other choices; ammo is readily available. Also consider the Rem 870 Express.

 

[USAF_Vet]

Welcome to THR! Lots of fantastic info here.

Mossberg 500/Remington 870 (depending on what I can find for cheaper)

The pump action shotgun is probably the king of self defense guns, but
does it live up to it's reputation? Looking at 12 gauge models, I live in
Minnesota so I think the popular deer cartridge will be much easier to find.

The Mossberg will certainly be cheaper. I prefer it as my HD gun over the Remington 870. It was my first gun, too (Actually it was the Maverick 88, the budget version of the M500). I find it easier to reload on the fly. Although the remington has options and features the Mossberg doesn't, like the easy addition of extended magazine tubes.

The pump action shotgun certainly has longevity and devastation going for it in a HD gun. It's the first long gun I'd grab in a HD situation, along with my 9mm pistol. The AR is also at the ready. The pump action shotgun has a lot of myth surrounding it (the sound of the pump will make bad guys run away in terror, you can shoot poorly and still hit because of the spread, etc.)

But, you seem to already understand that you'll need to practice. You've educated yourself and you're ahead of the game. A Mossberg 500 will set you back about $250. Self defense loads... well, the 12 gauge is widely versatile when it comes to ammo. I prefer 00 buck from an 18.5" cylinder bore on my HD shotgun, with slugs in a butt cuff.

Glock 19/Beretta 92FS (Depending on what fits my grip better)

A 9mm pistol is another very popular defensive weapon and one that
generally caters only to two legged threats. Ammo is cheap and easily
found and the pistols in 9mm typically have larger magazine capacities
as well as manageable recoil so I'm mainly looking at something in that
caliber but I am asking for advice so it's not a set in stone decision.

I dig the Beretta. I carried one in the Air Force from time to time. It can be overly complicated, though, especially under stress. The Glock is a simple manual of arms and quite popular with plenty of aftermarket support. I prefer the S&W M&P9, but that's personal choice. Of the two you mentioned, I'd be comfortable with either one, because I have practiced with the Beretta and Glock (although I don't own either one).

An AKM variant (possibly polish)

This choice worries me that I'm letting apocalypse fiction corrupt the
purity of my decision, not to mention my love of cold war history. Still
30 rounds of 7.62 and legendary reliability isn't bad, right?

Nothing wrong with apocalyptic fiction, as long as it's not clouding your rational thinking. An AK variant is a fine choice for HD. I'm an AR man, personally, but if I could find a screaming deal on an AK, I wouldn't pass it up. I do like them, I just like my ARs more (as they are something I can assemble in my home).

So there's my situation, I hope you can offer some great insight and since this is my first post on THR I hope we can all have some fun!

Best advice, get thyself to the range, rent, and shoot the guns you are interested in.

Considering your budget, my recommendation would be an M&P 9 (there's an ongoing deal for 3 extra magazines) which will run you about $500, give or take. A hundred or so dollars for ammo, some good defensive plus some cheaper stuff for practice. You'll have enough left over for a Mossberg 500, Mav 88, Remington 870, or similar type of shotgun and some ammo. For 12 gauge practice, a case of bird shot (100 rounds) goes about $25. You'll also want to practice with your chosen defensive ammo to verify the pattern and spread at distance, but for getting a feel for it, birdshot is fine. I don't recommend it for defense, though, although some disagree.

Again, welcome to THR.

 

[Agsalaska]

Oh man you are about to get a lot of different opinions.

Mine, for what its worth, I'd get a 12 gauge with an 18 inch barrel. 00 buck is pretty much the last thing in the world I would want to get shot with. Mine is a pump action Winchester 1300 Defender.

Lots of guys will tell you an AR15 too. And there is certainly nothing wrong with that. The difference between the two really comes down to personal preference. I like 00 buck more than a .223. An AR take a little bit more practice and care too, but not much more.

Both are much better options for HD than a pistol of any caliber.

 

[Agsalaska]

For what its worth, you can get a used 12 gauge, a police trade in Glock, hearing protection, and plenty of ammo for $1000 easy.

Go ahead and get two. It will make it easier to buy your third.

 

[M-Cameron]

3 magazines (2 for training, 1 painted red and only loaded for defense)

dont paint your magazine.....

if you want to keep one magazine loaded only with premium ammo thats fine....but painting it is asking for it to get stuck and jam in the gun.

the paint builds up a thickness on the surface, increasing the dimensions....also, paint is going to be more tacky than steel/plastic, even when 100% dry

 

[USAF_Vet]

Or just paint the base plate, if you need to differentiate between mags.

 

[moxie]

Shotgun - Mossberg 590 Special Purpose 9 Shot in 20 gauge. Defense load =#4 buck.

Pistol - S&W M&P9c or Glock 19. Defense load =Fed. HST 124+P or Speer Gold Dot 124+P.

As far as marking dedicated mags, a paint pen works well. Just put a star or a few dashes on the floorplate.

Whatever gun you get, get a good training class. I've been shooting since 1956, military and civilian, and still take classes whenever I can.

 

[SouthernBoy]

Based on you budget of $1000, I'd go with the Glock 19 or 17, and a shotgun. For self defense ammo with the Glock, I'd recommend Federal HST 124gr +P or Speer Gold Dot 124gr JHP +P. For the shotgun, I like #4 buck in 12 gauge. In the home I prefer a handgun because of its versatility (it is easier to wield than a long gun). But if you are dealing with multiple invaders, the shotgun is going to be hard to beat.

 

[rcmodel]

An AK-47 for HD makes me hope I never live within three houses of you!!!

WAY too much over-penetration through thin house walls, even after going through a BG.

Get a shotgun, and learn how to use it in your sleep with the other $600 you saved, you can spend on practice ammo.

rc

 

[Telekinesis]

Are you currently in college? While I was in school I gravitated towards pistols for the simple reason that they are easier to hide and maintain control over. When living in a dorm or apartment, it's very easy for your neighbors or roommates to guess what's in that long, narrow case (especially if it's actually a gun case) but you can take a pistol and put it in your back pack to head to the range and no one knows the difference.

My personal recommendation would be the Glock 19. It is relatively cheap (especially if you go with a police trade in) and accessories are plentiful and affordable. This includes sights, mags and holsters. It is also very simple mechanically (less to go wrong) and when you do decide to start carrying, it is well suited to that purpose as well. I'm not a big fan of the Beretta as they always felt big and blocky in my hand.

I wouldn't paint your mag. You should be able to tell what's in it by looking at the bullet on the top. On the other hand, if you plan to train with your gun (which you really should) using a paint pen to put your name on the mag is a good idea. Also if you number your mags, it makes it easier to figure out if an intermittent malfunction is magazine related (always happens with mag number 2 for instance) or if it is gun related. I also recommend that you keep multiple mags loaded with defensive ammo. The most common malfunction with a semi auto is magazine related, and the quickest way to fix it is to drop the mag and put a new one in. That requires at least a second reload filled with defensive ammo.

If you don't care as much about hiding the gun, an AR or AK would be a good option as well. In regards to the AK, try to find one with a fixed stock. Some of the folding stocks (the AK 100 series excepted) can be pretty uncomfortable when shooting. My personal favorite AK is an Arsenal SLR 107, but that is over $1,000 for just the gun, which probably isn't the way you want to go (might be a good gun to upgrade to when you decide you want another though). When looking at budget AKs, make sure you know what to look for with canted sights and gas blocks, etc. If you avoid those issues you can typically get a good/reliable/accurate gun at a good price point.

I don't want to compromise my budget on training.

I think your thought process is mistaken here. Training has been the best money I've spent on firearms in a long time. After you get your gun, save up a bit more and choose a school that teaches you to actually fight with a gun, not just a state sponsored CCW or NRA basic class, and you will be well ahead of a lot of people. There's much more to self defense shooting than standing in one place and putting rounds into a bullseye.

 

[Jim Watson]

A pump shotgun is a powerful weapon. Cheap, too.
BUT it is a hard kicker, not much fun to shoot the amount it takes to become proficient.

A pistol is handy but takes even more practice. At least shooting it can be fun. Are you hiding it out where prohibited?

An AK is worrisome on over penetration and bulky for indoor maneuvering.

While my first grab is a pistol, with a shotgun available, I have a different idea; a carbine of some sort. A really stripped down 16" AR, the Beretta 9mm carbine, an M1 carbine, or even a "Manhattan Carbine," a .357 lever action.

 

[USAF_Vet]

An AK-47 for HD makes me hope I never live within three houses of you!!!

WAY too much over-penetration through thin house walls, even after going through a BG.

Get a shotgun, and learn how to use it in your sleep with the other $600 you saved, you can spend on practice ammo.

rc

If you're using FMJ for self/ home defense in virtually any caliber, over penetration is a concern. I'd hope he's going to consider soft points or hollow points for HD from an AK. Still going to be a slight over penetration concern, but no more so than 00 buck or 9mm.

For an AK (or any other 7.62x39 chambered rifle) I'd recommend soft point ammo only because some rifles have issues feeding some brands of hollow points.

It should go without saying, OP, to test your rifles function with the ammo you plan to use. Testing with various media like sheet rock, plywood, etc. to verify or eliminate over penetration concerns, and act accordingly.

 

[The Exile]

A pump shotgun is a powerful weapon. Cheap, too.
BUT it is a hard kicker, not much fun to shoot the amount it takes to become proficient.

A pistol is handy but takes even more practice. At least shooting it can be fun. Are you hiding it out where prohibited?

An AK is worrisome on over penetration and bulky for indoor maneuvering.

While my first grab is a pistol, with a shotgun available, I have a different idea; a carbine of some sort. A really stripped down 16" AR, the Beretta 9mm carbine, an M1 carbine, or even a "Manhattan Carbine," a .357 lever action.

One of the reason I picked the 92FS as a potential candidate is the CX4 Storm. I should mention that this budget and philosophy-of-use (as Nutnfancy puts it) isn't the end of my collection.

 

[armedaccountant]

Sorry if I missed it but have you shot before? How much will you shoot what you buy? As someone said HD shotguns kick, pistols are not easy, AKs have their own issues. They are all valid choices, just wondering if maybe you have a background shooting pistol/rifle/shotgun. If so go with what you know.

 

[Deus Machina]

If it's just for indoor defense, grab a Mossberg 500 (or the Maverick 88 for even less) or an 870, some slugs for practice, a few boxes of 'reduced recoil' 00 buck for inside, and treat yourself to a new computer or a month of rent or tuition on the side.

Like handguns more? I'd suggest the Glock over the 92, mostly because mags are cheaper and more plentiful (in my area, at least) and the 92's grips feel huge for what it is, in my hands. Ammunitiontogo.com or georgia-arms.com are my usual sources and are good for Gold Dot rounds in various loads, though when I can find it, I consider Federal's HST loads the best you can get. Then buy twice as much cheap FMJ to practice with as you would rounds for the shotgun, because I've always found shotguns to point more instinctively than handguns.

A good AK is a great thing, but if it's just HD you're looking at and not the ability for some minor hunting or range fun, the shotgun is a cheaper and more consistent choice, and the handgun may be more versatile and handier under the circumstance.
If you intend to expand your collection, grab an AK now and kill two birds with one stone.

 

[The Exile]

Sorry if I missed it but have you shot before? How much will you shoot what you buy? As someone said HD shotguns kick, pistols are not easy, AKs have their own issues. They are all valid choices, just wondering if maybe you have a background shooting pistol/rifle/shotgun. If so go with what you know.

I took a rifle class with a few years ago with the boy scouts in which I used a bolt action 22lr. A couple of years ago I took another range day as part of a hunter safety class (for a trip that never ended up happening), the instructor took one look at my target after a few shots from a mark III and said "Good". It had a few markers around the edges that told you if you were doing something bad (IE flinching, over compensating, etc) and it didn't appear I strayed too far into anything.

Once I actually get my gun range time will probably be decided by my uncle who bought a house gun about 2 years ago and would be the only person I know headed that way anyway. So there really isn't any telling, though I'd be willing to make the most of it.

Still less than 4 hours combined experience probably dosen't lend me towards any particular field.

 

[vaupet]

I own about 30 guns, of all types, and they are living together in a nice gunroom in my basement, except for one lonely USP 9 mm who lives in my bedroom, happily together with 3 topped of magazines.

I don't want to be walking around in my house at night with a long gun and I don't want to be firing a 12gauge indoors in the dark.

I definitely want something i can operate with one hand

just my view

 

[BigBL87]

On a poor college budget and trying to squeeze every dollar out for home defense, I'd favor the Mossberg 500/Maverick 88. That was my first gun and I still am the most comfortable with it out of the 4 I own.

I understand favoring a handgun for home defense, and I sleep with a 9mm in the dresser next to me because it is easier to access than a shotgun. That being said, unless you have training and/or kids that you would need to get to in a home invasion scenario, moving around the house clearing rooms shouldn't be your priority and the mobility difference between a shotgun and a handgun is not as big of a deal if that is the case. An AR isn't a bad option either, and I own one, but on a budget it wouldn't be my first choice although you could easily get one and your required accessories within your stated budget.

For handguns, a CZ75 or one of the many clones would be a good option as well. I own a B6P, which is a CZ75 clone made by SAR. If you want a weaponlight mounted, the Tanfoglio Witness (another CZ75 clone virtually identical to the B6P) has an accessory rail to mount a laser or light and you can find them in the $270 range or so. If you can afford a more expensive handgun by all means go that route, just suggesting it since you are on a budget.

 

[RustyShackelford]

shotguns vs handguns .....

There are significant differences between a home defense shotgun & a semi auto pistol.
Price or budget guns are out there for both types. You can find LE trade in models or used firearms in decent shape.
As for a good 9mm or 9x19mm, Id look at these brands: SIG Sauer P320, Ruger SR9 or SR9 E series, S&W SD9VE, Glock 17/19 gen 04, FN America FNS, Walther PPQm2, Beretta PX4 Storm C(constant action/DA only).

For a home protection 9mm, Id buy a DA only version. You can avoid bogus claims of reckless use or cocking a hammer in a lethal force incident. Many security firms & sworn law enforcement agencies use DA only 9mm sidearms because they are safe & lower the risks of ADs or accidents.
I would consider well made after market night sights like the new TruGlo TFX or Trijicon HD sights. Many shooters and hunters say green is the brightest & best night sight color to use. I like to use orange-green sights for carry/defense.

As for 9x19mm defense ammunition, you now have several great choices. Some brands are hard to locate but you can train with a few boxes then use a 50rd box or 2. Look at: Winchester PDX1 +P 124gr, Winchester Defender, Corbon DPX, Speer Gold Dot G2 147gr or 124gr +P HP, Winchester Ranger T/T Series 127gr +P+ JHP or +P JHP 124gr, Federal HST 124gr +P, Critical Duty 135gr +P.
Some cops & 9mm shooters prefer the 147gr bullets over 124gr or 115gr but I like the 124gr weight(with a + choice of Hornady's Critical Duty series).
I would add that for 9x19mm defense ammunition, do not use reloaded or hand-loaded rounds. Only use factory made high quality 9mm. Some shooters or CCW holders think they know what's best or can hand load better than the established well known companies like Speer or CorBon .
Finally, If you plan to buy a new defense firearm or plan to get protection/home security ammunition, Id learn the local use of force/gun laws & look into a legal defense plan/law firm before you have a lethal force event. Good plans with decent rates include NRA's Second Call & www.CCWsafe.com . CCWsafe.com offers a lot & rates start at $99.00 per year.

Rusty S

 

[Odd Job]

If you get the pump action you will have to practice with it a lot, under circumstances where your adrenaline levels are raised. I fired a bunch of 12g pumps in range conditions and everything was fine and dandy. No problems at all.
However when the stakes were raised in a two day tactical shotgun course I did in South Africa, I found that I short cycled it under pressure.
For that reason I recommend your first HD gun is semi-auto.

If that was me I would get an FN SLP 12 gauge or similar, and spend the rest of the money on a rugged reflex dot sight and training courses.

 

[bannockburn]

1) Pump action shotgun: Remington 870 or Mossberg 500.
2) 9mm. semi-auto pistol: Glock 17, S&W M&P, Ruger SR9, SIG P320, Beretta PX4 Storm.
3) 9mm. semi-auto carbine: Beretta CX4 Storm.

 

[HexHead]

Just get the Glock. And some training.

 

[ku4hx]

Shoot many; buy one.

Find a range that rents, or maybe a club or friends that will let you try theirs and experience first hand what works and what doesn't. Or most than likely, which ones have the fewest things you don't like.