New Member? Introduce yourself here (just intros, questions get answered elsewhere)

[laurakat2]

Hi all,

I am female, college student who is new to guns in general. I just fired my first shots this past weekend.

Just looking for good advice on guns for self defense and concealed carry. I am planning on applying for my permit when I turn 21 (only 5 months!).

Any advice and personal experiences are appreciated!

Laura

[smullen]

Originally Posted by larakat2

I am female, college student who is new to guns in general. I just fired my first shots this past weekend.

Just looking for good advice on guns for self defense and concealed carry.

Welcome to the site its nice to see a few women who enjoy the sport...

I took my wife and daughter to the range this weekend and they both loved shooting my Ruger 10/22... Now the wife wants me to build her a 10/22 of her own...

As far as recommendations on a self defense piece, I would recommend checking out some of the local gun ranges, see if there is an indoor pistol range that rents pistols to shoot there... Go in try out 3-4 or 10 different brands and sizes... See which ones you feel the best most comfortable holding and operating... Then shoot a few boxes of ammo though each to narrow down your selection...

Once you have picked out something, practice loading and unloading it, take it apart and put it together; know the gun... If you ever need it, things will come out better if you are comfortable with it and know how to use it...

Get as much range time in as you can on a regular basis and get accurate..

I shoot as often as I can... Some days are better than others... I can tell I'm getting better and I can tell when I've not been shooting for awhile...

Again, welcome to the site... Read allot here and you'll learn allot... Oh and don't forget to post and let us know about your shooting adventures...

[4RAR]

Hi, read forum long time. In my 20s, veteran, recently unemployed. Not a "gun guy", live in a bad area and own a couple cos its the right thing to do.

I enjoy the forum, cheers

[paulcap]

I have just received as a gift a s& w revolver 32 long ctg serial #571---. I am a collector of colt 1911 and am unfamiliar with this S&M can someone tell me about what I have

[JokersWild]

I like long walks on the beach at sunset and holding hands.

Maybe I'm starting this out wrong. I have always been a joker at heart, the veritable class clown. Because I laugh at something doesn't mean I'm not serious about it. I come from a small rural town originally and moved to the metroplex I currently live in some 7 years ago. I'll be married for 3 years on 05/05 and we haven't killed each other yet so I think that's a plus.

As a teen I was an avid reader of American Survivalist and now that I'm in my 30's and a bit wiser than I was then (maybe not by much but give me a little credit) I'm back into the groove especially now that I'm in a metro and I'm looking at my exit strategy should we have to leave. My cousin and my best friend back home are the ones that actually got me started back down this road.

Recently purchased my first firearm, Mossberg Maverick 88 12GA shotgun, for home defense (see my very first post). Joined the NRA and I plan to have my CHL before the month of May is over.

I'm interested in self defense, self reliance, strategy, tactics, basic to advanced gun knowledge, survival and a plethora of other things involving the above.

The last handgun I shot, probably over 20 something years ago, was my father's Ruger 357. Last night I took a basic handgun course and shot 5 each of .22's, 38 revolvers and 9mm autos. Needless to say I've now got the itch.

I've been impressed with the civlility and knowledge that I've read in the THR forums and hope that some day someone will be able to say the same about me.

[mike7465]

Hello,
Just bought my first pistol. A Beretta PX4 and I am very happy with it. I have been spending too much time at the range, and too much $ on ammo.
Just a Joy....

[stellarpod]

paulcap writes:

I have just received as a gift a s& w revolver 32 long ctg serial #571---. I am a collector of colt 1911 and am unfamiliar with this S&M can someone tell me about what I have

Welcome to THR. If you will post this question in the *Revolver* section I'm sure someone will be able to help you.

stellarpod

[MadBadger]

Howdy. I'm Matt, from St. Louis. Into defensive pistols and rifles of all sorts. Great site!

[AWfisherman]

Quick Question: I understand there may be special laws and regulations to carry a registered, legally owned non-restricted firearm in the Skeena river area of British Columbia. Does any one know what,if any these special laws and regulations may be?

[jagugator]

Hello all,

I just wanted to say Hello! I am a 22 year (and still going) Lieutenant in the US Navy. I am a reloader and primarily a handgun shooter although I just got a Lee classic handloader for my 30.06 so I will be playing with that for a while. I have a bunch of weapons so if your truly interested just ask.

Take Care,
Ed

[RJ_Cruze_Jr]

Hi! I'm Bob, and I'm from Northern Minnesota. I've been shooting all my life (shot my first gun when I was 4), and I've never lost my love of guns and shooting. Also, I consider it of utmost importance to protect our 2nd Amendment rights, and distrust any public figure that threatens that right (whenever they say, "I'm totally in favor of protecting the rights of gun owners, but..." alarm bells start going off).

I've read mention of this place from other forums, decided to take a look, and I liked what I saw. So, I decided to join.

[dzhitshard]

I'm DZ.
Mainly military oriented. I'm only an active poster on one other board but a reader of several.
I was led here in effort to hunt an alleged con artist from the board I am most active on after he collected the money for a group buy he has not completed & hasn't responded to anyone for 6 months. I have been informed that he has recently posted a couple attempts on your board now for the same items.

I'm not into novelty guns or mall ninja tricks.
I've fought with some good men & have trained with & under the best.
It's always nice to see what's out there & weigh the checks & balances against what you have in your tool box.

[Patriot Games]

Hi - I've owned shotguns and a rim fire rifle for years, but just got into bullseye shooting with handguns. My aim is to become proficient enough in slowfire stuff (i.e. learn to shoot and hit things consistently) before moving on to practical shooting and maybe some defensive handgun training. I own a 1911 government .45 and a Sig p239 in a .40 S&W. Love them both. I'm looking forward to swapping stories and information.

[Mick-Boy]

Howdy. I live in Colorado and work a lot overseas. I found this board through another that I post on. I'm interested in self defence and shooting for fun and competition. Always willing to learn.

[benson2255]

I've been lurking around this site for a while now and decided to join, I am also a member to snipercentral. My interests are with all guns, sport shooting, hunting and come here soon some competition. Guns I own are couple .22's, beretta and benelli shotguns, hunting rifles, and the worlds sweetest Ruger (m77-.308) and glock 17&26. I want to get into IDPA or so shooting this year.

Chris

[bugsy]

I'm 21 years old, and currently taking a semester off from college to train as an F-15 crew chief in the Air National Guard.

I have just bought my fourth gun. Here's what I have:

Mossberg 590SP
-speedfeed stock, heat shield, tacstar 6-rd saddle, Ontario M9 Bayonet

Bushmaster Post-Ban M4A3
-NcStar D4B reflex sight, Quad rail foregrip, laser, flashlight

WASR-10 AK-47
-Tasco Red Dot, Fibreforce poly dragunov stock and grip

Romanian AK-47 Bullpup
-...really cool!

I need to start getting on with my pistol permit. The gun store I frequent loves my "in case the zombies come" attitude.

[Infidel Cowboy]

Hello,

As much as I love the 2nd, I'd have been happy if The BOR had ended after, "Congress shall make no law." I'm about as new as a guy can get to firearms, and after snooping for a while, decided that I could use all the help I can get. You guys (and gals) have already helped me greatly. I hope that tradition continues.

IC

[concealedcarry]

Hi folks.. Nice Site

I'm from Northern AZ. 30 Yrs LE. Getting ready to retire and cause trouble. I've been a LE & a civilian concealed firearms instructor for many years and I really enjoy teaching.

I don't hunt as much as I did year ago but live in some of the best hunting in the US.

Looking forward to visiting with you all.

Be Safe

[ElitePRG]

Just wanted to say hello, and I am looking forward to reading and posting here.

[rogerxd45]

well i was recently banned from xdtalk when a friend of mine used my computer and created his own account on xdtalk. well aparently having two names under the same IP address was against the rules. well after reading the rules a few times and it was no where to be found where it says it was against the rules. well i tried talking to the forum mods and i got no reply to emails. well i have done some reading over here and really liked the people here
so here i am!

[Kind of Blued]

WE HATE XDs HERE!!! GO AWAY!!!

*gnashing of teeth*

Just kidding. Welcome sir. You should be receiving your free gift tote in the mail shortly.

[rogerxd45]

for a second there i thought i might have accidently be on glocktalk
lol jk
they are pretty good about admiting the xd is a good gun but only a couple like xds more then glocks (well duh or else they would be on xdtalk)
well i like glocks, they are great guns but the xd looks better and fits my hand much better

[docmagnum357]

Hello all,
I just joined the High Road. I keep finding things I enjoy reading on this forum when I Google gun topics. I thought I might as well put in my two cents worth. I am a North Carolina concealed carry instructor. I hunt almost exclusively with a handgun, and I carry 24/7. I have a lot to say about stopping power(I have seen what works, and what doesn't on deer, hogs, varmints, small game, etc.) and concealed carry. I try to stay up to date on concealed carry issues, holsters (which are a lot more important than the size of your handgun ), and things people do wrong with their individual practice/training. I am a life member of the N.R.A., althogh this is by default. I think the money they spend on lobbying would be better spent on building shooting ranges, and encouraging people to shoot and hunt. Do you really think any public official would get elected if they wanted to take cars away? The best security for the second ammendment, and all the others, too is participation. Write letters to the editor, post on forums such as this, and go to church somewhere. That will secure the first amendment. Shoot, hunt, and carry a gun. That insures the second. Redress the government in a firm, but polite tone. Assemble together for protest, prayer, parades, or whatever, as long as you are peaceable. The best way to protect any of aur rights is to exercise them.

[dr.acp]

Hello 'yawl from Arkansas!

I used to shoot a lot when I was living on a farm growing up in Northeast Missouri.

After I left home for college, I lost interest. I had to qualify with a pistol when I went through AOCS with the Navy, but I was beginning to believe the public health crap about a gun in the home being more likely to be used against you than in protecting you.

After the Navy, I went to medical school and became a psychiatrist. When a patient threatened to kill me (I used to receive about 30 emails a day from him. This went on for months) and I found out that, as much as everyone sympathized with me, no one could actually do a damned thing about it!

Not the county prosecutor, not the police, the sheriff's department, a couple of federal police forces (since I'm a federal employee), NO ONE.

Except ME!

When I realized that the official 'serve and protect' types had no legal duty to protect me, and that their only duty was to come and draw a chalk circle around the dead bodies of me and my family and go, "Tsk, tsk. He sure was a nice fella! What a shame!", and fill out the paperwork, My wife and I decided to get our concealed carry permits.

Well, I needed a gun too. My father had several nice ones, a Browning High-Power in 9mm, a Remington 870 Police Riot 12 gauge shotgun (which both seemed to disapeer when he passed away). I inherited a little Beretta 950 JetFire, made in Italy and chambered for .25 ACP.

After much research, I realized that if this coked-up patient ever came after me, a .25 ACP wasn't going to do much more than piss him off even more.

So, to make a long story short I bought a Colt's 1991A1 Commander NRM in stainless steel. After being obsessive in making the decision I decided 1) if I were going to buy a .45 ACP it was going to be a stock Colt and 2) all of this replacing and tweaking, while justified in some instances, was mostly driven by market forces (hey, I'm an audiophile too, talk about market forces and obsessions driving people to mortgage the house!).

I bought my Colt from SpecializedArmaments.com who had the best price and had them in stock. They also sent it within the day I ordered it 2-day air! Say "Hi!" to Tina if you decide to check them out. I had a problem with one of the magazines being a little tight and sent it back for replacement, she turned it around right away. Good company! No I have no financial interest in the company. They're in Mesa, Arizona.

I've learned how to strip it down to the last pin and spring. I found a few burrs and have smoothed down any sharp edges (dehorned) it. There was a small burr on the top edge of the hole in which the disconnect rides. I figured out if the burr got stuck and held the disconnect down the pistol wouldn't fire, but this was easily fixed.

The rangemaster told me I'd bought a fine gun, but recommended I let the gunsmith do a "trigger job" on it. Honestly, I've learned so much about the piece on my own that I can understand that someone not so technically inclined should let a 'smith look over any new gun for reliability issues. But as for the trigger, the stock one has a little uptake, some movement up and down if you wiggle it, but once my trigger finger is on it, it breaks like glass and there is no overtravel.

So, all in all the only mod I've decided on is a Cylinder and Slide extended, wide thumb safety. Everything else, the sights, the feel of the trigger, the reliability (100% after 500 rounds of 230 grain fmj) of the stock O4091U is excellent! I'm going to save up for another for my wife.

I may change the grips someday. The stock rubber grips look O.K., probably good if your hands are wet, but the do tend to increase the friction on the draw if under clothing (looking at Micarta grips).

Well, next is a 12 gauge riot gun then an assault rifle, several thousand rounds of ammo, some courses at The Chapman Academy, and I'll be done. I promised my wife!

[grytter]

I shoot as a hobby a bout once every two weeks or more if time permits. The guns I shoot are as follows: Kimber Tactical Custom II .45 , Polymer Baby Eagle 9mm, Ruger Mark III .22, and a CZ 75-P01 9mm.