Brian Dale
Member
That's a terrific first post, Anna! 
Welcome to The High Road. Some Members have met range buddies here at THR.
Welcome to The High Road. Some Members have met range buddies here at THR.
Advice needed on proper gun to acquire....
- Thread starter arnett7117
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Hi, Anna, and welcome to THR! You may very well find some range buddies around here. We're a pretty big group.
Cathy, likewise...we have some members up in Michigan who you might "run into" here on THR that might be of help, hooking you up with classes and such.
Springmom
Cathy, likewise...we have some members up in Michigan who you might "run into" here on THR that might be of help, hooking you up with classes and such.
Springmom
Everything everyone else said PLUS. Be wary of trying to learn to shoot from someone that close to you. There are a bunch of reasons for it, but IMHO I suggest training from a certified instructor that isn't family.
And yes, I practice what I preach. I pay for my wife to get training from someone else, even though I am NRA certified.
And yes, I practice what I preach. I pay for my wife to get training from someone else, even though I am NRA certified.
Welcome! A good mossberg would be affordable and easy to learn how to use. I also have a 9mm beretta that i keep locked up under my bed! i would say go to a range and shoot some rentals and see what you like, brownings and remingtons are also great shotguns, a bit easier to operate phsyically than mossbergs too. again, welcome!
M203Sniper
member
and please vote
Hi arnett7117 ~
Welcome to THR. Good place, friendly folks. You've gotten some good advice above.
One thing I would add to all of that is that -- because of the domestic violence in your past -- you may also want to check out www.aware.org. That is a great organization of women who have been there, done that, and are determined never to be there again. Lots of good reading material on the site, and good people to give you a clearsighted look at your options when you need it.
Stay safe.
pax
Welcome to THR. Good place, friendly folks. You've gotten some good advice above.
One thing I would add to all of that is that -- because of the domestic violence in your past -- you may also want to check out www.aware.org. That is a great organization of women who have been there, done that, and are determined never to be there again. Lots of good reading material on the site, and good people to give you a clearsighted look at your options when you need it.
Stay safe.
pax
12 guage that holds 8 rounds best home defense. Kids not so good. Kids love 12 gauges.
Handgun, a 9mm that magazines 12 plus rounds, and a gun safe....perfect.
Concealled carry, shop for what fits. And comfortability.
Good luck and be safe. Learn how to be safe!
Have fun too.
Handgun, a 9mm that magazines 12 plus rounds, and a gun safe....perfect.
Concealled carry, shop for what fits. And comfortability.
Good luck and be safe. Learn how to be safe!
Have fun too.
poor_richard
Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2006
- Messages
- 466
Cathy,
I live in the Grand Rapids area. Don't know your location, but if it's close to me I can recommend a good instructor. PM me if you need to.
I live in the Grand Rapids area. Don't know your location, but if it's close to me I can recommend a good instructor. PM me if you need to.
scythefwd
Member
First, shoot a few different things. By that, I mean revolvers, semi autos, shotguns, rifles, anything you can get your hands on. Each person handles recoil differently. Personally, I say a small to medium caliber like the .38 or .9 mm are sufficient for handguns. A .357 will fire the .38 rounds and kick less. I have known girls that were 115 lbs that like shooting huge guns, like .357 mags, .44 mags, etc... but me at 195 lbs doesn't like to shoot anything bigger than my .38 sp.
Second, find a gun that you are accurate with. You have to be deadly with it, not just I can hit paper at 5 yards, but I can take the hair off of a fly's butt at 5 yards. If you need the firearm for self defense, you will need to put a lot of lead down range to prepare for it. You can't just buy a gun that is comfortable and never practice with it. Get to know the gun and how it shoots, what brand/load it likes etc.
Third comment is be ready to accept that using your firearm in self defense means killing someone. Self defense with a firearm is not about disabling. Many of us on this board that have self defense arms have made a concious choice that we can and will take whatever steps needed. Not everyone can do that.
If you are ever in VA, give me a PM and I will introduce you to atleast the .32 H&R magnum, .38 SP, and 9mm. I can also introduce to you a 12 GA shotgun if you want, but I don't travel with my arms so you have to come here to play When you get your firearm, keep it locked so that your children can't get to it but you can. When they are mature enough (your call at what age, which is why I didn't say older), teach your children how to handle the gun properly and safely. A proper education can save lives, a lesson I learned the hard way. My aquaintance from school was shot 1 time with an "unloaded" .22 . If he had been following the rules for safe handling, he'd still be around and pissing me off.
Second, find a gun that you are accurate with. You have to be deadly with it, not just I can hit paper at 5 yards, but I can take the hair off of a fly's butt at 5 yards. If you need the firearm for self defense, you will need to put a lot of lead down range to prepare for it. You can't just buy a gun that is comfortable and never practice with it. Get to know the gun and how it shoots, what brand/load it likes etc.
Third comment is be ready to accept that using your firearm in self defense means killing someone. Self defense with a firearm is not about disabling. Many of us on this board that have self defense arms have made a concious choice that we can and will take whatever steps needed. Not everyone can do that.
If you are ever in VA, give me a PM and I will introduce you to atleast the .32 H&R magnum, .38 SP, and 9mm. I can also introduce to you a 12 GA shotgun if you want, but I don't travel with my arms so you have to come here to play
When you get your firearm, keep it locked so that your children can't get to it but you can. When they are mature enough (your call at what age, which is why I didn't say older), teach your children how to handle the gun properly and safely. A proper education can save lives, a lesson I learned the hard way. My aquaintance from school was shot 1 time with an "unloaded" .22 . If he had been following the rules for safe handling, he'd still be around and pissing me off.neviander
Member
Looks like everybody covered everything really well for you. I would also recommend a shotgun for home defense. Welcome to THR Michigander
Depends on what you're using it for and how much money you want to spend. If you want something to carry around open or concealed, the pistol is a no brainer. It can also double as your main protection in the house, especially if you can't afford anything else. If you can olny afford one firearm and are not interested in a carry gun, I recommend a 12 or 20 guage shotgun, which ever you can comfortable shoot and control. I'm lucky enough I have a shotgun under the bed and pistol under the pistol that goes on my hip when I'm not sleeping. Good luck and soak up as much knowledge from your brother and anyone else that you can. SHoot different guns and find what works best for you (again the biggest gun you can comfortably shoot) and buy it.
Also I highly recommend you have your kids watch the Eddie Eagle video (my 4 yr old loves it)....here's a link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIEBrb_wRYc
BTW welcome to the forum.
Also I highly recommend you have your kids watch the Eddie Eagle video (my 4 yr old loves it)....here's a link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIEBrb_wRYc
BTW welcome to the forum.
You may want to PM the member sm. He does this kind of thing a lot (both helping others with guns, and helping abused and battered women), and could possibly give you some pertinent advice about making a better legal trail with your abusive ex-husband and that sort of thing.
mgkdrgn
Member
Choices
Cathy,
First and foremost, with what ever you decide to buy, get yourself some professional training. Someone with "extensive knowledge of guns" is a good thing, but someone with "extensive knowledge of how to train for defensive uses of guns" is a whole nuther kettle of fish.
If you are anywhere near to, or can get yourself to Nevada for a few days, go to Front Sight. You'll thank me later.
YOU MUST MUST MUST train your children as well. They MUST learn to respect guns, not to fear them. They must also be so familiar with them so as to remove the "temptation of the unknown" so that they do not go looking for them. If you have a gun (or guns) in your house, your children -will- find them (unless you have them bricked up inside a wall, but then they won't do you any good).
Choice of weapons ... strictly home defense ... short as legally possible shotgun with 000 buckshot is the hands down winner. A Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 pump in 20 gauge would do just fine, and can be had used for $300 or less. (Why 20 instead of 12? Lighter, easier to maneuver, and 12 is just way overkill for indoors, IMHO)
Shotgun to big, to heavy? Lets go with the same theme (we want to throw a pattern of lead out there, not just one projectile ... lets turn those near misses into hits, shall we?) then, and try a Taurus Judge. It's a 5 shot revolver that can fire either .410 shotgun shells or 45 Colt (the old cowboy bullet). Winchester makes a dandy 3 pellet 000 buckshot load that works just fine. From across the room, or down a hallway, you'll put those three pellets in a man size pattern. You -can- miss with this gun too ... but with three pellets in a wide pattern, you have a much better chance than with a single bullet.
Need to carry on your person? Well, then the two choices above might not work so well for that. (Well, the Judge .... I have an ultralite with a 4 inch barrel, and it's lighter than my "baby glock". In a large purse with the 3" barrel it might just work out ... in the car is no problemo...) Now you have a dizzying array of choices ... all of which will come down to what YOU are comfortable with, what YOU can fire accurately, and what YOU can afford to take to the range often enough to stay proficient.
Cathy,
First and foremost, with what ever you decide to buy, get yourself some professional training. Someone with "extensive knowledge of guns" is a good thing, but someone with "extensive knowledge of how to train for defensive uses of guns" is a whole nuther kettle of fish.
If you are anywhere near to, or can get yourself to Nevada for a few days, go to Front Sight. You'll thank me later.
YOU MUST MUST MUST train your children as well. They MUST learn to respect guns, not to fear them. They must also be so familiar with them so as to remove the "temptation of the unknown" so that they do not go looking for them. If you have a gun (or guns) in your house, your children -will- find them (unless you have them bricked up inside a wall, but then they won't do you any good).
Choice of weapons ... strictly home defense ... short as legally possible shotgun with 000 buckshot is the hands down winner. A Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 pump in 20 gauge would do just fine, and can be had used for $300 or less. (Why 20 instead of 12? Lighter, easier to maneuver, and 12 is just way overkill for indoors, IMHO)
Shotgun to big, to heavy? Lets go with the same theme (we want to throw a pattern of lead out there, not just one projectile ... lets turn those near misses into hits, shall we?) then, and try a Taurus Judge. It's a 5 shot revolver that can fire either .410 shotgun shells or 45 Colt (the old cowboy bullet). Winchester makes a dandy 3 pellet 000 buckshot load that works just fine. From across the room, or down a hallway, you'll put those three pellets in a man size pattern. You -can- miss with this gun too ... but with three pellets in a wide pattern, you have a much better chance than with a single bullet.
Need to carry on your person? Well, then the two choices above might not work so well for that. (Well, the Judge .... I have an ultralite with a 4 inch barrel, and it's lighter than my "baby glock". In a large purse with the 3" barrel it might just work out ... in the car is no problemo...) Now you have a dizzying array of choices ... all of which will come down to what YOU are comfortable with, what YOU can fire accurately, and what YOU can afford to take to the range often enough to stay proficient.
TCB in TN
Member
I have always said that the weapon chosen is less important than the willingness to learn how to use it and the will to actually use it under the proper circumstances. Find a gun that you are comfortable with and spend and lots of time learning to use it well.
This can't be stressed enough.
We have kids and a houseful of guns, and never an incident. We take the kids shooting, let them shoot all they want, drill them endlessly about safety till they can say it in their sleep. Been at them from an early age. Don't let them find out about guns for themselves - that's how bad things happen.
Every year we have a big dove hunt, large group of people, lots of kids around, very little actual hunting - but one of the things we always do is let the kids shoot - whatever kind of guns they've been wanting to shoot all year, they bring to the camp and we shoot clays or go to the camp range for rifles/handguns and they shoot as much as they want - under strict supervision. My son and his best friend have been doing this since age < 5, and now they are teenagers, and they help police the younger ones. Repitition works.
Good advice from everyone.
FWIW, my wife likes the .38 Special revolver the best. It is a Smith & Wesson, Model 10. New they are about $550 to $600. MANY used Model 10's are out there and they are very reasonably priced.
The Model 10 is a medium powered revolver that is very easy to shoot for a woman IMHO. (In a semi-auto pistol, the 9mm is comparable in power and easy for a woman to shoot IMHO.)
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...selected=tech&isFirearm=Y&parent_category_rn=
In Michigan, for a handgun, you have to get a "permit to purchase a pistol" from your local police department. It's good for 10 days.
And, like everyone says, there ain't nothing wrong with a shotgun.
Good luck!!
FWIW, my wife likes the .38 Special revolver the best. It is a Smith & Wesson, Model 10. New they are about $550 to $600. MANY used Model 10's are out there and they are very reasonably priced.
The Model 10 is a medium powered revolver that is very easy to shoot for a woman IMHO. (In a semi-auto pistol, the 9mm is comparable in power and easy for a woman to shoot IMHO.)
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...selected=tech&isFirearm=Y&parent_category_rn=
In Michigan, for a handgun, you have to get a "permit to purchase a pistol" from your local police department. It's good for 10 days.
And, like everyone says, there ain't nothing wrong with a shotgun.
Good luck!!
doc2rn
Member
Welcome to THR and the advice offerred has all been good. If you are looking for a good used weapon, I would recommend looking in our sales section. People who like and take care of their weapons usually pass on a better maintained item than one found used at a pawn shop or the like.
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