Firearm Question from a student in a Rough Area

[DetroitStudent]

Hello !

I have been looking at this forum for quite some time, but haven't decided to post until now. I am a graduate student in Detroit, Michigan. I live downtown, and at first things seemed pretty quiet ( I have only lived here for about a month). The constant car alarms/etc. never seemed to bother me. Then I began talking to other students who lived in my same area. One female has been assaulted (given a concussion) by a druggie who didn't even want her purse. Another has been beaten up for his car keys, etc.

Yet what made me post on this forum was something far more personal- when my family came to visit and dropped me off at my apartment, a homeless person (cracked out on something) started running toward me. I barely got into my apartment door before this guy could follow me into my building. These incidents in Detroit are getting more and more commonplace, and the girl assaulted mentioned above didn't get a patrol car from the police to pick her up until 2 hours after the incident !

Just about me- I am not a violent person, but I am tired of hoping I am not a victim. I am a 22 year old male, and would only use a firearm for my own immediate personal protection. I do not walk the streets of detroit at night, and live a very quiet life otherwise (I do not look for fights, I am studying as graduate school is very intense)

I tend to fire automatics better than I do revolvers, and I prefer an automatic in 45 caliber. Please recommend to me the best 45 Auto, regardless of price, as I consider my personal defense weapon to be an investment. Reliability, of course, is number one.

In addition another question- Should ammo be removed from clips after carrying for a day or 2, as the spring may go bad? I have heard different things- thank you for your input.

-Detroit Student

 

[DetroitStudent]

BTW the 45 must be DA/SA (although I like the look of the 1911, I don't wish to carry cocked and locked)

 

[carterbeauford]

Welcome to the site!

There really is no objective best, you can get a reliable .45ACP pistol for $300 to $3,000. How much do you want to spend? Single stack or double stack magazine?

Magazine springs wearing out is a myth.

Do you have a CCW permit? I am assuming you want to carry concealed.

 

[Jim Watson]

Sig-Sauer P220.
Use the standard 7-shot magazines and never worry about spring "fatigue."

The H&K USP .45 is a sound serviceable pistol with larger magazine capacity but it is just too big for MY hand.

FN is coming out with a high capacity .45 but that will be a while getting to the retail level and building up the level of confidence that the others have.

 

[TFin04]

BTW the 45 must be DA/SA (although I like the look of the 1911, I don't wish to carry cocked and locked)

Does it HAVE to be DA/SA? And does it HAVE to be a .45?

Only reason I ask is because .45 is going to be very expensive to practice with and you should definitely practice with whatever you carry. That, and with a good load you can get very close to the same results from a 9mm or .40, both of which are about half the price to shoot. I don't want to get into the caliber debates as those are way overdone. Point is that a 9mm+P load is pretty much agreed to do the job when need be.

I would say get a Glock of your size/caliber preference. Personally, I like the 19 in 9mm or the 23 in .40 (same gun, just the .40 cal version). They are cheap, accurate and reliable as hell. A Glock will go bang should you ever need them to.

I live in Michigan as well, though I'm fortunate enough to not live in Detroit. Be careful around there, it really IS as bad as the media makes it.

There is a range in Westland off of Hix road, just north of Ford rd that has an excellent seletion and great staff and service, as well as a great indoor range. Check them out, best store in the area I've found. They offer CCW classes with qualified instructors quite often. www.firinglineguns.com

Their staff does not work on commission and most are current or retired law enforcement. They really do have your best interest in mind in recommending a firearm for you. Really great group of people there.

Just my views on it. When you pick up a pistol send me a PM, we'll go shooting sometime. Good luck out there in the D.

 

[rangerruck]

for a da/sa i would recommend cz, if you can stand it, go with a springfield xd, holds 14 rounds, and is a very safe gun.

 

[B yond]

Check out the Ruger P345. They are SA/DA and come with a decocker or decocker/safety, so you don't have to carry C&L. There's also models with picatinny rails for lights/lasers.

 

[statelineblues]

If you like the "look" of the 1911, but aren't comfortable carrying in Condition One, then (IMO) go for the Para-Ordnance LDA (Light Double Action) Tac-Four ten round pistol. It's an excellent handgun and very concealable.

BTW, have you taken any gun safety courses? Most firing ranges offer them, and I think you need one in order to go for a CCW in Mich.

 

[B yond]

....

 

[DetroitStudent]

Thanks!

Keep the responses coming! The gun I am looking for is primarily a coat gun- so size isn't really an issue. I have heard good things about H&K, as far as glock I am concerned about Kabooms. As far as magazing capacity, more is better I guess, but I am principally concerned with 100% reliability.

 

[Outlaws]

Second vote for Ruger. I haven't used a P345, but I have a P90 decocker and it is reliable as anything on the market. If you have the cash, the Sig 220 would also be good. But its twice the price.

I am about to get a CZ P-01 for my conceal carry though. Its less bulky, and I can get 14+1 rounds of 9mm in the thing as opposed to 8+1 in my P90. (here in AZ we don't wear many big jackets)

My best advise though is to go to 2 or 3 gun shops and handle EVERYTHING you can get your hands on. Ask lots of questions and don't buy anything right off the bat. Come home and research the ones you like to see what you find. After that go back and re-examine them to see if any of the Pros and Cons you found out about them stack up or are just rubbish.

 

[david_the_greek]

I'm a Detroit Student myself and fully hear every point you made. a big problem you might run into is Wayne's (undergrad atleast) firearm policy. Perhaps you're at U of D, I have no idea what they think about it. thats only a problem because thats probably where you are at the most. in a non 1911 .45 I'd probably lean towards the XD line. pretty good size considering what you are getting. Not that 14 rounds of .45 is really a typical round expenditure durring self defense. some people like it. My only decocker pistol is a cz 75 PCR. its a nine millimeter. It is one of the most comfortable guns I have held. It holds 14 rounds in the clip and has never jammed on me, even when putting houndreds of rounds through it at a time and the rounds being poorly stored in an enviroment ranging from humid and hot to freezing cold. The gun is darn close to perfect. those hollow points are impressive too. But if a .45 is a must for you then it is a must. good luck in the search

 

[Ala Dan]

Man-O-Man, I don't walk the streets of Bombingham (AL) at night; sure as
hell wouldn't walk the streets of Motown after dark thirty, without proper
protection in the form of a Springfield Armory XD- .45 ACP. Extra fully
loaded magazines would be a +~!

 

[javacodeman]

I have a .40 H&K USP Compact. It has a reliable decocker. I keep it in DA/SA mode in my handgun safe as I don't like the cocked and locked status either for "day to day take to my truck, bring back in" kind of handling. As previously mentioned, H&K make a .45, but you might consider going with the .40 for cost of rounds.

Good Luck in Detroit.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

BTW the 45 must be DA/SA (although I like the look of the 1911, I don't wish to carry cocked and locked)

Para-Ordnance LDA series pistols are 1911s with a double action trigger. They are available either single stack or double stack (high capacity). They are excellent pistols.

 

[yongxingfreesty]

how about a hk usp full size in 45?

 

[DetroitStudent]

l definitely thought about it- IS H&K as reliable as everyone says it is? Or is it just the German name?

Also, being a student, I wouldn't get time to practice much as the schedule doesn't allow it. Gun might be used once every 6 weeks or so(I would change magazines every few weeks) Would this be a problem? Must autos be cleaned meticulously.

Also, additional comments about magazines wearing out/not working after prolonged use are appreciated.

BTW just heard 2 gunshots from outside my window, but they seem pretty far away (seriously not joking).

 

[SniperStraz]

.45

The Taurus PT145 Millenium is a pretty good choice if you're looking for a relatively inexpensive weapon. The Para Ordonance P10.45 is great, but its also pretty heavy. Of course Glock makes .45s, but naturally there is no safety, so if you are unfamiliar with guns or if you live with other people you may want something with a safety catch. Now the, if you're looking for fire power in a small package deringer makes a 2 shot .357. Either way:banghead: for god's sake:banghead: if you want a gun thats great, but know how to use it. Even if it means taking a few classes or even just going to a range and talking to people.
all the best, and stay safe

 

[mljdeckard]

If I wanted one I didn't have to worry about cleaning all the time, I would get a Glock or a revolver.

I am a 1911 person, but in fairness to the spirit of your question, if money were no object, I would look at a USP as well. I've carried LOTS of different autos, and I have decided I will be buried with my Kimber.

I have mixed feelings about Rugers. I think their .22s are as good as it gets, but I have a friend with a Ruger p-89 dc, and the trigger is so creepy I want to yell at it. I have not tried their new .45. I am fortunate enough to live near www.impactguns.com, where I can test drive pretty much anything I want to before buying. Find a place where you can shoot anything you want to. You may find you like the Ruger or Glock better than the high-end H&ks or 1911s. BELIEVE YOUR GUT, NOT THE HYPE.

I would also recommend, find an instructor there in Detroit qualified to train you for a Utah permit. The process of getting a Utah permit is easier and cheaper than most other places, and it is honored in Michigan.

 

[Lonestar]

Hate to burst your bubble, but most Colleges and Universities frown on students carrying weapons on campus, even if you get a permit to carry. Something to think about if your a grad student.

If you going to carry you want a small .45, since you want DA/SA I would look at the following;

Taurus 745 (small 6 shot) (listed as DOA, but I thought all mil pros are DA/SA now) and the PT145 (thicker 10 shot)
http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?id=285&category=Pistol

http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?id=40&category=Pistol

the H&K USP compact
http://www.hecklerkoch-usa.com/index.jsp?loc=101&SITEID=A&PartNumber=704531

The Sig 220 carry
http://www.sigarms.com/Products/ShowCatalogProductDetails.aspx?categoryid=37&productid=149

I think the smallest DA/SA .45 is going to be a taurus. Everything else is bigger or not DA/SA.

Sucks to live in a bad neighborhood (trust me I KNOW). Another option is MOVE and commute to school.

 

[Geronimo45]

H&K, Sig, Beretta... they've all got a good reputation for their autoloaders. The magazines... if you're in the extra-careful mood, just make sure that you keep them down-loaded one round. Makes it a little easier to pop it into the magwell when the gun is in battery, too.

As for cleaning, clean after use... every few hundred rounds, maybe. If you drop it in the water, clean it to make sure it doesn't rust inside. I've gone months without firing a shot... only cleaned it to get rid of the carpet fuzz/dust that was collecting around it. Not that it would've jammed the gun, but cleaning made it look better. A fresh coat of oil helped the looks of the parkerized finish.

 

[SniperStraz]

Magazine

Getting a tired spring can happen, it's simple physics. I advise letting the mag rest for a bout one day every 2-3 months. Just get 2 mags and switch off if you can.

 

[TFin04]

Must autos be cleaned meticulously.


BTW just heard 2 gunshots from outside my window, but they seem pretty far away (seriously not joking).

Any of the guns mentioned should be just fine, its your skills that need to be honed more often than once every two months. A lot of that is opinion, but I think you should be shooting at least twice a month to stay on top of your firearm.

I don't doubt you heard gunshots. I was visiting a friend who lives near the old Tiger stadium and was there until about 10pm. After a trip to the corner liquor store and seeing the people who were out at that time/what they were up to and hearing shots from two different guns at the same time I headed for 96 West as fast as I could.

You may be interested in a shotgun for home defense, it is a much better option than a pistol as far as home intruders go. A Maverick 88 (made by Mossberg) is a very reliable 12 gauge pump that can be found for about $125 used.

MI's "no pistol zone" covers dorms and college classrooms, however the parking lot and other areas of campus are fair game as long as you have a legal firearm and your CCW. You should look into some pepper spray or other non lethal, legal defense while in class.

Stay safe out there, I definitely don't envy you.

 

[Outlaws]

mljdeckard,

With all due respect, a "creepy trigger" doesn't mean squat on a CCW firearm as long as it works. Clean breaking triggers are for target pistols. I can understand not wanting a 15lb pull, but in a life and death situation, no one is going to notice a little creep. Infact, if you take time to squeeze off a shot or two in the time frame you would need to feel the trigger creep before breaking, I think some legal issues may arise with it being a "good shoot" or "bad shoot".

 

[javacodeman]

Must autos be cleaned meticulously.

I have two guns, my H&K for SD and a Walther .22 for practice. The H&K is extremely easy to clean while the .22 gives me grief trying to get into all the tight spaces. I keep my guns meticulously cleaned. Autos have a weak spot and that is the magizine/auto-loading action. My friend has his auto jam up on him about once every 24 rounds he puts through it--he says that he's never cleaned it. I've never had my autos jam, and I've put at least 1000 rounds through both since I bought them in early August--if I shoot them, they get meticulously cleaned.

java

edit: Another note in the interest of full disclosure: I don't remember what kind of gun he has, a 9mm by someone, but I'm a newby and can't recognize all makes just yet. But it WASN'T an H&K. His jamming problem may be more than just a cleaning issue.