I was just curious as to if anyone here can enlighten me on how to get involved in being a gun writer. I've been asked several times by my friends and family for my recommendations on firearms (as i am apparently the go to guy for answers on that subject in my group).
Recently I was asked by my dad if I could type up some of my recommendations on guns for personal/home defense and concealed carry for a close friend of the family. I shared the resulting document with my friends and all of them keep telling me I should send it in to a gun magazine and see what they think.
Now granted I know that gun writing is not a very lucrative way to make a living, but its something that has always intrigued me since I am planning on going into the law enforcement field here in the not too distant future, and have great deal of respect and get a great deal of enjoyment from all aspects of the shooting world.
Well onto the heart of the thread, below is the document that I prepared for that family friend, and I would welcome any feedback at all on what you all think.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
By: Luke H. Sollitt
October 26, 2005
[email protected]
So you’re thinking of buying a handgun for personal protection. Well the truth be told your options are pretty endless in what to get; and I’ve enclosed some suggestions on handgun choices for both men and women.
But before we get into all that I feel it prudent to cover two important things that are often overlooked and not mentioned when you walk into a gun store for the first time and talk to the guys behind the counter; responsibility and mindset.
In my humble opinion the responsibility of firearms ownership comes second to only that of being a parent. That being said before buying a handgun you have to be prepared to be responsible in getting trained properly, storing it safely, cleaning it between range sessions, and maintaining your shooting skills on a regular basis. All topics we will cover later.
As to mindset, before you even consider buying a gun you need to ask yourself if you are prepared to take a life in defense of yourself or a loved one. I am not going to mince words here; none of this BS about “well I won’t shoot someone, I’ll just scare them with the gun” or “well I’ll just shoot him in the leg, I don’t have to kill him.” Both of these are utter nonsense and things I have actually heard people say when I do my routine eavesdropping of people at the counter at my local gun stores. SOO lets not beat around the bush here. If you buy a gun, be prepared to use deadly force; I know the more politically correct term here is shooting to stop, but in truth you shoot to remove a threat, which simply put is shooting to kill. If this is something that gives you pause, and something that you cannot bring yourself to do for any varied reason, reconsider owning a firearm, because brandishing a firearm at a threat you are not prepared to deal with properly will only end up in tragedy for you and not your assailant.
________________________________________________________________
Well before I get into my recommendations lets talk about training, storage, and cleaning.
TRAINING
I feel I need to mention the importance of maintaining ones skill level with a firearm. A gun is only as accurate as its owner. As with any motor skill the more you practice the more it is ingrained into muscle memory. One can spend loads of money on a really expensive firearm, but if you don’t practice with it routinely it becomes a moot point. That being said I highly recommend that you be prepared to spend at least 1-2 nights a month shooting between 50-100 rounds through your handgun at each session, with 100 being my recommendation. As an example when I go to the range, I spend roughly one hour there going through my 50-100 rounds. The time involved is a small investment when it comes down to the importance of knowing you are confident in shooting when and if you need to in a defensive situation.
STORAGE
Now on to storage. Proper and responsible storage of the firearm is vitally important. However several considerations and tradeoffs must be considered; those being security and accessibility. You want to be able to store the handgun securely but still have it accessible when you need it. That being said I would suggest two options both of which I have enclosed information sheets on.
The first of these is known as a lifejacket, it is a simple clamshell enclosure made out of either polymer or steel, and basically it totally envelopes and locks around the action of the pistol (the hammer, slide, and trigger). With the pistol locked inside it is not much bigger than the pistol itself which easily allows the pistol to be easily put in a bedside table for example. It even has mounting holes which allow it to be mounted to the bottom of a dresser or nightstand drawer for added security and comes with a keyed lock built in.
The other option is more toward the traditional safe type storage devices. For handguns I would suggest a lock box type, of which there are many different types available that are mountable to either the floor or wall with many different methods. Many of these types of safes include options such as keyed entry, keypad entry, and even models which scan your fingerprint to release the locking mechanism. That being said I would always stick with the whole simpler is better mindset and recommend the keyed lock type. As for specific suggestions on this I would recommend visiting a local gun store and seeing what they have, getting a feel for its ease of use and operation and then deciding what works best for you. I have included an info sheet on one of these types just to give you a better idea of what they look like.
CLEANING
Being how the firearm could be the one thing that could save yours or a loved one’s life someday; keeping it clean is of the utmost importance. I am not going to go into great detail here on what’s involved in cleaning a handgun, as most competent gun stores can recommend a very comprehensive cleaning kit for the firearm you end up purchasing.
The only thing I will stress here is the imperative importance of how YOU MUST CLEAN YOUR GUN EVERY TIME YOU SHOOT IT. Shooting firearms leaves nasty residues on the gun that attracts dirt and grime which can affect the functionality of the firearm and cause it to malfunction at a most inopportune time.
________________________________________________________________
OK. Well that being covered on to my recommendations. Which I will break down for men and women separately.
For starters handguns can range in price from very inexpensive i.e.: 200-300 dollars all the way up to 2500 dollars for the custom built pistols. My recommendations will fall in the low to moderate range of around 300-600 dollars.
MEN:
Before I go any further with my recommendations, recognize that these are only my opinions, and before making any decision visit your local gun store and handle different firearms. Visit a local range such as Bellevue Indoor Range and rent some of the guns that you were intrigued by at the store counter. My recommendations are just that, they are mine, based on my own history and experience with guns, and let me say now that every gun owner, regular shooter has his or her own opinions/preferences and recommendations when it comes to handguns for self defense. Ok, well I had to say it (my own personal disclaimer)... on to the fun stuff.
Right now the most ubiquitous firearm in defensive shooting and law enforcement if the GLOCK family of weapons. (I have included a datasheet on one as well as prices just FYI.)
I own a GLOCK, I enjoy shooting it. That being said I do have my own druthers when it comes to the GLOCK. Many people will tell you that it is an easy weapon to train on. While this being true I honestly feel that it is not the best first choice when it comes to self defense for one main reason, the lack of a safety. I am a big fan of guns with manual safeties. That being said this is my opinion and as I’ve said, take a look at and shoot different makes and models of guns before you make a decision.
As for my recommendations. As to the type of firearm for men I would recommend a semi-automatic pistol in caliber .40 S&W. I personally feel that this is the best caliber for all around personal defense. It has good penetration and stopping power and has a firm but not wrist killing recoil. It is a very manageable caliber.
Now on to the gun itself. I picked the following gun maker and its products because of their reputation, their value and their features as well.
I am a big fan of the Taurus family of weapons, and in particular their polymer framed pistols in .40 S&W. Taurus is a Brazilian company, and they have developed a well earned reputation in quality and innovativeness over the past 10 yrs or so.
In particular I would recommend two of their models. I say two because they both are perfectly acceptable for home defense, but one of them lends itself to concealed carry better than the other. They are the 24/7 pistol and the Millennium Pro PT-140, and I have included information sheets on both.
I like these pistols for several reasons. They are lightweight, have high magazine capacity, and are loaded with safety features including a manual thumb safety, as well as a keyed lock on the gun itself which locks the slide of the gun and blocks it from functioning. They are also reasonably priced. At my own local favorite gun store they list at $349 for the 24/7 pistol, and $319 for the PT-140. But as I have said before these are only my recommendations and highly recommend you talk to the guys at the gun store and also see what they have to say as well as handle the guns yourself.
WOMEN:
When it comes to female shooters, especially novice ones, I tend to shy away from recommending a semi-automatic handgun. A lot of women lack the upper body strength to be able to successfully manipulate the slide on a semi-automatic pistol, and for that reason I tend to lean toward a revolver. Plus, a revolver is a very simple weapon to use and train on and involves fewer steps for use than a semi-automatic. That being said, and like I have said before, handle and rent both types of firearms and get an idea what best suits your needs.
When it comes to revolvers my recommendation is for a compact AKA snub nosed revolver. One that is rated to shoot .357 magnums or at the very least one that is rated to handle a .38 special +P. While the .357 magnum is a powerful handgun load and can be punishing to shoot in smaller weapons, the upside is that weapons chambered for it can also shoot the .38 special round, which is much less punishing to shoot; and also guns chambered for .357 magnum are generally heavier guns which makes it very controllable when shooting the .38 specials
As with my recommendation for men my recommendation for women involve two choices from Taurus (both of which I have included information sheets for). The first of which is the Taurus Protector which is a snub nosed five shot revolver in both .357 magnum and .38 special (+P). I like this gun for several reasons. For starters is has a shrouded hammer which lends it self to concealed carry, but still allows it to be cocked if so desired, it has an adjustable rear sight which is unusual for a gun its size, and is a very welcome feature since the sights on these types of guns are very rudimentary. It also includes a built in lock in the gun which locks the hammer in place and does not allow the weapon to be fired.
Next is the Taurus model 617. This is more of medium framed revolver, in that is larger and heavier than the Protector. It is perfectly acceptable for concealed carry but more thought and care is involved when selecting a mode of carry than would be involved in the case of the Protector. I like this gun because it still has the same locking feature as on the Protector, but its larger size allows the gun to be a seven shot weapon instead of a five shot.
With both of these I would recommend going with the steel frame version of these weapons. They are both available in versions with a titanium frame to make them lighter, but my feeling is that lighter makes them more uncomfortable to shoot over extended periods of time, especially when shooting .357 magnum loads and some of the really potent .38 special +P.
The suggested retail price of the Protector is $383 and the model 617 $391 both in a blued steel finish.
-------------------------------------------------------
Well thats it... Fire away.. I welcome any and all criticism (and please you die hard glock aficionados please dont rip on me too hard about the glock, i love and carry my glock ALL THE TIME.)
Oh, and a final note, before anyone asks, a little about myself.
27 yrs old, born and raised in the greater seattle area, been shooting since I was nine, and been carrying since I was 21, I have a BA in criminal justice from Seattle University, and was a Police Explorer/ Explorer Advisor for over 6 years.
Recently I was asked by my dad if I could type up some of my recommendations on guns for personal/home defense and concealed carry for a close friend of the family. I shared the resulting document with my friends and all of them keep telling me I should send it in to a gun magazine and see what they think.
Now granted I know that gun writing is not a very lucrative way to make a living, but its something that has always intrigued me since I am planning on going into the law enforcement field here in the not too distant future, and have great deal of respect and get a great deal of enjoyment from all aspects of the shooting world.
Well onto the heart of the thread, below is the document that I prepared for that family friend, and I would welcome any feedback at all on what you all think.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
By: Luke H. Sollitt
October 26, 2005
[email protected]
So you’re thinking of buying a handgun for personal protection. Well the truth be told your options are pretty endless in what to get; and I’ve enclosed some suggestions on handgun choices for both men and women.
But before we get into all that I feel it prudent to cover two important things that are often overlooked and not mentioned when you walk into a gun store for the first time and talk to the guys behind the counter; responsibility and mindset.
In my humble opinion the responsibility of firearms ownership comes second to only that of being a parent. That being said before buying a handgun you have to be prepared to be responsible in getting trained properly, storing it safely, cleaning it between range sessions, and maintaining your shooting skills on a regular basis. All topics we will cover later.
As to mindset, before you even consider buying a gun you need to ask yourself if you are prepared to take a life in defense of yourself or a loved one. I am not going to mince words here; none of this BS about “well I won’t shoot someone, I’ll just scare them with the gun” or “well I’ll just shoot him in the leg, I don’t have to kill him.” Both of these are utter nonsense and things I have actually heard people say when I do my routine eavesdropping of people at the counter at my local gun stores. SOO lets not beat around the bush here. If you buy a gun, be prepared to use deadly force; I know the more politically correct term here is shooting to stop, but in truth you shoot to remove a threat, which simply put is shooting to kill. If this is something that gives you pause, and something that you cannot bring yourself to do for any varied reason, reconsider owning a firearm, because brandishing a firearm at a threat you are not prepared to deal with properly will only end up in tragedy for you and not your assailant.
________________________________________________________________
Well before I get into my recommendations lets talk about training, storage, and cleaning.
TRAINING
I feel I need to mention the importance of maintaining ones skill level with a firearm. A gun is only as accurate as its owner. As with any motor skill the more you practice the more it is ingrained into muscle memory. One can spend loads of money on a really expensive firearm, but if you don’t practice with it routinely it becomes a moot point. That being said I highly recommend that you be prepared to spend at least 1-2 nights a month shooting between 50-100 rounds through your handgun at each session, with 100 being my recommendation. As an example when I go to the range, I spend roughly one hour there going through my 50-100 rounds. The time involved is a small investment when it comes down to the importance of knowing you are confident in shooting when and if you need to in a defensive situation.
STORAGE
Now on to storage. Proper and responsible storage of the firearm is vitally important. However several considerations and tradeoffs must be considered; those being security and accessibility. You want to be able to store the handgun securely but still have it accessible when you need it. That being said I would suggest two options both of which I have enclosed information sheets on.
The first of these is known as a lifejacket, it is a simple clamshell enclosure made out of either polymer or steel, and basically it totally envelopes and locks around the action of the pistol (the hammer, slide, and trigger). With the pistol locked inside it is not much bigger than the pistol itself which easily allows the pistol to be easily put in a bedside table for example. It even has mounting holes which allow it to be mounted to the bottom of a dresser or nightstand drawer for added security and comes with a keyed lock built in.
The other option is more toward the traditional safe type storage devices. For handguns I would suggest a lock box type, of which there are many different types available that are mountable to either the floor or wall with many different methods. Many of these types of safes include options such as keyed entry, keypad entry, and even models which scan your fingerprint to release the locking mechanism. That being said I would always stick with the whole simpler is better mindset and recommend the keyed lock type. As for specific suggestions on this I would recommend visiting a local gun store and seeing what they have, getting a feel for its ease of use and operation and then deciding what works best for you. I have included an info sheet on one of these types just to give you a better idea of what they look like.
CLEANING
Being how the firearm could be the one thing that could save yours or a loved one’s life someday; keeping it clean is of the utmost importance. I am not going to go into great detail here on what’s involved in cleaning a handgun, as most competent gun stores can recommend a very comprehensive cleaning kit for the firearm you end up purchasing.
The only thing I will stress here is the imperative importance of how YOU MUST CLEAN YOUR GUN EVERY TIME YOU SHOOT IT. Shooting firearms leaves nasty residues on the gun that attracts dirt and grime which can affect the functionality of the firearm and cause it to malfunction at a most inopportune time.
________________________________________________________________
OK. Well that being covered on to my recommendations. Which I will break down for men and women separately.
For starters handguns can range in price from very inexpensive i.e.: 200-300 dollars all the way up to 2500 dollars for the custom built pistols. My recommendations will fall in the low to moderate range of around 300-600 dollars.
MEN:
Before I go any further with my recommendations, recognize that these are only my opinions, and before making any decision visit your local gun store and handle different firearms. Visit a local range such as Bellevue Indoor Range and rent some of the guns that you were intrigued by at the store counter. My recommendations are just that, they are mine, based on my own history and experience with guns, and let me say now that every gun owner, regular shooter has his or her own opinions/preferences and recommendations when it comes to handguns for self defense. Ok, well I had to say it (my own personal disclaimer)... on to the fun stuff.
Right now the most ubiquitous firearm in defensive shooting and law enforcement if the GLOCK family of weapons. (I have included a datasheet on one as well as prices just FYI.)
I own a GLOCK, I enjoy shooting it. That being said I do have my own druthers when it comes to the GLOCK. Many people will tell you that it is an easy weapon to train on. While this being true I honestly feel that it is not the best first choice when it comes to self defense for one main reason, the lack of a safety. I am a big fan of guns with manual safeties. That being said this is my opinion and as I’ve said, take a look at and shoot different makes and models of guns before you make a decision.
As for my recommendations. As to the type of firearm for men I would recommend a semi-automatic pistol in caliber .40 S&W. I personally feel that this is the best caliber for all around personal defense. It has good penetration and stopping power and has a firm but not wrist killing recoil. It is a very manageable caliber.
Now on to the gun itself. I picked the following gun maker and its products because of their reputation, their value and their features as well.
I am a big fan of the Taurus family of weapons, and in particular their polymer framed pistols in .40 S&W. Taurus is a Brazilian company, and they have developed a well earned reputation in quality and innovativeness over the past 10 yrs or so.
In particular I would recommend two of their models. I say two because they both are perfectly acceptable for home defense, but one of them lends itself to concealed carry better than the other. They are the 24/7 pistol and the Millennium Pro PT-140, and I have included information sheets on both.
I like these pistols for several reasons. They are lightweight, have high magazine capacity, and are loaded with safety features including a manual thumb safety, as well as a keyed lock on the gun itself which locks the slide of the gun and blocks it from functioning. They are also reasonably priced. At my own local favorite gun store they list at $349 for the 24/7 pistol, and $319 for the PT-140. But as I have said before these are only my recommendations and highly recommend you talk to the guys at the gun store and also see what they have to say as well as handle the guns yourself.
WOMEN:
When it comes to female shooters, especially novice ones, I tend to shy away from recommending a semi-automatic handgun. A lot of women lack the upper body strength to be able to successfully manipulate the slide on a semi-automatic pistol, and for that reason I tend to lean toward a revolver. Plus, a revolver is a very simple weapon to use and train on and involves fewer steps for use than a semi-automatic. That being said, and like I have said before, handle and rent both types of firearms and get an idea what best suits your needs.
When it comes to revolvers my recommendation is for a compact AKA snub nosed revolver. One that is rated to shoot .357 magnums or at the very least one that is rated to handle a .38 special +P. While the .357 magnum is a powerful handgun load and can be punishing to shoot in smaller weapons, the upside is that weapons chambered for it can also shoot the .38 special round, which is much less punishing to shoot; and also guns chambered for .357 magnum are generally heavier guns which makes it very controllable when shooting the .38 specials
As with my recommendation for men my recommendation for women involve two choices from Taurus (both of which I have included information sheets for). The first of which is the Taurus Protector which is a snub nosed five shot revolver in both .357 magnum and .38 special (+P). I like this gun for several reasons. For starters is has a shrouded hammer which lends it self to concealed carry, but still allows it to be cocked if so desired, it has an adjustable rear sight which is unusual for a gun its size, and is a very welcome feature since the sights on these types of guns are very rudimentary. It also includes a built in lock in the gun which locks the hammer in place and does not allow the weapon to be fired.
Next is the Taurus model 617. This is more of medium framed revolver, in that is larger and heavier than the Protector. It is perfectly acceptable for concealed carry but more thought and care is involved when selecting a mode of carry than would be involved in the case of the Protector. I like this gun because it still has the same locking feature as on the Protector, but its larger size allows the gun to be a seven shot weapon instead of a five shot.
With both of these I would recommend going with the steel frame version of these weapons. They are both available in versions with a titanium frame to make them lighter, but my feeling is that lighter makes them more uncomfortable to shoot over extended periods of time, especially when shooting .357 magnum loads and some of the really potent .38 special +P.
The suggested retail price of the Protector is $383 and the model 617 $391 both in a blued steel finish.
-------------------------------------------------------
Well thats it... Fire away.. I welcome any and all criticism (and please you die hard glock aficionados please dont rip on me too hard about the glock, i love and carry my glock ALL THE TIME.)
Oh, and a final note, before anyone asks, a little about myself.
27 yrs old, born and raised in the greater seattle area, been shooting since I was nine, and been carrying since I was 21, I have a BA in criminal justice from Seattle University, and was a Police Explorer/ Explorer Advisor for over 6 years.
