Newb here with a couple of questions

[jamilla]

I just bought my first firearm. It's a Ruger SP101 .357. I chose this one b/c this is the one my wife liked the most. It is for home protection so I want her to be most comfortable with it. I wanted the SA XD40 but she could not rack the slide. So here are my questions.

1. Is this a good firearm?

2. Is the XD40 a good firearm? I like the semi-autos better .

3. What ammo should I use for for home defense in a .357? Grain too.

4. What are the abbeviations you use? ex. CCW

5. Any tips for teaching a women how to shoot that is nervous about it?

6. Anyone know where, online, I can get good deals on .38 ammo for target practice? Grain too.

Thanks in advance.

 

[telomerase]

1. Is this a good firearm?

Yes.

2. Is the XD40 a good firearm? I like the semi-autos better .

Yes, but the SP is better for people who practice less.

>3. What ammo should I use for for home defense in a .357? Grain too.

Depends on your personal tolerance for overpenetration, blast, etc. Federal 125 grain .357s are powerful, but your wife might do better with .38s.

>5. Any tips for teaching a women how to shoot that is nervous about it?

Start with .22s. Have another woman teach her. Just be glad she'll shoot at all...

 

[ugaarguy]

3. What ammo should I use for for home defense in a .357? Grain too.

A good .38 Special +P. You don't wanna mess with the blast and flash of a 357 indoors, especially out of a short barreled revolver like an SP-101. The Remington .38 +P 158 LSWCHP (Lead Semi-Wadcutter Hollow Point) is an excellent choice.

For the other stuff, get your wife to take the NRA basic pistol course. I think she'll be very comfortable with handguns after that. The Springfield XD 40 is an excellent firearm to keep in mind down the road. The Ruger SP-101 is also a great firearm, and an excellent choice for your current needs and circumstances. You're on the right road thus far, just stay with it.

 

[TimboKhan]

well, your getting some good answers, and I am pleased to see your not getting beaten up as a noob. Anyway, the XD is a fine gun by all accounts, but I don't think I would worry to much about it. The gun you have now is strong, easy to shoot (depending on loads), and much easier to use under stress if it comes to that. I wholeheartedly agree with the other fellows when they say get your wife a .22 pistol. Ammo is super-cheap, .22's are fun to shoot, and the lessons in marksmanship fundamentals she (and you) will learn will transfer to any gun you decide to buy in the future. Don't get caught thinking that 6 rounds is not enough. Yes, an XD will give you an advantage in terms of capacity, but capacity means nothing if you can't shoot. I think you made a fine choice with what you got, and the nice thing is that if .357's are too much for you, .38 specials are much milder. As far as the ideal defensive round, there really isn't one. Even mild .38's are sufficient (though I concede that some might not feel they are ideal), and virtually every .38+P or .357 round that I can think of has plenty of power in a defensive situation.

 

[ugaarguy]

Welcome

Jamilla, forgive us for not saying it sooner, but ...Welcome To THR! Also, if your wife needs an experienced female gun owner to talk send a PM to user name Pax. She's one of the moderators here and is a great lady. You and your wife may also be interested in Pax' website, www.corneredcat.com, which is great resource for shooters of all experience levels. Enjoy your time here.

 

[symr00]

Check out Cornered Cat. It's a great website.

1. Is this a good firearm? Absolutely, but I'm a little biased owning one, too.

2. Is the XD40 a good firearm? I like the semi-autos better. Never shot one/Owned one

3. What ammo should I use for for home defense in a .357? Grain too. I would use Speer Gold Dot 135gr +p made for short barrels

4. What are the abbeviations you use? ex. CCW Concealed Carry Weapon

5. Any tips for teaching a women how to shoot that is nervous about it? With that Ruger, start her on standard .38 Special ammo. It will have less recoil than the +P but to be honest, the Ruger soaks up a lot of recoil. It is one of the main reasons I bought it for shooting .357 Magnum.

6. Anyone know where, online, I can get good deals on .38 ammo for target practice? Grain too. The cheapest will probably be the Winchester White Box of 100rds at Walmart. Buying online probably won't save you any money unless you are going to purchase .357 in which case, Midwayusa.com has very good prices.

Thanks in advance.

 

[FrogClan]

I see the link to Cornered Cat has already been posted above. Well worth your time as both you and your wife will find lots of useful information there.

Bear in mind that you can get the .38 special in the plain variety, as well as a "+P" variety. The +P means it is getting more pressure behind the bullet, which means more recoil and more velocity and more effectiveness from the round than you would get with a plain .38 special, but still less than the .357.