What's a GREAT gun?

[TCB in TN]

A little more than $500 and you can have 2 good guns that will meet your needs.

I personally would be looking for 2 guns. A decent used Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 can be had for less than $200 in most parts of the country and they when loaded with 00 Buck are great for home defense. Then you can find a used 4 inch 357 mag revolver in either S & W or Ruger or Taurus for $300 to $350. That will get you what you need. I personally would also plan on spending another $200 to $300 in ammo to get comfortable, safe, and effective with both weapons. You can get a pretty good idea what the going prices are for many different brand and cal on

http://www.gunsamerica.com/

I have found that most of the prices on this sight are reasonably in line with what I see locally, and it can at least give you an idea of what you are looking at.

 

[mc223]

As Teddy Roosevelt said. "Always use enough gun". A 10mm, 40, or 45 autoloader or a revolver up to 44 mag would be a good starting point. If control and recoil of the 44mag is too much, you can shoot 44 special from the same gun. Much less recoil and stll enough gun. Save the magnum for the bears and lions.

Forget rifles for home defense. While the object of home defense is to Stop the fight. you will need to be as mobile as possible, and a long gun in any configuration, could actually put you in harms way, simply by virtue of all that metal out front. If you cannot hold a rifle in an aiming stance and turn 360° without touching something in every room or hallway of your residence, you should not have a rifle or in some cases even a short barreled shotgun for home defense.

 

[mrmeval]

Caliber is a designation more than a measurement. You'd have to look up the true measurement of the bullet to know it's true diameter.
Depending on which side of the pond you are determines the convention for caliber, except if there is an exception.

inches = (mm * (1/25.4)) aka (mm * 0.039371)
mm = (inches * 25.4)

9mm = 0.354
5.56mm = 0.218
45acp (inch) = 11.43mm

 

[Thor67]

2 guns - shotgun or a rifle and a pistol would probably be a good choice. Especially with the bear requirement. Although, a 10mm, .40 pistol may be able to handle the bear quickly, and a .45 certainly would be able to. Glock and Springfield XD are both great, durable, reliable weapons.

Shotguns are great and versatile. The Ruger frontier rifle http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firea...arget Grey® Frontier Rifle&bct=Yes&type=Rifle was a great suggestion too. Definitely not $500 though.

Unless you specifically plan on hunting, I'd probably stick with a pistol. Shotguns and rifles will add between 6lb and 9lbs to hiking load-out. Just something to keep in mind.

Also, not hi-cap, but S&W and Ruger are both making some great big bore revolvers designed for handgun hunting.

 

[vzwnnj]

my issue is with the 45's jam a lot statement...between the three I have, each from a different manufacturer...and carry on a daily basis, thus betting my life on them...I have gone through about 4000 practice rounds with them without a hitch

your friend is wrong...a properly maintained 45 is as reliable as any other gun

 

[modifiedbrowning]

If just one gun then get a 12 gauge shotgun.
For a good pistol under $400, checkout the Bersa Thunder 9
For a pistol under $500 I would look at www.cz-usa.com.