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Help with 2 guns...

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  • Annie

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    Oct 30, 2008
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    I'm looking for something for personal protection. I often arrive home late and while I have dogs, they'd welcome thieves warmly, as long they had treats =)

    Also, with the possibility of certain weapons being banned in the near future, I heard a radio show host talking about an AR, I believe 20-gauge, with a shorter barrel (16 inches perhaps).

    This is where I become the deer locked in the headlights. So pardon my ignorance and please feel free to educate and admonish, if necessary.
    DK Firearms
     

    accordingtoome

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    Im not sure of your question but girls will choose the AR with a 16 inch barrel as its lighter. You can buy a nice one for about 900. Then you can buy something called red dot scope that fits on top to help you aim. Those can be anywhere from 50-350 bucks. Im sure more people will come along and post more information for you.

    Remember there are no dumb questions. Just dumb democrats
     

    accordingtoome

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    Also you should post your budget. For something for the home i would suggest a 20 guage shotgun. Those will only run you around 300 or so.
     

    Shorts

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    What type of firearms are you thinking about for protection? Will this be a carry gun? Truck gun? Strictly home defense?


    Give a bit more about your needs and preferences and we'll point you in the right direction. If you have time, swing by a local trusted gun shop and have a look at some of the options. You'll want to handle and 'try on' as many options as you can so you know what fits and what options you like and dislike.
     

    SIG_Fiend

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    Hi Annie! Thanks for joining us! :) I'm sure it is pretty overwhelming. There are only about a million different firearms out there to choose from. As Shorts said, if you could answer a couple questions we can give you a better idea of what may work for you. You mentioned 2 guns? Is one intended to be a home defense gun, and the other maybe a carry gun?

    For home defense, personally I would recommend a shotgun or a handgun. Depending on your size, a shotgun may be a bit large and uncomfortable for you, in which case a handgun might be a better alternative.

    Shotguns are fairly standard as far as pump actions go. Most of them operate similar between different brands and models. There are many different types of shotguns, however I'd say pump actions are probably the most common. I can go more into detail if you decide a shotgun is what you're looking for.

    When it comes to handguns, there are many different calibers, and if you ask 20 different people they will likely recommend 20 different calibers to you! ;) It's really easy to get lost when it comes to that. For a home defense gun I would recommend something in at least 9mm or .38 special, as those calibers are easily sufficient for self defense purposes. The truth of the matter is that pistol calibers are not very effective at disabling an attacker, at least not nearly as effective as rifle calibers. People will argue over various pistol calibers, but the truth of the matter is that there is relatively minimal difference compared to the damage rifle calibers can do. My whole point is don't worry about finding the "right" pistol caliber. If it's 9mm or .38 special and larger then it will work just fine. I can go more into that later if you'd like, but I'm trying to not make too overwhelming of a first reply to you. ;)

    If a handgun is what you're looking for, I would recommend finding a shooting range that has guns to rent. I would hande as many different handguns, and try to find something that fits your hand well and that you feel comfortable with. I would also try to rent some of the ones you like and see how they feel while firing them, and determine what you like/dislike.

    Also, if you could post what area of Texas you're from there may be a forum member in or near your area that may be willing to help you out, take you to the range and give you some pointers/advice, etc etc. We're here to help, so please don't be afraid to ask questions.
     

    LittleGun

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    When I was looking for my first gun, I took a shooting class, then I spent time renting guns to see which one I like. For me, caliber wasn't the first concern. I wanted to find something that fit my hands and that I could shoot well. Once I found my gun, caliber was an easy choice. If you haven't taken a basic shooting class, that should be your first step. A shooting class will make you better prepared to select a gun.
     

    rodbender

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    Academy has a Maverick 12 Ga. pump for home defense built by mossberg for about $180. Don't buy a shotgun with a barrel less than 18" or a rifle with a barrel less than 16". That makes it NFA and will get you in a lot of trouble if not done right, and a $200 tax stamp. A pistol would be a better option if you want to carry it in your vehicle and have it on your person as you get home.
     

    Annie

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    First, thanks for the initial input.

    Secondly, I'm expecting to pay 2-3k for both weapons.

    Now to answer what was tossed out in some logical order ...lol.

    I'd like a small handgun to carry with me in my car. I've heard rifles are the weapon of choice for the home.

    There was a mention of a "trusted" gun store. This is where I have a problem. Who is a trusted gun store? Is there a link in this site for trusted dealers? I realize anyone can buy advertising, but I'm looking for somewhere I can go who'll be like family. My goal would be to find a dealer where I can look, sample, learn to handle, care, and maintain... somewhere if I have an issue, not feel uncomfortable about approaching them.

    I have co-workers who do magazines, gun shows, Academy, Gander, etc, but that's not for me. If I was well established in my gun etiquette these would be okay. For now, though, I need something more.

    Oh, and I'd like suggestions on where I can get gun classes.

    In most things in life I can usually muddle my way through. Guns are not something I'm willing to do that with, so again, I appreciate your time and patience.
     

    DirtyD

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    If you are in the Houston area, Spectre Firearms in Spring is a great place to buy, very competative prices and a knowledgable group of guys. I have purchased my last two pistols from them, not to mention can usually be found hanging out there in my down time. As for a range, Shiloh (forum sponsor) is a GREAT place to shoot, and they offer instruction as well. Many of us on here also instruct, I am currently working with one of my wifes co-workers and her mom, and have one of my daughters Brownie moms that will be starting with me soon....
     

    fm2

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    Annie, it's great to have you here asking good questions.

    With your budget you have a lot of choices. You can get a solid, working rifle & pistol, ammo, gear/kit, and classes; or you can get a limited edition, custom rifle & a pistol. I like learn new stuff, so I tend to spend my budget on classes and boring stuff like ammo, targets, and tape.

    Since this is going to be a lot of info. to take in, you might do it in stages. I gotta run, but I'll add more later.
     

    SIG_Fiend

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    Rifles are an excellent choice for certain self defense purposes, as they are very effective at stopping an attacker. The reason I said a shotgun would probably be better for most people and most cases is that they are generally a bit more simple to operate, and at close range (like in the home), they are pretty much a point and shoot sort of thing and also at close range they have plenty of stopping power.

    With rifles, there is another thing to consider and that is over-penetration. Depending on where you live and what your surroundings are, a rifle might be a risk. For example, if you lived in say an apartment, a rifle round has significantly more penetration ability than a handgun or shotgun, and there is always the possibility that a shot fired could go through walls and hurt an innocent bystander. Just like with handguns, there is of course self defense ammo (hollowpoints) for rifles to minimize the possibility of this happening. Still, since it sounds like you are new to firearms, I'd recommend looking at a shotgun first.

    Annie, if you could let us know what side of Texas you're on, we can give you a better idea of places to get training, good ranges to go to, etc. I'm hoping you are in or near Houston, because if you are there is a TON of places down there to get any type of training you want. There are also some great ranges there too.
     

    Annie

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    If you are in the Houston area, Spectre Firearms in Spring is a great place to buy, very competative prices and a knowledgable group of guys. I have purchased my last two pistols from them, not to mention can usually be found hanging out there in my down time. As for a range, Shiloh (forum sponsor) is a GREAT place to shoot, and they offer instruction as well. Many of us on here also instruct, I am currently working with one of my wifes co-workers and her mom, and have one of my daughters Brownie moms that will be starting with me soon....

    Outstanding help! Thanks. I'll be in touch with Spectre soon.
     

    Annie

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    I'm deep into Kingwood; work at Bush. Have no problem driving if the destination suits my needs.
     

    SIG_Fiend

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    Well, I'm not sure if there are any ranges closer to you but, it's well worth the drive to these guys:

    Shiloh

    They have plenty of variety there to get you started, plus they are a good group of guys to deal with.

    As far as training, I'm sure some of the Houston guys can give you some good recommendations. The only training group I know of in the Houston area off hand is:

    Hoffners :Hoffners Training Academy

    While I have not personally trained with them, it is my understanding that they are a top notch group to learn from. Shiloh also holds some training classes as well.
     

    mac79912

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    Definitely go out and shop around.My wife started with a revolver because she could not pull the slide back on my 1911.She gained confidence after shooting the revolver.She shoots a Colt 45 now and I just bought her a new Stag AR15 for our anniversary.
     

    Lumberjack98

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    Great questions.

    If you're worried about a ban, get an AR and or an AK. Both are acceptional weapons with strengths in their own rights that can be hashed out on another thread.

    If your budget it $2 - 3k, get the AR and AK, lots of mags and then a pump 12 guage shotgun. My wife has never had a problem handling a 12 guage.
     

    Eastex

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    Definitely go out and shop around.My wife started with a revolver because she could not pull the slide back on my 1911.She gained confidence after shooting the revolver.She shoots a Colt 45 now and I just bought her a new Stag AR15 for our anniversary.

    The same with my wife. She preferred the simplicity of a revolver to my autos. She did like the XD9SC because it was also basically a point and shoot, but working the action is hard for her. She's unable to easily handle a shotgun or rifle, too heavy, so the handgun is her primary self defense.
     

    40Arpent

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    ...I heard a radio show host talking about an AR, I believe 20-gauge, with a shorter barrel (16 inches perhaps).

    Hi Annie, and welcome! As has been made clear already, an AR is a rifle, and a 20-gauge is a shotgun. I think the comments you heard on the radio may have been those made by Jim Pruett (of Pruett's Guns and Ammo on Huffmeister in NW Houston, and of former Rock 101 "fame"). I was listening to the radio last week where he was being interviewed by some reporter. He stated on-air that an AR-15 rifle was the best choice for home defense. I think you'll find out that 99.9% of the members here, and most anywhere else, would disagree adamantly with that statement. For many other reasons as well, I'll never, ever recommend his shop to anyone, especially someone new to firearms.

    I have never been to Shiloh or Spectre, but I trust the aforementioned recommendations. With other shops such as Carter's, Collectors, Fountain, etc., it really is the luck of the draw as to whether or not you'll get knowledgeable, helpful salesperson...that's not a risk I like to see a "newbie" take. I have eavesdropped on many conversations in these gun shops, and it just turns my stomach to hear some of the B.S. these guys will spew to make a sale. Academy and Gander are 200 times worse. I'm not sure what it takes to qualify as a firearms salesperson at Academy or Gander, but it must not be much more than knowing how to breathe.

    I think the best advice is befriending someone who is knowledgeable and can be trusted, and have them accompany you on a couple trips to one of the more-reputable shops or to a range with a decent selection of appropriate firearms.

    -Pete
     

    DirtyD

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    I wasnt going to chime in on the choice of an assault rifle for home defense, but rifle calibres are WAY too powerful, not too mention unless you have had sufficient training maneuvering a long gun in an urban dwelling is not even close to half as easy as it looks in the movies. Best bet for home defense is a shotgun or pistol....and a well trained owner. As posted above stay away from Pruetts shop, he is a charecter, but all about the money. As I posted earlier Spectre is a great place, Carters, Academy, Gander et all, if you are an uninformed shopper, I would stay away from them...
     
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