I'm in the market for a good home defense pistol. I have always wanted a Glock in either a .40 or .45, but I don't want to drop over $500.00 on it. What are some other reliable pistols that I can pick up and prices to go with them? Is a .45 too much gun? Please let's not make this into a D&D topic. I know there are safety issues and what not.
Are you looking for something to carry with a CHL? If you are the .45 is a bit of overkill I think, and I believe that it also requires more training before you are certified. You can get .9mm's all day long for under $500 bucks and they are much more comfortable to wear and shoot. As far as brand and model goes you can't really go wrong with anything from H&K (Heckler & Koch). I've owned and fired their .9mm and .45s semi-auto's and love them both. I got rid of the .45 because of the size and cost of taking it to the range. http://www.hecklerkoch-usa.com/ You can find new and used USP .9mm's for around $500 bucks.
H&K...I need to look them up. Thanks. I'm not too interested in the CHL. I want something to go shooting at the range and home defense. .40 cal is what law enforcement is liking. I've heard that a 9mm will go right through somebody or walls endangering those around. I'm looking for stopping power and something fun to shoot at the range.
I have a glock 19 (9mm) that I've had for over 19 years. Great gun but the last thing I'd grab for home defense. A pump 12 gauge is the best thing for home defense. H&K's are nice guns. Sigs are nice but costly. Kimber makes some nice guns also. Do your research before deciding on anything and then always store you firearms properly (in a safe).
If you're going to go to the range a lot the .45 range rounds will run you about twice as much as .9mm. As far as a 9mm going through someone.... two words, hollow points. As far as H&K go, they make the MP5 .9mm SMG that is so widely used by law enforcement and the military.
Guns are like cars, huge mark ups. My advice to you is head to your closest range and "rent" various makes and calibers to find what is right for you.
I'm barely getting Tara to tolerate a pistol in the house. I'd be nervous about a 12 gauge...maybe later. Besides, I think it will be used mostly for hobby type shooting.
I like SIGs. I have the P229 and P239 in .40S&W and 357SIG. When I bought them they were $515 and $400, respectively. That was a few years ago. I believe a .40S&W is higher powered than the 9mm. As stated before, hollow points will help stop overpenetration. I have fired Kahr, S&W, Glocks, Beretta, and Taurus, and they were all fun to shoot. I've heard Kel-Tec, HK, and Walther are good too. The HK I tried were too big for my hands. You should fire each of the calibers you are interested in. Try taking an introductory course to firearms. I took one that had a policeman as the instructor, who went over the legal stuff and firearm safety/operation one evening. The next day, we showed up at the range and were able to shoot .22, .38, 9mm, .45ACP rounds, for just the price of ammunition. I also got to shoot a fully automatic rifle You really need to decide what features you want. Double-action only, single-action only, with or without external safeties, a semi-auto vs revolver, etc.
You can get glocks for under $500 almost anywhere. HK's are a bit pricey. If you really dont want to spend over $500, get a glock or cz. Glocks are very durable. There is this website where this guy did some unbelievable stuff to his glock and it still shot great. Hence, this is why im going to get one soon.
Im not really a gun expert, but I do own one and rarely fire it. Could you explain to me how thats possible? How can it fire if you dont pull the trigger? I've had my firearm for over 3 years and I've only been to the range like 4 times. You guys notice the recurring trend here?
Glocks have an unsupported chamber. They are known for their "kabooms" where the shell basically blows up in the chamber... Before anyone goes off on a "well all the cops carry them so they must be great" tangent, remember that police departments get supplied with whatever meets the requirements at the lowest cost. Glock is notorious for practically giving away their pistols to PD's... Trust me, if most cops had their druthers they'd be carrying Sig or HK's. You get what you pay for with semi-auto pistols. If that's what you really want, save some more $ and buy that HK or a Sig in a caliber you are comfortable shooting. If you reaaallllyy want a pistol for home defense under $300 - get a revolver. Easy to use & they go "boom" every time. No racking slides or magazine catches to fiddle with. Maybe a S&W 686 in .357, that way you can shoot .38+P out of it as well. That said, a nice 12 gauge pump would be the best thing...
Interesting thread, I'd like to get a gun sometime soon for home defense. I've noticed people talking about storing their firearms in a secure place, such as a safe, which is understandable. At the same time, if you really want a gun for home defense do you really think you'll have time to get up and unlock your safe? I'm being serious, I've always wondered about that. Whats the point in having a firearm for home defense if you don't have quick access to it? At the same time, you obviously don't want to leave a gun unsecured in your nightstand. What is the best option?
