I would suggest that a test fire for a few different styles. Find one that can be operated comfortably. That can be accomplished by taking training classes in firearms handling. Be safe, keep your family safe..............
They said they wanted weak and it's not that expensive. Would rather see someone end up with a Walther than a Bersa or Taurus. Both are fine gun makers, I just like Walther more.
9MM does not have significant recoil and is a significantly better round...and its ammo its much cheaper than a .380. .380 is an antiquated chambering and a dying caliber.
In Kansas, of which I am a CCH instructor, a CCL holder can have a concealed loaded weapon hidden anywhere in the vehicle, multiples actually and a loaded weapon openly carried even if you are not a CCL holder. The family personal protection act was passed prior to the good governor Brownback being elected by a veto over-ride of former governor and AHCA lover Kathleen Sebelius by the duly elected representatives of the state of Kansas. Quite a feat to over-ride a veto, eh? The bible actually had nothing to do with the decision....the second amendment did. Your true colors have now been exposed.
I use a Barska Quick Access Biometric Rifle Safe for my home defense AR-15 Definitely worth it knowing its locked up ,but easy to grab in a hurry.
A. True colors? B. Was unaware of the vehicle rules. My understanding was it had to be on your person if it was loaded. Maybe that's just a city ordinance? C. I am fully aware that open carry is legal here but IMHO open carry is for either bragging or intimidation and very little else.
"the buckle of the bible belt" "Brownbackistan" Those colors Nope and an informed 2A and Kansas citizen would know the laws and would also know that no city or county ordinances can apply to licensed concealed carry, been that way since the 2nd year of the family personal protection act. Both the open carry bragging and intimidation opinion carry little weight outside of the urban centers of Kansas. I have multiple CCH classes coming up in the near future....you are invited to attend if you want to learn. My treat!
^^^This. I suggest that you google a gun forum specific to your state. These people study the state gun laws and many are involved in lobbying for improved gun laws. They will have resources and recommendations on what to learn and where to learn it. They will have numerous threads on how to avoid breaking the law. They will discuss use of lethal force, private property, when and where to carry, etc... A good local gun forum is very important if you are going to own and especially carry a gun. Just don't take them as gospel and read the laws for yourself after you discuss things with them.
If the person is a new shooter with limited training, I recommend to students to buy a revolver for their first home defense weapon. Less fiddling to make it go bang, fewer steps to clear a jamb or misfire with a revolver, just pull the trigger again. Intuitive to use.
Had my permit since they became legal in 2007 thanks. At the time it was illegal in the city of Wichita to transport a loaded firearm in your car. I remember this quite clearly as I was advised at the time I signed up for the class to bring ammo and weapon separately to the range for this reason. As far as my charactorization of Kansas and our illustrious governor I stand by my statements and have never pretended otherwise as I do on my opinions for open carry, again having never pretended otherwise.
Some good info here, and some... Pick a general price point. You'll need to look at around $400 (new) as a starting point. I think it's a good idea to read a LOT. Find out names of possible guns, and google them. Read reviews. I was recently in the market for a small pistol, much like you are now. I had already decided to only look at semi autos. I must have researched about a dozen before I came right back to the one I had been considering for years. The Glock 26. With tax and "brady check", it was $594. I already have a Glock 19, and it's just not nearly as concealable as the 26. If you're a new shooter, make sure to learn the whole story about whatever gun you're interested in. There are several different operating mechanisms used in small arms, and they're all a bit different. Texan gave you excellent advice about finding a local shooters forum. Just do a google search with your State name, followed by firearms forum. For me it would be "Nevada Firearms Forums". You'll likely find knowledgeable people near you that way who would be glad to talk to no end with you, invite you to come along to the range, and maybe even try several different guns to help you decide which to buy. You might even find a bunch of girls who are already gun savvy. That's all true with our people on my local forum. Meanwhile, I'm open to any PM questions you have, and a bunch of the "gun guys" here are as well. Good luck, and be safe.
You gotta do a little research and use some common sense. Its not a bank vault but it will keep my kids out, and as far as carrying it off they are bolted down either to heavy furniture or directly to the house. Its a compromise just like everything else in life. And they are a (*)(*)(*)(*) of a lot more secure than the couch cushions that another member claims to hide his handgun in.
Less fiddling around? All you do is pull back the slide and you have a double-digit amount of rounds at your disposal. Semi-auto is hands down the better choice ESPECIALLY for a new shooter. A new shooter is more at an advantage with the significant amount of more rounds....at least double....and much much faster reloads. I would never give a new shooter a revolver and say hey here you go with only 5-7 rounds when I could give them a semi auto with 10-17 rounds and just teach them how to pull back the slide. Its not that hard to run a semi auto. The ONLY real advantage to a revolver is that you have more powerful rounds in the same size package, the opposite of what the OP is looking for.
pistols have one thing going for them. They are more accurate due to less slop. But I agree, a newcomer should learn and practice with a semi-auto. I'm a fair shot with a .380 semi-auto, but about 50% more accurate with a revolver. But I never miss my targets with a shotgun for the same distance. Never. Choice of weapon is determined by situation.
Revolvers are simpler to understand and operate which is good for a new shooter. Also, no need for a safety which just complicates things under pressure. The longer pull is safer for a new shooter and they also don't jam. Caliber isn't as important as people think. You can watch videos on Youtube of people that have been shot with a 9mm and they don't even realize it. Shot placement is key. Most people on the street get killed with .22 and .380. A .22 can kill just as quickly as a 9mm. Heck, I often carry just a .22 Mag NAA revolver in my pocket due to ease of carry.
Unless you get .22 you will have some recoil. Go with what you are comfortable with. I would get the concealed weapons permit anyway just for going to and from the range. Just makes legal transport easier.
That, of course, depends on your State laws. A good place to go for info on that in general: http://www.usacarry.com/concealed-carry-resources.html
Perhaps simpler to understand but not simpler to operate in my opinion...especially when it comes to reloading. There is a reason every military and police force uses semi-autos, and that is because they are much more capable weapons in terms of operation...faster reloads, and more capacity. And it doesnt get much more simpler than a striker fired semi auto. There is no need for a safety in a semi auto either, and no firearm used for self defense should have an external safety anyway. Of course shot placement is key but caliber definitely begins to eliminate that factor. The more powerful the round the more powerful the disruption within the body. The thing about a 22 is that is just such a small bullet, it doesnt expand, it doesnt cause disruption. Sure it can kill you, but its not going to take the fight out of someone....they can still fight back, kill you, and then just bleed to death later. A large caliber will take the fight out of them. And with modern ammunition you can really cause immediate stoppages of threats. No more poking holes in people just to have them keep fighting.
Agree. My lightweight carry is a .380 LCP in a pocket holster. Also with you 100% on the revolver for the same reasons.
To each his own, but autos have occasional failure to eject, failure to feed and occasional failure to fire conditions. Don't attempt to fire again after FTF. It could be a squib round. A second round in the chamber could be catastrophic. Determine if it is a squib, a failure to eject, feed or a dud round. Then take appropriate malfunction drill. Slap, rack, flip, etc. etc. That is a lot for a new shooter in a stressful situation with limited practice to remember. Granted FTF are rare on well built and cleaned and oiled weapons. For a "new shooter" to have 15 rounds to miss the intended target with, sending rounds in unknown locations is not just ineffective but downright dangerous. We have to account for every round we send downrange. As far as calibers, a .22 Magnum or a .38 would be a good choice for home defense where over-penetration is a concern with lower felt recoil.
Picking the right gun is a balance. There is a minimum caliber that you have to consider. Most people consider 9mm to be that minimum. Others will go with a .380. On top of that you have to balance the gun's size. A larger gun will kick less than a smaller gun of the same caliber and more comfortable to shoot, but will be more cumbersome to carry. If this is for home use, my original suggestion stands. If you are going to carry, I would consider something in the subcompact 9mm to .380 or a Ruger LCR .38 if you want a revolver. If I were a cop, I would be concerned with higher capacity. Since I won't be looking for trouble, I went for a more compact and concealable 9mm. I carry a Kahr CW-9. It's .9" wide and is just large enough to get all of my fingers on the grip. It holds 7 rounds + 1 in the chamber. My boys have been able to comfortably shoot it since about age 10. Until I was sure they could handle the recoil, they fired the gun without the magazine to ensure no wild follow up shots. I installed a Hogue slip on grip to cushion the grip and make the grip less slippery.
