My first post, so I realize some will be apprehensive - thinking I'm a troll. But this is honest, sincere question. Can someone who is a firm believer in the current level of enacted (New York state) and proposed (Feds) gun control please explain to me exactly which types of guns we NEED to protect ourselves and which are OK/proper to own and use for self-defense? I keep hearing folks (obviously upset with current level of gun violence) stating no one needs this or that ... so I'm asking, what do we need? What is enough? Using the newly passed New York laws as guideline: - no more than 7 rounds in any gun - no semi-automatic rifles or shotguns (do I have this right)? So what can/should I buy to defend myself and my family? What gun is "enough" gun for self-defense? I heard Rep Jerry Nadler say yesterday that 2, 3, or 4 rounds should be plenty for self defense. Is that a commonly held opinion? Please, I understand some don't think anyone should have a gun and while you're entitled to that opinion, it's not helpful for answering my question. I've decided to buy a gun - but not sure what to buy since all the gun nuts claim that they need 30-round magazines and machine guns to protect themselves. What actually will stop a bad guy? How many bullets, what size? Anyone with military/law enforcement experience (who's not a gun nut), your opinion of what I need and what would be enough gun would be highly valued. I'm going to try to go buy a gun soon (I hear it's hard to find guns and ammunition because the gun nuts are buying it all up). But I want at least one gun for protection, just in case. Thanks
The firearm you need will be several,one for personal CCW and the other for home invasion. I like a small semi-auto for deep carry,and a high capacity semi-auto for home defense.You also will need a stash for outside in case of being accosted while entering are emerging from your house.Most home owners and travelers need several types of arms because of location as well as thhe number in a family.If you are gun owner,and have children in your family,the children should learn at an early age about gun safety and the use of a firearm.:
I've never felt the need to carry a weapon, concealed or otherwise. I keep a Mossberg 590 loaded with #4 shot at home. One solid hit from a 12 gauge will take down anyone.
Gun ownership has become one of the most heated debates in the nation, polarizing consumers from coast to coast. Firearm sales are increasing in an already thriving sector as aficionados stock up, fearing what may come. The White House is considering 19 separate gun control measures that might be passed by executive order. Meanwhile, it is meeting rigid opposition from firearm supports and from the National Rifle Association, which may or may not have close ties to the $12 billion-a-year firearms industry. Read more here...
Like I know anything, so I just went with advice from the instructor at the concealed carry class. I got a short double-barrled shotgun for bedroom, and a little .38 calibre revolver to carry. After firing those, I was appalled by what they can do. i'd sure hate to have to have fired one at a person.
I have not study the New York law but according to what I have read neither did the representatives that voted on it. So I suppose I could comment on what I think. I heard detachable magazines with more than 7 round capacity were banned. I do not believe it outlaws semi-auto or shotguns. The best advice I could give not knowing you, or the law where you live, would be go talk to a firearm dealer.They would know exactly the laws where you live and make suggestion according to what you need it for. It is not a commonly held view. That said one round is plenty if there is one attacker and you hit where you aim. As I mentioned above a licensed gun dealer in your area would be best able to help you.
I purchased my first gun and have always had shotguns. For homedefense I would reccomend a good mossgberg 500 has tons of options from pistol grips to lights attached to the front. If you cannot get a semi a pump action would always be best for the fact that when you rack a round EVERYONE knows what that means. For a pistol the only one that fits the criteria would be a 1911 .45. Comes with a 7 round magazine. and you can always buy more 7 round magazines.
The ones that are legally own today are fine, no need to change a thing. As for what is best, in the home a pump 12g Shotgun is best and if on the streets a 45cal. 1911 style handgun is best IMO, some other prefer other size calibers. As for any sort of uprising or civil war, something carries a common round and as powerful as possible.
It depends on what type of protection. Practical protection against criminals in most situations? Or protection of the collective freedom of society? Guns are not just about protection either, for many people shooting is a hobby, when used responsibly they are also about fun and entertainment
This is dependent on several factors, mainly shot placement, how much fight is in the person trying to cause you or others harm, and permanent wound cavity. I cannot find the story, but a man was high on PCP and was shot 17 times center of mass, hit 22 times total and finally went down. There is also a case of a police officer getting shot once in the armpit from a .22 and dying almost instantly because of rapid blood loss. Even with long guns like a shot gun, getting hit int he chest is not a sure stopper from them also killing you. That is why I teach people to shoot until the threat is neutralized. This means aim center of mass, shoot until they stop doing what they are doing to make you in fear for your life. Missing after one shot and them stopping is neutralizing the threat; getting shot 9 times in the chest and still running at you with a knife is not neutralized. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1986_FBI_Miami_shootout The FBI Miami shoot out is famous because eight ( FBI trained agents stopped two people armed with rifles. I won't go into a lengthy discussion of that, but it caused a major paradigm shift in the firearm and police communities concerning calibers and training. Train like you fight, and you will fight like you train. If you want a more lengthy discussion on why I say that, PM me and I will be happy to explain or link you to places that can explain it very well.
First off, we are not "gun nuts", we are 99% responsible people, who are thought of as gun toting cowboys running around shooting our pistolas in the air and shooting each other over a poker game. You come in here asking a question, but the best response would be from someone you just branded as a "gun nut". However as a responsible gun owner, I never pass up a chance to share my knowledge and advise. First off, in terms of reliability, a revolver is always the best way to go. They come in all different calibers and lengths. What is always the best idea is to go to a shooting range and rent a bunch and see what is best for you in terms of recoil and comfort. The best bet would be a S&W .357 magnum because they also shoot .38 Second, money wise, the most affective while not killing your pockets would have to be a 9mm. I can't think of any semi-auto that would be NY compliant under the new ban, but if you do go semi- auto, you should know that any compact model is harder to shoot do to shorter sights and increased recoil. Third, get a sturdy safe that you can bolt to the wall, requires 2 security passes(generally a key and combonation dial) and get yourself in the habit of setting the the first 2 numbers of the dial with the key inserted so when stuff hits the fan you only need to put that last number, but reset it in the morning. Without all of your bans, the most sensable self defense gun would be a .223cal semi-auto rifle of some sort with either a laser attachment or flashlight attachment, the .223 actually has been shown to break apart and disintagrate in walls so you wouldn't have to worry about rounds carrying through any walls. Also, as I always suggest, take some self defense with firearms classes, they are hands on and very informational.
Depends upon what you're defending yourself against, and in what circumstances. I own about a dozen guns, but only 2 or 3 of them are what I would consider optimal personal defense weapons. In my bedroom, I have two 12-gauge pump shotguns tasked for home defense, a Mossberg and my dad's old Winchester. They're both loaded with 5 rounds of 00 buckshot at all times; not because I'm expecting the James-Younger gang to drop in some evening, but just because I don't want to take a chance on jumping out of bed and grabbing an empty shotgun at 3 AM. Whichever one my hand falls on first in the darkness has a round in the chamber. A 12 gauge load of 00 buck delivers the approximate equivalent of 9 .32 caliber bullets spread out over about a one-foot diameter with one shot. I'm not an experienced gunfighter, and I want to give myself every advantage and as much margin for error as possible should the day ever come. I also have an M1991 Colt .45 semi-automatic handgun that I take with me in the car on road trips. It's my "beater" gun; when I'm camping, I sleep with it in my tent in case of bears, and carry it with me while I'm hiking in case of more bears or to fire signal shots if I fall off a cliff or whatever, especially if I'm winter hiking (I always hike alone.) In the woods, I keep it loaded with fully-jacketed ammunition, the better to penetrate a bear's skull. Ammunition that is marketed for personal defense against humans fragments too early and too easily in the body of a large animal; I want something that will punch through thick bone and still be in one piece to deliver a wallop to a vital organ. Now, that's for bears. I also have a couple of clips loaded with 230-grain Hydra Shok anti-personnel ammunition in case I ever hear a lot of helicopters over my house; there's a creek and a thick forest at the bottom of the hill in my backyard, and on the other side of that forest is the county correctional facility. Every now and then someone who lives in the correctional facility decides to leave hastily, and they usually head straight for the woods. My house is one of the first ones on the other side of the trees. If I suddenly hear a lot of helicopters over the woods, that usually means they've had an abrupt unscheduled vacancy, and I wear a holstered sidearm around the house until order is restored. I have a number of 8-round clips for the .45. One in the chamber and 8 in the grip gives me 9 rounds without having to reload; if I haven't won by then, I probably don't deserve to. That's not my first choice for a home defense weapon, though... a single shot from a .45 at close range delivers an incredible amount of stopping power, but I prefer the margin of error that comes with a shotgun. It doesn't matter how hard the .45 hits if you miss. I also have a DPMS AR-15, Model LR-308, which is just a heavy AR-15 chambered for 7.62 NATO or .308 caliber, and I have 2 5-round magazines and 2 19-round magazines for it. That's my fun gun, the one I most love to take to the range. It's extremely accurate, and lethal at any distance, but not the best choice for home defense. Again, as with a handgun, the shot pattern is too small - less than half an inch, as opposed to about a foot wide with a shotgun. In the middle of the night, in a dark house, that matters. If society ever does completely collapse, the AR is the first thing I'm tossing in the back of the Subaru on my way to the woods, but it's not well-suited for a gunfight in a house. I have a Model 12 Dan Wesson .357 magnum revolver as well, with a 6-inch barrel; and like the AR, that's more for fun than personal defense. There are people who prefer revolvers to semi-automatic handguns in a tactical application, and they have valid arguments, but I prefer the .45 for a couple of reasons. The .357 is a formidable weapon, but I'd rather have 9 rounds to work with than 6, and slapping another clip into the Colt is a much quicker and easier reload than breaking open the revolver and fumbling with a speed-loader. It would make a good carry weapon, because the Dan has interchangeable barrels, and you can put a 2- or a 4-inch barrel on it and a smaller grip as well. But I don't carry anymore. I may someday decide to start again, and the .357 may be my weapon of choice then, but right now it's just a recreational gun. It's the most accurate large-caliber handgun I've ever owned; you can drive nails with that thing. Lots of fun at the range. Whatever gun you pick, I highly recommend that everyone in your household who may have occasion to use it for defense take classes in how to use it, and spend a lot of time at the range. The more rounds you shoot through it on a weekend afternoon, the more natural it will feel to you in the middle of the night. When you pick it up to defend yourself, it should be second nature, and you should know exactly what to expect at every step of the operation of the weapon. That only comes with instruction and practice. Oh, and if some family members with smaller hands will be using the weapon, you may want to consider a smaller version of some of the weapon types we've been discussing. I'm 6'4", 225 pounds; a Colt .45 that fits easily in my hand may be far too large for a 5'2" woman to comfortably handle in a gunfight. Make sure that everyone who may be using it has some input into the selection.
