Until base model Glocks are not sold with plastic sights it, as a brand, does NOT satisfy the minimum condition . . "fine" quality.
Those of you that have handguns for home
- Thread starter kevcat
- Start date
This is a great recommendation if you only want something for home defense. If you want something to carry then a lot of other questions need to be asked. The best advice I can give is to go to a range and try different guns out and get the one that feels best to you. Some will tell you to get a .45 while others will say a pocket .380 is too small to do damage. One thing I have learned is it doesn't matter how much damage a gun does if it's too big and uncomfortable to carry it will not do any good lying in your gun safe. The other key, if you plan to carry concealed, is get a good holster. A good one will be $100-150 for an inside the waste band holster but well worth the investment. I have several ranging from a .22 to 9mm but the .380 with critical defense ammo is what I typically carry.
There are cheaper pistols than Glocks but I would be very, very wary of anything made by Taurus.
Frankly, the whole point of having a pistol in the house is to be able to confront the literal worst case scenario that most people will ever face. I'm not going to worry about spending an extra hundred dollars on a Glock versus whatever knock-off is cheaper now.
And I really don't want a cheap pistol, a cheap doctor, a cheap lawyer, or a cheap accountant anyway. You get what you pay for.
Frankly, the whole point of having a pistol in the house is to be able to confront the literal worst case scenario that most people will ever face. I'm not going to worry about spending an extra hundred dollars on a Glock versus whatever knock-off is cheaper now.
And I really don't want a cheap pistol, a cheap doctor, a cheap lawyer, or a cheap accountant anyway. You get what you pay for.
Buying quality only hurts one time.
Note my post was in response to Nerd......not Warrior.
Nerd basically said that the statistics show that a gun in the home is more likely to injure someone accidentally than to be used in defense. Which is not true.
I agree.
First off, let me say that I would rather have a cheap gun than no gun. So, if you can’t afford much, then get what you can afford.
Second, I would rather buy a used better brand than a new cheap brand.....assuming costs shake out.
Third, in general, I would favor upper brands.....SW, Glock, HK, Walther, FN, Sig, Springfield.
If I “had” to go lesser brands, I’d be sure to practice a lot to be sure it’s reliable. (Of course, I’m gonna practice a lot no matter what anyway)
It all depends on if you're a conservative or a liberal. If you are a conservative buy yourself a .44 magnum with a 6" barrel & load it up with 240 grain hollow point bullets. If you are a liberal buy yourself a peashooter and if someone breaks in on you crawl under your bed & let them take everything you've got.
I sleep with my SW40 beside my bed and the 13 gauge in the closet. Have the 1911 on top of the kitchen cabinets and a little North American arms 32 auto in the couch cushion.
I let my mom keep the Taurus 9mm to carry with her and I let my dad keep my 357 revolver beside him as he sleeps.
I let my mom keep the Taurus 9mm to carry with her and I let my dad keep my 357 revolver beside him as he sleeps.
Statistics also say if you flip a quarter enough times that close to half the time it'll come up heads and close to half the time it'll come up tails -- but would you want to literally bet your life on the outcome of a single flip?
Absolutely. One caveat: be wary of buying police service pistols secondhand. You never know what sort of modifications the armory department might have done for shooting simunition or whatever that might screw with what is otherwise a very reliable platform.
As to the larger point you make, I absolutely agree:
If you make the decision to own a gun, it is far, FAR more important to spend the money and time on practicing how to use it in the worst case scenario rather than worrying about some finicky horseshit like the Taurus Judge, which is literal nonsense designed to market to people who never actually practice.
For home defense, the right weapon might depend on where you live. If you have neighbors like in a subdivision or even an apartment, then you don't want something that will over-penetrate (rifles or shotguns loaded with double ought). You will go to jail if you kill your neighbor by accident. If you have a lot of acreage, get whatever you want.
Next, get something that you are comfortable shooting. I prefer handguns. Revolvers are foolproof and won't jam but don't have the fire rate or the capacity of semi-autos. There is a trade off. Also I wouldn't bet my life on a .22. The 9 MM or .38 is the minimum stopping power that I would want.
You also need to consider ammo. I like hollowpoints because they expand in the bad guy to do more damage or if you miss they are less likely to over-penetrate through walls because their energy will dissipate as they expand in a wall or whatever.
The shotgun route is another great option. I would go with a pump action as it will not fail you like a semi-auto might. Also I would get the shortest barrel allowed by law as it will be easier to move with it in a confined space. You are not going to miss at ten yards just because your barrel is a few inches shorter.
Finally, I like to have a non-lethal option at hand like pepper spray. Not all situations require a life or death response. You don't have to worry about spending years in jail if you mace someone who is trying to steal your grill or something like that.
Next, get something that you are comfortable shooting. I prefer handguns. Revolvers are foolproof and won't jam but don't have the fire rate or the capacity of semi-autos. There is a trade off. Also I wouldn't bet my life on a .22. The 9 MM or .38 is the minimum stopping power that I would want.
You also need to consider ammo. I like hollowpoints because they expand in the bad guy to do more damage or if you miss they are less likely to over-penetrate through walls because their energy will dissipate as they expand in a wall or whatever.
The shotgun route is another great option. I would go with a pump action as it will not fail you like a semi-auto might. Also I would get the shortest barrel allowed by law as it will be easier to move with it in a confined space. You are not going to miss at ten yards just because your barrel is a few inches shorter.
Finally, I like to have a non-lethal option at hand like pepper spray. Not all situations require a life or death response. You don't have to worry about spending years in jail if you mace someone who is trying to steal your grill or something like that.
If the grill is on my porch only the dead man and the lord will know what he was there to take.
Ruger SR9 is what I got and I love it. Even more so than my brother’s glock. Can’t go wrong with either though.
You can dry fire any modern pistol to your heart's content and you can get a laser sighting cartridge on Amazon for about $30.
You can practice for almost nothing if you have the instruction to know what you are doing.
I’d also recommend a laser and light on the handgun. Admittedly I like green lasers but if you use one in a dark house you’re showing the burglar right where you are so red is probably best. The laser takes care of aim issues caused by just waking up.
If you shoot a thief who is has not tried to enter your house but is running away with your grill or lawn jockey, you might be the one going to jail depending on the laws in your state.
I know.
But the bang..
I would be careful over depending on laser.... The shooter needs to be skilled, and not just depend on technology. Technology sometimes fails
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The only reason to buy a glock over Taurus or s/w would be if you will be pouring thousands of rounds down range. I would think glock would hold up better. That is not what I need from a gun. I shoot about 50 rounds in practice then clean it and put it up.
My point is a Taurus, or at least the ones I have go bang every time I pull the trigger. In the end, that is all I need for it to do.
I don’t need name recognition, I just need it to work.
Glock, like Harley Davidson has done a great job of selling a name.
Yeah, anyone who thinks that a shot pattern spreads out in feet at that distance has been watching too much television. That said, the odds of me hitting a solid shot to the torso with a shotgun at that distance are every bit as good as me hitting a 9MM shot to the heart, and a solid shot to the torso with 00 shot is going to put someone down and have their life flashing in front of their eyes. In fact, even a solid shot to the arm at that distance is going to have them screaming and shitting themselves, probably forgetting WTF they were breaking in for in the first place. I also don't sweat the shot capacity. I have a 4 shot saddle, but realistically, if I have to even go past 3 shells, it's probably going to end badly for me regardless.
Equally important to having a gun that you are comfortable with......
* Solid doors with good locks.
* Good windows that can't be easily accessed and opened aside from breaking them out and crawling through.
* Good motion lights.
* An alarm system that automatically dials 911.
* A good dog. Doesn't have to be a pit bull. Our little guy is a 25 lb Tibetan Spaniel/Golden Retriever mix. He's a sweet, friendly boy who is also a fearless little toucher and very protective of us if he doesn't know you and lets us know immediately if he hears something.
Well........
Let’s put this in terms of automobiles. Glock is like Toyota. They have an excellent track record for reliability.......and for good reason. Throughout the 80’s, 90’s, and early 00’s, Glock reliability was so far ahead other striker fired weapons. While they’re still elite, they aren’t nearly as far ahead as some upper brands. Yes, many people are caught up in the Glock name now.....refusing to recognize how much ground others have caught up. But they’re still an elite striker fire brand.
Taurus is like Jeep. You can get a Grand Cherokee that will last 200,000 miles without issue......and you can get one that is a hard lemon. The consistency has been an issue. Part is quality control. Part is design. Part is using cheaper parts/materials so that they can sell at a cheaper price. Now, absolutely, things have improved and I like their direction but you really can’t compare reliability to Glock right now as a general rule. It’s not even a debate nor opinion. Now, if you want to compare ergonomics, feel, accuracy, features......sure. In fact, I shot a Taurus recently that was a dream to shoot.....compared to a G17 that feels like you’re holding a 2x4. Will I look at Taurus in the future? Possibly, but if I’m limited in funds I’d probably buy a used upper tier brand.
If you have one that’s been reliable, then rock on. Continue with it and be happy.....but don’t generalize it to the brand. At least not yet.
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Thank you. As stated above, if you need it, any gun is better than none. Same goes with practice.
I just have serious reservations that 50 rounds of practice is sufficient to help in the event that you truly need to use it and I would never trust a Taurus if there were other options available for small amounts of money.
But to each their own and I hope neither of us ever have to use a gun and this is entirely academic.
Agreed. All goes back to my first post where I mentioned use the largest caliber you can while still hitting the bullseye.
The only debate comes in when you’re debating capacity and reloads.
Example #1 - if a person can quickly and consistently put a .45 or a 9mm to the head/heart......do you go with caliber or capacity? Honestly this really is a close debate that really ends up being personal preference.
Example #2 - Revolvers and shotguns are a lot slower to load than magazined pistols. This debate to me is much clearer than #1.....but again, personal preference.
Ah . . . got it. Lotsa traffic last nite. Ironic error. Although I would stay with noting the modified condition, I'll defer to what the intention may have been. Lock that down all you need.
SR very under-appreciated product line. This is the last year. Great to keep in your truck. This will become the new "P" series. You hear it all the time . . . "where can I get an old Ruger P95?"
If I catch someone on my porch that isn’t supposed to be there I’m shooting them most likely. I’m not gonna start putting rounds their way as they run off because I have neighbors
I have gone outside in the middle of the night to help people numerous times. People I didn't know. Last one I am pretty sure was a meth head criminal and he was sizing me up the whole time. I was unarmed. But he was still scared. I am not quick to pull a weapon.
I am getting too old for that and have been lucky. I do think if those people had bad intentions myself and some Chow chows changed their mind.
If someone steals my grill, they aren't getting shot. If they are in my house.....
I walk on a community trail that the Mormons walk everyday. I have more copies of the book of Mormon than any non-mormon in the United States.
I keep a Ruger P89 on the lower shelf of the end table where I sit most of the time. 15 shots to get me to the arsenal in the back room.
Sig p226 .40 extreme or get it chambered in the 357. Make sure it has night sights.
If strapped for cash get a rock island .45 ACP
If strapped for cash get a rock island .45 ACP
No. No. No.
If someone is asking for basic advice on a first handgun, they don't need a bunch of nonsense about 40 or Sig 357 or whatever.
9mm is just the generic and works fine (probably better than other calibers) and getting someone comfortable and trained is far more important than a bunch of dipshit internet wars about calibers and dumbshit.
I agree with this. KISS method for gun owners who are fairly new to firearms.
Plus, it’s entirely possible that they won’t shoot enough to get used to 9mm recoil and feel.......which likely means 45 is out. And certainly snappy rounds like 40.
Glock 19 or 45. 26 for conceal double stack.
Kev I own many firearms. Get the Glock. The high cap magazines, dependability, and ease of the Glock is unmatched. Most others are trying to imitate.
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Depends on what you’re looking for. Don’t think about brand unless you’re looking high end. Entry level Colts are great, if you want higher end it all depends.
There are thousands and thousands of guys who make lower’s and uppers.
I like the judge but have no idea why people insist on limiting their potential.
I own a lot of rifles and handguns but what I sleep with is my Glock 17 with 3, 33 round mags. The Judge is fun, but I’ll take my 100 rounds.
I love 1911’s but wouldn’t carry or protect myself with it. 45 caliber isn’t something that stabilizes quick enough and you won’t recover well not to mention once again you limit your capacity.
Glock, micro roni, Glock factory high cap mags, 9mm
It doesn’t get better.