Help me pick a handgun

Gunnslinger

Adventurer
If I only had those three calibers to choose from and given the unlikely possibility of a defensive engagement due to the weapons unavailability, the 9mm parabellum is probably the cheapest to shoot.
 
S

Scenic WonderRunner

Guest
If I only had those three calibers to choose from and given the unlikely possibility of a defensive engagement due to the weapons unavailability, the 9mm parabellum is probably the cheapest to shoot.

This is why I posted the Round choice question.

400px-CartridgeComparison.jpg


Because the round choice....can also guide you to the proper handgun for you. It's a Personal Choice.

And remember! Nobody says, you can only have just one.



,
 

njsjeep

Observer
I haven't read every post in this thread so I may be commenting without enough information. It sounds like the intent of the original poster is to acquire a handgun for mostly recreational use and fun. I'm going to go against everyone else and recommend a match grade .22 like the Smith and Wesson model 41 pistol

A match grade pistol isn't cheap initially but they aren't too difficult to find used. The advantage the .22 rimfire is that you can shoot thousands of rounds more cheaply and with less physical wear and tear than you can with a larger caliber round.

Learning to shoot well is much more important than making a big blast and the best way to do that is shoot thousands of rounds with a quality handgun.

With a quality match grade pistol, even a .22, it is possible to set up the grips to be similar to a larger caliber pistol. This makes it easy to use a larger caliber without having to alter shooting technique.
 
S

Scenic WonderRunner

Guest
I haven't read every post in this thread so I may be commenting without enough information. It sounds like the intent of the original poster is to acquire a handgun for mostly recreational use and fun. I'm going to go against everyone else and recommend a match grade .22 like the Smith and Wesson model 41 pistol

A match grade pistol isn't cheap initially but they aren't too difficult to find used. The advantage the .22 rimfire is that you can shoot thousands of rounds more cheaply and with less physical wear and tear than you can with a larger caliber round.

Learning to shoot well is much more important than making a big blast and the best way to do that is shoot thousands of rounds with a quality handgun.

With a quality match grade pistol, even a .22, it is possible to set up the grips to be similar to a larger caliber pistol. This makes it easy to use a larger caliber without having to alter shooting technique.




Read Every Post.....!




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Riptide

Explorer
Let me add my two cents, since I recently was on a "house gun" quest...

You mentioned that maybe the wife might have need to use the weapon. Can your wife clear a jam? Does she shoot with a firm wrist?

Mine cannot, and so that ruled any semi-automatic out. (Nuts. Had to go buy another gun, but this time with her full knowledge and blessing...).

In the end, I settled on a couple of Ruger SP101's, in .327 Federal. Stone reliable, and wife-friendly.

Just something to think about.
 

BKCowGod

Automotive ADHD is fun!
I haven't read every post in this thread so I may be commenting without enough information. It sounds like the intent of the original poster is to acquire a handgun for mostly recreational use and fun. I'm going to go against everyone else and recommend a match grade .22 like the Smith and Wesson model 41 pistol

A match grade pistol isn't cheap initially but they aren't too difficult to find used. The advantage the .22 rimfire is that you can shoot thousands of rounds more cheaply and with less physical wear and tear than you can with a larger caliber round.

Learning to shoot well is much more important than making a big blast and the best way to do that is shoot thousands of rounds with a quality handgun.

With a quality match grade pistol, even a .22, it is possible to set up the grips to be similar to a larger caliber pistol. This makes it easy to use a larger caliber without having to alter shooting technique.

Thanks for the tip, and I have looked very closely at a few .22's. Thanks also for reading my initial post - you are completely right on my main use and intent. I don't expect to ever have to shoot anything bipedal (or quadrapedal... and for that matter, probably no reason to shoot snakes or fish or insects either). I own guns because I am fascinated by anything both precise and mechanical. I shoot guns because I own guns, and because it is an interesting and fun challenge. That's why the CZ was so appealing - at less than $.23/rd, it's about equal to the cheapest 9mm ammo, and the CZ is a more interesting weapon.

Oh, and Fireman - thanks for the review. A bit more detail, perhaps (since yours is the first negative thing about the CZ-82 I have heard)?
 

njsjeep

Observer
Thanks BKCowGod. Another thing you might consider is learning Reflex or Instinctive shooting. It isn't too difficult to learn and a lot of fun but requires a LOT of practice, like thousands of rounds a month. The basic idea is that when you look at something quickly and point at it you naturally tend to point at the center. Try taping a laser pointer to your finger to see what I mean. You then have to learn to make the handgun an extension of your arm/finger. This requires essentially a perfect, consistent almost painfully tight grip using one or both hands and lots of practice. Using a well made pistol and cheap ammo makes it easier to shoots hundreds of rounds at a time to practice.
 

jnelson4x4taco

Adventurer
I dont claim to be knowledgeable about guns, by any stretch of the imagination and some very well may disagree with my logic and theory but here goes..

For home defense I purchased a Mossberg 500 .12 gauge pump shotgun with a 18" and 27" barrels. At home I keep the 18" barrel on and stagger 00 buckshot with steel slugs. From what ive heard from friends and family in law enforcement, someone on drugs (meth, coke, etc.) can stand a 9mm shot and even a .40 cal shot and keep coming. for that, I want to be prepared with a big kaboom! Additionally, the thought of being accurate, late at night, awoken from a dead sleep, with shaky hands, a thumping heart and and a groggy mind, didnt seem realistic. The impact area of a bullet is pretty small, but the impact area of 00 buck out of an 18" barrel gives me a much better chance of hitting my target and being able to follow it up with a slug. In addition to the firepower behind a shotgun, the sound of racking a shotgun will deter all but the ballsiest intruders, given you hear them. Like you all, its something I hope to never encounter. Also like you, if I ever do find myself in that position, you bet im gonna empty those shells to protect my family.

Regarding a handgun to carry in the woods/truck, sorry, cant help you there, but I am following this thread as im considering the same type of gun for myself.
 

KG6BWS

Explorer
I dont claim to be knowledgeable about guns, by any stretch of the imagination and some very well may disagree with my logic and theory but here goes..

For home defense I purchased a Mossberg 500 .12 gauge pump shotgun with a 18" and 27" barrels. At home I keep the 18" barrel on and stagger 00 buckshot with steel slugs. From what ive heard from friends and family in law enforcement, someone on drugs (meth, coke, etc.) can stand a 9mm shot and even a .40 cal shot and keep coming. for that, I want to be prepared with a big kaboom! Additionally, the thought of being accurate, late at night, awoken from a dead sleep, with shaky hands, a thumping heart and and a groggy mind, didnt seem realistic. The impact area of a bullet is pretty small, but the impact area of 00 buck out of an 18" barrel gives me a much better chance of hitting my target and being able to follow it up with a slug. In addition to the firepower behind a shotgun, the sound of racking a shotgun will deter all but the ballsiest intruders, given you hear them. Like you all, its something I hope to never encounter. Also like you, if I ever do find myself in that position, you bet im gonna empty those shells to protect my family.

Regarding a handgun to carry in the woods/truck, sorry, cant help you there, but I am following this thread as im considering the same type of gun for myself.

Nothing wrong with the logic, but you would be better off with either goose loads or just the buckshot. A goose load at close range would do some SERIOUS damage to an intruder but not go thru any walls. Your buckshot will definately do damage, but may or may not go thru a wall.

Unless the intruder was wearing body armor, a slug that close would probably go thru your intruder, and several walls before stopping. A miss would probably go thru the house.
 

jnelson4x4taco

Adventurer
A goose load at close range would do some SERIOUS damage to an intruder but not go thru any walls. Your buckshot will definately do damage, but may or may not go thru a wall.

Probably true, and something i will look into. As I said, I dont know a lot about guns or ammo beyond safety. Without getting too far off topic, since this thread was about handguns, my intent for owning a self defense weapon is not to do "damage". My intent is to make sure that the person who intended to victimize, hurt, steal or do worse to my family does not have the chance to sue my ***** of for doing "serious damage" to them.
 

Gunnslinger

Adventurer
"probably no reason to shoot snakes or fish or insects either"

No reason to shoot snakes, fish or insects? That's crazy talk.

A really big nest of wasps and a red ryder BB gun can provide nearly endless hours of amusement.
 

KG6BWS

Explorer
"probably no reason to shoot snakes or fish or insects either"

No reason to shoot snakes, fish or insects? That's crazy talk.

A really big nest of wasps and a red ryder BB gun can provide nearly endless hours of amusement.

Maybe for you. Im allergic to the damn things. My policy is "You leave me alone and Ill leave you alone".
 

robert

Expedition Leader
The CZ-82, like most of CZs guns, is actually a good choice. They are typical Comm-bloc guns in that the finish isn't as nice as some and the trigger pull is usually heavy out of the box. Change the springs out for some from Wolff Gunsprings and you should be happy (see some of the internet CZ forums for recommendations based on your chosen loads). Personally I like the 9x18 (Mak) round but it tends to feel snappier in the hand- most of the guns chambered for it are blowback operated like a .380 instead of a locked breach like most 9mm and above. Recoil is a personal thing though- shoot what's comfortable for you. There are .380 barrels available for it too. If you are going to load it for social work I would go with something like the Hornady HPs.

Ruger makes a reliable pistol, but they are heavy clunky feeling things in my hand and I just don't care for them. The only Smith pistols I like are their 1911s. A used S&W revolver on the other hand would definitely be a good choice too.

I would prefer a 9mm (9x19) over a 9mm Mak (9x18) or .380ACP (9x17). I do not like .40s; don't like the recoil and don't see that it does anything better than a good 9mm and certainly not better than a .45.



Incidentally, anyone who thinks a goose load (or birdshot) won't go through a wall needs to go to your local big box store and get some pieces of scrap drywall and shoot it. Even birdshot will usually penetrate drywall within the short ranges within a house*. Usually the wad does too. Folks generally overestimate the distances they are likely to be shooting, underestimate how far a shotgun round will go, overestimate how much a shotgun round will open up within that range and overestimate how far a handgun round will go. Know what's behind your intended target; if you are worried about it then shoot Israeli crowd style- take a knee and shoot at an upward angle so that you minimize the chances of a round striking someone on the same level as yourself.

* If anyone ever tells you that birdshot is a good home defense round just thank them for their time, smile and walk away knowing that they're an idiot. Anything less than buckshot will not retain enough energy to reliably penetrate deeply enough into a body to disrupt major organs. That's not to say birdshot won't do the job, it just won't penetrate to 12" reliably or retain enough energy to do it's job (FBI standards). Read the FBI tests and reports, the coroner's reports and talk to the medics on the streets and doctors in the ERs. It produces some nasty looking wounds, but most aren't fatal nor do they incapacitate reliably. Yes, a duplex/goose load may work within a house, I've never seen anyone shot with one or read a report of it.
 
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