Gun Question

[teens4bush]

Although it is a good 5-6 years before I can buy a gun, What gun would those fo you who know guns buy that is relatively inexpenive, good for targets, and good for self defense? As a future gun owner, I was just wondering.

[14edsullivan]

For long arm...12gauge shotgun....benelli if you can afford it...if not remington 870 never fails...

For pistol get a .45 hk, glock, sig for higher end...smith if on the cheaper end...

[IHL]

This should start a good debate. I asked the exact same question when I was looking for a gun.

It depends what you are looking for, as in a rifle or a handgun. But, if you are talking about defense, then a rifle can be a bit tricky so I'll assume you are talking about a hand gun. The .45 is a good gun, there isn't any question about that but it can be a bit expensive to shoot for target practice compared to a lot of other guns. The 9mm is a great choice, less powerful but ammo is plentiful and inexpensive. The .40 is a good compromise also. More power than a 9mm and relavitely inexpensive to shoot. If you want stopping power, the good ol' 357 magnum is also a good choice, as is the .38 Special. So dedice on the calibur and then pick a manufacturer. Beretta, Smith and Wesson, Glock. Go to a gun shop and handle a few. Much will decide on the size of your hands, if you are left or right handed. Do you want a semi-auto or a revolver? Laser sights? Revolvers will typically give you 5 or 6 rounds while sem-autos will usually give you 10-15 rounds in a clip.

See? There are all kinds of choices.

[All American Kid]

when I did carry I carried a regular ol' 38 revolver. Not exactly a big gun but easy to conceal (of couse with a permit) and from what I have read most encounters that you would have to resort to a firearm is pretty much in arms length of the assailant. Now I can shoot a .44 or .357 no problem but I really don't wish to be handling anything remotly bulky if I need to pull it out in a hurry. Plus the ammo is reasonably price for target practicing. Lastly if you have to use a gun to defend yourself there will always be a liberal wanting to throw you in jail. So know your state's laws. Thats another plus to a .38 (not excessive)

But in the long run it is whatever your comfortable with. Just do the research and practice with your firearm to know it. --AAK

[Texas Outlaw]

IHL pretty much said all that needed to be said....
Dependin on the size of your hands...i'd go NO smaller than a .38caliber pistol. anything less will just piss 'em off :icon_mrgr
as far as what I use for home defense...
Mossberg 500 12 gauge pump

colt .45acp

it also depends on how much you wanna spend on a weapon...hell some can go as much as 1000.00...but this is what I would recommend
with any of these pistols..you get a no questions asked lifetime warranty.
I know a guy who had it sitting on his tractor...it fell off and he ran over it...so he took what parts he could find...boxed it up and sent it to them...they sent him a new pistol...free of charge. All you have to provide is the weapon and the receipt showing that you are the owner.
This is the link (http://www.mkssupply.com/)

[teens4bush]

Thanks. I would want a semi-auto, btu then again, I just wanted an idea, since I am only 15, and am nto eligible until 21. I just wanted a nod in the right direction, so thanks.

[Mr. Glass]

.50 BMG?

Heh seriously tho, as rifles go, I just bought an AR-15 and for power plinking, scaring the hell out of my hippy mom, and cheap rounds it's not bad. It's not super cheap, you could get a little mini 14 or something a lot cheaper.

I really like .223 tho, it's cheap, it's decently powerful, and you can find some really cheap stuff in .223.

Who knows what will be available in 5 years tho...

-Doug

[HOKIEHUNTER]

there is an on-going debate among gun owners as to which is superior:
semi-auto or revolver
Each has clear advantages and disadvantages.
A revolver will always work for you. you can load a revolver, leave it for 30 years, pick it up, it will still cycle and shoot. They do not ever jam. revolvers, however, only hold 6-8 shots max and reloading is slower than with a semi. revolvers tend to be inherently more accurate than pistols. Many revolvers can shoot multiple "calibers." a .357 will shoot .38 special bullets (the actual bullet diameter is .357 for both, the magnum just has more powder and a longer casing) and a .454 cassull will shoot .45 long colt as well. revolvers give you more flexibility
In a pistol, however, the springs wear out, it must be tuned, magazines must be loaded (this is more of a chore than you think when high volume shooting), semis are prone to jamming, and gun smithing is almost necessary for concealed carry use (gunsmithing can get really expensive.). semis are cool and fun to shoot, but i can't remember a time shooting one that it didn't jam on me (do not own any other than a .22) that kinda worries me when my life may be on the line.
I just turned 21 and did a lot of research on this subject before i purchased my gun. i went with a revolver b/c of the flexibilty, i'm gonan hunt with it (revolvers can shoot bigger bullets), and i just think they look cooler than semis. for a long gun def. go with a shotgun for protection, make sure you get a .22 rifle b/c that will teach you the basics of proper shooting at a very reasonable cost, and work up to the bigger calibers. if you plan on hunting and plinking look into either a .243 or a .308 and maybe even a 30-06. all are very powerfull rifles, and the latter 2 have tons of military surplus ammo you can buy cheaply.
glad to see a future member of the 2nd ammendment club...

[IHL]

semis are cool and fun to shoot, but i can't remember a time shooting one that it didn't jam on me Well Hokie, I have a semi-auto. I shoot it a lot and I shoot in competitions. I've fired thousands of rounds through it - not 1 jam. If you use the right ammo and have a gun in good shape, you should be fine. If your gun is jamming, something is wrong.

Having said that, a revolver has less moving parts and as a result many prefer it for self-defense. Others bring up the point of a revolver only holding 6 rounds compared to 15 or more in a semi-auto. However, if you are in a self defense situation and need more than 6 shots, you have serious problems.

[believer]

While serving in the Army, I noticed some jamming with the M16. (Model at time; forward assist was new, had full auto, semi-auto, safety...circa 1981-3). I realized that the only problem there was the bolt hanging up on the rear of the magazine lips. After loading my magazines, I banged that rear corner of the lips on a hard surface to deform it to bend down. I was never again an "alibi firer". I am referring to the lips at the top of the magazine that retain the staggered rounds within the magazine. If you have an auto or semi-auto that has jammed, take a peek at that rear corner of the magazines; the blueing will most likely be scraped. Doing this slight preventative modification allowed the bolt to push the round out of the magazine just fine.

My HK USP .45 was indeed, unquestionably a fine gun. It did fail to fire twice. The issue was not mechanical. It was bad ammo (10X). - The cheap stuff. +P+ never did this, of course. Cheap ammo is fine for target plinking. Hydrashok 165g or corbon 230g stays loaded all other times. A cheap .22 Marlin picked up at KMart years ago still has yet to err! Tens of thousands of rounds, let me tell you! Always loads of fun! Nothing comes close to the fun that can be had with a .22lr. Mind you, this is probably the most dangerous weapon around. .22's are very easy to get comfortable with...almost too comfortable. That little chunk of lead is something I wouldn't want going into me. Keep in mind, it really does keep going past what you aimed at; up to 2 miles! .22's have killed many people, mostly; probably unintentional. A rusty old broke down tractor or dead refrigerator in a field is NOT a good target, no matter how offensive or beligerant or deserving. (words of experience...AHEM!)

[short circut]

if ytou can find one i would say a semi-aoutomatic ak-47. i beleive they are legal. but they are nearly immpossible to destroy.thats is one of the reasons middle esterners use them so much. the dirt cant get inside them. i dont know if its rue but i heard water cant either. seems like the ultimate gun

http://www.ak-47.net/ak47/faq.html

[Redneck]

My opinion, nothing beats a .50 calliber desert eagle.

Broken Wrist anyone?

[Schmitty27]

I just want to get an old fashioned WWII jeep and replace the .30 cal with a German MG42. That thing sounded good, looked good, and fired rounds like no other. Hopefully could get some barrel modifications to help with cooling.

Now only if it were street legal...

[Wadi66]

if you can find one i would say a semi-automatic ak-47. i believe they are legal. but they are nearly impossible to destroy.thats is one of the reasons middle esterners use them so much. the dirt cant get inside them. i dont know if its true but i heard water cant either. seems like the ultimate gunThe sks is cheaper and uses the same ammo.

[14edsullivan]

The sks is cheaper and uses the same ammo.


After finding out age n use for this, im with Wadi on this, the SKS's are dirt cheap, and ammo is dirt cheap, an SKS can be found at jsut about ANY gun store for 150 bucks or so and then 1000 rounds of the 7.62 by 39 ammo can befound at abotu 110-140, SKS's are super reliable and cantake a beating, great little guns no recoil and cheaper to shoot, and its a rifle so you can get it at 18, and dont let the fact that your a minor stop you from participating in shooting, talk to your parents about it, i dont know where you live or what your parental situation is, but it can't hurt to be brought up, have your old man buy u a rifle either as a gift or apy for it and keep it in his name till 18, thats what ive done with my 11-87, WASR-10, a few .22's and a soon to be M4, its a great thing to get into, if you have any questions, just post em up and well help ya out.

[HOKIEHUNTER]

yeah the sks is durable and cheap, but the things are so dang ugly that i can't make myself get one... i love guns for their appearance as much as for their function, so to me a beautiful rifle with a quality stock is better than an ugly S.O.B. that'll last forever.... I know i know, diminishing returns, but I'll continue to plink with 30-06 and .308 out of a Rem 700 or a walnut Encore