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need help with gun buying 101

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Yep, bills Gs has tons of rentals to chose from, from 22 pistols to m82a1 Barrett's. You can also rent full auto stuff, shooting an MP5k on full tilt is a blast! But If any of you guys ever make it to the cities, Pm me if you want to do any shooting! Oh and Alex, we still need to go out shooting!
 
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my thoughts:

mossberg 930 (tho for home defense i prefer an ar15, most hallways are too narrow to run with a shotgun)
Rock Island Armory 1911 officers
Rock Island Armory 1911 officers

cant beat the single action trigger of any 1911 and for $400 you get a nice compact pistol with a lot of knockdown power. Want less muzzle flip? get it in 9mm.

but ultimately i agree with everyone else, buy and shoot what feels great in your own hands.
 
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OK, not knowing why you need three guns. Really, Texas is not as bad as you think.

First of all, you'll need to take training classes on the workings (how to draw, how to shoot, how to clean, etc.) of your gun. After you have mastered this with about 2,000 rounds per gun, then you'll both need to take tactical training (using cover/concealment, situational awareness, etc.). After shooting maybe 5,000 rounds here, you'll be ready for self-defense carry. By this time, you'll know what you, your gun and your ammo can do and won't do.

Good luck!

Jeff
 

NickThePyro

GO COUGS!
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1) shotgun for the home: I keep a Remington 1100 Classic Trap(Semi-auto version of 870) in my room. Is it maneuverable? No, its long as hell! If needed to be use for protection will it stop somebody in their tracks? Yes, it will probably be the last tracks they ever make. I don't like the concept of shotguns for defense as I will mention in #2. But as mentioned the 870 and 500 are both great shot guns and can be picked up for cheap everywhere. When it comes to the pump sound of shotguns scaring people I have heard people tell stories of how it has stopped people. Here locally most of the break ins are young hoodrat peaces of crap trying to just grab anything valuable and run out as fast as possible. The difference about these is they usually happen during the day, night break ins have different motives such as personal harm or even kidnapping where force will probably be used. During the day chasing a scum bag with cleaver use of profanity and holding your dominance scares them, the pumping of the shotgun shows the serious mentality and leads to the intruder knowing he better run or he is screwed. The punk kids around here are just bad news but are often unarmed besides knifes. Having them run away is better than having to use lethal force.

2) handgun for me to carry: I have my Concealed Pistol License unlike most 21 yearolds and have been trained at gun safety and target practice since I was 12. I carry a Kimber 1911 Super Carry Custom. It is not cheap but it is the gun I have wanted ever since it came out and love it to death. I carry very rarely so a full size 1911 isn't that bad for the rare occurrences I feel I need to carry, but for frequent carry a plastic gun is much more practical. I HATE Glocks. Personal preference, I can't get them to shoot tight groupings for me to save my life. If I can't shoot it at the range effectively I won't trust it to save my life. But that being said I know countless people who have Glock 19s and similar and love them more than Ben loves his Cuban cigars. My next gun purchase will be a Springfield XDM9. I own zero plastic guns but after shooting over a dozen plastic guns(non-steel) to see what I like I fell in love. I am a VERY strong believer in you must know how to shoot your weapon by feel. To do this you will burn through thousands of rounds of ammunition. The military trains this way for a reason. When you are comfortable using a weapon then you will not panic when you are in a situation. Just use muscle memory to point by feel as your brain is too freaking out evaluating the situation at hand and making quick decisions. The 9mm ammo is far cheaper than .40/.45 so if you are on a budget it will save a ton of money. Ammo is stupid expensive these days. Another benefit to the 9mm is with good hallow-point rounds it will stop a person, and will have plenty more room in a magazine(15 9mm vs. 8 .45). As I said in the shotgun recommendation I do not like shotguns for home protraction. Handguns are infinitely more maneuverable. When there is an intruder they will not slowly strut down the halls, they will be running. Running with a handgun is easy, shotguns you have walls to knock into. Most plastic guns have rails for attachments. When you mount a light such as a Surefire TLR you will not only stun the night intruder but have a HUGE advantage in the situation by having a weapon and the advantage of seeing the situation. This companied with the maneuverability of a handgun makes it my ideal choice and why I keep my loaded handgun and 750 lumen tactical flashlight within reach of where I sleep.

3) handgun for the wife to carry: I refuse to make any recommendations. The ONLY gun that she should carry is the one she is comfortable with. Every gun has different grips, safety, magazines, sights, etc. Find what she is most comfortable shooting. And if she hasn't taken a gun safety course she should be enrolled. I don't care if somebody is 16 or 60, a gun safety course for somebody who hasn't taken it will teach them for more than they ever imagined.
 
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If you're looking for something for personal protection only and not planning on hunting, then it's hard to beat the Mossberg lineup. They have tactical pump models that won't break the bank and are very affordable. Short 18" barrels and hold quite a few rounds, though one round of 20ga or 12ga would be enough to deter/eliminate any threat...

Pistols - lots of opinions... like everyone said, time at the range is essential
Frame: What fits your hand, what can be concealed, is it comfortable, etc.
Caliber: I personally carry a .380, but have also carried a .45 (opposite end of the spectrum). The .45 shoots MUCH better and more enjoyable at the range, but it's bigger, harder to hide, and much heavier. The .380 fits in my pocket and looks like a wallet/cell phone, and doesn't make my wife nervous when I carry...
Type: Semi or revolver. Revolvers are known as the most reliable, as they don't jam and there's a fresh round each pull of the trigger.
 
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