gun nutz

[bg]

just wondering what would be a good home protection gun for my daughter.
semi rural area and a couple incidents lately makes me and her wish she had some protection.
fortunately nothing happened but it did cause one to think>
i'm thinking small shotgun.
any ideas will be appreciated.

[Tundra]

Is she familiar with firearms and firearm safety? Is she comfortable with an auto-loader and willing to practice? I would recommend taking a basic course first, if she is not familiar. Then try to experience shooting auto loader pistols and revolvers. MANY choices available. Also many opinions. If that's a no-go, can't beat a shotgun for home protection. The mere presence can be very intimidating and effective without even firing. 

[solo1]

I like semiauto's handguns for protection. However, my two guns for protection in the home are both revolvers, one a .38 Combat Masterpiece and the other a Ruger .357 Sp101.  Additional protection is a Stoeger coach shotgun in 12 guage hanging on the wall.  The 4 ought buck shells are in the pistol safe.

I've been teaching home firearm safety in the home for many years and the inexperienced ladies in my class invariably choose a revolver over a semiauto.  Much simpler and safer for beginners and as for caliber, most can handle a .38 special with practice.

For experienced women (and men),well broken in  semi auto's  in the largest manageable calibers BUT they better be experienced in clearing jams if need be and MUST be aware that removing the magazine doesn't necessarily clear the weapon.  All of ths is MHO.

Oh yeah, I don't like the media generated phrase "Gun Nutz"  After shooting some 65 years, I stillI prefer "gun owners."

[Varmintmist]

Shotgun. 2 3/4 in 12 ga in either a pump, semi, or sxs. The shorter the better handeling, the longer and heavier the less recoil. Turkey loads and up for ammunition. #5 at close range (in house) will not spread much and will act more like a solid.

If she is a hunter dont discount a lever action carbine in either a handgun cal (44-357 magnum) or the venerable 30-30. The downside is that the bullet WILL penetrate walls. If she lives alone in the country, that is not a concern.

If she has a desire to go with a handgun, GO TO A BASIC PISTOL COURSE.  Dont fall for media hype, get one she can shoot, not one that some gun rag or talking head on the news says has "knockdown power". Handguns dont have knockdown power. 1 hit from a 22LR is better than 10,000 misses from a 44 Magnum. There are also home defense courses available. http://www.nrahq.org/education/training/find.asp Look for a basic pistol and HD in your area.

A double action revolver is hard to beat. They are point and click. No mechanical saftey to get in the way.  As a suggestion, Ruger GP100 with a 4 in bbl, Ruger sp101. Tarus has a +- reputation. $W are ni$e. Either in 357 or 38 spl. 38 spl can be run through a 357 if 357 is to much for her, the revolver will be beefier. Avoid snubbies because they are not as easy to shoot and there is more felt recoil. Try 125 gr bullets in each.

Unless she is willing to shoot, a lot, then avoid a auto pistol.

 

[V98]

In a word , yes. But here are some things to consider. What is her experience level? What gage recoil is she capable of handling efficiently and safely? Is there a collateral damage risk(kids etc.)? A short barrel  home defense shotty in the hands of a properly trained person is a very good overall combination with heavy emphasis on "properly trained". A hd shotty doesn't always have to be 12ga. Many men will pick a 20ga pump or s.a. because lessened recoil translates into quicker on target follow-up shots if needed. A properly loaded 20ga. can still be very devastating at in home distances.IMO, dollar for dollar, I really don't think you can beat a Remington 870 or Mossberg 500 for a HD shotty. They both were proven over many years of military and LEO usage. Good luck and PROPER TRAINING, PROPER TRAINING, PROPER TRAINING, PROPER TRAINING,  .

[Blackduck KS]

If your talking protection definatly shotgun, or if your thinking pistol get something you can use bird shot
in, most people get nervous, excited, scared, what ever you want to call it, when in those situaions and a
single slug from a pistol is to likely to miss even for an auto, with the shotgun or bird shot pistol round, basicly
point and shoot,and you don`t have to be close or accurate just get something she can handle the recoil on.

[bsnicely]

20 Gauge shotgun, short pump or double gun. Can't beat a shotgun for home protection, if she were going to carry out, that would be different altogether. 

[Jess from VA]

I agree with Solo1 on this.
 
(Of course no firearm is any good if she has no idea how to use one or safe handling.)
 
A medium frame revolver in .357 or .38 special with a four inch barrel would be best, easiest, and safest for her.  Much better than a shotgun for an inexperienced female.  The revolver is easy to load and unload, easier to get in action inside a house, easier to hide, easier to use with a telephone or flashlight in the other hand, and can be carried with her around the property...all better than a shotgun.

I would get her this right away.    http://www.pepperblaster.com/

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

A 20 gauge pump or double-barrel shotgun would be hard to beat for a lady needing a home defense gun. If she wanted a handgun then I would think a revolver or tip-barrel semi-auto so there is no need to rack the slide when loading and unloading. One other possibility might be a tube feed .22 semi-auto rifle. If she lives far enough out that she can shoot at home she would have a lot of fun with one which would make her a better and safer shot. I know a .22 is a "poodle shooter" but it easy to shoot and “so far” there are no shortages of .22 rimfire ammo that I have heard of.

Around here .380, small rifle primers, .308 brass and many pistol and rifle powders are almost impossible to find.

[threevalks]

12 or 20 ga pump.

[Kaz]

I agree, there's nothing so frightening as the ca-chunk of a pump action 12 gage shot gun having a round chambered.  It's the all around home defender.

[MAD6Gun]

Another thing to consider is that a long gun such as a shotgun or rifle is easier to have taken away in close quarter. Not saying it would happen just saying it might......

[MNBill]

Bottom line of all this is if you have a gun you MUST have the mindset to use it NOT point it and hope they go away. All this does is give the criminal the gun to use on you. I go with the guys that say a shotgun in well trained hands. Make sure she shoots it enough so she is not afraid of it. If she has doubts about killing someone, the bean bag rounds that are out there will put someone down, and if that does not stop them back it up with some heavy birdshot. A shotgun can also be helpful with the skunks, racoons, possums and other wildlife that may wander up into the yard looking sickly.

If she does not have the mindset to pull the trigger on another human being then look into some of the tazers that are being put out, they are effective and will give her time to get away. As they do not kill she will not hesitate to use it when it is needed.

[Kendall]

      If that dont work Des has two yappers and i also have a pit Bull mix.  But of course it has been rumored for years that i may be heavily armed. LOl...  personal opinion is a revolver, if shes not used to guns she could always take a hunters saftey course for basic gun saftey. Handgun would be easier to carry and / or have close by where she may not want to lug the shotgun around..

[X Ring]

As a department firearms instructor, I highly recommend a used police revolver.  Most were carried a lot but shot little.  Even though it may have a lot of surface wear, i.e. bluing worn off, inside they look really good.  If you don't know what to check on a revolver, take someone with you that does.  For finishes, stainless steel is the least maintenance intensive. Probably a Smith Model 65, 66 or 686.  Have her take a firearms training course and teach her how to maintain it.  As far a defensive load, I recommend Speer's 125 grain .38 Special +P Gold Dot Hollow Point.  That's the load the officers in my department carry if they still carry revolvers.

[solo1]

Good summation, Xring.  I agree.  The Combat Masterpiece that I mentioned, was a police gun. It is loaded with +P 158 gr lead hollow points but the 125 gr. JHP +P is another good way to go.

A course in firearm safety and preferably a legal aspect lecture on laws in the state would be good.

[bg]

thanks for all the good info.
i looked yesterday at a nice little pistol grip, pump 5/1, 410 shotgun, awesome looking  little bugger.
also looked at some revolvers.
she has done a lot of shooting with me and is up to date on gun safety.
i think for right now i'm gonna let her use my 38 detective special.

[V98]

bg, this is just IMO but I don't like pistol grip only sg's. They are incredibly inaccurate and reduce you to a spray and pray mentality. Plus I think it would be very hard for a woman to control the recoil with only a hand/wrist and forehand grip. Your detective special is a reasonable choice. Once I changed the original small wood grips on my mod.36 chiefs special for a full size Hogue rubber grip, my wife went from "I won't shoot that gun again," after only 5 shots, to joyfully blazing through full cylinders. That was a (just for the fun of it) type thing. I've always taught her to double tap in any defensive type situation. I also agree with the previously mentioned 158 gr. +p hollow pts. A smaller bullet may be faster, but it slows down faster also. There are very few instances in hand gun ammo where a lighter bullet will penetrate better than a heavier one respective to calliber.

[Varmintmist]

Someone mentioned a 22 LR semi auto rifle. That isnt a bad idea either. The worlds utility rifle, it will clean critters out, is cheap to shoot, fun and not threatining.

A rifle or shotgun can be taken away at close quarters, however in a HD situation, a person is better off in a locked room with a phone and covering the door. In that case a rifle or shotgun is a much better choice.  If she is going to clear the rooms in the house she needs enough training that choice of firearm wont matter.

She needs a plan first. Then adapt the firearm to the situation. If she is going to carry around the house then a small revolver is the ticket. If she has a plan to fort up, then the bigger the better.

She may be up on gun saftey, but you are not talking a range session here. The # 1 rule is "Do not point the muzzle at anything you do not wish to destroy". What she is getting the firearm for is SPECIFICLY to point it at another person. There is HD training available, and books on firearms HD. http://www.nrahq.org/education/training/find.asp Look up your state and select the HD option. The classes are not that expensive.