New Weapon Bans

[TampaSupremo]

Now that Democratic party has control of both halves of Congress (if I'm wrong, correct me), how long will it be before we see a repeat of AWB '94 (or something even more restrictive)? My guess is that if Hillary gets elected in '08, it will happen before '09 is over. Before then, I think there will be some incremental restrictions (no more mail-order/online ammo purchases, etc).

Bummer.

[kevin7]

I doubt it but we'll see. Not all Dems are anti gun and not all Pubs are gun toting neanderthals ( I am though)

[Cabaiguan Juan]

Guns are just Darwinism with style.

[heftysmokes]

I doubt it but we'll see. Not all Dems are anti gun and not all Pubs are gun toting neanderthals ( I am though)

K7 is right, I come from a long line of Democrat gun-toting neanderthals and I carry on the tradition proudly.

[CoventryCat86]

I doubt Bush would sign anything like that even if it were passed. You gotta remember that back in 1993 and 1994, the Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress AND the White House. When they had control of everything, they were perceived by some as going too far on some things which is why they were tossed out of Congress in the 1994 elections.

Rest easy, at least until 2008. My guess is that the Democrats in Congress will pass all kinds of crazy things in the next two years that Bush won't sign and depending on what people want, they'll do one of two things:

1. The "split" deal, leave a Republican in control of the Executive Branch while letting the Democrats keep control of Congress. This has been happening here in New England for quite some time. Many Democratic party leaders actually love it because they pass their legislation, the Republican Governor vetos it and the Democrats have a Boogey Man to blame all the problems on.

2. Give the Democrats control of everything. I actually look forward to this scenario, much like California under Gray Davis. If the Democrats go crazy (which I think they will) this will give the American public a dose of how NOT to run the country and the people will revolt in 2010 and 2012 and show them the door. However, if the Democrats actually do a GOOD job (ya never know....) then that would be great for everyone and they'll keep power for a while until they screw it up.

[Cabaiguan Juan]

So in the meantime, what kind of guns do y'all endorse? If someone was looking to own/buy a gun, what would you gun toters recomend?

[kevin7]

I like my Taurus PT140

[TampaSupremo]

Heftysmokes, K7, you are correct. I remembered later that Bush Sr signed that '89 ban (no more foreign-made semi-auto rifles), and the Class III ban made it past Reagan in '86.

CoventryCat86, I hope you are right. Maybe I still have time to finish saving up for that mean ol' rifle I've been wanting for so long. I'm still going to stock ammo and mags in case Scenario 2 ever comes to pass. Of course, if we all vote Libertarian...(hey, I can dream, right?)

Cabaiguan, at work we are issued a Beretta 92 9x19mm. Some people frown on the gun and/or the caliber, but I have no problem with either. Most people who don't like it are Glock-junkies. As far as the 9mm itself goes, that's a debate that will never be settled. Ultimately, it's better to hit with a 9mm than miss with a .45 so practice is essential, regardless of what you buy.

That being said, here are my picks (in no particular order):
Beretta 92-can be carried concealed (I do it), but still kinda big and heavy
CZ-75-well made and reliable piece from Czechoslovakia-available in 9mm or .40S&W
CZ-P01-more compact version of the above with upgraded features
Glock-available in a wide range of sizes and calibers. Notoriously reliable, but I still prefer the feel of steel in my palm (no offense to the PT140, Kevin7).
While I have little experience with revolvers, S&W and Taurus are supposed to be excellent.
A shotgun in a house (not so sure about apartments) is also a good choice. Just racking the sucker will make most perps run or give up. HTH.

TampaSupremo

[WOXOF]

So in the meantime, what kind of guns do y'all endorse? If someone was looking to own/buy a gun, what would you gun toters recomend?

Usually a Glock 23 (.40 cal) or my Taurus .38 Spl with a concealed hammer to throw in my pocket.

[jiaguy]

well I'm a gun loving Dem. The beretta is just not as practical as a Glock 22. Up to 17 rounds of .4 versus 15 of 9mm or 11 of .4 makes a huge difference. Although truth be told I am always a little sceptical of the SAS system preferring a traditional safety.

[Devil Doc]

So in the meantime, what kind of guns do y'all endorse? If someone was looking to own/buy a gun, what would you gun toters recomend?

I'd recomend first learning how to use one. Then and only then don't buy anything that doesn't say .45 ACP

Doc.

[Kenyth]

My weapon of choice is the Glock 33 in .357 Sig. With added finger extension on the magazine and Tritium night sights.


Each particular round has it's pro's and con's. .45 caliber is a slower moving heavy hitter with a large slug, but the stubby thick round jams a little easier than others while reducing magazine capacity. It makes a good home defense round. Good stopping power.

9mm auto (or .35 calicber) doesn't have near the power of the .45, but the much higher magazine capacity and negligible recoil in a longer barreled weapon make it perfect for applications needing a high rate of fire. It's great for law enforcement and military applications, where extended firefights are more commonplace. It's the round of choice for sub-machine guns.
.38 Special (which is actually .35 caliber IIRC) is the standard revolver round commonly used in CC handguns. It's low recoil and cost makes it a good round for target practice, women, the elderly, or small framed people in general who may find a heavy recoil uncomfortable. A revolvers simple operation makes it a good choice for people interested in self defense without becoming a firearms enthusiast. These two round's (9mm auto and .38 special) remain the most popular handgun calibers for those reasons.

.40/10mm are all mid-sized compromise's and have approximately equal sized slugs.

The .357 Magnum is basically a .38 special with an obscene amount of powder in the case. As a matter of fact, you can fire .38 special rounds from a .357 magnum revolver.

You've got plenty of other round's with different cases, powder loads, slug weights, etc. Barrel length plays just as important a role as the ammo. The longer a barrel is, the more accurate it is, the lower the recoil, and the more of the powder's energy is transferred to the slug.

I started out liking the .45 in a single action (and still do for target accuracy in a long barelled gun), but was unsatisfied with the feed reliability in compact CC handguns, and I also disliked single action for a CC weapon. Carrying a cocked hammer is worrysome and having to cock it before firing is a waste of valuable time in an emergency. The light double action is really a superior mechanism for the self defense handgun. The Glock is a great weapon. Extremely reliable. It has not jammed on me a single time since owning it. Not ONCE.

[croatan]

I like my Taurus PT140

I've been shopping for a new concealed carry pistol recently and have about made up my mind on the PT145. Have you encountered any drawbacks with these weapons, Kevin?

[kevin7]

I've been shopping for a new concealed carry pistol recently and have about made up my mind on the PT145. Have you encountered any drawbacks with these weapons, Kevin?

I am not an expert on handguns by any means as I have limited expirence with them. I do however like the Tarus and Candy shoots it just fine. I am not a collector, I am the type of guy who sees a gun as a tool and dont show it off and suck. I like to plink stuff with it and I feel that if the day comes where I have to defend my life or my familys life I want a tool that will function as designed. I wold never pull it out to threaten someone,the only time it would be used is to shoot to kill.

I have no opinion of calibers and their stopping power but I can say 3 months ago a burgular broke into a co workers home and the burgular left in a body bag with 2- 9mm holes in his chest .

These are my stated opinions only and I won't debate them with anybody.

[cigar no baka]

Just go down to the shop, and ask for someone who knows what the hell they are talking about. If it is a good gun/ammo shop, they will know. Then tell them the caliber of your weapon, and tell them you want the ammo that will cause the most massive blunt trauma damage to your target. That is the ammo you will need to buy!!!

[SmokinDVM]

First handgun I ever owned, and still have, is a Colt Peacemaker in .22magnum. Great little varmint pistol.
I also have a CZ 75 in 9mm. Very nice semi-auto. I have fired a few thousand rounds of ammo through this pistol with no jamming problems, even when firing cheap range re-loads.

Best home defense weapon though, as stated earlier, is a 12gauge pump shotgun. I prefer the 18inch barrel with pistol grip. I have a Mossberg that I change the barrel to the 28inch and regular buttstock for pheasant hunting.


The best thing you can do is go to a good shooting range and try a variety of handguns. Most good ranges will have quite a few to rent. Find the combination of pistol and ammo that fits you the best, then you can lay out the cash hopefully without being disappointed later.

[Kenyth]

As stated earlier, the most important factors in handgun use are safety, training in use, and weapon reliability. Don't skimp on safety training and equipment! Without a well disciplined safety regimen, you may be more likely to hurt yourself or someone else with your gun than be hurt by an assailant.


Here's an afterthought. If you are new to handguns and want to go with a cheap weapon, may I recommend a Taurus .38 revolver with a double action. It's very reliable, very safe, very cheap ammunition, low recoil, quite effective, and can be had for $200 at most gun shops used. I have a Taurus .357 Magnum six-shot revolver with wood grips, adjustable sights, a scope rail, a double action/single action hammer, and a six inch barrel. An excellent target pistol (my favorite one) with .38 special wadcutters. Very accurate and fun to shoot. I picked it up cheap for $200.

[cls515]

45 is the way to go. And here is the guy to do it: HK http://www.hecklerkoch-usa.com/index...tNumber=704501

Expensive yes but if you have the money go ahead and buy the best.

[Devil Doc]

Handguns take a lot of practice to use effectively. If you don't have the time and inclination, not to mention the money for ammo and range time, to use it properly, don't buy one. Get a Remmington 870 pump with a 26" barrel, load it with buckshot, I like OO, point it in the general direction of the threat and....

Doc.

[cls515]

Secret Santa I want an HK 45 for Christmas