New Weapon Bans

[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

[jiaguy]

A good friend of mine from Columbus Ohio just got shot by a friend who was playing with a handgun... He got hit in the chest but it missed his heart, thankfully, and collapsed a lung. Hes currently starting physical therapy. This is a reminder to other young gun owners: safety matters because it might not be your own life you accidentally take...

[Kenyth]

Stories like that anger me. Treating deadly weapons with anything but the utmost respect is foolish and results in accidents like this.

If your weapon is not in your immediate possession or on your person, it should be locked up. Keyed trigger locks are pretty effective, but aren't foolproof, especially if not used correctly. Cable locks can be overcome by someone determined enough to do so with a cutting device. Invest in a gun safe or good quality welded steel gun locker. Kids are very clever and guns are fascinating, so high security is a must. If weapons are in unsecured storage, keep the bolts, cylinders, or firing mechanisms seperate from the weapons. You can secure those somewhere else, such as a locked box or the trunk of the car.

Just as important as security is the handling of loaded weapons. It's been said and said and said again and again and again, but a loaded weapon should NEVER be pointed in the general direction of something unless you want to shoot it. Also, be aware of your surroundings beyond the room you're in. Residential walls (with the exception of brick, cinder block, and concrete) are no barrier to small arms fire. Before handling a weapon casually, you must remove the magazine, lock the action back (or open the cylinder for revolvers) and visually inspect the chamber to make sure it's cleared. Remember, the first thing every gun amatuer wants to do is pull the trigger, so this is the condition you should hand the weapon to someone else in, magazine removed and slide locked back so they too can inspect the chamber. If you get a weapon from someone that isn't in this condition, you should immediately remove the magazine and lock the slide back to inspect the chamber.

If you think I ramble on now, I havn't even started into range safety or hunting safety yet!

"I didn't know it was loaded." is a feeble excuse. It's every gun owners responsibility to prevent accidental discharges and shootings. Almost every tragedy like this is due to carelessness. If you don't want to treat deadly weapons with respect and discipline, please don't own them.