Looking for Gun Advice

[sisterhellfyre]

I went to a shooting range on Sunday with a bunch of friends and had a great time. Over the day I fired several guns: a .22 bolt-action rifle, a semi-auto .22 pistol, .357 magnum revolver, .38 revolver, and a .30 cal M1 carbine of WW2 vintage. That last was a real treat cuz I've been a history buff since grade school. Unfortunately, I didn't have opportunity to try the .45 and 9mm pistols.

The rifles were fun, and I put down decent shot groups (esp considering it was my first time shooting since high school!), but I really liked the handguns more than the long guns. I'm thinking about picking up shooting as a hobby, but I really don't know where to begin. Just because it's the off-season, I thought I'd ask you guys what you have, what you like, and what you'd recommend for a beginner.

* I'm not likely to buy before next winter (Jan-Feb '13), so I have plenty of time for research.

* Shooting will primarily be a hobby, but defense is also at the back of my mind.

* My projected budget will be between $600 and $800 (not including other usefuls like a lockbox).

* I will be taking firearms safety classes, so that's a given.

* I'm left-handed and left-eyed, in case that makes a difference.

* Concealed carry permit is a definite "maybe." I haven't decided yet whether to seek it.

I'd love to hear your suggestions. Thanks in advance!

It's hard to conceal, but bazookas are fun.

[Mogulseeker]

M16 or GTFO.

[OBF1]

My favorite is a Glock 9mm. Very user friendly.

[BroncoMan4ever]

M16 or GTFO.

damn right!

zombie apocalypse happens and I am busting domes open with an M16.

[baja]

Like Smurf I too am partial to the M16. Easy to keep in good working order. Lots of them around very common round. Light weight. Plus I know it very well.

Although most of the world prefers the AK47

[lonestar]

Not sure what the purpose really is..

if your going to shoot targets at a distance the smaller the caliber will keep your shooting costs down..

If you have a hand gun do a conceal carry permit for many reasons, mostly so you can transport it without going to the trouble of carrying it in your trunk and ammo elsewhere..

The added benefit is they are great courses for gun safety and the pros teach you how to shoot..

Most folks do not just target shoot, have a brother that uses a 22 and a 17 for hunting varmints on his ranch.. he loads the 17 with a LR high power 22 shell that has the 17 as the slug.. he is hitting ground squirrels at in excess of 300 yard.
The crows follow him when he goes out in the hunting truck.

If your thinking of hunting bigger game 30-06 is a super weapon.. Been around forever and you can reload the brass.

Hand guns again depending on what you want to do with them. from 22 to 45 caliber.

I keep a 45, Glock 9 and 380 in the house.. mainly practice with the 380 as the ammo is way cheaper than the 45..

Since I do not hunt or figure I'm going to be shooting anyone more than 35 feet away I do not have and long rifles anymore.. but do have a nice 12 gauge..

I figure that anyone coming into my house un announced, if they get past the 90 pound Weimaraner will not get past the 45 or 12 gauge..

My advise is going to gun shows and talk to the old farts that have guns.. See what they use them for and then study up on ammo and read all you can about the various brands.

Then go to a smaller gun store and trust the owner you may pay more for a gun but it will be well worth it when you have questions and I guarantee you will have questions, hard to get good answers from the snot nosed kid at walmart..

also make sure if there are kids in the house they take a gun safety class and get yourself a gun safe..

Since I have no kiddies around anymore not to worry..  

[baja]

Not sure what the purpose really is..

if your going to shoot targets at a distance the smaller the caliber will keep your shooting costs down..

If you have a hand gun do a conceal carry permit for many reasons, mostly so you can transport it without going to the trouble of carrying it in your trunk and ammo elsewhere..

The added benefit is they are great courses for gun safety and the pros teach you how to shoot..

Most folks do not just target shoot, have a brother that uses a 22 and a 17 for hunting varmints on his ranch.. he loads the 17 with a LR high power 22 shell that has the 17 as the slug.. he is hitting ground squirrels at in excess of 300 yard.
The crows follow him when he goes out in the hunting truck.

If your thinking of hunting bigger game 30-06 is a super weapon.. Been around forever and you can reload the brass.

Hand guns again depending on what you want to do with them. from 22 to 45 caliber.

I keep a 45, Glock 9 and 380 in the house.. mainly practice with the 380 as the ammo is way cheaper than the 45..

Since I do not hunt or figure I'm going to be shooting anyone more than 35 feet away I do not have and long rifles anymore.. but do have a nice 12 gauge..

I figure that anyone coming into my house un announced, if they get past the 90 pound Weimaraner will not get past the 45 or 12 gauge..

My advise is going to gun shows and talk to the old farts that have guns.. See what they use them for and then study up on ammo and read all you can about the various brands.

Then go to a smaller gun store and trust the owner you may pay more for a gun but it will be well worth it when you have questions and I guarantee you will have questions, hard to get good answers from the snot nosed kid at walmart..

also make sure if there are kids in the house they take a gun safety class and get yourself a gun safe..

Since I have no kiddies around anymore not to worry..  

Good post

[Dutch]

Here we go, and boy did you open a can of worms on this one without even knowing it! You need to narrow things down a bit. Do you want something to go to the range and shoot (ie. targets with)? Do you want a home defense weapon? Do you want to be able to carry/conceal? Honestly, those are such different requirements...you need to think about more than one piece. For home defense, shotgun. No question, no debate. Anyone who argues with this has no clue. 12 guage would be good, 10 is better. I use a Benelli Supernova Tactical :http://www.benelliusa.com/shotguns/b...a-tactical.php with pistol grip. 18" barrel is easy to maneuver around in close quarters, but they are now making a 14" that would be even better. 3.5 inch shells in a deer slug will go through a fridge, or anything else the idiot hides behind. No where to run, no where to hide. Load it buck shot, deer slug, buck shot, deer slug all the way down, and get the magazine extension that will give you one in the pipe, seven in the mag. Buck shot sends them for cover, deer slug finishes the job. Home defense, done. Can be had for around 4 bills, and can change barrels to longer versions for skeet, birdhunting, rifled hunting, etc. Read a nice review here: http://www.shootingillustrated.com/i...lli-supernova/. Shotguns are the bomb for home defense. Not only that, name me a sound that will make your insides turn to water faster than the sound of a pump shotgun chambering a round if you are doing no good. Unmistakable. The Corps is using the Benelli M4 semiauto for urban fighting, and they love it. Good enough for me. My wife has a 1966 Ithica 16 gauge Featherlight (awesome trap gun) on her side of the bed that was my Mother's and we have an attack plan that will keep me from being hit by her line of fire. Woe be it to the poor bastard who chooses our place for a hit.

[Dutch]

My favorite is a Glock 9mm. Very user friendly.

Also way too soft on punch (I know this from experience, after shooting a F'er in the shoulder with a 9mm that he shrugged off like it was nothing. I started carrying my 44 Mag S&W, no more problems (Desert Storm I). I'd go with the Glock 10mm (40 cal, and what I'm using now), or a 45 semi (still hard to beat, but rounds cost more). If you hit 'em, you'd like to know they are out of the fight ( ie shoulder shot = no arm). You cannot be sure of that with a nine. The 10mm is a great compromise between the muzzel velocity of a 9mm, and the punch of a .45.

[Broncos4tw]

M16? Ugh. I hated that rifle. Fire one round, and you are cleaning it for an hour. Get one speck of sand in it, and it jams. The M16A1 was a bit better, but still pretty crappy. It's why I preferred to be the M60 gunner.. just so I would have a solid weapon to fire. The M60 I could drop in a swamp and it would fire just fine. Only issue I ever had was bent firing pins.. so kept spares.

The AK was vastly superior.. loved it. Although, a bit inaccurate in comparison to the M16. Can't have it all though.

For a pistol, can't go wrong with a Glock. Also liked Walther - you can use it and tell people "I'm Bond. James Bond."

[Dutch]

Not sure what the purpose really is..

if your going to shoot targets at a distance the smaller the caliber will keep your shooting costs down..

If you have a hand gun do a conceal carry permit for many reasons, mostly so you can transport it without going to the trouble of carrying it in your trunk and ammo elsewhere..

The added benefit is they are great courses for gun safety and the pros teach you how to shoot..

Most folks do not just target shoot, have a brother that uses a 22 and a 17 for hunting varmints on his ranch.. he loads the 17 with a LR high power 22 shell that has the 17 as the slug.. he is hitting ground squirrels at in excess of 300 yard.
The crows follow him when he goes out in the hunting truck.

If your thinking of hunting bigger game 30-06 is a super weapon.. Been around forever and you can reload the brass.

Hand guns again depending on what you want to do with them. from 22 to 45 caliber.

I keep a 45, Glock 9 and 380 in the house.. mainly practice with the 380 as the ammo is way cheaper than the 45..

Since I do not hunt or figure I'm going to be shooting anyone more than 35 feet away I do not have and long rifles anymore.. but do have a nice 12 gauge..

I figure that anyone coming into my house un announced, if they get past the 90 pound Weimaraner will not get past the 45 or 12 gauge..

My advise is going to gun shows and talk to the old farts that have guns.. See what they use them for and then study up on ammo and read all you can about the various brands.

Then go to a smaller gun store and trust the owner you may pay more for a gun but it will be well worth it when you have questions and I guarantee you will have questions, hard to get good answers from the snot nosed kid at walmart..

also make sure if there are kids in the house they take a gun safety class and get yourself a gun safe..

Since I have no kiddies around anymore not to worry..  

Agreed with everything West Texas says in this one....mark that down, I think it's a first...

[myMind]

knuckle draggers

[Dutch]

M16? Ugh. I hated that rifle. Fire one round, and you are cleaning it for an hour. Get one speck of sand in it, and it jams. The M16A1 was a bit better, but still pretty crappy. It's why I preferred to be the M60 gunner.. just so I would have a solid weapon to fire. The M60 I could drop in a swamp and it would fire just fine. Only issue I ever had was bent firing pins.. so kept spares.

The AK was vastly superior.. loved it. Although, a bit inaccurate in comparison to the M16. Can't have it all though.

For a pistol, can't go wrong with a Glock. Also liked Walther - you can use it and tell people "I'm Bond. James Bond."

You're just an old 'Nam fart. The new M16 A4 is a badassed killer, Bro'. Lightweight, fast, adjustable to any body frame...and no more jamming issues. Ak's rock for reliability and punch, but they never...ever touched the 16's for accuracy and now they don't for reliability either, plus we can hump twice the ammo.

[Archer81]

Good idea. its obvious the Zombie apocalypse is starting.

Get some machetes and you my friend are ready to rock.