LogFAQs > #893668790

Mead posted...

Is there a gun you would recommend for personal safety for someone that doesnt know much about them?

For home defense, I recommend a pump 12 gauge shotgun loaded with 00 or 000 buckshot. You still have to aim it (the immense shotgun spread in video games is a lie or for balance, unless you use a specific choke/shell combination), and it can still go through dry wall... but slightly less so than a rifled slug (like one fired from a rifle/carbine/pistol). And there is a lot of damage and threat stopping potential in one shot, because 3" 00Buckshot in 12 gauge contains 15 .32 Caliber (caliber is bore diameter in fractions of an inch. .50 Caliber is half an inch, .25 Caliber is a quarter inch etc.. and of course the metric measured guns like 9mm and stuff. Some get called both, for example, the PPK James Bond carried had a 7.65mm cartridge/bore, but in America we sell that ammo as .32ACP) slugs per shell, and you just wrack the pump and the next one is ready. The primary reason I recommend the pump action shotgun and not semi-automatic, despite the superior speed of a self loading shotgun, is the fact that a manual control of the bolt (via the pump) makes clearing a dangerous jam much faster/easier in a life or death situation. Playing around with a stuck spent cartridge when someone is trying to kill you or your family is... well... a good way to die. Or at the very least, the most horrifyingly long few second of your life.

For a handgun for carrying on your body or in your vehicle? (Assuming you have a carry permit already, or don't need one in your state?) I don't really recommend the 1911 because of the risk of modern 1911 jams being higher (machine made is not the same as hand made like back in the day, the tolerances are too loose in the 1911). I don't personally like Glocks, but if you can be safe with them, many people trust their lives to them. Really, I would try renting some guns at a gun range and being taught how to use them safely, and seeing which one you are most comfortable with grouping accurate shots / unloading / handling the mechanics etc. until you find what you want. And I would look up some reviews of guns, just to see if there's any huge trends. The Beretta Nano, for example, is notorious for having jams and things like that... despite being the perfect size for concealed carry. Even though Beretta is traditionally a reliable brand, the 92 series for example is famous and used to be carried by law enforcement, if I remember correctly. The military version of that good Beretta is the "M9". Again, you don't want a gun jamming on you in a life or death situation. That's why you want to spend a lot of time at the range, both for muscle memory training, and to make sure the gun is in good firing order. And make sure it is maintained, lightly oiled, the barrel is clean etc. Carry guns tend to get dirtier than a gun just sitting in a safe (obviously.)

Whatever you choose, if you aren't familiar with fire arms, I would recommend taking a bunch of classes and things like that. For firearm laws, safety, safe handling, proper technique, even self defense information and training.
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