Pistol advice needed

[dug]

Greeting folks, Newby here, in many respects.

Never owned a fire arm in my life (I know I know) but better late than never.

Looking for home defence for the wife and I. A few guys I know recomend either a 9mm or .45 but the majority lean towards .45

Any recomendation - pro's / cons between the two?

Appreciate any advice / feedback.

[Beardog]

Since you are new to guns and your wife will also need to use this gun I would not get a 9mm or a 45 because they both are usaully chambered in semi-auto pistols.

I highly suggest you get a Quality .357 magnum REVOLVER. (Smith and Wesson and Ruger make good stuff)
With a .357 mag revolver you have a very powerful gun that can be loaded down and shoot .38 specials or .357 magnums. 38's kick much less then .357 mags.

A revolver will be much more simple to learn to use and they are very reliable.
And IMO much safer for a newby.

[Dave_n]

If neither you nor your wife have ever fired any handgun, then you do not want to move to a "pistol" as a first weapon. A revolver in 0.38 Special or 0.357 Magnum (which will feed and fire 0.38 special cartridges) is the best initial purchase. Very simple to use, can be seen to be loaded or unloaded, and if a misfire occurs, pull trigger again.

A very common "error" is to go with the "gun rag" suggestions for 9mm 0.40 or 0.45. For absolute tyros, as you say you are, the revolver works every time. Do not go for the 2" snubbies, look for a S&W "K-Frame" ex-police gun with a 4" or longer barrel, as you will be using it in the home. You should be able ot pick one up for around $200-250.

A +P load in 0.38 special will do all that you require, (intermediate between the 38 and the low end 0.357). The FBI for years used a lead load in +P and they did not feel under-gunned.

Although I will be "taken to task" for this next comment, stick to S&W revolvers pre 1985 or so as they go bang every time and are made of high grade materials. Do not buy Taurus or Rossi even though they are less expensive. A Colt fromthe same era is also worthwhile looking at.

You do not need the "bells and whistles" that every one will suggest for home defence. dAVE_N

[lilb93]

the advice sounds about right i would go .357 b/c you can shoot.38 target ammo (cheap) to get some practice and familarize yourself with the gun and it still can hold a full power JHP .357(maybe a bit overkill) i keep .38 125 grain JHP+P in mine for defense.. they have low recoil but will get the job done i judt dont feel that the full power.357 are really needed in a home defense gun....

BUT...
i still recommend the .357 to purchase not a .38 gun even though you just might always shoot.38 out of it..... just because it has the higher power option if ever needed..

Barrel length get a 4inch i have 2" 4" 8's 10's in my revolvers 4inch seems to be the "best" HD..
2 inch is Really loud with the 4" the extra of 2 inches of barrel makes a big difference...
Anything longer just seems too long for me atleast.

[normanvin]

Find a range that will rent guns to you. Then try a bunch out. What you get should be based on what you can shoot the best. This is determine by a few things. How does the gun fit your hand. How much you can get out to practice. and a few others.

A 50ae desert eagle may fit your hand just fine. Yoiu may be able to shoot it just fine. But can you afford the ammo to get out and practice with it.

[Swamp Yankee]

+1 on Norms comment to get to a range thats will let you rent a variety of models to see what fits you best. Personally I would say get a good quality 22Revolver or Semi Auto and learn to shoot first before breaking the bank with a major purchase that you may end up not liking in the long run.

Mike Mc

[39flathead]

I agree with the others, look for a quality double action revolver. 15 or more rounds loaded into a pistol is going to do you no good if you need to use it in a stressful situation and all the safeties, mag catch, ect... cause you to not be able to operate it.
A revolver is simple, and a quality one is going to work 99.9% of the time, every time.
The .38/.357 is a fine choice, but depending on your stature, a .44 special/.44 Mag might also work. .44 Special ammo is a bit scarce if you do not want to shoot full power magnum loads, but the .44 special is also superior to the .45 ACP as far as ballistics go, so I still see it as a fine defensive round.

Also, most of the hollowpoint "defense" rounds out there for $40 a box are not really necessary IMO, I use 220grn lead flat nose in my carry gun.

Try to rent or find out if some of your friends can help you out with a day at the range.

[TXDMERC73]

Get a 9mm, you can shoot more for less , meaning you can practice more for less and get better at it faster then you will with a .45ACP.

dont get a .357 Magnum unless you wanna shoot jumbo jets outta the sky

[CrazyWhiteGuy]

Looking for home defence for the wife and I. A few guys I know recomend either a 9mm or .45 but the majority lean towards .45

1st: explore all of your options. Who said a pistol was your only option for home defense? You could also go with a shotgun or rifle if you like the feel of them better.

2nd: try out a bunch of different guns at a rental range, ask some of the pafoa shooters in your area if you can try out their guns, search for all of the different types/sizes of guns out there so you might get an idea of what you want.

3rd: GET SOME TRAINING IN BASIC HANDLING OF FIREARMS AND BE AWARE OF THE LAWS CONCERNING HOME DEFENSE

4th: practice practice practice

[GuyMontag]

1st: explore all of your options. Who said a pistol was your only option for home defense? You could also go with a shotgun or rifle if you like the feel of them better.

2nd: try out a bunch of different guns at a rental range, ask some of the pafoa shooters in your area if you can try out their guns, search for all of the different types/sizes of guns out there so you might get an idea of what you want.

3rd: GET SOME TRAINING IN BASIC HANDLING OF FIREARMS AND BE AWARE OF THE LAWS CONCERNING HOME DEFENSE

4th: practice practice practice

^^^this. well said.

And can we stop with the emphasis on getting a revolver for a new shooter? Yes revolvers are simpler mechanically than a semi-auto, but the OP didn't introduce himself as a complete moron. I'm pretty sure there are shooters out there that don't need their guns dumbed down for them.

Get what you WANT to shoot, what you WANT to practice with, what you're ENTHUSED to own and shoot. You'll spend more time with it and become proficient with it.