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Firearms Recommendations?

5K views 55 replies 26 participants last post by  martyg 
#1 ·
I haven't owned a gun in 25 years or so. I'm not a hunter, and never believed that President Obama was coming for guns. But now I'm singing a different tune - I'm not waiting for the Brown Shirts to come to my door.
For that reason (self defense and occasional target shooting) I'm buying a pistol, shotgun and semi-auto long gun. I'm pretty settled on a Sig Sauer P320 RX pistol, but am soliciting opinions/recommendations for all three categories.
FYI: I would consider myself inexperienced, although I have owned a Ruger .357, Charter Arms .38 and an Uzi.
 
#38 · (Edited)
My ARs have either Wylde chambers or 5.56 chambers, both of which will safely digest either round. I reload .223 & my rifles shoot my handloads with sub-MOA precision; this load is fairly tame & with modest case pressure - 50 grain ballistic tip bullets @ ~ 3100 FPS. While the cartridges are very similar with the 5.56 developing slightly higher pressures, there is a significant difference in the rifle chambers - the leade/throat of a 5.56 chamber is longer than that of a .223 (typically almost twice as long). Firing 5.56 rounds in a .223 chambered AR can result in over-pressurization, e.g., primer damage, damaged case heads, and/or rifle malfunctions - none of which are desirable. Since the .223 leade is shorter, should the bullet of a 5.56 round come in contact with the rifling in a .223 chambered barrel, excessive pressure spikes could be realized. Purchase an AR with either a Wylde or 5.56 chamber and you can fire both .223 & 5.56x45 (aka 5.56 NATO) safely. My personal preference is the 5.56 chamber.
 
#39 ·
With tomorrow being the anniversary of one of the most tragic days in my lifetime, I'd be remiss not to mention the importance of gun safety. I don't know your home situation as far as kids go, rapido, but please make sure only yourself or people you trust implicitly have access to your new firearms. That may or may not mean locks or safes, but don't be flippant or take it for granted that no one will commandeer them that shouldn't. Every year at this time, since 2012, I am haunted by what happened in Connecticut. Safe shooting.
 
#41 ·
I like your 380. I really liked the way 45s fit the hand. Mr Browning was a genius. When I was absorbed in research I visited some gun forums often. If you think THIS forum has zealots, go there for awhile, OMG! One nearly endless topic centered on the "fact" that a 380 is ineffective and wouldn't stop a bad guy. Oddly enough though, no one offered to take a round to prove it. IMO, 99% of the time people will run away when the shooting starts. I sure would. I do believe if you settle on a shoot with which you can hit your target, that's the big thing. No use pointing a cannon the wrong way.
 
#45 ·
Agree on both points. I looked long and hard at the Bersa Thunder .380 and, likewise, felt all the hoopla over that caliber being a bad choice for personal defense was baloney. At close range, even a .22 will work at stopping a threat. My decision not to buy that pistol or the Walther PPK was simply because they did not fit my hand as well -- even with the extended pinky grip clips.
 
#47 ·
In re .380, I had a Colt Pony Pocketlite in 380 that was brutal to shoot. Nothing about it reminds me of the simple elegance and proper ergonomics of the 1911 it tries to copy.
My Kahr PM9 weighs the same as the Pony and in 9mm, delivers more lethality with less recoil. Much less.
It's the platform, not the cartridge.
 
#51 ·
I would suggest you maybe settle on a caliber and and/or an action--striker, SA, DA/SA, DAO. (Sounds like you're in the pistol not revolver camp, or else I'd suggest deciding that too. Or the preferred route, one of each.) That will do some limiting for you, and from there I would probably be more concerned about how well it fits your hand / how well you shoot it than I would about the differences in the quality pecking order. This assumes you're not going to buy complete junk. What's the biggest difference between a Glock, and S&W M&P, a Springfield, and a Walther? The person shooting it.
 
#52 ·
Some good points here but a Glock is much different to shoot than the other tupper/striker pistols you listed.
The trigger and grip angle of a Glock makes instinctive pointing and shooting a challenge if you've become used to traditional ergonomics.
Many people think Glock is the simplest interface and it may be but if you've developed a set of skills, Glock requires you to unlearn them.
 
#55 ·
Nothing says "fuck the little nazi bitches" better than an IWI Tavor, and trust me, there's a reason post-Trump nomination had gun sales skyrocketing. The right likes to ignore the fact that there are almost as many gun owners on the left. Funny that they buy into the media bullshit while decrying it at the same time.

CZ's stuff is great. I personally prefer a Springfield Armory XD for concealed carry. If you're not going to be carrying, I'd suggest looking at an SBR option (or even the above Tavor) instead of a pistol as you'll find the learning curve is easier with acquiring and maintaining targets with a stock, but you'll still have something that stores easily and maneuvers well for cqb.
 
#56 ·
Pistols... Buy what you hit best with. Choose a caliber. I like 9mm. I am much more a placement guy than a big boom guy. All of my 9mmm ammo is also free, which is a bonus. If you want to be proficient, perfect practice will lead to mastery. And that means lots of rounds (which adds up dollar wise) and coaching.

Here's your selection methodology:

- Select three to five guns to demo.
- Each gun has two targets: 1. slow, deliberate fire 2. rapid fire.
- Mark each target with gun model and if it is slow or rapid fire.

- Load five shells.
- Take five, slow deliberate shots with each gun. Take a bit of a break in between guns so that fatigue doesn't become a factor.

- Load five shells.
- Take five, fast, consecutive shots with each gun. Take a bit of a break in between guns so that fatigue doesn't become a factor.

- Look at your targets. The targets that show the best grouping are the gun(s) that rise to the top of your list.

Not faulting your and your desire to learn more - but asking an internet forum about the type of hand gun that you should purchase will not result in much actionable input. It is like asking others, based on their experiences, of what underwear or boots fit best. A few mentioned buying what fits, and I concur, and the above will provide an objective methodology to select.

Long guns are not as dependent on ergonomics - unless you are talking about shotguns for wingshooting - which is an entirely different game - so to speak.

US Military isn't a good gauge. If you are supplying to that pool it often boils down to which supplier has the best blow, the best hookers, and the best retreats where equipment is tested by advisors and purchasing agents.
 
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