Question for gun enthusiasts.

[Lupe]

I'm going to be taking a concealed weapons course and will be turning 21 in January. Which means I will be buying my first handgun. But I have no idea what to look for, so my question is: What type of handgun would work best for me?

[TheSnakeGuy]

The one that's comfortable and controllable in your hand. And stops them cold when used right.

[BrandiR]

Only you can answer that question. I am by no means an enthusiast! But I have an opinion anyway Before I purchased my gun, I borrowed several different guns of different sizes, etc. I went out over the course of two days and shot all of them several times. If I knew I hated it right away, I put it away and out of my mind. Eventually, I got it narrowed down to the one that was the most comfortable for me to shoot.

If you know someone who owns several hand guns that would take you shooting and let you try them all out, I'd recommend that route. More important than choosing your weapon is getting to know it after you've purchased it. It's fun at first, but you can't let the new wear off. Make sure you make time to familiarize yourself with it and shoot it as often as you can. Personally, if I go a long time between practices, I'm embarrassed at how long it takes me to get back to being able to move smoothly through the motions.

If it's for personal protection, it's not going to do you any good if you've forgotten how to use it.

[Lupe]

I need to look and see if there are any gun ranges in the area with guns you can rent to shoot. So far that seems like my best option for figuring out what I should look into getting But I live out in the country with like 2 neighbors in a 2 mile radius, I know the farmers that own the field across from us shoot out there so I see no problem with practicing on my land. Which will keep costs of having to go to a range down.
And my mom just told me she would like to take the class with me

[reptileexperts]

go to a gun shop or a pawn shop and put guns in hand to see what fits you the best. You need a gun that feels good first and mainly because you need to be very comfortable with a weapon you plan to carry and potentially utilize for self defense. You need to keep caliber in mind somewhat, but don't get a gun that is too big and causes you to have trouble staying on target should you need to get multiple rounds off quickly. Next, you need to consider what you could carry easily, focus on these guns when you are trying to find a good fit for your hand.

For example. A very thin and small woman would have a very hard time concealing a full size glock 45 ACP. But a much easier time concealing a Ruger LCP .380. Likewise, a large man could easily hide a .45 full size glock or 1911, however, a small .380 that could be pocket carried might be too small for his hands to be efficient enough with it.

.380 is a mininum carry load I would suggest. You can do life ending damage with this round without the need for extreme accuracy (unlike say a .22 bullet which would have to be shot either TONS or VERY accurately or both!). I always rec. going with at least a 9mm if you can find one that seems to fit you good, is easy enough to conceal, and fits your budget (there are some $$$ ones out there that feel GREAT in hand, and are easy for most people to conceal, money has to be considered - google springfield EMP for an example in 9, or a Kimber Pro Carry 2 in Stainless for a .45 example). Next would be .40, if you are comfortable with a gun and the recoil, you might want to make the bump to a single stack .40 like the Walther PPS .40. If you are VERY confident with a gun, then you can even consider going up to a larger single stack .45 like that Springfield XDS (my personal carry gun). Just know, these pack a wild punch and if you are not prepared, you will have high levels of difficutly with follow up rounds!!!

There are a ton of options and lots of things to consider. Just keep in mind that if you want to trust your life with it, you need to know it inside and out. You need to be able to keep it loaded on your body without fear of accident. You need to be able to react instantly using keen situational awareness. BUT MAINLY you needed to remember You are not a cop when you have a gun. It is your right to protect yourself, not hunt down bad guys. Get yourself to safety and phone the police. Never pull a gun on a situation where you have an out and your life is not in immediate danger

Hope this helps. Feel free to PM me directly if you'd like, I have a wealth of information on this matter.

Cheers

[TheSnakeGeek]

go to a gun shop or a pawn shop and put guns in hand to see what fits you the best. You need a gun that feels good first and mainly because you need to be very comfortable with a weapon you plan to carry and potentially utilize for self defense.

this X2!! if you have one close, go to a gun store with a shooting range and they should let you try some out.

[Lupe]

Thanks for that post, I'm aware that I'm not a cop lol. I just frequent some areas of the city that are high in crime rates and just plain dangerous (actually had a guy try to get into my car at a stoplight, but my doors were locked thank God) So for that reason I think it's in my best interest to carry multiple forms of self defense (since sometimes pepper spray or even a tazer is not enough.)

[reptileexperts]

Lol, it's just a point they will enforce in your mind at the class. They want to make sure that you know that just because you can use your gun in a situatiun, does not mean you should. One of my first weeks carrying my gun, I had a group of beggers start harrssing me at my subaru when I was getting gas. I examined every situation and knew I had an out if they persisted - the out being get in the car lock the door. One older male came within what I defined as my safety bubble, and I told him to proceed no further. He proceeded explaining he just wants to talk - a tactic used to get inside your bubble of comfort so they can proceed with whatever attack they have in mind, be in robbery, stabbing, shooting, whatever. I jumped in my subaru, pulled my gun and set it loaded on my lap. The man approached and was about to try and put his hand on my door when he saw the gun and backed up peacefully leaving the area. I phoned the police to let them know they had potential robbers begging and harassing people at so and so gas station. They said to leave and they'd send a unit to investigate.

Carrying a gun is a privelage, and one that can be empowering to help you save your life or that of your family. It's understanding this kind of respondsibility every day you carry (which should be EVERY DAY). Don't only carry when you think you'll need a gun... The best gun is the one you have with you. I know this doesn't help decide on the model or type, but just wanted to get these few thoughts out to the OP.

[BrandiR]

Thanks for that post, I'm aware that I'm not a cop lol. I just frequent some areas of the city that are high in crime rates and just plain dangerous (actually had a guy try to get into my car at a stoplight, but my doors were locked thank God) So for that reason I think it's in my best interest to carry multiple forms of self defense (since sometimes pepper spray or even a tazer is not enough.)

I think the comment about not being a cop was for your benefit, not to imply that you'd become big-headed and on a power trip. I think he was just trying to drive home the point that you need to be very aware of when it's acceptable to shoot and when shooting makes YOU the criminal. You come home to find a man exiting your back door with your jewelry box...not ok to fire

Based on the rest of his post, I really don't think he meant any disrespect at all. I think he just wants you to be safe.

[reptileexperts]

You come home to find a man exiting your back door with your jewelry box...not ok to fire
.

haha, this situation gets brought up in the CHL class in Texas. There was a court case that actually says YES it is completely your right to stop with lethal force someone running away with your property OR your neighbors. However, the ethical delima becomes was that $300 in jewelry WORTH taking another humans life in that moment?? The answer should always be no - no matter the level of scum a person may be, there life is worth more than a $300 box of jewlery. Where you draw the line is up to you. And believe me, it's a line you must draw and stick to. Having a plan on when it's going to be ok and when its not is a big part of the challenge.

As Brandi did say though - no disrespect mean. Just driving home a very important point!