Baron, I would start with the most important advice in the thread so far mentioned by AAAinthebeltway. The first and most important thing you have to ask yourself (and your wife as well) is when the crap hits the fan, will you use it or not want too/freeze. Because I have read a lot of instances where many are hurt by their own gun they wouldnât use than by someone who already has one in a home invasion (my opinion only and what I have read, makes logical sense to me as well). This is a serious question because pulling a weapon on someone and freezing in the moment is far worse than not having the weapon, hiding/running or whatever other contingency plans you have. Many canât do it so answer that to yourself. This is all about your mindset. Will you do what it takes? If you pass the first paragraph test, go to a gun shop and get some experience shooting. Take a course. But practice. Make sure everyone in the house can make a weapon safe and treat it with the respect it deserves. Have a home action plan for what to do when the worst happens. Regarding children, that is touchy but IMHO anyone in a house with a weapon while they might not like it or say they donât should know how to use it and more importantly, how to make it safe. Because you never know what can happen and remember the boy scout motto, Be prepared. Regarding a weapon, I would recommend a Glock of some type or a revolver as you prefer. 1911s are good as well but will you learn to use it properly? Caliber is another question we could debate all day. Try both and the pros and cons and make your decision. Just like in trading, it isnât the tool, it is how you use it. Try your options, practice and become comfortable with it and then expand your arsenal from there if you feel the need or start developing an interest in weapons. Staying comfortable and proficient and their importance cannot be overstated. Best of luck BM
Training with it, is more important than the pistol unless you buy garbage. I am assuming you will buy something decent suggested above. Then training with it becomes more important. You are going to be scared shitless most likely if it happens. Studies done on vietnam vets showed below 15% accuracy in combat. In other words scared shitless. As we all would be. Then the military introduced pop up targets. Accuracy has gone up above 70%. It triggers the brain, pop up, shoot down. So eventho you will be frightened and confused... so will intruders when you confront... If you train you will perform with any of the good pistols listed above.
Wow. Great feedback so far. Thanks so much guys!! I should mention that I'm not a fan of buying cheap equipment for pretty much any purpose. So I don't mind making the investment in something that has exceptional design, quality and performance. Also, I have quite a bit of experience with firearms in general. I had a .410 shotgun as a kid that I would use for squirrel hunting after school. I shot my first 12 gauge at the age of 7 trying to shoot skeet with my dad (almost broke my nose doing it, LOL). And even during the family holiday gatherings, our entertainment after the big meal was going out back and target shooting a variety of rifles and pistols. But the issue is I left that world behind once I moved from the country to a major metropolitan city. Fast forward 20 years and I feel completely out of the loop. But with that said, I will still get some training for both myself and my wife. Aside from the self defense aspect, it sounds like target shooting would interesting hobby anyway. It never hurts to have additional purchase excuses for the wife
does anybody get a feeling that US is going down very fast? when well-off people living in great neighborhoods seriously worry about their safety ("will buy guns for wife and self") in their own home this is no a good sign.
get the feelin.... uh yea. mobs are beating the hell out of people all over the streets. Where are you from?
if you were a thief,wouldn't you go where they have the best stuff,lincoln park here in chicago has the highest break in stats in the city,for at least 20 years ,that's how long ago i became aware of it, for that reason
i don't buy the sensational news. really, it is just a fad to report "flash mob" thing. i am sure every day more people are seriously bitten by dogs then kicked in the guts by flash mobs. but when somebody's friend is raped/beaten in their house and in good neighborhood that's disturbing. of course 1 case proves nothing, but maybe it can't be the only case out there. if somebody from EU is reading this. do you find it bizarre that people in US so worry about their safety in their own house that they are totally ready to kill a real or an imaginary intruder (and probably a few of their neighbors because some of those bullets easily penetrate walls)?
Yeah. Poor people resent rich people and if they had a chance to do anything about it they would do something stupid like beat them up on the streets. A gun goes a long way to scaring off these impulsive youths.
Actually we're talking about pistols and home defense weapons. See thread title above. "Advice on buying some Pistols"