Gun Question

00ChevyScott said:
I'd rather neutralize the threat than scare them. Chances are if the person is dumb enough to break into your house, they've surely heard a shotgun rack before. Not that I'm disagreeing that a shotgun is a good choice, but mine is already chambered and ready to fire. No warning shots for me.
Click to expand...

The last thing an inexperienced shooter should be doing in a life or death encounter is fumbling with the manual of arms for their shotgun when the pucker factor is off the charts and adrenaline is coursing through their body.
 
I view these Mare's Leg pistols as "toys", not as practical firearms. They're quite cool (and I may end up picking up one myself), but I wouldn't reccomend it for a first gun purchase unless you wanted it for purely recreational reasons. For serious self-protection, you can do MUCH better.

If you just want a good revolver that will do a lot of things well, I'd recommend a .357 revolver from a good manufacturer (Smith & Wesson, or Ruger). .357 magnum has a lot of power, but it should be manageable in a full-sized revolver, and you can also shoot lower powered .38 special ammo if you don't want the extra recoil or noise. The ammo is also readily available and not too expensive. A 4-6 inch barrel is ideal for a general purpose gun.

Stay away from the .44 magnum "Dirty Harry" gun for your first gun. Once you're an experienced shooter, you may want to pick up a .44 but it's not a good choice for somebody who is just getting into the hobby. The recoil can be unpleasant (or downright nasty), and the ammo is ridiculously expensive if you don't reload your own ammo. You won't need that much power anyway unless you're dealing with the bigger bears.

Now if you're looking for a more authentic "cowboy" style gun, you might want to look at single-action revolvers. They're not the best choice for self-defense (you've got to thumb-cock them for every shot, and they're slow to load), but they do have an old-school charm that some people really like. Ruger has a .357 Blackhawk convertible that comes with a spare 9mm cylinder so you can shoot .357 magnum, .38 special, and 9mm in one gun.
 
Considering your needs added to the "want" of western style guns- have you considered a .357 lever action carbine?

More rounds than a revolver, light, relativly short easiy to shoot fairly accurately.

Home defense for me is a no compromise- Remington 870 Police but I understand that your desire for western style gun is strong and owning multiple guns may be a strain.
Bill
 
SilentJohn said:
what would best fit my needs range shooting - home defense
Click to expand...

A 357 Magnum revolver is a good fit for someone in your situation. You can shoot all day with 38 Special at the range with cheap loads and sparingly train with well proven Police loads for the 357 Magnum.

A double barrel shotgun or reliable pump are also good options. The long guns are harder to maneuver in a house FWIW.
 
PJ Garrison said:
If you just want a good revolver that will do a lot of things well, I'd recommend a .357 revolver from a good manufacturer (Smith & Wesson, or Ruger).
Click to expand...

S&W and Ruger are outstanding. If a used handgun isn't out of the question, the Colt Troopers are easily found and relatively affordable considering the quality.
 
I own and shoot a 22 LR Mare's Leg, and in all honest I don't believe it's a super practical firearm, by any means. I enjoy it a great deal as a plinker and am holding on to it, but it's just a tad awkward. A Mossberg 500 with a couple of barrels would be a much wiser choice in the long run IMHO.
 
a plinker is what it's mostly going to be, shooting cans and stuff but I also want to be able to switch a bastid off and so far I see some nice recommendations and I still have the leg in the mix just because but I am thinking seriously about a few things you guys posted so please keep up with the ideas
 
I am not familiar with the gun laws in NJ. A good plinker for you, with the western bent might be a .22 Ruger or like with the .22 mag cylinder. The .22 for plinking and, although somewhat anemic, the .22 mag for home defense. Other wise, two gun up for home defense. The .38/357 will serve both duties pretty well, but your plinking will cost quite a bit more per round.
 
I echo Tony8179. You are not permitted hollow-point ammo in NJ. I don't know if the law address more specialized bullet designs that look 'normal', but act similar to quality HP ammo.

http://www.shopcorbon.com/glaser-powrball/600/600/dept

Probably, it's also banned.

In any case, I always recommend a quality used revolver. In .38 special, you can load wadcutter, or semi-wadcutter ammo for reasonable power and control. The .357 in such loads is a waste, due to overpenetration concerns, and control.

That said, if you can find a nice .44 Special, or .45 Cold handgun...those bullets start out bigger, LOL. Either one will be larger and heavier than a similar one in .38. However, your safe storage location won't know the difference. (Your dresser drawer is NOT safe storage, LOL).
 
Want to be a cowboy, hunting, home defense, shooting range all add up to a Ruger Blackhawk in .357 ! It has the feel similar to a Colt SA, is reliable and accurate, it shoots cheap 38 specials for the shooting range, is excellent on medium size game when the right loads are used, and there are a wide variety of home defense loads available.
 
14634-DEFAULT-l.jpg


That short rear stock is a complete waste. If you do get one of these, you should consider replacing it; otherwise you will soon discover what getting hit in the face during recoil feels like.

n2s
 
not2sharp said:
That short rear stock is a complete waste. If you do get one of these, you should consider replacing it; otherwise you will soon discover what getting hit in the face during recoil feels like.

n2s
Click to expand...

That is a handgun and adding a stock to it would be illegal. The gun is designed to be held by the fore end with the off hand while levering then either fired from the hip with both hands or with one hand, arm extended, as one would when shooting a handgun one handed.
 
I can also get the henrys mares leg in 357

but I'm also looking at a moss 500 with a pistol grip
 
Last edited:
The Mare's leg is a interesting firearm but not practical for anything more then a range toy no matter what you saw Woody do with it in Zombie Land lol .

For home defense I would recommend Mossberg 500 . They are fairly inexpensive and there is a great after market support to make it your own . Also with the Mossbergs if something breaks there is nothing on it you can't fix with a flat head screw driver and a punch , that said I have never had one break on me . You can also get other barrels for different hunting applications . I have had Rem 870s , Winchester 1200 / 1300s and still prefer the Mossbergs.

For a handgun I would recommend starting out with a revolver like a Ruger GP100 .357 mag you can also shoot .38 special out of it . But before doing that find a friend with some hand guns or a range you can rent some at and get a feel for what is comfortable for you .

For plinking I would recommend a Ruger 10/22 .

Unfortunately you have choosen a very bad time to get into firearms ammunition is very slim pickings . AR15s and all the scary evil rifles are all very hard to come by and prices have gone absolutely stupid .
 
Lots of good advice so far. It was mentioned, but bears repeating that the Mare's Leg is classified as a handgun and is under all of your state regulations concerning handguns. Check your laws carefully! I agree with most, it's REALLY COOL but a novelty at best.

My $.02, a Mossberg 12GA pump and a .357 revolver are both great for defense and fun. If you're not highly experienced with firearms, find a few classes you can take on home defense and general firearms safety. Once you own the guns, don't just tuck them away, spend as much time on the range as you can getting familiar with them. Be able to manipulate, fire, load, clear, and unload them in the dark since that's when you'll most likely be wanting them in a home defense scenario. Familiarity is safety!
 
I will 2nd what HomeBru said , practice,practice and more practice and get some training . Also get a secure place to store them
 
brerarnold said:
i'm old enough to remember steve mcqueen carrying one of those in the old tv series "wanted dead or alive." i thought it was cool then. Still do. But i am not about to plunk down the kind of money those things cost for the dubious utility. It is too large to be as convenient as a pistol. It is too short to be as accurate as a rifle or carbine. It has too little a capacity to have as much firepower as -- well, almost any other firearm except a 5-shot j frame s&w snubby. The large loop lever, while it looks cool and made it easy for steve mcqueen to cock it with one hand by flipping it around, is not actually practical. For working the action on a lever-action firearm, the standard slim loop gives a crisper and more reliable action.

Decide what you really want a firearm for, first and foremost. Hunting? Home defense? Concealed carry? Casual plinking? Target shooting? Then go to a local range, talk to the guys behind the counter, rent some firearms if they have rentals (many ranges do), and find one that both suits your personal need and feels right to you.

Someday, you may get and enjoy the mare's leg as well. But for a first firearm, it just doesn't make a lot of sense.
Click to expand...

this.
 
SilentJohn said:
I can also get the henrys mares leg in 357

but I'm also looking at a moss 500 with a pistol grip
Click to expand...


Pistol grip only shotguns are not fun to shoot for any extended amount of time and aiming with them can be problematic if you like your teeth . The old saying " you don't have to aim with a shotgun " is far from the truth .

In a home defense situation at that short of a range from down the hall or one side of the room to the other the spread of shot will not be that wide .

Also on the topic of home defense get a good flashlight and in Jersey get a great lawyer .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top