I need a shop pistol...

Quiet Storm said:
No, I haven't shot a Glock 21, but I'm aware of the fact that polymer .45s come with a serious "kick". .
.....He will have to learn to get used to the .45's recoil and I know that it's less than ideal to learn marksmanship skills with such a caliber -.... but if he wants to buy one handgun only, a Glock 21 seems like the way to go for him IMO. stopping power is much more important when someone who's only a couple of yards away from you attacks you.
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A Glock 21 is one of the easiest shooting .45's there is. I have owned two as well as a handful of other glocks and h&k's and other "Non-1911" style pistols.
The glocks done in .40s&w are usualy harder for beginers to shoot vs. the .45. Much more "snappy" in the recoil dept. The good thing about a glock, despite some folks' opinion, is the lack of any external safties. I refer this to my students as a revolver with a magazine. :D Very easy to learn as it is a point and squeeze sort of pistol. I recomend the glock over a wheel-gun only because of the higher round count. This doesn't mean I am saying spraying rounds all over the place is ok, you need to hit what you are aiming at. But in the unlikely event a break-in turns into a prolonged gun fight, or there are more than one "bad guy" it's nice not to have to reload after 5-6 shots. And as posted above......SEEK TRAINING!! Remember, the only thing you are betting is your life.
 
Minjin said:
While we're sort of on the topic, has anyone shot a Glock 20? Comments?

Mark
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it could be my favorite Glock. It is the largest, that is for sure. I shoot it with www.doubletapammo.com ammunition and it is pretty incredible, reaching 1500 feet per second with 155grain bullet, very high energy. Yet the recoil is entirely manageable.

This would be my choice for a shop gun but it is not in the mainstream due to the lack of 10mm ammo (except if you order on the web or reload; I order on the web anyway so it doesn't bother me).
 
Thanks for your very helpful responses, guys. After due consideration of all the posts, and conferring with my father-in-law, who is a gun aficianado, it's down to the .38 Special or the S&W .357. I let you all know and scan a pic once I've procured it.

By the way, I know this town has zero violence and property crime...which is exactly why I'm purchasing a firearm. The law of averages.
 
I'm for the 12 GA pump as well. "Intimidating"? You bet! The sound of a round being jacked into the firing chamber speaks a universal language -- no translation required. :eek:
 
Thomas Linton said:
I'm for the 12 GA pump as well. "Intimidating"? You bet! The sound of a round being jacked into the firing chamber speaks a universal language -- no translation required. :eek:
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I hate to be a party pooper, and please don't think that I am flaming you, because I am not, but consider this food for thought. In order to make the "intimidating" sound you are doing one or more of the following:
1. ejecting a round already chambered, cutting round count by one.
2. picking up an unloaded(or unchambered, however you look at it) shotgun, this is bad.
3. telling the bad guy(s) your location.
None of the above is good for your health. Although you may scare off some punk by jacking a round into the chamber, what happens if the perp. starts shooting at you before you can bring you weapon to bear? What if the perp is not "intimidated"? My advice is to have the shotgun loaded and the safety on at ALL TIMES! IF THE SITUATION DICTATES, the perp. should only know that you are there as he/she is bleeding out. Some will find this post a little harsh. It is, so is real life. My final bit of advice, without knowing how your shop is set up, is have a "SAFE ROOM". Somewhere that you can lock yourself in and call the police. Stay safe.
 
Mellow Chaos said:
Thanks for your very helpful responses, guys. After due consideration of all the posts, and conferring with my father-in-law, who is a gun aficianado, it's down to the .38 Special or the S&W .357. I let you all know and scan a pic once I've procured it.
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Great choice. A .357 is more flexible and a better choice as it can carry .38, .38 higher velocity (+P), or .357 rounds.

The .38 is not a great round in general, having poor record of stopping power, but the .357 has a great record and can even be used for hunting small animals.
 
I'm for the 12 GA pump as well. "Intimidating"? You bet! The sound of a round being jacked into the firing chamber speaks a universal language -- no translation required.
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Yes, it does. What it says is: START SHOOTING IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION THAT NOISE CAME FROM!

While on the SWAT unit, I saw people think about reaching for their pistola, or otherwise ignoring commands shouted at them by multiple officers with automatic weapons off-safe. To think that these same people (they are, after all, the same criminals that police deal with), will cower and run because one armed citizen has a weapon is a suicidal mindset. Yes, many criminals will not attack someone who is known to be armed, but many will just start shooting at anyone they think is armed.

In the end, only bullet holes will convince them that you were serious.
 
Good Afternoon All-

As a huge fan of semi-automatic pistols, revolvers, and pump shotguns, I figured this would be an interesting thread to add commentary.
  • A shotgun is fantastic if defending from a fixed position, but it requires two hands to operate efficiently and doesn't allow you to easily peer around corners, open door knobs, or dial the telephone. It is absolutely a superior fightstopper with tremendous ability to deliver incapacitating injuries. My favorite here is a Hans Vang customized Remington 870 Police Magnum in 12-gauge.
  • A handgun (whether pistol or revolver) can be more discreetly utilized in a variety of situations. Here at my home in the suburbs, if the doorbell rings after sundown, it is answered with a handgun hidden behind my right thigh after looking through the peephole. My finger is safely indexed along the frame, but can instantly move inside the triggerguard if needed. My favorite for this kind of "occasional use" scenario is a stainless Ruger SP101 revolver loaded with either .357 or .38 loads.
As an aside, racking a shotgun or a semi-automatic pistol is bad form that can get you shot, as mentioned by others. You do not necessarily need to "challenge" someone who intends to do you harm. Depending on my situational assessment, the first sound a goblin may hear is the blast of the muzzle. If you're in a shop environment, your thresholds may likely be different. Good luck with your choice, we're looking forward to the scanned images!

~ Blue Jays ~
 
I would never 'brandish' or 'threaten' with a deadly weapon. If the situation is seriuos enough to use one, use it.

But if the situation is not a deadly-force engagement, bringing a weapon into the mix without intent to immediately use it is a bad move. You your tactical advantage by telegraphing your intentions, and could escalate an otherwise less dangerous situation.

The attacker who does not see the knife until it has cut, or the gun until he is shot, is the properly engaged attacker.

JO
 
cognitivefun said:
.
The .38 is not a great round in general, having poor record of stopping power, but the .357 has a great record and can even be used for hunting small animals.
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For someone just starting out, .357 may not be the best choice. It often is not the best choice for seasoned shooters either. I am all for wheelguns, my favorite being my S&W 27 4 inch (mmmm, blued N frame :D ) and the load I carry the most is the Speer GoldDot 125gr +P. Less muzzle flash and less recoil than a .357 for faster follow-up shots and it has plenty of "oomph" to get the job done. just my .02
 
Of all the guns that I own, I keep a blued Taurus .44Spl snubbie mounted under my desk at the office, and in the shop I keep a Colt King Cobra .357 at the counter. I carry different guns, but these are my choices for the office, and shop.
 
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/041121/481/edb12811210123 if that takes you to the correct site, look at two of the worlds most able killers in hand to hand combat( it is the Bush visit to Chile), What are they not doing ? Killing each other! Almost no self defense issues come down to two professional psycho killers in the dark with a nano second seperating which one places a bullet between the eyes of the other. This thread started about a guy with a store in a calm area that just wanted a self defense weapon, so he could sleep well, in his locked store a couple of times a week. Most likely nothing will happen, if it did it would it be some local that doesn't need to be killed, or it could be the movie pyscho killer, even then he stands some chance the killer may miss him as he shoots through the wall as he hears mellow chaos chamber a round. If we were as trigger happy as we talk sometimes, our porches would be littered with the dead. When you are a policemen, or soldier, you have to limit what risks you'll take, because you are at work, and you represent the people, but as an individual you can, and probably should accept a small amount of risk to avoid killing people that really don't need to be killed for their stupididy on some given night.
 
I'm going to join in the chorus of a .357. S&W 686, 66,19, or a Ruger SP 101. They are readily available, relatively cheap, can shoot more than one caliber, and can shoot reloads. This will matter if you're serious about practice. The other advantage is that with a revolver, if something happens, you can keep squeezing the trigger. I've had Autos stovepipe, or fail to fire, and in that case, you'll need to clear the round. Bad news in a SD situation. The only disadvantage I see is that you can't mount a flashlight on one (that I know of). Also, you can fire a handgun with either hand; you will need both hands operable if you are using a shotgun. Just MHO, Joe
 
Actually, out of a 4 inch or better barrell 38 spc is pretty darn effective in the better loadings. I've seen more than a few who were felled by the 38. I think a 357 revolver is a good idea and if you are comfortable with the blast and recoil go with the magnum loadings. But if they are a bit brisk for you, the gold dot 125 or 135 +p loadings in 38 are pretty good. The old FBI load of the 158 gr lead semi wadcutter isn't too shabby either. Try to find a SW 66 thats used but still in good condition and spend what you saved on plenty of ammo and range time. You'll be every bit as well protected as the guy with the $2500 super custom 1911. All pistols calibers are pretty pathetic stoppers. That's why I keep a shotgun handy in the bedroom.
 
Of the revolvers, I would recommend buying a .357 Magnum because it will also shoot .38 Special rounds, giving you a wide range of power levels you can choose from for both practice and the real thing. A .38 really has no advantages over the .357 except for price.

Make sure you get ammunition that expands. I like Glasers, but any decent jacketed hollow-point (JHP) will get the job done. Avoid full-metal jacket (FMJ) rounds except for practice, as they almost always overpenetrate, which does far less damage to the target in addition to endangering others.

And make sure you not only get some training, but go out to a range every few months and shoot a box or two of practice ammunition. It will make a world of difference if you ever face a real emergency, and it's fun too. :)

--Bob Q
 
I was "impressed" with the blast of a 4" .357 with factory ammo - especially in low light. Then I got a 6", and the blast was (naturally) greatly reduced. The slightly greater weight also reduced perceived recoil.
 
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