My father wants a gun

A

Alberto Salas

Joined
Jan 30, 2003
Messages
268
My father wants a gun :eek:

Hi guys!
My parents are now retired, and spend almost all their time in a small house they have on the beach :thumbup:

The problem is that they are alone almost all the time, and their neighbours house is hundreds of meters away. The area is very secure and nice, but my father wants a gun for protection, just in case.

Soooooo . . .

He wants something for about $400, small, safe and VERY rust resistant.
I know nothing about guns, but I think a Glock 26 is a good choice.

You guys know a lot about this, what do you think?
Is my recomendation right, is there something cheaper or better?

Thanks for your help!


BETO
====================
Sorry for my english :o
 
Glock 23 is a great gun but if he's really old with no experience a 9mm would be better.
.40 does kick much more than 9mm.
Someone retired who does not already own guns would probabily be better of with a Glock 19 or 17
 
Handgun isn't the best choice for home defense. He would be much better served with a shotgun. An 18-20" barreled Remington 870, Mossberg 500/590 or the like pump in 20ga or 12ga loaded with OO buckshot would be a MUCH better alternative to any handgun. If, however, he is determined to get a handgun I would highly recommend that you set him up with a good revolver. He needs to get some training regardless of what firearm platform he chooses, but putting a semi-auto pistol in the hands of the untrained is foolish. For that matter, putting a firearm of any kind in the hands of someone who has had no instruction whatsoever is also foolish....
Anyway, back to the handgun situation, a good double action revolver, i.e. Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Colt would be a much better option than any semi-auto in this particular situation. If you don't believe me hand your dad a jammed semi-auto and tell him to quickly clear it while you are banging a drum and shooting at him with a paintball gun. Not a wise choice, please trust me. A lot of LE officers even freeze up when their semi autos jam in stressful situations and they carry them every day and train with them. But, like I said originally, the shotgun is a MUCH better option.
 
I have to side with Tolly here. If he is proficient with firearms, a semi-auto such as a glock would be an excellent option, but, if he isn't (and since he is wanting a gun now this seems to say he doesn't own one which would argue for non proficiency), a revolver is definitely the way to go if he doesn't want a shotgun. Also might consider frangible ammo such as glazer or magsafe. Just my two cents for what they're worth.
 
I think a shotgun makes a much better home defense weapon than a handgun.
 
Tolly said:
Handgun isn't the best choice for home defense. He would be much better served with a shotgun. An 18-20" barreled Remington 870, Mossberg 500/590 or the like pump in 20ga or 12ga loaded with OO buckshot would be a MUCH better alternative to any handgun. If, however, he is determined to get a handgun I would highly recommend that you set him up with a good revolver. He needs to get some training regardless of what firearm platform he chooses, but putting a semi-auto pistol in the hands of the untrained is foolish. For that matter, putting a firearm of any kind in the hands of someone who has had no instruction whatsoever is also foolish....
Anyway, back to the handgun situation, a good double action revolver, i.e. Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Colt would be a much better option than any semi-auto in this particular situation. If you don't believe me hand your dad a jammed semi-auto and tell him to quickly clear it while you are banging a drum and shooting at him with a paintball gun. Not a wise choice, please trust me. A lot of LE officers even freeze up when their semi autos jam in stressful situations and they carry them every day and train with them. But, like I said originally, the shotgun is a MUCH better option.
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Absolutely. A handgun is something that needs constant practice. A shotgun is easier to use and requires less upkeep to maintain your skill. Also a shotgun doesn't have as many issues with overpenetration and even missing a target the projectiles loose KE rapidly. Personally #6 is fine inside a house. It will tear hell out of anything within inside house distances and will be rendered safe (non-lethal) in a short distance.

Just my $.02,
KR
 
I'd also say that a long gun is the better choice, if he's not familiar with pistols. Why does it have to be small, when it's for HD only? Especially the G26 is just a compromise for concealed carrying. This compromise is not necessary when the gun stays at home.
I'd consider a pump action shotgun, a side-by-side shotgun with external hammers (can be kept loaded all the time - but it's too old fashioned for most people) or a rifle (Winchester). A revolver is also a good idea. (you can keep it loaded without worrying)
 
I have no idea what legal restrictions may apply to guns in Costa Rica, but if he can legally own one I would suggest you get your father a good stainless steel double action revolver from Smith & Wesson, Ruger, or Taurus. Unless he is well trained in their use, he would not be well served by an "automatic" (or autoloading pistol). As to caliber, I would suggest you choose a .38 Special or a .357 Magnum (which will also safely fire .38 Spl. cartridges). A good .38 Spl. +P round will do the job and kick less than the .357 Magnum rounds. Unless he intends to carry it concealed on his person, he will be better off if you don't get the shortest barrel lengths. A 4 inch barrel is a good house gun, a 3 inch is a good compromise, and a 2 inch is best only for concealment and/or pocket carry. Remember, though, stainless steel is not rust proof! It must be properly maintained (oiled) at all times, especially in a beach environment.
 
Glock is great, as is a good quality revolver.
Generally, you get better quality for your $ with a revolver, plus simplicity of operation. This is not always true.

Dad, IMO, should go to a shooting range and rent several handguns, as what's best for one person is not necessarily good for the next. For example, some people have small hands, some people have large. Plus, different guns just feel better to different people. There is no one gun that is best for everyone. Dad needs to find what suits him best.

Make sure Dad shoots a lot, for familiarity, proficiency, and confidence. A little coaching, or even a class, in how to shoot well, goes a long way.

Good luck, and congratulations, to Dad.
 
Tolly said:
Is your father eperienced with firearms?
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VERY important!
Nop, he knows how to handle, point an shoot a revolver. Nothing more.
But he likes Dirty Harry movies :P


T.K.C. said:
I think a shotgun makes a much better home defense weapon than a handgun.
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Good suggestion, but he's not going to get a shotgun. He wants a gun that he can have in the house, or in the glove compartment of the car, or even take with him while walking at the beach. A shotgun is too much.


Tolly said:
If, however, he is determined to get a handgun I would highly recommend that you set him up with a good revolver.
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I agree, but I think in a Glock for the rust problem. The corrosion in that zone is unbelievable! And I don't know if there is a revolver made of plastic.

Thanks for the help guys!


BETO
====================
Sorry for my english :o
 
ashtxsniper said:
Glock are as easy to use as a revolver for a beginner.
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Glocks are NOT as easy to use as a revolver! The only similarity between the two is the way the trigger feels. Loading, unloading, safe operation, malfunction clearance, etc., etc., etc. are more complex in Glocks or other automatics than in revolvers.
 
If you value your father's life, and you want the best for him in this situation, get him a double action revolver.

Another thing, the Glock isn't all plastic. There are metallic parts that must be lubed and protected in your environment.

Again, the semi-auto IS NOT a wise choice for an inexperienced used. Come on guys, ya'll know this! I agree that the Glock is as reliable as any semi-auto on the market, and more reliable than most, BUT, the problem comes when something goes wrong. Evidence has proved time and time again that things tend to go wrong at the worst of times and there are some reasons that. For instance, here is a weapon that most likely will be poorly maintained by an individual who knows NOTHING about firearms who is probably going to store it in a sock drawer or God knows where as well as the Glove compartment with all the ketchup packages other crap. Okay, now, this individual who has no training, and no gun handling skills of any kind, is going to be expected to pull said pistol in a high stress defensive situation and hope that after it fires the first shot that it doesn't jam on all of the lint, ketchup, french fries, sand and corrosion that has been building up if he needs a second shot(which he will). Oh wait, but I guess it will just be second nature for this individual to clear the jam since again he has NO training or practice in doing so.

Oh ya, Evidently you want to buy a Glock and have made up your mind so let me say this. PLEASE have your Dad buy a good holster to keep it in and don't let him toss it loosely in a sock drawer or glove compartment. That is a bad situation for the Toy pistol.

If your Dad really wants something small, check out the Ruger Sp101 in either 2 1/4" or 3 1/16" barrel .357 mag stainless double action revolver. They are compact but still built like a tank and have enough heft to them to be controlable.

YOIUR DAD DOESN'T NEED A SEMI-AUTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a picture of the 2 1/4" Ruger SP101 .357 my wife carries
SP101.jpg
 
ashtxsniper said:
Glock are as easy to use as a revolver for a beginner.
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Glocks are not as easy to use as a revolver, at least for someone not familiar with autoloaders. To someone who is comfortable with autoloaders, yes, they are as easy to handle as a revolver, but, and I don't know about you, I have never seen someone limp wrist a revolver causing a jamb, have to clear a spent casing due to a stove pipe on a revolver, hold a revolver the wrong way causing themselves to lose some skin off their knuckle from the slide movement, or accidently drop the magazine out of a revolver. I have seen all of the above happen with autoloaders, and all but one of the aforementioned I have seen happen in the same day with a glock being the culprit when being fired by a Sheriff's deputy of all people. To say that a glock is as easy to use as a revolver for a beginner is almost like saying that a balisong is as easy to flip proficiently as opening a lockback. No offense intended ashtxsniper, but I think you were looking at it from the perspective of someone conversant with both types of firearms, and not from the perspective of someone who has never used either.
 
:D If I had waited another minute I could have just typed " Yeah, what bigbcustom said!" :D

I love Glocks because they are are super tough and simple, but for non gun people (especially older people) magazine disconnects and manual safeties aren't a bad thing. Ho much has he shot? How intuitive is he with mechanical devices? How often does he intend to shoot? For non-gun people, revolvers can often be a much safer, simpler and more reliable option. A good medium frame Smith and Wesson or Ruger .357 Mag revolver (potentially loaded with .38 spl +P ammo) is often a better choice than any auto. Revolvers are much more tolerant of being ignored for extended periods of time, and don't suffer from limp-wristing extraction / ejection problems that can can plague people with weak technique shooting polymer / alloy frame autos.
 
Tolly said:
If you value your father's life, and you want the best for him in this situation, get him a double action revolver.

Another thing, the Glock isn't all plastic. There are metallic parts that must be lubed and protected in your environment.
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Thanks Tolly, very useful information!

Just for the records, I DON'T want to buy a Glock, in fact, I don't want to buy any gun at all!

I think first in a Glock for the rusting problem. My father is not careful with his tools, so I'm afraid that when the time comes, the gun will be just a big chunk of rusty metal.
I did't know the existence of stainless revolvers :o
I didn't think either in the training needed for handling a pistol, good learning here!

I'm going to look for a revolver, I'm sold on that. Now, what revolver?
The initial restrictions of easy to carry, clean and $400 (or less) are still there.

Thank you very much guys, my father and I really appreciate your help!


BETO
====================
Sorry for my english :o
 
While I agree in general, that shotguns are a better personal defense gun than a handgun, even short barreled ones can be bulky and cumbersome inside a house. I wouldn't want to do it, but I suppose that they could be wrestled away if someone got the barrel, particularly if your Father is a bit older and not physically strong.
 
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