What kind of gun should I get?

[friendlyskies]

So, now that I'm back in the USA and it's super easy to buy a gun, I was thinking I might go ahead and bite the bullet. I swear, it's as scary here as in El Salvador, and I'm not even talking about the criminals.

Anyway.

So, I've probably shot a gun ten times in my life, and I have no idea what kinds they were. Most of them were the small kind, not the ones you hunt with. I definitely want a small one. For security, not show. Something that I can conceal easily. But, you know, big enough to kill people, and bears unless that's a lot more expensive.

I would definitely like to buy something inexpensive, preferably with inexpensive ammunition. But if that's a bad idea for some reason, I'll pay for quality and power. I'd like to just have one gun, I'm not trying to make this a hobby.

I really know nothing about this process, at all. I live in Georgia, so I assume it has very liberal gun laws - can I just walk into a shop, show some ID, and buy it, right? You don't need to answer that - I haven't even started to google this stuff. I'm not really sure where to start. But if you have any tips or suggestions or recommendations, please post. Like, say, should I take classes? Where would I find the best/cheapest classes? I don't even know how to clean a gun.

OK, thanks in advance.

[rickshaw92]

I definitely want a small one. For security, not show. Something that I can conceal easily. But, you know, big enough to kill people, and bears

You go girl!

I don't even know how to clean a gun.

If you can clean a pipe or a bong you can clean a gun. There should be no bullets in the gun before cleaning just like there should be no weed in the pipe or bong before cleaning.

[Chimborazo]

Definitely take a class, and go to a range with an experienced shooter where you can try many different handguns in order to find something you're comfortable with. Are you thinking about getting a concealed permit, or do you just want it for personal protection? I think one of the most reliable and small handguns for carry is a S&W j-frame .38 revolver.

[RYP]

If you want to shoot it for fun. Just get a 22 pistol that you can bang away all day on. There is no such thing as a gun "big enough to kill people" its the owners intent, bullet impact and what it hits that counts. A hushpuppy has been used for years to dispatch people with skull shots. It is accurate, does not create an inordinate amount of noise in a closed room and won't even scare a burglar or wake up your nieghbors as you calmly squeeze off shots into his facial/cranium area. You should be more concerned about the laws in Georgia, re use of deadly force and what happens afterwards.



You could entertain your friends by shooting squirrels out the window while having dinner

[nowonmai]

Tuck two of these in your suspenders before you go out and you'll do right.

[Woodsman]

If you can clean a pipe or a bong you can clean a gun. There should be no bullets in the gun before cleaning just like there should be no weed in the pipe or bong before cleaning.

I second the above advice.

[Woodsman]

Here's a small one that will kill a bear - but bullets not cheap - just don't shoot very often. :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9fK3IYxwC0

[JITW]

First off please take a handgun course

My suggestion would be a Smith & Wesson Model 29 - they are cheap, reliable, and the .38+P is a serous round and it a great starter gun - if you must have semi-auto then ask the guy at the gun shop for a used 9mm that costs less that 400

~JITW

[nowonmai]

While you're at it you should also do the manual lifting course, hazard in the office environment course, road safety awareness course, fire safety awareness course, hazardous materials course blah blah fucking blah. Two kinds of people in this world: those that think there's a course for everything and those with initiative.

Just go to the nearest gunshop, get a gun that the nice man recommends and fire a few hundred rounds while imagining you're frightened, confused and aiming to drop a crazed male chauvinist right wing pig like me and stop bothering us with empty questions. Then lock the gun away and never look at it again.

Don't play with it while drunk and/or depressed - the metal in those motherfuckers is possessed. Ask Kurt Cobain.

[Chimborazo]

Definitely take a class, and go to a range with an experienced shooter where you can try many different handguns in order to find something you're comfortable with. Are you thinking about getting a concealed permit, or do you just want it for personal protection? I think one of the most reliable and small handguns for carry is a S&W j-frame .38 revolver.

By the way, I meant "home protection".

[friendlyskies]

Right. Thanks for the input, gentlemens. I think.

Anyway, I'd probably just keep it at home, I don't think I'd get a permit to conceal it. But, you know, if everything went Mad Max I'd like a gun that was transportable. I'll keep you all apprised if/when I actually do this.

[DrakeS]

In addition to considering whether or not you would like to deal with any shock or trauma of any instance resulting in death and requisite unavoidable drama if 'everything went south'..as they say

Consider that a good tase can incapacitate at 15 feet and also be equipped with both laser pointer and illuliminating light as this demo shows, something a little bit better than shooting blindly in the dark and realizing you just blew away a neighbors cat and put a hole into some drywall. you can also pack this around on you np, no pemit required

http://www.taser.com/products/self-defense-products/taser-c2/product-tour#productTour

Or you can stick 'to your guns' as they say and ask a professional gun nut, or a seasoned vet if they would recommend a scattergun for you and see what they say.



http://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Scout ... Scattergun

Or get all three i.e. gun in home, taser in purse, and training in target practice field/arena

Tasing someone might give you the advantage of being able to get to the gun safe spot but you knew that already

[Hitoru]

Handguns are like cars , test drive, shop around . It's not like you are going to adopt it for your profession.







You have bought a car before.....

[flipflop]

You have bought a car before.....

Cheers

[Hitoru]