I don't know a whole lot here basically, other than, say, which end of the tube the round comes out of, so I need to ask this:
Where (generally speaking) is the best place to purchase a decent handgun? I'm thinking of a .357 snub-nose, for a decent combination of power, manuverability/concealability as well as ECONOMICALLY-speaking
I have not a clue whether I should look to a Gander or Walmart type of store, a smaller, independent gun dealer/shop, or a bigger gun show type of place for this.
I would go to all the above and look for the best deal, sometimes Cabela's has coupons that can save you some money( I have one now for 250. off of a 1000. buy) I may question your 357 snubbie If you use 38plus p it would be ok but 357 loads have a lot of muzzle blast out of that short a barrel if you can find a 3 or4" I would get that over a 2"
I would go to all the above and look for the best deal, sometimes Cabela's has coupons that can save you some money( I have one now for 250. off of a 1000. buy) I may question your 357 snubbie If you use 38plus p it would be ok but 357 loads have a lot of muzzle blast out of that short a barrel if you can find a 3 or4" I would get that over a 2"
Thanks for the reply.
Are you speaking of a lot of recoil with the .357 snub & .357 rounds here please?
We can debate the effectiveness of a .357 out of short barrels later, but to answer your question, my response will be: always support your local businesses when available. WalMart generally doesn't sell handguns, but some of the larger chains are often knowlegeable on the subjects, so handle everything available and get a good variety of styles and prices to weigh your decision on. Oh, and see if you can rent one (because lighting off a .357 snub indoors is an experience to say the least).
__________________
I take my coffee how I take my women: bitter and overbearing.
I could help a little more if I knew the general area that you're located in Ambidextrous. I'm with Metronome, support your local businesses. First, do a google search for a the .357 revolver(s) you are most interested in (Ruger SP101, Smith & Wesson 386, S&W 60, etc.) and click the "Shopping" link. You'll see a bunch of listings (ruger sp101 - Google Product Search) that you can browse through. Print out a couple and take them to your local firearms dealer and ask to look at those guns. Try them out at the range (if possible) then ask them how close they can get to the price you've found online.
Personally, I'll pay a little more to purcahse from a local shop...if I like them. If not, I have not problem ordering from someone in another area.
Rugers SP101 would be a nice choice and if you have'nt learned yet you can also shoot 38 special ammo out of a 357 revolver.
The barrel lenght in your case is a know brainer because if your useing it for self defence the snub nose will be fine withen the 21 foot rule.
If your going to be mugged, robbed or maimed by a human predator, once they enter the 21 foot safe zone KILL THEM DEAD !!! Ask questions later, the snobbie should be fine to use.
When you take your concealed carry course you'll learn about the 21 foot rule so if you buy the revolver take the course and get the card...A.H
Rugers SP101 would be a nice choice and if you have'nt learned yet you can also shoot 38 special ammo out of a 357 revolver.
The barrel lenght in your case is a know brainer because if your useing it for self defence the snub nose will be fine withen the 21 foot rule.
If your going to be mugged, robbed or maimed by a human predator, once they enter the 21 foot safe zone KILL THEM DEAD !!! Ask questions later, the snobbie should be fine to use.
When you take your concealed carry course you'll learn about the 21 foot rule so if you buy the revolver take the course and get the card...A.H
every states CCW rules are different and the subject doesnt have his state listed.
In most states the law is based on the reasonable man theory and there is a requirement that it be only in the defense of life or limb and not in the defense of property. In some states there is a duty to retreat law making it illegal to pull a weapon out unless there is no escape route.
as per Doctor Dan Miller law professor.
In Florida for example ; if you are a 250lbs pound individual with a CCW and you are being robbed by a 165lbs robber using a knife and he states that you will not be harmed if you cooperate ,and you pull out your weapon at that time and shoot him , you will go to jail ( assuming he lived to testify).
as for the weapon and where to get them, i say go to local places and try them out , make sure it feels good in your hand and if possible rent them and shoot them to test them out. then buy local from a reputable dealer.
keep in mind if the weapon is not for you and you want it to be a surprise for your wife ( i see this one a lot) you will still have to have her try it out as the weapon she feels comfortable may be completely different than the one you will be.
the only reason i mention that is i see a lot of men that want to buy their wives snub nose revolvers cheep for several reasons and usually don't limit their spending or selection as much when buying for themselves.
I would recommend finding a local sportshop and talking with them. Local guys have a hard time competing against the big chains. I also find them more knowledgeable and helpful than many of the pt employees in the chains.
__________________ Go ahead, Makarov my day!~~makarov.com
What I was talking about is the flame and muzzle blast from the short barrel. It can be loud and make you pay attention to it instead of the bad guy and really destroys night vision. The longer barrels have less. I don't know if its the powder burning inside rather than outside the barrel or what I just know of the effect. see if you can shoot some to know if its a problem or not. I would use +p 38's with hollow points anyway less recoil means more on target.
Please know this: no mans gut wrenchs more than mine at the mere thought of spending one cent at a Walmart (or virtually any of the other big-box type stores) - but here's my dilema (and it's simply "MY Truth" - without getting into a big long sob story): I am EXTREMELY cash-strapped, AND find myself in the "process of filing" for social security disabilty (though a long-shot that I'll live to see it - from what I hear/read/understand - even though I paid my taxes for 30 years). Four surgeries on my vertebrae, (spine) a crushed right leg (three surgeries - and counting?) and a broken left foot have pretty much toasted me physically (at least from wjat I once was anyway).
Though I recently received a decent work. comp. settlement check, a large portion of that was owed-out due to having become completely broke while I awaited it. Fact is I went bankrupt a year-and-a-half ago while waiting.
My thought is: I need personal protection (other than an unweildly 12 gauge pump) for my family and myself, again, in part due to the physical limitations I now deal with. I need it relatively "inexpensive", and I need it to be EFFECTIVE. I would "NEED" it to STOP a bad guy (or bad guyS) in the event one (or more) ever makes the completely selfish, self-centered and self-absorbed (not to mention just plain STUPID) decision to cross the line into the God-Given Sanctuary that my family and I occupy - and if a "BAD GUY" (or three) should perish, so be it.
If, God forbid, I'm ever in the position of needing to make that decision (and we all know that it needs to be made practically in an instant) I well assure anyone interested in listening/reading that I will NOT concern myself in the least with some tight-assed "law" written by some doughy-assed, state police protected bureaucrat - whose salary I have worked myself nearly dead to provide.
I'd sooner think of the perps poor, soon-to-be-one child-less, mama than ANYTHING politicallly-oriented.
I will "shop" (and learn) online, and look to purchase (and learn some more) from a local mom-n-pop shop if at all possible.
Thanks to you all again.
Last edited by Ambidextrous; 09-14-2009 at 08:01 PM.
if you need it concealable i would still probably go with a 4 inch barrel.
btw since you have a shotgun , shotguns are the best home defense weapon around as long as you have enough room to use it .
if the weapon is for use in your own home and you wont take it out in public you could opt for just about anything though since there is nothing saying you need it concealable.
Ruger now has a ultra light revolver to accompany their LCP (the Revovler is called the LCR for lightweight compact revovler). But it only comes in 38 special.
I believe the Ruger's will weigh a few ounces more than their S&W counterparts. If you're going for weight, look at a titanium model.
I have a 4" S&W 686P .357 revolver that I have carried concealed, although it is a little on the heavy side. If you shoot .38's from this gun, it is just plain fun and it doesn't kick hard due to the mass - my 13-year-old loves to shoot it that way. When loaded with .357 magnums it becomes very powerful very fast. Also, the 686P models give you seven rounds instead of five or six.
I also have a super light S&W .38+P 5-round snubbie that kicks like a mule due to the light weight. I feel all of the recoil and it is not a fun gun to shoot. However, it seems to have a lot of power with the +P rounds. It is my favorite gun to carry because of the light weight and small frame size.
Good luck. Any gun from S&W or Ruger should last a lifetime and your great-grandkids will be inheriting them years from now (and they will still shoot great). One final bit of advice...I tried getting a bargain on a gun one time and bought a cheap (brand new) EAA Windicator for $250. It jammed up so bad I had to take it to a gunsmith on the first box of rounds - he had to strike the gun with a brass hammer to get it open. I immediately sold the gun back to the retailer where I bought it and purchased a S&W. True story - I firmly believe with handguns you should stay with one of the big manufacturers and pay for reliability. Later, B
if you need it concealable i would still probably go with a 4 inch barrel.
btw since you have a shotgun , shotguns are the best home defense weapon around as long as you have enough room to use it .
if the weapon is for use in your own home and you wont take it out in public you could opt for just about anything though since there is nothing saying you need it concealable.
I agree with this post completely as it takes a lot less training to use a shotgun and it takes less practice to be accurate with a 4"bbl than a snubby.However,it takes practice or at least a well thought out "game plan" to really be prepared with any weapon,(or without one for that matter)Training is just as important as the type of weapon.Set up scenarios with your family and all of you learn a routine for protection.I pray you will never need it,bit hope you know what to do and how to do it if you need it. ,,,sam.
Wow thanks to all for the great response.
Please know this: no mans gut wrenchs more than mine at the mere thought of spending one cent at a Walmart (or virtually any of the other big-box type stores) - but here's my dilema (and it's simply "MY Truth" - without getting into a big long sob story): I am EXTREMELY cash-strapped, AND find myself in the "process of filing" for social security disabilty (though a long-shot that I'll live to see it - from what I hear/read/understand - even though I paid my taxes for 30 years). Four surgeries on my vertebrae, (spine) a crushed right leg (three surgeries - and counting?) and a broken left foot have pretty much toasted me physically (at least from wjat I once was anyway).
Though I recently received a decent work. comp. settlement check, a large portion of that was owed-out due to having become completely broke while I awaited it. Fact is I went bankrupt a year-and-a-half ago while waiting.
My thought is: I need personal protection (other than an unweildly 12 gauge pump) for my family and myself, again, in part due to the physical limitations I now deal with. I need it relatively "inexpensive", and I need it to be EFFECTIVE. I would "NEED" it to STOP a bad guy (or bad guyS) in the event one (or more) ever makes the completely selfish, self-centered and self-absorbed (not to mention just plain STUPID) decision to cross the line into the God-Given Sanctuary that my family and I occupy - and if a "BAD GUY" (or three) should perish, so be it.
If, God forbid, I'm ever in the position of needing to make that decision (and we all know that it needs to be made practically in an instant) I well assure anyone interested in listening/reading that I will NOT concern myself in the least with some tight-assed "law" written by some doughy-assed, state police protected bureaucrat - whose salary I have worked myself nearly dead to provide.
I'd sooner think of the perps poor, soon-to-be-one child-less, mama than ANYTHING politicallly-oriented.
I will "shop" (and learn) online, and look to purchase (and learn some more) from a local mom-n-pop shop if at all possible.
Thanks to you all again.
Good luck to you and yours!
__________________ Go ahead, Makarov my day!~~makarov.com
General Question 
