Does anyone know about semi-auto handguns for personal protection? I would like to know what caliber and/or model would be best so I figured I'd ask around here.

Post this on the Pistol Shooting forum (below). You will still get answers here I am sure, generally of the "I only carry a 1911 because I don't believe in plastic guns" variety!!!!!
Still, my answer is that my carry guns include an S&W Shorty Forty and a Kimber Pro Carry II in 38 Super.
FWIW, Peter.

Thanks, I've never noticed that forum.

You're painting with broad strokes there, Peter! I like plastic guns (G20 in 10mm) as well as 1911s.........

But Peter is right. Over on that forum you'll probably get better answers from them (the paper punchers!).

Yes, I have nothing against Combat Tupperware either. I do like my 1911 very much though.

i used to hunt with a cz 10mm compact .. till my wife shot it and took it away from me

but it was all steel or close..

i am looking at the taurus mellinium compact in 40sw

OK guys! I was just pulling some chains, and it obviously worked! A longer answer would be that it depends where you live. In Florida, especially during the summer months I find a semi auto hard to conceal, so I use a 2" barrel Taurus in 357 with a belly band type "holster". When it is cooler and one can wear a vest of some type then it is easier to conceal a semi auto. Now, if you live in Alaska, then a S&W 500 with an 8 3/8 inch barrel would be OK, or if you want a semi auto, then an LAR Grizzly!!!
Peter.

Okay then, but this pistol would be for home protection. We don't want a crazy pistol grip pump around the house so I was looking for a handgun. so size and how comfortable it is to carry doesn't really matter.

Robert

If the people using the handgun are not extremely experienced shooters, then they would be much better off with a revolver.

I would recommend a S&W with a 4" barrel in 45 ACP, 44 Special, 44 Mag, or 45 colt.

If the peole are experienced or will get rofessional instruction, and practice on a regular basis a 1911 style pistol in 45 ACP would be my choice.

Anyone getting a gun for self defense has the responsibility to get the best training he can. If you ever need to use the gun your chances of death, injury,arrest,or lawsuit are much greater without training !! It's a very serious affair .It doesn't matter what gun you have.
Pick a gun that you are comfortable with and practice !

Jeffeoso,

Your wife did that to you too! Mine, after we got married almost 13 years ago, was shooting my little Glock 27. She just turned, looked at me with a sweet little smile and said "Thank you!" I now have to ask permission to take it out and shoot it. I did get a nice Ed Brown 1911 Special Forces out of it though!

quote:

Originally posted by DRNebergall:
Okay then, but this pistol would be for home protection. We don't want a crazy pistol grip pump around the house so I was looking for a handgun. so size and how comfortable it is to carry doesn't really matter.

I have a variety of guns to choose from, and I have been up in the middle of the night with a potential intruder outside the house on three separate occasions. I have a 12 gauge by the bed now. If you know you're about to be in a confrontation, bring enough gun. Shotgun is also more likely to hit, and even if the hit isn't a good one, the perp will be moved by the shotgun blast. Shotguns don't shoot through walls like a pistol will either. My opinion.

DRN, you say 'we". I don't want to pry, but you should consider the level of firearms experience of the remainder of the "we". With multiple potential users, the bottom line is that when someone picks up that semi auto they must know its "state": round in the chamber, cocked, safety on, or no round in the chamber, or round in the chamber but not cocked etc. etc. With a revolver you just don't have this problem. I would seriously discuss and consider whether or not a revolver would be the better choice. Sorry, but when you said "personal protection" I assumed concealed carry rather than home defense.
Peter.

I agree with Peter (even if he hates plastic guns) and NE; unless handling the semi is close to second nature, a revolver is the better choice for a stressful situation. During a confrontation is not a good time to try and figure out how to clear a jam or stovepipe.

Alrighty, I'll look into revolvers then. Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by MS Hitman:
I agree with Peter (even if he hates plastic guns) and NE; unless handling the semi is close to second nature, a revolver is the better choice for a stressful situation. During a confrontation is not a good time to try and figure out how to clear a jam or stovepipe.

All good advice. Get a reveolver and don't look back.

Any suggestions on a good one? I don't want a snub nose or anything, just a normal size revolver.

A 4" double action revolver in .357 Magnum and up is hard to beat against human foes.

I was going to suggest a Ruger GP100.......

quote:

Originally posted by DRNebergall:
Any suggestions on a good one? I don't want a snub nose or anything, just a normal size revolver.

Depends on what you want to pay. I agree that a 4" barrel is a good choice. I'd want six rounds for sure, and not five. You can find some with eight. Most revolvers are going to be dependable, even if they aren't made by one of the top manufacturers. If cosmetics don't matter, you could always pick up a good cond. used S&W stainless in whatever caliber you prefer. It can lay by the bed for years without you having to worry about cleaning it. I would watch what kind of bullets you choose. Shooting through a wall is a real concern for me. Also be sure to have a dedicated flashlight next to the pistol. I don't know how much experience you and yours have with pistols, but it goes without saying that you want a double action for sure.

I have been using S&W revolvers so long, Late 60's, that I always pick and recommend them.

I am a fan of a big hole in the barrel...

BUT some of the new models od S&W in 357 Mag that hold EIGHT rounds make a lot of sense.

You have the choice of dozens of 38 Special and 357 Mag loads.

If there is a WE involved I recommend you get the other person their own revolver, as exactly like yours as possible.

Since it is a "house gun" I would want @ a 4" barrel.

I would also get several speed loaders and practice with them.

Here are some additional thoughts on picking your revolvers, with a look toward future gun purchases.

If you pick 357 Mag, then you could add a 357 Mag Marlin rifle. They are easy to operate and have little recoil.

If you think you will definately get a semi auto in the future, the best, bar none is a 1911 in 45 ACP, so a S&W revolver in 45 ACP would be a good revolver choice. With full moon clips they speed load really quick.

A so there are S&W Revolvers and again the Marlin rifle in 44 Mag, and they will both shoot 44 Specials.

My wifes favorite handgun is her 4" S&W 44 Mag Mountain Gun. The backup to that is a S&W 38 Special Bodyguard.

Both are the same brand and operate the same way.

DRNebergall,
Having carried semi's for duty arms and with the plastic gun frenzy at full pitch in the gun-media it may seem odd that many of us recommend wheel guns.
Yet, I too second that opinion.
I also have the S&W small guns, 42,442,38 (Body Guard) light and functional.
As previously stated, if you are not rountinley practicing with a semi(ie, weekly) they would not be my first choice.
I love my Gold Cup, my H&K usp etc, etc, but I carry the little Smiths.

Hey I seem to be getting (or have already got) a bad rap here. I own a Glock 17 (with a Wilson match barrel) and an S&W Sigma, both of which feed every time and go bang everytime. Can't ask for much more, except perhaps looks, and, like the owner, neither of these are great in that department.
Peter.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
Hey I seem to be getting (or have already got) a bad rap here. I own a Glock 17 (with a Wilson match barrel) and an S&W Sigma, both of which feed every time and go bang everytime. Can't ask for much more, except perhaps looks, and, like the owner, neither of these are great in that department.
Peter.

Peter, don't be so hard on yourself. There are worse things in life. What? I don't know. Perhaps being a Democrat would be worse.........

Peter

Beauty is as Beauty does.

I have only shot a few hundred rounds through the S&W Sigma, but I have shot @ 200,000 to 250,000 rounds through some Glocks, mostly 17's.

Many many times I shot more than one thousand rounds per day, for several days running.

I have found the Glocks, especially the 17's to be VERY reliable.

I do like the Glock 17 alot, I'll look into it a little more.

DRN, some gun ranges let you rent a gun and shoot it at their range. The "we" should all go and try it. For home defense, buy a "silhouette" target, set it up at say 7 yards and shoot half a mag. at it. The "we" should do the same. When all hits are "A" hits, move to back to 10 yards. Once you have found a gun everyone likes and is good with, buy it, join a club and shoot regularly. You will have found a new sport.
Peter.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
I was going to suggest a Ruger GP100.......

Great choice.

+1 for a revolver if it is your first handgun and +1 for two of them, assuming you have a safe place for the second to reside.

People usually assume that any altercation that needs lethal defense would occur after hours; usually when in bed. That isn't necessarily so and having a second firearm at the other end of the house is cheap insurance.

Sometimes that isn't practical due to children. Sometimes the floor plan of a particular house makes it uneccessary. But it's worth a look.

A Smith & Wesson 686+ is a 7 shot .357 Magnum revolver that is an L Frame and I believe these are available in a 4inch barrel, which would give you 1 more round over a standard 6 shot .357 and one less than an 8 shot .357. However, the 8 shot .357's are generally built on N frame revolvers (.44 mag 6 shot), so I guess I would sooner go one less round and have a less bulky and heavy firearm.

I agree with the revolver answers. That's whats in my bedside table, a S&W model 15 that I picked up for next to nothing. I got it for night work where I didn't have to look at it. For regular carry and defense the wife and I have a pair of Glock 19s so we can share everything, if needs be.

Ok, one brag about my wife...What did she want for our 25th anniversary this year???...to go to Front Sight Academy together. I'm so proud.

Revolvers don't offer the capacity that semis have but more training is required for semis. There is a reason that an overwhelming amount of Law Enforcement Agencies carry Glocks and its not because they are cheap! Easy to maintain, reliable, hold up to daily use/abuse, combat accurate ect. They aren't pretty but they go bang when the trigger is pulled! I have to go with Glock. Esox357.

A question that is impossible to answer objectively.....if you have a shooting range nearby that offers pistols you can rent and try, do that.

And what do you mean by carry? So many will tell you that a 1911 is a great carry gun. And so many that have them rarely carry them because of their size and weight. I say that and I am a 1911 diehard and will carry a Para LDA Carry 9. For a novice the LDA trigger has safety advantage.

Having said that there are many times when I cannot carry even that much bulk, and that is when the little Ruger .380 slips in my pocket. Do I recommend it? I do not. Not unless you are an experienced shooter.

I would seek expert advice in the area in which you live.

Peter.....you're telling me that the LCP that is in my T-shirt pocket during the summer is hard to conceal?

My other is a S & W 642 .38 +p..........still very easy to conceal.

So if you ask me DNR, get one of each.....like me(and I'll bet most others here).

I like alot of folks will say revolver.I like autos but the wife calls all autos junk guns.A revolver is simple and most with 4"bls are accurate.Caliber is a matter of opinion,but for me I worked around my wife,what she could handle and shoot well ,a mod 64,and I have a larger caliber close by just incase that doesn't get us out of a jam.

quote:

Originally posted by DRNebergall:
Does anyone know about semi-auto handguns for personal protection? I would like to know what caliber and/or model would be best so I figured I'd ask around here.

Just a bit. Had to listen to a friend of mine tonight lecture me about the merits of the Sig P220, and his problems finding 160 of them for our local PD.
Depending on where you live, looking at your police issue handguns is a good place to start. Ayoob has long advocated use the same gun as your local cops, and the same load.
While I understand that, it's based in legal reasoning, and, the hope that the person that arms your local police knows what he's doing.

"Okay then, but this pistol would be for home protection. We don't want a crazy pistol grip pump around the house so I was looking for a handgun. so size and how comfortable it is to carry doesn't really matter."

Figure out where you are going to put it. If you don't care about size, then I would get around a 5"-8" barrel.

My police armour would say the Sig P220 is perfect. I would say the barrel is a bit short.

I like sigs. Don't own one. A quality 1911 is my first choice. For you, something DA/SA, or DA only would be my choice, with a long barrel. I hate glocks triggers, but, I'd take a serious look at
the Glock 35, a long barrel, tuned, 40 S&W. GREAT gun, super accurate, and great trigger.

Ok, those are the plastic pistols that don't rust, under the pillow.

My choice is a 1911, converted to 45 Super, with 230 grain speer Hp's at 1100 fps.
First choice, however, is my FA 83 in .475 Linebaugh, 7.5" barrel, custom 275 Grain Speer HP's, at 1500 fps.

Martin Fackler was an advocate of the old Swiss rifle round:
300 grain .41 caliber bullet, at 1300 fps. His tests showed this round was more effective then the .223 rifle.
I can easily get that out of my pistols, with a bigger caliber bullet, and recoil in a heavy gun equal to a mid .44 Mag.

Backup is a 300 grain, Hawk HP, .510 bullet, at about 1400 fps, in .500 Linebaugh.

I see no reason in a home defense gun to have a short barrel, that isn't going to allow full velocity in a handgun. I KNOW, no matter how high you are, that looking down the barrel of a stainless .475 caliber hole
is only exceeded by a .510 caliber, stainless hole.

Also, in your consideration, think where the bullet goes, if you miss. Mine go into a berm, under a parking lot, or, onto a golf course. My choice of weapons would be considerably different if not for my location and situation.

Finally: are you going to miss your gun when the police take it, destroy it by letting it rust, and return it to you 5 years later when the shooting is over? That's Kali. Hope you live somewhere else...

As for the .357:
I have one. I count on the boom, flash, and unburnt powder to blind, and set the guy on fire, in one of my snubbies. Problem is, I like my hearing, and, if I'm going deaf, I'm doing it with something MUCH more effective then the .357.

Strong argument can be made for the big bullet, low pressure, low noise, 45 ACP. As my friend was saying tonight:
"It's a working gun. I use them for work, and they have, everytime we've had to use one."
He's retired LEO. They use the Sig 220, with the Federal 230 grain HP.

He hears WAY better then I do...

For a well trained person, that shoots/practices on a regular basis the BEST choice is a 1911 Light Weight Commander in 45 ACP.

IMHO, everything considered, size, weight, carryability, shootability, and power, it is heads and shoulders above the rest.

For a revolver person, a S&W Mod 19 or 66, with a 2.5 to 3" barrel, is a good choice...

Or if you are like me, and want to use a revolver, then a S&W over 40 cal, with a 2.5 to 4" barrel would be my pick.

Most here are a bit longer in the tooth than myself, and I appreciate their wisdom on things.

In my case however sixty feet is in my neighbors bedroom on one side and through a garage and into a living room on the other side. This said, I have a couple of options which hopefully would only result in one terminal injury. Within reach of the door is a nicely concealed .380 with Fed Hydroshocks. I know it isn't he most powerful thing, but at that range it will do damage and hopefully stop forward progress.

If things are starting from a dead sleep, then a 230gr hp will get the nod. Used to keep a .410 side by side snake charmer standing next to the bed loaded with #4, but after shooting the 1911, the wife like it much better.

Before we get too wound up however the BG has to overcome one or both of the security systems, if they make it past the electronics, they have to deal with, this guy, and he don't like anyone that we do not personally let into the house.

Beautiful dog, Mike!