# first time gun owner ?



## BennyLovesSaugeyes (May 1, 2008)

Been talking with the ol' lady about getting a small hand gun or shot gun for home protection. We have no kids, so safety shouldn't be the issue except for us two idiots owning a gun 

I'm rather inexperienced wihen it comes to guns. Only shot one .22 handgun, and the same as a rifle. All I know is to pull the trigger. 

Was also interested in getting a shotgun so we could maybe buy non lethal rounds. Like the bean bags/plastic pellets/rock-salt ect. I heard rock salt will knock a person on their butts, and it'll sting so bad all they'll think about is rolling around in pain. Really don't want to kill a intruder, just stop them.

We have mace, but lets face it. That's for teenage girls, soccer moms, postal workers, and grannies. That's not stopping a guy with a weapon.

If you could recommend any good websites as well as Columbus Area Gun stores would be great (with good customer service for a newbie). Also a range with training would be nice. I don't want to shoot my foot.

thanks!!!


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## MRslippery (Aug 7, 2007)

Really don't want to kill a intruder, just stop them. A unwelcome intruder with the intend to take from you, harm your loved one and you just want to say "hey, come on stop". you need to reasess want you really want or need, if there's a individual on this planet that wake's up one day and beliefs he is going to harm my family or myself to have what he needs, is a dead man. I'll stand over that individual and emtpy my Glock 27 into his body. "Rock Salt" to sting him, could take a chance of losing everything you own in civil court for that. Get yourself a single shot 12 or 20 ga. shotgun, practise with it, use 7.5 to 8 shot, don't go getting buckshot if killing your neighbor is possible due to over penatration. Remember one thing when the moment is happening your closest loved one maybe harmed/raped/killed to a intruder "a dead man can't testify". sorry to get winded, godspeed, Mrslippery.


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

MRslippery said:


> Really don't want to kill a intruder, just stop them. A unwelcome intruder with the intend to take from you, harm your loved one and you just want to say "hey, come on stop". you need to reasess want you really want or need, if there's a individual on this planet that wake's up one day and beliefs he is going to harm my family or myself to have what he needs, is a dead man. I'll stand over that individual and emtpy my Glock 27 into his body. "Rock Salt" to sting him, could take a chance of losing everything you own in civil court for that. Get yourself a single shot 12 or 20 ga. shotgun, practise with it, use 7.5 to 8 shot, don't go getting buckshot if killing your neighbor is possible due to over penatration. Remember one thing when the moment is happening your closest loved one maybe harmed/raped/killed to a intruder "a dead man can't testify". sorry to get winded, godspeed, Mrslippery.


great advice! my opinion is the person of the level/mindset that is going to break into your home and harm/kill/rape or rob you of your personal property needs to depart this Earth as soon as possible, not get a second chance to do it again. my first handgun for home protection was, and still is a .357 magnum from Taurus. IMO a .357 and/or a short barreled 12 quage shotgun are the ultimate home defense weapons, short of owning a raging mad toy poodle . the .357 i have has a 4 inch barrle which is "vented", has very little kickback but is extremely powerfull. i keep two guns (one btw an '18 barrel shotgun) in the main house very well hidden but in easy reach if needed, and one beside my bed. beleive me, you dont have to live in a crime infested inner city to need a handgun.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

BennyLovesSaugeyes said:


> Really don't want to kill a intruder, just stop them.


Honestly, a gun of anytype prob isn't the answer for you. A lead/metal pipe or baseball bat is prob mor eof what your looking for. Please for the sake of you or better yet your wife, don't have a gun in your home if your not prepared to use it.




BennyLovesSaugeyes said:


> We have mace, but lets face it. That's for teenage girls, soccer moms, postal workers, and grannies. That's not stopping a guy with a weapon.


No offense, but neither will your beanbag shotgun.


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

H2O Mellon said:


> Honestly, a gun of anytype prob isn't the answer for you. A lead/metal pipe or baseball bat is prob mor eof what your looking for. Please for the sake of you or better yet your wife, don't have a gun in your home if your not prepared to use it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


once an intruder realizes you just hit him with a beanbag you are no doubt a dead man. i have friends whom have seen people jacked up on drugs or adrenaline get hit with smaller caibre bullets, even 9mm's and keep comming. if you have to shoot, shoot something thats going to do serious or fatal damage to the perp.


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## BennyLovesSaugeyes (May 1, 2008)

i hear that. That's a good point. What happens after you get shot, you're not dead, and it was just beanbag/rock salt... 

*Never thought of it like that, that's why I love the honest advice you get on OGF.*

Main reason we are getting a gun is because a drunk person was banging on our door one night trying to get in. If the person would have got in, who knows what would have happend. Took the cops 10 minutes to get there. By that time the person was starting their car, trying to leave.

I like the idea of a 357 myself, its handy for a night stand. I guess I can always aim for the leg, but it is OUR LIVES over their life. In the situation you would have to aim directly for the body with multiple shots.

Any advice on good gun ranges with trained professionals to teach us the basics????


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

> I guess I can always aim for the leg,


a little more honest advise.forget about getting a gun for home defense.the above quote tells me you are hesitant to do what needs done,which could cost you your life,or your family's.
contrary to what you might see in the movies or tv,cops don't aim for the leg when they are forced to use deadly force.that's why it's called deadly force.


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

Misfit is exactly right. You sound very apprehensive to shoot a gun, much less, hurt or kill someone. My advice would be to go to a range and rent a gun. Fin Feather & Fur will rent shotguns and handguns to shoot on their range (others probably do the same). Get comfortable with a firearm before you make your choice. I own a few handguns but feel nothing compares to a shotgun loaded with magnum turkey loads for home defense.
As far as hurting or killing someone, there are plenty of times in ones life when compassion must be shown. At 2am when some freak breaks into your home, where your family sleeps, with no consideration to their well being, and you have no idea what their motivation might be? That is not a time that requires your compassion. That is a time that requires you to react in defense of your family.


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## BennyLovesSaugeyes (May 1, 2008)

BennyLovesSaugeyes said:


> I guess I can always aim for the leg, but it is OUR LIVES over their life. In the situation you would have to aim directly for the body with multiple shots.



thats the actual quote. I think I made my point


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

no offense intended,but the part i quoted IS the point.believe me,you don't want to be in a possible life and death situation before you determine whether to shoot for the leg or body.and how would you make that decision?the bad guy isn't gonna wait for you to do that anyway.
anytime someone breaks into your home without invitatiion,they mean no good,and it IS their life or yours.
again,i think you need to reconsider a firearm till such time as you get the training and cofidence to use it for it's intended purpose should the time ever come.


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## BennyLovesSaugeyes (May 1, 2008)

misfit said:


> i think you need to reconsider a firearm till such time as you get the training and cofidence to use it for it's intended purpose should the time ever come.


good point. till then I'll just use my slick Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling ability. If I can't get him down, I'll use my jab, stick and move, stick and move.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

If you do decide to go ahead and buy a gun I will also put a vote in for the single shot shotgun, easy to operate and you dont have to be dead on accurate to make contact, Blackwing in Deleware and New Albany shooting range offer classes, Blackwing I believe offers more classes geared towards all types of shooters, good luck with whatever you decide.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

> easy to operate and you dont have to be dead on accurate to make contact


that way,when you shoot for the leg,you have a better chance of actually hitting some vitals also 

btw,i also vote for a short shotgun,but would opt for something other than a single shot.lots of times the bad guys work in pairs and a backup shot would be mighty handy


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

misfit said:


> that way,when you shoot for the leg,you have a better chance of actually hitting some vitals also
> 
> btw,i also vote for a short shotgun,but would opt for something other than a single shot.lots of times the bad guys work in pairs and a backup shot would be mighty handy


Lots of those kinds of shotguns in Vances flyer this month...or any month for that matter.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

dont get a gun unless you intend to destroy what you point it all. we have all heard that, right? im not trying to offend you, if i do, im sorry. your lack of experience sounds to me like it will cause more harm than good. if your not willing to kill an intruder, dont get the gun, get a bat(yes, i know you can get beaten to death with a bat. thats not my point). an intruder could take that gun off you and use it against you due to your hesitation.

if you must have a gun, go to a range and have the instructer show you how to operate a shotgun, shoot it and get comfortable with it. i recommend staying away from a pistol.


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## Orlando (Apr 12, 2004)

I agree 100 % with ezbite


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## angler69 (Sep 26, 2005)

get some basic handgun training, revolver 5-6-7-8 shot easy to shoot very safe and will do the job.


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## kennedy327 (Jul 12, 2006)

A dead man will not sue you for shooting them. Even if they enter your house armed and you shoot them, they can sue and often win. I have been told by police that if someone enters your home armed kill him. Never injure because they can still harm you physically or financially.


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## billk (Feb 2, 2008)

No disrespect intended but shooting a pistol, even at in-home ranges is not as easy as you might think. What if it's your wife that needs to use it instead of you?

Go with a tactical type shotgun. Short barrel/multiple rounds is the key. And load it with lethal ammo, not small pellets. There are shotguns made for this type of home defense. a 20gauge should be light enough recoil-wise for any lady to handle, even if she weighs 90 lbs soaking wet.

I fully agree with the previous statements about wounding vs shooting to kill.

If you're really serious about this - DON"T SCREW AROUND! Go with the shotgun and they'll need dental records to ID the intruder.


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## olwhitee (Apr 10, 2004)

+1 on all the above. I would rather be sued and lose cash or go to jail then to have any member of my family harmed. 

Shotgun all the way. I have a Mossberg 500 with a 18 inch barrel loaded with 00 buckshot for my wife. She is not a strong girl so my .45 is a bit too much. She can handle the shotgun though, no aiming required point and shoot.

I say shotgun also because as a beginning shooter, its almost foolproof. Handguns are a different beast. They take a bit more training and you have to get to know its performance until it is second nature in your hand. Then it becomes a home protection device.

Good luck in whatever you choose.


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## BennyLovesSaugeyes (May 1, 2008)

got a gun. lol

My boss gave me an old double shot remmington shotgun that he's had for a years, use to be his sons gun.Bought it for 75$ dollars. I don't really know gun talk, so that's all I know about the gun. He said he bought it in the early 90's, so it has some age.

We've went out twice now to the range and both fired it. Doesn't kick as hard as we thought. Still, my shoulder is kinda sore, went thru a lot of ammo on friday during our lesson.

So far we've learned all the basics. General care/cleaning, and how to fire, reload, safety ect. 

Thanks everyone on here for the great advice. Glad we didn't make a mistake on buying a hand gun. A shotgun seems WAY MORE EFFECTIVE.


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## bunkeru2k (Aug 26, 2005)

Get familiar with shooting that, then get a short barreled pump. Keep 4 in the tube and the chamber empty. When/if you need to pull it out, the sound alone of that slide racking will send a lot of these little wannabe=gangstas running.


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## BennyLovesSaugeyes (May 1, 2008)

bunkeru2k said:


> Get familiar with shooting that, then get a short barreled pump. Keep 4 in the tube and the chamber empty. When/if you need to pull it out, the sound alone of that slide racking will send a lot of these little wannabe=gangstas running.


yeah, you split the barral to load the two shots in. to engage to get ready to fire, you pump it once, fire, pump again, fire.

That first pump is scary and means business. lol


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## mrtwister_jbo (Apr 7, 2004)

bennie hope you never have to use it but when an if the time comes, aim
dead center mass(right between the shoulders)thats were you shoot , no head shots to small of a target,and shoot until the problem is no longer a problem thats what my father taught us(ex cop)
realy get 2 know your guns,practice,practice an then practice some more.
i shoot a lot 44mag/40cal s/w(carry gun) an a few 22pistols,but you break in to my house you will be facing a 12ga mossy 500,18''barrel with #4 high brass turkey loads 
twister
ps wife knows her job is to call 911(then gab the 40 ) while i take care of the problem!!!!


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## BennyLovesSaugeyes (May 1, 2008)

mrtwister_jbo said:


> bennie hope you never have to use it but when an if the time comes, aim
> dead center mass(right between the shoulders)thats were you shoot , no head shots to small of a target,and shoot until the problem is no longer a problem thats what my father taught us(ex cop)
> realy get 2 know your guns,practice,practice an then practice some more.
> i shoot a lot 44mag/40cal s/w(carry gun) an a few 22pistols,but you break in to my house you will be facing a 12ga mossy 500,18''barrel with #4 high brass turkey loads
> ...


I hear ya. The instructor was top notch. My first shots I went for the head on the target. He said, at best, you hit the head every 1 out of 4 shots in real life. He said to aim straight for the mid section/stomach lower chest area. He said one slug with our gun, that person insides are sprayed on your wall. We also added sound sensors to all our windows and doors. So if someones comes in while we're sleeping, the sensors go off, then its SHOTGUN time... btw. we still have three more sessions to go.


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## PITCHNIT (Nov 2, 2004)

+1 on the shot gun AND the training. A short barrel makes it easier to move if you must. This is serious business. Get a home defense pump gun that will handle at least 5 rds, a mag ext for 2 extra would be better. If you have to use it its better to end up with 2 xtra rounds than to end up 2 rds short.


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## 'Rude Dog (Apr 11, 2004)

Go with a 12 or 20 ga. pump shotgun-an 18" smoothbore slug barrell throws a dandy close range pattern- sometimes , just the sound of the slide chambering a shell has been known to make would be "intruders" cr*p in their pants- there's just nothing quite as menacing as a shell slammed home in a 12 gauge pump !!! as far as ammo , just get some decent #4 or #6 turkey loads- I'm sure they will do the trick !!! - get yourself some empty milk jugs , fill'em with water , ( or old watermellons, etc. ) lots of fun to shoot at !! ( will also show you what the pattern and range is ) 'Rude Dog


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