Alphecca

Dear Jeff - While I don't currently own a gun, (living in NYC really has a down side), as a former hunter, shooter and member of an ROTC rifle team, I completely agree with your advice. Semis are not the weapon of choice for "newbies". An S&W .357 loaded with .38 ammo would be my suggestion and, with experience, would provide an inexpensive upgrade. Great advice! Keep up your fine work, (you are a daily "must read"). All the best, Terry

Revolver is quite a good choice for a first-time user. And I would suggest a .357; with magnum ammo will stomp a bad guy if you have to use it, and you can practice with less-expensive .38's. And some of the .38 Special ammo out there is quite good, Hydra-Shocks for instance.

Good advice, Jeff. Your buddy's lucky he knows you.

James

Definitly go for the revolver in 357 mag and 38 for beginning proctice. It will be the gun you keep for a lifetime even if you buy others, you will always keep that revolver handy. Great job Jeff

Here's a quotation from "Cartridges of the World", 7th edition, 1993.

"The 38 Special is considered one of the best-balanced, all-round handgun cartridges ever designed. It is also one of the most accurate and is very widely used for match shooting. Any 357 Magnum revolver will also shoot the 38 Special. ......Because of its moderate recoil, the average person can learn to shoot well with it in a fairly short time, something not true of the 357 or 44 Magnums. The 38 Special is loaded by all major commercial ammunition manufacturers."

I agree with the suggestion of a revolver loaded with .38 Specials, and I agree that it should be a .357 Mag revolver. However, I would recommend against either S&W or Taurus, because both now come with an internal lock. The internal lock does not provide sufficient security for an unattended gun, and is one more thing that can go wrong when you need the gun. There are rumors of the Taurus locks sometimes engaging during firing.
I'd also recommend chosing a finish for it's intimidating appearance; you want something that will not be mistaken for a counterfeit, since it's best it you don't need to shoot at all. Stainless steel finishes are best for that, blued steel is good too. The more exotic new finishes are not so good.
Also, stay away from any of the extra light (titanium or aluminum) revolvers. They are great backup guns for experienced double-action shooters, they shoot just like any other double-action revolver and the bullets go just where you expect, but the recoil makes them impossible to practice much with. I LIKE shooting my 57-oz. Ruger Super Redhawk .454 Casull, even with pretty hot .454 loads; I don't like shooting my 12-oz. S&W 340PD with any kind of .357 Mag.

I am probably a "newbie" as I have never owned a gun and have only fired guns a few times. Half of the guns I have used were black powder rifles at boy scout camp, which I do not recommend for new gun users to own, but were interesting to use. One of the modern guns I have fired was a .38 revolver (do not know which brand) and I thought it was pretty easy to use. I would also recommend a shotgun as I found the one I used easy to use, the shootee will most often not be getting up afterwards, and they look and sound really cool when you are pumping it, but it seems like your friend wants something that can fit in a small lockbox. Also I have seen shotguns priced very affordably ($180-500 range), but do not know how that corresponds to quality. I found your links very useful as I have been interested in getting a gun for a while, but do not know quite where to start.

Just to be a dissenting voice, I've never liked the way experienced shooters so readily discourage "newbies" from getting pistols. It think it depends completely on the shooter. The gun I was taught to shoot on was a .38 revolver, but the first gun I bought (about a month after taking my first class), was a 1911. I've never had a problem with it.

Revolvers have lots of virtues, but so do autos. And autos are not as complicated as some like to suggest. If you're too gun-phobic or mechanically disinclined to handle an auto, you probably ought to rethink owning a gun at all. In short, I'd recommend that newbies try both kinds, and buy whatever they prefer.

By the way, that goes for Glocks, too. I think they can be a fine first gun, as long as the shooter gets adequate training with a firm grounding in the laws of gun safety.

I think your advice was exactly right, from the 38/357 recommendation to the plug for S&W (there really is no substitute).

Actually, a shot gun would be the best choice for home defense considering this is a new shooter. Less chance of pellets going through walls; better chance of hitting intruder under stressfull situation.

I don’t know how many guns, mostly hand guns, I’ve owned, but it’s been a lot. Furthermore I was, back in the bow and arrow days a Special Forces medic. So, I kind of know guns from both ends. Any gun will be fine for home defense, as criminals are cowards and risk adverse and the mere presence of a weapon is very, very often enough to deter. Matter of fact, I’ve given old boxes of ammo, and NRA stickers to lefties to put in their windowsill of their house, just to give the usual suspects something to mull over. Anyways, if the expressed and displayed existence of a side arm, doesn’t work, the discharge will. A single shot, to a sneak, in the quiet of the night, is immensely loud, not to mention the quick flash of burning powder. Lastly, is a wound. I’d say even the most hardened amongst us, really get worried by a bullet wound, and could care less as to the smallness of caliber. Naturally, the sneaks and thieves, who well know that they could be shot, once having been shot, are now in their worst nightmare. Plus, there is that little problem of explaining at the emergency room. My two cents, get a used .38. With a 4 inch barrel. It won’t cost much and you can sell it back to the dealer for a $50 trade loss. You’ll spend way more than that on cartridges. The .357’s are a little heavy, and large in the hand. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t thought of shooting a .38 anything but sweet and fun. I also think shooting a revolver takes a little more practice, and once you are good on a wheelgun, an auto will seem easy. ‘Kind of along of the lines of when we used to learn to drive, we all started on stick shifts. Lastly, go to the range and you’ll never find a nicer group of people who will be more than happy to let you try their revolver or automatic. In the end, what ever you feel is best, will be best, as most of it all lays in your mind. Be safe, good luck.

Sorry Spoons, I have to agree with Jeff here. The 38 or 357/38 is a good choice. The letter writer specifically wanted a handgun that was easy to use and maintain and safe. Jeffs advice was perfect. I've been reading this blog for two months now and I'm impressed with him.
--a gunnut whos not gay--

Plenty of beginners can start with an autoloader, as long as the shooter has access to a good instructor.

I actually started with a Glock 19. I liked the simplicity of the system - finger on trigger to engage, keep finger off trigger and the gun won't fire. In a life and death situation, fumbling for a safety may well get someone killed.

Glocks actually have three safety systems, but they all disengage with pressure on the trigger. There's the spur on the trigger - if the spur isn't depressed, the trigger won't move to the rear.

There's a firing pin block that is disengaged approximately halfway through the trigger pull, allowing the firing pin to move forward. The third safety is at the rear of the frame, and prevents the sear from releasing the firing pin until the trigger has moved all the way to rear.

With a round in the chamber and a finger OFF the trigger, it's very difficult to have an ND. I tell new customers, "If you put your finger on the trigger of a loaded Glock, you'd better be prepared to punch a hole through something."

People either love the feel of the Glocks, or hate them. The 9/40/357 frames fit me, but every time I pick up a 45ACP or 10mm Glock, I feel like I'm grabbing Oprah Winfrey's ass.

To the original poster: the key issue for you is comfort. Do you like the fit of the gun? Can you reach the controls? Are you comfortable with the features? Try out as many models as you can, and if you can, actually rent them at a range.

Don't let a gunshop employee force you into a gun that you're not completely comfortable with. A good gun shop will give you options and let YOU decide which one works for you.

For simplicity and reliability, a medium framed revolver in 357 Mag would work well. Consider the S&W 66, 686 and the Ruger GP-100 with a four inch barrel.

Bonne chance.

good game

Well I pretty much know nothing about guns nore do I own one since I am only 16...but I do know if you don't want that intruder to get back up just shoot em once with the .500 Mag REVOLVER by smith & wesson lol.