# First Handgun, Home protection. What to get?



## 901-Memphis (Jan 28, 2010)

Looking to purchase my first handgun for home protection. I live in Kentucky so i can order from Budsgunshop and drive down to Lexington to pick it up.

I was trying to keep this around $300, but its very hard to get a quality firearm for this price, so if i can't find one for around there i will end up going with a 12 gauge Mossberg or Remington pump.

This is what i was going to buy, it was $299 just yesterday plus it has a $50 MIR or 2 free magazines ($80 value it says on the magazines)

S&W 40VE .40 cal

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/31/products_id/26117

Now its up to $339, but still a pretty good deal. The one i had linked yesterday was also the 15 round magazine for $299, now its the low cap 10 shot.

Any advice on something in this price range would be appreciated. I went to the local pawn shop but their prices are pretty high.


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## algore is a fatwoman (Jan 12, 2010)

I'd try to track down a used .38 or .357 revolver for that price range. Maybe with a 4 inch barrel, maybe not cosmetically perfect.


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## VasSigmeister (Jan 3, 2010)

I say get a glock and spend the extra 100... When it comes to your safety money is money, it can be replaced...


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## 901-Memphis (Jan 28, 2010)

The glocks more like an Extra $200


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## recoilguy (Apr 30, 2009)

For 300 bucks you will probably end up with one of the shotguns you listed. Both are reliable and easy to find. The handguns you will find in the 300 range are more pocket guns or BUG's. Which are better then nothing but made for backing up or deep conceal carry. 

300 dollar handguns are pretty hard to find. Stoegar Cougars can be found for 400 bucks, Ruger SR9's for $420, EAA witness 9's around $435, real nice guns for the money. Taurus 24/7 are around $425 Springfield XD's are about the same as glocks about $500. You can get a Bersa Thunder Hi Cap 9mm for the $350 range if you look hard and they are good shooters and reliable. These are the prices in my area of the state here anyway. Hi Points are real inexpensive for about $175 my advice is spend more then 175 bucks please. The S&W you listed is a decent weapon too for the money.

After that you are getting past the $500 mark. Good Luck to you I hope you get exactly what you want and find it soon.

RCG


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## PhilR. (Apr 25, 2007)

The S&W is as reliable as a Glock, and as accurate in the hands of most people too, so I'm not sure why anyone would say that your safety is in danger when compared to a Glock.

What you don't get, as compared to a Glock, is a good trigger. The S&W's are known for a rather heavy and gritty trigger. Of course, it cost less too, so it wouldn't be reasonable to compare the triggers of pistols that vary so widely in price. The triggers do smoothe out a bit with use.

There's no other new semi in that price range that I would recommend for home defense use. There is the Taurus 24/7 DS that can be had new for a bit more. I would not use one for home defense, but that is something you would have to decide. They do however make a good range gun. 

The other suggestions of a used Glock or a used revolver good as well, but now you have to hunt around for a good used handgun. Be aware that just about everything in a viable revolver caliber will be a lot more expensive to shoot than 9mm, and have a lot less capacity. Revolver pro's are ease of use and ease of learning, and very good reliability.

A good place to look for a used Glock is the Summit Gun Broker website.


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## cougartex (Jan 2, 2010)

A Stoeger Cougar is a great gun for the money (around $400).


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## 901-Memphis (Jan 28, 2010)

Any other suggestions , i don't know if i can do better than the Sigma even at $339 + $50 MIR or even come close.


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## YFZsandrider (Feb 28, 2009)

I would far rather own a Glock..... and I hate Glocks!

Try finding one used!


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## rccola712 (Aug 26, 2008)

I would suggest not letting price completely dictate your purchase. You will want and need something that you enjoy shooting, that is comfortable to shoot, and you can afford to practice with. If you cant say these things are 100% completely true for your gun, then you wont practice, which means you wont improve, which means if you ever need to use it (heaven forbid) you wont be as accurate as you need to be. My suggestion is do the research, find the gun that fits your needs and you best, and the save up and purchase whichever gun that is.

look at this sticky to help get you started :

http://handgunforum.net/showthread.php?t=14198

You also may find that one of the shotguns you listed will fit your needs best, a lot of people on this forum feel that a shotgun is the best home defense weapon. Do you research, and pick the best gun for your needs. Patience is a virtue!

good luck in your search, and ask questions and research like there's no tomorrow, it took me almost an entire year to research my first purchase. :smt033


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

Based on what you are saying, the shotgun idea sounds best to me. If you need to find a $300 gun, that tells me that you aren't likely to shoot it much, considering it wil cost you about that much, again, to become even moderately proficient with a pistol. It takes a few hundred practice rounds, at about 20 cents a shot, just for cheap 9mm ammo.

A long gun is much easier to hit where you aim, and a shotgun is even more forgiving, in the accuracy department. You can buy a decent used shotgun for $300, a $6 box of field loads to familiarize yourself with it, and some buckshot for home defense, at about a buck per shot. Everything else is just using good sense about when to deploy your weapon.

I'm just saying that if you need to provide home defense on a tight budget, a shotgun is the best bet.


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## 901-Memphis (Jan 28, 2010)

I've just read so many good things about the S&W SW40VE and that it is almost as good as the Glock 17/22, since its pretty much a engineered copy of the gun,

The only thing is that Glock has their trigger patented due to the lack of a safety, which is why the S&W gets complaints about its intentional heavy trigger; the only gripe i hear commonly from it.

I hear people firing thousands of rounds through this gun with no jams/stovepipes, and its a great deal at the price. I could possibly spend a little more but $400 is about the max, i wanted to have room to buy ammo and a biometric/fingerprint gun box to access it quickly, which is part of the reason i can't throw $600 like its nothing.

I just don't see that many reasons to not buy the SW40VE, i keep hearing its a lot of gun for the money and reliable enough for what i need it to do.

Even if i get a good shotgun i am going to have to spend a lot to get a quick access safe comparable to the small gun boxes i have seen for under $150. I wouldn't feel comfortable with a combination safe if it came down to really needing the gun quickly.


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## Freedom1911 (Oct 22, 2009)

Well I was going to recommend the Bersa Thunder Hi Capacity 9mm Pro from buds. Thats where I got mine. But it looks like they are sold out.

BTHC9Pros are excellent budget pistols. If you can go as hi as 399.00 you can afford the Bersa. Call buds and see when they will have more in stock and order one.
You will not be disappointed. If you are wondering about Bersa check out the Bersa section of this forum. And do some web searches of them. You will see that they are hi quality hand guns for a very reasonable price.

As for ammo. 9mm is in most areas by far the most inexpensive to shoot. And you can get Corbon ammo for CCW that matches 40SW in almost every category.

By the way. This is the BT Pro








This is the one I bought, but I wish I could have bought the two tone.


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## WVleo (Jan 25, 2009)

*Home defense for $300*

Hi, Going to suggest a Remington 870 ( used ) either 12ga or 20ga ( My preference ) with a 20" barrel . Loaded with size 6 shot or buck shot. The reason I chose 20ga. was a Home defensive weapon would need to be used by either Me or My Hottie 5'1" 115lb wife of 19 years ( She is right behind Me isn't She ? ) ! Cost effective and no worries about overpenetration. Ammo is cheap for practice or defense and the Pawn shops are full of them. If a handgun is what You have Your mind set on a Police trade-in revolver would be something to consider in Your price range. Unless the threat is a pending issue try to save up just a little longer to open even more options to You. I believe every household should own a .22lr rifle, a shotgun ( again 12ga. or 20ga. ) and a defensive handgun with plenty of ammo on hand for all 3. It use to be people thought I was a reactionist with My talk of self defense and self reliance during a disaster. Then came Katrina and people close to Me saw how fast society breaks down . But it couldn't happen here HUH ! . Good luck with your choice ........WVleo


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## 901-Memphis (Jan 28, 2010)

Just finished e-filing my taxes. Last year the site took less than a week to direct deposit into my account. Can't wait.


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## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

I like my S&W Sigma 40VE










The trigger is like pulling the trigger on a DAO gun and you can get used to it.

They are very reliable and in my opinion much nicer looking than a lot of auto's now days.

Just my .02

:smt1099


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## JoeInKS (Jan 17, 2010)

Nice guns for the money:

S&W SW9VE - it is a great pistol with the notable factor being the heavier double-action only trigger, which, i believe to be a good thing if you are grabbing for a gun in haste. Have heard too many stories about folks quickly grabbing for a gun and it going off due to lack of practice / common sense. I tend to believe that the vast majority of folks who buy home defense guns are terribly under prepared / trained / practiced in the use of their chosen weapons.

Any Glock that you can comfortably shoot - they are just reliable

Stoeger Cougar - great pistols for the money; light recoil, great feel

Bersa 9mm Thunder - for the money, it's a great gun.


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## 901-Memphis (Jan 28, 2010)

I just don't think i can justify dropping the $500 on the glock, then some first range ammo + a few magazines worth of good self defense ammo and i also need a good biometric safe. I think if money wasn't a problem the Glock 22 would be my choice, but money IS a concern.

Also the S&W will be cheaper + come with a total of 3 magazines after sending off for the 2 free ones from the rebate. So i save money by not having to buy extra magazines.


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## Bgreg (Jan 29, 2010)

901-Memphis said:


> Looking to purchase my first handgun for home protection. I live in Kentucky so i can order from Budsgunshop and drive down to Lexington to pick it up.
> 
> I was trying to keep this around $300, but its very hard to get a quality firearm for this price, so if i can't find one for around there i will end up going with a 12 gauge Mossberg or Remington pump.
> 
> ...


Get the shotgun for HD..IMHO


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## Vitali (Aug 20, 2009)

You can get a Springfield XD from gunbroker for under $400. I'd rather have one of those than a Sigma. You get a much better trigger, better looks and several passive safeties. It's comfortable, reliable and accurate. 

Personally, I like the .40 S&W round for HD. It's a good compromise between 9mm, which some say is too small and a .45 which has less capacity. Also, ammo's not that much more than 9mm. 

Just my 2 penny's worth. Good luck with whatever you choose.


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## hideit (Oct 3, 2007)

what is wrong with a .380?
that's closer to $300


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## Vitali (Aug 20, 2009)

hideit said:


> what is wrong with a .380?


Like I said, personally I like the .40, but since you asked...

9mm Versus .380 ACP For Self-Defense

By Dick Metcalf, Technical Editor, Shooting Times. "The .380 is simply not in the same performance class as the 9mm...."

The last half-dozen years have seen serious changes in the context within which ordinary American citizens obtain and use handguns for personal defense. On the negative side the federal Crime Bill of 1994 limited magazine capacity and put new restrictions on ammunition manufacturers' freedom to develop high-performance handgun loads. On the positive side more and more concealed-carry laws are being enacted every year at the state level, with the total of states now allowing some form of legal civilian concealed handgun carry now standing at 41 and more are likely to join that list. The result has been significant alteration in the proportional market share and availability of various cartridges and handgun formats, with a great increase in the popularity of small, pocket-size autoloading pistols and an attendant incorporation of previous "duty level" cartridges into ever-smaller guns.

When it comes to personal-defense carry, most people buy little guns. The single largest category of handguns bought in the US during the last 10 years has been small, short-barrel, pocket-size defense models-autoloaders and revolvers alike. Overall, compact concealment-size handguns account for more than 70 percent of all current civilian handgun sales, and autoloaders account for approximately 75 percent of that number (according to the most current BATF statistics). In terms of caliber selection (not counting the sub-effective .22 and .25 chamberings), the two most popular choices within this dominant portion of the overall handgun pie are the .380 ACP and the 9mm.

In today's market, compact and pocket-size guns available for the 9mm and the .380 have essentially the same range of available features and performance capabilities-in fact, identical pocket-size 9mm and .380 pistol versions are increasingly available from the same manufacturer. You can choose among single-action, double-action, or so-called DAO mechanisms, with the same type of sighting setups and safety-operating mechanisms, and choices of steel, aluminum, or molded-polymer frames for either cartridge. Which means the choice is really between the capabilities of the cartridges, not the guns.

The 9mm Wins Hands Down
So for a short-barreled, concealment-size pocket pistol, all features of the guns being equal, which cartridge choice is best for personal defense, .380 or 9mm? Some have argued that in the very short barrels (in the 3.0- to 3.25-inch range) typically found on small pistols, the apparent ballistic advantage of the longer case 9mm is canceled and the two loads' performances are essentially the same. My own actual side-by-side testing doesn't prove that out. In fact, there really isn't very much of a contest at all. The 9mm wins hands down.

The 9mm Luger cartridge (also known as the 9mm Parabellum, 9mm NATO, and 9x19mm) is actually the oldest of today's mainstream semiautomatic pistol rounds (it was introduced in 1902), but because of its comparatively recent surge to popularity in this country, most American shooters think of it as relatively "modern" in comparison to other popular autoloader cartridges like the .45 ACP (1905). The .380 ACP is nothing other than a short 9mm (its German name, in fact, 9mm Kurtz, literally translates as 9mm Short), and like the .22 Short in relation to the .22 Long Rifle, or even the .38 Special in relation to the .357 Magnum, the shorter cartridge has only a portion of the authority of the longer 9mm.

In Europe the .380 Auto/9mm Short has at various times been an official military cartridge, and it is much favored by police agencies in many nations as a primary duty round. In the US it has always been seen as a minor-power backup load. And, compared to the 9mm, that's where it belongs.

SAAMI industry-standard catalog specifications for the two cartridges rate the .380 at approximately 950 fps velocity and 200 foot-pounds (ft-lbs) energy for JHP bullets in the 90- to 100-grain weight range while the 9mm (which is offered in a much wider range of bullet weights and styles) is specced at 1150 fps and 340 ft-lbs energy with a 115-grain JHP bullet and 990 fps and 320 ft-lbs energy with heavier 147-grain JHP subsonic loads. In raw energy terms alone, then, the 9mm has about a 65 percent advantage. (Standard four-inch ballistic test barrels are employed for the SAAMI ratings for both cartridges.) However, in view of the fact that actual cartridge effect in target is always more determined by bullet design and performance than by mathematical energy formulas, particularly when using guns with barrels shorter than SAAMI test fixtures, I (several years ago) fired a series of commercial 9mm and .380 loads from compact pistols into 10-percent ballistic gelatin blocks calibrated to FBI evaluation standards to gauge their impact effectiveness with the gel set at a personal-defense distance of 20 feet. I was interested in determining whether these two cartridges' performance in actual guns corresponded to their "on paper" ratings. This was when down-sized 9mm pistols had just begun to enter the market in sizable numbers following the enactment of the 1994 Crime bill's magazine limitations, and the pistols used were a 3.5-inch Star Firestar for the 9mm and a three-inch S&W Baby Sigma for the .380 ACP. When I reported the results, which were overwhelmingly in favor of the 9mm, I received response from fans of the .380 who argued that the half-inch longer barrel of the Firestar pistol gave the 9mm an unfair advantage in my comparison, and that if I'd used guns of the same barrel length the .380 would have ranked much better in comparison. I was confident of the basic "balance of power" my results indicated but also acknowledged that with short-barrel guns sometimes a very slight increase or decrease in absolute length can have a significant effect on bullet velocity, depending on particular powders and their burn rates. So when Taurus introduced its Millennium series of pocket-size compact autos a couple of years ago with identically configured 9mm and .380 versions, I resolved to redo the gel-performance review. Both the Taurus Millennium model PT111 9mm and the model PT138 .380 are identical in features, size, and 3.25-inch barrel length, with the only difference between them being the actual specifications of the cartridge firing chambers.

The results of my side-by-side review firings with today's premium defense loads are listed in the chart on page 23 and closely correspond to the Firestar versus Baby Sigma results from four years ago. Overall, the 9mm provides a 40 percent greater wounding effectiveness (based on wound channel surface area) than does the .380. When equivalent bullet designs in the two cartridges are compared directly (for example, the Winchester SXTs and Remington Golden Sabers), the distinction is obvious. The .380 is simply not in the same performance class as the 9mm, even though the subjective experience of firing the two pistols is very much the same.

If your personal-defense handgun is going to be a small autoloader, and you are buying it because the chance exists that it may someday have to save your life, the choice between a .380 or a 9mm is still a no-brainer. Get a 9mm.


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## terryger (Feb 1, 2010)

i would stick with a shot gun for price as well as use and dependability.

when soembody is in your house and got you scared you don't need the added stress of trying to learn how to use a gun too.


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## JoeInKS (Jan 17, 2010)

Pump shotguns are simple and reliable. With the home defense versions you'd have enough shells to hopefully protect your family in the, god forbid, break in situation.


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