# Help With New Handgun



## cvleiva (Oct 16, 2008)

Hey guys I'm new with handguns and I need some help,I'm thinking of buying a XD45 as my first real handgun,I say real because I own a little Bersa 380 witch I love but I had a little scare a month ago out in the woods and I need something bigger.I've been doing my homework and from what I've read The XD's are the way to go for HP or even for the woods.Am I wrong to think this way?I need your help,thanks


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

The type of scare you are protecting against might impact our reccomendations.

For people scares the 45 is a good choice.


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## BeefyBeefo (Jan 30, 2008)

TOF said:


> The type of scare you are protecting against might impact our reccomendations.
> 
> For people scares the 45 is a good choice.


+1

The XD45 is a great handgun, but what kind of a "scare" are you talking about in the woods?

-Jeff-


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## Wyatt (Jan 29, 2008)

+2.

JHP in 9mm; .40; .45 are all good for humans.

Defense against forest creatures may better be served with ball ammo in .357 mag; .44 mag; or shotgun / rifle rounds - depending on the specific animal.


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## unpecador (May 9, 2008)

+3

What scared you in the woods?


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## cvleiva (Oct 16, 2008)

*In the woods*



unpecador said:


> +3
> 
> What scared you in the woods?


I had a big cougar under my tree stand and he was'nt happy that I was there.All I had was my bow.


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## Fred40 (Jan 7, 2008)

cvleiva said:


> I had a big cougar under my tree stand and he was'nt happy that I was there.All I had was my bow.


A .45 could handle a cougar, but a .357 or .44 would be even better........in a 4-6" barrel.


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## cvleiva (Oct 16, 2008)

Fred40 said:


> A .45 could handle a cougar, but a .357 or .44 would be even better........in a 4-6" barrel.


I agree but I also want to use it as HP


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## hideit (Oct 3, 2007)

A cougar!!!!!!

Since you are not NEW to handguns with your 380
then
357Mag - 4" S&W Model 686
or
44Mag - 4" S&W Model 629
you can practice with 38spl or 44 spl
For a few bucks cheaper go Single action with RUGER


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## hideit (Oct 3, 2007)

what do you mean - HP
Is that = House Protection?

A 44 Special is great for home protection
Guns and Ammo gave the 44Mag the best all around handgun to own


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## unpecador (May 9, 2008)

cvleiva said:


> I had a big cougar under my tree stand and he was'nt happy that I was there.All I had was my bow.


What happened next?


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## Wyatt (Jan 29, 2008)

unpecador said:


> What happened next?


Well, it couldn't have ended too badly since he lived to typed about it. :anim_lol:


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## camss69 (Sep 18, 2007)

Yeah lets hear the rest of the story!


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## unpecador (May 9, 2008)

In the meantime, here's a cougar in action...

Cougar attacks


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## jeb21 (Jun 10, 2008)

10 + rounds of 45 ACP from an ergonomically perfect gun like the XD is not a bad choice at all. Plus if this is a woods gun, it will weigh the same or less than most magnum revolvers (unless he goes with the scandium line of weapons) but hold twice the number of rounds. I think that he has made an excellent choice.


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## JustRick (Sep 14, 2008)

unpecador said:


> In the meantime, here's a cougar in action...
> 
> Cougar attacks


It's a small world. The narrator's voice you hear is Grant Goodeve, who is a friend of mine. He hosts a show called _Northwest Backroads_, which might be the source of that clip, although he does lots of voice over work. He's best known from his role on the television show _Eight is Enough_ and as Rick in _Northern Exposure_.

Good thing it was a *small *mountain lion...


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## cvleiva (Oct 16, 2008)

*cougar under stand*



unpecador said:


> What happened next?


Nothing I just stayed very still & quiet until it moved on.I kept looking down but it was so dark that I could'nd see my hand in front of me much less 30ft under me.


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## Wyatt (Jan 29, 2008)

Dude, we were on the edge of our seats. You should have made something up. :mrgreen:


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## unpecador (May 9, 2008)

cvleiva said:


> Nothing I just stayed very still & quiet until it moved on.I kept looking down but it was so dark that I could'nd see my hand in front of me much less 30ft under me.


OIC, you mentioned that it wasn't happy that you were there but if it was that dark then I suppose you probably couldn't have been able to tell much less been able to determine it's size, when it had come and gone, or if in fact it was a cougar at all. Anyway, good luck with your XD45.


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## cvleiva (Oct 16, 2008)

From the size of the prints,it looked like a big cat.


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