Best place to purchase a firearm

[RacerX]

All good advice - if I was in GA I would take Jayster up on his offer. Too bad I am in Kalifornia - no 2nd Amendment here apparently!

As far as shops, I've heard great things about http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/index.php

[xenophobe]

Best place to check would be your local newspaper's classifieds and local gun shops that carry used or consignment guns.


Shotgun would be my first suggestion. Federal low recoil tactical buckshot is minimum load I would suggest. I wouldn't use anything less. Birdshot is pointless unless you're point blank. In most situations a cheap single shot is all you would really need.

Handgun? .38 special for novice shooters... whatever you're comfortable with if you're competent.

Rifle? Since it sounds like you have a detached single home with a bit of property surrounding it an old/cheap bolt action .308 or .30-06. Not really the best for self-defense indoors, but if you have a barn/large driveway/land/etc... a little bit of reach will do wonders.


Half of the shit in this thread makes me want to laugh. And cry a little.

If you want suggestions on the best gun related forum send me a private message.

lol, I want to hear this. It's fine to post it.

[Drake S.]

I'm gonna Agree with Rick on this! I only used my .50 for work Like Body Guard work,& a AR-15 Long range Millitary weapon not indoors!
I used a .50 Desert Eagle like I said cause I didn't want a witness after it's for 1 thing In like a pennie out like a Pizza,but not inside your home where someone else
can be killed.

Rick sugested Bird shot, I said Rock salt only if you have to shoot with someone else in the way, sounds messed up but atleast it won't kill them.

(Oh and an AR-15 is the dumbest weapon short of a .50 cal for home defense.
Those rounds are going through what ever you shoot and they're going to keep going for a bit afterwards.
Plus you better make that first shot count. The muzzle flash on an AR in a dark room is going to blind you.
You will be shooting blind after that.[/QUOTE]

[xenophobe]

A security guard with a Desert Eagle.

[mark123]

... Half of the shit in this thread makes me want to laugh. And cry a little.

Yeah, I'm with ya.

Anyone ever see a CQB drill? After all that's what home defense is. If so, what were their weapon choices?

[tonemonster]

I still think shotgun is the way to go. some good recommendations on this thread. I think you need to go to your local gun store and look at their mossbergs. as rjohnstone said, mossbergs are a great option. and some models can be bought new for under $300. they are reliable guns. I think the persuader model comes with both a pistol grip and a traditional stock. I have wanted to get one myself, but I have a 870 already and just cant justify another one.

[mark123]

A security guard with a Desert Eagle.

Yikes, that's no good for carrying on an 8 hour shift. Better have a chiropractor on call. :p

[mark123]

... I have a 870 already and just cant justify another one.

Yeah, I have an 18" 870, 7 round mag extension and a surefire forearm. It's a good choice.

I'm not saying anyone has to agree with me about using an AR-15 carbine for home defense, it's just my choice and I'm comfortable with it.

[Alvin_Wilson]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. Some really great suggestions here.

[rjohnstone]

Shotgun would be my first suggestion. Federal low recoil tactical buckshot is minimum load I would suggest. I wouldn't use anything less. Birdshot is pointless unless you're point blank. In most situations a cheap single shot is all you would really need.

I always recommend bird shot for home defense.
Your goal is to stop an intruder, killing them should be a last resort.
Why? Some states make have idiotic laws where the intruders family can still sue you for wrongful death if you kill them.
They rarely win, but it's still a possibility.
Blame the liberal tree huggers for that crap.
But if their ass is close enough to you, bird shot will kill.

[mark123]

... close enough to you, bird shot will kill.

Sure will. Of course I wouldn't want to get shot with it from far away either.

Heck, you can kill someone with a blank if you're close enough. Jon-Erik Hexum did it to himself because he was playing games with a blank gun on the set. Safety first and always is more important than which gun you choose.

[tonemonster]

I always recommend bird shot for home defense.
Your goal is to stop an intruder, killing them should be a last resort.
Why? Some states make have idiotic laws where the intruders family can still sue you for wrongful death if you kill them.
They rarely win, but it's still a possibility.
Blame the liberal tree huggers for that crap.
But if their ass is close enough to you, bird shot will kill.

keep in mind, I am not against your ideas, I am just making conversation here, but what about the legal school of thought about use of lethal force to protect yourself? I mean in the CCW and home defense class I took, they taught the strategy that your in house, and you hear and intruder in the house. you gather your family and retreat to your 'safe room' where you phone 911 and tell them who you are and that you have in intruder in your house. you throw a house key out the window with a large brite colored key tag on it for the police to use to enter your house. you grabbed your gun already, and have it loaded. you leave the phone on, and loudly hollar for the intruder to leave as you have phone the police already and htey are enroute to your home. you tell the 911 operator that you threw the key out the window for the police and tell them where its located. you again hollar for the intruder to leave, and that you have a gun and will protect your family and use lethal force if they attempt to harm you. again, the phone is on, and this is all recorded on the other end. if the intruder truly is a wacko and comes into your safe room with intent to harm you or your family, you again warn them loudly to leave the room or you will shoot to protect the lives of your family. if they advance, you shoot. then the entire thing is recorded for your legal protection when it goes to court, either in criminal court or civil court. the lawyer that taught this class said your better to use REAL deal ammo, no rock salt, no bird shot, or rubber bullets. the reason they used was if you feel your life is truly in danger, you are willing to take any measure to protect your family, and that is the use of lethal force. they said intruders families will jump on the fact you used rock salt first as you must not have really felt your life was in danger otherwise you would have used real ammo. now, I am not an attorney, and I realize there are more than one school of thought on this. I am not aurgeing any one point, just throwing info out there that I was taught in class. people must make their own decisions on this. another thing people never talk about is the emotional and mental turmoil a person goes through after killing an intruder. even if you saved your life and the lives of your family from a truly deranged psycho, you still took a life, and it will affect you for the rest of your life. there wont be a day in your life that is ever the same. they taught that in our class too, the effects it has on citizens who go through this. hell, it even affects cops that go through it. just cuz it is a cops job, dont make it any easier. they are humans with emotions just like any other person.

[Alvin_Wilson]

I would prefer to deal with the emotions of taking an intruders life over than dealing with the emotions of the intruder taking my wife and/or my daughters lives.

[tonemonster]

I would prefer to deal with the emotions of taking an intruders life over than dealing with the emotions of the intruder taking my wife and/or my daughters lives.

I completely understand, its just that alot of people dont understand the whole story. they just think that if you shoot an intruder protecting your family that they are some suburban bad ass and its all roses and butterflies and everyone lives happily ever after. it dont go like that.

[Alvin_Wilson]

I completely understand, its just that alot of people dont understand the whole story. they just think that if you shoot an intruder protecting your family that they are some suburban bad ass and its all roses and butterflies and everyone lives happily ever after. it dont go like that.

I'm completely aware of that. I have a friend who in 1988 had a drunk man stumble into the highway in front of his car and could not avoid hitting the man. The man died and my friend still deals with the emotions of taking (not intentionally) someone's life.