Real Guns

[stonesfan129]

My Taurus 1911 (1st handgun I ever owned) I had I never had a bushing tool. I kept forgetting to buy one lol. Those bushings were a pain on my thumbs.

It's definitely a good tool to have in your toolbox.

 

[GT40 MKII]

It's definitely a good tool to have in your toolbox.

Oh if I get another 1911 I'm gonna have 3 of em lol

 

[a6m5]

Ammo cans were scarce in my area there for while. They were hard to find, because the prices got too high.

Few days ago, I saw them in ad for $12 & change at the local sporting goods store? I just ran into some at Walmart at the same price, so I picked one up. Not surplus, brand new.

Edit: Made in China.

 

[Swagger897]

I think Midway had some for sale as low as $5. Sale is over now by the looks of it.

 

[a6m5]

I think Midway had some for sale as low as $5. Sale is over now by the looks of it.

They are heavy though, by USPS standards. Shipping always killed any potential online deal for me on these things.

 

[Joey D]

So I'm in a bit of a jam, we had someone try to break into our home this morning while I was at work and my wife manage to scare them off. I'm slated to leave out of town in a couple of days and she wants something in the house that she can protect herself with. Michigan's handgun laws a cumbersome due to having to go back and forth to the police station, so I'm looking at a shotgun or rifle. My wife is small and I've seen her handle a shotgun before and it was a bit too much for her. So in order to get something today, I'm thinking a rifle would probably be my best bet. I'm currently looking at a S&W M&P 15-22 since .22 rounds are cheap which means my wife and I will be able to spend lots of time at the range practicing without breaking the bank. My other option would be something like a 20 gauge shotgun that's easier to use than the 12 gauges we've shot before, but I do worry about the length of it.

Any thoughts?

 

[Blood Eagle]

Get a real AR not a tactical AR looking .22. Real ARs have almost no recoil and you can also drop in a .22 conversion into them and shoot .22LR. I think it's a better value than buying one specifically in .22LR. If you don't plan to ever shoot it though I'd save money and buy a cheap 20 gauge or something.

 

[Swagger897]

They are heavy though, by USPS standards. Shipping always killed any potential online deal for me on these things.

True...

So I'm in a bit of a jam, we had someone try to break into our home this morning while I was at work and my wife manage to scare them off. I'm slated to leave out of town in a couple of days and she wants something in the house that she can protect herself with. Michigan's handgun laws a cumbersome due to having to go back and forth to the police station, so I'm looking at a shotgun or rifle. My wife is small and I've seen her handle a shotgun before and it was a bit too much for her. So in order to get something today, I'm thinking a rifle would probably be my best bet. I'm currently looking at a S&W M&P 15-22 since .22 rounds are cheap which means my wife and I will be able to spend lots of time at the range practicing without breaking the bank. My other option would be something like a 20 gauge shotgun that's easier to use than the 12 gauges we've shot before, but I do worry about the length of it.

Any thoughts?

Youth Remington 870. Little over 20" barrel (21 I think), cheap, able to find at basically any sporting store (hell Walmart has them in all flavors). Can't go wrong with a box of 25 Remington 20 gauge rounds either..

What I'd recommend doing though, is getting a standard 28" 870 (express magnum I think) and buying a barrel of 21". The stock is quite small on the youth, so unless it's going to be her's, it's a bit awkward to shoot being full-sized. You can keep the 21" while at home and exchange for a 28 (or 26) for skeet/trap shooting.

Get a real AR not a tactical AR looking .22. Real ARs have almost no recoil and you can also drop in a .22 conversion into them and shoot .22LR. I think it's a better value than buying one specifically in .22LR. If you don't plan to ever shoot it though I'd save money and buy a cheap 20 gauge or something.

This^^

There's no reason to buy a gun based off of the looks for it thinking it's going to scare someone. A .223 would probably be the best of both worlds to have if you wen the AR route. Accurate, but light/no recoil (less than the shotgun probably).

 

[GT40 MKII]

I'd go with a full 5.56. AR15 for all the reasons listed above and you can get a .458 socom or .50 Beowulf upper for em and from what I've been seeing the .22LR conversions range from replacement bolt & magazine to new upper and mag. and on the shotgun I don't remember but I think Mossberg makes a 20 gauge 930 special purpose. My sister has a 12 gauge model. I'd look into it.

 

[GT40 MKII]

So I'm in a bit of a jam, we had someone try to break into our home this morning while I was at work and my wife manage to scare them off. I'm slated to leave out of town in a couple of days and she wants something in the house that she can protect herself with. Michigan's handgun laws a cumbersome due to having to go back and forth to the police station, so I'm looking at a shotgun or rifle. My wife is small and I've seen her handle a shotgun before and it was a bit too much for her. So in order to get something today, I'm thinking a rifle would probably be my best bet. I'm currently looking at a S&W M&P 15-22 since .22 rounds are cheap which means my wife and I will be able to spend lots of time at the range practicing without breaking the bank. My other option would be something like a 20 gauge shotgun that's easier to use than the 12 gauges we've shot before, but I do worry about the length of it.

Any thoughts?

If I remember correctly from NFA standards anything less than 18" is a short barreled shotgun

 

[Blood Eagle]

If I remember correctly from NFA standards anything less than 18" is a short barreled shotgun

18" is the minimum barrel length but the overall length can't be under 26" or else it's an SBS. I run an 18" barreled shotgun at home but with a shoulder stock that's a few inches shorter than factory and it's around 30 sumphin' inches OAL. You could cut one down pretty short and be ok.

 

[GT40 MKII]

18" is the minimum barrel length but the overall length can't be under 26" or else it's an SBS. I run an 18" barreled shotgun at home but with a shoulder stock that's a few inches shorter than factory and it's around 30 sumphin' inches OAL. You could cut one down pretty short and be ok.

Ah ty I knew 18" was the barrel length couldn't remember overall length.

 

[a6m5]

.22LR would be one of my last choices for self/home defense. Personally, in your situation @Joey D, I'd go with a 20-Gauge on such a short notice. Simple operation(in firing, once loaded) & reliability would go a long way IMO.

Off-topic, but I'm a handgun guy for home defense, so I'm disgusted at your handgun law. My recommendation for people living in the area protected by the U.S. constitution would've been a smaller caliber revolver, or Glock.

 

[Joey D]

So I was wrong about the laws in Michigan, apparently it's only a pain in the ass at gun shows and from private sellers, it's super easy at license dealers. I tried out a variety of rifles and handguns at the dealer and ultimately settled on a Heckler & Koch VP9 because I really liked the way it felt and shot, it was smooth and the grip felt perfect. My wife rather liked it too and could easily shoot it without too much trouble. My other consideration was a Glock 17 and I liked it but my wife said it didn't feel great for her, so the H&K was it.

They gave me a 30 day range pass too which means over the next month I'm going to get there as much as I can to get myself comfortable with the gun. My wife also signed up for a ladies class so she can feel more comfortable with it too.

 

[a6m5]

I'd have liked the Glock for her, for simpler operation, but VP9 sounds like an excellent choice. I'd put little bit of lube before having to use it.

 

[Brett]

So I was wrong about the laws in Michigan, apparently it's only a pain in the ass at gun shows and from private sellers, it's super easy at license dealers. I tried out a variety of rifles and handguns at the dealer and ultimately settled on a Heckler & Koch VP9 because I really liked the way it felt and shot, it was smooth and the grip felt perfect. My wife rather liked it too and could easily shoot it without too much trouble. My other consideration was a Glock 17 and I liked it but my wife said it didn't feel great for her, so the H&K was it.

They gave me a 30 day range pass too which means over the next month I'm going to get there as much as I can to get myself comfortable with the gun. My wife also signed up for a ladies class so she can feel more comfortable with it too.

Good choice! 👍 Hopefully you and your wife like it as much as I like mine.

.22LR would be one of my last choices for self/home defense. Personally, in your situation @Joey D, I'd go with a 20-Gauge on such a short notice. Simple operation(in firing, once loaded) & reliability would go a long way IMO.

I would not be opposed to .22LR for home defense assuming lots of ammunition testing for reliable function with the weapon. I would use my Ruger 10/22 if I did not already have my Tavor or VP9/PPQ. If I were to use the Ruger 10/22, then I would make sure I had it loaded with some stuff from CCI. I have not had any issues with CCI stuff in it to this point. Also, any firearm is better than no firearm.

Off-topic, but I'm a handgun guy for home defense, so I'm disgusted at your handgun law. My recommendation for people living in the area protected by the U.S. constitution would've been a smaller caliber revolver, or Glock.

I lean more towards a rifle for home defense.

 

[a6m5]

I would not be opposed to .22LR for home defense assuming lots of ammunition testing for reliable function with the weapon. I would use my Ruger 10/22 if I did not already have my Tavor or VP9/PPQ. If I were to use the Ruger 10/22, then I would make sure I had it loaded with some stuff from CCI. I have not had any issues with CCI stuff in it to this point. Also, any firearm is better than no firearm.

I haven't had any issues with the CCI either. 👍 Still, it's just that my confidence in the reliability of the center fire is way higher, and I also want more power & larger bullets if my life depended on it.

I lean more towards a rifle for home defense.

There are pros & cons to both. For me, I have way better control + familiarity with handguns. Plus, I used to get into fistfights, like on a weekly basis when I was younger, so I feel that I'm aware of my fighting style(no jokes pls lol), and my confidence in firing off a shot in close proximity to the intruder is very high? I couldn't say the same if I was armed with a long gun. Outdoors, it's my AR-10 all the way.

Consider the environment, your abilities, any potential situations/scenarios, get some feedbacks & choose the weapon you feel comfortable going with. I hope you agree!

 

[Joey D]

I'm way more familiar with rifles since I've never owned a handgun but do own a few hunting rifles which is why I was thinking something along the lines of the M&P 5 22, but after talking to the guy at the dealer he quickly talked me out of it. After shooting it I could understand why, for me it wasn't an issue but my wife had a hard time with it. Also our house is fairly tight and mobility could have been an issue. At least with the pistol it's fairly easy to move with it.

I am considering a light attachment for it since most break ins are going to happen at night, but I figured I'll get used to the gun first then add that. It had night sights already installed on it too which will be nice.

Another question I have is how often do you clean a handgun? With my rifles I clean and oil them after every use, but looking around online it looks like there are conflicting opinions on that. I think I would rather clean and oil it every time I get back from the range, but I'm not sure if that's good for it or needed.

 

[a6m5]

The 25-round magazines I ordered for my .308 last week? Botach just emailed me saying that they can't ship high capacity magazines to P.O. boxes anymore for security purposes. I don't really understand this, but I had to give them an street address. I hope I didn't get on some watch list.

Another question I have is how often do you clean a handgun? With my rifles I clean and oil them after every use, but looking around online it looks like there are conflicting opinions on that. I think I would rather clean and oil it every time I get back from the range, but I'm not sure if that's good for it or needed.

I do the same. Unless feeling lazy.

 

[Blood Eagle]

I hope I didn't get on some watch list.

We probably all are already.

 

[Parker]

I'm just waiting on my department to get me a letterhead and then I'll be purchasing a Glock 43 (can't beat the $358 blue label pricing) so I figured I should go ahead and get a holster. My Lt. makes Kydex holsters so I went ahead and bought an OWB holster from him but I wanted an IWB holster as well and after doing quite a bit of research I had to choose between an Alien Gear and Steal Gear USA. In the end the cheapskate in me decided it would be better to get a holster and gun belt for the price of the other companies holster so I decided to go woth the Alien Gear Tuck 3.0 IWB along with their brown gun belt. After shipping and taxes it was $105 or so, not bad at all.

I'll post my impressions when I've carried it for a few weeks but I'm sure it will be much more comfortable than carrying my Glock 35.

 

[Swagger897]

I have not had any issues with CCI stuff in it to this point. Also, any firearm is better than no firearm.

Been having a lot of fun with the CCI 710fps subsonic rounds in my Grandfather's old Savage Model 24. 22LR on top, and .410 on bottom. Have had one or two where I've had to rotate the case around for the hammer to get a proper hit on it though, but never had problems with it.

Federal makes good 22 as well, but Remington imho is nothing but junk. Same with Winchester.

 

[David]

.

 

[a6m5]

Trying to order three magazines. Not a gun. Not ammo. Not 50 magazines. Just three magazines.:

-I ordered three 25-round magazines from Botach online.

-Few days later, I get a email saying that due to security protocol, they can not mail them to a P.O. Box. Fine. I give them my work address.

-Today, I have PayPal email saying that seller has refunded the money. I also have email from Botach explaining how PayPal doesn't allow "high-capacity" magazine purchases, so if I still wanted to follow through with the purchase, I can call them & give them payment over the phone....

They haven't asked about my religious faith, political views or anything, so I'll probably still follow through with this, but I guess those things could be next.

 

[GT40 MKII]

Trying to order three magazines. Not a gun. Not ammo. Not 50 magazines. Just three magazines.:

-I ordered three 25-round magazines from Botach online.

-Few days later, I get a email saying that due to security protocol, they can not mail them to a P.O. Box. Fine. I give them my work address.

-Today, I have PayPal email saying that seller has refunded the money. I also have email from Botach explaining how PayPal doesn't allow "high-capacity" magazine purchases, so if I still wanted to follow through with the purchase, I can call them & give them payment over the phone....

They haven't asked about my religious faith, political views or anything, so I'll probably still follow through with this, but I guess those things could be next.

That's messed up I'm sorry. Where you live at?

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

So I'm in a bit of a jam, we had someone try to break into our home this morning while I was at work and my wife manage to scare them off. I'm slated to leave out of town in a couple of days and she wants something in the house that she can protect herself with. Michigan's handgun laws a cumbersome due to having to go back and forth to the police station, so I'm looking at a shotgun or rifle. My wife is small and I've seen her handle a shotgun before and it was a bit too much for her. So in order to get something today, I'm thinking a rifle would probably be my best bet. I'm currently looking at a S&W M&P 15-22 since .22 rounds are cheap which means my wife and I will be able to spend lots of time at the range practicing without breaking the bank. My other option would be something like a 20 gauge shotgun that's easier to use than the 12 gauges we've shot before, but I do worry about the length of it.

Any thoughts?

I would still go the shotgun route to be honest. Last thing you want is to have to actually fire the weapon and miss and a bullet travel through the neighborhood potentially. Bird shot is quite potent and you don't have to worry about it going through your wall and toward the next house. However, this is for the quick fix. For the longer term go with what you want cause you can practice more

Also I like shotguns because of ease, low maintenance compared to other guns and the universal sound of a shotgun being racked ends most situations before they start. Trust me I know and so did the guys on the other side of the door.

Hand gun wise, I'd go Glock over H&K, I'm not a fan of high priced named guns when you can get a gen 4 Glock for less and have a great gun doing the same job. There are others in the market too. There is no doubt the H&K is smooth, but for the prices they usually ask, I'd expect it to be.

 

[a6m5]

That's messed up I'm sorry. Where you live at?

I'm in Oregon, but it feels like Canada or something. lol

Last thing you want is to have to actually fire the weapon and miss and a bullet travel through the neighborhood potentially.

I have switched to hollow point to help in this regard. It's not much, but it should help some.

 

[GT40 MKII]

I would still go the shotgun route to be honest. Last thing you want is to have to actually fire the weapon and miss and a bullet travel through the neighborhood potentially. Bird shot is quite potent and you don't have to worry about it going through your wall and toward the next house. However, this is for the quick fix. For the longer term go with what you want cause you can practice more

Also I like shotguns because of ease, low maintenance compared to other guns and the universal sound of a shotgun being racked ends most situations before they start. Trust me I know and so did the guys on the other side of the door.

Also the versatility of it with different kinds of ammo. Mine was a 12 gauge (Mossberg 835 ulti-mag) I had brennke 1oz black magic slugs for mine and I had some terminator x rounds for special occasions I mainly ran Winchester birdshot but I also kept some 3.5"super mag buckshot on hand.... There's a crazy amount of specialty ammo. I'm not sure about 20 gauge tho

Edit: added pics for reference

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Also the versatility of it with different kinds of ammo. Mine was a 12 gauge (Mossberg 835 ulti-mag) I had brennke 1oz black magic slugs for mine and I had some terminator x rounds for special occasions I mainly ran Winchester birdshot but I also kept some 3.5"super mag buckshot on hand.... There's a crazy amount of specialty ammo. I'm not sure about 20 gauge tho

I run winchester out of the Mossberg I have as well. My dad has a breach barrel mossberg, and likes to run every other round as a slug. As he says "so they don't ever get up again".

I'm fine with simple bird shot.

 

[Blood Eagle]

I primarily use 2 3/4" 00 Buckshot in the ol' home defender shotgun I have. But I also have a large array of specialty rounds for poops and gigs from door breaching rounds to tear gas rounds. I like to buy weird stuff when it's available for whatever reason lol