Life

How To Buy Your First Handgun

366 Comments

In these troubled times, a man should be armed. The best solution for achieving peaceful living is avoiding trouble, having good locks on your doors, and owning firearms. The specific needs (and wants) a person has for a firearm will vary from person to person, and, while no single gun will be the magic bullet to take care of them all, a good handgun will address most of them. If you’re in the market for a handgun, especially for your first one, there are a few things you should remember.

No gun will do it all

You need to decide what you want from the gun. Do you want to carry it for mobile self-defense? Do you want to leave it at home (or in your vehicle) for defense of home invasion or carjacking? Do you want to hunt, or do competition shooting? Will it be a backup gun for something else or the primary weapon? What are the laws in your state or province?

All of these questions should dictate towards what you choose. Larger handguns tend to hold more rounds, recoil less, have more neat features to aid in shooting, have better sights with a longer sight radius (distance between the front and back sights; longer is better) and tend to be easier to hold on to and shoot more accurately and faster.

Smaller handguns hold fewer rounds, recoil more than their larger brothers chambered for the same cartridge, are typically a little more Spartan in their features, and have more rudimentary sights that are closer together. Shooting a smaller handgun results in more recoil, longer times to get back on target, and a less forgiving weapon that makes you work more for accuracy.

A bunch of Glocks. Carry pistols have shorter barrels, shorter grips (and magazines), and recoil more, but they’re easier to hump around all day.

Home defense, car guns, and competition handguns are usually a semi-automatic, large pistol of a decently powered cartridge. Carry weapons are usually small semi-automatic pistols, or small revolvers, both shooting cartridges on the smaller end of the power range, while hunting handguns are usually large revolvers or semi-auto pistols shooting magnum cartridges.

What is good for you may not be good for others

Even if you’re a one-man army and don’t have to worry about getting a handgun your girl can use, any time anyone recommends any firearm to you, they are speaking from their own experience and not yours. What suits my hands and my eyes might not suit yours, and what feels good to me may not match you. The absolute best thing you can do is shoot a bunch of handguns before you buy one, and the best way to do that is have a friend with guns that will take you to the range for an afternoon. And, dudes, if you are that friend with the guns, it’s practically your duty to help your brother out so that he may learn and teach those who need his help in his turn.

Can you rack the slide on a given semi-auto pistol? Can you break it down for cleaning? Will you have the discipline to get multiple magazines and swap them occasionally so they are not left loaded forever? Would you rather have a gun that you can lightly oil, load, and put in a drawer and not touch for a year? How do you take recoil? How good is your vision and do you want night sights, a light, or a laser sight? Do you want a safety? What kind of trigger pull? All of these are good questions to ask yourself, and anyone else that will be routinely using the handgun, before you buy.

Revolvers And Semi-Automatic Pistols

A handgun is a firearm held in the hand. A revolver is a manual action handgun with a revolving cylinder of multiple firing chambers, and a semi-automatic (or autoloading) pistol is a firearm that holds multiple rounds in a magazine in the grip and uses the recoil or some of the propellant gas to operate the action. Some people use the term “pistol” to mean any handgun and others use it to mean semi-automatic handgun only.

Pick your poison; both will do the job.

Revolvers come in varying sizes and can have a barrel of moderate length all the way down to a 2-inch “snub nose.” The length of the barrel and the sight radius help in accurate shooting (longer is better), but the revolver is lighter and easier to conceal with a short barrel set-up. Smaller framed revolvers have 5 shots, larger frames have 6, and some magnum frames have 8.

The most commonly used revolver ammunition out there today is the 38 special and the 357 magnum. Despite the number difference (both are actually .357 inch diameter (or caliber) bullets), the two cartridges shoot the same bullets, and a revolver chambered in 357 magnum can shoot the less powerful (and less expensive) 38 special round. The magnum round is longer than the other, and prevents it from being chambered in a pistol not set up for it. Never attempt to shoot any magnum ammo from a handgun not rated for it; it can and will blow up in your hand.

Revolvers come in three action types: single action only, double action only, and single/double action. Single action only requires you to cock the hammer each time, and has a nice, short, crisp trigger pull. Double action has a long trigger pull, but cocks the hammer for you. Single/double allows you to choose either and is the most solid choice.

Semi-automatic pistols come in large and small sizes as well. Smaller sized semi’s come in variants of 5 to 8 shots, and the larger frame semi’s of up to 18 or so. Longer barrels and better sights with longer sight radii again translate to better shooting. Semi-autos typically come in single/double action variants like above, and striker fired, which is an internal action cocked by the slide movement.

There is an absolute plethora of semi-automatic pistol ammo out there. The four most common are the .380, the 9mm Luger, the 40S&W, and the 45 ACP. The .380 (also called 9mm short) became popular in the US relatively recently with the advent of pocket sized semi-automatics like the Ruger LCP. The 9mm Luger, also called 9mm Parabellum, has decent power in standard form, can be loaded hotter, is relatively cheap, doesn’t recoil much, and you can pack a lot in a magazine due to its narrow caliber.

45 ACP or 45 AUTO is a bigger bullet than the 9mm and is a solid, good shooting choice which only limits itself by taking up more room in the magazine and reducing the round count. 40 S&W (Smith and Wesson) is a bridge between the power of the 45 and the ammo capacity of the 9mm.

Get the biggest caliber that you can shoot comfortably and well from the size and type of handgun you want. If you do not like shooting your handgun, you will not practice, and you will not take it with you when you could need it. A .380 that is there beats a .44 magnum that you left home.

Brands

Firearm brands vary in quality and price range. I typically view brands in four categories, and I’ll briefly describe them below and list the common brands I see as fitting in them.

Junk

Saturday night special old brands like Lorcin and Jennings fit in here, along with the modern brand of Hi-Point. These things have a high chance of malfunction. I would not buy these, not accept them as gifts, and not go near them.

A blown up Hi-Point. You don’t have to buy the most expensive gun out there; so don’t feel like you have to buy the cheapest.

Budget

These are pistols on the low end of the price spectrum which, while they compromise on fit and finish, will go bang and can be relied upon. They make good training guns, truck guns, and other uses that you wouldn’t want a high priced investment doing. I put Taurus, Rossi, Bersa, Kel-Tec, Chiappa, Rock Island Armory and similarly priced brands here. If you’re tight on money, buy something in this range.

Mid-range

These guns have good quality, solid mechanics, and shoot well. They’re a good measure of what a handgun should be, always work, and are fun to shoot. If you’re going to get one handgun, and call it good, get something from this price bracket. I consider modern Colt, modern Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Glock, Walther, Kahr, Springfield Armory, Steyr, Para Ordinance, and CZ here.

Premium

These are the best, and are only beaten by custom guns. I put H&K, Sig Sauer, Browning/FNH, Kimber, old Colt and S&W revolvers, and Beretta here.

Closing

Hopefully, by now you’ve got a good idea of what you need a handgun to do, the features you need, an idea of a caliber choice or two, and some brands to keep an eye out for. Remember to always try before you buy, read the damn instruction manual, use good ammo, and, if you can’t make up your mind between two of them, buy both.

Read More: This Accidental Experiment Shows The Superiority Of Patriarchy

366 thoughts on “How To Buy Your First Handgun”

    1. I’m gonna expand on this.
      My concealed carry is a Ruger LCR.
      There is no safety on this gun. If you draw it, and squeeze the trigger, you are ensured that you will get a hammer strike. But you are also ensured that dropping it, will not do anything (well, it’s not good for it, but it won’t go off). There is no slide to futz with. There is no question of whether it is in battery.
      It reduces the number of things that you have to do in a crisis to just “Point, click”.
      Which is good. Simplicity reduces the number of things that can go wrong.

      2. Thats also what i like about the gen 4 glocks, the safety is built into the trigger so all you have to do is pull and shoot.

    3. They tend to be the back up piece for many as they have less probability of failing and you only need one hand. Pistols jam and magazine springs wear and fail after being loaded to capacity and forgotten about for years. Revolvers don’t have that problem.

  3. Impressive article.
    Another thing to add is that revolvers have less recoil, aren’t as prone prone jamming, land are more efficient than semi-auto handguns.
    I personally would choose a 9mm or .22 caliber semi-auto handgun. Accuracy is the biggest selling feature to me over stopping power since up here in Canada you have to ensure that you don’t kill the person who is trying to kill you!
    If you don’t have any family in the house, feel free to use 12ga lead-shot to ensure a wide spread. Lead-shot doesn’t penetrate deep, but make sure you don’t hit them in the eyes when firing a shotgun. If the situation calls for it, I have a short-barreled (and legal) Norinco magazine-fed shotgun.
    My home defense gun of choice is a Ruger 10/22 (with additional red-dot sight) with 2 (25 rd) magazines within immediate access. The ammo is dirt cheap (around 7 cents ea), very accurate at 35 yards and relatively non-lethal. The gun itself has virtually no recoil, is lightweight, is very accurate and is highly reliable. But again, to each their own.

    1. Got any more info to share to a fellow nuck about acquiring a gun or license?
      Websites you found useful or any basic tips?

  4. Cool.
    I would so love to have a gun. Unfortunately, German government does not want its citizens to grow up and be self-responsible. Fucking hypocrites and assholes.

    1. If that nutcase Merkel keeps importing the “refugees” by the hundreds of thousands, you are going to need more than a handgun.

      1. I recently stumbled into a public debate about those refugees. One was the speaker and most were just old people and some young ones. They all praised the speaker for his humanity et cetera.
        I was curuious and I am a troublemaker, so I raised my hand and asked: What do they contribute?
        I spoke loudly and clearly and that left no room for shame. The guy predictably said something to the power of: If you saw a dying human in the sea, would you first save him or wonder what he contributes?
        Before he could cut me off, I answered: I would make sure that I survive rescuing him. Else there is no point in it.
        A lady, fairly enough, argued that many are willing to work, but you can imagine that most of the aydience were just weak old people guilt tripping Germany and talkinf of their suffering. Disgusting.
        It was painful and invigorating to speak up against that. Courage is so much better than regret. Getting used to it.

        1. Those very same people wouldn’t recognize a totalitarian government if their own brothers, sisters, children, or grandchildren are dragged out of their homes to be put on trial for “hate speech”. They won’t recognize evil if it stares them right in the face. Their rights and freedoms can be taken from them one by one, but they are too busy virtue signaling and patting themselves on the back of how “humane” they are to notice.

        4. There is no right and wrong anyway. It all ends up being rationale for emotions like shame and guilt which factually control how society works. They are just words to distract and justify one’s decisions. Smoke screens. To avoid confronting one’s real desires and intentions.

        5. With what? Butter knives? Air soft?
          You need to be a hunter to have a gun in Germany. And that takes time and money. I would like to do it someday. Still, it is ridiculous. What is the point of a life without the hope of ever getting full personal responsibility? Nothing to look forward to. No hope to ever be among the ‘men’ who make decisions. Unless you become a sheep police officer or moronic politician. Children for lives. I fucking hate this shit.

        8. Interesting. It seems like you can actually buy and own one without any particular privilege besides knowing some rules. That does not constitute the right to carry it, though. It also excludes you if you have psychic problems (I guess I qualify) or are part of a anti-constitution organization (Nazis) or have been convicted of some particular crimes.
          But yeah, owning one without carrying it is kinda pointless. Also, I bet that you are not even allowed to use it to defend your home.

        9. You’d still be able to learn how to use it and be prepared when shit hit the fan.
          And that’s already a lot.

        12. Could easily be mistaken for one.
          There is actually a documentary on vice about a german guy who makes and sells homemade handguns. T
          here is even 3D printed firearms now btw.

        13. Yeah, I heard of the 3D printed ones. But seriously, this stuff is huge. Not exactly something that would qualify for ‘concealed’ carry.

        14. Thats just the crudest one i could find but there are of course more sophisticated examples as well.

        15. You could of course manufacture your own if you knew the trade…
          But my point with the 3D printed ones is that the material is fucking weak. You need to make it thick to not explode.

        18. I like. You know, I though about firearms recently. It was just this symbol of power to me. But know what it really is? It is fucking magic. I mean, to take some mixed powder and then have it explode and tear somebody’s head off? That is freaking awesome. Alchemy. Dark magic.
          Our world is so fascinating in many ways. We oppose ‘magic’ to ‘scientific’, but it is really a lie. Science does nothing but quantify magic. What science does not do is explain the spiritual effect it has on your soul to contemplate these natural powers. It is awe-inspiring. On a recent LSD trip, I watched birthday cake candles burn. I thought to myself: Fire is freaking awesome. It is fucking incredible. I mean, you can read all about it in your fucking schoolbooks and understand the principles by which it operates and even predict it. But you just can not … quantify the way it is to – for the first time – look with childlike curiosity at the spectacle. How the flames go in all directions. How the air around it wavers and distorts the vision. How crazy is that! I think that we are, these days, much too satisfied with explaining things and prefer that too much over experiencing things, with all their facets.
          Sometimes we even use the explanation to rationalize away the effect something has on your soul. It is explainable, therefore not valid and not necessary to feel.

        19. Well said, the magic of today is the science of tommorow.
          You know the taoist alchemists were trying to make an elixir of eternal life when they by accident made gunpowder.

        23. Have you seen that new anti protester heat gun?
          I dont recall the name of it unfortunately, its pretty amazing.

        25. Ah. MDMA. I would like to buy that Meo5DMT stuff, but it is fucking expensive.
          Then again, I have no money right now, anyway. Fuckers blocked my bank account. Luckily, the wrong one!

        27. I smoked dmt twice, its pretty intense.
          You like mdma? i’ve never liked, it creeps me out with all those warm fluffy feelings.

        29. Definetely, that would be fun, we live in quite close proximity to each other as well.

        30. Well, let us make some plans then. I propose somewhen after New Year. I am currently in the midst of my Kundalini awakening thing and do not want to distract myself from that, but after that, that would surely be awesome. You can reach me at tomarrow at manwithoutfather dot com or through my blog’s contact form.

        35. Haha, what a bunch of BULLFUCK! ‘So, in 20 30 years we will have very cultural society’
          What the fuck is a cultural society?
          ‘The city will change radically and thrive from ethnic variety.’
          Wait. So the main source of greatness in that city will be ethnic variety? What about good creative minds? What about good laws? Nah, fuck it. Ethnic variety ftw!
          Madness rambling. She is the same kind of cunt in spirit as the one I recently put in her place on the street. She walked past some beggar who owned a dog. She screeched at him and said ‘That is a nono! This is forbidden!’ I did not care for the dog or the beggar, but her toxic nature made me turn around and make a face of disgust at her.
          I looked away and she passed by. She then said behind my back, snarkily and bitchily ‘Do not look that way!’ With that tone of supremacy.
          That was a day after I had decided not to take shit from chicks. What happened then was automatic. I turned around and loudly – it was a public place – shouted at her: Fuck off, you ugly old whore.
          She stood there in disbelief. Everybody could see in my mimic and gesture that I was ready to seriously harm her. She protested for a second and I added: Do you want trouble? Come here, you can have it.
          I swear that 20 people were watching and nobody dared to say a word. I am a tall, but not a strong man. They are all pussies. They are just guilt tripped and let those bitches walk all over them. I bet they all liked the show.
          The bitch stood there in disbelief and then turned around and went away. That was such a great moment. I then turned around and ordered a Doener Kebap.

        37. Well, I do see a certain supremacy of astronomy over astrology. But still, the experience is always the same. We just label and categorize and explain it in different ways.

        42. Yeah, I know about Tor. Thought our friend here may have even another suggestion. After all, it is not too hard for some police apes to set up a fake site over which a newbie like me could stumble.

        43. Dark web = Tor?
          How do I gain access to black markets? How do I behave in those places to not get lynched? How do I make sure someone does not play me for a fool and deliver me to police and years of prison? Questions over questions.

        46. Here in the usa, you just need to know the gangs in the area.
          Yes TOR is the dark web
          You won’t get arrested in EE since the cops are too corrupt and incompetent. Markets to big for you to get “pinch”

        48. I am not exactly gang savvy and I know that people with street smarts would likely easily fool or rob me or give me a bad price or otherwise exploit me. Maybe it is a cliche and I am paranoid. But that is that when you get your knowledge from Hollywood.

        49. A couple of hours with the ferry from where im at i get into the baltic islands, i can only imagine what people bring in from there.

        53. I think GOJ posted an infographic with the percentage of armed populous around the world. Also it must have been official statistics.

        54. GOJ posted an infographic with gun ownership percentage and it might have been official statistics.

        58. The sickness is the fact that they really believe this shit. That mass integration of societies, cultures, races and belief systems that are violently opposed to each other will magically transform into a utopian wonderland once everyone makes a pledge to “play nice and respect each other”…it is suicide by idiocracy.

        60. Buy one off the record–or simply make a weapon that kills instantly within 10 feet–the internet has dozens of websites on making lethal weapons that can kill someone who is 10 to 20 feet away from your person–seriously. You’ll also feel empowered after you have crafted an item like this with your own hands…
          PS: A reply to the article– my first handgun I still own. It is a bit heavy but my Rossi revolver is ideal for me. Heavy but fires both .38 and .357 hollows so I can almost always find ammo at the local shops. Easy maintenance–revolvers do not have the risk of jamming when your life is on the line either and you can keep it on target and group 6 shots easier and quicker with the heavier weapon.

        65. The liberals only tactic is Shame and Guilt Mongering. I may have replied back to him, “If you saw your country drowning and Dying because Immigrants are Flooding the Gates, would you worry about what they could contribute or be concerned about the well being of your Land?” Of course I’d probably be called a racist and all that fun shit but I doubt aside from Shame and Guilt Mongering they’d give a solid answer.

        70. you’re probably right about not being able to use to defend yourself. even in the US, ridiculously, you have to show that you made an effort to retreat before using a firearm in self defense in some states.

        71. That is some fucked up shit, man. Gotta be quicker with the preparations for the revolution. Imagine the day when this shit is installed on every house front, including cameras. Then cops just sit in a cubicle and zap out the evil knevils.

        72. ***
          “‘The city will change radically and thrive from ethnic variety.’
          Wait. So the main source of greatness in that city will be ethnic variety? What about good creative minds? What about good laws? Nah, fuck it. Ethnic variety ftw!”
          ***
          So they’re basically saying German ethnicity is shit…despite all the innovations / culture that Germany has contributed to the world.
          Though a melting pot, imagine the USA without contributions from Germans. I like to point out that without European influence, the USA would be just like that shithole to our south.

      2. And the thing is, those pseudo-refugees have access to more than handguns. They have assault rifles and grenades.

      3. Fortunately, a glock or colt 1911 can be made fully automatic with a few simple modifications.

        1. You’ll prefer semi-auto. Full auto is highly over-rated in pistols and most rifles, except on squad level type rifles (M-60, etc). Your standard M4 has a 3 round burst, which is about what you want.

        2. You would hate it. Happend to a guy in my unit. After the first shot you have no control and the rounds go everywhere.

      4. We all remember what happened last time Germany had guns….this is why we can’t have nice things

      5. Just watching a video of a truck driver in Hungary fucking with them and spreading them, and we all know the case- they were 95% 20-40 year old males. Now, put them in your society where most women will ignore them and they will be resented by citizens. ….And what happens when we have frustrated male youth getting zero poosay? We have a storm on our hands. It would be different if they had a girl with them to soak up their free time and keep them occupied.

        1. oh, sorry, forgot Kennedy’s gift to America, which is “no immigration from white nations” in 1965. Sorry again man.

        2. My dad could probably request some family thing, but the old fart is probably too lazy. Who gives, anyway. America is not exactly the perfect societal climate either, these days.

        3. No place is. At least here you can arm up to your heart’s content, buy a place out in the mountains of Idaho and hunker down with a few hundred thousand like minded individuals. That’s something, give or take.

        4. Fair enough. You could possibly do a ‘Little Crimea’ thing. Steal a few nukes and flip the bird at the other states.
          Mountains sound great. I fucking love mountains. Forests, cliffs, danfer. Fighting bears and shit.

        5. Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nebraska, the Dakotas, all home to most of “our” nuclear missile silos. Hardly populated. Just sayin’.
          With you on mountains. They’re in my blood.

        6. Easier to steal than fabricate, right? I can program the website with the questionnaire for revolutionist application. Required qualification: Experience with ego shooters and intimate knowledge of all of Roosh’s books.

        8. You could make the holsters for the water pistols. We would storm the White House with kids. I mean, who dares to touch kids? They will surrender to cuteness. And if not, we let them cry very very loudly: Child abuseeee!

    3. it’s such a shame cause you germans make the best damn firearms in the world. Heckler and Koch (HK’s) are the Mercedes of firearms. We can buy them here in the USA no problem. Germans can’t even buy the very guns they make. Our US military was going to use the H&K 416 as the new standard issue battle rifle because it was vastly superior to the US makers. For political reasons a US gun maker was chosen

        2. It is not a weakness of the weapon. I read an article by a pathologist and he said that the only rounds that kill reliably are the larger ones like .357. He wrote that in a real firefight, 9mm are often not lethal and make you lose the battle. So it is better to have a large calibre and give a well-aimed headshot than to shoot around with 9mm as you may not even penetrate bones.

        3. HK does not make revolvers. Pistols /semi autos . 9mm is adequate if you put one in the forehead or heart. 9mm is plentiful ,cheap and lower recoil. Great to learn on.

      1. Why? You think it would suit me better?
        Maybe you are right. I always liked to play mages over swordfighters and hunters in role play games.

        1. It would definitely suit you, like a super villain. “The German Flame” or something like it.

        2. Awesome. But I am really Czech. Someone called me druid already. I feel some celtic origins and uproar against Christianity in myself.
          Also, flame seems kinda meek and too elegant.
          So how about the Bohemian Firestorm?

    1. Fortunately here in Indiana it is shall issue, but if I was in one of the states that isn’t I’d just have to carry anyways. I reckon all gun laws are unconstitutional in the grand scheme of things. Better to be judged by 12 than carried by six.

  6. Thanks, this is definitely one of the best introductory articles on handguns I’ve read!
    I’ve been looking at buying a Ruger GP100 when I have the cash saved up.
    I’ve also been considering an old CZ 52:

    1. I owned a CZ50 (Czeck police makeover) once and it was great. Highly accurate and never failed after putting 300 rounds through it. Sorry to see CZ ranked as “mid range” by Luke, but I have never met an owner of a CZ who regretted it.

    2. leaving aside the gun itself in czech republic itself czech gun laws seem to be pretty relaxed which is quite rare for Europe I think. Just about anyone can buy apply for a license as far as I’m aware . The only real qualification is the ability to complete the application form in Czech. So no guns for me

    3. CZ 52’s have a large following in the states. Nice handgun.
      The GP-100 is a dream, a perfect revolver. Overbuilt, .38’s feel like nothing and .357 feels solid without being overwhelming. Great choice.

      1. Thanks! .357 has never been overwhelming for me, so I should be able to load up some +P without a problem. Not too long ago my local Ace Hardware had a distributor special GP100 with a 5″ barrel; I thought it was the perfect size, not too big but not too small. I hope they still have it.

        1. The GP-100 is what I vetted my wife with. I had a stainless steel one. She slept over one night, and I put it on my nightstand. She said, and I quote “Oh, that’s pretty! Is that a .357?” and of course I knew, at that time, that she was wife material. This was the 1980’s of course.
          Thing is a dream to fire, even with stock grips. Put on custom grips and you’re golden.

  7. It’s important that the author emphasizes that one gun may work for some, but not all. A KelTec PF9 might work for a small-handed man, but an FN Five seveN works well for large handed men.
    Guns are basically the reason I stay in the USA instead of returning to London: American gun laws are great. In the UK, gun ownership is barely achievalbe, and you basically can’t carry
    People here that jack off to Europe fail to remember that gun ownership is difficult in most European countries.

    2. Guns are evil mate, I do fear for your life. Come back to Bethnal Green where you can pay £800 pw for a room backing up to a kebab shop.

      1. unless of course you’re an African woman with kids, then it’s an all expenses paid flat in zone 2.

  8. Here in Brazil there is a good chance to overthrow our very rigid law of arms. We are fighting for this.

    1. Glad to hear it and keep it up. A government that fears armed citizens is a government to be overthrown.

    3. One of the biggest crimes committed by the United Soviet States of Europe (USSE) was to take away arms from the people. As such, the worst mass shootings do not occur in the USA as is commonly thought, but in Europe. Paris and Norway are only the first and there will be more.
      But imagine how Paris and Norway would have gone down if people could arm themselves. It would have only required a handful of armed men to foil these attacks. Instead, we are at the mercy of terrorists and the police who inevitably show up when everybody is dead and dying.
      The government stokes the hornets nest and leaves us in the way of the swarm with no protection. Its time we took our arms back. A man with no arms is no man at all.

  9. With the Lib/PC crowd lobbying for and catering to the criminal element once again and the subsequent use of the “Disadvantaged/Race Card” to justify behaving in any manner the need for a CC permit is a necessity, now more than ever. I have a Smith & Wesson M&P40 Shield™ No Thumb Safety – MA Compliant and a Model M&P340 CT for my CC weapons. The recoil takes a little getting used to, but I recommend them highly.

    1. I would argue that it’s the 1911 style .45 that would qualify as that. Simple, rugged, foolproof. But Glocks definitely have their fans and that’s not by accident

  11. Just bought my first gun yesterday, Walther PPX 9mm. The Paris attacks pushed me over the edge. Clinging to my God and my guns now. I’m officially a redneck. Great article by the way. Thanks for sharing your expertise.

    1. Good. Obama has decided to import an army worth of “cultural enrichers”. Better be prepared.

      1. Yeah, up here in Canada Trudope is importing a whole bunch too. French ambassador to the USA says this only works in the movies though. Hmmmmmmmmm

    3. Good for you, brother. Welcome to the brotherhood of warriors.
      Slainte.

  12. If you happen to live near a gun range that rents guns. I highly recommended that as a way of deciding what it is you like. When you actually get your hands on them and try them out. a surprising number of people discover they like revolvers. The flat sides of most semi-automatics is hard to beat in the world concealed carry. With open carry that really doesn’t matter.
    This was a very good article on the subject. The ones that tell you exactly what it is you must have are simply foolish

    1. “If you happen to live near a gun range that rents guns.”
      You beat me to it. Sound advice. The more comfortable you are with a particular weapon, the better. I prefer the Colt M1911 with hollow points, but thats because I trained and carried it for years. I fired other pistols and revolvers, but keep going back to it despite not good for concealment. I would advocate a .40 or .45, but with then newer type of 9mm ammo these days it would be ok (again, would recommend hollow points to avoid over penetration).
      Also learn the fundamentals of basic marksmanship and practice, practice, practice it different weather, situations and environments.

      2. The 1911, being single stack, is fine for concealment. I carry my full sized 1991 A1 Series 80 all the time concealed (and open carry a .45 Colt revolver). You’d be amazed at what a proper holster can accomplish.
        Everything else, agreed 100%.

        2. Cheers for making my point visual. LOL
          I read recently that federal agents are going back to 9mm due to better development of the ammo over the last 20 years. The clinical tests were showing new 9mm ammo can be designed not to over-penentrate and was making the same damage of the .45 ACP.
          It is funny about the .45 vs 9 mm debate. I did hear of some units in the Iraq/Afgahnistan asking for M1911s as they were saying the M9s (9mm) were not dropping insurgents when hitting them. The reason the M1911 was developed in the first place was becasue in the US Army .38 Long Colts were not dropping the Moros in the Phillipines back in 1899. So over 100 years later, we are back to the same issue with the solution being the same pistol. History repeats itself once again.

  13. I’m applying to buy my first beretta 92.
    In France you have to be investigated by the police and get your balls scanned to get a handgun, even if it is for competitive shooting.
    I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get one because I made stupid shits when I was sixteen. I don’t have a criminal record but being in one of the multiple useless police files is enough for the bureaucracy to turn you down.
    And they’re already using the attacks in Paris to pass more severe laws regarding firearms.
    Sometimes I feel like moving into Texas.

    1. So typical, if guns are near in impossible to get, when the gun laws fails, as they always do, They will still call for more laws

    2. “And they’re already using the attacks in Paris to pass more severe laws regarding firearms.”
      AK47s are available for purchase in France?
      //sarc
      Typcial socialist answer to tragedy where privately owned fireams would have at least stopped some deaths. Instead they exploit it to enslave the public further. France needs another Revolution.

    5. You only need to move anywhere down south, my friend. I’m in Virginia, here, and plenty of us have our guns. The south will not give up our guns.

    6. If you ever get to these united States, give me a shout. Email in profile. Texas has *tight* nearly draconinan gun laws compared to where I live, heh. If you’ve ever wanted to shoot full auto for kicks with the family on a Friday night, you live where I live.

        1. *Licensed* open carry.
          Here in my neck of the woods, we laugh at people who go out and get government permission to open carry. It’s our right to do so without begging government permission.

        2. Okay, I see the difference. I’ve been carrying concealed for years without a license despite the law. My personal philosophy has always been that the Constitution is my license and the states’ want of license fees is not my responsibility to provide the money they want/need. I finance as little as possible for the bureaucracy.

  14. NYC resident 🙁 But I’ll be in Florida soon, looking for my sweet Glock.

  15. Please, please, please if you haven’t shot before go take a class or two. I’m pro gun but there are a lot of dumb motherfuckers out there who probably shouldn’t own one. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been muzzle swiped in sporting goods stores.
    As always follow the rules too.
    1. All guns are always loaded.
    2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
    3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
    4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

    2. It’s important for new gun owners to understand gun range etiquette and safety. As I mentioned above, the gun culture is friendly and helpful, I would never have an issue answering questions or being patient with a new shooter at my local range.
      There is also no shortage of books, websites and youtube videos for new shooters to absorb.
      There are also plenty of NRA certified instructors in all states and the cost is nominal.
      I am glad ROK is publishing firearms articles, but the topic is so wide to cover in just one article .I am looking forward to more!

    3. “I’m pro gun but there are a lot of dumb motherfuckers out there who probably shouldn’t own one.”
      This is very true. In my ccw class, there were PLENTY of dumb mother fuckers, and they passed, quite easily. We’re talking guys from Eastern Europe that could barely speak English, must have been new citizens? Anyways, it was an open book test, and everyone passed. Kinda freaked me out knowing how easy it is to get a permit. Not that I’m worried these guys are going to kill people with their shiny new guns, it just seemed too lax. But, that’s what the background check is for. I’ll say this: it was harder to get my motorcycle permit than it was to get my pistol permit.

  16. I’m so depressed after reading this article…
    Depressed due to the fact that I live in Europe, where we, the law-abiding citizens, are not allowed to legally purchase and possess firearms and are therefore left defenseless against criminals (who of course have no qualms about getting arms illegally)…
    Dear American friends, resist the attempts by the “liberals” to throw away the 2nd Amendment. Tonight in your Thanksgiving festivities and prayers, don’t forget to be thankful for your liberties (those that are still left).

    1. Sadly, France is yet another example of what happens when you cannot arm yourself against evil people.

        1. Oh, I was under the impression Europeans are ultra gun-averse, thus, I stand corrected.
          Or is it the United Kingdom that’s really hostile to gun ownership?

        2. Guns are not prohibited in the UK or in Europe, they are just so heavily regulated as to be useless for what you really need them for – self defense.

        3. A friend of mine is a gunowner. He has to do a certain amount of shootingsessions a year to keep his permit. And the worst thing are the unannounced visits from the police to check his weapon storage. Guns and ammo are to be stored in its own safe from each other. One mistake and you lose your permit, if you don’t let the police check it, you lose your permit. And they can ring your doorbell at 8am, or 12pm or in the middle of the night, whenever they feel like it.
          The amount of illegal weapons in the Netherlands is growing. The last 2.5 years the Dutch police confiscated 24.000 illegal firearms. They don’t know how many there are really, but it’s probably 50.000+ and growing every year. Who owns them? Criminals, a few normal citizens but also (I think) a lot of muslim-immigrants, and of course their more radical friends. The normal taxpaying law abiding citizen is a sitting duck over here. If SHTF he can only defend himself with a kitchen knife.
          http://nos.nl/data/image/2015/07/21/177708/xxl.jpg
          picture: illegal weapons found recently. Pistols and Kalashnikovs.
          The calibers also get larger. A couple of decades ago it was mostly pistols, now there are more and more full auto Kalashnikovs being imported from Eastern Europe. Those are cheap and powerful as we all know.
          The more illegal weapons there are and the more terror there is the louder the Dutch citizen shouts for wanting to defend himself. But our government (like any government) is afraid for it’s own people. An unarmed citizen is easily controlled. And that’s of course what it is all about. The Dutch gun law is from 1914. The time things started to heat up in revolutionary Russia. Back then the government was afraid of a revolution, but they should be more afraid now with a probable civilwar within 20 to 40 years. It’s going to happen, the question is, who will be the unarmed group?

        4. I read somewhere that in the US, you are 8 times more likely to be killed by a cop than a terrorist. On that basis, you would think the police should be disarmed.
          The idea of them coming to your house to inspect your firearms is very sinister.
          The trouble is that the government has people absolutely terrified of guns, perhaps more scared of guns than they are of terrorists. As such, people will blindly accept another bombing campaign in the Middle-East (which actually will result in more terrorism in the future) rather than call to be re-armed so that they can protect themselves.
          And of course, the next time there is a terror attack, the police will fail as they have in every terror attack in recent years and again there will be more calls for giving the police more power to oppress you.

        5. When nobody but the police and military owns guns your country can be a safer place. That is the thought. But as soon as not only the mafia but also some chav in your street owns a firearm that whole idea is nothing but a facade. To maintain the ideal of an gunless society you can do two things:
          1: hard sentences for owning illegal weapons (years of prison)
          2: loosen the gun laws.
          They won’t do both here. Surely you’ll be punished for possession of an illegal weapon, but with a first offence the punishment isn’t so severe. The maximum is 4 years in prison and a fine of €50,000 but that punishment has never been applied.
          With the terror attacks the news continuously repeated “how well the attacks were prepared”. But in fact every idiot with an IQ of 90+ can think out a plan to disrupt the country for several weeks. All you need is some automatic rifles with enough ammo and some cellphones.
          We now see politicians wanting to ban encryption. The terrorists from the Paris attacks did send unencrypted SMS messages to each other. So you can see what a joke this whole downplaying of our freedom is.
          If we would just start calling the beast by its name, that would be better. We all know that Islam and western society won’t mix. We play cuckold so they don’t revolt (yet).

        7. Yes. They want to do that in Europe. So when you are arrested and you won’t give up your passphrase you’ll be held guilty. Because “childporn” blabla. The usual reasons.

        8. “I read somewhere that in the US, you are 8 times more likely to be killed by a cop than a terrorist.”
          And those are mostly criminal blacks who resist arrest, fight, try to grab cop’s guns, etc. Their deaths don’t bother me in the slightest, and those of us who don’t engage in such criminality have zero concern about being killed by cops.
          Terrorists, on the other hand, are totally indiscriminate about who they kill.
          Those comparing cops to terrorists (I know you weren’t, Bob) need to be smacked upside the head. Long, hard, and often.

        9. I don’t know the statistics on how those people came to be killed by cops or what their identities were but I have certainly seen many accounts of good honest white people being abused by cops. I understand that most cops are fundamentally decent people but they work for a criminal organization.

        12. While i’m no fan of the police, i find that claim highly dubious. When you consider that in your average Chicago weekend ghetto citizens alone account for 5-20 murders a weekend – there is no way the police are approaching that level of deadly intervention.
          Sidenote: no mater what anyone says, there IS a guaranteed way of avoiding death by cop. Don’t do anything that will result in a direct confrontation with the police, period.
          They ARE NOT there to protect you.
          They are there to ENFORCE the peace.
          If you are hostile in anyway they are authorized to physically detain you, or kill you.
          I dont get why everyone finds this such a hard concept to understand.
          9 out of 10, when the cops are called, the situation is already out of the caller’s control. The greater responsibility is when a ‘concerned citizen’ deems something worthy of police intervention.
          The police – by design – are enforcers, not emissaries or diplomats. Their job is to force one to comply with the law; Be it intimidation, force, detainment or death.

        13. Cite your own numbers then. I pulled the FBI crime stats and whoever publishes the number of police killings. I don’t like it either, but facts is facts. And to be clear, the cops are *not* authorized to detain or kill innocent citizens. They’re not even authorized to kill guilty citizens.

        14. Don’t be naive. They have no other purpose but to impose order and peace. And considering they are almost always dealing with adults who have either violated a law or are in the process of doing so, force – or the threat of it – IS their primary tool.

        15. Ever consider that their purpose is self serving?
          Do you also believe that the “only purpose” of the federal government is to protect and preserve our rights and freedoms?

        16. Its IS self serving, as well as in the interest of greater society at large. We all want civil citizens. I don’t want to be robbed or killed, or deal with someone who does not want to follow the laws of our society. That said, the GOV’s purpose is as you say – to ensure our “rights and freedoms”. the problem is the citizens of American society have long since voted away those rights. They have also – through relative indifference – have allowed the gov to do what govs do best; become a power hungry octopus.
          The intruding tentacles of bureaucracy and unnecessary governance have spilled into nearly every corner of daily life. And all with the indifferent approval of the average citizen.
          So yes I have next to no actual faith in the GOV, nor the police, when it comes down to it.
          We agree in principle.
          I’m merely pointing out the fact that no matter what type of government we have, the police are never your friends. By necessity, they will always be a forceful, hostile arm of society or the government designed to reign in those who are dissidents to polite living.
          Complaining about police violence is as silly as complaining about Rottweilers always biting. Its’ what they do. It’s their purpose. The owner and trainer is the problem, as well as the fool who intrudes into their space (criminals).
          Cops who can’t use violence, deadly force, or who aren’t respected and feared, aren’t police at all.

        17. It’s quite simple. If you are a registered hunter, of in you suscribe courses in a gun club, you can have a rifle, then a gun. You have to be checked by the police, but it’s a fomality if you haven’t a criminal record.
          But there is not any conceal carry permit.

    2. No worries. I live in the south and we’re not giving them up. I’m sure in many blue states (New York, California, etc…) they’ll be able to come up with a “good reason” to get rid of guns but not down south (or out west). We’ll be damn to let any politician take away our 2nd Amendment (right to bear arms). We’ll die before giving up our guns.

      3. Man I hope so, My father Recalls when Connecticut used to be A Solid Red state, now it’s one of the most Uber Liberal States going. New York where I live has had the Libs attempting to take away the Firearms with the NY safe Act, the State is in Open defiance barely anyone registered and it is a complete embarrassment to Cuomo how many actually did. Just pray you don’t get an influx of Libs coming as the North’s economy Dwindles and the Libs are forced to Travel to better economies, they’ll come to the south , and bring all their Liberal Shit thinking with them, of course totally oblivious that it’s their Philosophies’ that ruined their prior inhabitance. You guys down south may not have Politicians yet who would dare take away the guns, but if the Libs saturate the area they’ll bring their Politics and eventually have their Politicians in Power, I hope that never happens.

        1. I agree that you always have to be on guard against a liberal takeover (with them trying to have gun control in all states). The only difference being there are too many with guns (at this point) so it would be pointless to try to take them away or haven gun control. I don’t think that’s going to happen, now, with the ways things are going down in Europe (mass illegals moving about) and the threat coming to us. When Austrians are starting to buy guns you know something is wrong in Europe. That should wake some people up, now.

      4. I am from California, the tighter the progressive morons tighten their grip with dumb laws the more people wake up. Think about it, the average speed on a California Highway is 80+ mile per hour because they can’t afford to hire CHP to enforce the speed limit.
        The same applies to the Unconstitutional gun laws the idiots love to pass to make it seem like they are doing something.
        99.9% of cops do not care if you are a law abiding citizen who wants to defend themselves, their family, and property. The next black lives matter or occupy wall street protest when the cops turn into Casper and disappear to protect City Hall at the expense of the taxpayer. They will look the other way if they know you are just protecting yourself… Just like it says in the Constitution!

        1. Have you seen the movie “Demolition Man?” It came out in 1994 and is a frighteningly accurate prediction of how liberalism ultimately destroys civilization.

      6. A tip I learned from my Eastern European grandparents who lived through Nazi invasion and subsequent communist oppression… officially registered hunting rifle in the house and available for confiscation by the state. WW2-era Mauser infantry rifle and Luger side arm pistol plus ammo, oiled, wrapped, boxed and buried in the garden in case of anarchy.

    3. Read you loud and clear brother. Wish I could help you in your plight. Message received on not letting them confiscate, won’t happen here, we’re “gun nuts” aka “people informed of their rights”.

    4. Where do you live? In my country is legal and allowed. Just some days ago a man killed a thief in his house (with a gun), nobody said is not legitimate self defense.

    6. I’m part of the US gun culture. I can tell you that we will never surrender or give up our guns. Watch from afar what happens when our domestic enemies attempt it

    7. Sorry about your situation in Europe, I pray that people over there wake up before its to late. I spent sometime in Germany in the 80s it was and for the most part still a beautiful country and great friendly people.
      I and many others do not take the 2nd amendment for granted and will do all we can to preserve it. Having said that I will never surrender any of my firearms not going to do it never.

    8. I don’t know where you live in Europe, but it is not impossible everywhere to buy a handgun. Exceptionally difficult and time consuming, yes, but not impossible.

      1. When the other gun has a gun and you do not, you cannot effectively resist his aggression, that would practically be suicide. This is simply common sense.
        Now slip into your pyjamas, grab a cup of cocoa and watch some Oprah.

      2. Hardly. Guns are for men who do not want to be slaves, subjects, serfs, pawns, victims, etc… and are prepared to kill those who will want them to be. The coward is you and like minded folk.

      5. “Guns are for cowards”, says the guy unable to defend himself/family from a group of thugs who are gang-banging his wife. It’s okay, not only does it fulfill her rape fantasy, but it also let’s her cover-up the pregnancy from having cuckolded you.

    10. There a positive sides to this as well. I can go out in the middle of the night because the junkie and the 18 y.o muslimcrook likely don’t own a gun. But since the last decades the fake bb-guns from Spain are more often real than not. That is because hobbyists now convert fake guns (with real parts) to usable weapons. Most of the times they only have to change some parts, like a barrel.
      But it surely would be good if you could defend your house with a shotgun. I would buy one in an instance. But I don’t have the need for AR-15’s and stuff like that. That whole gun fanatic culture in the US is the other side of the fence from what we have here.
      Something like the Swiss have would be good. You go into service as a young man (18-20) and after your term you take home your rifle so you can protect your country.

    11. Get a gun illegally if you have to. Your life (and those of your friends, neighbors and loved ones) are far more important than arbitrary rules of the State.

    12. Gun ownership is legal in the UK but it must be used for it’s intended purpose – i.e. hunting or target shooting. You cannot just blow someone away if they break in unless they’re armed with a firearm themselves. The use of force must be justifiable

  18. This is this best article I’ve ever read written for the first time handgun buyer.
    My personal choice is the Walther P99, .40 S&W. My experience is that it’s better than the Sig Sauer P226 or Glock 31, both of which I have owned.
    This is the second P99 I have owned (the first one was 9mm).
    I am no expert. Your experience may vary. I respect that. But for my money and my life, I count on Walther.
    As I stated, this article is fantastic, the best for someone looking to purchase their first handgun to read and adhere to.

  19. For those in the US, look into getting an Utah Carry Permit (even if you are out of state). It has the most concealed-carry reciprocity of any state. You have to jump through some hoops, and only a certain number of out-of-staters can apply each year, but it would be worth it.
    Addendum: why this should be even necessary when the Constitution clearly says the right to bear arms shall not abridged is beyond me… /rant.

      1. I don’t remember what it was. Long ass barrel, and the flame coming out of it easily one foot. The round was $5 at the time. That I remember..

        3. Aye, probably a Model 500 S&W. Fuggin’ expensive to shoot too, as you note. Box of 20 is around $90.00 in Ohio, which lines up with your price more or less.

        4. That was at least 10 years ago or so. I’ve shot pretty much everything in my life from regular pistols, AK-47s, even an RPG once, but this one took the cake so to speak.

  22. Got a glock 20 recently. Def happy with how it performs. 10 mm will keep an wild critters off me when I go for a hike. It’ll be painful for any human trespasser as well.

    1. In the last year I’ve kind of gone back that direction. I picked up a NAA .22 LR (their smallest model), a 6″ .357 Rossi, and a 7 1/4″ Redhawk.
      I’m looking for a good deal on a NAA .22 with a 4″ barrel and adjustable sights. I think this would be an excellent kit gun to go backpacking with me. I could hunt with it in a real pinch. It would be adequate to keep dogs off of me if I were injured, and it could be pressed into service if I had to deal with human predators as well. I’ve got an old Dana Design sternum pack which would keep it handy.

  24. Guns are weapons to kill or seriously injure. Keep in mind smaller caliber guns and bullets bounce around inside you. Going with larger caliber keeps you in more control over the damage you do. Most of the time a black belt will suffice and teach real discipline unless you’re going to war. FYI a pistol will not always stop your target. A shotgun has much better stopping power in range. Also the difference in armaments between civilian vs military . . . If a government wanted to overthrow you it would only need numbers. Your glock isn’t going to do much against an Abrahams, a drone strike, or a sniper. In survival it’s better to be quiet and hidden and avoid fighting then engaging and giving your position away with a higher threat level.
    Like ninja. Gi Joe mentality is only good in team environments and war.

      1. Lol. 3rd world countries are far better armed then the middle class. Minus the gun enthusiasts that break the law by modifying assault rifles to go fully auto. Civilians aren’t trained to take apart weapons in less then a minute, recognize and have Intel on every type of weapon and know the range and precision of each each weapon. They’re not marksmen. They most likely know how to shoot and clean the gun. They aren’t proficient in air or land armaments and if you put a civilian behind a fifty cal. they’ll probably hurt themselves.
        As far as Iraq and Afghanistan goes a SMALL amount of troops compared to the opposition wiped the floor with them. If they werent totally radical suicidal maniacs they’d have surrendered in a couple weeks, but when fighting terrorists you’re fighting an ideology that arms the rebel archetype to self destruct literally.

        2. As far as civil war I hope it never happens. I’ve made my points and I’m just as likely to be wrong as anyone else. I’ll listen and address new points, but no point in going further in the I’m right your wrong game.

        4. Well there are stories of a 100 Buddhist monks holding down temples with jos/sticks and holding off any army of thousands or the Spartan 300 for example. Except in this case civilians are not spartans. That is actually a counterproductive argument for you. It backs up how a small highly trained force with superior training and technology can hold off a much larger force, but the key wordso are technology and training. During the Civil war and revolution all men had some hunter gatherer foundation where they understood downwind, situational awareness, and had fired weapons hunting in the past. Plus in the revolution the British were morons and stood in rows while Americans demonstrated gorilla warfare. Same reason we lost Vietnam despite our superior tech and forces. They had strategic advantages knew the lay of the land and had a crazy spy network and tunneling system. They adapted to our forces quicker then we could adapt to theirs.

        5. Address your first point Buddhist are extremely defensive THEY invented Kung fu.
          Fyi it was 300 + 700 Greek allies and only held down for 2 days.
          The British were used to fighting wars the only reason they lost was due to Washington surprise attack.
          In the case of Vietnam the democratic Congress FORCED the Government to pull out. The Vietcong and NVA would’ve surrendered 6 months later if the fighting continued the same way

        6. I’m interested in what you’re saying I just don’t have anything to add to it at the moment.

      2. I.e. if you fly over civilians with a attack chopper they won’t have a clue you’re even there and have no anti air. The middle class doesn’t get AA weapons. 3rd world countries have rpgs. The military has fire and forget weaponry. Etc etc although if fighting started they’d be required.

        1. Again look how the same weapons are effective against 3rd world countries.
          Attack choppers can get shot down by an RPG or any anti air weapon. Helicopters can be viewed and heard faraway remember this is the suburban environment your talking about

        4. Fuel air bombs are shock n awe so yes being on the wrong side of one would be terrifying. Nuclear bombs are MAD mutually assured destruction and yes they are propaganda, but don’t think for a second that they’ll never fire one off, end up in the wrong hands, or are to be taken lightly. After all we developed artillery small scale nukes that do far more damage then moab and don’t create nearly as much collateral damage. Most of the advanced military weaponry is classified anyways so you’d be up against mystery weapons as well. Plus you can only carry so many of those things and you need a plane to deliver the payload.

        5. No most of America’s military is cumbersome, it’s only being built for profit not reliability.
          And yes they’re already on the wrong hands you can buy old Soviet era nuclear war heads from the black market

    2. America doesn’t go to war internally with only sidearms. We have 110+ million gun owners, our military has a combined 1.47 million. We win.

      1. This site promotes sun tzu so why doesn’t anyone read it or at least watch the doc? Land troops are all we have with very few exceptions. You’d need a giant emp to be able to even the odds. I don’t care how many people have guns. If you go to war with the mentality guns and numbers are your only threat you’re already a dead man walking. Besides even talking about civil war is stupid. There’s about 100000 better solutions.

      2. Do you always talk, but say nothing? Sorry your brain is too small to man up and make an intelligible argument.

    4. A friend of mine that is a retired LEO told me one time about a guy that got shot and died from a single .22. The bullet as you said bounced around inside him and cut him up. He bled to death. Secondly, I was listening one time to a local doctor that works in a downtown emergency room that as talking about that the people that come in alive from a gun shots are from small calibers. People that get shot with bigger calibers don’t.

  26. Yupp… An armed society, is a very polite society..
    When I am unarmed, you can force me to do what you want ..
    When I am armed, you can only try to convince me…
    Slaves are to be unarmed !

  27. I’ve read that as far as calibers go, the older types like 9mm and 45 ACP don’t wear down barrels as fast as the more modern, higher pressure rounds like 40, 10mm and 357 SIG do. So that is something to consider if you are interested in having something that will last you through the years. I also recommend buying spares for the most likely to wear out parts of your gun, such as recoil springs in semiautos. If you practice a lot you will start to notice the slide become easier to draw back as the spring wears out. You can also save money by buying replacement springs for your magazines if they are available.
    Also, make sure to regularly inspect the weapon, looking for any hairline cracks that might form after you’ve shot it a lot. They are rare but they can still happen. I caught one such issue while inspecting an M-9 I was given for training back when I was in the Air Force. Had it broke completely, I could have been severely injured.
    Oh, and as far as the risk of injury goes, I recommend always bringing a first aid kit in your shooting bag for range trips. It is also a good idea that you have people with you who can give aid and call for help if there is an accident.

    1. Pro comment. Can’t ad anything more to it of use, just upvoting it.

    2. Good advice. I had to qualify with both the colt and M9 in AIT and was glad that my units only had M1911s. It was known the M9 had fissure problems when I was in, but supposedly Baretta corrected all that.

  28. Excellent article, the classification of the firearms by price and quality is spot on. To reinforce the article…don’t even look at hi-point guns, they might as well be made of cookie dough.
    I am a S&W brand whore myself, both my 9mm and AR are S&W, I can use any ammo brand without jams or stove-piping.
    I would comment on the Taurus brand however: Taurus semi auto pistols are junk in my humble opinion, if you do by a Taurus semi you need to take it apart before firing it and clean it, they come packed with grease, not usable out of the box. HOWEVER, Taurus revolvers are very nice, if you have a budget and want a good revolver.
    It should also be noted that most mid-level to high quality firearms retain their resale value if properly maintained. So buying a mid-level gun and becoming comfortable shooting, then selling or trading in later for a higher quality firearm is a very common practice.
    More firearms articles are a great idea, its an excellent culture filled with very helpful and likable folks.
    Happy shooting!

  29. Fantastic article. Men would be well advised to read it.
    Kel-Tec
    For sidearms I absolutely agree with the author. For shotguns, still agree *except* the KSG. Somehow, they did this one not only right, but epic. I own a KSG, it holds 15 rounds 2 3/4″ 12 gauge (14 in magazines, 1 in chamber) or 13 3″ (12 in magazines, 1 chamber). Thing is revolutionary and works way better than anybody expected. I’ve put cases through this shotgun and it doesn’t disappoint. Bullpup furniture, bottom loading and ejection, and shocking accuracy given its length, this is a building clearing weapon extraordinaire.
    There’s a bit of an issue between premium and mid range. I’ll take a Ruger handgun, especially revolvers, any day over anything premium since the market gives me infinite mods and Rugers are *very* overbuilt, which means that they’re accurate and kick less and break less frequently. Also, my Colt Series 80, modded to hell and back, will put any German or Swiss weapon to shame. This is not to defame the Swiss or German firearms, just saying you can buy up with your mid range stuff, especially Colt.
    While I have some nitpicking issues, I generally can’t fault anything in this article though, well done author.

    1. I’ve seen the KSG and was interested in purchasing one. I was concerned about the pump action with the rail system combo seemed clunky and ergonomically funky to handle…your thoughts?

      1. The pump action works flawlessly on mine, though you might want to put a front stop at the front of the pump to avoid hand slippage. Ergonomics are up to your own tastes, though I would say that you should bolt on a steel rail onto the bottom of the pump and not use the supplied molded plastic if you plan on mounting anything. The one off after market side rails can be supplied with whatever you want, and while I’m not a fan of putting hi-tech on guns you can in fact put a decent light there. Throwing some irons onto it on the top and the thing fires like a champ, 100% of the time. The glass breaker barrel attachment is interesting but I haven’t had opportunity to use mine yet (not being in, you know, civil unrest).
        Do NOT use glass sites or any kind of mirror dependent sites though, the thing kicks like a motherfucker, the action is right under your cheek and the sites absorb a lot of energy. Loctite all the screws on any irons you put on it as well.
        Whatever you do, avoid the UTS-15 as a counter option. Piece of shit on a shingle right there.

        1. Yeah I’m not a fan of to much furniture on my tac shotguns. But the KSG would be the only one I would attach a laser dot. A meat tenderizer on the end of the KSG would just make it look meaner than it already looks, and a good idea for a close combat firearm.
          Thanks for your review, I don’t have the option to shoot one since I don’t know anyone that has one yet. I won’t buy a gun without firing a full mag through it first.

        2. Most of the gun shops in Ohio get 1 a month, per shop. Prices are coming down but it’s still rather exotic. If you see one and can afford it, or even finance it, buy it without any hesitation.
          If you’re anywhere near Ohio, I don’t mind a meetup and I’ll bring the pup and we can shoot it, if you’re interested.

        3. I appreciate the invitation Ghost, I’m your neighbor in PA so its not out of the realm of possibility. It’s also cool that your state recently opened up its laws for reciprocity regarding PA conceal carry permits.
          There are a few tactical training schools in your state that I was looking at attending in the summer. Maybe a roadtrip would be in order. I got your email from your profile.

        4. Ohio opened up a lot of states, our Statehouse has been supremely pro-2nd Amendment the last 8 years.
          Sounds good. PA is “barely got my ass seated” as far as I’m concerned in summer, and the KSG can fit on a motorcycle easily and legally. Drop me a line when you’re ready.

    2. I have only seen one KSG upclose and the price was reasonable. Reminds me of the “street sweeper” (before it was banned).
      Not sure if you have seen this site, but they do have some deals.
      https://www.classicfirearms.com/
      The Steyr .50 Cal is out of my budget however.

    3. I followed your advice a year and a half ago when I got my first gun.
      I got the Ruger just like you suggested. Very happy with it.

  30. I sincerely feel sorry for men in other countries that have no 2nd Amendment or similar right to keep and bear arms. Learning how to use a firearm for hunting, target competition or defense is a rite of passage where I live and it is a shame men are banned from the masculine, responsible use and possession of firearms.

  32. I’ve made it point now on social media to let those with anti-gun views know that they are on par with rapist and pedophiles.
    I shed no tears when the cunt Sarah Brady died; too bad she was shot to death by a criminal with an illegal gun. I’m sorry for her husband’s fate, but blaming the object is idiocy.

  33. Lots of good options out there for self defense.
    I like revolvers and in most defense situations there is nothing like a 357 mag revolver. Think Smith and Wesson 686 or Ruger GP100 in 3 or 4 inch barrel versions. As long as you use factory ammo, the reliability is really good. You have 6 to 8 shots, depending on the model so you need to practice.
    For semi, the Glocks are brutally reliable. However, the triggers are not as good as a 1911 or other single action. A little practice will solve most issues at defensive ranges of less than 15 yards.
    Personally, my Walter PPQ is amazing and NEVER has a failure with factory ammo. Glocks never fail with factory ammo either unless woefully neglected.
    But….. as a shotgun enthusiast, there is nothing like a 12 Ga with 00 buck in close quarters (under 20 yards). A duck hunting gun (or the tactical equivalent) is brutal.

  35. As the author says, different people have different needs and favorite brands/models and calibers of firearm and all should be considerations. You will generally trade stopping power for clip-size. And some new guns are made modular, which means you can change out the barrel and clip to raise or lower the caliber.
    I would only add, that before buying if at all possible, you should not only handle the weapon you are interested in (work the action, disassemble it if the seller allows or have them do so for you), you should also test it. Some places do not have ranges nearby or as part of the business, but when they do you should take advantage of it and if you are able travel to a state where it is more common/likely. Otherwise, consider joining a shooting club that will allow you to fire a variety.
    Also, don’t get discouraged if you have trouble hitting for the first few rounds or more, some take time not only to adapt to, but to break in. You will also want to consider your stance, grip, finger placement on the trigger, and your pull to make certain you aren’t the cause.
    For instance the S&W M&P/Shield .45 has a very heavy trigger pull, but it also simply takes a hundred+ rounds to loosen up.
    If this is your first buy, then practice handling it unloaded as well until you are comfortable with the weight and procedure for loading, cocking, unloading, and reloading, the more comfortable you are with it, the less anxious you will become about target practice.
    If anyone is interested, my personal picks are as follows:
    1. Sig Sauer (anything in the P226 variety up to the recent P320)
    2. Heckler & Koch (USP .38-.40)
    3. Smith and Wesson (.357 or up in a revolver, 627 model)
    4. Walther P22 (small but accurate)
    5. Beretta 92FS

  40. Glock 19 is a great starter pistol. 9mm. Ammo relatively cheap and plentiful. Clocks are reasonably priced. Durable.

  41. Nope. Good luck hitting a fuel tank, let alone a moving target with that. Not to mention you’re done after 5 shots. You have to reload and against something that spits 1600 – 3000 rpm infrared sites and has explosives you have one shot. Better make it count. You’d need he rounds.

  42. I never had the opportunity to buy my first handgun. Mom gave me a Ruger Mk I when I was about 14. The pistol has easily had 10,000 rounds through it and it still runs like a sewing machine.

      1. I did! We acquired a few new relatives by marriage. One of them is a contract chicken farmer for Tyson in NW Arkansas. I really enjoy hearing about operations like his. Of course he was new to the family and knew nobody, so he was happy to have someone to talk to.

        2. Honestly, I love hearing about almost any business from the business owner. They get so excited, and they can’t wait to share. Our chicken farmer is a solid guy. I would enjoy spending more time with him.

        3. Me too! It’s a tough job being an entrepreneur and if anybody was willing to listen to my woes I was always willing to tell them 🙂
          *****
          I would suspect solid people attract the same
          ******
          I am glad to hear that. That is a high compliment to him!
          ******
          It’s always nice to see the family grow. My is kind of stagnant right now but just happy they are still growing in the right directions 😉

  43. On point not mentioned in this article is the possibility of buying a .22 pistol or revolver, in addition of another with a big caliber, for target practice. Centerfire ammo is expensive, so you can pratice with cheaper .22.

  45. Some history for everyone here…
    The famous samurai Sakamoto Ryoma, who was instrumental in ushering in Japan’s modern period and bringing about the end of the feudal Tokugawa Shogunate, was armed with not just his katana but with his Smith & Wesson revolver whom he had used in a number of battles in which pro shogunate Samurai attempted to assassinate him. But on the one time that he gave his revolver to his sister for safe keeping, his killers caught him off guard and cut him down in the inn that he was staying at. He couldn’t reach for his sword on time sadly.
    Moral of the story: Love peace but be armed and be alert always.

    1. Love hearing about Japanese tradition and honor of old.. Sad that most young men in Japan today are more interested in being pretty.

      1. I have yet to experience traditional Japanese culture. Most of my impressions come from the movie The Last Samurai. How does it measure up to the real thing?

        1. I see some fairly hardcore old dudes. Older generation. The younger ones are obsessed with hair and fashion, at least as much as girls.
          It is a very feminized country now. Men and women. Men need a shot of testosterone, but at least the girls are feminne too. No feminazis.
          Here, women want to be men. There, men want to be pretty.
          Lots of young men who are afraid to date. Many virgins on into their 30’s.
          I have not been back since 2004. Have heard it is just worse than in the 90’s. Like the girls though. Married one.

  46. Sadly we aren’t allowed handguns in the UK. If we were I’d own a Glock 19 compact. Better hope the law enforcement aren’t away shining their shoes if some punk ever pulls a knife on me.

    1. Sadly, even improvising ways of defending yourself are classed as being in Possession Of An Offensive Weapon (POAOW) in the UK. Apart from the obvious stuff (carrying a knife or a gun is illegal apart from in 0.1% of specific cases where the carrier can justify why they need to carry the knife/gun – and no, “I need it for self-defence” is NOT a valid justification in the UK) anything that could be used as a weapon can be classed as an offensive weapon.
      Carry a baseball bat in your car? Better be on your way to a baseball match; if you’re not, you’re stopped by the police for speeding or whatever and they see your baseball bat? POAOW charge.
      (This one will annoy the socialist anti-gun feminazis) Vulnerable woman carrying a can of mace/pepper spray in case she’s attacked by a rapist? POAOW.
      You carry a few tools around in your car (hammer, spanner, screwdriver etc) in case your car breaks down and you need to do a few emergency repairs? Don’t have a certificate saying you’re a qualified car mechanic? POAOW.
      Basically, anything you can think of MacGyvering into a weapon to use in self-defence – and a few things you didn’t think of as weapons like tools but which could potentially be used as weapons – is POAOW. Good luck defending yourself against the scum that roam the streets of the UK

      1. The government doesn’t like competition.
        Your best bet for self-defense is the following:
        1) Situational awareness
        2) Look like the wrong motherfucker to fuck with.

        1. Best defence I’ve found – make any would-be attackers think they’d be doing you a favour. Whenever I’m threatened with armed robbery, I act like I’ve just won the lottery. “Insurance payout far in excess of the value of the items robbed/damaged, here I come!” Been threatened with robbery many times, but apart from some small shopliftings I’ve never actually been robbed. There’s something about the idea that someone else might profit more from their crimes than they do which puts off the criminals.

  47. Ruger LC9 is a decent concealed carry gun; lightweight but with decent stopping power. Trigger isn’t too sensitive either. Can be stripped and cleaned easily as well.

  48. I have a Charter Arms revolver. I would like to think it is in the same category as the Rossi but a little better. Definitely a budget. Seems reliable enough.

  49. Not just handguns, but I grew up in a shogun culture. Single shot break-actions which required little skill for maintenance, simple design, cheap, last forever. Love my Southern Arms .12 guage I inherited from my Grandfather who purchased it over 100 years ago. So when I I finally decided to get a handgun, I naturally gravitated toward the simplicity of a revolver. I have a budget charter arms .38 special but would eventually like something better.
    I also like the historical arms for some reason. I know an AK would be much better from the point of performance. But I always like the stuff that is not always so practical. Like the Japanese Arisaka 99 shiki. A very accurate rifle but very hard to find ammo for. So when I have a chance, I buy Jap ammo in bulk. Even if I am down to a single box right now. But it is a highly accurate rifle with excellent sites. And I bought that more for our family’s Japanese heritage as my wife is Japanese and my son loves Japanese WW2 memorabelia.. The Arisaka was also the weapon my Japanese father-in-law trained on as a teenager in WW2 as his teachers were preparing their students to be part of a human wave against the Americans toward the end of the war. When my son and I showed him our Arisaka on SKYPE, the joyous memories that came to light in the old man’s face made my evening.He knew that on a certain level, he was being honored.
    ( At the close of the war, he had just been accepted into a military school that trained young men to be kamikazis, a tremendous honor for the entire family ! A few days before leaving to go to the school in Hiroshima, the school was blown to bits by the A-bomb. So gramps became a business man after the war rather than a martyr.)
    But back to guns !
    At 15o yards I had few rounds even on the paper of the target at the shooting range with my WW2 Russian Mosin Nagant. Thought it was just me a lousy shot. Then, with my Arisaka, had nice groups right around the bullseye.(Japs knew about precision even then. Just weren’t enough of them.(I say that not because I am a disloyal American but rather to honor a worthy opponent.)
    My son makes fun of me as someone who whose archaic thinking would cost him bigtime in a SHTF situation. Don’t care. I will probably buy another bolt action (Swedish Mauser) or .38 special S &W revolver when my budget allows. Or perhaps a some shameful French relic of the Maginot line, as my 4 years living in France gave me the eccentricity of actually liking the French.. History for me is at least as important as performance as I know I am not Arnold Schwarznegger.
    But we all have different needs. I like a firearm with a past. Not so big on the SHTF scenario, but I want to have a least a few bottles of whisky and a gun to prepare. The tactical victory there will go to the young,in shape and highly trained. A geezer like me just wants to put a few rounds in the air and take out maybe one or two of the first wave of ISIS and communist invaders swarming the coastline after a North Korean EMP attack.
    If you are able to just participate with other patriots in the community with a squirrel rifle so your community watch can at least offer a little resistance to the drug cartels that will be swarming the suburbs after the municapality has laid off the police force.
    Kind of like Detroit now. So I will be in the game at least. Even if it is unlikely I would come out on top. For my dead body, there will at least be a price to pay.
    So in addition to the bottles of whisky, a month of dried food and some form of firearm is good to have. A gas cooking stovetop and some good water filters.
    I personally find “going Mormon” with a years supply a good idea but too heavy an investment and a possible waste of food. Too much to rotate such a large stock.
    But back to that Jap Arisaka. If you ever have a rare firearm and encounter another person with the same weapon, you really get the feeling of having met a fellow camarade in arms.
    So my own advice. Yeah, AK’s and AR-15’s are great but not for me. But there is also something to say for heritage.

  50. For those who live in the US (or any other jurisdiction that still have gun rights, but I am pretty sure that is just the US these days) make sure you obtain all the proper licenses and carry permits before buying and carrying your first handgun. Almost every state is now either a “shall issue” which means a license to carry must be issued if you meet all the criteria. Some are still “may issue” which means that the issuing authority has discretion based upon need, character, etc. It is only a few states like CA, NY, NJ where it is virtually impossible to get a permit to carry.
    Also, make sure you get all the permits you need to purchase and observe ammo carrying limits. Again in most states these rules do not apply or are very lenient. But, make sure to look into it before going off to buy your first gun.
    If you travel across state lines frequently make sure you know the rules for those states too. Some have “duty to inform” laws which means you have to tell a copy you are carrying when you get pulled over. Other have weird “gun free zones” such as restaurants that serve alcohol (even if you aren’t drinking).
    In short, educate yourself before your first purchase. You don’t want to become an instant felon because you suddenly realize even if you have your gun locked, with ammo separate, he the trunk of your car to go shooting with your friend from upstate NY and you are from WV that it is still illegal to possess or transport that firearm in NY. (That is absent some very narrow exceptions….the devil is always in the details.)

        1. Actually, I have heard Maryland is the worst. They check out of state legal concealed carry databases from other states and pull them over and search the cars of people driving through their state. Be careful driving through Maryland.
          I no longer venture north of the Mason Dixon line much anymore these days any way.

        2. I have heard this too and I think it is mostly bunk. Most state CC databases are confidential and only available to law enforcement in that state. There is no known federalized CC database or information sharing agreements among many states. Yeah that doesn’t mean they just aren’t lying but absent that I don’t believe the claims. I still stay out of Maryland and choose to go an hour or so out of my way to stay to the North before I hit the more gun friendly Western or Southern States via other routes.
          Be careful though in SC as their gun laws and reciprocity are wonky. The state cops there are more likely to let you off with a “warning” but you can still get in a lot of trouble down there because their rules don’t match neighboring states.

        3. Good to know being from NC. Governor Haley down there made a public show of giving her husband a firearm for Christmas one year. Just assumed they were gun-friendly.
          I personally do not carry guns when I travel any way. But would like to be able to if I wanted.

        4. They are mostly gun friendly down there in SC. Their laws just don’t trust “out of staters”. Probably a hangover from the old civil rights days when those from the North would come down and mess with them. If you are passing through SC just make sure your guns are in your trunk unloaded separate from the ammo. If you have a permit good in NC just pull over before you hit the border, unload, it and lock it up in your trunk. No need to become an insta-felon just because you forgot to stop at the last rest stop and do this before you hit the state border.

  52. Taurus and Kel Tek are junk and should not be in the same sentence with the others
    Your mid/premium list is flawed/jumbled and you never mentioned EAA/Tanfoglio, who are now making premium quality Italian manufactured guns. My daily primary is their 10MM Elite Match 10MM with 5 reloads. 800 rds thru it, flawless. It is not a beginner’s piece, heavy and has some recoil
    Modern magazine springs do not fatigue when fully loaded. What wears them out is many thousands of cycling during shooting sessions. What’s more important is regular unloading and dissassembly to clean them. I clean mine with hot water and hand dish detergent, dry them with compressed air and then use drying teflon spray inside, before reloading the mags
    First handgun should be a quality 9MM. Everyone can shoot this common and cheap to shoot caliber, and there are a host of good affordable guns in 9MM
    Revolvers are just about obsolete due to limited capacity. I own a number of them (older pre lock S&W) and they used to be my wife’s CCWs, but she’s moved on to the Glock 23 for her primary. In a fight you cannot know in advance if you’ll face one or five attackers..

    1. Your opinion on Taurus and revolvers contradicts real world data. A revolver kills you just as dead as a semi and the average defensive gun fight only has 1.8 total shots fired. Plus, Taurus has beaten Smith and Wesson in recent reviews.

  53. For all the Guys from other Countries wishing they could have Firearms, Guys…. just Come to the United states, that way you could own Firearms and there would be more Like Minded Men to cast the Vote on election day, everybody wins.

  54. I have a Beretta 92F if its good enough for the military, its good enough for me. I am not going to buy a cheap handgun prone to jam or in the case with the Hi-Point explode. I carried a Colt 1911 45 when I was in the Army Guard back in the day. Nice hand gun good stopping power but I wanted something that could carry more rounds. Another reason I have not owned any other calibers of handguns is that I have had the Beretta 92F since the early 90’s so I have stocked up on the 9MM rounds so for me carrying multiple round types 45 or 40 cal just came down to cost effectiveness.

  56. This article is ok but I don’t think the writer just got into guns . If you want a good work horse gum get a glock. They come in most all calibers , are damn near indestructible , will fire variations of rounds (NATO vs other rounds of similar dimensions ) , and are relatively cheap . I personally prefer old 1911s because of the Caliber and weight of the gun . Most newer light weight guns of the same caliber have 2x the kick . As far as calibers start with a 9mm those are more maiming calibers , 40 is the next step up has the stopping power of a 45 but less kick ,I prefer 45 but that’s only because I just want to put 2 bullets in someone and be done with it . You can go .357 or 50 cal but I feel like that’s over kill . You have to be aware of were you are using the gun. Don’t want to shoot someone in self defense and accidentally shoot someone in a house or car because you wanted the biggest caliber they make . Generally shotguns for home defense and handguns for street .

    1. That’s my thought. If you attack me while I’m out you get the .40. Dumb enough to break into my home, you get the Mossberg 12 GA with 00Buck.

    2. We were issued old Browning Hi-Powers in the Canadian Army. Old as fuck but solid weapon. The mags were the big issue.

  57. Just a helpful addition, stick to a 9mm if you are not going to shoot a lot. You will have more success in my experiences.
    While you should be shooting at least a box of ammo monthly on average (preferably more), and that is after you purchase your weapon, get trained by a certified instructor, and shoot at least two boxes per month (100 rounds) to drive the skills and muscle memory in and make them yours. At least a six month ordeal. If you are concealed carrying you should maintain that.
    A bigger caliber (.40 and above) kicks a lot more, has more muzzle blast and will require more rounds to shoot accurately and train you to get your sight back on target after each round. I was averaging 200 rounds per month with my .40 and now am at 100 except for hunting season. I started reloading my own rounds which knocks my average price per 50 down under $10 by my calculations.

  58. Nice summary for guns. One point worth mentioning is for those new to fire arms is this: find an NRA instructor at local gun shop and take a basic pistol class! You will learn good habits and then have a better idea on what gun works best for you.

    1. Completely agree to find an NRA course. When I got married, first thing I did was to sign up the wife for several NRA classes that I took with her (I grew up with guns). They were taught by a retire LEO and his LEO son. Very informative, not just about using a gun but as well as the legal aspects. After that, we both became lifetime NRA members.

  59. Jim Jefferies is a liberal faggot that claims gun fans don’t have good arguments (with the exception of “love’em”) to reframe his stand-up as a “good” argument while offering nothing of note.

  60. Saturday night special?
    When did the author start moonlighting for Handgun Control Inc.?
    Other than that a decent article – just lose the language of the left.

    1. It’s decent, but not great. Some inaccuracies and a lot of opinion dressed up as fact.

  61. Something else to consider, especially for home defense, is a silencer. Gunfire is incredibly loud, enough to cause hearing damage. But think about waking up in the middle of the night to strange noises in the dark. You can’t see well, you’re a little disoriented and adrenaline is flowing. If you find you’re threatened by an intruder and have to fire your weapon it’s not going to help to have your ears ringing and pain shooting through your skull. Also if you have kids or a sleeping baby in the house it may not be best to have them woken up and screaming while you’re already dealing with that kind of crisis. Just make sure you jump through all the legal hoops of your state (if any) when purchasing.

        1. No, more like the voice of experience from a career in law enforcement and a second career as a licensed, armed, personal bodyguard. Would you like to further prove your lack of practical knowledge and experience with more insults, speaking of “fag snark?”

  63. How come you preach about gun ownership and disembark Europe When people kill american citizens with guns on a weekly basis?

  64. I have had my new model Italian Beretta 92fs installed with an expensive lasermax internal guide rod green tactical laser since 2014. I just recently moved to Tijuana MX due to personal reasons. Getting caught over here with a firearm and not even the US embassy can save you from serving time in the Alcatraz of Tijuana. Although my main concern was not being able to cross,it back to the USA through customs when I move back again. Anyway I left it with my old man in a finger scanner safe box in San Diego because I will not sell it period. My father has never owned a firearm in his life nor any of my family. Im the first generation to do it. It’s a nice cold alpha feeling to know that. Bottom line I don’t feel the same rolling around in my Lexus without my Italian stallion stashed in the compartment.

  66. I think the moral of the story is, come and visit my land uninvited, and I’ll shove an sks up your ass.

  67. Yeeha, Nazi franchise. On first look, it kinda seems intimidating, because you know of the second world war. On second look, you just see two pathetic dudes without any sense of identity, seeking to look manly through a uniform symbol. Just followers.

  69. I recommend the Glock 19 as your first handgun. It’s not too small, not too large. Glocks’ designs are heavily utilitarian and functional, which is something you want in a first gun. It’s easier to learn to shoot accurately with a Glock because they are very consistent. They are easy to take apart, clean and oil. They are also very easy to sell if you decide shooting is not your ‘thing’ or you want to upgrade to another gun that may be more tailored to how you shoot.
    The 19 is a good choice because 9mm ammo is relatively common and cheap. Also, you have the option on the 19 to insert a Glock 17 cartridge, which has two more bullets(it sticks out a little, but that doesn’t interfere with usage at all).
    If you live in a country that is very restrictive about the shorter handguns like the Glock 19, I would say the Glock 17 comes in as a close second as a first gun choice.
    Finally, I recommend Ballistol for cleaning and lubricating your gun because normally you need separate solvent and lubricant when maintaining your gun. The great thing about Ballistol is that you more or less get away with using it as a combo solvent and lubricant.

    1. I’ve fired many diff handguns and I prefer a heavy stubby revolver. I have put close to a thousand rounds through mine and never a single jam. Much more forgiving than a semi

      1. I can’t argue with that but I think the Glocks are the “least-worst” semi-autos for jamming. My post was targeted at newbies who might shy away from gun ownership because their first gun was too heavy, too large, too difficult to maintain etc. But you make a decent point: revolvers are simpler and require much less fussing and fidgeting to get a bullet out.

  70. Do explain your reasoning for placing Beretta in the premium category rather than mid-range.

  73. I live in NYC and have for my whole life. As such, while I want to own a handgun I simply can’t attaining one legally for me is virtually impossible and with mandatory minimum sentencing you couldn’t pay me enough to be in the same room with an illegal gun. All places have their ups and downs and this is a down that is offset by other ups for me.
    That said, I really don’t know much about handguns at all.
    I wonder if anyone here who knows more about guns and other self defense tools knows anything about this salt gun and whether it is worth the 300 bucks to keep it in a night stand
    http://www.saltsupply.com/?awesm=un.cr_saltgun

    1. No. get a pump action shotgun and load it with #1 Buckshot. It’s legal in NYC and #1 won’t over penetrate like 00 or 000.

  74. Looks like an accurate portrayal of the over-sexed and under-intelligent race. Most of ’em, anyway.
    Looking at you, Black Lives Matter crowd.

  75. Pic on the left… a gorilla with a swastika tattoo. And a gold chain around its neck.
    Now I’ve seen everything.

  76. In light of the shootings in San Bernadino, what should be done about mass shootings, from a gun ownership perspective?

    3. Mass shootings can happen, so can the complete opposite like out in BFE. Years ago, back before today’s carry laws, I saw a single car accident. I stopped to help the lady out when a creep also stopped to “check out” the situation. We all had a bad feeling from him so I told the lady to get back in her car and drive it to the next town. Back then my gun was unloaded and locked in the truck like a good little, law-abiding citizen.

  77. Excellent article, but in my opinion, your first handgun should be a Glock that fires SW .40.
    You can’t go wrong with a Glock.

    1. I’ve wondered about .40, as I noticed when ammo was hard to come by a few years back, .40 seemed to be one that was on the shelves more then others? I’d like to give it a try. (I have a 9mm Glock 26.)

  79. I have a few guns, all have different characteristics and uses.I have a .44 bulldog revolver and a Remington 870 shotgun. The 870 is 18.5in with pistol grip. Woe be the m’fr who comes in my house with bad intentions. For the range I have an old Garand my grand-dad gave me and a Russian SKS.
    Every guy should know how to manage, clean and use firearms.

  80. Cool article! However, I really didn’t need it since my dad taught me all of this when I was 8 years old…

  81. Good information overall but disagree with you listing Kimber as a premium gun. The quality has taken a drastic downtown in the last decade. There are some gunsmiths now who won’t touch them after seeing the types of repeated use failures.

  82. What this guy is failing to tell you is that.. Hi Point’s have lifetime warranties on them. That’s a huge selling point and advantage. You decide…

    1. I had a Hi Point when it was all I could afford. It was 100% reliable. Just take care of it like you would a more expensive handgun.

  83. For something you keep at home, I’d avoid handguns and go with a shorter barrel pump action 12 gauge with buckshot. Can’t miss and one shot is pretty much the end it’s got so much power. Your shoulder will be black and blue after firing the thing from the recoil. Pure cannon.

  84. Get a shotgun. One barrel of AAA buck is enough to deter most intruders and they are legal in most countries. You’re likely to be engaging at point blank range in any event. A chest hit from a shotgun is 96% effective at a range of under 20 feet, a .44 Magnum is only 89%

  85. Some of your information is incorrect or dated. For instance, some Taurus models have beaten Smith and Wesson in recent reviews.

  86. In the UK you are allowed to own shotguns with up to 3 rounds on what is called a “Shotgun Certificate”. There is no limit as to the number that you own and how much ammunition you hold. If you want to own a rifle or have a shotgun with a greater capacity than 3 cartridges then you need to get what they call a “Firearms License” and for that you have to prove:
    1. That you need it.
    2. Where you intend to use it, you have to specify what land you are going to shoot on.
    3. What type of animal you intend to shoot as different animals have different ammunition requirements. So if you want to shoot foxes, you get a rifle that will allow you shoot a fox, this does NOT entitle you to then go and shoot a deer or anything else, you have to go through the whole process again for the different ammo requirements.
    Hand guns are totally banned in the UK and you cannot buy them or hold them legally.
    This is legislation brought in following 1 school shooting by some lunatic and overnight the law was adopted. Making criminals of all the people who legitimately held handguns, there was an Police amnesty on them and you had to hand them in for authorities to destroy.
    I know people who own handguns but they have to store them in Belgium and travel there (only a few hours on the train) to shoot them. Even the UK Olympic shooting team have to train in Belgium!
    Every time I go to the US (for work) I always try to find a shooting range where I can enjoys the freedoms you guys have. You get the usual bullshit reaction from many Europeans about the US gun obsession but these will be the same people who are unable/unwilling to take the responsibility to protect themselves and look to the authorities to do it all for them.
    Cherish your rights guys and don’t allow them to be taken away, once they are gone they are gone for good!
    If my circumstances were different I would emigrate to the US, you guys are so much more switched on than the cesspool that western Europe has become. The ability to exercise some personal freedom and own a property would do it for me, that and being able to drive a Dodge Ram 2500 down the street (it wont fit down half the roads in the UK!)
    Viva USA!

    1. Get yourself a Browning Buckmark sticker to go on the window of that 2500 and a Yeti cooler and you will fit right in.

    2. I thought even shotguns were illegal there. In cucked Sweden, even sleeping with a baseball bat under your bed is criminal. Rather than seeing it as being prepared, Swedish government sees it as “anticipating violence”.

  87. Step one: Dont buy a hand gun.
    Step two: buy an AR.
    Step Three: Now buy a hand gun.
    Step four: Glock 17 at $600

  88. Good old ‘Wondernine’ (38 special police) is a good choice for home defense. Sure, there are better guns, but they are not expensive, reliable, easy to use, and the chances of malfunctions are extremely low.

    1. That’s true! I’ve got a snub-nosed, hammerless .38/.357 which I love that handgun for being simple and reliable. I only replaced it for carry with a baby Glock.

  89. NY is even MORE fucked up than CA in this regard. In NY you CANNOT EVEN BUY A PISTOL without submitting to two years of beuracracy…in CA you go in , pay and in pick up in ten days. End of story. What a messed up fucknation NY is.

  90. Nice article! I grew up using hunting rifles. Right before Bill Clinton’s Brady Bill took effect and I was 21 is when I bought my first handgun, which the stores had very little on the shelves so I settled on a .22 revolver to at least practice with. Next, I went through a few larger handguns, however, I last bought a baby Glock (26) 9mm on recommendation which is my CCW of choice. It’s a small frame, easy to conceal, ammo is a decent price, recoil is limited and I’ve enjoyed learning to shoot well with its short barrel. I wouldn’t get worried about finding the “perfect” first handgun as there are a lot of choose from and it’s kind of like women and shoes. On occasion I go shooting with friends and get to try out what they have, but I still really like my Glock.

  91. I think the revolver is a good geezer gun. Was talking to my neighbor about guns and Trump winning the election. And the need for the suburbs to be prepared Zimmerman style for angry rioters.
    He was talking about his kids being into high performance weapons such as AR-15’s Or this or that pistol with quick action.
    That’s one of the things I like about Trump gun millenials. A lot of them are really are good with firearms as they grew up under Obama with their rights being under threat and knew the need to appreciate them.And exercise them.
    I grew up in a more laid back age. So laid back that it did not even register for me in the 90’s when Bill Clinton was going after guns. I was happy with my 100 year old shotguns. Even if my old man did cruise around with a revolver under his car seat.
    Which gets me back to revolvers. They are actually best because of their simplicity. I don’t plan on being the most deadly combattant against thugdom or the NWO. I just want to be in the game. One of many suburban patriots showing the enemies of civilization that there is a price for breaking and entering and looting our homes.
    Yes, a skilled criminal would probably take me out. But it probalby won’t happen. Because in Trump’s US of A, a thug knows that home invasions carry a price. Yes, he will probalby get away if he tries it once. Or twice, or three times even.
    But let the SOB try to make a living at preying on people like me, one of us is going to take him out eventuallly. And if a SHTF scenario hits the street, you will see folks like me in geezer patrols walking around the suburbs at night keeping an eye on things. Sure, not the most effective force, but a deterrent. The reason our suburbs will not be sitting ducks against the army of zombies that SJW’s have spent decades coddling waiting for their moment to bring in a marxist staTE.
    I salute these youngsters that are developing skills on a level I will never reach. My son can take various pistols apart in no time. Loads and fires quickly, accurately second nature. Wonderful.
    But I don’t need to be on that level as a geezer. I just need to be in the game of home defence with my .38 special revolver. And my shotguns.
    (I actually have bought a few more interesting pieces such as WW2 heritage arms over the past few years I enjoy shooting. Such as the Japanese Arisaka, a Mauser and a Russian Mosin nagant as I appreciate history and love the classic bolt-actions).
    But for the latecomer to the game, simplicity is best. Go with the revolver. Nice simple geezer gun. Stay away from state of the art guns if you do not have state of the art skills.

  93. True protection means having a variety of handguns for all different purposes. I have a concealed carry permit and use a Walther 9mm CCP or a Ruger LC380 because neither leave an imprint that others can see. For home defense, I use a Ruger SP101 and a Ruger .357 Black Hawk which also comes in handy out in the fields.

  94. Here in Australia most firearms are heavily restricted. You can buy with a license a hunting rifle, or a a 6 round mag semi auto pistol but you MUST belong to a club and fire regularly. The upshot is the gun murder rate is practically zero, and it tends to be crims taking out rival scumbags when it does happen. Australia is overwhelmingly a safe and friendly place. BUT….if I had to live in the US I’d be armed to the teeth. You guys are all nuts!

  95. The only missing advice is ” off the books. ” First sale doctrine makes the world go round.

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