RangerClay Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 (edited) I'm not the kinda guy who does a lot of plinking in the backyard. I would like to get a semi-auto pistol to keep in the house in case of an intruder or emergency. I just don't want to drop $300-$500 on a pistol that I will hardly use. An affordable work horse pistol in a caliber that will kill bad guys. Does such a thing exist? Edited September 10, 2009 by RangerClay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoosierbuck Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 How much do you spend a year on life insurance? You may never need it, and depending on the policy, it has little or no cash value. All I am saying is that you should look at it as a one-tie life insurance expenditure. $500 is not too much for trustworthy "policy." Now, about that handgun, you are specifically buying it to protect your life, or those you love- and you hopefully will never have to use it in that capacity. IF you ever do have to use it in that capacity, how much extra is it worth to have utter confidence in it? How much to know it will not jam or malfunction when life is at stake? I say spend the extra pesos and get a decent weapon, considering it's intended purpose. A used Glock, Beretta, Sig from a police trade in would be a good deal. Check out Gunsamerica and the classifieds at the Smith&Wesson forums (man do they move guns!). Good luck, bud. HB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csualumni21000 Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 A new glock can be had in your price range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csualumni21000 Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 http://www.midwesthuntersoutlet.com/item.aspx?pid=42541 pow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJL Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 CZ PO1 It's an absolute workhorse and still small enough for CC work. It's the NATO sidearm of choice, that says alot. I've run about 2,000 round through mine with not one problem...............love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnf Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 I love my Glock 19, but my dad's $75 hi-point shoots pretty decent. It ain't pretty, but it is functional and does hit where you're aiming. I had a carbine for a while and never had any problems with it. Their warranty and customer service is great. I got the hi-point 9mm for my dad used at a pawn shop and sent it to the factory for repairs. It got a new barrel, sights, firing pin and a bunch of other parts free of charge. They are not a pretty gun, but are more than worth what you pay for them. My brother and nephew both have a 9mm and 45 hi-point and have shot probably 500-600 rounds through them with no problems at all. They are ugly as sin, but will do the job for you. http://www.hi-pointfirearms.com/ Most place I've seen them have them for $120-$175 new. Pic one up at a pawn shop for as little as possible, send it in and get a "like new" gun if you can find one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m gardner Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 You may want to see about a Remington 870 shotgun instead. If you aren't excited about practicing with a handgun you probably won't hit anything with it. A shoulder fired weapon is very easy to master. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swohiodave Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 You can go with the rem 870 with an 18 inch barrel or buy a glock. Don't go cheap because you may and hopefully wont ever need it. DO NOT GAMBLE WITH THE SAFETY OF YOUR FAMILY. get a glock 19 im 9mm or a 23 in .40 cal. Both will do the job just fine for protecting your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfletch7441 Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 I like the idea of an 870 in 12-gauge! Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion_70 Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 I like the idea of an 870 in 12-gauge! Ben Have to agree... If you don't practice with the pistol, it won't be of much use when needed. With that being said, you can pick up some wheel guns pretty cheap also. For home defense a .357 mag is hard to beat in a pistol. I love my sigs and glocks in .40 and .45 though. When I was a police officer I carried a Sig .45, when my life was on the line I wanted the best there is in my hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Posted September 12, 2009 Report Share Posted September 12, 2009 You may want to see about a Remington 870 shotgun instead. If you aren't excited about practicing with a handgun you probably won't hit anything with it. A shoulder fired weapon is very easy to master. Mark Agree 100%. If overpenetration is an issue, look at #4 or so shot, not 00 buck. With #4s, range is not an issue, rounds flying through the house towards your family is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganHunter Posted September 14, 2009 Report Share Posted September 14, 2009 Find a taurus Judge, for home defense you can load it with .410 shotshells, and for fun shooting, .410 or .45long colt, i think hornady makes a home defense load for this gun. Fun to shoot, BUT it is a revolver. thats my oppinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 Joe, revolvers can be left loaded without any adverse reactions, like to a compressed spring in a mag of a semi auto or a tube of a shotgun. JJL recommended the CZ PO1. That gun is based on the original CZ75 which was the 1st! double action hicap 9mm in the world. A very good design and reliable pistol. Joe, I keep a small .410 shotgun in my pants draw. A Snake Charmer I think it is called. I tried this out in the field, with 2 layers of 1/2" sheet rock and insulation in between. I fired at 20 yards with #6 shot and none penetrated the second layer of rock. Who is on the other side of that wall is of great concern. The .410 is my choice for home defense. If you are set on a handgun, then by all means I would stay with the name brands( Smith, Beretta, Sig,Colt, Glock) and lean towards .45acp. More one shot stops than ANY caliber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Sauceman Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 I LOVE MY PT145 Taurus Millennium Pro!! I got it a few years ago used for $250!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WNY_Whitetailer Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Plenty of good opinions here...The only thing that I have to add is the following: Whatever you decide upon to protect your life, your family's lives, your home, your property, etc., you must be proficient with it. This means that you must practice with it...Moving with it, shooting it, getting it up and running...You need to get in to the fight in order to win it. If a person enters you home with intent to do you or your family harm, he is already ahead of you and you need to play catch up. A handgun is a convenient option but a shotgun would probably be better... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grady269 Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 shotgun I would secon the shotgun, but my recommendation would be a .20gauge 870. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottgray18 Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 My dad bought a Highpoint pistol in 45 acp just for this reason. It is a very inexpensive pistol. He bought it for 225.00. Some people that you talk to about it say it is a heavy awkward peice of junk which it is heavy and awkward but it surpassed my idea of a peice of junk. This pistol is very accurate for the price. I shot out a bullseye at 50 yards with it and it groups nicely. Like i said this pistol is on the heavy side but it works great for the cheap price. Last time i checked it came in 9mm, .40s&w, and 45 acp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gzilla45 Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 You can get a surplus CZ 82/83 for around $200. I absolutely love mine. Like someone said before, whatever you buy make sure you practice with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnf Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 The CZ would probably do you better than the hi-point, and I know the resale would be better. I got my dad's for $70 used at a pawn shop. Their customer service is great there though. Send anything with their name on it and they'll send you back a practically new gun for nothing, no questions ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
45-70cannon Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 My gun dealer carries two Glocks in 9mm with a backup S&W 38 loaded with 158 gr HP that will stop a bus! My personal carry is a S&W 38 same load. Its the load not the gun that is important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnf Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 Actually I think it's more about getting a well placed bullet in the target. More realistically 99% of the time it's being able to pull the gun out and point it in the general direction. Only that 1% of the time would the guns function, caliber or bullet placement be important. Lets face it, the average thug on the street doesn't want to be shot any more than we do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuffbuck Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 My personal every day carry is a beretta 92 fs and a bersa thunder .380 in my waiste band but for home protection I agree,get the 870 thats exactly what I use for home protection and as mentioned whatever you get get the practice using it,it can me the difference between life and death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitetail Freak Hunter Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 I like the idea of an 870 in 12-gauge! Ben It is the best choice for home defense, and usually when you rack a 12 ga a suspect knows you mean business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganHunter Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 (edited) I like the idea of a 12g 870 or 12g 500....I whould substitute the traditional stock for these one like this....more of a tatical stock, easyer for closed corners 870 first and second is a 500 AND I know most people wont agree much but I think if you got a .22 auto loading pistol and had it loaded with hollow point bullets will do the job...cheap gun cheap ammo....and I KNOW theres not alot of knock down based on size but with the hollow point a .22 will basically explode on impact and it will have a large clip so you can keep on shooting. Edited October 30, 2009 by MichiganHunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrotherBadger Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 I like the idea of a 500 12ga for home defense. You wanna talk about knockdown power? You got it. Not to mention that you don't really have to worry about aiming so much with the shotgun so much. Here's a great article on home defense guns. http://artofmanliness.com/2009/07/23/the-best-guns-for-home-defense/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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