Hand Gun choice for protection

[Vulkyn]

I have a quick question for the gun buffs out there, i am in the process of getting my gun license (i was planning too but due to the events safety of my family comes first) and i am not sure which way i should go.
My experience with weapons is 9mm lugger FN browning, Perazi shotgun and AK-74 in the army.
A friend showed me his Model 422 .22 gun ... which was smaller and lighter than the 9mm. There is very little opportunity to try guns in Egypt so how should i proceed? I can not swap or sell / change guns easily, any forums or guide i can read to help me in my choice ? As usually i need to do my homework in reading before my next step ...
Troy ?

[cthippo]

.22 is a very small recreational caliber, not really good for much except shooting cans and pretty much useless much past 100'.

That said, they have no recoil, and the ammo is cheap.

I'm assuming you're talking about the Smith and Wesson model 422? I don't know anything about that model, but S&W is considered to be a very good brand.

[troy2000]

Originally Posted by Vulkyn

I have a quick question for the gun buffs out there, i am in the process of getting my gun license (i was planning too but due to the events safety of my family comes first) and i am not sure which way i should go.
My experience with weapons is 9mm lugger FN browning, Perazi shotgun and AK-74 in the army.
A friend showed me his Model 422 .22 gun ... which was smaller and lighter than the 9mm. There is very little opportunity to try guns in Egypt so how should i proceed? I can not swap or sell / change guns easily, any forums or guide i can read to help me in my choice ? As usually i need to do my homework in reading before my next step ...
Troy ?

The advantages of the .22 are that it uses cheap ammunition and is easier to conceal. But it doesn't have nearly the stopping power a larger handgun would have. Unless you hit the right spot you're liable to just annoy whoever is attacking you, instead of bringing him down.

No contest between the two in my mind; go with a 9mm handgun of some sort. It's a reasonable compromise between stopping power and being easy to shoot with. 9mm ammo is also readily available almost anywhere and is reasonably affordable, although it isn't as cheap as .22 ammo.

If you aren't experienced with guns, you might also consider a revolver. There's less chance of jamming, and operation is much simpler. Many cops in this country carried .38 Special revolvers for decades, particularly as hideaway or backup guns, although lately that caliber has fallen out of favor as they mover up to larger sizes with more stopping power. However, more stopping power also means a gun is harder to control. If you're inexperienced, you want something that doesn't kick so hard you can't line up for a second or third shot.

Many people don't realize that 9mm revolvers are available also, that use 'moon clips' for the rounds. And 9mm ammo might be easier to obtain in your area than something like .38 special, because it's the most used round in the world. But the 9mm revolvers themselves might not be easy to find in Egypt....

Here's a website where a blogger is talking about the Smith & Wesson Model 940 9mm Revolver; it should give you an idea what such guns are like.

http://jamesazacharyjr.blogspot.com/...-revolver.html

add: if you do go with a 9mm semi-auto handgun of some sort, remember that the most common cause of jamming with beginners is "limp wristing." Since most of them use part of the recoil to work the slide or bolt mechanism, they need to be held firmly enough that the power of the recoil isn't absorbed by movement of the gun in your hand instead. If you have to use a semi-auto in a bad situation before you've had a chance to practice much with it, don't just 'hold it firmly'; get a death grip on it. And use both hands, if at all possible.

More about limp wristing here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limp_wristing

[CatBuilder]

Originally Posted by Vulkyn

I have a quick question for the gun buffs out there, i am in the process of getting my gun license (i was planning too but due to the events safety of my family comes first) and i am not sure which way i should go.
My experience with weapons is 9mm lugger FN browning, Perazi shotgun and AK-74 in the army.
A friend showed me his Model 422 .22 gun ... which was smaller and lighter than the 9mm. There is very little opportunity to try guns in Egypt so how should i proceed? I can not swap or sell / change guns easily, any forums or guide i can read to help me in my choice ? As usually i need to do my homework in reading before my next step ...
Troy ?

The gun you choose depends on exactly how you plan to use it, just like a boat, IMO.

I needed a gun that would be more forgiving to aim, stop people boarding my boat in one or two shots, not go across the anchorage, killing other boaters and be easy to maneuver in narrow catamaran hulls. The gun that fit this situation perfectly was a short-barreled 12ga marinized shotgun.

So, what is your exact situation and what are your requirements? Let those dictate the type of gun you will buy.

Is it for protecting the home? Walking around the town/city with? Are you an expert marksman? Will you use the gun frequently for practice? Which ammunition is most readily available in your area?

All of these things, like the questions to find your perfect boat, are important.

[Boston]

I shoot quite often and a 22 is basically worthless as any form of protection, it has no stopping power and most anyone with a bad attitude can take multiple hits and still remain in fighting condition. If your thinking hand gun you want a 44 magnum. It has lots of load range so you can pick a round that you like best and its got plenty of stopping power. There are practice rounds that are lighter and cheaper and there are bear rounds that will, well stop a bear if you need to. If your thinking long gun then go with the basic 12g shot gun, its 50 cal and also has lots of options as to rounds. Fire slugs if your defending yourself or shot if your just looking to wake someone up some. They kick a bit but you get used to it. The 44 will also kick a bit but not as badly as you might think specially if your just using target rounds. Either way both of those will be versatile and effective. I'm assuming your not going elk hunting so my two suggestions are primarily chosen for home defense and practicability, which is something that a lot of folks seem to forget, no sense owning a weapon if you don't know how to use it. Get out and shoot about once a week if you can and above all else, and I know this is controversial, teach everyone in the house how to use it and when to use it, yes even the kids. Tragedies happen through ignorance not through knowledge. Your wife and kids will need to know gun safety as well as you, or your more likely to have an accident than actually use the gun to your advantage.

You might check on the cost of the two kinds of rounds to help you decide, neither gun I suggested is good much beyond say 200' but in a home defense situation thats about all you need. One advantage of the shotgun over the handgun is that if loaded with shot it wont penetrate to many walls so generally its safer for the neighbors.

If your looking for a longer range solution I have been meaning to buy a 7 mil ultra mag but its likely to be pricey in your area. I also have an old Winchester 30 cal lever action which makes a pretty big bang. Has great stopping power and is pretty accurate up to say 300 yard ( 900 feet, ) Deal is with any of the more powerful long riffles your neighbors are in a bit more danger as they will go through a couple houses if your not careful.

Anyway be careful and practice a lot when you first get the gun. Keep it clean and loaded, doesn't do anyone any good unloaded. I know thats another controversial issue but your not going to be able to ask an intruder to please hang on a moment while you unlock your trigger guard and find the shells. Biggest thing to remember is to keep the safety on and the kids away from it. Kids will be your biggest concern. Statistics say that your kids are more likely to shoot themselves or you than you are to shoot an intruder so weigh the possibilities carefully before you go buying something that can change your world in a heartbeat. I know a lot of perfectly gun competant people who chose not to have a gun in there home simply because they have kids.

PS
what I find almost humerus is when hunters end up shooting one another, happens all the time. I also have heard my share of stories about how some fool shot his neighbors horse, or wife's prized dressage horse or whatever happened to be tied up in hunt camp
anyway be careful and have fun with it, chances are your never going to need it but in case you do, know how to use it.

Stopping power vs penetration is a whole 'nother battle but I think he has enough info. I'll leave it off this thread... Bos is right - Safety first!

[Vulkyn]

Moved to a new thread, if an admin can move the gun posts from Turmoil in Egypt to here i would be very grateful.

As the situation settles down in Egypt its clear that a gun is now a MUST .... thousands of weapons where stolen, hundreds of inmates escaped prison .... not ideal conditions by any means .....

I have fired 9MM lugger, shotguns and AK's. I am no export but i know my way around a gun.
The 9mm Recoil was ok and i liked the gun but it was too bulky for short range and quick drawing.

So any ideas would be great

[wardd]

something for thought

a low power pistol capable of wounding may be a better choice as colatteral damage would be less severe

you're more interested in deterring than killing and someone with a bullet wound would most always be deterred

[Vulkyn]

Ahhh i need an admin to sort out my other thread ... :S sorry

quick drawing... do you need concealability? If so, http://www.glock.com/english/glock27.htm if you can get plenty of ammo in .40 or Glock 26 in 9MM. Both are single stack sub compacts. Any Glock also has passive safeties only so don't leave a round in the chamber unless you are expecting immediate trouble. I leave all semi-autos empty-chambered, in fact - the only problem is that you let your opponent know where you are when you jack the first round and semi-autos need two hands for the first round. Get tritium night sights from the factory on the gun you order. Not "glow in the dark", not laser, just tritium.

[Vulkyn]

I dislike revolvers ... and semi - auto are not allowed in Egypt. (semi is multiple round per trigger pull? or auto loading and ready to shoot after each gunshoot? later is allowed)

So my choice will be hand guns only. Repair is going to be tough so a reliability is crucial.
I am not looking for a large long range tank piercing ammo so to speak, wounding (hope it never comes to more than that) short - medium range.

[troy2000]

Originally Posted by Vulkyn

I dislike revolvers ... and semi - auto are not allowed in Egypt. (semi is multiple round per trigger pull? or auto loading and ready to shoot after each gunshoot? later is allowed)

So my choice will be hand guns only. Repair is going to be tough so a reliability is crucial.
I am not looking for a large long range tank piercing ammo so to speak, wounding (hope it never comes to more than that) short - medium range.

No, "semi-auto" is the common pistol, with a slide. The sort you're looking at. "Full auto" would be a machine gun, like the Uzi.

Whether a round kills or wounds has a lot to do with where it strikes. But whatever you're shooting, if you have to pull the trigger you should aim for the center of mass and not worry about whether you're wounding or killing. Your goal is to incapacitate your opponent in the most straightforward and reliable way possible.

[wardd]

a laser pointer

[CatBuilder]

Originally Posted by Vulkyn

I dislike revolvers ... and semi - auto are not allowed in Egypt. (semi is multiple round per trigger pull? or auto loading and ready to shoot after each gunshoot? later is allowed)

So my choice will be hand guns only. Repair is going to be tough so a reliability is crucial.
I am not looking for a large long range tank piercing ammo so to speak, wounding (hope it never comes to more than that) short - medium range.

Semi-auto is the later in your post... "auto loading" and a new shot ready for the next trigger pull. "Automatic" is like the AK-47 you fired in the military.

Remember the old saying: If you are prepared to take a gun out and shoot it, you must also be prepared to kill someone. Guns are an enormous responsibility. If you pull your gun out and "wound" or "discourage" someone, they very well might shoot you and kill you in return.

If you ever take a gun out, you must already be to the point where you are willing to kill the other person (or people). Unless you are to that point, it is unwise to take the gun out at all.

There is no "in between" situation, except one that is likely to result in your death.

[troy2000]

As far as which pistol you choose, I suggest you look at what your local police and military forces are carrying. They're likely to be readily available and reliable, and there should be spare parts around for them if needed. Although to tell the truth, the average civilian-owned gun doesn't normally break pieces unless it's fired a lot.