Hand gun ownership in the U.S.

[Martinis at 8]

One handgun, self-protection.

M8

 

[Big Man]

Funny gun/anti-gun story ...

Back in the early 1970's we had a group of friends, boys and girls, who did a lot of backpacking. One time we were out on the Appalachian Trail in the middle of nowhere. We made camp just off the trail at the edge of a field. While unpacking for the evening, out from my bedroll came a .44 Mag. that I always carried (but never "flashed" to my trail partners). One of the girls in the group was what could best be described as a "tree hugger", and really started in to me on having that gun. "What are you scared of ?", "why do you feel the need to have a gun ?", "what are you, some kind of killer?" were some of the comments she started to fling my way. Well, later that night, headlights appeared across that open field, and the red neck music started blaring from the eight-tracks in the pick-up's. Unbeknownst to us, we had managed to pick the "party spot" of the local drunks to camp near. Well, as fast as a bolt of lightning, that girl who gave me such a hard time climbed into my sleeping bag for "protection". And who says the right to carry a gun doesn't have benefits !

 

[Dutch McCoy]

I do not own a gun. I will not own a gun. No Point.

 

[Diamondback]

OH I WANT ONE OF THOSE.

...

That was my outer monologue, wasn't it?

-Viola
P.S. Maybe something in a nice Deco jadeite...

Just remember, Miss V., recreational arms can be high-viz, but when the Serious Social Situation hits, you want 'em as low-visibility as possible. (All the camo in the world does you no good if your rifle stands out like a sore thumb, after all...)

 

[J.S.Udontknowme]

I have several. Some for recreation, some for defense and some just because I like the the way they look.

 

[Senator Jack]

Okay, I enter the discussion again with one short comment: Extremely Disturbing

 

[Undertow]

Two handguns, will be three in the near future.

I own a Smith&Wesson 686, 6-shot .357 magnum revolver with a 6" barrel.

For protection I carry a Taurus .357 magnum 5-shot revolver with 2" barrel.

Soon I'll be purchasing a Smith&Wesson Model 1911 .45 (and yes, I have fired Kimbers and no, I don't care for them as much as S&W!)

 

[Viola]

Undertow what do you think of the quality of the Taurus? I was looking at them.

-Viola

 

[Diamondback]

IIRC, the Taurus revolvers are generally licensed clones or derivatives of S&W designs, just not as finely crafted. Sorry, I'm mostly an autoloader guy, so can't be much help here yet.

 

[Fatdutchman]

The little girl with the pink AR15 is way too young to be shooting such a thing. At MOST she should be shooting one of the little Chipmunk single shot .22's. I do think things like this are irresponsible, and it's not just an advertisement. SOME people WILL have their children shooting guns that they simply cannot handle at very young ages. Very stupid. I remember watching a shooting show a couple of years ago where they were at a PPC or some other pistol competition, and one guy had his son with him. His son was probably about 6-8 years old, and he had the boy shooting his .38 Super auto pistol....the boy was not even able to pull back the slide, the father had to do it and then hand the gun to him. It really Irked me. This boy was at pellet rifle age, not major caliber automatic pistol age...

Just shows that you will find stupidity in every endeavor.

[bad]

A lot of the class that used to be found in the "shooting community" is disappearing. But, the same thing can be said for just about everything these days.

I am definitely a revolver man! I'm not real impressed with Taurus (though I can say it has been a long time since I handled one...perhaps they have improved in the last several years). The Taurus will function, and no doubt one would have no reliability problems with them, but they definitely do not compare with a Smith and Wesson, which they are loose copies of. As far as import revolvers are concerned, I have handled a few Rossi guns, and was far more impressed with them than with the Tauri (that's the right plural form, right?).

I've always wanted one of the little Ruger SP101's, but have never gotten around to getting one...

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

The little girl with the pink AR15 is way too young to be shooting such a thing. At MOST she should be shooting one of the little Chipmunk single shot .22's. I do think things like this are irresponsible, and it's not just an advertisement. SOME people WILL have their children shooting guns that they simply cannot handle at very young ages. Very stupid. I remember watching a shooting show a couple of years ago where they were at a PPC or some other pistol competition, and one guy had his son with him. His son was probably about 6-8 years old, and he had the boy shooting his .38 Super auto pistol....the boy was not even able to pull back the slide, the father had to do it and then hand the gun to him. It really Irked me. This boy was at pellet rifle age, not major caliber automatic pistol age...

Just shows that you will find stupidity in every endeavor.

[bad]

A lot of the class that used to be found in the "shooting community" is disappearing. But, the same thing can be said for just about everything these days.

I am definitely a revolver man! I'm not real impressed with Taurus (though I can say it has been a long time since I handled one...perhaps they have improved in the last several years). The Taurus will function, and no doubt one would have no reliability problems with them, but they definitely do not compare with a Smith and Wesson, which they are loose copies of. As far as import revolvers are concerned, I have handled a few Rossi guns, and was far more impressed with them than with the Tauri (that's the right plural form, right?).

I've always wanted one of the little Ruger SP101's, but have never gotten around to getting one...

I agree. Young kids should not be handling guns. If I had kids and they wanted to learn how to shoot, I think 12 to 14 years of age would be a more appropriate age for them to learn, and then with a small caliber gun that they would not have trouble handling.
I prefer autos, but would like to get a nice classic styled revolver, something that the military would have used, U.S. or foreign. What would y'all recommend?

 

[Viola]

I was weighing the Taurus Gaucho vs. its very obvious direct competition, the Ruger Vaquero.

-Viola

 

[John in Covina]

I disagree, at 8-10 yo depending on the maturity of the youngster, an adult can begin training with a single shot (usually bolt action) 22 rifle. Training as to not handling firearms with out adult supervision begins at an even earlier age.
I have seen it done with great sucess.

 

[Fatdutchman]

Simple Major, a S&W Model 10 "Military and Police" .38 Special (with the tapered barrel...I hate heavy barrels). They have made millions of them, and they are easy to find in very good condition for not a whole lot of money. I paid $150 for mine several years ago, and it was virtually brand new. Probably made in the '70's. The M&P was a "secondary standard" in the military during WWII and later, and was most often issued to pilots/aircrew, among others. You can find "Victory Models" that are actual military issue with a matte blue or parkerized finish, but I don't know how available these are at the moment.

I have my uncle's "Blue Jacket's Manual" printed in 1968, and they still showed the S&W .38 as an issue gun.

I don't have a problem with a young child shooting per se, but what they shoot is important. 6 years old MIGHT be BB gun age. 8-10, a pellet rifle or maybe the aforementioned Chipmunk .22 Definitely not an AR or a big pistol!!!

My first gun was a .410 H&R single shot shotgun (which I still have). I'm not sure how old I was when I got it, but it was probably something like 11.

 

[Viola]

I agree. Young kids should not be handling guns. If I had kids and they wanted to learn how to shoot, I think 12 to 14 years of age would be a more appropriate age for them to learn, and then with a small caliber gun that they would not have trouble handling.
I prefer autos, but would like to get a nice classic styled revolver, something that the military would have used, U.S. or foreign. What would y'all recommend?

I guess it depends on what you think of as a "young kid." I wouldn't do much with a kid under seven. But teaching of the "don't touch it" and "its always loaded" type should begin well before that.

At 14 there's no need to give them an especially small caliber, I was done growing then.

-Viola

 

[John in Covina]

If you can find a nice S&W Military Police in 38 SPec. those are very nice usually great trigger pull with a clean crisp break and gunsmiths can usually give a quick once over and make them smooth as glass. I have a friend that usually has 3 to 4 of these at any time and they are usually fantastic to shoot.

Also if you can find either the Colt or S&W 45ACP revolver (M1917?) those are great guns that can be given just a little work by a gunsmith and be really superb shooters.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

The .38 sounds like a good choice, thanks.
It does have a somewhat longish barrel I think? I like a longer barrel for greater accuracy at longer ranges,....

 

[John in Covina]

S&W M&P

I don't know if they made say a 5 or 6" barrel but they definately made 4" ones.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

They did.

The 5 inch Victory model looks about right.
http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg76-e.htm

 

[Fatdutchman]

4" generally. Older ones can be found with 5" and even 6" barrels. The longer barrel doesn't really gain you much. Maybe a little more velocity, but that's it. Barrel length actually doesn't have anything really to do with accuracy (though people will cite a longer sighting radius). My grandfather carried one with a 2" barrel as a Sheriff's deputy during my youth in the '70's.

S&W has "reissued" a 1917 .45 with, I believe, a 5 1/2" barrel. Limited run, so you have to be quick!!!!!

Here's my #1 pistol (yes, it is a pistol). My S&W "model 22" .45acp. Classically styled and powerful (like me! ). In case of flood, fire, tornado, riot, revolution, or any other time the Shinola hits the fan, I'm grabbin' two things: my hat, and this gun.