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bapple 
LSU Fan
Member since Oct 2010
4197 posts
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 10:02 am to Redfin)
quote:
I suggest S&W M&P. 9 or 45 would be my choice. Very reliable!
+1
M&P all day over Glock. Any caliber will work fine.
And a recent thread I made...
If you buy an M&P40, you can buy a 9mm and .357 Sig barrel for it and have 3 different calibers in one platform. Just some food for thought.
And I agree if you want a good revolver in .357, I would suggest Ruger GP100 or S&W 686. Can't go wrong.
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ShoeBang 
LA-Lafayette Fan
Member since May 2012
2094 posts
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quote:
Full size double action .357 magnum revolver is the most reliable thing you can buy. Also packs significantly more ass.
Me and my Taurus .357 under my driver's seat agree with this
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BarDTiger81
LSU Fan
nurfeast lowsyana
Member since Jul 2011
15639 posts
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 10:13 am to ShoeBang)
If you get a GP 100 get the 4" barrel. 6" is to big for a truck gun IMO.
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SenseiBuddy
LSU Fan
InternetBadAssVille
Member since Oct 2005
3325 posts
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 10:21 am to Lubricious)
I'm a glock guy.
But outside that obvious bias I'd recommend in no particular order:
Beretta
XD
Sig
Ruger
Prolly one or two more I can add but I'm having a brain fart.
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Junky 
Louisiana Tech Fan
Louisiana
Member since Oct 2005
1844 posts
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quote:
Full size double action .357 magnum revolver is the most reliable thing you can buy. Also packs significantly more ass.
My S&W 686 agrees.
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DownshiftAndFloorIt
LSU Fan
The devil dreams on an idle horse
Member since Jan 2011
30454 posts
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 11:59 am to BarDTiger81)
4" is enough to get reallyyyy good performance out 125gr .357 full house loads
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BarDTiger81
LSU Fan
nurfeast lowsyana
Member since Jul 2011
15639 posts
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I concur!
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Nodust
LSU Fan
Member since Aug 2010
15368 posts
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quote:
Full size double action .357 magnum revolver is the most reliable thing you can buy. Also packs significantly more ass.
Can't go wrong with that
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DownshiftAndFloorIt
LSU Fan
The devil dreams on an idle horse
Member since Jan 2011
30454 posts
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 1:22 pm to BarDTiger81)
Anything past 4" starts to get a lil excessive unless its just a woods and range gun. I think mine has a 6.5" barrel and its too damn big for anything other than hunting or beating people over the head with it.
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hardhead
LSU Fan
stinky bayou
Member since Jun 2009
1748 posts
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quote:
I think mine has a 6.5"
mine too
i love it and its stainless so its a great "cruiser peice"
hard for cc
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LouisianaChessie
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since May 2010
788 posts
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 1:50 pm to Lubricious)
I'm not trying to be negative but I want you to know a few things that I was told when buying a defense gun. First, ballistically speaking there is very little difference in most of the popular self defense rounds. You can see different numbers but as far as "knock down power" none of them have any. Some may have more velocity or weight but these rounds usually take up more space. Revolvers are nice but you limit yourself to 5-7 rounds before having to reload. This is fine if there is 1 person but what happens if there is 3? Make sure you buy a reliable gun with a decent trigger. Makes for better/faster follow up shots. The xd is a great gun but the small grip safety does pose a problem in some hand to hand situations. It must be pressed for the gun to fire. Glock and the M&P line are both great fighting tools. Just my .02
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Carson123987
LSU Fan
Middle Court at The Rec
Member since Jul 2011
23078 posts
 Online
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 1:55 pm to Lubricious)
HK P30 in .40. Most ergonomic gun ever. Sweet shooter.
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DownshiftAndFloorIt
LSU Fan
The devil dreams on an idle horse
Member since Jan 2011
30454 posts
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IMO, a defensive gun and a combat gun are two wayyyy different things. A defensive gun is something to buy you enough time to get the hell outta whatever situation you're in. A combat gun is for fighting.
Revolvers make horrible combat weapons, but are the best defensive weapons. High capacity semi autos are great combat weapons but not very good defensive weapons. Just my .02
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Bull11
LSU Fan
Lafayette, LA
Member since Feb 2006
125 posts
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 2:43 pm to BarDTiger81)
quote:
Smith & Wesson M&P 45.
The s&w M&P series is awesome. Anything from the smaller shield to the full size are sweet. Very reliable guns also.
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dawg23
Baton Rouge, La
Member since Jul 2011
917 posts
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quote:
I'm not trying to be negative but I want you to know a few things that I was told when buying a defense gun. First, ballistically speaking there is very little difference in most of the popular self defense rounds. You can see different numbers but as far as "knock down power" none of them have any. Some may have more velocity or weight but these rounds usually take up more space. Revolvers are nice but you limit yourself to 5-7 rounds before having to reload. This is fine if there is 1 person but what happens if there is 3? Make sure you buy a reliable gun with a decent trigger. Makes for better/faster follow up shots. The XD is a great gun but the small grip safety does pose a problem in some hand to hand situations. It must be pressed for the gun to fire. Glock and the M&P line are both great fighting tools. Just my .02
^^^^ Lotsa good info here.
If I were the OP, and was seeking input from a bunch of folks that I have never met, I'd the respondent dant to list how many thousand rounds he has personally fired through whatever weapon he is recommending.
There will no doubt be some, but not too many, who will be able to honestly report having fired 10-20 thousand rounds through their "recommended weapon." I suspect that there are even one or two "gurus" who are basing their recommendations on what they have read in some gun rag, or overheard at the gun counter in some local store.
Gun stores, gun magazines and internet forums are not always the best places to get reliable info on self-defense weapons. I would suggest two "better" sources.
1. Find a "firerms training academy" that hosts a forum, or send an email inquiry to one of these schools. They teach thousands of students every year, and thus see every imaginable make/configuration/caliber or handgun.
In a typical two day-three day handgun class, students will fire anywhere between 800 and 1400 rounds. The instructors at these schools know from experience which guns are reliable.
2. Do some internet research and find out what makes and models of sidearms are issued//approved by various state, federal and large local law enforcement agencies. These agencies, in most cases, did a lot of homework before approving the handguns their officers carry.
This homework often includes testing similar to that which our military performs during its weapons evaluations. If you can determine that a sizable percentage (say, greater than 20%) of LEO's nationwide carry a certain make//model handgun, you can be fairly comfortable in believing it has already been proven to be reliable.
Just my $.02, to be added to LouisianaChessie's $.02 above.
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BarDTiger81
LSU Fan
nurfeast lowsyana
Member since Jul 2011
15639 posts
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 3:29 pm to dawg23)
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olgoi khorkhoi
Bucknell Fan
priapism survivor
Member since May 2011
1918 posts
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 3:40 pm to dawg23)
quote:
^^^^ Lotsa good info here. If I were the OP, and was seeking input from a bunch of folks that I have never met, I'd the respondent dant to list how many thousand rounds he has personally fired through whatever weapon he is recommending. There will no doubt be some, but not too many, who will be able to honestly report having fired 10-20 thousand rounds through their "recommended weapon." I suspect that there are even one or two "gurus" who are basing their recommendations on what they have read in some gun rag, or overheard at the gun counter in some local store. Gun stores, gun magazines and internet forums are not always the best places to get reliable info on self-defense weapons. I would suggest two "better" sources. 1. Find a "firerms training academy" that hosts a forum, or send an email inquiry to one of these schools. They teach thousands of students every year, and thus see every imaginable make/configuration/caliber or handgun. In a typical two day-three day handgun class, students will fire anywhere between 800 and 1400 rounds. The instructors at these schools know from experience which guns are reliable. 2. Do some internet research and find out what makes and models of sidearms are issued//approved by various state, federal and large local law enforcement agencies. These agencies, in most cases, did a lot of homework before approving the handguns their officers carry. This homework often includes testing similar to that which our military performs during its weapons evaluations. If you can determine that a sizable percentage (say, greater than 20%) of LEO's nationwide carry a certain make//model handgun, you can be fairly comfortable in believing it has already been proven to be reliable. Just my $.02, to be added to LouisianaChessie's $.02 above.
nother words, just get a glock. It's fine for combat or defense.
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TigerOnThe Hill
Springhill
Member since Sep 2008
1821 posts
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 4:30 pm to Lubricious)
Lubricious,
Lots of good recs so far. For what it's worth, I've got some thoughts.
Cliff's Notes version:
Depending on your level of experience w/ handguns, I'd suggest one of the following. Inexpereinced: A full size (4-6" barrel), steel frame, 6 shot (or more) revolver w/ fixed sights chambered in 357 Mag. Start off shooting mild 38 Spec rounds, advancing to +P loads when you can handle them. Advance to full 357 Mag loads ONLY once you've mastered the +P loads. If you can't make it to 357 Mag loads, just stay w/ the +P loads, which are still very formidable self defense rounds. A similar sized gun in 38 Special w/ +P rounds is good too if you don't have any interest in the recoil/muzzle blast of the 357 Mag.
Experienced: Full size semi-auto in 9mm from a reputable manufacturer, e.g. S&W (M&P series), Springfield Armory (XD series), Ruger (SR series), Glock, Sig, CZ or Beretta. I prefer DAO or SAO, but you may well prefer SA/DA type. Likewise, I mostly prefer no external safeties, but you may want a safety. If you're experienced and comfortable w/ the platform, a reliable 1911 is appropriate, as well.
For home use, the best self defense weapon is not a handgun, but a shotgun, usually a 12 gauge, but 20 gauge is a good choice, as well.
Full Version:For a self defense gun that is NOT going to be used in concealed carry, you don't want, nor need a compact or subcompact gun; get a full size gun w/ a steel frame. All things being equal, a smaller and lighter gun is generally more difficult to shoot well than is a larger and heavier gun, especially for newbies.
The best self defense calibers are 9mm, 357 Mag, 357 Sig, 40 S&W and 45 ACP; 38 Special also has a good track record, but not like the above.
The semi-auto vs revolver debate always generates a lot of interest. Ruger, Colt, Chiappa and Smith & Wesson are top notch makers of revolvers; other makers that seem to have spotty quality control include Charter Arms, Rossi and Taurus.
Last, if you can swing it, I'd strongly consider buying a 22 LR to learn the basics of handgun handling and to practice w/. If you want a revolver for self defense, make the 22 LR a revolver; if the SD gun is a semi auto, get a semi auto 22 LR.
Good luck. Let us know what you buy and be sure and include PICS. :-)
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Ole Geauxt
LSU Fan
KnowLa.
Member since Dec 2007
29910 posts
Online
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 5:04 pm to TigerOnThe Hill)
quote:
TigerOnThe Hill
if ya get a chance, would like to ask you a question..tks
This post was edited on 11/9 at 5:13 pm
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jimbeam
LSU Fan
Patrick F. Taylor
Member since Oct 2011
16098 posts
| re: Handgun recommendation (Posted on 11/9/12 at 5:04 pm to El Josey Wales)
quote:
Glock 19
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