Revolver vs semi-automatic

[Blarg]

I've read law enforcement officers, like Massad Ayoob I think, saying that the 9 millimeter is a better home defense gun than the .45 because your much less likely to have the bullet penetrate too far and wind up in a neighbor's house or in the neck of your own kid in the next room. That seemed to make a lot of sense to me, and that's what I bought.

Personally, I really love the old classic Colt 1911A and all the various copies of it, though. That gun is just damn fun to shoot, especially when accurized. I think that and almost any kind of .22 imaginable are the guns I like shooting best.

[DBowling]

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OTOH, you can't have regular capacity mags, so a 26 is more compact and hold the max anyway. So I dunno. Actually, limited to 10 rounds I'd probably opt for a .40 or 45 over the 9 anyway, although I like nines and have some

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what is this? is that california law that limits me to 10 rounds in a semi? or any handgun?

[jakethebake]

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I think the glock 19 is useless in california. Either a 17 or 26 is better. Because you can't get a CCW as easily the compact 19 may not matter much. So if you have size you might as well have the 17 because IMO the 17 handles just a little better. OTOH, you can't have regular capacity mags, so a 26 is more compact and hold the max anyway. So I dunno. Actually, limited to 10 rounds I'd probably opt for a .40 or 45 over the 9 anyway, although I like nines and have some. FWIW with the repeal of the low capacity magazine law, I got a glock 17. I thought I wanted the 19, btu decided the small difference in size wasn't woth it, so I went full size w/ the 17. And got those great regular capacity magazines.

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I've got the Glock 21. I love the little magazine extension that pops on and gives me 3 extra rounds with not much more size. I figure anything I can't take down with 17 .45 rounds can just have me.

[HDPM]

Yes, I think California law bans all magazines over 10 rounds. I am not a California resident and am not offering legal advice here, etc.... But my understanding is mags over 10 rounds can't be sold or brought into california. Check it with somebody knowledgeable in Cal. etc....

[renodoc]

My buddy, my buddy,
Whereever I go, he go.
My buddy, my buddy,
Run for your life when I stick him out the window.

[swede123]

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I've read law enforcement officers, like Massad Ayoob I think, saying that the 9 millimeter is a better home defense gun than the .45 because your much less likely to have the bullet penetrate too far and wind up in a neighbor's house or in the neck of your own kid in the next room. That seemed to make a lot of sense to me, and that's what I bought.


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There are several arguments why one might want a 9mm over a .45, but over penetration would not one of them. The type of bullet in your gun is much more of a factor. For example, if you are shooting full metal jackets (the standard practice ammo) over penetration will be much more of an issue than if you are shooting hollow points (the typical defensive ammo). This might actually be enhanced when shooting a smaller, faster bullet (9mm) than when shooting a larger, slower bullet (.45).

As I mentioned, there are some valid reasons for choosing 9mm. The ammunition is much cheaper, allowing you to practice more with the same expenditure. The recoil is different. Notice I said different, not less. Most people describe 9mm as more of a snap in your wrist whereas .45 is more of a push back. Another argument for 9mm is that you can cram more bullets into a similar size gun compared to a .45, though this may or may not be an issue if you are in a place where more than 10 rounds is outlawed.

Ultimately you should pick whatever you are comfortable with. As Bison said, nothing beats a shotgun for pure home-defense, but short of that as long as you go for 9mm or larger you shouldn't feel outgunned if it ever comes down to it.

My personal preference is .40, which is pretty much a more powerful 9mm. Many people consider this a nice compromise between the 9mm and .45, while others find it uncomfortable to shoot. I have a full size Glock 22 which works out great for me.

Cheers,

Swede

[Shajen]

Plus you have the Warrior Cat for home defense. I mean, who would screw with you with Warrior Cat around?

[CHiPS]

Buying a handgun is similar to buying a baseball glove. You want a gun / calibre that you are comfortable shooting and that produces accurate results (.38 or 9mm calibre or better). My hand is medium sized - I find some grips are too big for me. The trigger pull on the Glock has always felt weird to me - I'm used to the Beretta style of semi-autos. But that's just being used to something. Also a gun that you are confident you can handle safely is important. So I would say try out any gun you are interested in before buying. If a friend has one - or ask the store to let you shoot one. My preference is the Smith + Wesson .357 Magnum. You can load it anywhere from full powered rounds down to mild .38 target ammo, a range of options not possible with semi-autos since you need enough pressure from the ammo to cycle the slide.
I like the simplicity of operation of a Revolver. With semi-autos there are different setups. With the Beretta the first trigger pull is a double action pull like a Revolver. With some of the Colt models they are single action, so you have to think about how you would carry the gun or what condition you would leave it in, like being "cocked and locked" (hammer back on the round, safety on). I've never been comfortable with cocked and locked but thats just me. If you keep it without a round in the chamber than in a crisis situation will you remember to cycle the slide - or have the time. Just things to think about. With a semi auto to unload it you have to cycle it and pull the round out of the chamber. If you are used to these things and comfortable with them, then no problemo. But loading and unloading a revolver is simpler - also seeing if its loaded.
One other consideration is if you ever get into action shooting or other types of fun things with handguns a lot of those courses are set up for semi-autos with higher magazine capacities. So you may want the type of gun that allows you to participate in good practice activities.