Want to get a gun for home protection - suggestions?

SaltyNuts

Platinum Member
May 1, 2001
2,398
277
126
Never owned a gun. But recently with all the protesting, rioting and what not i feel like i should get one.

Suggestions?

This is PURELY for home protection. It would never leave the house. Other than maybe go to the shooting range from time to time.

Also do i need some kind of license for it? I'm in Texas.

Thanks for any suggestions.
 
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GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
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If you're in Texas you should have been issued a gun when you moved in. Contact your landlord or realtor.

For home protection, shotgun. Period. Simple 12 gauge pump.
 
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SaltyNuts

Platinum Member
May 1, 2001
2,398
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Lol GagHalfront. True enough!

I get a shotgun if you have like one home invader. But what if you get rushed by several people at once? Wouldnt it be better to have a gun where you can quickly pump bullets into one perp after another?

Thanks!
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
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Lol GagHalfront. True enough!

I get a shotgun if you have like one home invader. But what if you get rushed by several people at once? Wouldnt it be better to have a gun where you can quickly pump bullets into one perp after another?

Thanks!

They got semi automatic shotguns too.
 

Kazukian

Platinum Member
Aug 8, 2016
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Go to a range, rent the guns you're interested in, see what fits you and meets your needs.

There are a million YouTube videos on the subject, I like these guys a lot.



Both Hickok and IV are on the money on their reviews, watch a few hours of their videos.

I like the Taurus Judge and the S&W Governor as home defense weapons, with using a gun in the house, you have to think about doorframes, hallways, walls, swinging a long gun to bear on target requires you to point them up or down to work around them, not a problem with the "shotgun" pistols. The special shells made for them are impressive
 

Kazukian

Platinum Member
Aug 8, 2016
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I don't own either of these guns, but if I could only have 1 handgun, it would likely be one of those 2, probably the Taurus, because it's heavier and will handle the recoil better.

Also, in Texas, the "your honor, he needed to be kilt" defense is very effective, you can pretty much shoot anyone in your house or on your property after dark if you suspect they are going to hurt you or damage your property. During daylight hours, you need to use some common sense, but the castle doctrine is law in Texas.

No permit is needed, and you can buy used guns without any paperwork from a private seller in Texas. I'm a big fan of used guns, they don't depreciate much after they're fired, and last forever.
 
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SaltyNuts

Platinum Member
May 1, 2001
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Thanks a ton guys, ill look at those videos. Question off hand - yall mentioned "custom" ammunition. Doesnt that raise the ammunition cost significantly? I would think you would want the most standard of standart of ammo if you were going to go to shooting range often, were worried about mass revolt/revolution woth tons of perps, etc.

Maybe price difference is not that much?

Thanks!
 

boomerang

Lifer
Jun 19, 2000
18,883
641
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Some things to consider regarding gun ownership in Texas.

A person is ineligible for a license to carry a concealed weapon if the person:
(1) has been diagnosed by a licensed physician as suffering from a psychiatric disorder or condition that causes or is likely to cause substantial impairment in judgment, mood, perception, impulse control, or intellectual ability;
(2) suffers from a psychiatric disorder or condition described by Subdivision (1) that: (A) is in remission but is reasonably likely to redevelop at a future time; or (B) requires continuous medical treatment to avoid redevelopment;
(3) has been diagnosed by a licensed physician, determined by a review board or similar authority, or declared by a court to be incompetent to manage the person's own affairs; or
(4) has entered in a criminal proceeding a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
The following constitutes evidence that a person has a psychiatric disorder or condition described by section (1), above:
(1) involuntary psychiatric hospitalization;
(2) psychiatric hospitalization;
(3) inpatient or residential substance abuse treatment in the preceding five-year period;
(4) diagnosis in the preceding five-year period by a licensed physician that the person is dependent on alcohol, a controlled substance, or a similar substance; or
(5) diagnosis at any time by a licensed physician that the person suffers or has suffered from a psychiatric disorder or condition consisting of or relating to:
(A) schizophrenia or delusional disorder;
(B) bipolar disorder;
(C) chronic dementia, whether caused by illness, brain defect, or brain injury;
(D) dissociative identity disorder;
(E) intermittent explosive disorder; or
(F) antisocial personality disorder.
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
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75 cents a round. Man that's 1.5 credits on a pinball machine.
 

Kazukian

Platinum Member
Aug 8, 2016
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Noooooooooooooo

California is lucky enough to have less than 50% of HS students not even graduate and politicians to take advantage of it. It amazes me how ignorant the average Californian is. There are certainly geniuses and amazing people there, but damn, there are a lot of truly stupid people living there.
 
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twinrider1

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2003
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http://www.nrainstructors.org/search.aspx
The training side of the NRA is all business and doesn't get into the wacky fundraising/political lather. Visit the ranges in your area and find one where you feel comfortable. Take a Basic Pistol Course.
Fire as many different guns as you can. Recommendations are fine, but what really matters is how the gun feels in YOUR hand.


Watch every Clint Smith video. He's a no BS kind of guy and he's funny.
 

ronbo613

Golden Member
Jan 9, 2010
1,237
45
91
If you're in Texas you should have been issued a gun when you moved in. Contact your landlord or realtor.

For home protection, shotgun. Period. Simple 12 gauge pump.

If you absolutely need a firearm for home protection, this guy is right. Although for home protection, a dog would probably be better. Scaring off a criminal is better than shooting them. I wouldn't worry about the protestors and riots, more to fear from tweakers.

Pistols are great, so are machine guns, but nothing is better for clearing a room, especially in the dark, than a twelve gauge shotgun. Too bad this is such a common topic here in America.
 

Kazukian

Platinum Member
Aug 8, 2016
2,034
650
91
http://www.nrainstructors.org/search.aspx
The training side of the NRA is all business and doesn't get into the wacky fundraising/political lather. Visit the ranges in your area and find one where you feel comfortable. Take a Basic Pistol Course.
Fire as many different guns as you can. Recommendations are fine, but what really matters is how the gun feels in YOUR hand.


Watch every Clint Smith video. He's a no BS kind of guy and he's funny.

This. When I got back into guns, I rented a half dozen I was interested in at a range, ended up with a J frame S&W after some range time, it was at the bottom of my list till I fired it.

And get as much training as you can, even if it's just watching YouTube videos, it'll really help.
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,997
126
Lol GagHalfront. True enough!

I get a shotgun if you have like one home invader. But what if you get rushed by several people at once? Wouldnt it be better to have a gun where you can quickly pump bullets into one perp after another?

Thanks!

If SEAL Team Six barges into your bedroom in the middle of the night you're fucked no matter what you're packing. Your paranoid king of the world fantasies aside, you're not important enough for one person to try to kill you. There's not much chance of winding up on level 3 of Doom.
 

Kazukian

Platinum Member
Aug 8, 2016
2,034
650
91
Thanks guys. Kuzakian, im about 12 miles outside houston, south side.

Yeah, buy a gun, get some practice.

I'm just going to break a bunch of common sense rules here.

Buy one of these, shoot the hell out of it, if you like it fine, if not sell it for what you paid for it easily, move on to a different gun.

http://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperst.../glock-21-gen3-45-acp-police-trade-ins-(fair)

Use this to find an FFL to do the transfer for you.

http://www.gunbroker.com/FFL/DealerNetwork.aspx
 
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sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
99,567
17,627
126
If you're in Texas you should have been issued a gun when you moved in. Contact your landlord or realtor.

For home protection, shotgun. Period. Simple 12 gauge pump.
Do you really want the renter special? get a bfg 9000
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,997
126
Do you really want the renter special? get a bfg 9000

Massive bonus points if you're man enough to dual wield two of them simultaneously.

-1000 if you get whacked by a noob using the chainsaw he found on level one.
 

OverVolt

Lifer
Aug 31, 2002
14,278
89
91
If SEAL Team Six barges into your bedroom in the middle of the night you're fucked no matter what you're packing. Your paranoid king of the world fantasies aside, you're not important enough for one person to try to kill you. There's not much chance of winding up on level 3 of Doom.
Yea but if you did you'd be glad you prepared :)

When someone is breaking into your house unexpectedly at 3am is probably not the time to realize you should've bought a gun.

The only reason people who do night time break-ins as oppose to daytime (everyone at work breakins) is because they don't give a shit if you're home and don't mind killing/knocking you out, terrible stuff, get a gun. The cops will write a fantastically detailed report about where exactly your dead body was found and all but they won't be there in time to actually stop anything.