I was wondering how many of you own a gun?


I went to one of the local gun stores today and looked at a few Glocks, i think sometime this week i am going to go to targetmaster's and rent a couple of guns to see which i like the best. I think that i will probably get a 9mm, not sure which brand yet though. Today i liked the feel of the large Glock the best, it was the correct size for my hand.

I have a few handguns, Alex. If you're definitely going with an automatic, Glock has to rank at the top of the list for reliability, although in that aspect revolvers still have the edge. By "large Glock" I assume that you're referring to the 17, and that would be a fine choice if concealed carry wasn't a primary consideration. At the range you might also try a Glock or other in .40 S&W, which has a bit of an edge for self-defense use.

How about a Browning .22 pistol for target shooting?

Thanks John,

I plan on trying the feel of several different pieces prior to shooting anything. I am not sure as to the model number of the "large" Glock...

Concealed and carry isn't a concern, i am not sure if i will ever get that permit... Self-defense is also not a primary concern..

I was really surprised at how inexpensive handguns are. I always had the perception that they were quite expensive. The last time i shot a handgun was in bootcamp in 2003, and i really don't know much about them. So, i will have to get educated as to which piece would be best for me.


An episode today of Son's of Guns had a Glock 12 full auto handgun. However, i think that would be a bit much for me.


I think targetmasters said that a box of 50 9mm rounds was around 25$? Granted, they only let you use their amo, as this is a revenue source for them. Even at 25$ a box, thats not too much $$.. So, i don't know the cost difference of ammo would be enough to justify the cost of another gun? Again, this is something new to me... I do have several prior military buddies who are BIG into guns... So, in the future i will probably be buggig them as well .

A small arsenal and a permit to carry.

My carry piece is a Sig 229 SAS in .40 S&W. I didn't like the Glock trigger.

I'm also looking at a Ruger LCP for the back pocket.

If self-defense isn't a primary concern, why is a relatively big 9mm being considered? If it's fun with target practice, a .22 auto, as Chris mentioned, would seem to be appropriate.

Here's one man's view of the choices.

I think i would just like to get something a bit bigger than a 22..


John, according to your link that author likes the Sig Sauer the most, even though it is not the highest value... I will ask if targetmaster carries that brand, or has any to rent.


I will keep my mind open to a 22, as for selfdefense i think any hand gun will act as a pretty good persuasion device.

Sure, Targetmasters has a fine selection of rental guns .

As to the Sig, of course that's one man's viewpoint. Note that Doc lists ammo recommendations here and in the next post has some different ideas about Sigs and others.

Also give the CZ 75B a try. It's a very well regarded 9mm and is as reliable as can be. If I were you I would give a good .22 a serious look. It's a great learning tool and for just plain fun they're hard to beat. Cheap to shoot too.

.22 ammo can't be beat for the price. Another nice thing about having a. 22 is that if others are interested in learning to shoot, it's much easier for a newbie (especially women) to initially feel comfortable starting with a 22. Personally, I wouldn't feel at all comfortable relying on a .22 for self defense. If you're ever in a situation where you would need to protect yourself, a. 22 just doesn't have the stopping power of a larger caliber.

I currently have a .357 for home and a. 38 snubnose for carry, though I don't carry much at all anymore. NH has easy carry laws so I've had a concealed-carry permit for the 20 years I've lived here, though that was pretty much for driving home from a wedding at 2am with $50k worth of equipment in my marked van.

I had a compact S&W 9mm that I loved in many respects. It was a compact model with pre-ban magazines (13 in the magazine + 1 in the chamber) and it fit my hand perfectly) I had one jam at a range that spooked me though, and without having the time to practice at the range like I used to, I decided that if my life were to ever depend on it, it was better to have 5-6 reliable shots from a revolver than to possibly have a jam in a pistol. I'm still not sure I don't regret selling it though.

You really have to make a determination if you want something for the range, something for carrying, something for home protection, etc. Though there is absolutely some crossover there, I've certainly learned to understand why many gun owners own more than one; sometimes, one gun just doesn't fill multiple roles or needs.