Recommend a pistol for me

[UCI CamaroFan]

Originally Posted by shank0668

Eh Elephant gun. Good dropping power. Like what gun place said about .45 pistol. He asked dropping what? They said people.

LOL. Well, I am sure that if you fire that gun, you will have hearing damage afterwards. I have fired too many guns in my lifetime, even though I am only 20... and now I have permanent hearing loss as well as tinnitus (ringing in the ears) because I have not worn hearing protection.

As a result, I would opt for something that is quieter when you shoot. Sure, if somebody comes in at night and I have to kill them, I would be thankful for my life, but I would also like to retain my hearing.

For this reason, I would argue you should get something like an M1 carbine. Fires a .30 caliber bullet, and the rifle is very light.

Edit: I bet those guys in that video who had their earmuffs come off after firing the gun also got hearing damage.

Recently I brought back 6 guns... I inherited over 40 guns from my grandfather. I now have an M1 carbine, Winchester model 1400 (automatic shotgun), a Marlin .30-30, a Remington .30-06, a Ruger .22, and a Savage .243 all in my closet

[The_Beast_]

Any 9mm Glock. Its the AK of the handguns. Personally speaking greatest handgun ever.

[TFord]

Originally Posted by UCI CamaroFan

LOL. Well, I am sure that if you fire that gun, you will have hearing damage afterwards. I have fired too many guns in my lifetime, even though I am only 20... and now I have permanent hearing loss as well as tinnitus (ringing in the ears) because I have not worn hearing protection.

As a result, I would opt for something that is quieter when you shoot. Sure, if somebody comes in at night and I have to kill them, I would be thankful for my life, but I would also like to retain my hearing.

For this reason, I would argue you should get something like an M1 carbine. Fires a .30 caliber bullet, and the rifle is very light.

Edit: I bet those guys in that video who had their earmuffs come off after firing the gun also got hearing damage.

Recently I brought back 6 guns... I inherited over 40 guns from my grandfather. I now have an M1 carbine, Winchester model 1400 (automatic shotgun), a Marlin .30-30, a Remington .30-06, a Ruger .22, and a Savage .243 all in my closet

I know what you mean Ive got tinnitus as well! Wow nice collection, as well. looking to sell any?

Originally Posted by The_Beast_

Any 9mm Glock. Its the AK of the handguns. Personally speaking greatest handgun ever.

Ahhh that can be argued, the glock does have a pretty big cult...lol I'd give it top 5 honors based on my experience.

[Kyle2k]

I am looking for a .40 S&W with a threaded barrel - the HK USP is the only I have found thus far...anyone else have any insight or recommendations for the aforementioned criteria.

Originally Posted by Can-Am

I have 20/20 vision. I'm just not instantly alert and focused when I get up. I don't expect to wake up in the middle of the night and be sharp as a whip right away... I just figured a gun range at 10AM is not like my own home at 3AM in total darkness. Though there isn't any consensus, it seems like a shotgun is better for a situation where I wake up and I'm not sure what's going on except that someone might be in my house somewhere.

All's I'm saying is wake up before you pull the trigger.

[MrIcky]

Pretty much all of the guns suggested are great guns, but as others have suggested there may be some standouts for your situation. Others have made the same suggestions, but I'm going to expound a little.

I'm assuming you and your wife are not super familiar with guns. The only gun you own with minimal training (say 1 NRA class) probably should not be a single-action automatic (H&K's, Sigs, Springfields, etc). If there is a bullet chambered with the hammer down, then the first shot is double action and the 2nd is single action (which significantly changes the trigger force required).

The goal is to have a gun that fires in a very consistant manner so you rely on muscle memory to do the fine actions involved in firing. This way your mind can concentrate on proper call out and target identification.

My recommendation would be:

1: A shotgun, preferably a 20 gauge. Bigger is not always better in home defense.
2: A double action revolver. .38 is a good all around gun. .44SPECIAL (not magnum) is good as well.
3: If you really want a semi-auto- I'd go with a glock because it's pull is consistant between the 1st and all subsequent shots.

Your goals for home defense should be:

Best Sight Picture
Maximum Stopping Power
Minimum Overpenetration

You also need to realize home defense and concealed weapons have different goals and therefore different guns make better choices. Home defense training focuses on call outs and positioning with good knowledge of the angles of your home in hopes of making the bad guy go away. I prefer my home defense weapon to be intimidating rather than stealthy. I have a railmount flashlight on my gun. I would rather get shot for being too slow to shoot and having a flashlight then accidently hit a loved one. Everyone who attends an NRA inside the home class is always stunned at how much stuff even a moderately powered bullet will go through.

People have a misconception that hollowpoints get stopped by walls. Instead they cookie cutter through gypsum which blocks the hollowpoint so they don't expand right. A 9mm can pass through several interior walls without a problem. Fluid is what expands a hollowpoint. Even trained people are horrid shots in tense situations- and if you have people in your home, missing the intruder is a bad option. The best choice is to scare away the intruder without a shot.

For concealment your goals are:
Small size
Protected from snags/access
Adequate stopping power

Most concealment encounters occur within 5 feet. Aiming and sight pictures aren't a real-factor. Nor is target identification. My favorite concealment weapon is the S&W airlite titanium. No sharp corners that can snag and .38 is a good all-around caliber. You can spend twice as much time talking about proper carry positions and holsters as you do about what gun to choose for concealment.

Sorry for the long post.

[GTAHVIT]

^ Very nice post. there's some great information there.

[SAUCE]

Glock 18. full auto

[SubSolar]

I have Sigs, Glocks and a Colt 1911. Sigs are my favorite by far, especially the ST (all stainless models), particularly my 220ST's (.45).

[moto-camaro]

Originally Posted by Haloman1346

Might you consider the gun I use for personal protection and its a blast to go to the range and watch people jaws drop.

.50 cal AE Desert Eagle from Magnum Research

edit: http://www.magnumresearch.com/Desert_Eagle.asp

Easy to convert from .50 ae to 44 or 357. All you need is the barrels, mags and the bolt.

I paid 1400 for mine, 2600 will get you everything you needs to have 3 guns in 1.

somebody's got a hand cannon....
gotta love it when the motto on the website is "The Science of KABOOM"

[Codefive]

I love guns!
I have had countless hand guns over the past 20+ years and I have always leaned towards larger caliber weapons so I'm slightly biased but ... without reservation ... I would say SIG!!! I cant say I have a favorite piece but my three favorites are my Sig Sauer P226 .40 cal, my Para-Ordinance P12-45 and my Colt Officer's Enhanced Compact 45. If I had to choose just one, it would be the SIG, hands down! The accuracy is second to none IMO.
Not bragging, but I'm pretty deadly with just about anything I pick up, but I have to say, with the SIG, I almost dont even have to look. That gun just hits the red every time. It costs a little more but ... if your life depended on it, would you want a "bargain piece"? really? Is your life or the life of your family not worth a few hundred extra dollars?

And for what its worth, I wouldnt go with the Crimson trace grip, but rather the Lazer Max deal. It goes right into the recoil area and is much nicer IMO and deadly accurate (speaking from experience. lol)

Good luck with whatever you choose and dont choose hastily. If you can, go to a range and "feel" several different weapons. If something doesnt feel "at home" in your hands, DONT BUY IT! The right gun will feel like it belongs there. Trust me, you'll know when you've handled it And dont be afraid to spend a little extra for the right piece. Its an investment. Buy the very best that you can afford.

[Camaro_Corvette]

Originally Posted by gtahvit

^ Very nice post. there's some great information there.

[chrisinlittlerock]

Glock or S&W .40. You get what you pay for so don't skimp on quality