Best handgun for home protection?

[pjs65]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

In the UK are you allowed to even own a handgun??

Can you get a Concealed Carry permit??

I not really sure about that but i think you can get a permit to own a gun , its just something we don't have in general use over here . Here if you own a gun your either in a gun club , need it for your job or a drug dealer , and only a few specialist police units have guns . We do have a bit of a knife problem with the youngsters but generally the laws pretty tight here on any kind of weapon and even to say that you have a gun can get you arrested . I know you guys like your firearms but we find them unnerving and view people with a bit of suspicion for wanting one . Your allowed to carry them and we aren't and to be honest i feel safer with things that way . Pete

[camcojb]

Originally Posted by pjs65

I not really sure about that but i think you can get a permit to own a gun , its just something we don't have in general use over here . Here if you own a gun your either in a gun club , need it for your job or a drug dealer , and only a few specialist police units have guns . We do have a bit of a knife problem with the youngsters but generally the laws pretty tight here on any kind of weapon and even to say that you have a gun can get you arrested . I know you guys like your firearms but we find them unnerving and view people with a bit of suspicion for wanting one . Your allowed to carry them and we aren't and to be honest i feel safer with things that way . Pete

I am glad it's not that way here.

[Sieg]

Originally Posted by pjs65

or a drug dealer

That's where the big problem is for me. I'm not sure how the statistics would play out for the number of drug dealers per capita in the UK vs. US but there are way too many in our community for me to be comfortable without effective defense measures.

If everyone would play by the rules it would be easy........

[pjs65]

Originally Posted by Sieg

That's where the big problem is for me. I'm not sure how the statistics would play out for the number of drug dealers per capita in the UK vs. US but there are way too many in our community for me to be comfortable without effective defense measures.

If everyone would play by the rules it would be easy........

I dont know either but its more of a public perception about drug use and gun crime that its on every street corner when it isn't . Generally druggies shoot druggies and i cannot recalled an incident of a drug addict entering a strangers house and shooting them , its more likely to be a family member . We have had a couple of cases of homeowners shooting unarmed burglers and have gone to prison for it , the public have been on the side of the homeowner . We are told that using reasonable force is ok in dealing with burglars but shooting one in the back is not , the public view is slightly more right wing but not much . The murder rate over here is about 1 per 100,000 and most of them are carried out by those known to the victim ,like a spouse . friend or family member . Gun killings here are less than 1 per 1,000,000 and how that compare's to the US i don't know but with those kind of figures arming myself isn't foremost in my mind . Drugs are the real problem here as with anywhere nowadays just look at Mexico , remove drugs and crime could be halved .But i do find guns creepy , just a euro liberal i guess . Pete

[Sieg]

Originally Posted by pjs65

I dont know either but its more of a public perception about drug use and gun crime that its on every street corner when it isn't . Generally druggies shoot druggies and i cannot recalled an incident of a drug addict entering a strangers house and shooting them , its more likely to be a family member . We have had a couple of cases of homeowners shooting unarmed burglers and have gone to prison for it , the public have been on the side of the homeowner . We are told that using reasonable force is ok in dealing with burglars but shooting one in the back is not , the public view is slightly more right wing but not much . The murder rate over here is about 1 per 100,000 and most of them are carried out by those known to the victim ,like a spouse . friend or family member . Gun killings here are less than 1 per 1,000,000 and how that compare's to the US i don't know but with those kind of figures arming myself isn't foremost in my mind . Drugs are the real problem here as with anywhere nowadays just look at Mexico , remove drugs and crime could be halved .But i do find guns creepy , just a euro liberal i guess . Pete

Meth is a big industry in our county and the number of burglaries/robberies associated with supporting the habit is increasing. Crashing residences and robbing at gun point happens too often, especially in the surrounding rural areas where there is literally no law enforcement protection. In the last six to nine months there have been two incidences that the perp's encountered armed residents and were shot............ in the last few months I haven't heard of one break-in. When the perps realize the odds of encountering armed home owners in a region is common the move to an area that offers less resistance before they'll kick the habit that drives the crimes.

The counting jail is releasing inmates lodged on serious felony charges at an alarming rate due to lack of funding which compounds the safety situation.

Perceptions are based on local conditions and personal experiences. I have worked closely with law enforcement over the last 20+ years and know the realities of our area. Reasonable personal safety in our area cannot be supplied by local law enforcement, the numbers per capita are some of the lowest in the US.

[214Chevy]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

One of my buddies has a S&W 50 cal.... I had to use my engine hoist to pick it up! He says when he shoots it -- it's "three bucks - three bucks - three bucks...."

Originally Posted by Sieg

I've shot the 8.75" barreled S&W 500 at night, pretty impressive cylinder & muzzle flash producer. Recoil was less than expected but definitely a hand-cannon. Ballistics wise I'd probably go with a 460 or 480. Any of those big-bores are not something you want to take to the range and shoot a couple hundred rounds with.....unless you're very well medicated.

Although I'm excited to finally get it because it took nearly 5 months for it to come in as it was back ordered from Magnum, the manufacturer. Magnum says they cannot produce them fast enough as the keep flying off the shelves. I haven't even shot it yet. I can find any cheap ammo for a .50 cal. The ammo is so gosh darn expensive, I can't justify shooting it up and wasting it at the range. But, I guess I shouldn't be complaining for a gun that was nearly $2000, huh? By the way, I love the S&W 500. That long barrel looks reminds me of Dirty Harry.

[Ketzer]

When guys talk about owning those big hand cannons, I always chuckle and think about the movie Johnny Dangerously. "This goes through armor, the victim, the wall, a tree outside..." "It's an 88 magnum..." (I won't quote the rest since it is HIGHLY inappropriate in respect to current events).



Jeff-

[Shmoov69]

Always loved that movie!!

[Shmoov69]

Magnum Research Lone Eagle pistol in 444 Marlin dress. Just got one of these, should be "ok" for defense!! LOL!! Hadn't had the bells to shoot it yet tho!!

[GregWeld]

I've just now put 600 rounds (Independent brand ball ammo) thru my new Kimber .45 (Super Carry Custom 5") .... and I also bought a couple WILSON COMBAT mags to use along with my Kimber mags... I can tell the difference just loading the mags!

Anyway -- it's taken the 500 to 600 rounds to have the Kimber jam free and running like it should. I'd bought 1000 rounds and stacked 'em up in the safe so I could count what was left to know where I was at. Kimber says 500 rounds for "break in" and they know what they're talking about.

I clean it after every session at the range... and I'm very thorough... and I'm using some glide slide I got from Brian Enos. It's VERY GOOD STUFF... no jams since I started using it and the slide FEELS smoother.

I think I must have a Wilson shown here....


Well -- I can't get the link to work! But it's their CQB Lightrail Lightweight Compact.

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/new/default.asp


so when I'm at the range tomorrow I'll ask them to give me a price. The Seattle Police Range I belong to has super smokin' prices so it will be interesting to see what it's going to run.