What pistol for self defense?
 

Hi everyone. I figured this would be the best area to post this. I have recently gotten my pistol permit and I would like to know what pistol I should get for self defense. The problem is that I only have $400 to spend. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

David Larson

RE: What pistol for self defense?
 

Hi David and welcome to the boards!:D
Lots of different opinions here but mine is really simple.....45acp
In your price range a Ruger P-97 <just like mine:D> would be an excellent choice;)
Or a base model 1911-A1 made by Kimber, Springfield, Colt....
If you are going to carry everyday, I might even consider a 9mm Makarov, East German or Bulgarian. They can be had for a couple of hundred bucks, the ammo is cheap and they are dead reliable. Shot bunches of them w/o ever a failure to feed, fireor eject!
Plus the bullet looks like a slightly shrunken .45
But these are just my opinions;)

RE: What pistol for self defense?
 

Taurus 44 sp. 2 inch ported barrel. Easy to carry and shoots great.

RE: What pistol for self defense?
 

I like my 45 acp. My wife has a 38 special that will work as well. I have noticed in a lot of areas, people are starting to carry 22 mags. The little revolver darenger type. They are putting rat shot in the first chamber, and regular bullets in the others. The thinking behind it is, if someone messes with you, you hit them in the face with the rat shot. If they still feel froggy after that, you put a bullet in them. Now if I was looking for a gun best suited for home self defense, Id go with a shot gun. Something like a 870 cut off. Lot easier to aim.

RE: What pistol for self defense?
 

Currently, I carry a Kimber Pro Elite (custom shop) .45 acp. I love this pistol!!

If I was on a limited budget, which I have been in the past, I'd probably go with a EAA Witness in .40 or .45. I've owned one of these and it was a great firearm.

RE: What pistol for self defense?
 

If you are not an avid shooter AND are very familiar with the operation of the a semi-auto pistol (clearing jams and feed problems, etc....) then I would recomend a good revolver. While not the most high tech of firearms, just about any revolver is simple to operate, and nearly 100% reliable. The simplicity of operation is especially true is the gun will be for home defense and your wife / significant other may have to use it.

Something along the lines of a short barreled .357 like a Ruger SP-101 makes a very good defense gun.
Use some very light rounds intended for defense loads like Defender MagSafe. These rounds will disentigrate in sheet rock, avoiding dangerous over penetration problems associated with some of the other handgun rounds.

I was an avid IPSC shooter, and have a number of semi-auto pistols, however the gun I carry (when required) is a revolver.

RE: What pistol for self defense?
 

I carry a Sig P232 in 380 acp. I would rather have a larger caliber but the fact of the matter is the P232 is smaller and easier to conceal. With a cheap inside the pants holster and an untucked T shirt you can't tell I have it on, and I am skinny. How offten do you use it anyway? Most of the time the sight of a gun scares them off if you do pull it. I have never had a centerfire semi auto jam on me. I would highly recomend the Sig P232 for carrying, for the bed room I have a 357 Mag with 140gr XTPs. A shotgun would work also, don't cut the barrel shorter than the legal limit.

RE: What pistol for self defense?
 

You took the words right out of my mouth. A well-maintained revolver is dependable 100% of the time, which personally is a requirement for any self-defense weapon. My wife and I both prefer the .357 Magnum as a self-defense cartridge, and we never have to worry about jams. The Ruger SP and GP lines are a good place to start looking if you're interested.

If you'd prefer an auto, check out theSteyr M40 pistol. It's a great gun for the money, and you can buy 9mm (M9) and .40S&W models. It tends to fit different people very well, the barrel sits low in the slide for good balance, plus it ships with triangle/trapezoid sights that tend to line up faster than three dots (after some practice at the range).

The M40 can be picky about ammo, though. I've had bad jamming experiences with Remington UMC and other cheap ammo brands. If you do decide to get one, stick with Federal and Winchester.

RE: What pistol for self defense?
 

For your price range a small revolver would do well.38spl or 357mag.If you can come up with a little more money look at one of the Baby Glock's.I prefer the 40S&W over a 9mm. One of my favorite defense rounds is the 45ACP.My carry gun is a Glock M-27 in 40S&W mainly because of the size and reliablity of the Glock's.The Ruger SP101's are available in several different calibers.Go to gun shops and handle as many as you can. See which one feels good to you and within your budget.When it comes to a defense gun it's doesn't pay to skimp when you life may depend on it.
Ruger Redhawk

RE: What pistol for self defense?
 

Sorry, I forgot to mention, This is for me to carry concealed. I already have shotguns and rifles for hunting and home defense of need be.

David Larson