Official Firearms Thread

[brvheart 1,752]

AR-15

[hank213 1,823]

It's official: I'm arming myself. So the obvious question is...what do I get? I'm thinking in the $300-$400 range, and I've been going back and forth between a .22 and a 9mm. I've always wanted a semi-automatic handgun, but then my buddy who's got a handful of guns showed me the picture below, and all of a sudden it became an option. I'm not really looking for home-security...I'm more comfortable with my baseball bat for that. I'm not a hunter, so this would be purely for fun at the firing range. I thought a 9mm would be the best for that, but my friend was telling me that besides feeling slightly badass with the whole assault rifle feel of the .22 (like the picture below), it has a big magazine, is more accurate, and can would be decent for longer distances at the range. So now I don't know.So, I guess there are two questions. Which do I go with and then which would be the best within the categories to take a look at. Right now I'm still leaning towards the 9 mm...although the .22 would be better in case of a zombie apocalypse. Thoughts?

I think this is the key phrase here. If you're not looking for a home defense weapon then definitely go with a .22. Nice and cheap to shoot. I don't know what your experience is with shooting but if you're pretty new a .22 rifle, handgun, or one of both is the way to go. Extremely low recoil and great for learning solid fundamentals without spending a ton.

Does "LOL" count as a thought?Get real. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to defend your home and you own a firearm, that baseball bat won't even be a consideration.If you're just looking for a range toy, then get whatever strikes your fancy. Those 'mean rifle' clones in .22 are pretty neat and it's only a matter of time before you won't be able to walk into a gun store and buy them as a newly produced product... 2 years, 4 years, 8 years, whenever.Nothing wrong with a 9MM, as long as you learn how to hit what you're shooting at. It's harder than it sounds. A 22 is pretty much a no-brainer and everyone should own a .22 handgun and a .22 rifle. Getting a 'mean-rifle' clone in .22 is flashy and fun and probably a good investment in years to come... I don't know how reliable they are, since those came after I was out of the game. If I had to pick a 22 rifle to get odd looks at the range or impress duck hunters, it would be one of those. If I had to pick a 22 rifle to be stranded on a deserted island with, it would be a 10/22 (you can get big mags for those too). Again, back during the ban years, those big 10.22 mags were ****ing pricey as hell.

One drawback to a .22 clone of a "mean" rifle that instantly comes to my mind is ease of cleaning, especially for someone new to firearm care and maintenance. Again, for a newb I'd stress just a vanilla .22 long rifle.

True. I guess the only consideration would be how long it takes to get a gun out of a safe. Baseball bat stays under the bed.This is helpful, thanks.

If you're keeping a gun in a safe, it is definitely not a home def weapon.

I'm thinking about the

.

Looks fun but see my response regarding clones above.

AR-15

If he's got a decent amount of experience I'd say fine. If it's a first weapon I'd say not a great choice.

[speedz99 145]

Although I'd suggest something like a S&W .357. Great weapon. You can load with .38 Special all the way up to full load 357. The .38 spl loads are easy to plink at the range, and a .357 sounds like a cannon and gets EVERYONE''S attention up and down the line. The belching flame is an added bonus.

The six-shooters have never really done it for me. Plus, at a quick glance, they seem pretty expensive, no?

I think this is the key phrase here. If you're not looking for a home defense weapon then definitely go with a .22. Nice and cheap to shoot. I don't know what your experience is with shooting but if you're pretty new a .22 rifle, handgun, or one of both is the way to go. Extremely low recoil and great for learning solid fundamentals without spending a ton.

Sweet. Yeah, I think the .22 is going to win out.

One drawback to a .22 clone of a "mean" rifle that instantly comes to my mind is ease of cleaning, especially for someone new to firearm care and maintenance. Again, for a newb I'd stress just a vanilla .22 long rifle.

I do have a friend with a good amount of experience in this area, so I'm not too worried about taking good care of it...he'll make sure I do everything right.Is "mean" gun code for "assault" so it sounds less...I don't know. Illegal? Or is "assault" just a word the general public knows that doesn't really mean anything?

[AmScray 355]

If he's got a decent amount of experience I'd say fine. If it's a first weapon I'd say not a great choice.

This I disagree with, and so does the US Military. AR's are about plain retarded to operate and clean and they don't have shit for recoil. Push pin, pivot upper, charging handle and carrier come out.... A monkey could do this and indeed, many do.They're fine for a first gun, as long as there is some sort of guidance there to teach fire discipline. 5 round mags loaded 2 at a time are a good start.

[SAM_Hard8 50]

When I go out for fun shooting with friends we all bring our hand cannon's and rifles of many sizes and we have a great time shooting them. But shortly after the limited ammo our wallets can purchase and when our hands and shoulders are sore from shooting, out come the 22's of various sizes and types and we plink away. Shooting for many more hours than we do with the "bigger stuff." It's a blast.Get yourself a gun like a Ruger MK. It's a great gun that's a lot of fun and will train your hands to know where most of the buttons are on any 45 or similar pistols. If you prefer a rifle something like a Ruger 10/22. It's a classic gun that has been around for a very long time and can be changed and accessorized to look like an assault rifle. It can be a lot of fun to personalize a rifle.same gun personalized

[digitalmonkey 929]

Don't you guys have grocery stores with a meat section?

[speedz99 145]

Don't you guys have grocery stores with a meat section?

Maybe read the recent comments in the thread instead of throwing out what's actually a non sequitur?

[digitalmonkey 929]

Maybe read the recent comments in the thread instead of throwing out what's actually a non sequitur?

It was a joke. Perhaps you shouldn't have a gun. Being Jewish, you may have nothing but revenge on your mind.

[speedz99 145]

It was a joke. Perhaps you shouldn't have a gun.

I'm not going to shoot people for possessing an underdeveloped sense of humor. Although the world would be a better place if I did.I know it was a joke. It just didn't make any sense whatsoever in the context of the discussion. Maybe go back, find some comments about hunting (if there are any), and quote them for your joke. Then it'll just be unfunny, not nonsensical.I'm not sure why I'm being an asshole.

Being Jewish, you may have nothing but revenge on your mind.

For what, owning most of the world? Please. You overestimate how much we care about other people hating us. Unless they have bombs strapped to their chests, but that's just in Israel. Usually.

[digitalmonkey 929]

I'm not going to shoot people for possessing an underdeveloped sense of humor. Although the world would be a better place if I did.I know it was a joke. It just didn't make any sense whatsoever in the context of the discussion. Maybe go back, find some comments about hunting (if there are any), and quote them for your joke. Then it'll just be unfunny, not nonsensical.I'm not sure why I'm being an asshole. For what, owning most of the world? Please. You overestimate how much we care about other people hating us. Unless they have bombs strapped to their chests, but that's just in Israel. Usually.

We really need to wake this place up. Is it dead or is it just me?

[speedz99 145]

Totally dead. I blame the heatwave.

[AmScray 355]

For what, owning most of the world? Please. You overestimate how much we care about other people hating us. Unless they have bombs strapped to their chests, but that's just in Israel. Usually.

You disgrace the entire people if you do not take steps and secure means to ensure your own self-preservation resulting from whatever the circumstances may be, or may one day arise. A firearm and the basic knowledge to use it is step one.

[speedz99 145]

A firearm and the basic knowledge to use it is step one.

I'm doing my best...signed up for the safety course next week that I need in order to apply for the license.My father, a more serious member of the tribe, is questioning the logic of getting involved in gun ownership as a hobby while in the process of putting myself in six-figure debt. But I figure that either I'll live long enough to pay everything back, in which case it really won't matter if I spend the $500 for the gun now or in ten years, or I'll die relatively soon, in which case my dying thought can be happiness about having shot a bunch of stuff while still breathing.

[AmScray 355]

Relatively speaking, it's pretty cheap. Get your .22 plinker, maybe get a decent pistol, then something more serious on the defensive long gun end... Some ammo, some practice- really, it's way cheaper than going out to the bars on a regular basis, immeasurably cheaper than a rooted drug habit.Caveat: I guess ammo prices have gone super-retardo since I was kicked out of the game... Like, 400% or more (we used to buy a couple 1000 round cases of 762X39 for less than $200 and burn them up in a single day... That would be way expensive now...) Still. .22 LR is comparatively cheap and even when you get a decent centerfire, after you get over the 'excitement' of it, you won't be shooting it as much as you think.

[SAM_Hard8 50]

Happy birthday Gaston Glock.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

I know it was a joke. It just didn't make any sense whatsoever in the context of the discussion. Maybe go back, find some comments about hunting (if there are any), and quote them for your joke. Then it'll just be unfunny, not nonsensical.

Yeah, if he wanted to stir things up, he could've at least started in on this statement:

everyone should own a .22 handgun and a .22 rifle.

But I don't have anything snarky to say.If you just want a gun for at the range, can't you rent them at the range? Like if you wanted to go golfing, the course usually has some raggedy old rental clubs you can...oh wait, I think I see the problem now.

[El Guapo 8]

Yeah, if he wanted to stir things up, he could've at least started in on this statement:But I don't have anything snarky to say.If you just want a gun for at the range, can't you rent them at the range? Like if you wanted to go golfing, the course usually has some raggedy old rental clubs you can...oh wait, I think I see the problem now.

Actually you can rent them from the range, and rent really nice weapons. It's not a b ad idea if you have a specific gun you want to purchase and don't know anyone who owns it, to try it out before you purchase it.The issue is cost. It is not cheap to rent a gun, because they usually make you buy ammo from them and charge you fee per round fired on top of that. If you are going to shoot more than a handful of times a year, buying is much much cheaper.

[ajs510 122]

Kinda late in the game for me to chime in, but I will anyway...Don't buy a .22 as ANYTHING more than a "fun gun", something to train with and mess around with. Many if not most .22's are rimfire as opposed to centerfire cartridges, and rimfire is notably less reliable, you'll get more hangfires which is bad news for something you may or may not have to trust your life to someday. .22 is totally fine for screwing around at the range or the sand pit all weekend for less than $100, but that's where it's acceptability as a weapon ends. In my opinion, everyone should have a 12 gauge for home (replace the baseball bat), a .22 for screwing around (handgun or rifle, either or), and a proper caliber handgun (9mm at least, preferably .40 if you're going automatic, otherwise a decent lightweight J-frame S&W in .357/.38+P will do nicely) for concealed carry (if that's allowed). Once you have these things, you can flesh out your safe and collection any way you choose (because let's face it, once you purchase your first gun, you basically want the rest of them). Lots of people will tell you a proper battle rifle (AR-15, etc) is essential equipment, but personally while I love the badass black rifles and will definitely own some one day, I don't consider them a must have. Shotgun for home, proper handgun for everywhere else, .22 for the range. If you can buy a proper semiauto handgun that offers a conversion kit down to .22 (some SIGS will accept a conversion, I don't know what other brands offer this) you're golden, do that. Trust me when I tell you that the knockoff MP5 chambered in .22 will be fun for screwing around (it looks cool and all), but it won't take long for you to realize that it's worthless for any situation you can think of other than paper targets. Then you'll go buy the bare essential weapons and kick your safe into gear, after you either banish the knockoff to the back of the vault or sell it for something you actually need. My $.02

[JoeyJoJo 18]

So when you guys say "everyone," you're referring to the subset of "everyone who wants a gun," right?

[mk 11]

A .22 just isn't much of a weapon. Yes, it is better than nothing and Scram is right everyone should have one

So when you guys say "everyone," you're referring to the subset of "everyone who wants a gun," right?

I FEEL LIKE I'M TAKING CRAZY PILLS READING THIS THREAD

[JoeyJoJo 18]

I FEEL LIKE I'M TAKING CRAZY PILLS READING THIS THREAD

Had a real sweet handgun party last night. Shot tons of stuff and people.Real sweet.

[CaneBrain 95]

I have a pug for protection. He will alert me to danger and then try to give the robber a hug while I run away.

[SAM_Hard8 50]

"everyone" that that is willing and able to use deadly force to protect their family, friends, property, and self.

[CaneBrain 95]

"everyone" that that is willing and able to use deadly force to protect their family, friends, property, and self.

In Florida, if you use deadly force to protect your property, you go to jail for a very long time. You need a (this only applies in Texas) caveat.

[El Guapo 8]

But imagine if you had some really nice jeans hanging on a clothes line drying. You know the kind that are broken in just perfect and are pretty much irreplaceable. Now, imagine you wake up early in the middle of the night to find some bum trying to steal them off YOUR clothes line on YOUR property. I am pretty sure you can use deadly force in this situation.