great line from a great movie.

Matt, can you legally own a handgun in AUS?

Re: ZLP
 

http://www.springfield-armory.com/im...9105LLarge.jpg
TRP Light Rail Armory Kote PC9105L (Image)
Caliber: .45 ACP
Capacity: 7+1
Barrel: 5" Bull, 1:16 LH
Sights: Adjustable Night Sights
Sight Radius: 6.5"
Size: 42 oz. without flashlight 8.5" overall length
Trigger Pull: 4.5 to 5 lbs.
Magazines: 2 with slam pad
MSRP: $1,639.00
http://www.springfield-armory.com/prod-pstl-1911-op.shtml

When its my life and my family's I am not trusting a laser. I think its a false sense of accuracy and shouldnt be used in the home. The Glock 19 is a great gun for concealment(I have a 19C) but for home use I like the bigger bore.

Jumping in a little late here... The best home defense weapon probably would be a 12ga pump action shotgun. That slide racking sound is a universally recognized one, and is a sure fecalator (makes the bad guys shyte their pants).

However, they can be a little heavy and recoil can make them unpleasant. And, despite the myth, you DO have to aim a shotgun. Inside a home the spread of shot, such as buckshot, won't be more than a few inches.

For a handgun, I would recommend some flavor of 9mm. Ammo is inexpensive and recoil is very moderate. This leads to lots of range time and practice. Personally, I'd find a CZ75B, and a few 15 round magazines. Take it to the range, become familiar with it's workings and shoot it a lot. Then find some defensive loads and shoot a magazine full of them, just to make sure they are reliable in your pistol.

What you should do is go handle a few handguns that come in 9mm. Find what is the most comfortable to you. Check your natural point of aim and weigh that with the decision (to check your natural point of aim, take a pistol (unloaded and cleared, of course), close your eyes and aim it at a wall either outstretch or in front of you, and then open your eyes. If the sights of the pistol are level with the target wall, then the pistol's grip angle fits you. If the pistol is pointing too high or too low, the pistol may not fit well. )

You DO need to practice with a handgun. It IS harder to hit a man size target at defensive ranges than TV and movies would have you believe. If you can, find a class or instructor and take a basic pistol class.


Also remember, having a gun doesn't make you invincible or impervious. A gun is a last resort. Take whatever steps you need to to secure your home. If you ever do have to use your firearm in defense, you WILL go before a grand jury, and given you're in Kalifornistan, it could be tough. They'll likely grill you on your preventative measures, so make sure your butt is covered.

Yea the plastic guns are cool eh!
I think you missed my point tho. You don’t trust your family’s life on any single piece of gear, not a laser or hand gun or shotgun or Louisville slugger by the door. Your responsibility is to what ever you choose for defense is to train with it; know your limitations and your environment. Buying a gun and going the range and static shooting holes in paper will give you really false and potentially dangerous sense of safety. You have to be aware of your home, your family’s patterns, a realistic defense tool for your environment is chosen with many factors but really the best tool is between your ears. That's what you use to protect your family. BTW lasers are not for everyone. They are expensive. This one is $300. It is a tool, one of many that I like. It has its place in my world and I train with it in real life scenarios once a month in IDPA completion.
The problem of training with a particular weapon is that if you don’t have it you can be defenseless. Real security comes from awareness and practicing a set of situational responses that gives you maximum protection.

Choosing other passive tools I.e.: dog, alarm, system, Louisville slugger, gun’s multiple in various locations is ok.

But mostly what will protect you is the knowledge of how and what to do in your own home if faced with an intruder.
How to disable/kill them safely and legally... For this info mostly you have to leave home and take home defense training done by pros. Longwinded sorry, but no single piece of gear should be the focus.

that being said here is another I have and like. a big nasty .45 with black talons.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1131312186.jpg

Ok I feel you. I carry black talons in my Springfield too:)

Yes, but you have to hold a licence and be a member of a pistol club.

That sucks, Matt. I really feel for you guys in other countries.

You might hate hearing it, but on a whim when I was down in Houston visiting a friend, I decided to go ahead and pick up that snub nose S&W revolver I'd wanted, so we headed to Academy, I filled out the form, one phone call, 30 minutes, and I walked out the door with the pistol and a box of shells.

If I had a CHL (which I need to get off my butt and get), they skip the phone call.

Todd, just the slippery slope of gun ownership. The Walther is my least forvorite to because of the trigger. It's a reliable and accurate firearm, but just feels "week" when compared to the others.

What can I say, it's a 1911. The overall feel, grip, trigger and balance is fantastic. I have only put about 150 rounds through but have not had any problems. The pistol is more accuarate then my skills. I picked it up at Turners on weekly special and am very happy I did.

Ok help me out here. If you have a pistol as a personal defense weapon, then most likley you will be shooting in an under 10 ft. from your target situation. So that given...why the laser sights guys.? Are you all that old that you can't see to shoot something, coming at you, that is only 10 feet away? or is this just the equivilent of the fart can muffler on Honda?

Darkness, I would think.

I had a laser sight on my Glock for a while, was pretty cool and no downside.

Laser sights on a handgun usless and are a dead give away of your position. Night sights too can confuse target aquistion. Only the front sight is really all that is necessary to have.

It's taught in basic handgun or weapon training is you don't shoot what you can't see. Having too much of this stuff might make you look cool but those with any experience will tell you that simple is always better. The laws can be screwy, consider those who like to use things like "Black Tallon" might reconsider using a standard HP because any post shooting inquiry will almost always require a ballistic report which the perp's or perp estate will come after you for these types products of that are intentionally designed to mame. Using a sub sonic ammunition will certainly make you look better from the standpoint of consideration for over penetration.

So you'd opt for night sights, rather than a laser?

Guys ...It's 10 FEET!!! A blind guy could hit something 10 feet in front of him. in that suituation it's just Hollywood.

Just the night sight, front sight. Try it in a pitch black room whatever you set the glowing dot on you'll hit provided you have all of the rest of your shooting skills down. Make sure the sight's luminare is set deep enough into the sight so that no extraneous light can be seen besides you directly viewing behind it.

oh, and make sure who you're shooting is actually a bad guy and not a family member.

well, depending on how you feel about your family members...

I'm bummed. My Browning Hi-Power came in today, and it rained out at the range...

Me too I've been waiting for parts for a 1924 Ithaca sxs so I can finish it.

Every time I hear the comment that there is a risk of a perpetrator or his estate suing someone because of the bullets they used in a legitimate self-defense shooting, I ask the person making the suggestion to please give me ONE example where this has ever happened.

No one has ever given me an example.

The fact is that neither the prosecutor, nor any attorney for your attacker or his estate is going to be looking at the bullets you used if your use of deadly force was justified.

Know your state's laws on the use of deadly force for self-defense, and pick your ammunition based solely upon what works most effectively in your firearm. Do not waste your time -- or risk your life -- trying to pick "friendly" ammunition because someone tells you some BS story about "legal risks" if you use "mean" ammunition.

Last time I checked, Hi-Powers work just fine in the rain...