Quote:
Originally posted by nostatic
actually my list wasn't meant to be hierarchical...I should have just bulleted. It was more a list of the criteria.
So if I can distill this down, the majority seem to think that for "home protection" (broadly defined), a .45ACP is the gun of choice (due to stopping power), with a 1911 being a favorite (Kimber, Springfield, etc). BUT, for someone with little/no experience, getting a .22LR (perhaps one that mimics a larger caliber weapon) and firing a few K rounds through it, then moving up to a larger weapon is the way to go.
Or does one just "bite the bullet" and start with a .45 (on the range)?
And have a shotgun around just in case. I remember at one of my jobs many many years ago we used to have a .410 "Snakecharmer" around for "emergencies."
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I'd get the Ruger 22, spend a couple months going to the range, then think about the .45 or 9 or whatever.
After you're comfortable at the range, might consider taking your son. If the gun's going to be in your place, you've got to take kid precautions. I honestly don't know what the best approach is - to lock the gun up tight and conceal it from the kid, or to expose the kid to the gun enough to remove that "forbidden fruit" fascination and still lock the gun up tight. Your wife's opinion might factor into this too.
Here is an old thread on range and safety tips.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?threadid=220574&highlight=gun+safety (I see I weighed in there with the opinion that a first gun should ideally not be a semi-auto. I guess I'm not being that consistent, but maybe that's because I've met you.)