Ruger .380 or S&W .45?

[Pringles]

I carry a glock 23 (40 cal, compact), though I'm tempted to swap out for a glock 27 (40 cal, sub-compact). I'm 6'4 so the 23 works, but I think the 27 would be a bit easier to conceal (I need to see if I can actually shoot the 27 though....) I like the magazine capacity of my 23 (13+1), stopping power, and the availability/cost of the .40. My wife can also handle it well and she's small framed / 100 lbs.

I do love shooting my buddies G32C though, something about the sound of the compensated barrel. The .357 has incredible stopping power, I just don't like the cost. I help him out by giving him my .40 brass though for his reloads.

But if you're talking strictly home defense, stick with a shotgun and keep it readily available. No better weapon for home defense. Pistols in home defense situations are only for getting to a better gun.

[Zade]

I really dislike compact guns. i have very large hands and long fingers. compacts just dont sit well in my hands and the pinky and half the ring are hanging into nothingness. feels like im sipping cappucino out of an italian coffee cup
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I want something I can wrap my hand around and hold tightly. g32c is just too small for me. and to be honest, wouldn't buy a 357. I wouldn't mind having one, but I would not purchase one. might as well just get a .40.

[Pringles]

The glock 23 and 32 are compact but my entire hand fits without hanging off.... glock subcompacts (the 27 etc) have the issue of the pinky finger hanging off. I'm with ya there though, not sure I can shoot the thing till I actually try it out [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.] Useless to carry something if you arent proficient with it.

[sanforce]

You should definitely go with the Judge.

.45 colt, triple stack manstopper rounds (which is a .45 that shoots 3 hollow points at once) , 410 shotgun shells

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[compulsion]

Glocks are just for the tacticool crowd. They are ultra reliable under adverse conditions and easy to strip/clean, but are not nearly the best choice for either accuracy or handling. Unless you live in a tent in Somalia, I don't know why you would spend a premium to own a weapon which has compromised a certain level of precision in order to be able to operate under those types of conditions. A mid range .45(around $800) would serve anyone in a first world country far better than a Glock. I would also take CZ over a Glock any day, and have $100+ to blow on ammo.

PS: That Judge/Governor is too big for anything but a backpack and I can't even imagine how crappy it would feel to actually shoot if the only engagement range I was concerned with was less than 10 yards.

[compulsion]

Originally Posted by Zade [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I really dislike compact guns. i have very large hands and long fingers. compacts just dont sit well in my hands and the pinky and half the ring are hanging into nothingness. feels like im sipping cappucino out of an italian coffee cup

I don't think anyone enjoys shooting compacts, even people with small hands. Personally I think people are better off with a weapon they know intuitively from enjoying regularly at the range than one that they bought for concealment and suffer through practicing with occasionally, but that is an opinion and little composite guns get more attention from magazines, so I might be wrong.

Originally Posted by Zade [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I want something I can wrap my hand around and hold tightly. g32c is just too small for me. and to be honest, wouldn't buy a 357. I wouldn't mind having one, but I would not purchase one. might as well just get a .40.

I don't understand that comparison. 10mm and .40 were created as an upgrade to the 9mm. As a civilian shooter, it has more power but it is a bit more expensive. As a buyer I would weigh the choice between a 9mm and a .40.

The .357 has vastly better stopping power and range than a .40, and it isn't even close. I am absolutely confident that my .357 will be lethal at 50+ yards or through a windshield or car door. That smaller .40 round, not so much. Hell, I would say 80% of the shooters at the range with a 9mm or .40 automatic could not get more than 1/10 in the rings at 50 yards. And the same ammo goes into my rifle, which will take down a deer at 100 yards no problem. The fact that you can shoot cheap .38 spl ammo in any .357 is just a bonus.

[Rheaume]

I carry a Kimber Ultra Carry II. Everything about it is great to me.

[Pringles]

Originally Posted by compulsion [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Glocks are just for the tacticool crowd. They are ultra reliable under adverse conditions and easy to strip/clean, but are not nearly the best choice for either accuracy or handling. Unless you live in a tent in Somalia, I don't know why you would spend a premium to own a weapon which has compromised a certain level of precision in order to be able to operate under those types of conditions. A mid range .45(around $800) would serve anyone in a first world country far better than a Glock. I would also take CZ over a Glock any day, and have $100+ to blow on ammo.

PS: That Judge/Governor is too big for anything but a backpack and I can't even imagine how crappy it would feel to actually shoot if the only engagement range I was concerned with was less than 10 yards.

Yeah.... because you wouldn't ever want a carry gun to be 100% reliable, right?

In the end its a never ending debate on which gun is "best". Get whatever you can hit your target with, reliably. Whatever you choose to carry, be proficient with it. I chose my glock because: I am accurate with it, I like the way it fits my hand, its reliable (never had a misfire / FTE in 2,000+ rounds), I can conceal it, its easy to maintain, and I like its capacity.

[sanforce]

Originally Posted by compulsion [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

PS: That Judge/Governor is too big for anything but a backpack and I can't even imagine how crappy it would feel to actually shoot if the only engagement range I was concerned with was less than 10 yards.

Yes, the Judge is a little ridiculous, and I wouldn't want to carry one in a concealed environment. I carry one in my truck and bring it into the mountains when I hunt. A 45 or 410 slug won't stop a large animal, but it will certainly make an impression. There's also 410 flairs made for it, which might come in handy one day. Coupled with a laser grip, it makes a for pretty good home defense weapon (is a bit clunky). You can put 15 hollow points down range in 5 pulls of the trigger... make my day!

[citizen1080]

Originally Posted by Bamz4l [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I personally enjoy Flamethrowers (a mechanical incendiary device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire).

Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and natural gas, which is considered safer. They are used by the military and by people needing controlled burning capacity, such as in agriculture (e.g., sugar cane plantations) or other such land management tasks. They can be designed to either be carried by the operator or mounted on a vehicle.

Here's me flamin' the grass:

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In Idaho we can legally carry a flamethrower. Or Gatling gun if that's your thing.

On a more serious note, pick up a Glock 10mm http://us.glock.com/products/model/g20

It has amazing stopping power, rounds cost about same as a .45 and its a perfect for conceal carry.

Personally I have a Glock 17 for my daily carry but the 10mm is my next purchase as its smaller and has more stopping power.