Looks Like A Nice Place

[Wysiwyg101]

This looks like a nice place. I think I'll stick around for awhile. My name is Rick and I still don't own a gun. However, I want to own and I would like to carry concealed. Probably for much the same reasons as everyone else here. Keeping myself and my family as safe as I can.

Since I made the decision that I wanted to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights a couple of months ago, I have done quite a bit of research. First, I looked at handguns to see what I might like (I have pretty much settled on a SA XD(m) .40 Compact). That led me to the fact that I need to get at least a 12g shotgun in the house as a defensive weapon. And possibly an assault rifle as well.

Somewhere along the way in my research I started to become a survivalist of sorts. Now all of a sudden I want to build everyone a decent first aid kit (and one for each car as well). I also want everyone in the house to build a 72 hour kit.

Here recently I have been thinking about the fact that when I do get my firearms, I probably should make sure I stay proficient in the usage. That means at least 200 rds downrange a month. That's 2400 rds a year. Typical .40 cal ammo is around $400 per 1,000 rds. So, that's close to a $1,000 a yr in ammo alone. Crud, now I have to research re-loading.

So, out of a simple need to protect me and mine came a re-loading survivalist as well. However, all this takes funds that I just don't have yet. But, I'm workin on it. I look forward to being a part of this community and learning even more that I need to be aware of from ya'll.

I would apologize for the long intro, but I happen to be long-winded. Just be advised that when I way in on someone else's thread most of my responses will be just as long. :laugh:

 

[Tony Quilici]

Welcome and no problem Wysi. Even though I have been in the Army 20+ years, I finally bought my own personal firearms over a year ago. I noticed the price of ammo at the get go, since I gotten a Glock 21 .45 ACP and an ARmalite M-15A4 Carbine. I have looked into the reloading issue, since I have gone thru a lot of rounds myself. I have also looked up websites that have great deals on ammunition and firearms. Check out sites like Cheaper than Dirt, Midway USA, Gun Source, and Ammunition to Go.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Reloading is a fun hobby and not hard to do, but the biggest expense is buying all of the equiptment needed. Just do a lot of reading before you start reloading so you know what your doing.

 

[Tucker's Mom]

Welcome -- from Missouri. This place buzzzzz with knowledge and knowledgeable people. You won't be sorry.

 

[Lowjiber]

Welcome aboard from southern Nevada.

I suggest walking before running. Get yourself a dependable firearm and learn to use it safely before jumping into the assault rifle/defensive shotgun thing. That'll come, and you may find that your "needs" will change as you grow into the lifestyle...saving you a lot of money.

 

[Phillip Gain]

This looks like a nice place. I think I'll stick around for awhile. My name is Rick and I still don't own a gun. However, I want to own and I would like to carry concealed. Probably for much the same reasons as everyone else here. Keeping myself and my family as safe as I can.

Since I made the decision that I wanted to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights a couple of months ago, I have done quite a bit of research. First, I looked at handguns to see what I might like (I have pretty much settled on a SA XD(m) .40 Compact). That led me to the fact that I need to get at least a 12g shotgun in the house as a defensive weapon. And possibly an assault rifle as well.

Somewhere along the way in my research I started to become a survivalist of sorts. Now all of a sudden I want to build everyone a decent first aid kit (and one for each car as well). I also want everyone in the house to build a 72 hour kit.

Here recently I have been thinking about the fact that when I do get my firearms, I probably should make sure I stay proficient in the usage. That means at least 200 rds downrange a month. That's 2400 rds a year. Typical .40 cal ammo is around $400 per 1,000 rds. So, that's close to a $1,000 a yr in ammo alone. Crud, now I have to research re-loading.

So, out of a simple need to protect me and mine came a re-loading survivalist as well. However, all this takes funds that I just don't have yet. But, I'm workin on it. I look forward to being a part of this community and learning even more that I need to be aware of from ya'll.

I would apologize for the long intro, but I happen to be long-winded. Just be advised that when I way in on someone else's thread most of my responses will be just as long. :laugh:

My $0.02 worth - I think it's less than ideal to make your firearms decision based on internet research. I'd recommend going to a range where you can rent the firearm, put some rounds through it, THEN see if you like it. Sometimes you'll be surprised by things you wouldn't expect. In my case - small hands! There are a lot of firearms I can't really get along with because they are built for guys with meatier mitts than my own. Also, your own individual body shape is a huge factor when selecting a firearm for concealment purposes. Then there's finding the right holster(s) for both the gun and yourself.

I think the choice of a 12 gauge for home defense is a good one. IF you are comfortable shooting one. Again, get to the range and rent one, to see for yourself.

As for the "assault rifle" - personally I'm not a fan of them for home defense, especially in the hands of a novice. I'm an Army vet, so I do have a little bit of perspective here. Some of them are a bit complex in their workings. Some don't feed reliably, so you have to drill on the procedure to clear them. (SLAP / PULL / OBSERVE / RELEASE / TAP / SHOOT). Not to mention the stupid things are RIDICULOUSLY expensive, and pretty underpowered compared to, say, a .30-06 hunting rifle which can be had at a fraction of the cost. I'm not saying don't buy one...I'm saying to be aware that you're not getting a lot of value for your money. They're a fun but expensive way to punch holes in paper, and somewhat suited for home defense if you're trained really well in their use.

All in all...good luck...and welcome, from Massachusetts.

 

[Wysiwyg101]

Thanks Tony, I have looked at those sites already and they definitely do have some great deals.

I agree totally Ghost Rider, it's gonna lots of research before I get into re-loading for quite some time. I have seen some pretty cool vids on youtube about the Dillon Precision 650 and it looks pretty good. What do you think?

Thanks Tucker's Mom, I appreciate the welcome.

Thanks Lowjiber, I agree totally. I already know it's gonna take a long while before I even get to those areas. We have to get all the kids out of the house before I do any assault rifle/shotgun (my wife says so...sighhh).

Yupp, I agree Phillip. My initial research was via the internet (Google and Youtube can be our friends) as well different forums like this one (TexasCHLForum.com). I followed that up with going to my local gun store and a couple of HUGE gun shows and handling the different firearms I was interested in until I felt the one the just feels right. My next step is to actually go shoot it at the gun store. They have a special right now for $29. You get the gun, the lane, and 20 rounds. Or, as a non-member, I pay $18 for the lane, $10 for the gun, and approx $20 for a 50 round box of ammo. So, for $50 I can test fire pretty well I think. Shoot, I don't even know if I'll shoot straight yet...lol.

Anyways, thanks for all of the greetings and advice.

 

[Grognard Gunny]

I look at firearms as the insurance policy I hope I never need to use for their primary purpose. (Poking holes in paper IS, however, satisfactory for practice as well as ease of weapons use. Not to mention the skill development satisfaction of markmanship.)

Like insurance, however, it is a matter of how much you think you might need. It's all based on probabilities, realities and hampered further by budgetary constraints. (Gee, I might forward this post to Congress. They just might "pick up" on something! LOL!)

As such, there are those who armor themselves against ALL possibilities (regardless of probabilities).... just to find that the one that will get them killed is the one they didn't "plan on". (Oooooooops!)

So, you try to keep the expense within reason with an eye toward covering the bulk of the most likely "downside of life" scenarios. (You listening, Congress?)

It's just a matter of doing the best you can, given the existant circumstances.

GG

 

[Iam2Taz]

Wysi, If I can reload, anyone can. The higher the caliber the more the cost, the more the savings from doing it yourself. $200 can get a Lee single stage with ALL stuff you need to start. Single stage is slow, but you can learn a ton about what you are doing first off by taking your time.

I see you are renting guns. I too highly recommend borrowing or renting a couple of different guns before purchasing one. I did not buy the wrong one, but had to buy a second to get what I really wanted.

Beyond what I see everyone else saying, I would advise that when you are ready to carry, buy a good belt regardless of if you want to carry inside the pants or outside. A Walmart cheapy won't cut it most of the time. There are a lot of mfgs of high quality leather and tactical belts out there. (That is another discussion completely!)
Good Luck!

 

[gunnerbob]

Welcome! Glad you decided to exercise your rights! You'll have a blast with shooting I'm sure.

It's good to see you are also looking into being self-reliant... it's very important, imo.

I see you already read the advise of going to a range and trying many different firearms then buying one that suits you. +1

You talked about the cost of being proficient with your arms... my .02, look into a 9mm auto. With modern defensive loads, 9mm is very respectable. And a lot cheaper to practice with.

+1 on the shotgun for home defense. Again, "shoot" around and pick a style, brand, and gauge that fits you the best.

As far as the assualt rifle goes... I own a few, love 'em! But, they have their place... and it's not best suited "in" the home. It's great for keeping people off your property... when they are 100+ yards out

I'd keep that for the last purchase... get the pistol and shotgun first.

P.S. I like #4 Buck for my shotgun... I'll take OO Buck as well.

 

[Wysiwyg101]

Gunny, I agree totally. Trying to buy insurance after the wreck has occurred just doesn't work and neither does waiting until you get attacked to arm oneself.

Iam2taz, thanks for the info on the re-loader. I will definitely look into it. As for the belts, gee thanks, yet another aspect to research....sighhh, does this stop? Lol, seriously, I was already thinking about the Crossbreed Supertuck Deluxe with either a tactical belt or a gunbelt with added support of suspenders. On another forum they have photos of their daily carry and one guy was wearing a belt with suspenders to hold up his britches and his weapon. I like that idea. Especially since I'm a big guy.

I agree GunnerBob. First, the pistol. Second, the shotgun. The assault rifle is an iffy at best. But, it and the followup .22 rifle and pistol would be in case a really bad SHTF situation arose. Especially if it went into a WROL as well. Gotta have a good assault rifle (7.62) in case of zombies...lol. Since I live in the city we don't need to fire that round anywhere around here. I have heard the 00 buck is good, but 4 is better. for a variety of reasons. 21 .24 caliber bullets as opposed to 7-9 .33 caliber bullets.

Thanks again all.

 

[gunnerbob]

I think you've got it figured out pretty well. Good luck!

 

[Ghost Rider]

When you first get into reloading you don`t need to spend a lot of money on a fancy progresive reloading equiptment. I just use a single stage RCBS reloading set up, and once i got everything set up i could reload a hundred rounds of 9mm or 45. an hour. I figure thats pretty good for a single stage press set up.

 

[Phillip Gain]

Welcome aboard from southern Nevada.

I suggest walking before running. Get yourself a dependable firearm and learn to use it safely before jumping into the assault rifle/defensive shotgun thing. That'll come, and you may find that your "needs" will change as you grow into the lifestyle...saving you a lot of money.

I generally agree with this - except for the part about the defensive shotgun. I mean, yeah, you can buy the hottest new Remington and outfit it with all kinds of bolt-on SWAT crap. OR...you can shop real hard for a short-barreled Mossberg 500 and spend in the $200 range for it. (I got mine for $175 at a local shop - and tests at the range confirm that each shot make as many holes in the paper as the other guy's $1000+ "Rambo Remington.")

 

[Naybor]

Ya know, getting into shooting is like almost every other endeavor you can find. When you start out, you must buy this, then that, then something else. Seems neverending, doesn't it? But somewhere down the road you will have most everything you need, and will be purchasing only disposables (shells and such). Shooting/hunting/self-defense is no different. If I figured up all I have in guns, it would scare me. Same with fishing. Same with metal detecting. Hang in there ~ get A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME ~ remember, no matter what you put into self-defense, if you have to use it only once to save your life or your family's life, having what you need to do the job is priceless.

Also remember, you don't have to buy the most expensive anything. Look for what is reliable and just plain works.

 

[fudo]

Welcome aboard! Shoot as many different guns as possible before you decide what to get. Also, you do not need the "latest and greatest" for home defense. For example, an SKS shoots a round that is in the power class with a 30-30. They are cheap and available. Shotguns, there are thousands of gun shops, pawn shops, and stores populated with 12Ga. Mossberg's, Remington's and the like, that function quite well and are vastly cheaper than their "Tactical" cousins