Living in the country. Tough world we live in. Kids grow and gone. Looking for some imput on firearm choise for home and personal. I'm leaning towards auto but revolver has merit. Anyone direct me to a resource or provide some expertise. Looking to purchase and obtain carry permit.

Four of each, in eight different chamberings......................

Add a couple of pump scatterguns and a reliable bolt action rifle, and you got it made.................

Shotgun loaded with 00 Buck.

Close your eyes, pull the trigger, then go get a scoop to clean up the mess.

Eric

Beckman54...First let me welcome you to this fine site. pull up a stump and grab a beer...

I'm afraid that no one can tell you or give you advice on what you need for self defence....With that said...For the home it must be something that you and your wife can deal with. You said that you plan to get your CCW...Good. Now the horizon of what you can carry broadens. There are soo many choices that it's like going into a Baskins and Robins ice cream store. But, again, it all depends on how you intend to carry. How big or small you are. What you would be comfortable carrying. And your proficiancy with your choice. You may have to take some tips on shopping from your wife on this.

Ask a lot of questions. Do a lot of reading. Drive your local gun stores nuts. Handle a lot of various firearms. Holsters or retention gear is another subject that will take a lot of research. And by all means. Learn the laws of your state...

Feel free to continue your questions on here. But keep in mind we are just a bunch of guys sharing information on what works for us. Again...Welcome to our site...Got that beer yet?

Welcome Beckman54

do what Bushy says (about the stump and all the next three paragraph..)

I would like to add.. do lots of practice and make yourself very very familiar with whatever you choose. No mater what firearms you have, unless you are completely familiar with it, it may be more dangerous to yourself than the other side.

Burn plenty of ammo and get familiar with the gun's quirk.

Good advice above. Now for my OPINION...

I think selection of a handgun for defense depends on your experience level and dedication to training. I believe that a revolver is better for new/inexperienced shooters. Easier to use and maintain. I've been shooting a while, including work as armed security, and my "go to" handguns at home are still revolvers. I do keep and carry autos sometimes.

I prefer a .357 Mag for power and versatility. You can start shooting with mild .38 Special loads and work up to full bore magnums. I like the Ruger GP-100 but there's nothing wrong with the S&Ws. I don't care much for the .357 Mag snubbies with full power loads. Too much recoil and flash unless maybe you're willing to practice a LOT.

In autos I like the .40 S&W. About 20-25% more energy than a 9x19mm or .45 ACP. There's nothing wrong with the 9mm or .45 either, I'll be carrying a 9mm CZ P01 or Ruger SR9 as soon as I get more used to them.

My one strong suggestion is that you pick a handgun that feels comfortable in your hand and points naturally for you. While you need to use the sights to hit something its a lot easier to find them if the gun points naturally where you do.

Try several types, makes and calibers. Make your final choice by choosing the one that you can hit a grapefruit with at 15 feet...first shot, every time, every condition. Caliber is less important than hitting what you aim at. I am acquainted with a lady who consistently carries an old Iver Johnson .22 LR auto for defense. She has proved time and again her ability to place every shot in the clip into an area the size of a grapefruit at 15 feet. Who is to tell her that her choice is unacceptable? A single hit with a .22 is worth more than a dozen misses with a .44 Magnum.

And above all-practice, practice, practice!

Good luck in your search!

David,
Good to see you on the site. We need more of the boys of the Bonnie Blue here.

First off in FL the correct term is CWP, Concealed Weapons Permit. Why important, because you can carry several weapons in Florida, including a Sap, a billy, a switch blade knife and as many guns as you desire.

Lets discuss carry weapons and Florida. It is hot and humid and you sweat a lot. You wear light weight clothes most of the year. For a carry weapon to be effective you must first and foremost carry it. Ah, there comes the rub. You need a light weight weapon that does not rust every two minutes that you can conceal under the circumstances. The answer is KelTec. Go look at the little polymer framed KelTec 380 APC with the steel slide. Treat the slide and clip with a rust inhibitor like Sweet Shooter and you are ready to go. That takes care of your pocket gun. I place my 380 under a hankerchief in my back pocket.

Your truck gun can be any thing that suits you, revolver or auto and as big as you want. Example; my truck gun is a 1911 long slide in 45 ACP and a Benelli 20ga Cordoba 3" gun.

For your house, a good shotgun with #9 or #8 birdshot loads. The distances in a house are in feet and no shotgun load will spread to any degree. The concern is penetration from room to room. Birdshot is not a non penetrating projectile, but it is about as good as it gets for the average Joe. The shotgun puts an end to problems fast and for the dark, it is a point and shoot defensive gun. Any emergency room doc will tell you, they hate birdshot wounds, bad stuff. The most effective shotgun is a pump. Everyone, I mean everyone that breaks into houses, knows exactly what a pump sounds like being racked. The sound alone, will freeze a criminal in their tracks. That is why cops carry pumps, so they do not have to shoot.

Thought I forgot the knife, nope. Go to a gunshow after you get the CWP and buy yourself a Benchmade automatic. I carry the model 2550 Mini Reflex. It is has a blade lock and a closed/open lock, it is stainless and aluminum with nothing but a spring clip to rust. I have owned about a dozen Benchmades and they get hauled off by sons. daughters and son inlaws. The knife is the weapon of last resort.

The sap is a non player as it is only used close and just about all of the actual places to use a sap are out of bounds for a CWP in Florida. In addition, the use of a sap is almost a lost art. It is deadly without proper use.

I have taught self defense classes in conjunction with the CWP course for about 20 years here in Florida. I have had a CWP from about 1 week after it replaced the PTP (pistol toting permit) until now. I can not stress enough that Florida is very different when it comes to a carry weapon or self defense weapon. If you get something that rusts or is big or heavy, you will end up not carring it. A gun in the sock drawer is useless when needed.
Best,
Ed

Beckman, one of the very first rules of carrying wether legal or not is that you must first of all ask yourself,"can I use the weapon if called upon", If you hesitate at this answer you may be providng the assailant a new weapon! Nothing worse for a PD is to loose their weapon and have used on themselves! As most firefights are at less than 7 yds, according to records I'd use snake loads in a wheel gun. They will stop most anything at that range or make them reconsider their plans.

All of the suggestions are great above, but I will also offer my .02 here. Go to a gun range and try out multiple guns. Find one that you like and learn to shoot it extremely well!!!!

I wasn't kidding about the shotgun and 00 Buck.
Until you are familiar with a pistol, the shotgun should be your choice of home defense.

Eric

ElyBoy makes an excellent point about using a shotgun as a home defense weapon. Nothing says "RUN!" better than the old "KA-CHUNK...KA-CHUNK" of a pump being cycled. Seems like everyone knows that sound!

I would offer a different load choice, however...#4 shot is devastating at typical in-home ranges and isn't as likely to sail through sheet rock walls with the energy potential of 00 buck. Might save an innocent bystander or family member. What ever you choose as a load, be sure to pattern it at "defensive" distances. Shotgun spreads don't open as fast as many seem to think.

SingleShotLover, you make an excellent point about shotgun patterns at close range. The old rule-of-thumb is 1" of spread for every yard of travel from an open choke. If you're backed into the corner of an average 12' x12' bedroom you're only going to have about a 4.5" spread to the opposite corner of the room. An aquaintance didn't believe me until we measured it out and shot some rounds on paper. Guess he watched too much TV...

Inside a house plain old bird shot will work. For outside take a look at #1 buck. The way that size buck fits in a 12 ga shell gives it a payload advantage and you'll put more energy on a target.

Bigger is better but only use the biggest you can handle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Use the KISS system!!! Don't be buying a 1911 if all your gonna do is buy a box of ammo and stick it in a drawer until you might need it!!!!!!!!!!!
Can't tell you how many times I've seen guys at local matches fumbling with their safety or can't get the grip safety engaged.

Wife has her own, not what I think see should have. She's the one shooting it, she's gotta be confortable with it.

I have house guns and carry guns:
House guns full size all steel piece.
Carry guns lighter more compact.

One last note: Buy a good combat style flashlight and keep it with your gun!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Surefire, Streamlight, Pelican, and Fenix are just a few good choices.
Fenix makes a one battery very compact light thats 180 lumens for about $60