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I've been putting it off for some time now, but after this latest whack job that killed that hiker in Georgia, I think it's time for me to get my gun.
Hopefully you guys can help me out. First off I live in Alabama. I don't know what the laws are here. Please feel free to tell me
What kind of gun to get?? I really like the Glock, but is that too big for me? I'm a female, about 5'8". I need something that is EASY to load and can be loaded in less than 5 seconds (is that possible??? LOL) I have two small kids so safety is a big issue. I spend a lot of time walking and jogging in very rural areas and secluded woods so I need something I can wear on my waist. Also, for home safety at night, I would like something that could be easily loaded in the middle of the night.
Also, is it legal to cross state borders with your gun in the car if it is not loaded? I do a lot of traveling with my kids and my husband isn't always with us.
You might consider bear spray as a better protective device. A gun could be dangerous with your children. Transporting a weapon across state lines is sticky and differs with each state, some states have very strict laws, you would have to research each time you went to a different state. Have you ever fired a weapon before? If you have zero experience you should locate a local gun shop and find a range, see if you can find someone who will show you how to use a weapon. You will need trigger locks if you have children around and never leave a loaded gun unattended. I see lone female hikers in my area carrying bear spray, we have bears, but it would deter a human attacker as well. Just a thought. . .
I've been putting it off for some time now, but after this latest whack job that killed that hiker in Georgia, I think it's time for me to get my gun.
Hopefully you guys can help me out. First off I live in Alabama. I don't know what the laws are here. Please feel free to tell me
What kind of gun to get?? I really like the Glock, but is that too big for me? I'm a female, about 5'8". I need something that is EASY to load and can be loaded in less than 5 seconds (is that possible??? LOL) I have two small kids so safety is a big issue. I spend a lot of time walking and jogging in very rural areas and secluded woods so I need something I can wear on my waist. Also, for home safety at night, I would like something that could be easily loaded in the middle of the night.
Also, is it legal to cross state borders with your gun in the car if it is not loaded? I do a lot of traveling with my kids and my husband isn't always with us.
Thanks
Hi MJB
The kind of weapon to get is a matter of preference. Short-barrelled revolvers are very compact and ideal, and you can get one in the powerful 357 magnum caliber, which you can also shoot 38 special ammo in it, so you have good flexibility with that kind of gun. The only thing you might have trouble with is the trigger, it requires more finger pressure to pull the trigger to fire each round. You can also use the single action mode, which allows you to pull the hammer back, and when you pull the trigger, it requires verly little pressure.
There are a variety of semi-automatic handguns also. Ruger, and Smith & Wesson make some fine ones in various calibers and they are reasonably priced. Glocks, and H&Ks are a little more expensive, but they are worth it. In a semi-automatic handgun, a 9mm or a 40 caliber weapon are ideal for a woman, and many weapons in that caliber are also compact to fit in your purse.
With a revolver, you'll have to keep the gun out of your kids' reach, or you can teach them to stay away from the weapon. If you want to store the gun within an easy reach, make sure it's not loaded. If you need to load the weapon fast, you can a speed loader, which is a device that will load 6 rounds into the cylinders very fast. You can also keep the ammo in this device until you have to use the weapon. It's a minor disadvantage with revolvers, but with a little training, you'll be able to work with it. With semi-automatics, you can have up to 15 rounds in a magazine, while leaving the chamber empty, which means if somebody pulls the trigger, it won't fire unless they slide the action back to load a round into the chamber. This requires some effort, and your kids won't be able to slide the action back, until they have enough strength.
Another way to store a weapon to keep it within easy access is to use a lock on the trigger, but the disadvantage with that is if you have to use it, you'll have to struggle to unlock it, which can cost you precious seconds if you're in a self-defense situation.
As for gun laws, they do vary from state to state, the best thing to do is visit one of the many websites that have the rules on transporting a weapon. Some of those laws are pretty stupid, but we have to follow them. If you can get a Concealed Carry permit, you'll be able to carry a loaded gun with you in most states. Even without the permit, most states, including Alabama, allow you to carry a loaded weapon with you in the vehicle, as long as it's not concealed under the seat.
If you go to a gun store, they will also help you pick the weapon that's perfect for you.
Thanks for the respones, very helpful so far. As far as the bear spray, I'll look into it, but I'm still getting a gun. I'd much rather shoot an attacker then spray him and leave him to attack again. Plus I don't have any bears in my area, only cows and horses and wild pigs
Mike ~ would the glock be a semi-automatic? I like the idea of having 15 rounds in a magazine ~ does this just slide into the gun?
What's H&Ks?
I check out some laws, I'm surprised!
No permit needed to purchase rifles, shotguns or handguns here, do not need to register any of them, no licensing requirements at all.
Do need a permit to carry a concealed weapon. How hard is it to get a permit? These are the requirements:
Is 21 years of age.
Has good reason to fear injury to his person or property.
Has any other proper reason for carrying a handgun.
"Is a suitable person" to be so licensed.
Is my own personal safety enough? If not, what is?
Concealed carry permits are a state to state issue.
Your state is either:
* "Shall Issue" which means you get one as long as you don't have a felony on your record
* "May Issue" which means that it's a discretionary matter that usually requires you to show some sort of pressing need
* "No Issue" which means they're never issued under any circumstances.
Google state+CCW or state+concealed+weapons+permit and you will find your answer (or, go to packing,org)
As far as what gun is best, this is a question that has been asked a billion times and each time, you will receive a billion different answers.
The correct answer to the question is this.
Firearms technology hit the wall quite a while back, as far as design. While there have been a few advances in materials, there are a large number of companies that produce extremely reliable and high performing sidearms that will be suitable for almost any self-defense task. While John might prefer Glocks and Bob might prefer Sigs and Tom might prefer HK's, at the end of the day, who wins the gunfight will have virtually nothing to do with what kind of gun they're using, but rather, the skill of the man using it.
As long as you stick to the "major" family of handguns (Glock/Sig/HK/Ruger/S&W/CZ etc) and choose whatever gun you happen to personally shoot best (as well as whatever size happens to be suitable for your carry needs), you're going to be as well heeled as you can get and everything after that is up to your personal human performance.
The "what gun is best" discussion always, without exception, devolves into a debate about totally irrelevant mechanical minutiae, when in reality, those issues have been engineered out long ago. "What gun is best" is a personal choice that is a human matter, not a "brand name" one. Gun guys absolutely love to quarrel and query over the most pedant, minuscule details that ultimately mean nothing in the real world, so understand that by asking this question, you will likely be subject to a technical discussion that won't mean anything to you (and honestly, shouldn't mean anything to you) Since you don't know the difference between an automatic and a revolver, that tells me that you are at the very beginning of your journey as a gun owner. Definitely, educate yourself MUCH further before making the decision to buy and expose yourself to the actual use and firing of as many different firearms as possible before making your decision.
Lastly, I'll offer this bit of advice.
The worst thing you can do is buy a gun, polish it ever week and keep it next to the bed or the nightstand, firing it a couple times a year to make sure it still works. Buying a gun is 50% of the task, being able to effectively use it is the other 50%. At the very minimum, you should go to the range once a month and practice on various targets in various situations. Even better, joining a local club and practicing shooting under "practical" conditions is far, far better, but whatever you do, don't think that by simply buying a gun, you've solved whatever problems that gun ownership seeks to address.
I cannot express the importance of actually trying out the guns before you buy. Most gun ranges will have a wide variety of guns available for rental. My advice is to first take a class to learn the basics, then after completing your basic course, go down to your local range and rent several different types of guns and try them out. I also suggest you stay away from smaller short barrelled high velocity guns as they tend to have more recoil than others.
Another important factor you want to consider is the type of ammo you'll use. If you live in an apartment building with shared walls you may want to consider hollow point ammo. "Ball" ammo could very well go through your wall and into your neighbors place. There's alot to consider but I applaud you on deciding to make the purchase.
I've been putting it off for some time now, but after this latest whack job that killed that hiker in Georgia, I think it's time for me to get my gun.
Hopefully you guys can help me out. First off I live in Alabama. I don't know what the laws are here. Please feel free to tell me
What kind of gun to get?? I really like the Glock, but is that too big for me? I'm a female, about 5'8". I need something that is EASY to load and can be loaded in less than 5 seconds (is that possible??? LOL) I have two small kids so safety is a big issue. I spend a lot of time walking and jogging in very rural areas and secluded woods so I need something I can wear on my waist. Also, for home safety at night, I would like something that could be easily loaded in the middle of the night.
Also, is it legal to cross state borders with your gun in the car if it is not loaded? I do a lot of traveling with my kids and my husband isn't always with us.
Thanks for the respones, very helpful so far. As far as the bear spray, I'll look into it, but I'm still getting a gun. I'd much rather shoot an attacker then spray him and leave him to attack again. Plus I don't have any bears in my area, only cows and horses and wild pigs
Mike ~ would the glock be a semi-automatic? I like the idea of having 15 rounds in a magazine ~ does this just slide into the gun?
Glock makes semi-automatic handguns, and yes the magazines do slide right into the area under the grip of the gun, and you pull the action back to chamber the first round. Just for reference, the difference between a semi-automatic and a revolver, with a semi-automatic, you load the magazine and chamber the first round, with most guns, it's ready to fire with very little pressure on the trigger because the hammer is cocked. Some guns, like Ruger, have a safety feature that will allow you to load a round into the chamber, but the gun will not be ready to fire until you unset the safety and pull the trigger. With the first round in the magazine, you'll have to put a litlte more pressure on the trigger to fire it, but after that, you'll be able to fire the rest of the rounds in the magazine easily, and as fast as you can pull the trigger. You do have to learn the techniques in handling and firing a semi-automatic weapon in a precise manner to avoid striking unintended targets. It's easy, you just have to learn how to direct your fire toward your intended target.
Quote:
What's H&Ks?
H&K stands for Heckler and Koch, they do make fine weapons of all kinds.
Quote:
I check out some laws, I'm surprised!
No permit needed to purchase rifles, shotguns or handguns here, do not need to register any of them, no licensing requirements at all.
You don't need a a permit or a license to purchase rifles in all states, it's only handgun purchase laws that vary from state to state. In New York, New Jersey and Illinois, you have to have a permit or a license to buy a handgun, whereas in states like Arizona, you can get a handgun without any permits. In all states, gun dealers are required to run a background check on firearms purchasers, and they run your information through a national background check system, and in less than 5 minutes, if the results are clean, in most states, you'll be able to walk out with the weapon.
Quote:
Do need a permit to carry a concealed weapon. How hard is it to get a permit? These are the requirements:
Is 21 years of age.
Has good reason to fear injury to his person or property.
Has any other proper reason for carrying a handgun.
"Is a suitable person" to be so licensed.
Is my own personal safety enough? If not, what is?
In most cases, if you just want the conceal carry permit for your own personal safety, then you'll be able to get the permit, but you'll have to go through a training class to obtain the permit. I don't know about Alabam, but I know in Arizona it's a 5-day class to teach you the proper self-defense techniques, along with what you can and cannot do in self-defense situations. It's a very good and informative way to gain knowledge about firearms and by the time you complete it, you'll be very confident in handling your firearm. And like LM1 said, go to a local range at least once a month and practice.
You really need to try out several guns before you make a purchase. I am the same height and personally a glock 9mm is a good fit for me. My hubby has a 45 and its not as easy for me to use as the 9mm. But the biggest thing you need to do is become a good shot, so practice practice practice. A gun will do you no good unless you can shoot well. Many women will go get a gun after an act of violence and not take the time to learn how to properly handle it. You should find a good gun store. Good owners can really help you make a decision.
Be sure to check what your local gun laws are. As for crossing state lines, that can be a huge no-no. Be sure to check all the local and state laws regarding weapons and how they want you to transport them. Also take the time to really discuss weapons with your kids. Invest in a safe that opens with your fingerprint for safe storage away from little hands. Many states have gun safety for kids, I have been told those are usually great classes. Good luck.
Please try out a Sprinfield Armory XD 9mm....they come in 3"sub compact, 4"service and 5" tactical.
They have more safties than a Glock, which includes a "grip safety" that I don't believe your kids could get a grip on the gun to actually shoot it if they found it.
Make sure to try many different guns before buying.
The revolver in 357/38 is a good choice...Ruger GP100 4"
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I like the idea of having 15 rounds in a magazine ~ does this just slide into the gun?
