[VaSteve]

Originally Posted by good hands

I am not a gun person nor have ever owned a gun but figure it's time. I just want something for basic home protection and to scare off the occasional nosey neighbor The only other thing that I might use it for is to blast snapping turtles out of my pond as the seems to be the preferred method out here. I was thinking some kind of shot gun but am open to any ideas.

Is Hunt not complying with his restraining order?

[Mark in Baltimore]

Pump shotguns are great for home defense/social unrest but are not particularly fun guns to shoot. I went through twenty-five rounds ten days ago, and my shoulder took a pounding. I'd like to get a Benelli semi-auto at some point, but it costs more than a set of race tires.

My one and only other gun is a Glock 21 (.45 caliber) pistol. I know there are fancier guns out there, but I just love the utter simplicity of the Glock, as well as its incredible accuracy. I hadn't shot the gun in about a year and a half or so and took it to the range after New Year's Day. I was able to unload all ten rounds into a 12"x18" small bore rifle target from 75 yards away (not all were dead-center but all were in the mass of the target). That kind of accuracy is what I love about the gun, and it makes shooting 4" diameter groupings from 25 yards fairly easy.

[pookie]

I second whoever said get what is comfortable.

I don't know if anyone mentioned it or not, but most semi-auto handguns come with rails for accesories like flashlights. And you can get a different front forearm for most pump and semi-autos that can mount a flashlight too. Sig, Glock, Springfield, H&K, all have models with rails

Walther PPK's also came in .380 calibers as well. And I think Sig is making a PPK frame that is in 9mm now too. If you get an older PPK or Walther PP model (there was the PP, PPI, PPII and I think a couple more) make sure to have the ejectors checked to make sure they are working. If clearing a loaded round sometimes the ejectors won't grab it and without checking the barrel you won't know if it is still loaded. So check the ejectors.

[Trak Ratt]

Originally Posted by Mark in Baltimore

I was able to unload all ten rounds into a 12"x18" small bore rifle target from 75 yards away (not all were dead-center but all were in the mass of the target).

That's some serious good shooting for someone who hasn't in a while!!!

[Bill]

Have not lived in MD long (Turf Valley area). Where do you folks do your pistol shooting?

[Mark in Baltimore]

Originally Posted by Trak Ratt

That's some serious good shooting for someone who hasn't in a while!!!

Thanks, Dave. I think it's 80% Glock, 20% me. Someone said to be more afraid of the man with one gun than the man with many guns, for the former will know his gun well. For a guy who shoots very, very sporadically, I'm not sure how well I "know" my gun, but I do know that it shoots a bit low so I have to compensate a tad for accurate shots.

Regardless, if someone were 75 yards away and a threat to life, they would be a couple of bullets heavier in their chest.

[Mark in Baltimore]

Originally Posted by Bill

Have not lived in MD long (Turf Valley area). Where do you folks do your pistol shooting?

I go to an indoor range, Continental Arms in Timonium, and three minutes from my house. I think there's an outdoor range in Marriottsville.

Here it is: http://www.associatedgunclubs.org/

[DDD]

My suggestion would be don't wuss out and get a 'starter' gun. Get the best weapon possible for your intended job and buy a high quality gun.

I have a couple 'starter' guns collecting dust and I still want to go get a shotgun to point and obliterate.

For shooting turtles, the choice weapon would be a .22 semi automatic rifle with a good scope. With the soft tip bullets for killing vermin fast, this gun will stop a home intruder as a side benefit. When you squeeze the trigger fast you can fire a whole clip of ten shots in like four seconds. This way you can just shoot turtles out your window or from a back deck without needing to get up close like a shotgun. The .22 has no kick, so it is a great window gun.

[Trak Ratt]

Originally Posted by pookie

... mount a flashlight too.

Walther PPK's also came in .380 calibers as well. And I think Sig is making a PPK frame that is in 9mm now too. If you get an older PPK or Walther PP model (there was the PP, PPI, PPII and I think a couple more) make sure to have the ejectors checked to make sure they are working. If clearing a loaded round sometimes the ejectors won't grab it and without checking the barrel you won't know if it is still loaded. So check the ejectors.

Lights make it easy to hit something if aligned right but also provides a pretty good target Can limit houlster selection too. Not heard of the Walther problem. Have had a .380 PP (longer barrel than PPK) for a long time and never an issue.

Originally Posted by Bill

Have not lived in MD long (Turf Valley area). Where do you folks do your pistol shooting?

Not from that area but Google can be your friend. Heard there was nice new one near Severna Park or something like that

[Mark in Baltimore]

Originally Posted by Trak Ratt

Not from that area but Google can be your friend. Heard there was nice new one near Severna Park or something like that

http://ontargetdot.com/ <<< (Dumb URL)