Offshoot: Buying cheap guns to use in a defense situation?

[Jon 264]

Since there was lots of discussion on a Marketplace thread, I thought an offshoot was in order...

 

What are your thoughts on buying a cheap gun specifically for the purpose of home/self defense so that you're not out a lot of money in the event that you need to use it in it's intended capacity?

 

My feelings are that I hope to never use a weapon in the defense of myself or a loved one, let alone using one once. In that regard, I only own/use what I perceive to be higher quality firearms for the purposes of defense, and would not bat an eye at losing one for good, so long as I was able to protect myself or my family with it.

[XDJohnTact 49]

I agree, and while I do not really have any "High End" guns, I do have some I am very fond of. However, if I ever had to use one in HD (so very unlikely in my situation) I would just consider that the price to pay for protection.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Nothing in my "arsenal" is overly collectable or rare - I'll use whatever I shoot with best or whatever's best for the situation.

[greatgunstatenj 32]

I'm going down stairs with my 9mm in one hand, 357 in the other, and 870 slung over my back. Being a scuba diver and tech it's all about redundancy and eliminating single points of failure.

 

That being said I'll probably be out a lot of $$$ lol

[Dan 177]

What is cheap? For some that is $150 , for others it could be $500.

 

That being said, I don't know anyone who only has an exclusive collection of high end guns without a few $600 and below plastic fantastics that are very well suited for HD use.

 

Even so, if a $2K or up gun had to be used in a HD situation, the last thing on my mind would be them taking that gun away for evidence.

[RubberBullets 65]

Quality all the way. I would not cheap out on a HD gun that I would use to save mine or my family's life, just as I would not load either with cheap ammo. Limit the possibility of a Jam/FTF/FTE at all possible when your life depends on it.

[Melgamatic 66]

What are your thoughts on buying a cheap gun specifically for the purpose of home/self defense so that you're not out a lot of money in the event that you need to use it in it's intended capacity?

 

I would use my best gun and best ammo, and if that was my most expensive gun then so be it. I think you are really thinking about false economies; if you are in a situation like this the price of a gun should be about 48th on your list of priorities, maybe lower.

[Sandy 44]

The gun I shoot the best and feel the most confident with , regardless of what it cost. My 1911 is worth more then my S&W MP .40 , but I shoot the S&W well . If it were the other way around I would have no problem sacrificing any gun for the sake of protecting me or my family.

 

If you use one gun to protect your life and your home , do they take all of your guns or just the ones they used?

[Ronald Silver 2]

Forget the pistol. You should worry more about any possible wrongful death lawsuits coming your way & your ability to pay for a lawyer

[Dr.Jimmy Rustler 23]

I think the value of my loved ones and my own life are easily worth far more than any amount of money.

[XDJohnTact 49]

Just wait until you are married for 40 years and see if you still feel that way!.........JUST KIDDING HONEY!

[JamesC 2]

I wonder what the psychological effect of hearing someone fire up a chainsaw from the upstairs bedroom would have on a would-be home invader...

 

I will use whichever firearm I have available, is serviceable, and I can accurately put rounds on target with... then bring something non-mechanical, e.g. knife, baseball bat, curtain rod etc. as redundancy.

[Duppie 73]

Forget the pistol. You should worry more about any possible wrongful death lawsuits coming your way & your ability to pay for a lawyer

I would have to agree. The very last thing on my mind in that unlikely situation would be how much I was out if the firearm was taken for evidence. I would instead be contemplating the cost of a lawyer,a new home and possible therapy for my loved ones.

That being said..I keep all my guns loaded so it's just a matter of which one is closer at hand.

[Buckshot195 8]

Would you buy a POS $500.00 car to drive you and your family around in just because you might get into a car accident? (more likely than a shooting) I think not..

[this_is_nascar 162]

Since there was lots of discussion on a Marketplace thread, I thought an offshoot was in order...

 

What are your thoughts on buying a cheap gun specifically for the purpose of home/self defense so that you're not out a lot of money in the event that you need to use it in it's intended capacity?

 

My feelings are that I hope to never use a weapon in the defense of myself or a loved one, let alone using one once. In that regard, I only own/use what I perceive to be higher quality firearms for the purposes of defense, and would not bat an eye at losing one for good, so long as I was able to protect myself or my family with it.

 

 

 

I'd image all of your guns would be consficated anyway, so what's the difference?

[this_is_nascar 162]

... in addition, it seems a bit odd to me that someone would want to use a "low-quality" firearm to defend themselves, if/when their life may depend upon that same weapon. As a matter of fact, I could see the prosecution using that in the case against you. "Sir, you had all these high-quality firearms in your lawful possession. Why did you choose that "budget-end" firearm when "your life depended on it" according to your testimony? Does your life mean that little to you and if it does, why did you fire at the intruder?" Assuming you make up some bullsh*t that won't be believable, the next sentence will be, "So, you purposely purchased a "different" gun knowing it will be confiscated when you used it? How long have you been planning for the day to shoot someone with this gun Sir?"

 

 

Use the gun you feel most comfortable with. Use the gun that you practice with the most.

[bry@n 195]

IMO, I consider a glock a cheap gun but an effective one. Cheap doesn't always mean bad.

 

I agree with most that every gun I own is a tool and if lost because I had to use it for protection, it did it's job. I will admit that losing my W. German p228 would bother me more than anything else

[fumanchu182 23]

A hi-point will fire a .45 round just fine. In fact so fine you'll be dead if you are the target.

[petros600 12]

[this_is_nascar 162]

 

 

 

Problem with that is unless you live in a city by yourself, without neighbors, you'll have an issue with that in a SD/HD situation. Remember that you are responsible to know what's beyond your target.

[Jon 264]

Problem with that is unless you live in a city by yourself, without neighbors, you'll have an issue with that in a SD/HD situation. Remember that you are responsible to know what's beyond your target.

 

Did you just take that picture seriously?

[JonF 79]

 

Did those guys just get done playing hockey on the roof of the Quick-Stop?

[Dan 177]

Did you just take that picture seriously?

 

This was a joke? I was going to run out and buy a tactical home defense machete and tomahawk to add to my Mosin HD rifle!

[Jon 264]

This was a joke? I was going to run out and buy a tactical home defense machete and tomahawk to add to my Mosin HD rifle!

 

Okay I'll jump on the bandwagon... +1

[Tactical Monkey 51]

This was a joke? I was going to run out and buy a tactical home defense machete and tomahawk to add to my Mosin HD rifle!

Short barreled Mosin rifles are the new EBR (Evil Bolt Rifle). Cut down to a stealthy, handy, and maneuverable 18", it's what all the (Historic) Mall Ninja's crave!

 

Is it coincidence that TM could mean Tactical Mosin or Tactical Monkey.... I think not!

 

ETA on topic: in a God forbid situation where I had no other alternative, I'd only use a firearm that I trust the lives of myself and my family with. Cost, at that point in time, is irrelevant.

[this_is_nascar 162]

Did you just take that picture seriously?

 

 

Obviously, I did to make a comment like that.

[BlueLineFish 615]

The guy kneeling seems to be muzzle flashing the hell out of the guy behind him. Machetes, tomohowks and mosins oh my. They are a scary crew

[heaterbob 53]

the guy with the tomahawk is the reason i have guns

[vjf915 456]

Guns can be replaced. My life and my fathers life cannot be. I'll use whatever I can reasonably afford and am comfortable with using in a high stress situation. I think that spending $100 on a shotgun, when a tried a proven shotgun can be had for $250 used, is just damn foolish. I'd rather spend that extra $150 now, than have my family spend $6,000 on my funeral because a cheap Chinese knock-off failed to work.

[Underdog 1,593]

I agree that you shouldn't skimp on quality. You need a dependable gun that you can shoot accurately and quickly. That said, I see no reason to risk losing something I am really fond of when a $400 used Glock that is ultra-reliable will work, and work well.

 

There are a lot of considerations... What can you afford (HiPoints? SIGs, Kimbers, etc.) What else do you have? (If all you only have is the one gun, it would be better to have (2) $400 used Glocks than a $900 SIG. If you have (3) higher end 1911s, then choose one if that is what you want to use for defense. Don't go more expensive than a $450 gun without having a backup. Again, there really isn't anything that a $500 Glock cannot do, and there really isn't anything that is more dependable.

 

For most people, I imagine a handgun would make the most sense for home defense, and in NJ, you would want one that could maximize the 15-round potential... Glock 19, Glock 23 w/ Glock 22 magazines, Beretta 92 w/ 15-rounders, CZ w/ 15 rounders, Stoeger Cougar w/ 15-rounders, etc. Additionally, you should give a thought to using something, no matter what the cost, if it could be replaced. I would rather use that Glock or a more expensive SIG that could be replaced at a gun store than my Grandfather's .38 special or 1911 (too bad my Grandpa didn't have one) or a rare S&W 9mm revolver.

 

Still, I would have to have the utmost confidence in the dependability of the weapon, the ammo in it, and my ability to use them. If you shoot a Glock 21 like cr@p, then by all means, use the custom Kimber or Springfield Armory 1911.

 

Also, you should consider the gun. Can you use it well? Can you choose one you use well that will lessen the legal jeopardy that you would be in if you had to use it? If you use a stock gun, but one that is more expensive, then the "cost" of using it is really insignificant to your legal fees, and you might as well go down the winner using it as long as it is a good shoot. If say, you have a Glock and you modify it with a 3.5 lb. trigger, then you are opening yourself up to more legal woes, when you might get a Target gun that has a 3.5 lb trigger. The same with hollow point ammunition. You can use it in your gun for home defense in NJ, but since it is essentially illegal to have, use something that is pretty good, but that is not hollow point... Federal Guard Dog, Speer Gold Dot, etc.

 

And, a target gun might be more accurate, but it might open you up to more problems if it has a light trigger and it accidentally goes off when your adrenalin is pumping.

 

It all has to come together. The gun I use primarily for home defense I shoot just fine, but it is not my favorite gun that I happen to shoot just a little bit better. But that ugly, brick-like defensive gun has a twin and for me, that is significant. And, when I go to the range, I always make sure to give my defensive gun some range time.

 

This would go with a carry gun as well. I would choose one that was dependable, first, then choose one that is durable and that I could handle well. The price would be an afterthought, but it would not be unimportant, unless I had unlimited funds.

 

 

I think that if your handgun is taken for an investigation, and you have not been charged, that you should immediately be issued a valid pistol permit, to replace it.

 

 

.