Buying a Home Protection Gun

Muggings. Holdups. Carjackings. Home Invasions. It's on the news, it's down the street, and it's really getting scary. You've finally decided to it's time to get a gun.

If you don't have experience with firearms, buying a gun can be pretty overwhelming. You'll probably start out by talking to friends who own guns and running internet searches. And you'll find there is more information out there than you can digest .

The more you look, the more questions that will arise: handgun or long gun? revolver or automatic? full size or compact? what about caliber? what are the legal requirements? What you need is an expert to guide you, and you head off to the local gun shop.

This may or may not be a solution. While working the gun counter in a small sporting goods store, I worked with lots of first time buyers. Many were already frustrated with their shopping experience due to poorly informed salespersons or, even worse, experts who just couldn't relate to the neophyte.

In the event you can't find an understanding expert, here's the basic stuff you need to know when purchasing that first firearm.

Can You Legally Own a Gun?

Before you purchase a gun, learn what laws govern firearms ownership and use in your area. Remember to check state law as well as city or county ordinances. A good reference to state law is the Traveler's Guide to the Firearms Laws of the Fifty States, www.gunlawguide.com

In addition to state and local law, you must satisfy federal requirements when purchasing a gun from a federally licensed firearms dealer. You'll be asked to fill out a Firearms Transaction Record, ATF Form 4473 (www.atf.gov/forms/4473). In addition to basic identifying information, the form asks a number of questions to determine if you are statutorily prohibited from purchasing a gun.

The dealer will call your information in to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). In a matter of minutes, NICS will determine whether you are eligible for an immediate purchase.

Shotguns For Home Protection

Guns are roughly classified as to whether they are long guns or handguns. A long gun is designed to be fired with two hands, generally while being braced against the shooter's shoulder. Long guns are rifles or shotguns; of these, shotguns are the most popular for home protection.

While shotguns are highly intimidating to intruders and devastatingly effective when used properly, I generally don't recommend them to inexperienced shooters. If that's what you decide on, however, look for a tactical shotgun. Tactical shotguns have barrels between 18-20 inches long so they can be maneuvered quickly. They are available, depending on manufacturer, in 12 gauge or 20 gauge . . . while the 12 gauge is more powerful, it really doesn't matter too much in a close-in home protection encounter.

Tactical shotguns are traditionally pump action, meaning that fresh shells are fed into the firing chamber by means of a sliding "pump" that lies just underneath the barrel. It's not complicated, but it will require a bit of practice to operate it smoothly. There are also some autoloading tactical shotguns where the loading process is, well, automatic. While easier to operate under stress, these also require some practice in order to handle them safely.

A word of caution: if you are new to shooting, avoid the tactical shotguns with only a pistol grip. They look really cool, but are harder to control. Look for a gun with a full buttstock that you can brace under your arm or against your shoulder.

Home Protection Handguns

If you decide on a handgun (and I hope you will), you need to decide whether you want a revolver or an automatic. A revolver has a rotating (revolving) cylinder with five, six, or more chambers into which bullets are loaded. As the trigger is pulled, the cylinder turns and aligns one of these chambers with the barrel. At the completion of the trigger pull, the bullet is fired from the chamber, through the barrel, and toward the target. Another pull of the trigger repeats the process, allowing you to fire successive shots.

An automatic pistol (technically a semi-automatic) is a bit more complicated. The bullets are loaded into a long narrow box called a magazine which is then inserted into the handle of pistol. (Many people refer to the magazine as a "clip" . . . technically incorrect, but who cares?) To load the first bullet, the shooter must manually pull the spring-loaded top part of the pistol (the "slide") to the rear and release it. As the slide is released, it strips the top bullet from the magazine and seats it in the firing chamber. The gun is now ready to fire; it will continue to fire every time the trigger is pulled until the magazine is empty.

Now a word about safety . . . actually about the safety, an external switch or lever that will keep a gun from firing. If you purchase a revolver, you don't have to worry about a safety switch . . . revolvers don't have them. On the other hand, if an autoloader is your choice, you have to consider the safety . . . some autoloaders have them and some don't.

I personally don't want an external safety on a defense pistol . . . if I'm threatened, I want to keep things as simple as possible: draw the weapon, point it, and pull the trigger. Here's why: under threat, your body's flight-or-fight reaction kicks in, your adrenalin surges, and your thought processes revert to basic survival. With this kind of stress, you might just forget to flick that safety switch. And even if you remember, the adrenaline surge has compromised your fine motor skills and your fumbling fingers might not find that little lever in time.

One last thing on the discussion of revolvers and autoloaders. Either is fine (I have some of both) but for an inexperienced shooter, the revolver is the better choice. It's simple to load, straightforward in operation, and has less chance for malfunction. Don't be swayed by the fact that autoloaders carry more bullets . . . in most personal protection situations, you're unlikely to fire more than two or three times regardless of how many bullets you have.

Big Gun or Little Gun?

Handguns come in all sizes from a few inches in length to eighteen inches or more. For a general protection gun, avoid the tiny ones and the huge ones. If you plan to carry the gun concealed on your person, you need to think compact (5-7" long); if you're going to keep it in your house, a full size pistol is good (7-9" long).

Don't be tempted by the super lightweight alloys. They're comfortable to carry, but since they're so light, the gun doesn't absorb much of the firing recoil. They tend to be harsh to shoot but, more importantly, the recoil makes it difficult to put a second shot on target quickly.

What About Caliber?

Caliber refers to the diameter of the bullet in inches, i.e., a .40 caliber bullet measures four-tenths of an inch in diameter. This is not an exact rule, but it is generally true in a ballpark kind of way. For example, a .38 caliber bullet is actually .357 inches in diameter. To further complicate things, there is another bullet that is officially known as a .357 caliber. It is also .357 inches in diameter, but lots more powerful than the .38. The important thing to remember is that caliber doesn't necessarily equate to power.

Among the protection handguns, the most popular calibers are .380 (three-eighty), .38 (thirty-eight), 9 mm (nine millimeter), .357 (three-fifty-seven), .40 (forty caliber), and .45 (forty-five). Any of these, loaded with a good personal protection bullet, will do the job. Remember, we're not shooting elephants a quarter mile away . . . we're preparing for encounters that are up close and personal.

How Much Does a Good Gun Cost?

Guns are like anything else: there is a wide range of price based on lots of factors including brand name, availability, and whatever bells and whistles may be associated. A protection gun is a tool; if it meets your need, that's all you should care about. Don't invest in a pistol tricked out for hunting if you're not going to hunt; don't buy a fine-tuned target model if you're not into competitive shooting; don't buy fancy grips and engraving if the gun is just going to stay in your bedside table. High price does not necessarily mean the gun will suit your purposes better than a medium priced gun.

Learning To Shoot

A good gun salesperson will show you the basics of operating your pistol, and you need to carefully read the manual that comes with all new firearms. Now you need to practice. Don't delay . . . the gun is actually a liability until you know how to handle it. If you don't know someone who can help you learn to shoot, check with your salesperson about where training is available.

A note about ammunition: shoot the cheapest ammo you can find for practice. You're not looking for pinpoint accuracy, so the cheap ammo is fine. When you're not at the range, keep top quality personal protection ammunition in your gun. Personal protection ammunition is usually characterized by having a hollow tip that allows the bullet to expand upon impact. Such bullets are called, aptly enough, "hollowpoints.")

Self-Examination: Could I Really Shoot Someone?

I've had customers go through the selection process, pick out a protection gun, complete the paperwork, and then say, "I honestly don't know if I could actually shoot someone." Whoa! This is important! Do your soul-searching before making the purchase. If you have any doubts, Don't Buy A Gun. Get a Taser, get a Louisville Slugger, or get a big dog.

Finally, I hope you get a gun. I hope you learn to shoot it. I hope you enjoy it. And I hope you never have to use it.