I just need a handgun
Ok I am currently in Iraq and am about to return home from being here for 15 months. I want to find a nice semi-auto for home defense but everything I look at Im told is not legal in California. Does anyone know exactly what rules I need to follow in finding a weapon?
I heard that it cant carry more than 10 rounds, is this true?
Any help would be greatly appreciated guys thanks.
I heard that it cant carry more than 10 rounds, is this true?
Any help would be greatly appreciated guys thanks.
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IIRC you need to go to California's DOJ website to get the list of approved pistols. 0 -
Mag limt and must be considered "safe" by the state gov. Manufacturers have to submit a sample gun yearly for testing... there is a list on the website
http://certguns.doj.ca.gov/0 -
I'm also in CA. Best thing for you to do is wait until you get back, then check out the local gun stores. There are still plenty of handguns in CA, new and used. The used ones already in CA don't have to be "CA Approved" - but I guess that's info you can pick up later. If you post which part of northern CA you're returning to maybe there will be a few suggestions of gun stores in your area.
Here's a CA specific gun forum: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/index.php
Take care.0 -
I agree with Dfletcher 100%. You'll get lots of opinions on the internet about what is legal and not legal in the State of CA. . .most of which are irrelevant.
Ultimately, you'll get the best opinions from the ones that have to go through it every single day. . .eg actual gun dealers/FFL holders in CA.
Go to a gunshop in CA and look at the shelves. Anything you see for sale is almost certainly legal for you to own, and you'll be able to get it with minimal hassle.
If there is a particular pistol you are interested in, ask the dealer if he can get one for you, or transfer it legally into the state.
By the way, if you can only have ten rounds, you might as well make them .45ACP [;)]0 -
Move to another state. 0 -
This is a link to the official State Of California Dept. Of Justice Bureau Of Firearms Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale in California. Every legal to buy handgun in California is listed. If it's not on this list, it's not legal here. California does have the stupid 10 round magazine limit.
http://certguns.doj.ca.gov/
By the way, I recently bought a CZ75BD 9mm Luger for $500 as my primary home defense gun but I looked at lot's of other great ones too. I looked at Glock 17, S&W M&P9, Sringfield XD, FN P9, Sig P226, Beretta M9, Browning Hi-Power, Ruger SR9 and even some cheap ones from Taurus, Bersa and Firestorm. So even though you're limited to 10 rounds, you still have quite a few options for handguns all the way from cheap to really high quality brands.0 -
You probably have a good idea by now what works and what doesn't.
Also take a look at The Judge.
It has good reviews shooting 45 Long Colt and 000,410 Buckshot loads.
Very serious but only five shots.0 -
reports are coming in that the judge is ammo sensitive and many 410 rounds will stick, requiring a punch to extract. be aware. seems it likes winchesters smooth hulls the best. reason for sticking is a little ridge inside the cyl so you cant chamber a 450 casul or some crazy round by mistake. it jams the shotgun hulls. 0 -
What Bobski said +, my neighbor just bought a new Titainiam 2 1/2" Judge, besides the 410s sticking, it wouldn't consistantly fire 45 Colts in double action, tried my hand loads and factory loads, took the unfired rounds out of the Judge, put them in my Anaconda and they shot, put some in my S&W 25 and they would shoot. Don't know what the problem was, they shoot fine in single action. I like Taurus, but I'm not very impressed with the Judge.
For what it's worth.
W.D.0 -
Find a gun gun shop with indoor range that rents pistols, bring a friend, try out different brands and calibers. Buy one that you shoot best with.
I prefer 45 acp and the majority of my pistols are in that caliber. However, if you don't reload, 45 acp ammo is more expensive than 9mm.
I would recommend you rent and shoot the following:
Sig Sauer 9mm & 45 acp
XD 9mm & 45 acp
Glock 9mm & 45 acp
1911 - Kimber or Springfield 45 acp
22 pistol - Ruger MK1 or variation
Smith & Wesson 686 - 357mag & 38spl
Most of these come in 40S&W. I personally don't care for the caliber but there is nothing wrong with it.
I would recommend you stay away from the Taurus line. They offer a lifetime warranty to make up for poor quality.0 -
quote:Originally posted by v35
You probably have a good idea by now what works and what doesn't.
Also take a look at The Judge.
It has good reviews shooting 45 Long Colt and 000,410 Buckshot loads.
Very serious but only five shots.
Great gun for camping or as a novelty, but in my opinion, its a less than ideal choice for personal defense.
.410 buckshot is mostly a novelty. It shoots only three light balls, not quite to point of aim, and with unpredictable patterning.
I can see a pistol-shotgun for shooting snakes, rodents, or (maybe) birds, but I can't imagine any situation where you'd get better defensive performance with these shot loads than with an ordinary .45LC load, even a lighter "cowboy" type load.
And if you are a fan of the .45LC round for some reason and want to rely on that round for self-defense, IMO, you can get a better overall double-action .45LC gun with SIX shot capacity. If you have no attachment to .45LC, you can get roughly equivalent or better ballistics with .44 special, 45 ACP, .357 magnum, and others.
If you like the concept of a defensive shotgun, then why not just get an actual shotgun?0
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