. Then a
. And ammo. Practice.
If you are in a state that requires it, apply for a carry
permit now, they can take a while (months) to process.
If you are only going to own one gun, this is probably a good place to
start, because a handgun on your hip is better than a rifle you left at home or in your trunk.
Basically, select something that is as powerful as you can
comfortably carry on a regular basis. If you get something that is so
large that you may grow weary of carrying it, it is of no use to you. A
.22LR in the pocket is better than a .44 Magnum at home in a drawer.
Semi-automatics tend to be slimmer and therefore more comfortable to
carry than revolvers. Some people still prefer a revolver because they
are more simple and therefore more reliable. You want a concealable
handgun because not only are police not going to be there to protect you
at every moment, they are not even under any legal obligation to protect
you.
www.SmallestGuns.com may
be useful. You would probably benefit from reading
A
Simple Guide for Buying and Carrying a Self-Defense Handgun
Kimber 1911 Compact, .45ACP, $710

The 1911 was named after the year in which it
was adopted as the standard U.S. military sidearm. It is a thoroughly
tested and proven design, and fires the very substantial .45ACP round.
It also happens to be rather slim, and Compact (4" barrel) or
Ultra-Compact (3" barrel) models can be very convenient to wear. It is
also a single-action, which means that its trigger pull is much more
responsive. The 3 largest manufacturers of 1911s are Kimber,
Springfield Armory, and Colt. I've heard nothing good about Colt
lately, and Kimber has the most modern machining processes.
Mine is overly susceptible to limp-wristing.
Kahr MK40, .40S&W, $680

A compromise between power and size, the Kahr MK40 is tiny, yet still
fires the fairly formidable .40S&W round.
In the 1986 FBI Miami shootout the 9mm round proved insufficiently
effective, so they switched to 10mm which had unmanageable recoil, so
they reduced the powder, and then reduced case length corresponding to
reduced powder, which resulted in the .40S&W.
Kel-Tec P32, .32ACP, $320

While the Kel-Tec P32 only fires the small .32ACP
cartridge, it is extremely concealable. You will basically never have
an excuse not to wear it. This makes it a "deep concealment" gun. You
can also get a clip that attaches to the frame so you can wear it
clipped inside the top of your pants, which looks like it's a folding
knife.
Smith & Wesson Model 60, $560

Any small frame 5 round .357 or .38
really. Fine rounds, and tiny. A shrouded hammer design makes more
sense for concealment, but I can't stand the way they look.
Although the .38 was found ineffective similarly to the 9mm in the
above mentioned FBI shootout. And the .357 has a
lot of kick for
such a small gun.
"To preserve liberty
it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and
be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." -- Senator
Richard Henry Lee, 1788
If purchasing a rifle for indoor use, consider shorter barrelled options
(carbines) for maneuverability. This may reduce long range
potential.
The AR-15 and AR-10 both have a
Direct Impingement
gas system, which will become unreliable if not cleaned after a few
hundred rounds. In direct contrast, the rest of the rifles in this
section use a Gas Piston system, which can go thousands of rounds without
cleaning. (There are a few exceptions, of ARs with pistons.) No, I don't
know why anyone would use DI in a modern combat rifle. There are a couple
fewer parts, which slightly reduces the weight and cost, but I can't
imagine considering that worth the cleaning requirement.
Do not buy a Century Arms (based) rifle, they are crap. They make copies
of several of the below rifles (FAL, CETME, M14, AK-47).
I strongly recommend hunting with these in places where it is legal.
Don't use them as an excuse to be sloppy, make every shot count.
Main Battle Rifles
- Effective range of about 500 yards.
- Larger ammunition, 7.62x51mm NATO / .308 Winchester (more damage, more bulk and weight to carry)
- 20 round detachable magazines.
After WWII, Germany tried to license the FAL from FN and
failed
*.
They then licensed the CETME from Spain and (HK) developed it into the
G3. The HK91 is a semi-auto version of the G3. The PTR 91 is a copy of
the HK91 using HK tooling which may be of better quality than the
original. It is a shame that we do not know what would have resulted if
HK had started with the FAL instead of the CETME.
FAL, 7.62x51mm NATO / .308, $1100, 10.4 lbs + mag



"The right arm of the free world."
The last NATO standard rifle developed under the mistaken belief that a
soldier could be expected to be emotionally capable of firing an aimed
shot at a human being.
Reliable. Accurate for a semi-auto. Good range. Substantial
cartridge.
This is the rifle the US military should have adopted instead of the
M14, along with most of NATO, before the (current) M16.
I specifically recommend the
Austrian FAL Carbine from DSArms for quality and price. The longest barrel length is not the most accurate due to "barrel whip". If you
want a scope, you'll need a
scope rail, which does not need to be removed for cleaning.
Compared to the M16/AR-15, which is the current standard rifle for the
U.S. and NATO military, the FAL:
| + |
Is more reliable. |
| + |
Has greater range. |
| + |
Does more damage per aimed shot. |
| = |
Has equivalent accuracy. |
| - |
Magazine contains 20 rounds instead of 30. |
| - |
Is roughly two pounds heavier. |
| - |
Ammunition is heavier. |
| - |
Ammunition is larger. |
| - |
Ammunition is more expensive. |
It looks like I will be putting a 1-4x scope on mine, using
Leupold quick release low rings.
10,000
round FAL torture test
PTR 91, 7.62x51mm NATO / .308, $1200

A
parts compatible copy of the HK91 made with HK tooling and more modern
machining processes - possibly higher quality than the original.
Choosing between this and the FAL will mostly be personal preference.
Versions are available with a scope base. An
aftermarket scope rail is
available. The magazine release is "...considered awkward by many
owners." -
Wikipedia. "I simply shift the gun to my left hand and use my right
thumb to release the mag" - Stormfront forum. This is a result of the
conversion to semi-auto. A paddle release conversion is available. Fluted chamber damages brass so it's not reloadable.
CETME, 7.62x51mm NATO / .308, $700 used

The Spanish design HK
started with when creating the G3/HK91. A good price compromise. Make sure you don't get one chambered for 7.62x51mm CETME, which can crack if you use .308 Win. / 7.62NATO in them. Fluted chamber damages brass so it's not reloadable.
M14 / Springfield M1A, 7.62x51mm NATO / .308, $1500

The
M14 was the standard U.S. infantry issue Main Battle Rifle before the
M16. The Springfield M1A is a copy of it. Comparisons between this an
the FAL can be heated. Optics rail options are either partial, not
covering the receiver, or require removing a couple bolts to field
strip the rifle. Obviously irrelevant if you will only use iron sights.
AR-10, 7.62x51mm NATO / .308, $1400
Direct Impingement sucks.
This is a larger caliber version of the AR-15.
There are plenty of optics mounting options, particularly for flat-top
rifles.
Assault Rifles, or semi-automatic versions thereof
- Effective range of about 215 yards.
- Smaller ammunition, 7.62x39mm or 5.56mm NATO (less damage, but it's easier to carry
more).
- 30 round detachable magazines.
These are the best examples of military rifles designed to fire
larger numbers of intermediate (smaller than most rifles, larger than
handgun) cartridges as a result of research which has shown that "...very
few troops are mentally prepared to direct aimed fire at the enemy,
preferring instead to spray bullets in the general direction of the
enemy." -
M16
History
AK-47, 7.62x39, $400-600

Nothing beats the reliability of the
AK-47.
It is one of the most common firearms in the world. It is stereotyped
as inaccurate, but this is less true in current models, especially the
milled receiver models from
Arsenal Bulgaria. 30 round detachable
magazines are commonly available, and the ammunition is cheap, roughly
25 cents per round in 1,000 round cases.
Bushmaster AR-15, 5.56mm NATO, $900, 9.78 lbs
Direct Impingement
sucks.
The semi-automatic civilian version of the M16 Assault Rifle (current
U.S. military issue). It is more accurate than the AK-47, but is
stereotyped as very unreliable and prone to jamming, but like the AK,
modern versions are less prone to the old stereotypical problems. The
two biggest names in ARs are Armalite and Colt, but the equivalents
from Bushmaster tend to be less expensive. 30 round detachable
magazines are commonly available. Many versions of the AR are
available. "Match" versions are intended to be as accurate as possible
for sport, without regard to the effects on reliability. For this
reason I would suggest a standard
no-frills
version. I don't mind the U.S. military adopting this miniscule
cartridge if soldiers can't be expected to aim at humans, but the
direct impingement system bothers me.
Best Price
SKS, 7.62x39, $200 used

If you want a reliable, war tested combat rifle for the best price, this is a good place to look.
10 round NON-DETACHABLE magazine fed by stripper-clips. Yes this one actually uses "clips". This is the predecessor to the AK-47, and fires the same ammunition.
A long range variation
on the previous theme. A very precise bolt action rifle with a good
scope. I suggest .308 winchester caliber, because it is effective and
common - also known as 7.62mm NATO, it is one of the major ammunition
types used by the U.S. military. Effective range of about 800 yards. You may want to spend about as much
money on your scope as you do on the rifle. Or not. Leupold makes good
scopes. I recommend a 10x fixed power scope. This is identical to a deer hunting rifle.
If you'll want to be able to practice using one of these to its limits,
look around for a local range over 300 yards. If they are hard to come
by, consider the possibility that you will never have a practical need to
make a shot over 300 yards, and consider giving up a little accuracy for
capacity and getting a
battle rifle instead.
With a .308 and a flat scope base, your maximum range will be limited by
your scope adjustment range. To fix this, and for their quality, I
recommend a Badger Ordnance 20MOA canted scope base and rings.
Remington 700P, $870

Previously known as the
Remington Police Sniper Special - it is one of the most accurate out of
the box rifles in a reasonable price range. It is known to do less than
1" diameter groups at 100 yards without modification.
Remington 700VS, $560

Remington 700 Varmint Synthetic - the two
significant differences from the 700P are a cheaper stock, and a
significantly lower price. Since everything else that's important - the
barrel, receiver, trigger, etc., are the same, it is an excellent
option if you want the best but would prefer to save some money. Also
available left-handed, which the 700P is not.
Pick
something from the
Liberty section. Yes, each
individual shot will waste more energy in over-penetration than a
shotgun, but you'll have a lot more ammunition to fire, and a rifle is
far more versitile than a shotgun due to its vastly superior range.
"...the maximum effective range on a man size target with the 12ga
buckshot is 18yds." -
Shotgun
Ammunition Assessment. The primary exception is where you have
nothing but paper walls between you and your closest neighbors, in which
case you may want to go with a shotgun to reduce over-penetration.
Mossberg 590, 8 round magazine, $400

Mossberg 590, with an 8 round magazine. This is a combat style shotgun
with a large magazine capacity.
There is also the military version, the 590A1, with a heavier barrel,
aluminum trigger guard and safety, but it is not compatible with the
barrel shroud.
Desert Eagle .50, .50AE, $1210

This had to be
listed, primarily to say what it is not. It is not the best of anything
practical (in .357 magnum, .44 magnum, or .50 action express).
It is not the best carry gun. It is far to big to reasonably carry. It
holds the most rounds in .357, only 9. The Para-Ordnance P14 holds 55%
more, of similarly powerful rounds. In .44 mag. it holds 8. In .50AE it
only holds 7. .357 is appropriate to take out an attacker, the rest are
overkill, and just less magazine capacity.
It is not the best home defense gun. Its ammunition is all
significantly less effective at indoor ranges against attackers than a
12ga shotgun, including less area of effect.
It is not the best gun for use in multiple areas, because it's not well
suited to any of them. For this, go look in the self or home defense
sections.
So what is it? A hell of a conversation piece. It's the biggest pistol
you can get. There's reasons it's popular in movies. If you do get one,
go all the way and get it chambered in .50AE. Oh yeah, and it has a
fascinating gas blowback system, more common in rifles.