said by amigo_boy :

If he's considering the reliability of a revolver, then a .38 would be the equivalent to the semi-auto calibers you mentioned.

The nice thing about a .357 revolver is that you can shoot .38 ammo too. Best of both worlds. Semi-autos don't have that flexibility.

A .357 might be a good choice for someone with skill. It's all about tradeoffs. Revolvers are more reliable, but don't have the capacity of a semi-auto. Example: I like to carry concealed a .357. More stopping power per round which is important considering I don't have 10-12 rounds of lower-power ammo to empty into a bad guy (like you do with your Glock). For me, each shot has to count.

Inside the house, where concerns about missed shots going into other rooms (or neighboring houses with a .357), a .38 might be the better tradeoff. Or, .357 using frangible ammo (Glasser or Magtech.).

I don't think there are any right or wrong answers. There are a lot of factors that are different for every individual. (Even the choice to use frangible ammo is complicated by climate. I'd use it in a warm climate like Phoenix. But, not Michigan, where there's greater chance of an intruder wearing a heavy jacket, which can reduce the performance of frangible ammo.)

Mark

said by DarkSithPro :

In all honestly a decent Semi-Automatic handgun which is properly maintained ...

said by amigo_boy :

It's the "properly maintained" part that leaves a little to be desired. For someone who won't be such an enthusiast as to clean their gun often, or go to the range to fire it, a revolver is 100% reliable.

Semi-autos suffer from picking up gunk which can impede their mechanical operation. And, magazine springs can fade over time. Rounds in the magazine can pick up gunk and not feed properly. You never know if your choice of ammo will feed without taking the time to fire a few at the range.

Semi-autos are great for enthusiasts willing to put the time into cleaning and practicing with their weapon. I used to use semi-autos exclusively.

But, for someone trying to keep their job by putting in extra hours, or working a second job to keep their house, the last thing they need is the drama that comes with semi-autos. A revolver gets the job done, even after letting it sit 10 years. No doubts about whether it will work. No pressure to clean it, or go to the range and make sure it still fires (that the mag spring hasn't faded).

Every type of firearm (and caliber) has its positives and negatives. The worst advice is to imply that one person's choice is the best one. It's only best for that person (or anyone else with exactly that person's circumstances).

Mark

said by Lazlow :

I think you are forgetting about 10mm and short & wimpy(S&W40). 10mm's shoot .40 just fine. The same goes for a ton of the other cartridges for automatics(not just revolvers).

said by Lazlow :

The same goes for stopping power. Very few people who understand firearms would consider 10mm or 45 auto to be lower power ammo (both are available in low and high capacity form factors). Glock makes 10mm and 45s too.

said by Lazlow :

amigo_boy

I think you are forgetting about 10mm and short & wimpy(S&W40). 10mm's shoot .40 just fine. The same goes for a ton of the other cartridges for automatics(not just revolvers). The same goes for stopping power. Very few people who understand firearms would consider 10mm or 45 auto to be lower power ammo (both are available in low and high capacity form factors). Glock makes 10mm and 45s too.

said by DarkSithPro :

To opine on this, from firing .38 snub nose "which I'm sure he would get" it's a very uncomfortable gun to fire,

said by DarkSithPro :

not to mention is poor accuracy, and gunk that you can taste after you fire. Now take a Glock 17 with it's 5 inch barrel. A much more accurate weapon, with much better ergonomics.

said by lagged :

YOU CANNOT SHOOT .40 IN A 10 MM OR 380 IN A 9MM IN A SEMI AUTO. IF YOU DO YOU ARE IN SERIOUS DANGER!
...
This is exactly why this forum is almost the worst one to come to for gun advice.

said by lagged :

YOU CANNOT SHOOT .40 IN A 10 MM OR 380 IN A 9MM IN A SEMI AUTO. IF YOU DO YOU ARE IN SERIOUS DANGER!

Almost every semi auto headspaces off of the case mouth. Shoot a shorter round in these and KABOOM. Revolver's are different and most can shoot shorter rounds in the same caliber.

This is exactly why this forum is almost the worst one to come to for gun advice.

said by ixNay :

Sig Sauer P229 for ex. (shoots a .40 and .357) while using the same magz.

said by CtrlAltDel :

Get one of these. [att=1]

Or get one of these.[att=2]

Either one will scare away the bad guys.

said by amigo_boy :

I like the .45 round. It's low enough velocity to be a good home-defense round. (A couple sheets of drywall will slow it down.). Good knockdown power. But, I was never very good with it unless I practiced 1-2 times a month.

I carried "Officer's Model" (compact version of the 1911) for 2-3 years in the '90s. When I actively practiced I was really good with it. But, when I lost interest, I was no good. It had too much recoil for me to just pick it up and use it. For occasional use I did better with a .38 revolver or .40 Glock.

.380's a strange round. Being smaller you'd think it would be easier to shoot. But, every .380 gun I've fired (Makarov, CZ, AMT) it stings the palm of my hand like hitting a baseball bat against a metal post. Some .380 guns are good for concealability, but not fun to shoot.

Mark

said by lagged :

I trust my life to my 1911 every day. Nothing wrong with it at all.

"Of course the 1911 is an outdated design. It came from an era when weapons were designed to win fights, not to avoid product liability lawsuits. It came from an era where it was the norm to learn how your weapon operated and to practice that operation until it became second nature, not to design the piece to the lowest common denominator. It came from an era in which our country tried to supply its fighting men with the best tools possible, unlike today, when our fighting men and women are issued hardware that was adopted because of international deal-making or the fact that the factory is in some well-connected congressman's district. Yes, beyond any shadow of a doubt, the 1911 IS an outdated design....and that's exactly what I love about it."
Rosco S. Benson

said by DarkSithPro :

The FBI dropped that round "10mm" because it didn't meet the requirements of the FBI. The round had too much kick, and the frame was too large to be practical replacement for the 9mm. This was due to the FBI shootout where the .38 did not perform. Look at most LEO agencies in the U.S. Most of them carry .40 caliber now. The North Hollywood shootout was pretty much the start of when a lot of local agencies started switching to larger calibers.

said by IT Guy :

Sure it's just .22, but I love target shooting with .22

said by Axekick :

Sounds like you have made a thoughtful and wise decision that I hope works out well for you and your family.

A decent alarm would not simply emit an audible alarm but should automatically summons the police to your residence. (The proper breed of dog would notify you of an intruder prior to their attempting to enter your home.)

I always believed burglars primarily returned to a home if they were scared off and had not finished searching for valuables. In your scenario, I doubt they would return but really do not know enough of the details to give an opinion, nor am I an expert.

Guns are very dangerous and I cringe anytime someone talks about getting one for self defense unless they have had extensive experience with them already. But peace of mind and a sense of security is necessary for a happy environment so I do hope that everything works out well for you and your family.

Good luck.