San Diego Housing Bubble News and Analysis

A co-worker just told me discount gun mart is having a sale on the 28th? on the Springfield XD, which is a polymer gun like glok I beleive. He said its gonna be like $200 off, resulting in around $400 price.

I don't know a lot about guns (not a gun owner), but I did have that information to share and am a huge supporter of the second ammendment.

You can't go wrong with a Glock or a Sig Sauer. I own two of each. A friend of mine has a HK 9mm and it is also a fine weapon. I would recommend that you buy a 9mm or a 40 caliber if you buy the Glock, Sig or HK since they do not have as much recoil/muzzle flip as a 45 caliber pistol. I also have a S&W 38 Special that is of very high quality and extremely reliable. The advantage of a revolver over a semi-auto pistol is that the revolver is not going to jam whereas if your wrist is not taut when you shoot an auto-pistol, the weapon could jam when it ejects the spent cartridge. This happens every time my wife tries to shoot my Glock 9mm, The Sig 9mm or the Beretta 9mm. We solved the problem by buying her a Beretta 380. The recoil/muzzle flip is reduced on the 380 and her pistol has never jammed. The 380 cartridge does not have as much stopping power as a 9mm but it is very close and will do the job if you ever need it.
I bought several guns from the dealer on Morena when I lived in San Diego. They had competitive prices and were easy to deal with.
Hope this helps.

Here's some companies whos every model is reliable. I'm sure there are others but I cant recall.

Beretta
Sig Sauer
Glock
Heckler & Koch
CZ ( I used to own a CZ-75. It will function even with a limp wrist)
Taurus
Smith & Wesson ( revolvers are good but the autos are hit and miss from model to model. I've shot three or four )
Ruger ( very reliable but kinda chunky in the hand)

For carrying a couple of good safety options are De-cockers or DAO (double action only).

I hear El Cajon Gun Mart is having a sale, not sure though.

And the seas turned to blood....I guess this is the true barometer of the times, we have gone from economic discussions to guns.

In all seriousness, this is a mercedes/bmw decision, both are excellent. The glock is easier to maintain but has no safety, a fine combat weapon, but not a home defense for the casual user weapon. Actually the sig is just as good, has a safety, but will require a tad more training to become accurate. In either case stay away from the .45's unless you were in the military and already know how to shoot one. They have too low a capacity and the learning curve is much higher.

I reccommend an 870 shotgun for home defense and a hammerless s&w airweight .38 for personal defense. Hammerless revolvers are old technology but they have a much lower accidental discharge rate and are simple to operate and maintain. The shotgun argument for home defense has many angles, it is more powerful than any handgun, has more versatility as it can take a variety of ammo, it is easier to hit the target under duress for the casual user and they are almost invincible/last forever.

The Glock 21 is the old standby. Lots of punch and a double-stack magazine of good old .45 rounds will do the trick. Triple E is a good place to get it. The Glock has very few moving parts and is very reliable. If your hand is smaller, they just came out w/a smaller grip version of this gun. Don't forget the Sure-Fire weapon light for when those burglars come in the house at night. Just make sure it's not some drunk guy from PB going to the wrong house or you could get in trouble. Can't shoot someone for trespassing.

I'd suggest a Glock if you're new to handguns. It's a simple weapon. Easy to maintain. Easy to fire, no safety. Learn how to handle it. Get a safe if you have kids.

Gandalf/TG: As much as I hate to disagree with either of you fine gents, you are wrong concerning the Glock not having a safety. It does. It's in the trigger of the weapon (I own a pair of Glocks).

TG is right on the money regarding shotguns. If you're looking for something for home defense, there is simply nothing better. I carried a shotgun (Remington 870P in 12ga) while in the Army and used it in some pretty extreme circumstances and it never let me down. Not once. Something I couldn't say for the M-16 ("If it's Mattel, it's swell!"). The 12ga is a hugely intimidating weapon and just racking the slide will cause most evil doers (little nod to Dubya for you, there, gandalf) to wet themselves. If the 12ga is too much, you can also get pump shotguns in 16ga (smaller round). Remington (Model 870 Police) and Mossberg (Models 500 and 590) both make excellent pump shotguns.

The main question you need to ask is what are you purchasing the weapon for? Second question would concern you personally and include gender, age, size and how much time you're going to put into becoming proficient with the weapon. The "best" handgun or long arm in the world is absolutely useless if you lack confidence and experience with it. You also run the danger of having it taken away and used against you in that instance (research the statistics on gun violence in the home and for both intentional and accidental situations).

I own several guns but don't keep or use any for home defense. This is largely because I have two young kids, but also because, statistically speaking, the odds/percentages are actually against you in something like a burglary scenario. If you're worried about civil unrest or mass social chaos that's a different story. Then your best bet is the fine Maremont Industries M-60 machine gun in 7.62mm NATO. Belt fed and highly reliable (as long as you keep the gas tube clean).

Kidding aside, revolvers are a better bet if you're new to guns, as they're more reliable and won't jam/stovepipe like a semi-automatic pistol will. If you do purchase a semi-auto, don't be dissuaded by the anti-.45ACP crowd here. Excellent round. Accurate, controllable and capable of a high percentage of "one shot stops" using good, old, off-the-shelf 230gr full metal jackets (available at any Wal-Mart. The only way to match this type of stopping power in a 9mm or .40S&W is to use hollow point rounds and these can be very problematical in certain types of weapons.

Allan,

I appreciate your feedback here on the gun issue as well as everyone else's thoughts...

I think a 12 gauge shotgun is what I need to be looking for here for personal protection. I suppose I would have to join the cartel to get an M60.

Macro: If you're going to Discount Gun, ask the salesperson about either the Remington 870 or the Mossberg 590. You want to buy a 3" receiver (called the Police model by Remington), so you can shoot both 2.75" and 3" shot and slug. Under no circumstances buy anything with an aluminum receiver. I prefer Remington to Mossberg, but largely because I think the Mossberg's action is rough and harder to cycle than the Remington.

Explain that you're looking for a shotgun for personal protection and, if you're thinking home defense, you want to be shooting buckshot and not slug (you run the risk of over penetration with slug loads, which are essentially very big bullets). Federal makes an excellent off-the-shelf buckshot load in both double-ought (00) and triple-ought (000). Have the salesperson explain the differences between 00 and 000, and the differences between standard loads and magnum loads. They're very knowledgeable at Discount and they'll cheerfully give you a 15 minute primer on shotguns and ammunition.

Once you buy the shotgun, make sure you spend sufficient time on the range to get used to it. a 12ga is a formidable weapon and you don't want to start out shooting 3" 00 buckshot for instance. Buy some cheapo Peters birdshot in 2.75" and run a couple boxes through. Work your way up through 2.75" standard loads until you're comfortable with 3" magnum 00 buck. Trust me on this, that load will stop anything dead in its tracks and do it with authority.

If you do wind up with an M-60, make sure you use either the bipod or tripod and don't fire it from the hip. It looks cool, but you won't hit shit.

The M240B is the new M60, old-timers ;)

I agree about the shotgun for home. If you chamber a round and a burglar hears that then he goes bye bye. It is the most intimidating sound and anyone who knows anything about guns knows that, round per round, it's the last thing you want to be shot with. It's a great deterrent.

Or the 249 Squad Automatic Weapon. It has a bipod, contains the belt in a box and is small enough to poke around corners to clear rooms;)

sd_matt: And in a pinch you can use M-16 and M-4 30 round mags in it.

The SAW is a real tack driver, too. Only drawback is that it fires that crappy 5.56mm round.

The SAW feels too "top-heavy" to use for reflexive fire (I just finished my 15-month OIF deployment with the infantry last year, assigned as a gunner). Alas, sorry for straying away from handguns.

It's not perfect by any means but very versatile.

If I had my way I would have the designers make a 7.62 version. Ill bet it would weigh less than 25 lbs empty.

sd_matt: I'm going to date myself a little bit here, but we used to have a variant of the M-60, the A3, that featured a shorter barrel and a foregrip. That weapon was a real chopper, and was chambered for 7.62mm.

I carried a CAR-15 for a bit and liked the weapon, especially it's size and weight, but disliked the 5.56mm round.

Completely off the machine gun topic, have you seen the AA12? Fully automatic 12ga.

Glock 21 - .45 caliber - a hit anywhere in the chest or shoulder area will stop just about anybody

this is a large framed weapon - I'm a 6 footer and it is still large for me - I have to twist it a little in my hand to hit the magazine release

next purchase will be the Glock 36 (?) - still .45 caliber but smaller frame - only 6 rounds (if you need more than 6 rounds of .45 you are in trouble!) - this weapon is concealable (now if CA just had a concealed carry law)

I have a Sig P220 (.45) and there is no safety. Though, I'm not sure if they have changed this in the past couple of years.

Allen

How much does the A3 weigh?

Havent heard of that fully auto shotgun. Think about trying to control a full auto 12ga. I hope it has some kind of trick up its sleeve.

Wasnt control under auto one of the complaints about the M14?

I bought an xD .40 a few months ago as my first gun and love it. I took my hand gun safety class with a Glock .40 and I like my xD better. Very comfortable ergonomics and 500 rounds through it with no problems at all. Amazingly with all of my ammo buying I've done at Walmart the .40 is the only ammo left on the shelf. Everything else is gone but bird hunting shot ammo.

I just ordered a Remy 870 Express since I couldn't find any Mossberg 590s around. There are 3 racks full of 870s on the wall at American Shooting Center for ~$370 FYI.

This is a helpful thread for some here but we probably don't want to make this website into a gunny site since it's already getting filled with political threads.

sd_matt: I want to say 19lbs. The original "pig" (M-60) weighed in at 23lbs and this was lighter and shorter (in terms of barrel length).

Yeah, the M-14 had issues at full auto. The guys I trained (Salvadoran Army) used the H&K G3, which is also a selective fire weapon and in 7.62mm NATO. Same problem there, too, on full auto: Hard to control. That M-14 was a sweet weapon, though. My dad was a huge fan of the M-1 Garand, having carried one in WWII and Korea, and I think the M-14 was superior to even the Garand. I grew up shooting .30-06, so I like the bigger cartridges, especially in comparison to .223/5.56mm.

The AA12 is gas operated, which contributes significantly to control and it fires some very cool rounds designed specifically for the weapon. One of them is a fin-stabilized 12ga grenade (no shit, I swear I'm not making that up). It chugs out 12ga at about 300 rounds a minute off of a drum magazine. I love my Remmie 870, but I'd drop that in a heartbeat for this beast.

We just shot an M-1 Garand yesterday, and I don't know how they did it back then.

check out socal gun in clairemont. i personally despise discount.

or get the double barrel 12 from big 5, about 250 advertised. then get a hacksaw. a full size rifle in the house doesn't seem terribly maneuverable.

I was going to suggest the Big 5 special also (Mossberg 500 with 18.5" and 26" barrels). It's the best deal going! I got mine there over 15 years ago when they were under two hundred bucks. They are ugly and kind of crude compared to some slick-shooting pumps I've used, but they work great.

No need for for the hacksaw, either. Just get a $20.00 aftermarket pistol grip and bolt it on. I shoot mine single-handed sometimes, it's a hoot.

As far as handguns, leave the semi-autos to professionals who maintain and fire their weapons on a regular basis. I'll take a Ruger GP100 6" in stainless, thankyouverymuch. If a .357 Magnum can't get the job done, nothing will. You can also shoot .38 Special at the range to save money and your wrist.

drboom: I'm personally a Smith guy when it comes to wheelguns, but I had a Ruger GP100 in 4" for a while. Great gun, and, typical of Ruger revolvers, was built like a tank. I remember shooting really hot 125gr JSPs out of it and the gun handled them without a problem.

I've got a Smith 629 4" in .44 now and it's fun to do the one-handed Hollywood thing, especially with some 240gr Hydra-Shoks.

Back to pistols

My favorite all metal is the CZ-75B and CZ-75 P01. Affordable too. And I would take the saved $$ and buy a rubber grip. The CZs fit is really nice but it comes out of the box with plastic ones. I took my CZ to some pistol course ran by one of my Sergents and had the guys shoot it after the Beretta. They liked the fit and balance over the Beretta. I also put 2000 rounds through it with nary a problem.

My duty weapon is the H&K P2000. I also like everything about it except the DAO trigger. I shot the HK USP 9 back at that course. If you have the $$ and want all the features possible on one pistol then this is it. My humble opinion.

"No need for for the hacksaw, either. Just get a $20.00 aftermarket pistol grip and bolt it on. I shoot mine single-handed sometimes, it's a hoot."

i would think keeping the shoulder stock would actually be a good thing, particularly for women and nubs like me. just a little trim (or not) depending on how big you are. but an 18" barrel is still a bit long. i have a stoeger 12g semi 18.5 and it's unwieldy indoors.

i have a taurus tracker 7 shot 357 that shoots great; the kick is big but not hard... like, my boss's s&w aluminum frame 9mm auto snaps when it kicks, jerking my wrist pretty good. only issues with the taurus i'm remedying are the stock grip (too fat) and the stock springs (too stiff). best part was, the taurus (used, satin finish) was cheaper than a used stainless gp.

a cz 75 sp steel frame is on my short list of "must have before the world goes boom". comfortable feel, looks better than 1911, cheaper and great rep.

edit: american shooting center in clairmont sells reload 357 for cheap. boxed .38 is not cheap at all. royal pawn in north park (used to, still does?) sells boxed fmj 357 (focaccia or something brand) for fair cheap.

Great feedback here...

Handguns:
- Beretta Brigadier 9mm......everytime
- S&W P95 - 9mm

Shotguns......I give you the cheapest & most reliable shot gun in the world....
- Baikal MP 153 (now owned/made by Remington)

this is a must watch video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--GbVKwDf...

I am teaching my GF to shoot on a little old 22 rifle. It shoots straight and never jams with a 8 round clip. Great to learn on. That is what I learned on. You can shoot all day and wont get tired.

I also have a Beretta semi-auto 12 gage American Citizen. I can put 3 rounds through it in about 4 seconds, and have no idea what I would need more than that for. It is great cause the gas works the slide and takes a vast majority of the kick outa the gun.

My next gun will be a hand gun. Most likly a 40 Glock. Great weapon.

Brother has a AR-15, Id love to buy one, but they are not Ca compliant. :(

SDT: Where did you get the Baikal? Extremely impressive video, but what you'd expect from the Russians. We used to find captured AKs with dirt in the action and rust on the metal and partially fouled gas tubes and the damn things continued to function flawlessly. Get a speck of dust in an M-16 and the damn thing jams.