Experience with Weapons

[Navalwarrior]

This may be to broad and I may make two threads for gun and blade.

I'm not asking what you own. I don't like the idea of posting online what guns you own for the world to see.
It just screams not wise to me.

Anyway this thread is about what you have owned and by your experience what you would prefer to own be it for home defense, plinking, just because, etc.

For example; I'm comfortable saying I own a Ruger Single Six revolver. It's a peacemaker style. I haven't fired it, yet but all review are this is a good gun.
Reliable, powerful with the .22 mag. Though by my understanding it's not a home defense fire arm. Not that it wouldn't be good as a home defense arm.
But you load it with a plate the slides out, while the cylinder stays in place. However, this can be viewed as a blessing as it forces you to slow down and pick you shots.
This gun is accurate and reliable being sold since 1953 is still popular. It's probably the best trainer for Beginners to intermediate shooter; it uses .22LR/.22Mag round which are cheap compared to other gun rounds. Also, you can easily swap the two Cylinders by simple pressing a button just forward of the cylinder, pullling the cylinder housing pin out, and swapping the cylinders. You don't see that kind of simplicity these days.

I can get bullets for anywhere from $7.00-$14.00 though mag rounds are a little harder to come by.
The gun itself looks to be asking $350 to $450 used to $450 to $600 used.

Note: 1973 and they change the trigger and hammer by adding a transfer bar mechanism which prevent the hammer from making contact with the firing pin.
1973 and earlier the hammer had four cocking positions when pulling it back.

Prior to 1973
First **** position- Fully down
Second **** position- Safe
Third **** postion- releases cylinder to spin for reloading.
last is firing position.

1973 and after.
The cylinder spins with hammer in fully down position. (-much safer with the cylinder bar.)

It is used in competition shooting to great effect with barrel length options from 4-5/8", 6-1/2" and 9-1/2"

Note I could be wrong with the date of the mechanism switch. I'll do more research and edit later if so.

Anyway this is a superb gun for any collection.


Now I would like to learn what firearms y'all are familiar with. It don't have to be a review like I posted though it does help show why you love said gun or whatever weapon your posting.

Resp:
The plate is called a 'loading gate' (for unloading also). I bought one in 1969 and still have it. You are correct with the dates of mechanical changes. Whether one had a Colt or a Ruger, you ALWAYS loaded/carried only five ctgs, and lowering the hammer on an empty chamber!!! The Rugers were patterned after the Colt Single Action of 1973; hence the four hammer clicks to cock (one click for each letter of 'Colt'). As people who couldn't read, or didn't take the time to learn by asking an authority on the use of such pistol, they experienced a discharge by lowering the hammer on a 'live' cartridge . . . and it went bang . . . when you didn't want it to.
How To Load Five Cartridges: pull hammer back two (2) clicks; open loading gate, rotate cylinder. Load one ctg, skip one chamber (leaving it unloaded), load four ctgs. On the last loaded ctg, leave the ctg showing (see it through loading area) and cock the hammer. The empty cylinder will now be under the hammer. While you have your THUMB on the hammer, pull the trigger (holding it back) while you lower the hammer. The revolver is now safe to carry. I routinely carry a Single Action and have practiced this method as the boys did who began using this pistol in 1873. A little practice and you can do it in the dark. Practice with fired 22 (or 44s, etc) cases until you get the procedure down.

 

[Navalwarrior]

Resp:
The plate is called a 'loading gate' (for unloading also). I bought one in 1969 and still have it. You are correct with the dates of mechanical changes. Whether one had a Colt or a Ruger, you ALWAYS loaded/carried only five ctgs, and lowering the hammer on an empty chamber!!! The Rugers were patterned after the Colt Single Action of 1973; hence the four hammer clicks to cock (one click for each letter of 'Colt'). As people who couldn't read, or didn't take the time to learn by asking an authority on the use of such pistol, they experienced a discharge by lowering the hammer on a 'live' cartridge . . . and it went bang . . . when you didn't want it to.
How To Load Five Cartridges: pull hammer back two (2) clicks; open loading gate, rotate cylinder. Load one ctg, skip one chamber (leaving it unloaded), load four ctgs. On the last loaded ctg, leave the ctg showing (see it through loading area) and cock the hammer. The empty cylinder will now be under the hammer. While you have your THUMB on the hammer, pull the trigger (holding it back) while you lower the hammer. The revolver is now safe to carry. I routinely carry a Single Action and have practiced this method as the boys did who began using this pistol in 1873. A little practice and you can do it in the dark. Practice with fired 22 (or 44s, etc) cases until you get the procedure down.

CLARIFICATION: always after loading last ctg, pull hammer all the way back to full cocked position, as only bringing the hammer all the way back . . . will the cylinder rotate to an empty chamber under the hammer.

 

[Navalwarrior]

I respect the enthusiasm that the US members have for personal gun ownership. As to whether gun ownership makes US society safer,. or even US families safer, that's a debateable issue. all the statistics available suggest that a heightened gun ownership rate does not make the society safer. just the opposite actually.

Having said that, I can relate to the reasons why people might wish to own a gun for home protection. in Australia you cant own a firearm for "home protection". All guns in private ownership need to be licensed and if you were to put on the license application that you wanted the weapon for protection, the application would be rejected. Valid reasons for gun ownership might include firearms collection of antiques, club membership, pest control (as a farmer). Within those parameters its fairly easy to obtain gun ownership, though you can forget it if you have a record, or if you have a record of mental illness. you must also complete a fairly rigorous gun safety course and pass the examination that goes with that. There is a 28 day mandatory waiting perod from when you apply to when you get your licence

I recently seriously considered re-applying for my gun licence, which is why I know about it. I already have a licence to carry firearms for my work but not at home, but all this carry on in the US and paris recently made me realise how vulnerable we are to the lunatic elements.

If I were to acquire a weapon or weapons for home security, I think there would be three broad categories, handgun, rifle and close range shotgun. I would go for weapons I am familiar with I think, although the rifle would need to be a bit of a departure from that.

I was considering 9mm Browning, 12 gauge pump action police issue 8 shot chamber short barrel, rifle probably a lever action small bore maybe 0.243 calibre
or similar.

For the moment, whilst I try and figure this out, I have a baseball bat, and a 70lb bow that I rely on. The bow I can hit you with a crippling shot at 90m if I need to.....

Resp:
The BHP is a fine 9mm pistol. With the appropriate ammo, I would not feel undergunned. Since you are familiar with it, you should be able to increase your skill with it fairly quickly. Repetition on a regular basis (15 rds) is better than a single outing where you fire 50 rds. You are looking for muscle memory. I taught my daughter over a 4 yr period. First with a 4 inch bbl 38 rev, with the last year shooting the BHP. She has never fired over 30 rds in one outing. She shot sitting only the first time out. She shot almost once a month (she was in college and found it to be a great stress reliever). I do not teach 7 yard shooting anymore, as it gives a false sense of skill. My daughter shoots two handed, slow fire. The second to the last time out, she fired 12 rds, bringing her hands down at 45 deg when she was getting tired, then resumed her two handed (Weaver stance) at a man shaped target . . where she put 11 of the 12 rds in the Ten Ring, and 9 of those were in the X ring! She was 31 at the time. Three young men, who were shooting at 7 yards . . . stopped shooting to watch her finish cutting out the center! Hint: if you feel/believe you are about to shoot a bad shot . . . Stop! Remember, you want your muscles to work with your mind, until they become one. It takes time, but it can be done. We used to shoot 60 rds at a man shaped target from 7 yards out to 50 yards with a 4 inch double action revolver, timed fire. The best I ever did was a score of 542 out of 600 points, tying for 3rd place out of 44 shooters in 2001. I always fired double action! It can be done. I didn't believe how accurate a revolver was, but after watching a friend shoot a 595 out of 600 . . . well I had a lot of work (shooting) to do. Volume will not get you there, repetition (untired) where the brain recognizes muscle memory is most important. Go for it.