V. Defensive Use of Firearms

E. Picking a Self Defense Firearm/Ammunition

3. What Kind of Gun Should I Buy?

by Tom the Elitist (elitist@vt.edu)

Some Practical Advice for the Novice Gun Owner

OK, you're going to buy a gun for personal defense. Having settled the
question of whether to own one, now you have to decide what you want. The
first-time gun owner is usually bewildered by the seemingly endless variety
of firearms available, all of them claiming to be the "best" weapon for
personal defense. The gun magazines available in the supermarket don't make
things any easier for someone who doesn't have a fairly high level of
familiarity with firearms in general.

Certain assumptions are made in this essay. First, that the reader has no
specialized knowledge beyond that available in the NRA's Personal
Protection Course, and is contemplating a one-time purchase. Second, that
the gun you'll buy will serve in and outside your home as a defensive
weapon, and isn't intended to be used for hunting or target shooting.
Third, that you want to be discreet about going armed, and if you carry
your gun on your person, it will be concealed from sight. While in many
states no license is required for open carry, you will certainly cause a
ruckus if you strap on a gun and go to the mall in most places! Outside
your home, if you want to avoid problems, keep it out of sight. Be aware
that most states DO require a special permit for carrying a concealed
weapon, and you should consult an attorney about the law on this matter. If
you're going to do it, it's best to do it legally and save yourself a lot
of trouble.

I'm also assuming that if you do carry a gun on a day-to-day basis, it's as
a last-ditch, back-to-the-wall, no-other-choice defense. It's much easier
to avoid trouble than to get out of it, and using common sense about
potentially dangerous situations is the most effective weapon of all. The
basic rule is simple: never do anything while you're armed that you
wouldn't do if you weren't.

Picking out a gun to carry and use on a day-to-day basis is like picking
out a spouse: everyone has different ideas on what they want. But-just as
with a spouse-there are some general guidelines on what it's best to avoid
and what you should look for.

A gun that's to be carried concealed can't be too big; one that's to be
effective can't be too small. While there's no such thing as a perfect
personal defense weapon, there are enough possibilities within these two
conflicting requirements that you can come reasonably close. The specific
recommendations I've made herein are for new, current- production models.
Many more now-discontinued models can be found in the used-gun market, as
can "pre-owned" examples of those still in production. Buying a used gun
requires a certain amount of knowledge and experience, and you'd be well
advised to take someone along with you who can give you sound advice on any
used gun you might be thinking about. You're much less likely to get burned
buying a used gun than a used car, and it can save you a good deal of
money.

SHOTGUNS

If you're not going to carry your gun, but plan to keep it in your home,
you don't want a handgun. If you're absolutely certain you'll never use it
off your own property, buy a shotgun instead. Shotguns have many virtues as
defensive weapons, not the least of which is that when you're scared
witless and trying to shoot in dim light, they are much, much easier to
score a hit with than is a pistol. Shotguns are also much more powerful and
far deadlier than any handgun. A shotgun charge in the torso at close range
is almost always lethal, and your chances of merely wounding an attacker,
leaving him still able to hurt you, are lower than with a handgun. The
psychological aspects of a confrontation are another consideration: a
shotgun is a very intimidating weapon, and it's a rare (and exceedingly
dangerous) intruder who'll willingly confront a nervous homeowner armed
with one. Most of them won't stick around to see what happens next after
hearing the CLACK-CLACK of a shell being chambered. Birdshot (#2, #4, #6 or
even #7-1/2) is effective at short indoor distances and stray shot normally
won't penetrate interior walls (which a handgun bullet may do, if you
miss).

Drawbacks to shotguns are their large size, and the fact that sporting-type
guns usually have long barrels (26"-28") making them clumsy to handle in
the house. But if you'll never use your shotgun outside the home, the
shorter-barreled versions are very fine choices. Most have interchangeable
barrels, and a short "riot" or "deer" barrel can be obtained cheaply.
Good-quality new shotguns are much less expensive than most better-grade
handguns, and widely available through discount stores. Shotgun barrels are
rated by "gauge," and the way the system works, the larger the number, the
smaller the gauge. The common gauges are (in order of decreasing bore
diameter) 10, 12, 20, and .410 (which is the exception, being a bore
diameter in inches). Other available (but less common) gauges are 16 and
28. For a defensive gun, any gauge will do (except 10, which is much too
large) but I'd recommend a pump-action 20-gauge with a barrel 181 to 22
inches long. The best value is the Mossberg 500, which comes in several
variations. The "Persuader" version is a short-barreled "riot" gun with a
pistol grip. The "Bantam" is a youth-size 20-gauge Model 500 which would be
excellent for home defense. Mossberg guns are inexpensive (Wal-Mart sells
them for about $170 to $225, depending on the package) and reliable.
Mossberg makes a special .410-bore "Home Security" model, but I don't think
much of .410's for any purpose; the 20-gauge is much better, and a 12-gauge
is better still. Remington's 870 "Express" and Winchester's "Ranger" guns
are slightly more expensive than the Model 500, but also good choices.

RIFLES

With a few exceptions, you can forget these. Small-bore rifles (i.e., .22s)
are almost useless for home defense and big-bore bullets designed for deer
hunting will go through the walls of your house, and likely those of your
neighbor's house, too, should you miss your target. You'll probably kill an
intruder if you hit him, but there's too much chance that you'll also kill
someone in the next room or the next building.

The exceptions are those light rifles which fire pistol-class calibers. A
few of these are on the market currently, in particular the Marlin Camp
Carbine, which is available in either 9 mm Parabellum or .45 ACP. It's a
short, light, handy semiautomatic rifle that would make a dandy house gun
if you don't want a pistol or a shotgun. Ballistics of either caliber will
be somewhat better than from a handgun.

Another possibility is the venerable M-1 Carbine or one of its commercial
variants. This is a lightweight, fast-handling, and easy- to-shoot
.30-caliber rifle suitable for home defense. It was orginally designed as
an infantry rifle, and millions were made during the Second World War and
Korean Conflict. They are widely available on the surplus-gun market, as
are accessories and ammunition. It wasn't much of a military rifle, as it
is rather underpowered for long-range combat, but at indoor distances it
will work as its designers intended.

HANDGUNS

Let's say that like most people you do plan to carry the gun in your car or
on your person. A handgun is what you need, and the first decision to make
is whether it's to be a revolver or an autoloader. The key to your
selection should be a satisfactory compromise among safety, size, power,
and price. Regretably, there is no easy solution to this, no simple formula
that can be applied to determine the "best" choice of a handgun; it truly
is an individual decision, and anything you select will inevitably be
imperfect in some respect. Really small guns are weak killers and require
expert skills; really powerful guns are generally too large to conceal, and
may be difficult to shoot accurately. The only "rule" is to buy the gun you
can shoot best; but there are some general considerations that apply to
deciding which one that may be.

For a first-time buyer and brand-new shooter a double-action revolver is
usually the recommended choice. They are mechanically simpler to manipulate
and somewhat safer in unskilled hands than autoloaders. Revolvers are
generally (not always) less expensive and generally (not always) less prone
to mechanical failure than autoloaders, and they have the virtue of not
being "ammunition- sensitive," i.e., since their functioning doesn't depend
on bullet shape or power, they will shoot anything you care to use.
Autoloaders can be persnickety about their diet, but revolvers generally
aren't.

On the down side, a short-barreled double-action revolver is quite a bit
more difficult to shoot accurately than an autoloading pistol of comparable
size and power, and requires more practice. The increased width of the
revolver may also make it slightly more difficult to conceal and/or less
comfortable to wear for extended periods.

If you do buy a revolver, and you plan to carry it, get one with a 2"
barrel. Most manufacturers offer a "basic gun" and fit it with a choice of
2", 3", or 4" barrels. A 3" barrel adds only minimally to performance, and
4" barreled guns are significantly more cumbersome than the shorter
snub-nosed ones. Snubbies are harder to shoot accurately at long range, but
this isn't a major problem if you are shooting at seven yards or less. If
the gun is to be kept in the house and not carried concealed, a 4" barrel
is fine. For concealed carry, consider a "concealed hammer" model, or one
which has had the hammer spur bobbed off. These slip in and out of clothing
without snagging, but they must be shot double-action.

Autoloading pistols are usually thinner than revolvers of similar power,
though they may be longer. They lack the revolver's thick cylinder, and are
easy to hide. Good, reliable name-brand autoloaders are generally
expensive, but there are exceptions to this statement, particularly if
you're buying a used gun. It's much easier to find a good used autoloader
than a good used revolver, and there are currently large numbers of
military-surplus handguns being released into the market (see below). Years
of military and police experience have shown that novices learn to shoot
accurately with autoloaders faster and with less trouble than with
revolvers, but do require more "learning time" to be handled safely.

Barrel lengths of autoloaders range from 3" to 5". A 4" or 4-1/2" barrel is
best, but the compactness of most autoloaders makes even a 5" barrel
practical, which it wouldn't be in a revolver. The principal drawback to
choosing an autoloader is that there are several different styles, all of
which have their own operating characteristics. I would recommend a
single-action autoloader with an exposed hammer, rather than the
double-action type. Concealed-hammer designs are usually easily concealed,
but the significantly greater degree of safety an outside hammer affords
more than makes up for it. Autoloader hammers are usually smaller than
those of comparable revolvers, and less likely to snag.

CALIBER CHOICE

Keep it simple: you should be able to afford to practice, and obtaining
ammunition shouldn't be a hassle. Pick a caliber you can get in discount
stores. In practical terms, this means a revolver should be a .38 Special
or .357 Magnum; an autoloader either 9 mm Parabellum or .45 ACP. These
calibers have all been proven effective for personal defense over many
years. You can buy relatively inexpensive reloads or military surplus
ammunition for practice, and save the expensive stuff for serious use. The
.357 Magnum is by far the most powerful of these, but it takes a lot of
practice to handle this caliber well, and for novices it's most likely not
a good choice. It can be very unpleasant to shoot in a short-barreled gun,
and anyone who's recoil or noise-sensitive should avoid it. However, .38
Special ammunition can be fired in any .357 revolver, and if you find a
.357 that's a good buy, it's worth serious consideration. You can always
use it as a .38 until you get comfortable enough with it to move up to the
more powerful caliber.

There is one other reasonably good caliber worth considering. The .380 Auto
is very popular (especially with women) and many good low-priced
autoloaders are chambered for it, as are some of the best and most
expensive models. The .380 is underpowered compared to the 9 mm (it's
sometimes called the "9 mm Short" which is a fairly good description) but
will do the job if your shot placement is good, and of the smaller
cartridges it's clearly the best choice. Its principal virtue is in the
wide variety of good-quality autoloading pistols chambered for it, most of
which have been designed with concealed carry in mind. Some of the very
small .380-caliber autoloaders have quite a bit of recoil, and may actually
be more uncomfortable to shoot than a heavier 9 mm would be.

The .32 ACP (chambered in many small autoloaders) and the .32 S&W Long
(popular in revolvers) are marginal performers at best, and should be
avoided. The .32 Magnum, a relatively new cartridge, has no proven combat
record, but is available in several very high-quality revolvers, and on
paper looks to be almost in the .38 Special class. If you are compelled to
use a .32, it certainly would be the best of these three. However, it's not
very widely used, and finding ammunition may be a hassle in some
communities.

A major problem with all the .32's and the .380 is that these calibers are
relatively expensive to shoot; ammunition often costs more than .38 Special
or 9 mm ammunition. Most people won't (or can't) practice enough to become
really good with them. Their principal virtue is that they are chambered in
very light, very easily concealed guns. If concealability is more important
to you than power, and if you are religious about practicing and if you can
keep cool when you have to use it, they'll do. With the .380 there's little
margin for error, and with the .32's there's none at all.

The .22 and .25 caliber guns are special cases. These are typically
extremely small. For day-to-day casual carry in a pants pocket they have no
equal, but they are strictly short-range, minimum- performance weapons, and
require a lot of practice to shoot effectively. Their usefulness is
principally as a threat, because nobody wants to get shot if it can be
avoided, even with a .22. Of the two, the .22 is preferable to the .25
because cheap ammunition makes it possible to practice inexpensively. While
a .22, a .25, or a .32-caliber gun is a very poor choice for keeping in
your night- table or carrying in your car for long trips, such guns can be
easily concealed in light clothing and reasonably good ones are
inexpensive. They are best carried when for some reason you can't use
anything else, or if the expected threat level is minimal.

A relatively uncommon caliber, the .44 Special, is worth a special mention.
This round was in decline for many years, despite its reputation for
excellent inherent accuracy and good ballistics. In recent decades it's
made a comeback, thanks largely to the availability of the Charter Arms
Bulldog revolver in this caliber. The .44 Special is an outstanding
personal defense load, but it can be hard to find in some areas of the
country, and the Bulldog can be a real handful to shoot with the hotter
loadings of this caliber. Nevertheless, if you have a reliable source of
.44 Special ammunition, it's a much better choice than the .38 Special in a
revolver.

REVOLVERS

Snub-nosed revolvers come in .357 Magnum and .38 Special (some .32's are
also made, which will be ignored henceforth). I prefer a .38 Special, for
the reasons outlined above under "Caliber Choice," but the .357's have a
significant advantage in being able to fire any sort of.38 Special
ammunition. A drawback to most short- barreled .357's is that they are
(usually) significantly bulkier than a straight .38, and somewhat harder to
carry comfortably in most concealment holsters. The .38s from major
manufacturers come in small and medium frame sizes, the former holding 5
shots, the latter 6.

There's not very much difference between small and medium-frame .38s, and I
like to have the extra round available. The medium-frame guns also are
usually capable of shooting the "+P" type of high-performance ammunition,
whereas many small-frame ones aren't approved for such use.

Good quality guns are made by Colt, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Charter Arms,
Rossi, and Taurus, among other makers. The last two are Brazilian firms
with US subsidiaries, and they make high-quality revolvers that sell for
much less than most domestic products.

There are a few gunmakers catering to the low-end market, with revolvers
costing $200 or less. Most of them are .22 or .32 caliber. Really cheap .38
Specials aren't worth bothering with; most of them are junk.

With cheaper makes, it is best to stay away from used guns, regardless of
caliber. The cost of new ones is low enough that you won't save much by
buying used. Avoid off-brands: get sound unbiased advice before you buy
anything made by manufacturers not mentioned in this essay.

AUTOLOADERS

Good autoloading pistols in 9 mm and .45 ACP are made by all the American
firms, and by a number of foreign ones. Colt, Smith and Wesson, Ruger,
Taurus, and Beretta all make 9 mm guns. Other makers worth consideration
are Astra, Star, Bersa and American Arms. The German and Swiss-made guns by
Walther and SIG are unsurpassed in quality, but they're also fantastically
expensive: some of their models cost $2000.

There are lots of inexpensive good-quality guns in the smaller calibers,
especially .380, and these have the virtues of small size and easy
concealability to counteract their drawbacks of low power. Beretta, Colt,
and Star make some of the better ones; Bryco, Bersa, and Firearms
International make or import some of the cheaper ones. Even inexpensive
pistols from the better makers/importers can be quite reliable and
accurate, but small guns are small guns, and the remarks made about caliber
selection apply here. Stick with the .380 ACP.

MILITARY AND POLICE SURPLUS, AND USED GUNS

Many military surplus guns are kicking around the US market, most of them
in good shape, and all of them well suited to personal defense, which is
after all what they were designed for in the first place. (It's worth
pointing out that all commercial and sporting firearms are derived from
military designs, and in the case of handguns, usually the only difference
between a military gun and the civilian counterpart is the degree of
polishing.)

Since these guns are all used, it's important to know exactly what you
want, and to have someone with you who knows what to look for and what to
avoid. Most (not all) military surplus pistols are autoloaders, and most of
them are fairly large. They all make excellent house guns and open-carry
guns, but some-especially the revolvers-are too large to be comfortably
concealed. If they're in good condition, the price is right, and they're in
9 mm, .45 ACP, or perhaps .380 ACP, you will find them very serviceable,
and you'll never lose money.

The past few years have seen many police departments around the country
re-arming with autoloaders, and many "retired" cop guns, particularly .38
Special and .357-caliber revolvers, are being sold as surplus. Colt and S&W
revolvers were very widely used by American police forces in the past, and
tens of thousands of them have been released for sale. Police agencies
usually use standard commercial- grade models, with or without special
markings to indicate ownership. These are often very good buys, have
(usually) been well cared for and haven't had the hard usage to which
military firearms are subjected. They may show surface rubbing from
constant carrying, but internally be in excellent shape. I bought two used
S&W model 10's used in local gun shops for under $150 each; new retail is
close to $450. Some police departments switched to autoloaders sooner than
others, and are now upgrading their inventories. Consequently, some early
police- issue autoloaders are coming on the market, too. These are almost
always in 9 mm caliber.

ACCESSORIES AND DOODADS

Shooters tend to be gadget freaks, and a major segment of the shooting
industry is "after-market accessories." Most of these you don't need.

You do need a good holster that fits you and the gun you carry, and that
doesn't add lots of weight or bulk. Holsters are a matter of taste and
personal style, and the bottom line on them is that you should try
different types and find what works best for your personal situation. There
is no "best" type that can be recommended in all circumstances and for all
users.

Some people find shoulder holsters excruciatingly uncomfortable to wear for
long periods of time; and short people have the problem that there isn't
much distance between the armpit and the waistband, which limits the size
of gun that can be carried in one. Belt holsters bulge out even when
covered by a coat or sweater. Ankle holsters, bellybands, small-of-the-back
and upside-down rigs, etc. work OK for some people and not for others. The
"inside-the-pants" style holster, a sort of suede pouch that clips to your
belt and tucks the bulk of the gun down inside your pants, is inexpensive
and offers a very high level of concealment. They are usually made of suede
or cordura (a nylon fabric). Popular brands include Triple-K, Uncle Mike's,
and Bianchi. Triple-K is a budget line of leather holsters; Uncle Mike's
are all made of cordura, and Bianchi is a top-of-the-line maker whose
holsters are used by many professionals and law-enforcement agencies. Women
have a special problem with concealment, due to clothing designs which
often omit things like pockets and belts. A purse or briefcase isn't really
a good place to carry a gun, since it might get stolen or lost, but
sometimes it's unavoidable. There are a number of women's handbags with
built-in holsters, designed for easy access. These are a much better way to
carry a gun than just dropping it into the typical purse, where it would
get lost in the pile of stuff at the bottom. A variation on this theme is
the "fanny pack" holster, which is favored by joggers.

You should have at least one spare magazine for an autoloader or a
"speed-loader" for a revolver. These can be carried in your pocket or in
some sort of a belt-mounted carrier, if you feel the need to have extra
ammunition. (I've always felt that eight shots from a .45 ought to be
enough, and I don't bother.) With the high-capacity autoloaders there's no
need for extra ammunition, but an extra magazine should be available in
case of malfunction of the first.

Adjustable sights are available on most guns at some modest additional
cost. They aren't really needed for the very close encounters in which the
gun is likely to be used. If an assailant is more than seven yards away,
you are going to have a very hard time explaining to a jury why it was
necessary to kill him, and if he's closer than that, you don't need
adjustable sights to hit him. Familiarity with the gun and load you are
using, and how they shoot is much more important than anything else. Many
autoloaders (especially military-style guns) have rear sights that are
dovetailed into the slide and can be drifted back and forth to adjust for
lateral deviation in the point of impact. At seven yards or less, you don't
need to be concerned with elevation adjustments on man-sized targets. An
advantage of adjustable sights is that they do permit you to correct the
point of impact of the bullet without adjusting your hold; a drawback to
some of them is that they may snag on clothing.

Get some sort of protective case, preferably hard-sided, to store the gun
in at home when not in use. Doskocil makes a nice hard-sided case with foam
padding that sells for $8 or so in discount stores and gun shops. Another
type is the soft case, usually a padded leather or cordura sleeve with a
full-length zipper. These cost $5 to $25, depending on brand and size. They
are especially nice for use in the car, to protect your gun from damage in
the trunk or under the seat.

Other than these basics, you should have a cleaning kit for the caliber(s)
you shoot. Complete kits are available in all discount stores for $15 or
less.

SOME SPECIFIC MODELS

These represent my personal choices among the thousands of options on the
current market. As with anything else, information is the cheapest form of
insurance, and you would be well advised to start by looking at the current
issues of Gun Digest and The Blue Book of Gun Values to get a good idea of
what is available and how much it should cost you, new or used. Talk to
friends, go to a range that rents guns, and try as many models and makes as
you can before you make your decision.

Autoloaders:

The Colt M1911-A1, or Government Model is regarded by many shooters
(including me) as the best combat/defensive handgun ever designed. It comes
in three basic versions from Colt, and it's been copied by many other
companies. The "basic" M1911-A1 is the military- style gun with a 5"
barrel. Colt makes the Commander version, with a 41" barrel but otherwise
the same; and a 3" version, the Officer's Model ACP, a gun that's nothing
less than a pocket-sized howitzer. There is not much to choose among them
except size, and all are easily concealable: even the full-sized Government
Model can be carried in an inside-the-waistband holster. Covered by a
sweater or jacket, it is completely invisible. All these M1911-A1
derivatives are based on a proven design, all of them will withstand the
hardest use, and all are about as good as autoloaders can get. They are not
cheap: $640 to $750-plus for new, $100-150 less for good used ones. All are
made in stainless steel or blued steel, and the Commander is made in a
lightweight version with an aluminum frame.

At least 4.5 million military-issue and commercial M1911-A1s were made, and
with the loss of military sales, Colt has recently introduced a low-priced
version of the military-finished M1911-A1 for civilian sale: it's called
the M1991-A1 and sells for about $450. The better-finished (but
mechanically identical) commercial-quality Government Models go for
$600-750, new. Good quality clones of the M1911-A1 are made by Springfield
Armory and Auto-Ordnance Corporation, among others, and most of these
clones are full-sized military style guns. Auto-Ordnance makes a copy of
the Commander, too. The Auto- Ordnance M1911-A1 is a sound and serviceable
copy, though a little finicky about ammunition; Springfield Armory's
version is better- finished and less fussy about feeding. Taking price into
consideration, my order of brand preference (after Colt) would be
Springfield Armory (around $450), Auto-Ordnance (about $390), and a used
military-issue gun ($450 or so). The Colts and the Auto-Ordnance guns are
also available in 9 mm Parabellum (except the Officer's Model, which is
only available in .45). Used versions of the better guns go for $100 to
$200 less, depending on condition. A word of advice: don't trust any
autoloader until you've put at least 200 rounds of the ammunition you plan
to use through it without malfunctions. Some of them can be picky about
what ammunition they will feed reliably; find about it at the practice
range, not on the street.

Colt also makes .380-caliber guns, the Government Model 380 and the
Mustang, essentially half-scale M1911-A1's. They are good guns, in the $500
price range .

Another truly great single-action autoloader is the Browning M1935, the
"High Power" as it's usually called. This gun is available only in 9 mm
Parabellum. Genuine Brownings are expensive ($600 and up, new) but many
good quality copies are made, and cost about two- thirds as much. The High
Power was (and is) one of the most widely used military pistols in the
world, and used ex-military ones are fairly common. They will cost about
what a new clone would, in the range of $350-450. The High Power has a
large ammunition capacity: fourteen rounds total.

The US Army recently adopted the Beretta 9 mm pistol to replace the
M1911-A1, and Beretta sells a civilian version, the Model 92FS. These again
are expensive guns ($630) but very accurate, well made, and reliable. The
92FS has an 18-round capacity. Taurus makes a clone of the 92F under
license, and calls it the PT92. The PT92 retails for about $450-500 new. An
ancestor of the M92FS, the 8-shot "Brigadier" is no longer made by Beretta,
but Helwan is selling it at only $275 list, well below the price of most 9
mm pistols. The original Beretta Brigadier had a very good reputation and
the Helwan copy is a civilian version of the Brigadier as it was made for
the Egyptian Army. Egyptian surplus military-issue guns are sometimes seen,
too.

Among the smallest of the autoloaders is the Firestar by Star, a Spanish
company. This gun is not much bigger than the average .380 ACP pocket gun,
but is chambered for the much more powerful 9 mm, and also in .45 Auto.
Superior metallurgy and advanced engineering have enabled the maker to
scale it down, yet retain full-power ammunition. The Firestar has a lot of
advanced features, and has been a major success. It sells for about $450.

Glock is an Austrian company making a series of pistols that have taken the
American commercial and police markets by storm, much to Ruger's and S&W's
dismay. There are two Glocks in 9 mm, the Model 17 (17 shots) and the Model
19 (15 shots). They also make the same gun in .45 ACP as the Model 21.
These high-tech "Wonder-nines" have injected polymer frames, rather than
steel. It's said to be easy to shoot and very accurate. Glocks are in the
$580-650 range. (Incidentally, the Glock design was the subject of a lot of
deliberate lies in the press some years ago as a "...plastic gun designed
for terrorists to get through airport checkpoints." This is sheer baloney,
and the Glock, the "terrorist" weapon that caused serious hyperventilation
at the Washington Post, is now used by the DC police force, among many
others.)

Double-action autoloaders are made by several companies, most especially
Ruger and Smith and Wesson. I haven't had any extensive personal experience
with S&W's autoloaders and I have no specific model recommendations, but
I've handled and fired their Model 4506, a big .45-caliber DA a few times.
It's certainly accurate and well- made, but it feels a little odd to
someone trained on a M1911A1. An older S&W gun, the Model 39, is no longer
made, but used ones (mostly police surplus) are becoming generally
available. The 39 is the ancestor of S&W's current autoloaders, and I find
it more congenial than the more recent models. The Ruger P89 in 9 mm seems
to be the most popular of the current production DA autoloaders, and it has
a big price advantage over the competition. The P89 sells for under $400.
The P90 is the same gun in .45 caliber, and compact versions are also
available. To someone used to Colt products, it's obvious that Ruger wasn't
much concerned with looks: the P89's and P90's have the lithe grace and
sleek lines of a railroad boxcar, but for all their dyed-in-the-bone
homeliness, they are accurate and dependable.

One gun that's not cheap, but is among the best of the small autoloaders is
the Walther PPK/S. These are currently produced under license by Interarms
in Alexandria, and cost about $575 new (German- made PP's are more than
$1000). The Walthers are exceptionally well- made, and in .380 ACP are
compact and reasonably powerful, if you can afford one. They can be found
used for about $400 or so (probably more for a German-made one in excellent
condition). There are number of PPK/S clones by other makers, and if you
opt for a .380, these are certainly worth a look, as they will be
substantially less expensive than a genuine Walther.

Revolvers:

Smith and Wesson is this country's premier handgun maker, with a wider
variety of revolvers available than anyone else. The list prices for new
S&W revolvers are about $100-150 higher than for a comparable Rossi or
Taurus. While fit and finish are better, it's debatable whether the extra
money buys you a gun that's overall a really superior product; the
Brazilian guns are very good. Resale value of a Smith and Wesson will be
high, and a used S&W may be priced in the same range as a new Rossi or
Taurus.

Of the S&W snubs, the Model 60 and the Model 36 are 5-shooters. The Model
36 is blued steel, the Model 60 is the same gun in stainless. S&W also
makes a concealed-hammer, double-action only version, the Model 49. The
Model 60 is probably the world's most popular pocket gun, but I prefer the
medium-frame Model 10, which can be obtained with a 2" barrel and round
grips. The Model 10 has been in pretty much continous production since
1905, and is one of the most successful revolver designs ever produced. It
has been the mainstay of more police departments than any other model. The
stainless steel version of the Model 10 is called the Model 64. New S&W's
aren't cheap: typical list prices are in the range of $350-450.

Ruger revolvers are not nearly so graceful of line as the Colts and S&W's,
but they are unquestionably first-quality firearms. Their small gun is the
SP101, a .38 Special that has earned high praise in the gun press for
reliability and ease of use. The SP101 is also available in .357 Magnum and
9 mm Parabellum. The bigger double- and single-action Rugers aren't really
suitable for carrying but make good house guns. The SP101 lists for $389.

Colt was out of the small-revolver business for years, but there are still
plenty of good used Colts available at reasonable prices. Recently they
have re-entered the market, and are again producing their Detective
Special, one of the best and most popular of the Colt .38 Special snub-nose
revolvers. I haven't shot the new guns, but the old ones are first-class,
and there is no reason for the new ones not to be, given Colt's reputation.
These are very compact and lightweight guns. Prices for used ones run
$200-$300 depending on condition, age, and model. The new guns probably
list about $100-150 more.

Charter Arms is another American maker with a checkered history; they were
in receivership for a while, but are back in the market, and have
re-introduced their Undercover model, in .38 Special, as well as the
Bulldog, in caliber .44 Special. Both are designed as compact, powerful
personal-defense guns. The Undercover is a conventional 5- shooter along
S&W lines, and the Bulldog a beefed-up version. The Bulldog's .44 Special
chambering and smooth outline makes it an excellent choice, but ammunition
in this caliber may be hard to find. The "Bulldog Pug" version in stainless
steel is very light (20 ounces) and unobtrusive to carry, but can be a
handful due to the substantial recoil of the .44 Special round.

A brand-new 2"-barreled Rossi or Taurus in .38 Special caliber will sell
for less than $250, and sometimes under $200. Both brands are copies of
designs by Smith and Wesson. They are an exceptionally good buy, and well
worth what they cost. The Taurus Model 85 and the Rossi Model 68 are
typical of this class of .38's. The Taurus holds five rounds, the Rossi
six. The Rossi Model 88 is the same as the Model 68, but in stainless
steel.

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Readers of this essay who are interested in more information are invited to
contact the author at:

elitist@vt.edu

and all readers are urged to JOIN THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION TODAY! The
assault on our right to keep and bear arms has never been worse than it is
right now. We are in need of every voice we can muster to be heard in the
current anti-gun climate in Washintgon, and YOU are an important part of
the struggle. Join the NRA and your state-level affiliate now, if you
aren't already a member; and get your friends to join, too.
