Drill’s Going Gun Shopping
So, my hubby comes home from midnight shift early this morning and crawls into bed … [edited for time ... but mostly for about 45 minutes of content ... okay, resume] … and then he pulls out … a gun catalog.
Seems when the line shutdown this morning with a glitch he said to one of the guys, “So, my wife doesn’t like the shit going on in the country and wants to get a gun …”
About 20 guys flocked over. See, most of the fellas that work with my husband are bitter Bible and gun clinging “racist redneck” Pennsylvania guys (um, can black guys actually have a ‘redneck’? I don’t mean that in a racist way … I’ll have him ask one of those fellas from the group on his next shift … Do you get what I’m saying here? This is NOT a racist thing, our concerns … It is an American concern. And as much as Obama and his minions are trying to divide us, they are inadvertantly uniting us. It’s not just ‘redneck’ white folks … it’s everyone who sees that “Red Train” coming down the tracks).
Then Mike said it was like me in stereo with all of them chiming in about current events, and approaching events. One ran to his locker and brought back the catalog. They all had suggestions, but seemed to center around a consensus on the Ruger P345.
So when you’re posting your comments and suggestions keep in mind I’m a gun virgin and while needing to bust my cherry I really want to start out strong, but graduate up, but not from my ass on the ground. Is the Ruger P345 too much for me?
Also, price is a factor, as I’m probably looking at what will amount to a house payment … and that also includes taking a class n`nat.
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Really can’t answer that question but I have a couple of .38’s and 380, Ruger 357, one double barreled shotgun plus another I ain’t talkin about.
All in all it comes down to just training with it, going to range and spending a lot of $ on ammo and pop the shit out of those targets and get comfortable with it.
BTW, nice ass.
My first handgun is a Glock 9mm. Baby has some power and I really like it. Getting my concealed carry permit this Sat. and hitting the local gun show afterward to stock up on more ammo. DH got me a Bushmaster for valentine’s day. We are getting serious!!!
The Ruger P345 isn’t too much for you, but you’ll practice more with a .357 Magnum revolver. A Taurus 7-shot six-shooter is a nice pistol.
When I say practice more, ammo is cheaper. You can practice with .38 Specials all day long comfortably.
My daughters, 18 & 16 both love the Ruger GP100 with a 4″ barrel. The oldest also loves the 1911A1 .45 ACP pistol, too.
My sister carries a Taurus Millenium in .45 ACP and she loves it.
So, answering your question again - the .45 ACP is not too much for you, but any automatic will require a lot more practice than a revolver because of the clearance and stoppage drills you need to practice.
No gun is 100 percent reliable, but revolvers are more reliable than semi-autos.
A 9mm is a good way to start. My personal favorite is my mil-spec Springfield 1911. .45 auto is relatively cheap ammo and the recoil is not bad at all.
I’m a firearms instructor Drill, and the best advise I can give in selecting a pistol is first and foremost one that fits your hand, that you are comfortable with, and one that you can learn well. Next to the one in your hand when you need it, the best pistol in the world is one that you are comfortable with.
As a virgin, I suggest that you look at revolvers to start. Semi-auto’s are great if you are a quick study. Revolvers are simple and rugged, but they lack ammo capacity and quick reload ability. S/A’s have that, but are less user friendly (for beginners anyway). Don’t worry about caliber to start off with. Shot placement is what counts. Having said that however, I strongly recommend that you start at .32 minimum and work up from there. Find a range that rents models similar to what you are considering buying, and put at least a 100 rounds through any gun you are thinking about.
There’s a lot more. If you want, throw me an email. I’ll be happy to talk to ya in depth.
A question for guys who have been in a situation to use a handgun. Do you need many rounds in close quarters, especially if it is a man stopper type round?
In real live hunting situations (waterfowl) rarely does someone get the opportunity to use more than two shots without sufficient time to reload.
Where I live, there is pretty much a line of demarcation from enemy territory is. The closest bulge is about 1/2 mile away, on the north side of the LSU main campus. The main line of demarcation is Government St. How is that for a divide?!
0311 hit it on the head, the hand fit is key. Of my pistols my XD is my favorite and it is because it is the most comfortable.
I have 9mm and 40SW, I honestly can’t tell much difference in the recoil between the two calibers.
I’m sure you will hear a lot of opinions so I will keep mine short. Keep to the basics. I just have a Rem 870 pump action 12ga for my home.
Expanding on what others have said, when your narrowing down you choices be sure to check out the gun forums for whichever your looking at. Before i bought my first XD i read various forums to see what people were saying about them before picking what i wanted. This way you can see if a particular model gun your looking at doesn’t have a huge history of problems/complaints. I now have two XD’s and love them.
Never been in a shootout myself, but I do they usually end before anyone has a chance to reload. Either one guy’s down or runs away before the other has time to reload (with often shaking hands). Under stress, guys often miss at ranges not much further than arm’s length, especially when they start blazing away.
The best way to make sure you’re not shooting everything but the bad guy is to practice so often aimed fire is almost pure muscle memory. Many cops who should know better don’t spend nearly enough time at the range, and when the shit hits the fan, their marksmanship is often found…wanting.
Manstoppers are great because even if only one round hits, the bad guy is usually out of action. Especially with smaller rounds, people have been shot and not realized it, even when they later bleed out. A wound that kills the guy five minutes after he killed you doesn’t do you much good.
Hollowpoints can turn even medium and small calibers into killers, although even then about the only spot a .22 is guaranteed to kill is the base of the skull.
Police 10+ yrs…can’t beat a Glock 40 cal or Springfield XD 40 or 45. Can’t go wrong!
Remember - a handgun is the last resort to get out of a bad situation to your shotgun or rifle.
I’ve actually read that long guns are involved in more accidents in the home than handguns.
If you are interested in some advise on what life will be like during an economic collapse, check this post out: http://www.frugalsquirrels.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=044387;p=0
Oh, and this post is what made up my mind on choosing a Glock over just about any other pistol: http://www.theprepared.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=90&Item
In the home I think there is no replacement to a 12 gauge with 18.5 inch barrel. Pheasant or duck loads like #10 or #12’s will easily kill or incapacitate a bad guy but they won’t go through several interior walls in the home.
Just one month ago a bad guy broke into a sheriff deputy’s house a few blocks from my home. They had a little gun fight and the deputy got of 3 rounds before the bad guy fled. Neither one hit the other and the deputy was using a 9mm. I think if he had a 12 gauge he could have got off 2 rounds in the same time and likely hit the bad guy.
My favorite carry weapon is a Colt combat comander model 1911.
Drill,
Agree with 0311 Crunche 100%. Grip is most important and take the time to find wha is comfortable for you. Spend the time at the range. I have personally alays had about 10 shotguns in he house along with the .308 and the .300. Gong to purchase and XD .45 cal next week.
I had my wife at the indoor range shooting various .45 ACP with some my guys from work and she fell in love with it. Particularly a compact model with ribbed hand grip. She is about 118 pounds and handles the recoil well. Again it is all about what is comfortable and time on the range.
The standard for her and my 16 y/o has been the Remington 870 youth model 20 gauge with 000 buckshot. These are very maneuverable wihin the house due to shorter stock and total length. Easy to get around hatches with.
Gotta say I a ooking forward to the XD .45 ACP though as a good back up and eventual conceal carry!!!
I would ask the guy behind the counter for the most reliable
pistols for self defense period and go from there.
Big name brands that can can fire off thousands of rounds under terrible situations are the best.
reasonable priced guns: Beretta, Glock, are the ones I own.
high priced: I have only one, a Les Baer 1911 tr special
H&K’s are good.
Second gun would be a shotgun for back up.
A friend ask one day. Which gun would you want use in a life and death situation…… I said all of them.
my wife has a springfield xd 9mm and she effing loves it. i do too i even tell people its mine but i carry a kahr cw 40. its small its a .40 cal and you can pick one up new for only $450
taurus pt 24/7 40 S&W for me reasonable price, very durable and i all around comfortable if you want a carry gun look at the kahr pw9 or maybe a walther pps if you can find one. revolvers are a good choice very reliable but maybe to much for you hope i helped.
I haven’t any advice, but I got my wife a shotgun. Needed something affordable but efficient, and quick. She was nervous at first, but after I helped her shoot it she loved it. Then someone gave her a handgun.
We live just outside the city limits in what used to be country. We have some white trash criminals at the end of our road. Cops are on to them, but dont have enough resources to take them down. There was a break in of a vehicle the other night and a lot of strange goings on in the neighborhood.
Also like others have said the good thing about shotguns is if you miss it wont go through a wall and into the wrong person.
It will be the shotgun that replaces the pitchfork and truck lights that replace the torch.
Any gauge/length is just fine.
For a first time handgun, I would recommend a 2″ .38 revolver. S&W, Ruger, Taurus all make good ones.
Easy to operate, unintimidating to the user and an effective round. A good thing to consider is the proximity of next door neighbors and presence of walls and windows.
A weak .38 will deliver a STRONG disincentive/death while not puncturing the walls in a close quarters miss.
It really all depends on what you want it for.
DRILL I WILL SAY IT IN FUCKIN CAPS! IF YOU ARE GETTING A .45 GET A 1911 AND LEARN TO SHOOT IT.
Now, without the caps. A 1911 is best for several reasons. I almost got to touch on them on the show tonight.
1.) The grip is designed so that if you were to punch your fist out as if to hit someone in the nose, your natural point of aim with the 1911 is on target.
2.) In an emergency situation, a round can be chambered with one hand by simply pressing the gun onto a table edge where the recoil spring would be and it won’t damage your sight adjustment by using the sights like others are teaching people to do. (I hate that method as an inaccurate gun is nothing more than a noise maker in the event of an “oh shitter”)
3.) The 1911 is simple in function, and was designed to work in the most adverse conditions possible. Sand, water, name it. Glock just thought they were the first to torture test.
4.) The 1911 has been around and in production since 1898 with no modifications in design since 1901. This can not be said of any other hand gun in the world.
5.) It’s a 1911. If you shoot it dry, you can beat them to death with it.
6.) It’s a 1911, if you shoot it dry, chances are, you won’t need to beat them to death with it.
7.) All other .45 ACP pistols are finicky when it comes to the different types of ammunition due to the way in which they are designed to feed the ammunition. A 1911 will feed a turd (when properly built) and keep shooting.
8.) A 1911 is built to fit in the hands of the average person. This means that if you have small hands, you can shoot it, if you have big hands, you can shoot it, if you have average hands, well, you can shoot it. Glocks and others including the Ruger were designed around the magazine capacity. This means if you have small hands, good luck shooting it, if you have average hands, you might shoot it effectively, and if you have large hands, well, you know what they say…(you wear large gloves)
9.) It’s a 1911. Point it, squeeze the trigger and it will go bang and put holes in what you are pointing it at. I have seen Glocks and Rugers both have issues with their firing mechanisms. Gladly, most of the problems I have seen were on a range and not in an “oh shitter”, but it leaves one to wonder.
10.) It’s a 1911. That means it isn’t a Glock, a Ruger, etc… It will be around for another 100+ years and you will be able to find after market parts for it everywhere, and cheaply. If it breaks, a farmer can fix it. If it breaks and there aren’t any farmers around, well, a common citizen can fix it. No real difficulty in the design, and intentionally so. John Moses Browning knew that soldiers would be using it, and Soldiers aren’t always the brightest bulbs on the Vegas Strip(in general terms). They will improvise fixes, and most times those improvisations are clever, but never perfect. The 1911 can be improvised and made to work.
Nuff of a lecture. I think you get the point.
Kermit, to answer your question pointedly:
The FBI statistics show that in the typical exchange of gunfire, less than three rounds are expended at less than three feet.
This statistic is misleading at times.
I have been in two situations where I have used a handgun. In one, I reloaded and had an exchange of gunfire from a distance of about 15 yards (in combat in Iraq in 1991) as my duty rifle was down. My adversary was unfortunate enough to then charge me when he realized I was shooting a pistol. Eight 230 grain ball rounds hit him center mass and he fell like a sack of potatoes. In my second exchange, two rounds were fired by me, and my adversary ran a distance of about eight blocks with a Corbon “Flying Ashtray” in his rear end that entered through his opposite hip. The distance was about 8 feet and I shot “from the hip”.
My wife has a Colt 1911 .45acp ( a real 1911 made in 1917 before the A1 model) and she likes it alot. I have the Ruger P345 and she feels great in the hand and works every time.
You can’t go wrong with a .45acp and can learn how to shoot it real easy, just take it slow and enjoy. We also have a Taurus 24/7 OSS and a PT145 and all are easy to shot and my wife enjoys them all but prefers her Colt 1911 the best.
Good luck!
AZRobert
ok, you have to hit what you aim at, and I’m not talking about shooting at a stationary target at the local range one weekend a month type shit. Gun-fighting is a very specialized skill set that must be taught by credible instructors. Sight alignment, trigger control, target discrimination, the difference between cover & concealment , shooting on the move & communicating, etc… this is all stuff that must be taught and isn’t easy to just pick up, & is even harder when your heart rate spikes and your breathing hard.
but that is if your very,very serious about learning gun-fighting, not just target shooting. Again I just want to make sure that distinction is clear to you, the difference between punching holes in paper [which is good practice & fun] & actual gun-fighting.
Mindset goes hand in hand with this, if you really look into all this, you will stumble across what I am referring to as MINDSET.
With that said, choosing a weapon comes down to a few, very personal things, how much you want to spend, what you are looking to do with it, what caliber you are looking for and what you feel comfortable with.
Like 0311crunchie said, go somewhere that has a variety of firearms to rent and try ‘em all until you find something that fits your hand/grip size and something with recoil that you can manage. Something that doesn’t make you cringe every time you light one off, a .38/.357 in 4in package might be small, concealable & even “cute” but there is alot of power behind that and with the short barrel there will be alot of blast.
9mm has put alot of people in the ground, period. No matter what people say, it will do the job, especially with the variety of defense loads available today. Again shot placement is key, but you can carry alot of rounds in 9mm, the frames are smaller and the recoil/ blast is negligible for most.
.45Auto is what I carry cause I’m a fucking MAN BABY!
No seriously it’s a great round, that many consider to be the best fighting pistol round. one round isn’t going to kill someone instantly unless you punch their brain, or hit their heart, but bigger bullets poke bigger holes, which in turn facilitates loss of blood pressure, resulting in death. trade off is, that there is larger recoil and blast [especially indoors] less rounds can be carried and they are generally less concealable & just bigger period.
.40S&W seems to be the favorite in-between round, it is used extensively in law enforcement because of it’s controllability by both sexes and ” stopping power”. combined with today’s defensive loads, it is a very capable choice. It’s bigger than a 9MM, but is just that little bit smaller than a .45. Again this is the middle of the road round, it is very, very good.
Think of this, bigger rounds poke bigger holes in the balloon. Your body is a balloon filled with water, & barring a brain hit or a hit to the heart causing rapid loss of blood pressure, your job is to poke holes in that balloon until it drains of water. There is ALOT more to self defense with a firearm than that, but that is what will shut down the bodies physical processes.
It’s hard to ask a bunch of people [guys especially] what gun you should buy, because you’ll get a bunch of different answers, you’re going to have to do your own research and put in the work of going to the range and find what works for you. I’ve covered the Big -Three calibers up there, they all have their pros & cons, but generally you should find something that works for you in one of those.
Try everything you can get your hands on and don’t let personal opinions or gunshop banter/ sales pitches sway you. ESPECIALLY in this gun-buying frenzy, slimy gun shops just want to move product out the DOOR, for the highest prices they can, so try to find a place that takes their time with you & you generally get a good vibe from. If they just move on after a few questions from you, so they can sell that $800 handgun to the next chump, then find somewhere else. There are usually forums for each state, where people review gun shops, try to find those, other than ALL that…. it’s up to you!
Drill…Good choice. Can’t beat a 45acp. Carry one myself. Another good one in addition to your 45 if you carry a purse sometimes is a Kel-Tec380. Super lightweight and not expensive.
Such good advice above, I don’t need to offer any. I keep a .38 on my night table - lovely handgun. Practice is the key - just try different ones until you get that baby that feels so right.
Have fun, Drill!!
Hardball1911 is right on the money. I started out with a Colt 1911, and went through a Lightweight Commander and a Paraordinance P10, all in the manstopper .45. My new Kimber is sweet and none of them have unmanageable recoil. Ask Jeff Cooper and he’ll tell it like Hardball did. When a life is on the line, make mine a .45.
My wife tried my 9mm (Beretta 92) and found the grip too big for her hand. She wanted simple so we went with the small frame Smith & Wesson (Model 63) in .38 cal. It shoots five rounds, is very light and easy to conceal carry. The .38 S&W round has pretty good power and she loads up with Glaser Blue Tips (Safety Slugs).
In the 9mm to .45 range you have a lot of choices including .38, 9mm, .380, .40, .44, and .45. The .45ACP is a perennial favorite but any of the above calibers using a hydra-shock (my choice) or Glaser round will get the job done.
For a small, easy to carry personal defense handgun the .38 Smith Model 63 is old school but very reliable, easy to handle, and carries easy on your hip. The 1911 is probably the best of the best but weighs more and is sized more for a man’s hand. The double stack (high capacity) guns like my Model 92 Beretta are larger still .. but I’ll take 15 rounds over 7 in case the bad guy has a friend.
The following is Storm’s scread on pistols and pistol training.
Importance.
Hand fit.
And weight.
You won’t consistently carry a pistol that weighs alot.
carry it in the same place everytime. no confusion. Good holster or it’s own pocket in your purse, not with the kleenex’s and crap.
Practice drawing it from the holster or purse(that mean you learn to carry your purse the same way every time.)
use your muiscle memory.
The trade off is kick VS weight lite guns kick more because they have less mass.
I would sugest a feather weight hammerless .357 mag
then practice with .38special (low impact) wadcutters
Then when you carry you have some good hollow points in it.
In a bad situation you won’t notice the extra kick because you’ll have a “pump” on
Practice both hands.
Left handed and right seperately.
burn up lots of ammo. no excuses.
practice finger pointing at targets then when you go to the range think of the barrel in terms of your finger.
Get used to pounding a target that is not bigger than 1 1/2 foot wide by 2 foot tall. (chest size)
Lastly learn how to shoot with and without the sites.
Accuracy is great but it takes time (that can be a luxery)
Have fun! shooting never gets old!
Owning your own firearms and voteing are two of the things that keep you free men! (and women, nothing but love for you)
(like I’ve never given this advice before huh?)
If you’re looking for low recoil try a Beretta PX4 STORM in 9mm. With the rotating barrel it has almost no recoil.
Personally I’m a fan of polymer pistols, especially the ones with interchangable grips like my Beretta or the Smith and Wesson MP models. Perfect for all sizes of hands.
Can’t beat Glocks either but like the Ruger pistols I don’t like the feel of them but that’s personal preference.
Try it before you buy it, shop at gun stores with ranges in them.
Ok My two cents:
First, no matter anyone else’s advice, get a gun that suites YOU, that fits your hand, that you can shoot well. F
Second, I would recommend a Glock in 9mm (Glock 19 or 17). Glocks are relatively easy to shoot well, esp. in 9mm. They are easy to maintain and will function reliably even if they are “abused”.
Find a range with rental guns and shoot several to see how it feels for YOU.
Your ammo budget needs to be adequate and buy many extra magazines.
Agree with John454.
The PX4 Storm in .40 S&W or 9mm might be a good start drill. It is accurate, easy to control for follow up shots, especially double-taps, and comes with handle inserts to fit your hand. Recoil is manageable and good for a newbie. Well placed shots will stop a perp.
Cost is affordable. Purchased mine a little less than a year ago at $720 with two extra mags(4 total).
It is easy to maintain and easy to conceal.
Just my $0.02.
Lot’s of good suggestions here though. Most reputable gun shops will let you try a few before you lay your cash down.
Ask ‘em.
I’m a gun virgin too drill
Going to buy an M1 Garand when I get the money.
I am not sure what a firearms drill instructor is, but I did some time as a PMI in the Corps and been a CQB cadre member at Chesapeake, and have turned more than a little money teaching self defense and firearms instruction on the side.
My advice is an echo of what many with common sense have already state, pretty much every new shooter should start with a revolver, something you can carry easily (its no good at home in the safe) small enough to fit your hand, simple enough so you don’t have to worry about function when shit hits the fan and with enough caliber to do the job in the pinch.
Any of the Smith, Taurus or Ruger .38’s will do you just fine, for around 3 bills. If any “man” sticks some big automatic in your hand and says “Dis what you need sweetie” kick him in the nuts for me. Don’t worry about .38 either, you can load it light for practice and slip some +P’s in there for carry that won’t leave you wanting for more gun if things ever go bad.
Ruger has a new polymer revolver out now as well, real nice the way they cammed the trigger pull.
http://www.kimberamerica.com/pistols/
http://www.springfield-armory.com/armory.php?model=11
http://www.beretta.com/index.aspx?m=53&did=177
Whatever you get, make sure it is in a common caliber:
9mm, .40 Cal. or .45ACP
I have a Ruger P95 9mm, 15 round capacity, rugged and dependable, as long as you find the brand of ammo it likes. Probably true with most semi autos. Some brands of ammo cause more cycling problems and a jam is the last thing you need in a defense situation. The ease of use of revolvers is definitely a plus, I have a .357 that I carry more often than the 9mm, and speed loaders give you more firepower and a quick reload time. Another nod to 0311’s advice on hand fit, most important detail of all.
Your battle weapon should be the trusty AR-15(as long as you keep it clean) and your sidearm should be the reliabe AK-74.
Your battle weapon should be the trusty AR-15(as long as you keep it clean) and your sidearm should be the reliabe AK-74.
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HaHaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like to see a holster for that AK.
As a Federal Fire arms instructor and a civilian CCW trainer I can tell you that the problem that most people have when you ask for their opinion on Guns is that everyone has one. You can tell who KNOWS what they’re talking about and who THINKS they know what they are talking about.
That being said I would tell you first and for most find a trainer to teach how to handle and shoot a firearm. Most gun shops have one that they can recommend. Next remember that Guys and women are different ….Most women can’t rack the slide on an auto very well….or if the person is older it might just as well be as hard for them too. So try both an auto and a revolver…a good trainer should have both for you to try. Also they should be starting you out with a .22 revolver and an auto to work on fundamentals of shooting. If you can’t hit what you’re shooting at then all you have is a heavy club in your hands.
Most people aren’t trained in CQB so having a long gun or shot gun for home defense is stupid. And not to mention that you don’t want to be shooting thru walls. If you have kids our live in an apartment or have people close by this is something you have to think about. Remember that every bullet as an Attorney attached to it. That being said I think for home defense you should have a Gun and caliber that you can get Safety ammo for….I always tell people to keep a loaded Revolver in the house with Mag safe .38 +P ammo loaded with a Flash light and one reload right next to the gun. It’s easy to use and any one can use i.e.….wife, older kids, and you.
Most of All get Training to learn how to shoot and then find a gun that you can use and use with skill. Next is look at how much ammo is. It’s not cheap any more…..so if you get a .45 maybe getting a .22 to practice with is a good Idea too. The more you practice the more you’ll hit when the shit hits the fan. Also look at Gun Forms and do your research on the gun you want. It’s just like buying a Car.
Good luck and I hope this helps
I feel the best auto hand gun on the market is the old tried and true M1911. The .45 caliber has sever stopping power, while the gun really doesn’t have that much recoil.
I would also recomend a cartridge such as the .45 as it is very common and easier to find than say a .40 caliber.
Strap on a set of Crimson Trace laser grips and you be one bad ass bitter/clinger with accurate, brutal stoppig power.
Drill Im kinda with Hardball on this. The thing is you might want to start on a 9mm glock 19 or 17, but after a few hundred rounds you are gonna want something bigger.. So rent the glock and if you buy a 1911 you wont regret it… I chose the XD-45 because its a bit cheaper and feels good to me. But Im going to get a 1911 too as soon as I have the funds. And having an 18″ 12 gauge in the house is a must…Im still shopping for mine
Anyways, get to practicing woman!
Drill,
I know that you mention a pistol but I think that if you are complete novices a rifle/carbine in any easy on the shoulder and easy on the ammo price cartridge is the best for your introduction to shooting. Many carbines are available in the same rounds as the handguns that you may want next.
Shooters often forget that nearly all of us that grow up with guns in our lives start with long guns teaching us the basics. Shooting handguns reasonably well or better is not the easiest thing that you will learn. Get some foundational skills and confidence with a fun and practical little rifle/carbine first.
Even as someone who has been a shooter since the age of five, if I were to start over from an empty safe, a carbine as I have described and a handgun for the same round would be the first two purchases.
Hey Dril, I have one of those Ruger 345s. Listen to me ok? Whatever gun you get, you’ll want one that you can play with alot practicing dry firing. The Ruger 345 isn’t that gun. I broke mine dry firing once. Plus, it’s really LOUD dry firing. It’ll eventually damage your ears. SERIOUSLY.
You don’t want to be sitting around at home in front of the TV dry firing at all those bastards with ear muffs on.
OK, that out of the way, here’s my suggestion if you want a semi-auto: A Springfield XD-9 or better the XDM-9 which is newer and costs a bit more. The nine is really pleasant to shoot and you can shoot it all day long. It’s also got some very good defensive ammo available that make todays 9mm work as good as yesterday’s .45.
Of course today’s .45 can do what Civil War muskets could do…
Anyway, the grip is adjustable to fit your hand on the XDM, and it shoots really nice, and you can dry fire it all day long without harm to the gun or your ears. Many prefer them over the Glocks. With the Ruger 345 you have 7 rounds, plus one in the chamber. With the Springfiled XDM you have 19 rounds, plus one? Not bad eh?
PS Is that your pic????
LOL, Hey man, just sling it across your back, no holster needed, if your AR jams or malfunctions throw the sucker down and break out the AK. Pistols just dont have the punch or the capacity to sling lead in a firefight like you need them to. Although carrying 210 rounds of AR and 210 rounds of AK ammo may be a touch cumbersome, its worth it, when you need it.
But you know, pistols ARE for girls, so if you have to drill, you know, I guess a pistol would be ok. 
Hehe, j/k j/k.
Hair is pretty close, face is similar, but that babe’s got MORE boob-job bailout than I was asking for. And my hips are more a size 6 … That camel’s built for a LONG ride through the desert, baby.
nuttin’ but love for yunz!
Maggie
Maggie, Here is a great place to go shopping for a good pistol. Most of the weapons sold are from police departments. Some are new and some are used but have been well maintained. I’m a fan of the 45 acp. Why? Simple. When Dillinger was asked why he carried two 45s he answered I shot a man with a 38 and he shot back. Good hunting
http://www.summitgunbroker.com/index.html