Wife just gave me the go ahead to purchase my first firearm. Need a little help here...looking for a handgun with some stopping power, strictly for home protection, also something the wife can fire, if need be. Been looking at a Glock 45. Thoughts?

If it is for home defense, then your best bet is a shotgun. They are the easiest to fire, have great stopping power, one pump will usually get anyone out of your home with out having to fire a shot and when you do have to shoot they are much less likely to go through walls and hit the wrong people...

However if you are set on a hand gun then get out to a range with your wife and shoot as many as you can. I would suggest spending about thirty minutes with each gun you are interested it so you can get a good idea about how it fires and how to work it...

We are both retired Army...so we know our way around a weapon. I have been instructed by numerous friends that a shotgun is great for home defense, and a lot less expensive than a handgun. Being hardheaded, I am stuck on a handgun. :-)

Well then, let me recommend you stay away from glock, I am not a fan and I find that their firing angle is too low. Basically speaking a lot of the recoil shock returns to my hand instead of over it with the slide.

I am a big fan of Ruger though I have a KP90 that is fantastic and i can shoot it all day and still comfortable return to center target quickly.

the 45 Cal Glock is a solid pistol in my opinion... however I personally would want something with a few more features for a "first" firearm...

The glock only has a trigger safety... depending on how you feel about that I would suggest looking into a pistol with a full on safety in case later on you decide to carry it... The glock also has no de- C oc k mechanism (had to space it, got censored)... no load indicator... no magazine button... Now where I do not find the lack of these features to be a draw back they are all things to consider when you are making your first purchase as many of those features are handy to those that are <respectfully> new to firearms...

The things Glocks do have going for them for new firearm users are that the mechanics are very simple... deconstruction of the slide from frame and reconstruction is pretty simple... cleaning the gun is very easy... the gun itself is low maintenance... requires less then frequent oiling... and parts/accessories are easy to find...

The 45 caliber itself is not a bad round... however there are many other cartridges that provide the same or greater power in a smaller package which allows for a larger capacity... for instance the 10mm or .40 S&W... the 45 cartridge is known to be a little "overkill" for some applications and a little "underkill" for others... since you say you are looking to buy for home defense you might consider the layout of your house in selecting your caliber... if you think you might need more range you might look into other calibers... if you think you might have to shoot threw a wall or door you might want something with more penetration...

Buy and large if I were buying a gun strictly for home defense I would look into a 12 ga shotgun... since I assume you are looking for a pistol I would say look into Springfield and Ruger to see if they might have something you might be interested in...

I know Glocks are completely reliable and capable pistols... that is why everyone has them... but I like to have my stuff be a little different then everyone else's.... kinda like buying a Honda versus buying a Cadillac... Just my 2 cents....

Hope this Helps Mac, Let us know what you end up with...

Rob

The composite frame of glocks makes recoil feel even worse then it would in other properly balanced pistols...

I have a Ruger P-89 as well as others... Just a simple 9mm but its alot of fun and I love it... the all metal alloy frame takes alot of the recoil (even for a 9mm) away... barely notice it at all...

Thanks for the input guys. :-)

The Beretta Storm .40 cal is a great pistol! Fully decocking safety, locking barrel and night sights.

Beretta 92FS then, pretty much same as the new military standard.

Also a really great pistol with a few more features then the Glock... :-)

Also forgive me Mac... I didn't see your post about you and your wifey being ex-Army... If you have that experience then nvm the draw-backs of the Glock cause obviously you both aren't "new" to firearms... but they are good things to consider...

:-)

I couldn't agree more.

There are so many good guns out there today to own a Glock IMO....

Ruger makes many good protection oriented guns these days for a fair price, LCR,LCP(s) etc..

A few of my toys:
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Nice XD-9... and I really like the Sig 1911...

Hi Mac good choice I have the G21 sf & G30, with 14 rounds can't beat the 21:-)

Rob most of all the so called "features" you say that the Glocks are missing is what makes them the 1st choice of regular pistol shooters and military / police.
All glock models contain only 34 parts, 4 of which are in the magizine alone, all that other fluff: chamber indicators, de-cockers, back strap safety's is what attracts first and second time pistol buyer it doesn't not improve the safety or performance one bit, how many times have you heard of someone accidentally discharging a firearm say " I tought the safety was on" or " I didn't know it was loaded".if the shooter always assumes the pistol is hot that's the best safety of all rather then put your faith in a safety or chamber indicator! Also missing all the useless fluff improves reliability and keeps cost down look at the Beretta M9 (92 FS) it had 70 parts! I have worked part time for a gunsmith for 10 years, all the "features" are the items that fail. :-)

Also Glock mags new can be had for $23/$24, i know a place right now that has PD trade in mags for the G23 for $9 ea!! You can also get Korean surpluses mags for $10-$12.

Yea nothing like a 42 once, $800 -$1200 dollar .45 that only holds 7+1 ?? Don't take me the wrong way 1911's are of my favorite design.....

A G21 sf a can be had for $535 and holds 14 rds.:-)

Not features, parts! :-):-)

I have seen more 92 sf crack slides then even $99 chrome plated Jenings :-)

I'm a BIG Glock fanboy mac. We get issued glock 22 .40 S&W for work and I love them. I also love the .45 ACP round. IMO you can't go wrong with a gen 3 glock. i would avoid the gen4 with the changable backstrap as those are the main ones i've heard about having any kind of issues. You're retired .mil right? I believe you can get one for $398 dollars with 3 magazines. You have to find a Glock retailer that is an authorized LEO dealer. I think you can find out through Glock. If you can't find that info, shoot me a PM and I'll help.


Edit: Here's some info:
http://www.glockforum.com/forum/f8/p...-military-355/

Heck yea gen 3 :-)

The L.E special with 3 mags is only I believe gen 4, isn't it?