Hello from southern Afghanistan!
- Thread starter kevin333
- Start date
Kevin, thanks for your service...you guys on the sharp end of the spear are one and all my heros...semper fi. My #2 son's in Kabul....keep safe.
As to the NC vs. FL...I'd wait till I got the rqrd. age in NC. It's not right, the age thing, but it's the way it is. As to a piece to fulfill your family's needs; I'd recommend something that your wife can handle as well....size of grip, trigger pull weight, sights etc.
For me and mine, that is a S&W Model 637. It's small enough to hide well in CCW, my wife's handy with it and it wears Crimson Trace laser grips giving it a realistic night capability. With .38 Special +P loads, it's enough and not too much. S&W also makes one without the exposed hammer, a 642 if memory serves, which is a little better for CCW.
Revolver vs. automatic....you're familiar, very familiar with weapons...but your wife may not be so inclined...the revolver is simpler by far and more than reliable for her use. Pull the trigger and it goes bang or not...just another trigger pull to access another round.
With an automatic there is a much more complicated manual of arms. Grip safety or not, slide mounted safety, magazine safety or not, decocker lever, leave a round in the chamber or rack the slide prior to use, strength of the recoil spring for your wife's hands and strength...all make the auto more demanding in training. It's a choice you have to make for your circumstances.
While my wife is a good shot, has more than enough strength to rack a Colt 1911, and good training skills and interest; she just doesn't practice and maintain familiarity to make an automatic a good choice. The Smith was her choice and she handles it well. +P rounds through it's ~16 oz. weight are not intimidating for her during practice, and the Crimson Trace laser has helped with learning a good double action trigger manipulation. We shoot iron sights in the daylight...but the laser will work in a dark bedroom or hallway when the chips are down. Expensive, but necessary in my view.
JMHO, Rodfac
As to the NC vs. FL...I'd wait till I got the rqrd. age in NC. It's not right, the age thing, but it's the way it is. As to a piece to fulfill your family's needs; I'd recommend something that your wife can handle as well....size of grip, trigger pull weight, sights etc.
For me and mine, that is a S&W Model 637. It's small enough to hide well in CCW, my wife's handy with it and it wears Crimson Trace laser grips giving it a realistic night capability. With .38 Special +P loads, it's enough and not too much. S&W also makes one without the exposed hammer, a 642 if memory serves, which is a little better for CCW.
Revolver vs. automatic....you're familiar, very familiar with weapons...but your wife may not be so inclined...the revolver is simpler by far and more than reliable for her use. Pull the trigger and it goes bang or not...just another trigger pull to access another round.
With an automatic there is a much more complicated manual of arms. Grip safety or not, slide mounted safety, magazine safety or not, decocker lever, leave a round in the chamber or rack the slide prior to use, strength of the recoil spring for your wife's hands and strength...all make the auto more demanding in training. It's a choice you have to make for your circumstances.
While my wife is a good shot, has more than enough strength to rack a Colt 1911, and good training skills and interest; she just doesn't practice and maintain familiarity to make an automatic a good choice. The Smith was her choice and she handles it well. +P rounds through it's ~16 oz. weight are not intimidating for her during practice, and the Crimson Trace laser has helped with learning a good double action trigger manipulation. We shoot iron sights in the daylight...but the laser will work in a dark bedroom or hallway when the chips are down. Expensive, but necessary in my view.
JMHO, Rodfac
MadHatter1
New member
If you're going to stay in NC any length of time, an NC carry permit allows you to buy a pistol without a purchace permit (there is talk of doing away with this requirement, but it hasn't happened yet). An out of state carry permit/licence is NOT a substitite for a purchace permit.
While you can get a FL carry licence at 18, I believe NC law states that you MUST be 21 to CCW. Make sure you have a thorogh understanding of NC law.
While you can get a FL carry licence at 18, I believe NC law states that you MUST be 21 to CCW. Make sure you have a thorogh understanding of NC law.
Semper Fi Devil Dog! Thanks for your service. I also think its bull that 18 yearolds cant own a handgun or buy beer. Your old eneough to protect our American familys you should be treated like a man! As for gun i recomend trying different models until you find one that suits you. sometimes i wish i had stayed in the Corps myself but i did my four and got out. Be carefull over there brother. I was a Marine from 91 to 95 2nd MARINE DIVISION 5TH BATALLION TENTH MARINES OOH RAH!
Thanks a lot guys. It really is appreciated. Unfortunately I do serve a lot of dim wit politicians but I would not have joined the Marine Corps for them. I do it for my family, friends, and people like yourselves who understand why we are the USA and what freedom really is. I recall the 2nd ammendment saying RIGHT to bear arms, not PRIVILEGE. It's a right and it always will be. Sure, a CCW is different from acctually owning a weapon, but even the process of purchasing a weapon has come down to being a priviledge with all the pistol purchase permits and whatnot. Pistols may have been muzzleloaders when the constitution was written, but they were just as easily concealed as they are today. I have a little pirate pistol myself haha. A .41 cal and it fits in my pocket. As for driving down to Florida, I wouldn't be. You just mail in the application. Just get the paperwork done, a passport photo, and get the fingerprints done at the local police dept and you only have to be 18 if you're in the Military, no concealed weapons class.
OPSEC
I was informed by my XO that it was alright to release my estimated return. He said our window is August and it is unclassified. He even sent out an all hands message that we were allowed to forward back home to our families. Everyone knows where Camp Leatherneck is. If anything, I would retract my statment of my hometown for my family's safety but I didn't release an address so I'm not too worried about that. As for base laws, I know them well. I don't live in a barracks. I live in base housing. I keep my guns there and they are registered at Cherry Point. You cannot conceal a weapon on base, no exceptions. I know that so I will be locking it up in a box bolted down to my floor board until I get out in town. That's what a Navy buddy of mine does and it has worked for him for years. But I drive a Trans Am so I may need to clear some room under my seat. He drives a big Ford truck so it's easy for him. By the way, there are hundreds of Trans Ams, along with Mustangs and Camaros on base so again I'm not worried about my family. Also, believe it or not, Cherry Point is pretty secure. Appearantly someone threatened to shoot someone a month ago and appearantly my house is the only one with guns in it on my street because MP's immediately came to my house and asked my wife to show them all my guns. They checked the serial numbers and went about their business. They took one because I bought it right before I left to come out here and didn't get a chance to register it but they brought it back the same day saying that it is registered now. That was nice of them.
I was informed by my XO that it was alright to release my estimated return. He said our window is August and it is unclassified. He even sent out an all hands message that we were allowed to forward back home to our families. Everyone knows where Camp Leatherneck is. If anything, I would retract my statment of my hometown for my family's safety but I didn't release an address so I'm not too worried about that. As for base laws, I know them well. I don't live in a barracks. I live in base housing. I keep my guns there and they are registered at Cherry Point. You cannot conceal a weapon on base, no exceptions. I know that so I will be locking it up in a box bolted down to my floor board until I get out in town. That's what a Navy buddy of mine does and it has worked for him for years. But I drive a Trans Am so I may need to clear some room under my seat. He drives a big Ford truck so it's easy for him. By the way, there are hundreds of Trans Ams, along with Mustangs and Camaros on base so again I'm not worried about my family. Also, believe it or not, Cherry Point is pretty secure. Appearantly someone threatened to shoot someone a month ago and appearantly my house is the only one with guns in it on my street because MP's immediately came to my house and asked my wife to show them all my guns. They checked the serial numbers and went about their business. They took one because I bought it right before I left to come out here and didn't get a chance to register it but they brought it back the same day saying that it is registered now. That was nice of them.
Nice to hear from you Kevin. Thanks Much for your service. Please pass that along to your friends.
I agree with a previous poster that 9mm would be minimun.
After your service there may be good oppurtunities in law enforcement if that's your cup of tea. All the Best, Eagle
I agree with a previous poster that 9mm would be minimun.
After your service there may be good oppurtunities in law enforcement if that's your cup of tea. All the Best, Eagle
JustThisGuy
New member
All good advice, let me just add...
"Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have made a difference in the world. Marines don't have that problem." - Ronald Reagan
Thanks for your unselfish service. We need more like you.
"Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have made a difference in the world. Marines don't have that problem." - Ronald Reagan
Thanks for your unselfish service. We need more like you.
Thanks Eagle. I will be sure to let them know. We are all doing fine here. Just missing home now lol.
As for the choice of weapon, I've been looking at three different pistols.
1) The HK P2000 or even a P2000SK. They are sexy little guns and I LOVE H&K. They come in 9mm, .40, and .357 Sig. I had a Glock 32 at one time and the .357 Sig was impressive but was quite snappy. Even compared to the slow push of a .45 I'd say it recoiled a little more than my USP. My guess is because the USP is much bigger and heavier but the P2000SK is a sub compact so I will have to take that into account when choosing between calibers if I get that gun. Plus, it's very expensive being HK's latest and greatest.
2) A Glock 36. I have always loved the .45 ACP. It has so much stopping power with relitively very little recoil. The Glock 36 is the first Slim Line Glock. It is single stack and nice and skinny to tuck away in an IWB holster which would be quite nice. And it's affordable, much more affordable than the HK. The downside is the mag capacity which is 6 rounds. But hey, if you get in a situation and can't get the job done in 6 rounds, you're already in trouble.
3) The Beretta 92 Compact type M. The type M is a double stack like her big sister, the Beretta 92 so she holds 13 rounds. The type L is single stack holding 8 rounds in a full mag. Being a Marine I have shot the M9 quite a bit and am deadly accurate with this pistol. In fact, the only gun I find that works better for me is the HK USP and my Springfield 1911A1 comes in 3rd for most accurate (in my hands). The Beretta 92c is almost identical but if you hold it up to a 92fs or M9 it is much more compact. But, it's not as compact as the Glock 36, or HK P2000. I would actually like to hold a type L to see how much slimmer it is than the type M but I have a buddy with a 92c type m who is willing to hook me up when I get back to the states so I am actually leaning towards that pistol. I can get it cheap and I'll only be sacrificing 2 rounds for a much more compact pistol. Still kind of heavy to be a 9mm though. I'd get a good pancake holster so it wouldn't sag.
As for the choice of weapon, I've been looking at three different pistols.
1) The HK P2000 or even a P2000SK. They are sexy little guns and I LOVE H&K. They come in 9mm, .40, and .357 Sig. I had a Glock 32 at one time and the .357 Sig was impressive but was quite snappy. Even compared to the slow push of a .45 I'd say it recoiled a little more than my USP. My guess is because the USP is much bigger and heavier but the P2000SK is a sub compact so I will have to take that into account when choosing between calibers if I get that gun. Plus, it's very expensive being HK's latest and greatest.
2) A Glock 36. I have always loved the .45 ACP. It has so much stopping power with relitively very little recoil. The Glock 36 is the first Slim Line Glock. It is single stack and nice and skinny to tuck away in an IWB holster which would be quite nice. And it's affordable, much more affordable than the HK. The downside is the mag capacity which is 6 rounds. But hey, if you get in a situation and can't get the job done in 6 rounds, you're already in trouble.
3) The Beretta 92 Compact type M. The type M is a double stack like her big sister, the Beretta 92 so she holds 13 rounds. The type L is single stack holding 8 rounds in a full mag. Being a Marine I have shot the M9 quite a bit and am deadly accurate with this pistol. In fact, the only gun I find that works better for me is the HK USP and my Springfield 1911A1 comes in 3rd for most accurate (in my hands). The Beretta 92c is almost identical but if you hold it up to a 92fs or M9 it is much more compact. But, it's not as compact as the Glock 36, or HK P2000. I would actually like to hold a type L to see how much slimmer it is than the type M but I have a buddy with a 92c type m who is willing to hook me up when I get back to the states so I am actually leaning towards that pistol. I can get it cheap and I'll only be sacrificing 2 rounds for a much more compact pistol. Still kind of heavy to be a 9mm though. I'd get a good pancake holster so it wouldn't sag.
El Paso Joe
New member
Thank you for your service. Prayers for a safe homecoming.
Friend of mine his son returns home from Iraq. He's 82nd airborne NCO, Ranger School and all kinds of other high speed 11B schooling and so forth. Comes to Massachusetts and they won't issue him a pistol permit until he takes a firearms safety course. Then the one gun he already owned, (bought it where ever he was stationed down south,) is on the MA banned list and he has to sell it.
What an insult. The Chief of Police should have delivered him a permit in hand at home with a marching band leading the way!
What an insult. The Chief of Police should have delivered him a permit in hand at home with a marching band leading the way!
Damn, that sucks Noreaster. I'm sorry to hear that. What kind of gun was it? I'm from Kentucky and I love the laws there. 2 minute back ground check and you're out. North Carolina is not as great as I thought it'd be. I once unknowingly bought a full auto AK from a flea market in Elizabethtown, KY for $400 lol. A father of a friend in KY bought a full auto Colt M4 for $700... at a flea market lol. I miss Kentucky. That same guy also got an Uzi of some sort. I don't think that one is auto but it came with a cool suit case with a hole for the barrel. And there was a built in trigger on the handle of the suitcase that somehow made contact with the Uzi's trigger. It was some mobster crap lol. I'm sure all of those weapons are illegal without the proper licenses, but it was just cool having access like that. Of course I've gotten rid of the AK about 2 years ago lol. You could imagine the look on my face when I squeezed the trigger expecting semi. I can't afford a class III weapons permit and with my luck I would have gotten in trouble when I brought it down to NC.
Spats McGee
Administrator
Kevin333, I can't answer your question, but thank you for your service and welcome to TFL.
Or to have a beer . . .kraigwy said:
Massachusetts has a drop test plus other things. Initially many companies refused to participate in the testing. Kahr is banned, Glock, some Sigs (P232 SS is ok but not a 232 blued, plus they have to have a loaded chamber indicator,) there are many more. Most are not banned because of quality rather they didn't meet the standard or didn't participate in the test. The Sigs that are OK have a hole drilled into the chamber so you can look at one in battery and see there is a round in the chamber. Go figure.
Dang. I've had a Glock 19, Glock 32, and a Springfield 1911A1. So half of my collection would have never happened if I lived in MA. How are they on revolvers? All you gotta do is put mine in half cock and spin the cylinder to check all chambers. But the Colt SAA is old school of course (1871 single action .45 Colt) and it's the only revolver I've ever owned so my knowledge on revolvers is very limited. Though I have shot a S&W .357 magnum, a Taurus .38 super, and a smith 500 for ****s and giggles lol.