Home Defense handguns VS "fun" range guns

T

triplebike

New member
Wondering how many of you folks have dedicated HD handguns that spend most of their lives in the home vs dedicated shooters that were purchased to have fun shooting at the range?

I have two dedicated HD handguns. These were purchased strictly to protect my family.

1. - Ruger Security Six .357 revolver w/4" barrel
2. - Stoeger Cougar 8045 .45 semi auto

I have three dedicated " fun shooters " for the range. Even though two of the three would work as HD guns, they were purchased mainly to enjoy the sport of shooting.

1. - Browning Buckmark Camper .22 semi auto
2. - CZ 75B 9MM semi auto
3. - Beretta 92fs 9MM semi auto


All my guns get range time. When I take the Ruger or Stoeger to the range (in the words of Michael Corleone) "it's strictly business". I concentrate on every round fired. These two weapons are in my home for one sole purpose, to stop a bad guy from doing any damage to me or my family. These are not taken to the range for fun. The self defense ammo that these are loaded with is very expensive & I can't afford to play around with them.

When I take the Buckmark, CZ or Beretta it almost exclusively for fun. Shooting a smiley face at the target (ala Mel Gibson in lethal weapon 1) Blasting a full mag with either hand, shooting freehand or from the bench. Trading guns with other members and so forth and so on. Using cheap bulk ammo is the norm.

Yesterday & today I took the Buckmark to the range, fired an entire 550 rd box of federal bulk yesterday & today went through 3/4 of a box (range was too hot so I quit early)

When I take the CZ or the Beretta I shoot a minimum or 300 rds. I never go with less than that & it's having fun for 2-3 hours.
 
I have both fun guns and SD pistols. They all get taken to the range from time to time. Some more then others. I have several .22 pistols for fun. My SD pistols get shot nearly every trip. I don't normally use SD ammo in them since I confirmed my choice of ammo works well. I shoot my normal range ammo instead.

I like to take 500 rounds of .22 and 500 rounds of 9 mm with me to practice with. I might not shoot it all on a given trip but it is nice to have for those times I want to continue shooting. I do remember running out of ammo a couple of times then I had to go home. Those were pretty good days at the range too.

I try to keep my pistols to .22 and 9 mm. It makes buying ammo easier and in some cases a lot cheaper.
 
Any of my guns (well, with the exception of my S & W 617, perhaps) are dual purpose. They're all fun to shoot and that's why I bought them. But, they were all manufactured originally as military/police/defensive weapons and I expect that any of them would serve that purpose admirably were I so inclined. I train religiously on all of them and, although I shoot some better than others, I'm competent on each of them. My current arsenal -- excepting the 617 -- includes the following: S & W Models 66, 27, 28, 36, 625, 1911, and CZ 75B SA.
 
I tend to use my guns in all venues. I usually keep my Glock21sf beside my bed, but it is one of my best shooters at the range. I love to shoot my Judge Ultra-Lite at the range, but have used it at home loaded with 000 buckshot & Hornady 45LC JHP.

I really trust all of my handguns (7 & growing) as HD handguns and take them all to the range (just not at the same time). I must add that I always keep my Remington 870 shotgun in the corner beside my bed loaded with 00 buckshot ready to fire.
 
The CZ75 is not a fun gun. It is a serious, military weapon. Anyone who thinks otherwise is simply short of real life experience. There is a myth in this country that the 9mm is not sufficient for self defense. A shooter who has used one in combat and seen its effects can attest otherwise.
 
Teuthis, and the Beretta isn't? I think you missed my point. Both the Beretta & the CZ are fun to shoot, why? There both very accurate, extremely reliable (I have over 3000 rds fired between the two, zero malfunctions) will handle any factory 9MM ammo, very mild recoil & both with, out of the box, decent triggers. And I can shoot both at the range & have some fun for a few solid hours without putting myself in the poorhouse.

How much fun would it be to fire 300+ rds of .357mags through my Ruger at one sitting? And 300+ rds of .45 is over $100, not cost effective. I enjoy the sport of shooting, it's fun.

Believe me I take both of them as well as all my other firearms very seriously.
 
My dedicated home defense guns are my Glock 32 357sig and Maverick 88 12g shotgun..My fun range gun is my CZ75B Single Action 9mm. I tend to shoot the CZ better then the Glock. Although the CZ75b SA is my range gun, I wouldn't hesitate to use it in a self defense/survival situation. Its a little heavy but not to bad. Now If I could just find a holster for it. My defense configuration would change.;)
 
While some of my handguns were purchased more for fun than self-defense, all are capable of doing double duty (though some are more suited than others) and are maintained so as to be reliable enough for self-defense. I also try to keep at least 20 rounds of my preferred self defense loading on hand for every caliber I own.
 
I don't go to the range, any more. There's no point.

The only exception to this is if I am teaching someone new.

I shoot in steel matches for practice with my carry gun, and I shoot High Power for practice with my rifles. Hunting for a decent, reasonably priced shotgun so I am equipped to play in 3-gun.

There's simply too many people at the range that cannot follow instructions (don't touch the guns while people are downrange. Yes, you. Hey: you! Don't touch the %$#ing guns!).

As such, I don't have "range" guns. Any gun in my safe can be tapped to serve on my belt and nightstand. Complete with extra magazines, holsters, mag carriers, speed loaders, speed strips or anything else to complete the notion of a firearm as a complete use-able package.
 
I have both as well,,,

I keep my Trooper Mk III in .357 as my bedside handgun,,,
It lives in an Uncle Mikes holster that is screwed to my bed rail,,,

I take it to the range every now and then,,,
Just because it is a very nice gun,,,
But mostly it lives at home.

I have the same Trooper Mk III chambered in .22 LR,,,
That gun goes to the range on revolver days.

My S&W Model 36 is my carry gun,,,
It gets shot every time I go to the range,,,
Mainly because it's always with me so I say why not.

My range favorites are always the same though,,,
Smith & Wesson Model 34 and Model 36 for SD practice,,,
Smith & Wesson Model 15 and Model 18 for leisurely plinking,,,
Ruger 22/45 for fast and furious plinking - Steel Challenge practice,,,
And my newest range toys - a 9mm CZ-75B and a .22 LR CZ-75B Kadet.

There's one that I always have in the range bag but almost never shoot myself,,,
That's my "I'll let you shoot mine if I can shoot yours" handgun,,,
A 6" S&W Model 629 .44 magnum.

For the most part the folk at my range are very friendly,,,
Most are willing to let a fellow member pop a few rounds in their guns,,,
In fact that's how I selected my CZ's - by getting to shoot one owned by a member.

If I saw someone with an interesting pistol I had never experienced,,,
I offered to let them shoot my hand cannon if I could try theirs,,,
I was surprised by how many folk had never shot a .44 Mag,,,
It almost always induced them to let me try their gun.

I have a few other guns I almost never shoot,,,
A S&W Model 12 .38 Airweight I bought because it was so pretty,,,
I had been looking for a thin barrel Model 10 but saw this beauty and got it instead,,,
It's not a true safe queen because I do take it out and shoot it when the mood hits me, just not often.

I have a Beretta U22 NEOS I bought one day when I felt the need for some retail therapy,,,
I also have a Taurus 970 Tracker in .22 LR and a Taurus 990 tracker in .22 LR,,
Those three .22's are what I bring out when I take a newbie out shooting.

Other than that there are a few C&R guns that I shoot maybe once a year,,,
Just so I can justify the space they take in the cabinet.

.
 
All my guns make it to the range eventually, but I do have a few that are used primarily for SD ... my nightstand gun is a Springer 4-inch 1911 with night sights; that's it's only job, tho it is fun to shoot ... I also keep a Taurus 617 in the main part of the house for easy access in case of emergency ... I have a number of others that only go to the range, tho they could certainly be pressed into service for HD if needed ... and two carry guns, again their only job ...
 
ALL my gun are HD/FUN GUNS only have a few that are old old that i will never shoot ALL the rest are work/play
 
I think most people have both types of guns.

Alot of people will get a single gun for protection or hunting and find out they enjoy shooting at the range. It's the way most hobbies/addictions (or any mental/physical sensational thing) seem to develop. It makes sense given the way our brains function.

Afterward, the original thing can still be very enjoyable but you're always chasing that first-time feeling. You have to try new/different things to get that "first time" feeling and excitement. Depending on what part of an event excites you the most, sequential activities will be subconsciously geared toward
obtaining a similar experience. (Ex. You shoot a .38 and the initial recoil and muzzle blast stimulates your brain. Chances are good that once you've done that several times you will become accustomed to it and while still "fun" it's not "as much fun as before." Therefore, you buy a .357 or .44 to feel more recoil and get the stimulus of the earlier experience.)

Variety/Change keeps you from becoming too complacent. People are "intrigued" even if not "attracted" by new things of relative interest. Morever, humans are hunter/gatherers by instinct. It is only logical for a person to pursue and collect things they desire. And few things are as desired as items that give enjoyable stimuli.
 
I have a .45 Glock that primarily lives in my bedside safe for home defense, but I still carry and shoot it for fun when I can afford to. My 870 is my favorite gun to shoot, but it's more of a dedicated HD gun that sees range time just for fun.

My LCR is pretty much only for carry duty, but I do take it to the range to stay good with it.

I have a few guns that are just for fun. My CZ52 is a blaster. My Nagant Revolver is just a study on overly complicated (but cool:cool:) handgun mechanics. My 9mm Tokarev only feeds FMJ so it's mostly for range use, but loaded with heavy bullets it usually gets the nod as a woods gun (cheap, robust, thin). Actually, I have one for range use and one that is my truck gun/range loaner. Lot that design.

I've recently gotten into black powder, and I enjoy it quite a bit. While my Remington revolver would not be a gun I would strap on in a crisis, if loaded correctly I don't feel undergunned with it on my shoulder. That said, it's more of just an inexpensive way to make smoke and fire. Cheapest way to shoot a .45:p
 
I would define my AR, CX4 9mm, and Tikka T3 as "fun range guns" since I really can't carry them concealed very well ;-)

They would be exceptional home defense choices as well, but can be a little hard to maneuver indoors.

I'd also say my XDMs are in the same category. Fun to shoot, great for home defense, but not so great to carry.

My LCR and LCP are just not that fun to shoot, so they only get shot often enough for me to stay comfortable with them.
 
Whenever i need an arm for self defence, i try as far as possible to have a Browning High Power. I carry one, my HD gun is one with a 20 shot mag.

I always have it backed up with something new or interesting. At the moment its a norinco 213 would you believe. I bought this norinco to test new loads so as to not risk my expensive pistols and lo and behold, 100% reliable. Imagine that.

For fun i have too many pistols and too little time to type. Well not too many, i should say almost enough lol
 
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