What handgun would work best for SD in RV

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Marcusfan

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I'm trying to figure out what to get to take with me in my RV to use for self defense when I travel in my RV. I'm a female traveling with my mom and I want to make sure I am prepared but I don't have a lot of experience. My nephew is going to take me to the gun range so I can try out several different weapons and I will make it a priority to practice regularly but I have never used handguns before and any experience I did have with guns has been many years ago. So, any suggestions? Thanks.

Marcusfan
 
What handgun fits your hands and you can shoot effectively?
pax would recommend you find a range and rent some to try them for fit and function. Are you able to rack the slide to load a semi-auto pistol? Are you able to use a double action trigger on a revolver.
Since RVs are very thin skinned so to speak over penetration is a very important issue.
Visit corneredcat.com.
 
First and foremost, get genuine instruction on the use of handguns and the use of weapons for self defense.
Both the techniques and the laws.
Your life may depend on it as well as your freedom.
A weapon is no help without the skill to use it.
Any more than owning a tennis racket will make you a tennis player.
 
Do some reading at corneredcat.com. That is the website of our pal Pax. It is an excellent resource for any new shooter, and particularly tailored for women.

Your nephew can get you started, and you might find something you really like. What is important is to find a handgun that YOU are comfortable with and that has the features that you want and need. There are pluses and minuses to nearly every feature available in handguns. A heavier handgun, for example, is more to lug around, but absorbs recoil when shooting. A thumb safety is an extra step to shooting, whether your shooting is intentional or unintentional. Think them over and talk them over with someone knowledgeable before making your purchase.

Someone will undoubtedly jump in with the opinion that revolvers are better for women because they are so simple to operate. In my opinion you can consider a revolver, but you need not limit yourself to revolvers, for several reasons. First and foremost, there is nothing in the male brain that makes it more capable of understanding the function of a semi than a female brain. (I have a wife who shoots and carries a semi, and two daughters who both shoot and strongly prefer semis, one of which has a Master's in engineering and can shoot circles around most of the people at the range on any given day.) You can learn either one just fine with a little instruction. Secondly, semis very often are softer shooters, since they essentially use some of the recoil energy to power the mechanism; that used energy is energy that is not transmitted to the hand and arm of the shooter. Lastly, semis open lots of other options in capacity, thumb safeties, and other features that you might find attractive.
 
I'll jump in as one to recommend a revolver. Sure, anyone can learn to operate a semi-auto but the revolver is intuitive and easier to operate. My wife has smallish hands and loves her S&W model 10 in 38 special. Enough stopping power and manageable recoil.

Highly recommend a gun handling/shooting instruction course. There's a lot more to know that just "point and pull the trigger".
 
a few fast thoughts. revolvers are easier to learn, maintain and use for males and females, young and old. try several calibers. if a smaller 22 is more comfortable for you, so that you eagerly want to practice, then go with the 22 and not a larger caliber. hits require practice, and misses never count. be very mindful of state/local laws as you road trip. get a ccw permit from home and a nonresident ccw permit with wide reciprocity. some locales wont allow a handgun at all. dont enter mexico or canada. a ruger lcr 22lr may be a good initial option for you. a rifle or shotgun is legally ok in more locales (even canada with correct papers at border) but may not be as handy for defense.
 
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In a RV you can also carry a long gun, which has some advantages over handguns. It's easier to aim with a rifle or shotgun, it's more stable to hold steadily, and the stopping power is much better then any handgun. It's worth considering. I started shooting with a rifle and it's a lot easier to shoot well then a handgun.

Anyway, if you're set on a handgun, you've got the right idea. Go to the range, try out various guns (if you can rent there, all the better) and see what fits your hands before buying, and what suits you. It might seem counterintuitive, but some of the light and compact guns have nastier recoil then bigger guns in bigger caliber, so don't be afraid to try. In my opinion, try both revolvers and semiautos; I'm personally a fan of the revolver, but both are fit for purpose and have different advantages and disadvantages.

An instructor to teach you the basics, if available, would be a good choice.
 
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I would repeat the revolver recommendation. Not because it is better for women (as one poster suggested some people might say) but because it is better for inexperienced shooters. It is simpler and will have a shorter learning curve, so you can safely use it for potential self-defense quicker than an auto.

I would also disagree with the long-gun suggestion, RVs are usually pretty tight quarters and a handgun will give you more maneuverability. If you do want a long-gun, stay with as short a barrel as you can. A short carbine (maybe a lever action) may be a good way to go if you want the long-gun.

That said, since you will be in an RV, I have a few questions for you. What kind of camping do you do? Do you prefer RV parks with a lot of neighbors, state parks where there are people around but you have nature around you, or do you like to go "boondocking" and camp in the middle of nowhere? Do you see your need more for defense against animals or against people? The answers to these questions could well change the "ideal" self-defense gun in your situation.

If you are thinking about protection from bears, you will want a can of bear strength pepper spray (probably better than a gun for bear defense) and back it up with a revolver (magnum calibers or stout .45LC loads). As a new shooter, I would suggest the .357mag as it is easier to master than .44mag, cheaper and easier to find than .41mag, and cheaper than .45LC (though it is the bare minimum for bear). Also, you can load a .357mag with .38spl for practice and for smaller animals (for defense against people there are good loads in both .38spl and .357mag, though .38 will overpenetrate less). If you go with a .357mag, my advice is to stay away from the small frame or lightweight revolvers, and go for a good medium frame steel revolver (I love the slightly smaller medium frame S&W K-frames and Taurus 65/66, though the larger S&W L-frame or Ruger GP100 are good examples of these pistols) with at least a 4" barrel.

If you are thinking about defense against criminals, the .357mag revolver is still a good way to go (though a 3" barrel is a nice length in this case) and you can shoot cheaper, lower recoiling, .38spl for practice or self defense. As a new shooter, I'd still say to avoid the small frame and lightweight revolvers. If you'd prefer an auto, 9mm is a good caliber for new shooters: relatively inexpensive to shoot (so you should become competent much faster), reasonably powerful for stopping an attacker (with the right load), and low recoil while you are learning so you don't develop a flinch. If you go for an auto, I'd avoid the smallest 9mms as the small size and light weight can make the recoil seem much stronger (if you may carry the larger compact pistols may be a good starter size for controllability at the range and still be concealable).
 
Please note that I did not advise her to avoid revolvers, only to not limit her consideration to revolvers.

I forgot to mention: One of the chief reasons that my wife and daughters dislike most revolvers is that the double action trigger is so heavy that it affects their accuracy.
 
I would also disagree with the long-gun suggestion, RVs are usually pretty tight quarters and a handgun will give you more maneuverability. If you do want a long-gun, stay with as short a barrel as you can. A short carbine (maybe a lever action) may be a good way to go if you want the long-gun.
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This is one of the rare situations where a handgun is more tactical than practical. Not entirely, of course, but to a degree.

Absolutely, the handgun is easier to maneuver in tight spaces, (like inside your RV), no arguing that. BUT, is that the MOST important thing? Is that what you will need, most often???

My father in law did a lot of RV camping, and traveling in the US and Canada. While he had a couple of old shotguns, he was not a "shooter" or a gun person. Back in the later 80s I made up for all my sins in his eyes when I gave him a Marlin .357 carbine for Christmas.

He absolutely loved it. I'm not certain he ever actually shot it, (after the first time) but he loved it. The Marlin carbine in .357 is pretty short, holds 9 (10 .38s), and has very light recoil. .357 Mag is widely known to be an effective defense round.

Now, its true the carbine is more awkward in tight places than the handgun, BUT for him, that wasn't his main concern. What the carbine gave him was something that could live in the corner of the wardrobe of his camper, took up very little space, and WAS LEGAL nearly everywhere he went.

A handgun did not do that. The legal part. A lever action rifle (or pump, or other manually operated repeater) or shotgun is legal, without a permit in nearly every state. Back in the 80s, before the current levels of paranoia, you could even take them into Canada and return.

There are a couple (2 I can think of, there may be another one or two) states that require a permit for ANY gun (usually called an FOID -Firearm Owner ID card), and those should be allowed for in any travel plans. DO some research on ALL the states you are travelling to or through!!!!

There are several states that require permits for handguns, but do not for rifles and shotguns. AND by choosing a lever gun, or pump, or even a double barrel shotgun, you avoid all the laws about "assault weapons", which vary from state to state as well.

Short barrels (20") meet all the legal restrictions I know of (some places allow 18" some don't, 20" is allowed everywhere as far as I know), a folding stock MAY be practical, may, or may not be legal, depending on the state.

Avoid a semi auto long gun, detachable magazines, protruding pistol grip, (the whole "evil black gun /weapon of war" thing), and you will likely avoid all the legal entanglements they have in states with "assault weapon" laws.

There is nothing wrong with choosing a handgun and the handgun absolutely does have some advantages to its use. But, the long gun provides legal advantages to TRAVEL that due to our various state laws, a handgun does not.

One VERY important thing to learn is the laws of ALL the states you are going to be in, or travel through. The 1986 FOPA act provides some legal protection if you unintentionally break a state's gun laws while travelling through, but it only applies in certain situations. Do some research, seriously, its important.

Good luck!

(nothing wrong with a good .357 revolver, other than the legal hassle of staying within each states laws as you travel)
 
RVing and guns means a lot of reading up, especially if you're hitting any coastal areas. A 410 shotgun should be legal in most places, but I still wouldn't want to have it with me in CA, NJ, NY or MA. And there's plenty of states without state preemption, so you have to looks into local prohibitions too. FOPA protects you while traveling through a state, but a single "look how cute" stop can exempt you as visiting the location. Similar in many states state park are prohibited areas, and national parks copy local rules too.
 
"...double action trigger is so heavy that it affects their accuracy..." Those revolvers need a trigger job for that very reason.
"...the long-gun suggestion..." Any handgun(the type of action makes no difference.) requires more training and practice to be reasonably accurate with than any long gun. Any rifle requires more training and practice than any short barreled(18 or 20 inch) shotgun(not a .410 though.). 20 gauge minimum.
As mentioned, with any RVing, crossing State borders is assumed. In some States, just having a firearm without a licence, a handgun in particular, can/will get you arrested. Mom will not be happy sitting in a cell.
"...take them into Canada and return..." You'll be instantly returned to Homeland Security and denied further entry, if you don't have our licence or declare 'em at the border(cost you $25Cdn. to just declare 'em. $60Cdn for the licence.). Firearms must be locked up in transit. A hand gun requires a slightly different licence, but that can be done(max 10 round mags.). No CCW at all. No SD with a firearm either.
 
Since RVs are very thin skinned so to speak over penetration is a very important issue
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The first time I was with-in arms length or so of moving bullet was at a state park where a woman fired a warning cylinder at her drunk husband in the middle of a domestic dispute. Her backstop of choice? Their RV. My location? A tent directly behind said RV. Bullets went in from one side, through whatever was inside the RV, then out the other side. In the morning we had to throw out what had been a perfectly good tent when we confirmed there were several new skylights.

Oh, and try them at the range.
My buddy is looking to retire to an RV and going through a similar process. He hasn't come up with any great solutions yet.
 
Since RVs are very thin skinned so to speak over penetration is a very important issue.
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I don't think its much of an issue, at all. Issue implies you can DO something about it. In an RV, its more like a fact of life, or a natural law, like water runs downhill.

EVERYTHING is going to penetrate the RV walls like they aren't there. Accept it, properly PLAN for it, and all will be well.

In the morning we had to throw out what had been a perfectly good tent when we confirmed there were several new skylights.
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Congratulations on being well off enough to throw out a perfectly good tent. Some folks keep theirs until there is more patch than tent, before replacing them. ;)
 
As a future rv'er I have been researching what firearms would offer me the best protection as well as the least legal issues should I ever get stopped by the police. Since I plan to cross state lines and even go to Alaska, for mr the revolver was the best choice. I can drive to California where many national parks are, and not have to worry as much about having a semi auto gun. It seems that most states that hate guns hate the autos or semi. I also will carry a pump 12 ga shotgun which will give the least problem in crossing the border.

I own a 686 6" SW and a colt Python and a Remington 870. In Texas I carry enough Arsenal to go to war.
 
Several people mentioned the overpenetration considerations for RV defense. I think it may be under considered even for home defense. Yes, an RV's walls are really paper thin and will barely slow down a bullet that misses or goes through a target (heck, my "RV" is a pop-up camper so I have tent walls). However, most people would be surprised how little typical home construction materials will stop or even slow a bullet as well. I try to consider overpenetration for all home defense applications (why I prefer .38spl to .357mag at home, 12ga or .223 to most handgun calibers, and slow but heavy .45ACP over faster 9mm or .40S&W options). Strangely, I don't consider it as much for self-defense outside the home (where I prefer 9mm and .40S&W in autos, and I'm considering going back to .357mag in my revolvers), maybe I should...

Now, its true the carbine is more awkward in tight places than the handgun, BUT for him, that wasn't his main concern. What the carbine gave him was something that could live in the corner of the wardrobe of his camper, took up very little space, and WAS LEGAL nearly everywhere he went.

A handgun did not do that. The legal part. A lever action rifle (or pump, or other manually operated repeater) or shotgun is legal, without a permit in nearly every state. Back in the 80s, before the current levels of paranoia, you could even take them into Canada and return.

There are a couple (2 I can think of, there may be another one or two) states that require a permit for ANY gun (usually called an FOID -Firearm Owner ID card), and those should be allowed for in any travel plans. DO some research on ALL the states you are travelling to or through!!!!

There are several states that require permits for handguns, but do not for rifles and shotguns. AND by choosing a lever gun, or pump, or even a double barrel shotgun, you avoid all the laws about "assault weapons", which vary from state to state as well.
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The legal considerations are a good point. I only bring a gun with me camping when I know it will be legal where I'm camping and traveling. A long gun is indeed legal in more places than a handgun. For me, I camp in either a tent or a pop-up camper so I can't really secure a long-gun when I'm not around so a handgun is much more practical since I can carry it (if in a state that honors a UT non-res CCW permit) or hide and secure a small gun safe for the gun when I'm not at my campsite. Someone with a more traditional hard-sided trailer or drivable RV won't have that problem.

I was thinking purely practical considerations when I mentioned the lever rifle (I think a revolver caliber lever rifle is a terrific, but often overlooked, home defense option). The legal and "PC" considerations when traveling make it even better as a travel defense option (I like those reasons for home defense as well since I live in mostly anti-gun MD).
 
Well, any effective self defense load has to be able to punch through your average (and quite flimsy) interior wall, not to mention a thin-skinned RV.

If you miss, I don't see how to avoid overpenetration (other then having a thick load-bearing concrete wall behind the target). If you hit, I don't think a normal self-defense round - normally designed for 12"-18" penetration - will realistically go through skin, flesh, skin again, an internal wall, and still have any capacity to penetrate much of anything.
 
chaim said:
The legal considerations are a good point. I only bring a gun with me camping when I know it will be legal where I'm camping and traveling. A long gun is indeed legal in more places than a handgun.
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In addition, I think it's important to mention some wrinkles in federal law regarding what you can do if it's NOT legal to take a gun to a particular U.S. state.
  • Under federal law, an unlicensed individual may NOT lawfully transfer a firearm to another unlicensed individual who resides in a different U.S. state.
  • Contrary to frequently parroted misinformation, there is NOT an exception for family members, so you can't leave it with your aunt/dad/brother/etc., and neither is there an exception if the firearm is disassembled; a post-1898 frame or receiver—which should carry the serial number if the firearm was made after 1968—is broadly considered to be the firearm for purposes of determining applicability of most U.S. laws. In other words, if you have the serial numbered frame or receiver, you can usually be arrested for possession of an illegal firearm, even if it is disassembled to the point that it cannot be fired. Same goes for leaving part(s) across the border.
  • Under federal law, a federal firearms licensee (FFL)—i.e. a gun dealer—is allowed to transfer a long gun to an unlicensed resident of another state, provided that the long gun is lawful to possess in that person's state of residence. However, a FFL may NOT transfer a handgun to an unlicensed resident of another state unless the handgun was given to the FFL for "the sole purpose of repair or customizing". Consequently, if you're traveling into a state where your gun is illegal to possess, you CAN leave a long gun with a FFL for storage before you cross the border (so long as this transaction complies with state laws), but you CANNOT lawfully do so with a handgun; the border-state FFL would have to ship it to a FFL in your home state before you could lawfully get it back, which would probably undermine the purpose of the whole exercise.
T. O'Heir said:
A hand gun requires a slightly different licence [in Canada], but that can be done(max 10 round mags.).
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That said, I've looked into Canadian handgun licencing (note I didn't write licensing ;)) requirements, and my understanding is that a Restricted [Firearm] Possession & Acquisition Licence or RPAL is required to possess a handgun. The stumbling block is that this requires a special safety course, and I'm not sure if it's even possible to take this course outside of Canada.

Another potential stumbling block is that all ground travel routes directly to Quebec and New Brunswick and most reasonably direct routes from the U.S. Eastern Seaboard to the Ottawa area require passage through the state of New York, which itself has cumbersome handgun licensing (note I didn't write licencing ;)) requirements, and some NY police are notorious for not respecting the interstate travel exemption in U.S. federal law.

Mandatory disclaimer: I am not an attorney, nor do I play one on TV. ;) This is not legal advice. Caveat emptor and YMMV.
 
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Marcusfan,welcome aboard! Great ideas and help in all the posts.Please check with Convs.Clubs-LEO's being good info sources.Good Luck!
 
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