Newbie gun ownership

[Murf'n'surf]

I am dieing to go shoot steel! Never done it but man does it look/sound satisfying!!

 

[Briwhy]

Thanks for all of the tips, I have handled a lot of Springfields and liked the feel along with the double safety. The XD MOD.2 3" is in the lead until I can get it side by side with a Ruger LCP or other comparable firearms. What are the differences between this XD MOD and the XDS 3.3"?

As for the home defense weapon, I think the shotgun is out due to the fact of multiple people in the house and needing a more defined range. I will most likely go 1 at a time and start with the CC.

The XDS 3.3 isn't as bulky feeling and is skinnier than XD Mod. I just had these pistols side by side and for carrying I went with the XDS 3.3.

 

[Bennie]

as soon as the popo gets to the window say... i have a weapon.... and i have a ccl... my gun in (my holster, side, center glove box etc) and then wait for instruction.

- sorry bronze_10, please take this as a friend helping

@Murf'n'surf and anyone else reading this please, PLEASE DO NOT start any conversation with any LEO with the words: "I have a weapon".
Those are trigger words and I promise you that he will not pay much attention to what you say next.

After years of working closely with my local LEOs I would recommend the first practice, of having your CCW license available. Also you need to know whether or not if the state you are in is a "declaration" state. - meaning that you MUST tell the officer of any weapons in the vehicle upon initial contact.

Either way I highly recommend that you say something more along the lines of " Sir - I am licensed for concealed carry", he may respond but you should then let him know that you do have your "conceal" with you, and ask him how he would like to proceed. I would avoid trigger words like - weapon or gun.

@Westbeach Bum or any other LEOs - any other words of advise or correction on

 

[Westbeach Bum]

He is not wrong, I would just hand your CCL to the officer along with your license and any other requested paperwork. Then say "I am armed" and have a CCL.

 

[bronze_10]

I am Leo! Lol

 

[bronze_10]

If I approach a car and I see a guy with both hands out of the window or on the wheel and they say I have a weapon in the car I automatically feel like they are trying to comply... in nc it is a free carry state so u are allowed to have a weapon but not a concealed weapon unless u have a ccw permit.. as Leo I can remove u from the area of the gun for safety but I can't take possession of your legally owned fire arm without your permission... or unless i beleine that there is an issue with the gun.. stolen, used in a crime etc.. I have heard the horror stories from people who carry a firearm but I have nether freaked out when someone tells me they have a gun, assisted with a stop where the other officers freaked out that they had a gun or been stopped where the officer freaked because I had a gun.. this is how the stop normally goes..

Afternoon sir I am officer ..... with the .... pd, the reason I stopped u is I clocked u at 78 in a 55. Do u have any reason for going that speed?. (the first chance the suspect has to talk) no sir but I do have a gun in the car... me. Ok where is it located? Them.. in the center console.. me. Ok, don't reach for yours and I won't reach for mine!!. (They alway's agree). At this point I know they have a weapon and where it is... I can establish if it is there legally at my leisure... I ask'do u have a ccw.. them.. yes it's in my wallet.... me. Where is your wallet? Them. In my back pocket. Then I let them get it.. of they say it is in the center console with the gun then we have a little longer talk about what I expect and the consequences if anything else happens... and we go from there.

As an Leo if I stop u and I see your head down and you are filling with something in your lap...I'm gonna take notice!!! Even if it is your wallet, how am I to know? If u have your hands out the window I am gonna kinda give u the stink eye and wonder why, but the hands are what kill u.... and I can see them.

Take it for what u will... I have been on all three sides for many years.. these are my persepctives..

 

[Bennie]

I am Leo! Lol

Well hell, lol - thank you for taking my opinion/comment in stride

I've had officers that (were rather young) acted very skittish when knowing that I had a firearm in my vehicle.
(I also have a large truck so they can not see inside of the vehicle to see the sidearm). It's been years since I had blue lights behind me but I have always turned on the interior lights if its dark outside and placed my hands either on the window sill or crossed over steering wheel. Unless the officer is over 6'4" it'll be hard for him to see lower than my chest. So before I reach for anything I advise that I have my legal sidearm and CCW, then immediately ask him how he would like to proceed. Normally they open the door while watching my hands and I exit the vehicle.

You should see their eyes when I leave and they see that big a** 45 sitting right next to my seat belt buckle!!
They are usually very nice once I'm separated from my pistol. haha

 

[jawsf16]

Trigger words aren't for the seasoned officer, they are for the rookie trailing up the passenger side who hears the word "gun, firearm, weapon, etc" I think a better option is to describe the weapon by its manufacturer with a loose description. "Howdy, sir, I have a carry license and my Springfield 9 is in the center console. How would you like me to proceed?" My two cents, doesn't really matter until it matters...

 

[bronze_10]

Well hell, lol - thank you for taking my opinion/comment in stride

I've had officers that (were rather young) acted very skittish when knowing that I had a firearm in my vehicle.
(I also have a large truck so they can not see inside of the vehicle to see the sidearm). It's been years since I had blue lights behind me but I have always turned on the interior lights if its dark outside and placed my hands either on the window sill or crossed over steering wheel. Unless the officer is over 6'4" it'll be hard for him to see lower than my chest. So before I reach for anything I advise that I have my legal sidearm and CCW, then immediately ask him how he would like to proceed. Normally they open the door while watching my hands and I exit the vehicle.

You should see their eyes when I leave and they see that big a** 45 sitting right next to my seat belt buckle!!
They are usually very nice once I'm separated from my pistol. haha

The key word.. is young officer... full of pissed and vinegar. The seasoned officer learns to ready body language and look for nonverbal cues..

 

[Bennie]

@bronze_10 - I holistically agree!!!

Firearm ownership is a huge responsibility. You must always pay attention to your surroundings, your body language and the body language of those around you.
Thank you for being an attentive officer. I'll feel safer next time I'm in NC.

 

[bronze_10]

Lol with age comes wisdom... and creaking knees!

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Lol with age comes wisdom... and creaking knees!

And ali-bologna payments....

 

[bronze_10]

And ali-bologna payments....

It took me a min to figure that one out! Lol

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Got the iTarget going tonight and practiced dry firing....

 

[Mainah]

Well darn that does look pretty cool. Think this is yet another thing that I never knew I wanted and will spend money on because of this site. Maybe I just need to stop coing here to save money ... nah not likely to happen.

 

[Tobes]

I wont disclose unless asked (due to law). I see no need to inform an officer if you are in legal possession of a weapon to inform unless the law requires (like NC). I paid for my permit to conceal carry and I should be able to do so without having to answer to some one just because I was speeding. Just another law to hurt the law abiding citizen.

To the OP, congrats on your new hobby. Its fun and addicting like anything. Choosing a carry weapon can take awhile. If you are like me, buy and sell used. I have lost very little money doing this as guns hold their value (and it took me 5 weapons to find a carry). I now have a G19 and a G43 for carry (although the G43 is the usual). IMO, Id ditch the .380 personally and just go 9mm. I tried it and there is no benefit to it but half the fun is trying out new things right? More than anything learn your firearm! Anyone can shoot a paper target, few can quickly fix a jammed gun in a stressful situation.

Also, ditch the fingerprint safe. If you need your weapon for home defense, a fingerprint safe is the last place you want it (or any safe for that matter). A defense weapon should be readily available. The intruder that just broke your back window is not going to wait for you to open your safe. Worried about kids? The single most important aspect of gun safety with kids is knowledge. Kids are curious so take the curiosity out of guns. Get them out shooting and exposed to guns while teaching them the the dos and donts.

 

[Bennie]

I agree with @Tobes on the kid angle. Don't "child proof" your guns, "gun proof" your kids. Children that get harmed (into trouble) with guns are kids that don't know any better. From a very early age I taught my son that guns have one job and one job only - to kill things.

Its up to the person handling the gun to treat it with respect and be safe.

If you do care to buy/ sell used try www.Armslist.com

You can search for just your area and narrow your results to certain calibers.
Enjoy and be safe!

 

[jdonalds]

We have two Sig Sauer P238 pistols. These are small pistols for carry, but they are also fun at the range. Reliable and accurate they are also easy to clean and lube. The first time we fired one of these (rented) at the indoor range we liked it so much we drove right to the gun store and bought two. The kick is hardly noticeable. We are still very pleased with them. For home protection we also use the p238 but keep them loaded with self-defense ammo. My wife's has a laser. We keep hers in a quick access safe screwed down to the master bedroom headboard. She carries when out around the city and on wilderness hikes. These p238 pistols sell very well and stores generally run out of them within a few days of receiving a shipment. Seven + 1 gives you 8 shots between reloads.

I also have a Ruger 9mm revolver but that sucker really kicks. I wear shooting gloves at the range to help minimize damage to may hand. Also for carry revolvers are a little thicker so a bit more difficult to conceal. I like revolvers. They feel safer to me. Using the moon clip they are quick to load, but only five shots.

 

[jdonalds]

I wont disclose unless asked (due to law). I see no need to inform an officer if you are in legal possession of a weapon to inform unless the law requires (like NC). I paid for my permit to conceal carry and I should be able to do so without having to answer to some one just because I was speeding. Just another law to hurt the law abiding citizen.

To the OP, congrats on your new hobby. Its fun and addicting like anything. Choosing a carry weapon can take awhile. If you are like me, buy and sell used. I have lost very little money doing this as guns hold their value (and it took me 5 weapons to find a carry). I now have a G19 and a G43 for carry (although the G43 is the usual). IMO, Id ditch the .380 personally and just go 9mm. I tried it and there is no benefit to it but half the fun is trying out new things right? More than anything learn your firearm! Anyone can shoot a paper target, few can quickly fix a jammed gun in a stressful situation.

Also, ditch the fingerprint safe. If you need your weapon for home defense, a fingerprint safe is the last place you want it (or any safe for that matter). A defense weapon should be readily available. The intruder that just broke your back window is not going to wait for you to open your safe. Worried about kids? The single most important aspect of gun safety with kids is knowledge. Kids are curious so take the curiosity out of guns. Get them out shooting and exposed to guns while teaching them the the dos and donts.

Our fingerprint safe opens every time. Much faster than a combination (which it has as backup) or key (which it has for backup). Once we get to the safe it takes no more than 2 seconds to have the gun in hand. There's no way I'm leaving a loaded gun around the house anywhere without it being in a quick access safe. Not only do we have kids but they have friends who come into the house.

 

[bronze_10]

i mirror what @Bennie said.... ever since my kids were small.... anytime i opened out large gun safe if i saw any of them coming to look inside i stopped immediately and said, point to a gun... they would, i would make sure it is safe and hand it to them... i would stand there and do that constantly until they were satisfied and walked away.... when we go shoot i take every hand gun i have and we will shoot until they are tired of it... proper weapon handling... proper safety and proper shooting are a must... now when i open the safe there is no mystery ..