[John_W]

Originally Posted by TNLAKEPANDA

Suggest you find a gun range that has a good selection of rental guns and try some out. Otherwise just buy the one you can afford and feels best in your hand. If you are going to carry all the time then spend what you need to and get the gun you want.

I purchased a Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 rifle about 4 years ago at Shoot Straight in Apopka, they had the best price around. They are just over an hour south on 441. They have a shooting range and I believe many pistols to try out. They also have many of the most popular guns in demand and also stock used runs, I traded in a few myself with them. Closer to us in Ocala you have Dick's Sports Good and Gander Mountain which both have nice gun shops but no range and are a little high on price. For example when I bought my rifle, it was $350 at Shoot Straight and $450 at Gander Mountain.

Shooting Range | Gun Shop | Orlando, Apopka & Casselberry | Shoot Straight

Carl in Tampa, and being a former LEO, can probably give more insight about these two shops. Shooters World located in North Tampa just off I-275 occupies an old Circuit City Building. They are suppose to have one of the largest ranges in the state and a super large selection of guns.

Firearms Store & Classes | Shooting Range & More at Shooters World

Their competition and located nearby is this older established store Shooting Sports. They also have a range and a large selection of guns, but what I really like is their website lists the price and sometimes how many are in stock. They have great prices and I often use them as a comparison for example with Bud's Gun Shop.

Shooting Sports Welcome: Firearms for Sale | Gun Shop | Handgun Repair | Shooting Range | Classes | Fun activities

Shooters Sports online gun store.

Shooting Sports Online

As I mentioned Bud's Gun Shop, they usually have some of the best online prices but of course you'll have to pay the transfer fee charged by the local gun shop and shipping. Look at their price and then look at Shooting Sports online store price and it may be worth a drive to Tampa if the prices are similar.

Discount Guns for Sale - Buds Gun Shop

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

Aside from the fact that Glocks are fairly expensive, the Baby Glock (Glock 26 Gen4) seems to have a very small grip. Does that pose a problem for you?

The magazine has an extension, so that each of your fingers below the trigger finger has it's own individual indentation in the grip to give you a good feel for the grip.

There is one other non-Glock that I have been known to carry on occasion which would be only for personal self-defense at short range. That is the Kel-Tec P3AT in .380 caliber. I consider .380 marginal, and shot placement becomes critical. The great thing about the P3AT is that if you put it into a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster it fits easily into a pants pocket and is virtually undetectable. It is American made in Cocoa, Florida.

P-3AT

DeSantis Nemesis™ Pocket Holsters : Cabela's

[John_W]

Carl, I own the Ruger LCP 380 and I think I know where Kel-tec got their idea.

[NoMoSno]

Originally Posted by John_W

Carl, I own the Ruger LCP 380 and I think I know where Kel-tec got their idea.

Actually, it's the other way around.
The Kel-Tec was out long before the Ruger LCP.

[Muzzy17is]

Smith & Wesson body guard and Ruger lcp are both good. Kel tec is alright but is cheaply made in my opinion. I looked at a Diamond Back 380 and it looked and felt like junk and I've heard nothing but bad about it. I've seen Ruger lcp's on gun broker for $225 you just have to find a FFL licensed dealer to get it shipped to however most any good shop will work with you on that for around $25.00.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Originally Posted by [url=http://www.cabelas.com/product/DeSantis-Nemesis-Pocket-Holsters/1153112.uts

DeSantis Nemesis™ Pocket Holsters : Cabela's[/url]

Thanks for the link; just ordered a new one for my Bodyguard; old one was getting worn.

[Viperguy]

Thanks JW

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

While doing a bit of research yesterday, I found that .380 ammo is 50% more expensive than 9mm luger ammo. Doing a lot of practicing could get expensive with a .380.

I'm down to trying to decide between a S&W Shield and a Taurus PT111.

I've read mostly good things about this new Taurus. One guy gave it a good review, but says that the trigger is terrible and that the slide occasionally didn't return after firing. It was very rare that it happened but it did happen. Other reviews were 10% positive.

The difference in price is about $200 which is basically about double. I can get a good deal on the Shield, but it's the one with a safety. The model without the safety is about $30.00 more. Go figure.

I find it interesting that some of you say that you carry when you're going into bad areas in Orlando and places like that. I had an instructor make an interesting analogy. He said that a handgun is a defensive weapon that you would only use in case of an emergency. In that regard it's somewhat like a seatbelt. We don't not buckle our seatbelt because we don't expect to be in an emergency situation on some days. Why would you not carry all the time? Granted, there are some places where it might be more likely that you'll need to use you firearm, but emergencies can happen anywhere. An employee of one of our local establishments was attacked and severely in a parking lot near Spanish
Springs Town Square. If t can happen there, it can happen anywhere.

What is everyone's thoughts on this?

[xcaligirl]

If I were you, I would speak to the guys at the Straight Shooters Club. They are very knowledgeable. My husband told me to stay away from the Ruger, I really liked the gun however each time that I tried to demo, it jammed... (just as he told me!)

[John_W]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

...I'm down to trying to decide between a S&W Shield and a Taurus PT111.

I've read mostly good things about this new Taurus. One guy gave it a good review, but says that the trigger is terrible and that the slide occasionally didn't return after firing. It was very rare that it happened but it did happen. Other reviews were 10% positive.

After reading up about the Taurus PT111 Gen 2, it seems like a good choice for someone on a budget. If I was buying a CC pistol today I would be very interested. It's the #1 sellings semi-automatic on Gunbroker.com, here's what's available in the Buy Now section.

taurus g2 For Sale – Buy taurus g2 Online at GunBroker.com

Taurus Firearms

This shop in South Carolina has them for $199 in stock, you'll have to pay a local shop for transfer fees. There are a couple of pawn shops in Bellview that will do that for $25, and you might be charged shipping.

Taurus PT111 Gen2 9mm Pistol -- 1-111031G2-12

If you don't want to go that route, Gander Mountain in Ocala lists them in stock for $279. You can see their store on the west side of I-75 at the second Ocala Exit. When checking local gun shops there is one 10 miles south on 301 in Sumterville called Mann's. They advertise in the Sun paper, and I drove down there one day and he had some really good prices.

Mann's Shooting Supply and Pawn, LLC

Taurus PT 111 Millennium G2 Compact Handgun-762382 - Gander Mountain




I like the 'flat earth' color, but they are running $300 to $319 and are much harder to find. Gun Broker only shows one and it's $299.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I bough the S&W Shield.

I figured I might as well go for an extra $200 and get something tat's been a proven performer for a long time.

I've heard both good and bad about Taurus and Sccy but I've never heard anything bad about Smith and Wesson.

I could have bought it locally for $370, but they only had the one with the safety. I got the one without the safety online. It was $30 more, but I didn't have to pay sales tax so its almost even and I got what I want.

I doubt that this is going to fit in my pocket so I guess I'm going to have to look for a holster.

I do plan to join The Villages Straight Shooters.