A gun for my son.

[TheTman]

My son just graduated from K-State College of Engineering (*** Laude), and I couldn't be prouder. He is taking a job out in Dodge City KS, which has a high crime rate. I want to send a gun with him until he gets a paycheck or two and can afford one of his own. His choices are going to be,
1. Taurus model 66, 6 shot revolver blued, 4 inch barrel, in .357/38
2. Dan Wesson Model 14 6 shot blue, 2.5 inch barrel .357/38
3. Taurus model 741 5 shot stainless, 3 inch barrel in .44 special
4. Charter Arms Bulldog Pug 5 shot stainless, 2.5 inch barel .44 special,
5. Remington youth model 870 20 guage.
Not going to give him any semi's at this time, until he gets more experience at clearing jams and stovepipes under his belt. I'm inclined to steer him towards the Taurus Model 66 with a speedloader, plus the 20 guage, plus get him a good flashlight. If he likes the Taurus 66, I think I'll order him some good rubber grips for it and get rid of those "cowboy" wood grips that it came with.
Do you think this is a good combination (the Taurus 66 and 20 guage) for a young man that has little experience with handguns? We're going shooting tomorrow or the next day to get him familiar with the guns in question. I think the .44's will kick too much for him to be comfortable with, and the Dan Wesson doesn't eject spent magnum shells very well. Guess I need to polish the cylinder walls or something on that one. I'll start him out with some .38 specials, and finish with a cylinder or two of .357.

[melissa5]

Congrats to the proud papa! Out of the guns listed, I think I would go with the Taurus and the 20 gauge. The longer barrel on the Taurus would be easier to shoot than the 2.5" or the .44s.

[edinero]

My pick is the bulldog for your novice son.

[melissa5]

Oh boy! Here we go again! :crazy:

[Bawanna]

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n538/hopke5/Policecargif-1.gif

Lets talk guns for the boy and and leave the race cards on the race track.

I was leaning towards the bulldog also. Small, compact, meaningful. I had a bulldog and it really wasn't unpleasant to shoot and it shot well. Another one I regret selling.

[mr surveyor]

why not a revolver that will last for more than one generation of owners? Spring for a 3" Ruger SP101 .357 mag and Mossy 500 with interchangeable 18-1/2" and 28" barrels. Best bang for the bucks in both worlds.


surv

[TucsonMTB]

At the risk of sounding like Melissa by offering sage advice . . . wouldn't it make sense to let him decide based on your range experience? ;)

After all, what's good for the ladies should also be helpful with a new shooter. By the way, I hope you plan to have some additional range sessions to help him become more comfortable with the pistol. I'm not sure I would bother with the shotty . . . but that's just me. :)

[CJB]

If the Charter was good 'nuff for Berkowitz, it'll suit yer son just fine.

Unless your name is Sam. In that case, I'd go with a .38special.

[JimBianchi]

My first carry gun was a Bulldog, so that's where my heart is.

Congrats for raising such a bright young man!

[Cash.45]

At the risk of sounding like Melissa by offering sage advice . . . wouldn't it make sense to let him decide based on your range experience? ;)

After all, what's good for the ladies should also be helpful with a new shooter. By the way, I hope you plan to have some additional range sessions to help him become more comfortable with the pistol. I'm not sure I would bother with the shotty . . . but that's just me. :)

+1! Based on his limited experience, he should choose what he's comfortable with AND what he can shoot with accuracy!

[melissa5]

At the risk of sounding like Melissa by offering sage advice . . . wouldn't it make sense to let him decide based on your range experience? ;)

After all, what's good for the ladies should also be helpful with a new shooter.

Ach, you got me! I've been pierced to the heart. :o

[TheTman]

I can't afford any new iron for the kid, and besides he's gonna be making a boatload of money (matches the highest salary I ever got as a computer systems consultant) so he can get what he wants too have later. I'm just have a limited supply of revolvers that I want him to choose until he gets something he wants. I am going to take my 1911 so he'll know what it's like to shoot "The Master", and probably the Beretta Cougar .40, but he aint gettin those! but until he gets more experience, I don't think a semi is the way to go. I want him to have something simple and ready to go when you pull the trigger. I love my little Charter Arms, it's my 2nd most used carry piece, but if that's what he wants then he can have it. I did take those skinny little Barami hip grips off and put the big rubber grips back on it so it shoots nicer. I just think it will be more recoil than he's going to like. I hope I can get him to take a CC class. I'm kind of leery his libtard girlfriend is gonna have a hissy fit over guns, but that shouldnt be a problem for a year or two.

[Bawanna]

Agree with your thinking. The revolver whichever works best for him is the ticket. Maybe now that's he's going to work and away from the influence of college theres time for him to look for a new girlfriend. Better now than later.

Might want to hook him up with a small safe to keep the gun in when it's unattended. Cheap insurance. Bolt it down or hide it or it might get took too.

[jocko]

kinda hard to say anything bad about any of the good revolvers out there, especially for some one not as knowledeagle as some of us. KISS comes into play here with guns to.

Let him buy what he feels good about, not what we feel good about. Aq good example

I just had my buddy call me this morning and saqid heh guess what??I just bought my wife a 2006 used Harely sofetail heritage. His wife has never ridden a motorcyle of any size and "thinks" she might wantto ride, but this fella went right out and bought her what HE THINKS SHE SHOULD HAVE. We tried to tell him a few months ago to buy a metric bike maybe a 650 yamaha for around 4K used and let her see if she likes toride etc and if so then sell it and you won't loose much at all, if any, but like3 many of us gun owners, we seem to think we know what is best for our wives or kids..

[Rainman48314]

Either the Taurus or the 20 gauge will work for home defense.

Given you're on this forum and own several guns, I'm surprised he hasn't gotten his own before now.

Be sure to check the laws about him possessing a gun registered to another party from another State. The last thing you want happening is your son screwing up his right to later get a CCW or permits.

Good Luck

[TheTman]

Took my son to the range today, and I have to say the boy is a natural. I started him off with a Buckmark .22, and from 7 yards he had about a 3 inch group with several bullseyes. Then we moved up to the Taurus 4" model 66 with 38 special standard velocity, he like that, so we moved up to +P for awhile, then loaded it with .357 and he had a big grin on his face after a couple cylinders of that. He also shot the Taurus and Charter Arms .44 specials, He liked the rubber grips on those pistols, but liked the extra shot the 6 shooter gave him. Also let him shoot the .40 Cougar, and my 1911. He had decent sized groups with all of them. Mind you this is the first time he's shot a handgun since before he left for college. He decided he wants to take the Taurus model 66 and the 20 guage youth model with him, and I think those are wise choices. Also told him to get a super bright flashlight to keep bedside to blind bad guys at night while he gets his weapon(s). I'm going to take the rubber grips off the Taurus .44 and put them on the model 66 for him, and I need to polish the chambers some. A few of the spent .357 cases were pretty hard to eject.
I figure my dremel like tool with a good polishing head and some of that Flitz (is that the right stuff?) should help with the extraction issues. If no one is busy tonight, they are welcome to come over and clean guns. Also put about 75 rounds through the CW45, and it sure doesn't like the 7 round mags. Had no troubles with the 6 round mags. Hoping all that will smooth out as I get more rounds downrange. Had mostly FTF with the 7 rounders. Wasn't anyone else to shoot the gun for me to see if they had problem, and the range officer was busy. Ran a couple of flawless mags through the CW40. Oh well, today was for my son not for me, so I'll check out the CW45 further when I get the chance.
I'm hoping to educate his girlfriend some on firearms, I think she is just afraid of them, like my oldest daughter. One of these days I'll have ladies day at the range, I think Tuesdays ladies get free lane rental, and get the .22 out and let them see that it's no big deal. Did have a discussion with my daughter about whether it's better to take a shot at someone or else be raped or mugged, and she started to see the light.
I may let my son do the convincing on his gal. Maybe the 4 of us can hit the range next Tuesday and get some eyes to open.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!

[Bawanna]

I wish you good luck educating those women folk. I do hope your successful. A good scrubbing with a slightly oversize bore brush might be the ticket on that 66 cylinder followed by the dremel and flitz or a dowel wrapped in cloth if the polishing set up on the dremel don't go deep enough.

Excellent thought on the bright light too.

I'll drop by about 7 ish to help clean guns? Will there be refreshments? It is the weekend and my woman allows me to stay up till 11 on weekends.

[TucsonMTB]

I'm hoping to educate his girlfriend some on firearms, I think she is just afraid of them, like my oldest daughter. One of these days I'll have ladies day at the range, I think Tuesdays ladies get free lane rental, and get the .22 out and let them see that it's no big deal. . . .
I may let my son do the convincing on his gal. Maybe the 4 of us can hit the range next Tuesday and get some eyes to open.


http://www.taurususa.com/images/imagesMain/990SS6.jpg


Good plan! My wife has one of these Taurus Trackers in .22 LR. It really wins hearts when she uses it to help a new lady shooter get started. We call it the Buntline Special. Looks like a fire breathing monster and then politely goes "pop!" when you pull the trigger, followed by a big grin.

If you were closer to Tucson, I would lend it to you. Have fun. :D

[TheTman]

Dangit Bawanna, I musta missed you when I ran out to the dollar store. The entertainment never did show up with the snacks so you haven't missed anything. I like thouse Taurus Trackers, and would probably get one, except that I have a S&W 629 .44 mag, and I think the Model 617 would be a good complement to it. I think they both hold 10, so that's nice. I guess I think my 629 needs a little brother. The Tracker is priced a lot better. Looking from an investment point of view, I think I'll get better resale prices with the Smiths. A Model 617:
http://kartalk.pccomps.com/mod617.jpg
As far as having his own gun, the 20 guage is really his, he just hasn't been able to have it at the dorm. It's handy for moving around the house with so I been using it while he was away. He'll be pretty well prepared with 4 shots from the shotgun for primary use with the .357 to back it up, and having a bright light on the perp helps disorient them. If you wanna check that light thing out, have your spouse focus the beam right in your eyes sometime when you are getting home after dark. It really messes with you.

[Bawanna]

Crap, I must be at the wrong house. I figured you'd be back shortly. Nobody home at this place either. Probably too late now huh?

I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore Toto.

[TucsonMTB]

I like thouse Taurus Trackers, and would probably get one, except that I have a S&W 629 .44 mag, and I think the Model 617 would be a good complement to it. I think they both hold 10, so that's nice. I guess I think my 629 needs a little brother. The Tracker is priced a lot better. Looking from an investment point of view, I think I'll get better resale prices with the Smiths.
Yeah, I have to agree. Stick with the Smiths. We picked up the Tracker used on a whim so my wife could shoot bullseye matches. She really loves shooting it.

However, a used Neos with a new red dot turned out to be a better bullseye gun. I did the "Bic lighter spring trigger job". She is amazingly accurate with her "space gun". It also works well for new shooters.


http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/images/D11/26/26549.jpg


There are so many fun to shoot guns out there. I wish we had a back yard range rather than having to go 10 miles to the Pima Pistol Club, but at least it is out doors and very friendly. Life is good. :D