two questions to you

[Requiem ex Inferni]

So there is a very slight chance that my dad may get a handgun in the future for self-defense. If he does, he wants something in semi-automatic that's both affordable and has good stopping power, but can be concealed easily. Basically, he wants something that can take down a methhead in as few shots as possible. I'm thinking .45 if he can find something small. Any suggestions?

He also wants to find a firearms safety class. Where would the best place for this be, and about how much would it cost, if anything? I was thinking the police department would hold them, or we could ask my friend's grandpa, the ex-Marine, since he's the one who taught me firearm safety, but I wouldn't know, honestly.  

[Desert_Fox_Rommel]

.45 knocks them down and keeps them down, but it's a beefy cartridge and has lots of recoil with the possibility of over penetration. 9mm is much easier on the shooter, but is known to do little to stop crazed targets. 9mm hollow points expand and make much more damage inside the target than a regular 9mm, but I don't know how much more.  

[Stoic Socialist]

He should get what just feels right for him. Provided he uses good, quality, ammunition he'll do just fine. The puny 9mm (124 grain Speer Gold Dot +P) will consistently get to around 0.67-0.711 inches in diametre through ballistics gelatin. Link, Remington's Self-Defense load

If he wants, let him start out with a .45. He won't notice it recoils more if you don't tell him...

About the self-defense classes, up her in the great north, our stores just have them. Even though I don't live in a state that doesn't allow concealed carry. rolleyes  

[Crash Maniac]

Stoic Socialist

He should get what just feels right for him. Provided he uses good, quality, ammunition he'll do just fine. The puny 9mm (124 grain Speer Gold Dot +P) will consistently get to around 0.67-0.711 inches in diametre through ballistics gelatin. Link, Remington's Self-Defense load

If he wants, let him start out with a .45. He won't notice it recoils more if you don't tell him...

About the self-defense classes, up her in the great north, our stores just have them. Even though I don't live in a state that doesn't allow concealed carry. rolleyes

hey, lay off my "puny" 124gr 9mm Spear Gold Dot..... They work.  

[Requiem ex Inferni]

Well, I suggested .45, but the problem is that all of the .45's I know about are relatively big pistols. I also told him it would be more expensive.  

[Fresnel]

Requiem in Mortis

Well, I suggested .45, but the problem is that all of the .45's I know about are relatively big pistols. I also told him it would be more expensive.

Glock makes a .45 subcompact, so they DO exist.  

[Floyd]

Not a lot of stores carry them, but Bersa does produce a smallish and affordable .45ACP pistol.

http://www.bersapistols.com/category/38-Bersa_Thunder_45ACP_Pistols.aspx

Focus on the fact that this is a once in a lifetime purchase. The odds are your dad won't want or need several pistols. Focus on one good gun in a caliber that will do the job with the least amount of hassle.

Minimize the focus on the cost by reminding him that his life is worth far more than the initial investment in a reliable gun.  

[Stoic Socialist]

Crash Maniac

hey, lay off my "puny" 124gr 9mm Spear Gold Dot..... They work.

It was posted in jest. rolleyes  

[Desert_Fox_Rommel]

Fresnel

Requiem in Mortis

Well, I suggested .45, but the problem is that all of the .45's I know about are relatively big pistols. I also told him it would be more expensive.

Glock makes a .45 subcompact, so they DO exist.

 

[Requiem ex Inferni]

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Requiem in Mortis

Well, I suggested .45, but the problem is that all of the .45's I know about are relatively big pistols. I also told him it would be more expensive.

Glock makes a .45 subcompact, so they DO exist.

That's exactly why I won't let him get a .45 Glock.

I think I've heard of the Bersa Thunder. Like I said though, he's only considering it right now, because of the increasing crime rate in our area.

As for my second question, where would the best place be for a safety course? He won't even consider buying a gun until he goes through the course.  

[Man of the Demoneye]

I have to go with the .45. It is really big and flashy, which can be a good thing because it could be enough to just point it to deter someone. Of course it also has more than enough power to back that up if plan A doesn't work.  

[Fresnel]

Requiem in Mortis

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Requiem in Mortis

Well, I suggested .45, but the problem is that all of the .45's I know about are relatively big pistols. I also told him it would be more expensive.

Glock makes a .45 subcompact, so they DO exist.

That's exactly why I won't let him get a .45 Glock.

I think I've heard of the Bersa Thunder. Like I said though, he's only considering it right now, because of the increasing crime rate in our area.

As for my second question, where would the best place be for a safety course? He won't even consider buying a gun until he goes through the course.

The Glock kB! factor is grossly overstated. First, it's rare. Second, it's nigh unheard of with factory ammo. It's a reliable, simple, and inexpensive gun that got a bad reputation. I've seen FiveseveNs that have kb!'d far worse than any Glock. A Glock may be destroyed, but a FiveseveN turns into a plastic frag grenade.  

[OberFeldwebel]

There's some nice compact 1911s out there, granted they're not going to be extremely small, but they're not going to be a handgrenade like those Glocks.

Apparently Rock Island makes a compact model.  

[Stoic Socialist]

Fresnel

The Glock kB! factor is grossly overstated. First, it's rare. Second, it's nigh unheard of with factory ammo. It's a reliable, simple, and inexpensive gun that got a bad reputation. I've seen FiveseveNs that have kb!'d far worse than any Glock. A Glock may be destroyed, but a FiveseveN turns into a plastic frag grenade.

It should also be known that Glocks are one of, if not THE, most popular handguns right now, so they'll only APPEAR to have more kB!s, even though the ratio might say otherwise.  

[Buki_Actual]

Fresnel

Requiem in Mortis

Well, I suggested .45, but the problem is that all of the .45's I know about are relatively big pistols. I also told him it would be more expensive.

Glock makes a .45 subcompact, so they DO exist.

Eww.

USP45 compact. That's what I would get. Or one of the new HK 45s.

Kimber makes 1911s with barrels from 3-5 inches