Hi all

Andrclese · February-16-13 21:02

Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm one of those individuals who's put off buying guns because they were expensive and so is providing for a family of seven. I've also put it off, because I've never really felt threatened, until the Election results this past November. I've started saving for a small collection starting with a pistol for CCW. In the process, I fell in love with the NAA Black Widow. I'm dying to buy one and have it Ceracoated a nice matte black and put oversized rosewood grips on it. Two things are holding me back. First, I should probably buy the primary CCW (probably a 9mm compact) first. Second, my local shops seem to be out of everything even NAA mini revolvers. I'm too new to this to feel comfortable buying anything in a rush. I may reprioritize the list, but for now I've resorted to putting notifications on Davidson's Gun Genie for everything on my list.

frimsure · February-16-13 22:02

what is your price range you are looking for in ccw? i have a post call i am looking into a guardian 380. i have a ccw you might like. i can send you pictures if you like. just let me know.

Uncle_Lee · February-17-13 05:02

Welcome Andy,
You are just starting out in "defense" and you have a family of seven?
It is just my opinion, but I would go with a small 38 spl revolver for "defense" starting out.
It would be a lot easier and safer to teach the rest of the family how to use it.
Everyone should have a chance to live.

frimsure · February-17-13 08:02

uncle_lee has a great idea there. revolvers are great for new gun owners because the have less to go wrong. the 38 spl. is a great round...

Bigbird48 · February-17-13 09:02

I agree with the revolver. Easier to learn with. No mags to deal with no slide to cock, Maybe a Ruger LCR a little pricey maybe but a good reliable gun and they come in many calibers. Small enough for CCW.

Dinadan · February-17-13 10:02

Andrclese - I agree completely with Uncle lee (first time for everything!) that a small .38 would be a better choice. I think a single-action/double-action revolver is a better choice for teaching new shooters than semi or a double-action-only revolver.

heyjoe · February-17-13 10:02

in my opinion the smith and wesson model 10 .38 caliber K frame 6 shot revolver is the perfect firearm to learn on. double action, also with a hammer so it can be used single action. smooth trigger pull, some weight to it, so it is easier to control, relatively cheap, easy to find. you can use wadcutters to learn on and a full range of ammo to use in self defense and for practice.

grayelky · February-24-13 23:02

First, WELCOME TO THE FORUM!

You know, there is always one in every crowd, and today seems to be my day. While I do not totally disagree with the .38 special, I do lean more towards heyjoe's suggestion of a mid sized, 6 shot gun. However, I feel the best caliber to learn on is the .22 LR. It has much less noise, muzzle blast and recoil. All 3 of these things can be a hindrance to a first time/new shooter. With 7 in the family, the most compelling reason may very well be it is much cheaper to shoot, even at todays ridiculous prices. At normal pricing, the .38 special may cost $12-$19 per box of 50 for target loads. The .22LR usually can be had for $20-$25 for 500! Like so many other things, it takes a lot of practice to be proficient with a firearm. The basics of sight alignment and trigger pull are the same, no matter the caliber. For less than what it would cost for one family member to become adequately proficient with a .38, 3, maybe 4 family members could learn to shoot with a .22.

Bigbird48 · February-25-13 06:02

Spock has spoken

Pure logic Greyelky . it does sound reasonable when you put it that way.

Bigbird48 · February-25-13 07:02

Quote from: Andrclese on February-16-13 21:02
Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm one of those individuals who's put off buying guns because they were expensive and so is providing for a family of seven. I've also put it off, because I've never really felt threatened, until the Election results this past November. I've started saving for a small collection starting with a pistol for CCW. In the process, I fell in love with the NAA Black Widow. I'm dying to buy one and have it Ceracoated a nice matte black and put oversized rosewood grips on it. Two things are holding me back. First, I should probably buy the primary CCW (probably a 9mm compact) first. Second, my local shops seem to be out of everything even NAA mini revolvers. I'm too new to this to feel comfortable buying anything in a rush. I may reprioritize the list, but for now I've resorted to putting notifications on Davidson's Gun Genie for everything on my list.

We would like to hear back from you, let us know of your decision and how its working out for you and yours.

Dinadan · February-25-13 07:02

I usually suggest a .22 LR revolver for teaching folks to shoot a handgun, but Andrclese had already implied that his first gun would be a larger caliber. I have taught a couple of folks to shoot with a Single Action Army type .22; but if teaching were going to be a primary focus I would go with a swingout cylinder .22 for faster, easier reloading. I would not use a NAA Mini for teaching first time shooters - a little to quirky and a lot too little.

Mandodoc · February-25-13 10:02

The Ruger SP101 family might be a good place to look, they come in 22, 38 and 357, all with a similar look and feel. Plus they are quality firearms at reasonable prices.

cedarview kid · February-25-13 10:02

Welcome to the board! I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay.

There's nothing wrong with starting with a .22 Magnum NAA minirevolver. The first CCW weapon that I purchased was a Kel-Tec P11 back in about 1998 or 1999. I feel it was a good purchase, but in the end, a little much for my first concealed carry piece. I became frustrated with it, because it was big and heavy, even though it was one of the smallest and lightest 9mm's of the time.

So, I purchased a used Black Widow at a local gun store in Las Vegas. It was my first exposure to NAA. I loved it. There are two reasons why I purchased it: first, because it was lighter and smaller and I figured I could carry it. Second, was because it came with the .22LR conversion cylinder and I figured I could practice a lot with it and then carry the .22 Magnum. Both reasons turned out valid for me.

One issue with the NAA was, however, was that you had to remove the cylinder to load it. That might turn off new gun owners, because it doesn't feature an "easy swing-out cylinder" of which most of us are aware (which we should be, even if our only exposure to guns is from the movies). But I had purchased an old ("junk") revolver for $20 in the 80's that had the same configuration, so it didn't bother me. If you understand that you have to remove the cylinder to load it and that's OK with you, it's a great purchase. During my very first shooting session with my new Black Widow, I shot a whole 500-round bulk box of .22LR and a 50-round box of .22 Magnums. That's a LOT of reloading in a single afternoon and the removal of the cylinder didn't bother me. (If this become a concern for you, maybe you should consider the Sidewinder.)

Eventually, I did "graduate" to a larger caliber, and the Black Widow went into the safe. But I don't regret the path I followed in starting concealed carry. There are now some smallish .380 and 9mm handguns that might be a good choice for you, but don't discount the effectiveness and carriability (is that a word?) of the Black Widow. Study out your options carefully and make a decision. If you're like me, it may not be your final decision, but if you have a progressive path like I did that makes sense for you, that should be fine. And--you'll end up with a few more firearms in the process--and that can't be bad. LOL.

Not sure if that helps, but welcome to the world of NAA!

frimsure · February-25-13 18:02

they all have great advise. i followed these forums for months before i bought mine. my first ccw was a p64. it was nice but to heavy. you know it was there weighing down your waistband. the mini fits nicely into your pocket. it is small enough to not be noticed. it does not bulge out in any of your pockets with the right holster... welcome