what is the best handgun and shotgun in america?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

i had been around (not served) in the military and got the greatest chance of firing off the m16 and seen a chamber explosion. other than that I had bird hunting experience when i as around 10yr w/ a longbarrel 12 gauge.

if your strike it fast enough, you would be able to slice the wires as they are coming. at least it is better than catching a arrow with your hand.

me dislike anti-law gun w/ exception of banning assault rifle... that is just overkill for defense. i would definitely give a exception for this

How is a rifle specifically desigend for defense "overkill" for defense? Who are you going to have define "assualt rifle"? Do not think that throwing a few "ugly guns" off the wagon will keep the wolves away.

I have a Sharps M1874 Long Range Express, single shot rifle, shooting a black powder cartridge designed 125 years ago, with which I could assault the ####### out of you with...from more than a half mile away.

As an example...It has been suggested many times that Vermont have a concealed carry license AS AN OPTION so Vermonters could carry concealed in other states that have reciprocity. The legislature has repeatedly turned it down. Why? Because they do not want to allow the camels nose under the tent and create a means by which government could restrict carrying firearms! THAT is standing on principal! Their opinion? "Let other states do it OUR way" And now four others have.

DO NOT allow someone to legislate away ANY of your rights.

[slim 1,514]

I spent the weekend at the NRA Convention and look what I missed!

To answer the OP's questions -

Best Handgun - The one in your hand.

Best Shotgun - The one in your hand.

As others have said, what fits you and works for you is the one you should get. I've seen an apartment in the aftermath of a shootout and it doesn't really matter what you're shooting with - it will get the job done. Most of these firearms are made to engage targets at distances way beyond what we'd see in a home security scenario so go with what works for you moreso that what'll work for which job.

Simply put - ANY firearm will work for home defense.

At the moment I have my Draco AK-47 pistol leaning against the wall with a satchel full of mags. (Perfect for anything from home invasion to bug out.) Then I keep my Winchester 1300 Defender handy. My Para Ordnance P-14 is loaded full of hollow points too. In less than a few seconds, I have my "rifle", shotgun and pistol for any threat that pops up.

[Ban Hammer 12,836]

which is the assault rifle?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

which is the assault rifle?

Any rifle being fired at me IS an assault rifle. Any rifle NOT being fired at me is not an assault rifle.

[Ban Hammer 12,836]

Any rifle being fired at me IS an assault rifle. Any rifle NOT being fired at me is not an assault rifle.

don't spoil it.

[unlockingsky 94]

:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:

all these guns and rifle... i feel so depress in my state.

[natty bumppo 289]

I have a Sharps M1874 Long Range Express, single shot rifle, shooting a black powder cartridge designed 125 years ago, with which I could assault the ####### out of you with...from more than a half mile away.

it's nice to be able to reach out and touch someone ...

i actually like using my .45-2.4 sharps to shoot at longer distances better than this new fangled smokeless stuff.

can use either one ... just something about that big slow moving 550 gr bullet that can get the job done ....

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

it's nice to be able to reach out and touch someone ...

i actually like using my .45-2.4 sharps to shoot at longer distances better than this new fangled smokeless stuff.

can use either one ... just something about that big slow moving 550 gr bullet that can get the job done ....

Mine is the .45 x 2-7/8" and I use the either a cast 550 gr semi roundnose or a Postell round nose.

Remarkably accurate out to very long range BUT you need to know the range exactly with a range finder or a good sense of estimating. I have an MVA Soule rear and MVA windguage front globe sight, I bought the sights separately and sent them to Shiloh to have them installed when the rilfe was built. I waited 4 years 1 month for that rifle! Longer than Alla's visa journey from petition to citizenship! And people whine about waiting 6 months for an NOA2..BAH!!!!

[Ban Hammer 12,836]

:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:

all these guns and rifle... i feel so depress in my state.

here's some threads to make you feel better:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/357901-first-ever-double-barrel-45/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/270878-gun-range-results/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/331460-which-rifle-or-gun-is-best/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/245683-firearms-advice-from-the-resident-experts/

[Leatherneck 693]

i had been around (not served) in the military and got the greatest chance of firing off the m16 and seen a chamber explosion. other than that I had bird hunting experience when i as around 10yr w/ a longbarrel 12 gauge.

if your strike it fast enough, you would be able to slice the wires as they are coming. at least it is better than catching a arrow with your hand.

me dislike anti-law gun w/ exception of banning assault rifle... that is just overkill for defense. i would definitely give a exception for this

From this day forth -- never utter "assault rifle or assault weapon."

Those are basically political (and legal) terms thrown around by bureaucrats/politicians and the uninformed to cover a large swath of weapons, used merely to make rifles with certain characteristics and features appear scary -- to scare the public and the uninformed. Try tactical rifle, tactical weapon, battle rifle or semi-automatic rifle.

[natty bumppo 289]

Mine is the .45 x 2-7/8" and I use the either a cast 550 gr semi roundnose or a Postell round nose.

Remarkably accurate out to very long range BUT you need to know the range exactly with a range finder or a good sense of estimating. I have an MVA Soule rear and MVA windguage front globe sight, I bought the sights separately and sent them to Shiloh to have them installed when the rilfe was built. I waited 4 years 1 month for that rifle! Longer than Alla's visa journey from petition to citizenship! And people whine about waiting 6 months for an NOA2..BAH!!!!

i use a creedmoor round nose that works really well out to 1000 yrds. even shot this out to 1200 yrds and it holds up pretty well.

also shot it in a 45-2.1 (duplexed) out to 1000 yrds. this takes a tad more elevation finesse since the bullet has a little more trajectory than the 2.4.

now the 40-2.5 ST is fun !! very light recoil. does take a little more work to dial in and I need to get back to it. the last loads i worked with used a .409 400 gr. snover.

it's been a few years since i worked with the bp stuff. for some reason kids and other things keep me busy. glad i've got the M12 and the boys 82g's to keep the eye used to apertures and provide quality trigger time. yea the boys will only be 4 next month ... though doesn't prevent dad from making sure their 82g's work properly tbh ... i do use the M12 more simply because the 82g's are for the twins.

sights are easy to install on a sharps.

just have a good cradle to lock the rifle down (a properly padded vice also works), level, blunt ended brass (or copper) punch/rod, proper screw driver, and have some shims available. just take your time and don't rush things. now if you want the screws timed ... that takes a little effort. what ever you do, if the sight staff is not in alignment with the bore axis do not file/sand the sight base or bend the sight staff. use shims.

my axtells were 1/2 the wait time of your shiloh. now my shiloh ... when wife + soon to be twins arrived in the US I put it on hold. so it's been a little more than 5 years and i'm finally able to get it moving into production (yea ... finally getting priorities back in order). i'm about to send the balance of payment and i'll be moved out of the "holding pattern" and straight into the next production run which will equate to a few months

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

i use a creedmoor round nose that works really well out to 1000 yrds. even shot this out to 1200 yrds and it holds up pretty well.

also shot it in a 45-2.1 (duplexed) out to 1000 yrds. this takes a tad more elevation finesse since the bullet has a little more trajectory than the 2.4.

now the 40-2.5 ST is fun !! very light recoil. does take a little more work to dial in and I need to get back to it. the last loads i worked with used a .409 400 gr. snover.

it's been a few years since i worked with the bp stuff. for some reason kids and other things keep me busy. glad i've got the M12 and the boys 82g's to keep the eye used to apertures and provide quality trigger time. yea the boys will only be 4 next month ... though doesn't prevent dad from making sure their 82g's work properly tbh ... i do use the M12 more simply because the 82g's are for the twins.

sights are easy to install on a sharps.

just have a good cradle to lock the rifle down (a properly padded vice also works), level, blunt ended brass (or copper) punch/rod, proper screw driver, and have some shims available. just take your time and don't rush things. now if you want the screws timed ... that takes a little effort. what ever you do, if the sight staff is not in alignment with the bore axis do not file/sand the sight base or bend the sight staff. use shims.

my axtells were 1/2 the wait time of your shiloh. now my shiloh ... when wife + soon to be twins arrived in the US I put it on hold. so it's been a little more than 5 years and i'm finally able to get it moving into production (yea ... finally getting priorities back in order). i'm about to send the balance of payment and i'll be moved out of the "holding pattern" and straight into the next production run which will equate to a few months

Axtells are fine rifles and I like the Ballard action and I like the .40s also (though I do not have one) I am afraid my Sharps will be by "one and only". I did have a highly modified Ruger Number 1 in .45 2.1" beautiful rifle, very accruate but not of much practical use as it was not legal for BPCR competition. It was done up to be like a classic Farquharson, which was the basis for the Ruger to begin with. I traded it for something else I now have, I foregt which. Who keeps track?

I paid full price for my Sharps when I ordered it, $960 in 1993. That locked in the price and I only had to pay shipping when it was ready, which was about another $45 as I recall. They do a great job of packing the things. I thought they were going to improve production and now the wait is over 5 years? Wow. One thing you used to be able to do was to request another rifle similar or the same as the one you ordered that came up on a cancellation. I do not know if they do that now. I did not do that because at the time I would have lost my price advantage and the rifle had increased to something like $1600 by the time mine was delivered. I am guessing they are in the $2000 + range now, must be, but I have not looked at their catalog in years.

Edited April 19, 2012 by Gary and Alla

[natty bumppo 289]

Axtells are fine rifles and I like the Ballard action and I like the .40s also (though I do not have one) I am afraid my Sharps will be by "one and only". I did have a highly modified Ruger Number 1 in .45 2.1" beautiful rifle, very accruate but not of much practical use as it was not legal for BPCR competition. It was done up to be like a classic Farquharson, which was the basis for the Ruger to begin with. I traded it for something else I now have, I foregt which. Who keeps track?

I paid full price for my Sharps when I ordered it, $960 in 1993. That locked in the price and I only had to pay shipping when it was ready, which was about another $45 as I recall. They do a great job of packing the things. I thought they were going to improve production and now the wait is over 5 years? Wow. One thing you used to be able to do was to request another rifle similar or the same as the one you ordered that came up on a cancellation. I do not know if they do that now. I did not do that because at the time I would have lost my price advantage and the rifle had increased to something like $1600 by the time mine was delivered. I am guessing they are in the $2000 + range now, must be, but I have not looked at their catalog in years.

axtell - it's a shame carmen had a difficult time keeping good people. it was a nice little company that also made excellent repro sights for original win, ballard, stevens, rem, sharps, etc. under the riflesmith name. about the only way to tell the difference between an original and an axtell sight was the A with shield stamped into underside of the sight (they did this to keep their repro's from being passed off as original). note: the mva sights are very good quality sights. they incorporate minor design changes from the originals which also include a different metal, finish, and bluing process.

i always received great customer service at axtell (it also helps she is a friend ) spent more than quite a few vacation weeks in MT helping carmen and shooting. she sold the '77 patterns to shiloh 2 years ago.

shiloh - if a cancellation happens or a rifle is put on "hold", they move people up in the queue. if someone comes off "hold" they are put into the next production run for that rifle type. there are people like goodman (findable on the internet) who are constantly ordering shilohs for resale. you pay a fee (i think it's around $400) and can request your configuration. the fee is above the shiloh price and you get the rifle much sooner than the standard wait time. the bryans have done a great job with the company since they purchased from drogue. they are very good folks to work with. they have not had a price increase in i think ... 3 years. they held the level due to market conditions. price wise ... well depends on configuration. starts at ~$1800 and goes only up from there ...

[slim 1,514]

I bought a tomahawk this weekend and I have to say, sitting there next to my AR/AK, the tomahawk is a lot scarier!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I bought a tomahawk this weekend and I have to say, sitting there next to my AR/AK, the tomahawk is a lot scarier!

Scary enough that if I spotted someone coming at me with one in my scope from 300 yeards I could drop them in their tracks at that range.

If tomahawks were really as scary as they look we would have "White Man's Casinos"