EVERYONE knows that sound.... PERIOD Worst sound for an intruder.

I say have handgun on you and a short barrel Charles Daly... Not much gonna get in your way...

 

Benelli M2 Tactical. 18.5" barrel with 5 rounds of Federal FliteControl 00 buck in the mag tube. Lightweight, points beautifully, and cycles wicked fast. The Comfortech stock helps soak up the recoil to get you back on target faster. Hands down, it's my favorite shotgun.

 

back to the original question - the guy's going to a gun show and wants to get started with his first guns.....

ammo is so expensive now, about the only thing most people can afford to shoot is .22 and shotgun. look for something cheap - a marlin .22 semiauto, or an old remington 552 auto. maybe an old bolt action. for a revolver, look for something in double action. single action is a pita. for shotguns, an old pump or single shot is your best value.

earlier someone mentioned an sks. i love that rifle. i've got one i've shot thousands of rounds in and its never, ever, once jammed. and they're semi-affordable to shoot.

 

.38 JHP's generally don't exit the humans who've been in front of them. I can't imagine one poking through an engine block -- not that I've ever shot at a car or car parts. I've been tempted.

 

i've shot a lot of cars with different guns. not much to do in georgia as a kid.
pistol rounds 38, 357, 44, etc won't go through a cast iron engine block.
body wise, they'll mostly just go through one side and bounce off the opposite side.

big caliber rifles like 308, 30/06, 7mm punch through a lot. i don't recall ever shooting an engine block with the 30/06. sounds like a challenge. next junk car....

 

For first firearms:
.22 I would go Marlin Model 60, they are under $200
Generally more accurate and reliable than a stock 10/22 which is usually over $200



Home Defense Shotgun;
Mossberg 500 12ga. Pump or Remington 870 12ga. Pump
For home defense 18.5" barrel

My personal defense weapons:

G-19: a few Mods.



Custom Colt 1991 built by me:



My truck rifle, AR15 built by me:

 

DUDE! AR15 is SICK.... Held one at the past gun show. It was all tricked out with rail system and red dot.

You guys need to stop... The wife will be mad if I start buying guns PLUS all this truck stuff...

 

We get paid extra for being a bad influence.

For you folks buying ammo, check out centerfiresystems.com. They usually have some good prices.

 

I have a cabinet full... but my favorite is an old russian mosen nagent sniper rifle I cut down and converted to a deer hunting rifle. it was a lot of fun to do.. It was a non numbers matching beat up wreck with no value I bought for like $90 at Gander mountain.with the sole purpose to sporterize it (bore was good dispite the rest of the steel being pitted and painted black at the time).. 7.62x54r cartridges make a rifle shoot pretty far...
I have others in better shape like a mint 1944 m44 carbine and lots of hunting rifles/shotguns..

 

I want a moisen nagent myself! Or a SKS. For some reason those two russian rifles are awesome in my book. Man I can't wait for the gun show come the 30th of March-April 1. Right down the street!