Comifornia gun question???

[Great-Kazoo]

I was just thinking about the 2-3 inch barrel, expanding issues with smaller rounds. I figure if you have a 45 you do not need to worry about expanding issues. As far as gun experience she has none, I am still talking her into the idea of getting one. I explained to her that she needs training, cause without it the gun might end up being used against her. I am going to teach her what I can when I go out, after that I was planning on having her take a class. I am not aware if anything exists like that there do to their stupid laws. Seems like the criminals have more right in Comifornia than the people do. I am thinking that she would be okay with a bigger gun with me teaching her, but I guess I could be way off base.

People need to stop equating BIGGER with being OK. Here's what you need to ask yourself and the X.
Can she clear a jam in under 1.5 sec
Can she rack the slide if a FTFire happens in under 1.5 sec
Can she clear a stovepipe in under 1.5 sec

I am going out on limb and say the answer to all the above is no. Your level of training transferring over to an inexperienced shooter no matter how much you know, will only sink in and register so far.
She doesn't need a bigger gun, she needs a gun she can handle well, be able to hit COM (consistently) with, feel comfortable and confident with, every time she uses it.
Get her a revolver and let her learn on that. Getting her a 40 or 45 because that is what you feel comfortable with could put her in danger if not cost her, her life.
What works for you sure as hell does not work for every one. I cannot tell you how many MEN sent their SO to a class with their 45, and they were a danger to not only themselves but anyone within range.
Once in CA see about going to an indoor range that rents guns. Spend the money, before spending the money.

Fell free to Flame away.

[Clint45]

Why not a .38 revolver? Very user friendly for an inexperienced shooter and unlikely to ever jam. A hell of a lot more reliable than a Cobra or a TCP.

[Great-Kazoo]

The car is also a no go. The gun has to be in a locked container, unloaded, with no ammunition touching the gun, and out of reach of the driver. That's the simple breakdown of the law. "Locked" doesn't have to be much, though. My container was a regular, non-descript backpack with a little combination luggage lock and the ammo was in the outer pocket. There may be something about it only being lawful going to and from the range. Since I worked at one I that was almost always the case with me but I can't remember if that was an actual, obscure law or some stupid thing I heard some random idiot say. I have to look that up. Either way, once again the rules make it very hard to get to and use a gun in an emergency situation. It sucks. The people that wrote the laws had no grasp of the realities people face using firearms as a hobby, protection, or breaking the law.

Two more things for you to do. Go check out www.calguns.net which is the local forum for the state and a book called "How to Own a Gun and Stay Out of Jail" which has a homepage here http://www.gunlawpress.com/. Both of those are kept up to date with the latest legislation and all kinds of helpful info.

I don't know how experienced she is with shooting but I wouldn't recommend a small .45. It's been my experience that someone who can shoot their gun confidently is in much better shape than someone who can't. That means practice and most people won't do it (especially women) if it means using a punishing gun. These days a good hollowpoint will negate much of the 9 vs 40 vs 45 thing. Maybe a revolver she so she can get range time with 38 special and bump it to 357 magnum for home? Maybe a shotgun? You know her better than I do. Just my 2 cents.

^Amen^

[Atrain1]

People need to stop equating BIGGER with being OK. Here's what you need to ask yourself and the X.
Can she clear a jam in under 1.5 sec
Can she rack the slide if a FTFire happens in under 1.5 sec
Can she clear a stovepipe in under 1.5 sec

I am going out on limb and say the answer to all the above is no. Your level of training transferring over to an inexperienced shooter no matter how much you know, will only sink in and register so far.
She doesn't need a bigger gun, she needs a gun she can handle well, be able to hit COM (consistently) with, feel comfortable and confident with, every time she uses it.
Get her a revolver and let her learn on that. Getting her a 40 or 45 because that is what you feel comfortable with could put her in danger if not cost her, her life.
What works for you sure as hell does not work for every one. I cannot tell you how many MEN sent their SO to a class with their 45, and they were a danger to not only themselves but anyone within range.
Once in CA see about going to an indoor range that rents guns. Spend the money, before spending the money.

Fell free to Flame away.

I know there is a lot of people on here that know a lot more about guns and training then I do, you being one of them. I can shoot and I have had a good amount of training, I have also taught other people how to shoot. As a matter of fact that is one of the things I do for my company. I was just going off of the limited guns in her price range that are on the lists. Do you really think a revolver is best? One of the things she is worried about is having enough time to rack the slide. Being that there would be kids in the house it would never have one in the pipe. I have never liked having revolvers around kids being they are to easy to operate, so this is one thing I would worry about. But that would be something we could work on if a revolver is better for her. Thanks

[Great-Kazoo]

I know there is a lot of people on here that know a lot more about guns and training then I do, you being one of them. I can shoot and I have had a good amount of training, I have also taught other people how to shoot. As a matter of fact that is one of the things I do for my company. I was just going off of the limited guns in her price range that are on the lists. Do you really think a revolver is best? One of the things she is worried about is having enough time to rack the slide. Being that there would be kids in the house it would never have one in the pipe. I have never liked having revolvers around kids being they are to easy to operate, so this is one thing I would worry about. But that would be something we could work on if a revolver is better for her. Thanks

You just answered your own questions. Why carry a gun if it's not loaded??
If she has the gun it should be on her person, in the home.
Any gun is easy to operate. One of the biggest problems i have with CA and i have many ,is the legal / liability issues of safe gun storage. From what i understand, from the people that live there. If your gun falls in to someone's hands you are held liable. That means in the home, locked (trigger) in a gun safe and no access from any one else. All these answers regarding safe storage, i believe can be found on the CADOJ web site, and also a few CA hometown gun boards.
As for gun training and CCW, few if any counties issue to civilians, san bernidido cty does. The state of CA requires you to attend one of their approved firearms classes IF you are lucky enough to have the CCW option. Our daughter was unable to use a NRA cert from me as i am not a CA resident. She was required to attend a CA approved course even though she is a current CA LE. Ca doesn't give a shit about anyone's safety.

[Fromk]

I honestly think a revolver is a good option for people that may not keep up their training but there are some downsides. I'll address what I took as your main concern about having kids in the house. I firmly believe that until they know how to safely handle it and what the consequences of taking that lightly are, they should have NO access to it and maybe not know it's there. It should be kept locked up in a place they can't get to it. Tethering a little gun vault on a top closet shelf is one example. This goes with any gun, though.

As far as other aspects of a revolver go there are many advantages and disadvantages ranging from ease of use to limited capacity and a double action pull that can make a shooter dangerously innacurate. She needs to figure that stuff out on her own by seriously trying a few things. Not just taking a few flinching shots and gingerly holding a couple guns at a counter. A good class should square her away on that. I kinda wish she was in the LA area so I could recommend my old range and the guy that did the basic pistol training there.

The other option is that she doesn't get a gun. If there are any doubts that she would not learn to use it properly it can be way more of a danger to have around. If she was closer and you could responsibly help out and see that it's getting done that would be one thing but you're here in another state. You have to use your own judgement there. I wouldn't dream of making the final call about your situation. It's a tough one.

[Atrain1]

You just answered your own questions. Why carry a gun if it's not loaded??
If she has the gun it should be on her person, in the home.
Any gun is easy to operate. One of the biggest problems i have with CA and i have many ,is the legal / liability issues of safe gun storage. From what i understand, from the people that live there. If your gun falls in to someone's hands you are held liable. That means in the home, locked (trigger) in a gun safe and no access from any one else. All these answers regarding safe storage, i believe can be found on the CADOJ web site, and also a few CA hometown gun boards.
As for gun training and CCW, few if any counties issue to civilians, san bernidido cty does. The state of CA requires you to attend one of their approved firearms classes IF you are lucky enough to have the CCW option. Our daughter was unable to use a NRA cert from me as i am not a CA resident. She was required to attend a CA approved course even though she is a current CA LE. Ca doesn't give a shit about anyone's safety.

I have just always figured if I did not have the time to rack a slide I am screwed anyway, just my reasoning. My whole life I have always kept my mags loaded and the chamber empty, I would not feel comfortable changing that now. The only time I carry locked and loaded is at work, and that is usually with a 1911 or OSS. That was the way I was brought up and it makes me feel comfortable with my kids. Now do not get me wrong my kids are very well informed on guns and know better than to pick one up. You cannot hand my 5 year old a gun without him being able to look into the slide/cylinder and checking for a magazine, before slide is closed. My 2 year old is learning what he can, but he is only 2 so naturally I do not have the trust I do with my older boy. I could be totally backwards on how I am teaching them, and how I have taught myself but that is what I am comfortable with. Please forgive my grammar by the way never my best subject.

[UncleDave]

Not true the last time I checked. It is prosecutor discretion whether to prosecute as a felony or misdemeanor.

Sorry you are misinformed. The only time that this is a wobbling charge, one that can go either way is if there are aggravating circumstances. For instance an assault charge. Otherwise it is a simple misdemeanor that is easy to beat.

A far as kids in the house. When I was growing up in the 70-80's in the farming area of Solano everyone had guns, no one locked them up and kids knew not to touch them without dad's permission. That was a different world though. How old is your daughter? If old enough she should be doing training with mom. I started shooting at 5 years old. For home forget the trigger locks and get one of those biometric handgun safes. They are not more than $150. If you want to get the gun for her, have her go to one of the indoor ranges that rent guns and have her try out a selection. There are a number of good shops near there. Then once she is comfortable with one send her the money.

[Great-Kazoo]

Sorry you are misinformed. The only time that this is a wobbling charge, one that can go either way is if there are aggravating circumstances. For instance an assault charge. Otherwise it is a simple misdemeanor that is easy to beat.

A far as kids in the house. When I was growing up in the 70-80's in the farming area of Solano everyone had guns, no one locked them up and kids knew not to touch them without dad's permission. That was a different world though. How old is your daughter? If old enough she should be doing training with mom. I started shooting at 5 years old. For home forget the trigger locks and get one of those biometric handgun safes. They are not more than $150. If you want to get the gun for her, have her go to one of the indoor ranges that rent guns and have her try out a selection. There are a number of good shops near there. Then once she is comfortable with one send her the money.

Remember we are talking about CA not CO. Their mentality is similar to the UK when it comes to guns. Use the gun in self defense and you are the criminal. EVERYTHING hinges on what county you live in.
The ownership of a gun is worlds apart from LA to San Bernadino to Fresno counties. In one cty you sign up for a CCW class and within 60 days (not incl 10 day wait) you have a ccw. In another don't waste you time.
The penalty while state mandated are then viewed by the DA who has your future in their hands.

There are down sides to a revolver, the biggest is round capacity. The up side is a revolver is a no brainer when it comes to operating it. Like that old camera ad. Point and Shoot. 5 rounds in a situation knowing how to use it trumps 7-17 rounds with too many oops factors.

Gun safety is universal, yet in CA your gun does not have a trigger lock and in safe storage, Jail Time, once again depending on what cty depends on how sever a penalty you receive. They cannot sell you a gun in CA unless you receive instruction on the proper use of a trigger lock

A good pepper streaming canister (not spray) such as the MK IV that is mfg in wyo produces a solid 20' + stream of slow down to stopping power. This might allow them to flee a scene safely. Great use in a home where children are. Out in the genpop 5-6 shot revolver is a great confidence enhancer for the less trained and comfort level shooter.
EVERYTHING will be determined by what the X feels comfortable with. Some women just don't like revolvers or pistols. Find out what works then go from there.

[UncleDave]

In CA it is either a trigger lock or a safe, not both. As far as the county in question I h
Grew up there and lived there for 30 years I have many friends and family still there, quite a few in law enforcement. While I would bee cautious about any advise taken over a internet discussion thread I do believe I have a good handle on the area and the local politics Jim.