Need help knowing which gun to buy for protection

[panther woman]

I'm a single mom wanting to purchase at least one gun for protection, also a gun for hunting. I know nothing about guns. I would like some info on what I should buy. I have teen-age sons that are familiar with shooting at the range, but have never done any hunting. Need all the help we can get from you guys!

[bacpacker]

Panther, do you have any expereince with firearms? If the answer is no, I would advise starting with a .22 after taking a hunter safety class. A .22 rifle will provide good small game hunting capability along with a minimum of defense. All that said a .22 is probably the easiest to learn how to shoot and ammo is cheap enough to be able to shoot a lot so you can get your skill level up to where it needs to be. This will also serve you well if/when you decide to move up to a higher powered weapon.

A couple of brand names to look for, Ruger make a model 10/22 that has been around for years and is a solid rifle. Marlin makes a Model 60, again been around forever and works well. Mine is 30+ years old and I have no idea how many thousand rounds it's had put through it and still shoots great. There are many others as well, both of the ones I mentioned are semi auto's, but you can get .22's in pump action, lever, or bolt action.
It would serve you well to go to a gun store or sporting goods store and take a long look at what is offered. Handle them, check them out well before you decide.
Tha's my .02. I'm sure others will have other view points as well. Good luck in your search.

[The Stig]

Panther,

I thought I sent you a PM with a link to your original thread on this subject. Hopefully I didn't make that up in my mind.

In any event, I had moved the original thread to the weapons section, where it was it was more relevant than just general equipment.

You've already got some good answers to your questions and hopefully the conversation will continue.

Your original thread here