Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with pistol

Where can I buy a toy gun that can be made to look like Bruce Willis' in the 5th Element movie?

I like to eat meat — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:59:21 -0800

Help me complete my 5th Element movie bruce willis costume please! I'm looking for a toy gun that looks sort of like his in the movie. Would like to keep it under $15, just looking for something close. I don't mind painting it or doing some slight modification.

Blanks fired in pistols

ackptui — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:55:42 -0800

Do blanks provide enough backward motion on the casing when fired to cycle the action of an automatic pistol? Thinking in particular of two different German military pistols, P-08 Luger which has a knuckle action, and P-38 which has a slide action similar to modern pistolas.

Handguns for Dummies

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:49:46 -0800

What are some good resources for a novice looking to purchase a handgun? I am considering purchasing a pistol for 1) home protection and 2) general target shooting. And I will probably only buy one (right now, I'm leaning toward Sig Sauer, but for strictly aesthetic reasons), and have it serve double duty (I don't want to be a "collector"). But I am fairly new to firearms. Where can I go to learn more? About guns in general, but also info on topics like; what makes a good gun for a particular use (not maker, but issues like caliber, stopping power, weight, etc.), price paid vs. overall quality, expert opinions, safety/etiquette, training, etc. Think "if you're a newb, you MUST read X". Even (especially?) if it's overly technical. Online info is good, but printed material is also welcome - as are your recommendations/advice.

Camping and traveling to Colorado.

flipmiester99 — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:30:47 -0800

Tx to Colorado trip/camping/firearm/bear filter: I am taking my wife and child tent camping in Aspen, CO. I have a few questions that i need some answers to. 1. Can i travel with a firearm(Pistol) in my car for the trip? Not 100% on our route yet but i will be going thru Tx, OK, and Co..Maybe Kansas but not sure yet. 2. Can i bring the firearm to the campsite (Difficult Campground-Near Aspen)? Cant find any documentation on this thats why im asking. 3. Are black bears and mountain lions a big threat in Colorado? Ive heard there are all over near Aspen. What caliber pistol would be effective against a black bear but easy enough to take on this trip? Thanks....And any other tips about camping in the Rockies would be appreciated.

How safe is a Glock?

Burhanistan — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:54:07 -0800

PistolFilter. I know there are lots of gun related forums/resources on the web (and am looking at those also), but I'd like to query AskMe about Glocks. Specifically what are the practical advantages and disadvantages of the Glock safety trigger mechanism versus traditional safetys? I'm kicking around buying my first gun. I've had experience with handgun shooting before and am fairly competent with 9MMs. I'm just thinking of buying a gun as part of a broader package of survival/emergency gear so I'm not really looking for something that is high maintenance and can handle being stowed away for long periods. So, bonus points for gun recommendations. Thanks!

Pistol Grip Shotguns Bad For Wrists?

tkolar — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 12:29:01 -0800

Can someone share their experience with firing a pistol grip shotgun? I've been seeing a lot of these recently and I can't believe that your wrist would ever be the same after pulling the trigger. Now I'm kinda curious, but I thought I'd ask before I tried it...

Gun clubs and shops in the Boston area

swhitt — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 16:17:36 -0800

Pistol club and gun shops near Boston / Somerville, MA? Where do I go to learn? Hey everyone. I was recently introduced to the fun that is pistol shooting through a course at my university. We've been mostly shooting Smith and Wesson Model 41s that are .22LR. I enjoy it very much, but I'm looking to step it up a notch. I'd like to step it up a notch, to 9mm, .38 and eventually .45.

Are there any good places to learn in the Somerville area? Eventually I'd like to own a pistol of my own so I'd like to learn all about safety and usage as it applies to ownership.

Also, I was curious about good gun shops in the area. Where do you all recommend?

Handgun recommendations for women

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 18:55:12 -0800

Any recommendations for a concealed-carry handgun to be used by a woman? My significant other is getting a concealed carry permit, but finds that my Beretta 9MM is too big and heavy for her hand. She's aware of all the drawbacks of guns, so she doesn't need to be reminded of them. Please post recommendations as comments on this thread, but I've also got this throwaway account: handgunrecommendations@gmail.com

Questions on 40 year old pistols

phritosan — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 12:40:17 -0800

Inheriting a couple of 40 year old pistols from my grandfather, what do I need to know? First, please forgive me, I know nothing about firearms.

Last time I was in Dallas, my grandfather told me that I will be inheriting two of his pistols when he passes. Both are over 40 years old. One is a 5 shot revolver that someone made him as payment for repair services. The second is a small one he bought at the hardware store. Neither of them have ever been registered anywhere. I doubt the handmade one even has a serial number.

I'm fairly sure they've been fired, but certainly not in the last couple of decades. And I'm sure they haven't been cleaned or maintained. I do have some interest in firing them at some point.

Do I need to have them registered? How?
What cost am I looking at to have them safely functional?
Should I discard the 40 year old ammunition? How?
What if any training do I legally need?

Thanks!

DaVinci or Darwin? How crazy is aesthetic gun modifcation for non-gunsmiths?

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 12:08:52 -0800

Gun modification safety: I'm a geek that likes to customize and modify gadgets. Can I extend this to guns and ammo, without killing myself, by taking great care and following reasonable precautions, or should I STOP RIGHT THERE! ARE YOU CRAZY!? More specific examples inside. I would look deeply into the safety and safe methods of doing something before performing it, but getting an overview here, of the safety/sanity beforehand of many different things, will help me decide whether to not bother, or to start that more serious learning.

I do not have a gunsmith background, and while I've grown up with guns, I've never been "into" them, eg never done my own reloading, never had a range membership, etc.

Like a computer case-modder, I guess I'm interested in style over substance (yeah, I know that's kind of dumb), so I'm not going to be trying to supercharge a gun, or convert a semi pistol to auto, or stuff like that. If anything I'd be reloading shells erring on the side of too little bang, rather than normal or too much.

So, some more specific indications of stuff I'd be likely to do, so you can tell me which are ill-advised or illegal:

(assume, say, a semi-auto pistol, state of WA, USA)

-Anodising, electroplating, engraving, etc various non-mechanical parts (eg the outside of the grip).

-The same, with mechanical parts, but not those critical to safe operation (eg modifying the ammo-clip, but not the firing mechanism). "Safe operation" does not mean reliable operation, it means will-NOT-blow-up-in-my-face operation, with the necessity for successful operability coming in a distance second. I'd prefer to accidentally render a gun useless than render it unsafe.

-Hacking electronic systems (eg those safety systems that render a gun inorperable unless the person is wearing a certain ring), to be triggered by a different authorization system.

Ammo modification (the danger-flag side):

-engraving or etching the brass? Before it's live of course. (From time to time I've seen people fire a shot that cracks open the brass, and I suspect engraving would make this occurance more likely. It didn't seem to be an injury risk, but I don't really know).

-Reloading... with various powders, or with additives in the powder? (eg, perhaps to make something smokier, NOT more powerful), and so loading a lighter-than-usual charge, to leave a higher safety margin to cover my ass for deviating slightly from the script.

-engraving/messsing with the bullet? Or even casting your own bullets? (reminder: for a modern pistol, not a black powder gun)

What kind of pistol/calibre/features would be a good choice for this sort of thing, primarily from a safety standpoint?

[posted anonymously because some workplaces these days get nervous when an office worker takes a sudden shine to guns.]

IDPA transit woes

Netzapper — Sat, 25 Jun 2005 13:59:19 -0800

IDPAFilter: Are there any Philadelphia mefites who shoot in the IDPA? Are there any IDPA clubs that are reachable via SEPTA? I'm trying to get into practical shooting sports, but am having a rather large problem: transportation.

I've found a few IDPA clubs that are close enough to Philly to be viable... if I had a car. But, I don't have a vehicle, so I'd be stuck using SEPTA to get there. Naturally, the idea of taking the train with a bag full of pistols, ammo, and then humping it X miles to the actual range leaves me a little dismayed. Is it possible? Is it legal?

Any suggestions?

If you shoot IDPA (or, hell, IPSC... I'm not real picky) and live in Philly, would you be into carpooling? I'll pay for gas.