How to fire a P-38

[Josh Beckett]

Ugghh....

hit a helmet....??

I would have to call it a "battle damaged" helmet and put it up on E-Bay.


Seriously guys... thanks for the advice..

Hmmmm, .


But either an 870 or some kind revolver will do good.

Good luck finding a home defense gun.

[P08]

A P38 is a perfectly good handgun for self defense. It's double action trigger will come in handy. You can leave a round in the chamber thus the gun will fire if the trigger is pulled. Personally I'd never leave a gun with a round in the chamber. There are people who accidently fire a gun - oops. Not need to take that risk, but that's my opinion.

A revolver with double action trigger is also a suitable weapon. It's even simpler than the P38 and still does the job. They are also fairly cheap to buy.

To begin with you probably need to refresh your old knowledge on SAFE GUNHANDLING since this is the basics of gun ownership. Along with that you'd also benefit from some visits at the local shooting range. After that make sure to get to know the laws on house protection. You are lucky that self defense is legal in your country. Here it's not - well theoretically it is, but in real life you face a punishment if you use a gun/knife or another weapon. Quite unfair since the law abiding citizen will never have a chance against an attacker.

[ROBB]

The English home defence system .I keep them by the door ,taped to the underside of tables in the freezer and various other places .Failing that I have 2 attack Guinea pigs Wolfen and Warrior .Rob

[Bob T]

P-38

I have a collection of 100+ firearms, mostly military C&R puchases including two P-38s that are gerat to shoot. I have participated in competative IPSC and attended well known CQB training courses. I also have several very nice modern semi autos. I still keep a ruger GP 100 (38/357 revolver)concealed under the night stand.
My home was invaded while I was working a second job back in 1978. My wife (who was 8 months pregnant) was brutally assaulted in a home invasion. During the course of the 2 hour assault she had the opportunity to grab the Ruger Security Six
(38/357 revolver) from the night stand and shoot the intruder dead. I only had her out to the range one time for instruction and practice. The intruder was lunging at her with a butcher knife at the time of the shooting. I doubt the results would have been the same had she been trying to use a semi -auto.

[Bob T]

shooting a P-38

Having been a collector and copetative shooter for 30 years as well a victim of home invasion which ended in a deadly shooting. I will support the revolver side of this conversation completely.

[Bob Hritz]

If you choose a handgun for home defense, my suggestion is the Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Special caliber. It is a manstopper and easy to shoot and hold. When funbling for a handgun, in a situation where you are not at your most alert, simplicity is of paramount importance.

Bob Hritz

[Bob T]

P-38

A Bull Dog .44 is an excellant choice. In fact that is what I bought to carry while the police had my Ruger!

[History]

The fellow who said to take training gave great advise. Most wont have a clue what to do if a home invaison happens. I would be very nervous myself. I do shoot my guns enough to be atleast a little familiar with them and I think that is a key thing. Just imagine ( a burglar breaks in Helmetbuyers home and is confronted by Helmetbuyers. The burglar does a karate backflip runs around the ceiling and takes the gun from Helmetbuyers. Holds him hostage and slowly and deliberatley shoots every helmet he has as Helmetbuyers is forced to watch. ) Im religious myself but I also think if someone is willing to break into a home they should also be willing to die doing it. It's their decision not mine. A mans home is his castle , I dont want to kill someone but (in the dark in the middle of the night some freak in my house , you damn right I'm in fear for my life!!!!!!

[Josh Beckett]

According to the anti gunners, the criminal will end up taking helmetbuyers gun from him.

[JaimeH]

You've been given some good advise about training etc. But a to ensure you know how to operate the P-38, you have to inject a shell into the chamber to get off the first round off. Also, I have been shooting my Southern Ohio gun russian capture P-38, it has a jamming problem and should be rebuilt, they are 65 year old guns.

[pitts duncan]

my weapon of choice

i think my choice would be a razor sharp japanese nco sword. retreat to the bed room close the door AND god help who ever opens the door to do you harm. lop em off a hand or two. your as good and quick at close quarters as they are with a pistol. no jams , no reloading ,

[Biggus]

A P38 is a perfectly good handgun for self defense. It's double action trigger will come in handy. You can leave a round in the chamber thus the gun will fire if the trigger is pulled. Personally I'd never leave a gun with a round in the chamber. There are people who accidently fire a gun - oops. Not need to take that risk, but that's my opinion.

A revolver with double action trigger is also a suitable weapon. It's even simpler than the P38 and still does the job. They are also fairly cheap to buy.

My first post here.

There is no practical difference between having a decocked P38 with a round in the chamber and a loaded revolver. I would suggest that if there is a concern about having a weapon around with a loaded chamber, then an automatic with a loaded magazine and empty chamber is vastly more suitable than a revolver.

Follow the advice of some others here, and get some training with whatever weapon you're likely to stake your life on. Then find a suitable type of ammunition. I'd stick to ball ammo for milsurp weapons, but you might find a hollowpoint that works reliably.

Good luck.

PS I'm going to mention the training again. Get some. Before you buy the ammo.

[P08]

Biggus

You're right. Basically one could say that a double action semi auto pistol (with a round in the chamber) works the same way as a double action revolver. No harm in keeping a round in the chamber if you have experience with firearms. In this case however it's a person who needs to start over from scratch after not handling firearms in 20 years. Thus I recommend not to take chances. We do get the stories once in a while where people accidently fire their weapons when pulling the trigger thinking the gun is not loaded... Silly yes, but people still do it.

In my opinion what's most important about a self defense weapon is that you feel comfortable with it and know how it functions. I agree with Bob T that a revolver is most likely the best suited weapon for the job.

[Ostmark]

I have read the thread with some interrest and i will spend my 2 cents.

A P38 is for funshooting not for self defense only 6 rounds and not easy to handle. Next are the Revolvers, easy to handle no safety again only 6 rounds
and not so easy to shoot imo. Next was a Remington 870 .. i would say thats
an overkill ... i owned all these guns in the past for self defense and i used them extensiv on the shooting ranges. Now i switched over to the worlds best pistol of course made in austria the Glock -> no safty, available in a lot of different calibers (.45ACP for the us guys) 15 - 30 Round magazines and a lot of addons like flashlights and so on is available ... its an easy to handle pistol with a lot of firepower. My Glock17 never had any problems (more than 5000 rounds with different ammo and it never jamed). Just stuck the mag into it, before use, just pull the slide back, ready to fire ... of course you have to
have a lot of training with every gun you decide to buy, other wise its to dangerous to use it

[roughshooter]

I have read the thread with some interrest and i will spend my 2 cents.

A P38 is for funshooting not for self defense only 6 rounds and not easy to handle. Next are the Revolvers, easy to handle no safety again only 6 rounds
and not so easy to shoot imo. Next was a Remington 870 .. i would say thats
an overkill ... i owned all these guns in the past for self defense and i used them extensiv on the shooting ranges. Now i switched over to the worlds best pistol of course made in austria the Glock -> no safty, available in a lot of different calibers (.45ACP for the us guys) 15 - 30 Round magazines and a lot of addons like flashlights and so on is available ... its an easy to handle pistol with a lot of firepower. My Glock17 never had any problems (more than 5000 rounds with different ammo and it never jamed). Just stuck the mag into it, before use, just pull the slide back, ready to fire ... of course you have to
have a lot of training with every gun you decide to buy, other wise its to dangerous to use it

Well Mr Ostmark,

Actually the P38 can hold 8 rounds in the magazine and 1 in the chamber so thats 9. However that is academic. The problem with long term storage of any semi-auto pistol for self defence is that the magazine spring will weaken with a loaded magazine when its loaded for a long time. The Remington 870 could also suffer this but I should imagine as the magazine is far bigger and indeed the spring is bigger this problem would not be too bad if you empty the mag periodically. But I accept you could also do that with a semi-auto pistol. Emptying the magazine is pain.

I agree with you that the Glock is one of the best pistols in the world. Thats why alot of Police forces and Armies all over the world have it. It does not care what ammo you use and its a cheap gun for what you get. You get a alot ! Great barrel for a start. Perfect combat handgun.

But if you train regular nothing in my opinion beats a Smith and Wesson .357 magnum loaded with .38 hollow point. Their is no muzzle flip, a kid can use it, and it doesn't jam. In the heat of life or death I would prefer a gun thats easier to shoot when I am sh*ting myself and scared for my life than one which has spent the last 18 months with a loaded magazine in the bedside draw. I have seen lots of people, especially women, not hold the glock correctly and it jams in the heat of the moment.

However I do agree you have made some good points my friend.

Regards Craig.