Heading to the Homestead

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Heading to the Homestead

Postby homestead on Sun Mar 06, 2016 11:12 am

Hi all,

Great community here. We are in the process to transitioning to a homestead in the forest near the North Shore.

Of course, no homestead is complete without protection. I have so much to learn from you folks, so I'll just make a list:

Looking at Glock 19 for my standard issue around the property. I had been considering a Glock 43 in addition once I get a carry permit (I am 5'10" 145lb or so), but maybe I should put that cash toward an 870 instead?

I know there are a ton of holster options. For a guy just getting used to it, what holster would work best?

Where is our limited dollar best spent on lights or anything else we should have to be prepared in defensive/wildlife scenarios?

Our oldest child is 9. Can you recommend hearing and eye protection for 7-9 year olds? I need something they can also use around tools (chainsaw, woodworking, etc.). And now that I mention it, what do you recommend as hearing and eye protection for me - same use case - not only for guns but for working in the woods as well.

Can a 9 year old get comfortable with a 19 for practice?

Thanks!
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Re: Heading to the Homestead

Postby Hmac on Sun Mar 06, 2016 11:33 am

For a homestead in the forest, I'd have a bedside pistol, a carry pistol, and a rifle. Many feel differently, but I think an AR15 is a far better home protection firearm than a shotgun, plus potentially useful out in the woods as well. Brand choice? You'll get a zillion responses here with people recommending their favorite firearm. Glock isn't as good as some (IMHO), but probably as good as most. I'd get a compact or full size for the home, and get a single or double stack subcompact for concealed carry. My preference is Walther or HK in the striker-fired polymer category. I had a Glock 19. It was...unsuitable. Like I said...personal preference. If you want to put a light on it, that's fine, but wait until you get comfortable shooting the gun before adding a bunch of other doo-dads that you don't know how to use. Holsters? Get a nice, cheap, simple OWB holster like a Desantis Speed Scabbard. If you're like the rest of us, as you become more comfortable with carrying firearms, you'll end up with a drawer-full of holsters as you search for that one perfect holster (which probably doesn't really exist).

Whatever you get for home defense, get some training. DO NOT be one of those people that thinks that just buying a gun and sticking it in a drawer will somehow keep you safe. Without any training and without practice, your family is likely in FAR more danger from your firearm than any potential malefactor.

9 year-old shooting a 9mm pistol? Depends on the 9 year-old, but if you want them to learn firearms, pick up a .22 pistol like a Ruger MkIII.

Training, training, training. Without it, your firearms are a danger to your family.
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Re: Heading to the Homestead

Postby homestead on Sun Mar 06, 2016 11:37 am

Hmac wrote:Whatever you get for home defense, get some training. DO NOT be one of those people that thinks that just buying a gun and sticking it in a drawer will somehow keep you safe. Without any training and without practice, your family is likely in FAR more danger from your firearm than any potential malefactor.

9 year-old shooting a 9mm pistol? Depends on the 9 year-old, but if you want them to learn firearms, pick up a .22 pistol like a Ruger MkIII.

Training, training, training. Without it, your firearms are a danger to your family.


Thanks for underscoring that. I definitely will be seeking training although I didn't explicitly state that. Do you have specific recommendations near St. Paul or Duluth? Are there classes dads can take with kids? I'd take my almost 8 year old son and 9 year old daughter.
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Re: Heading to the Homestead

Postby homestead on Sun Mar 06, 2016 11:39 am

Hmac wrote:Many feel differently, but I think an AR15 is a far better home protection firearm than a shotgun, plus potentially useful out in the woods as well.


Would that end up costing significantly more?
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Heading to the Homestead

Postby gaberelli on Sun Mar 06, 2016 1:55 pm

homestead wrote:
Hmac wrote:Many feel differently, but I think an AR15 is a far better home protection firearm than a shotgun, plus potentially useful out in the woods as well.


Would that end up costing significantly more?


Not really. Just don't buy junk. Something like this would do.

http://www.apfarmory.com/apf-econo-carbine/


Heinous typos thanks to autocorrect.
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Re: Heading to the Homestead

Postby Nougat on Sun Mar 06, 2016 1:57 pm

hundreds at least, right?

worried I was wrong for a second when I saw the post appear above this. :oops:
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Re: Heading to the Homestead

Postby Hmac on Sun Mar 06, 2016 2:44 pm

homestead wrote:
Hmac wrote:Whatever you get for home defense, get some training. DO NOT be one of those people that thinks that just buying a gun and sticking it in a drawer will somehow keep you safe. Without any training and without practice, your family is likely in FAR more danger from your firearm than any potential malefactor.

9 year-old shooting a 9mm pistol? Depends on the 9 year-old, but if you want them to learn firearms, pick up a .22 pistol like a Ruger MkIII.

Training, training, training. Without it, your firearms are a danger to your family.


Thanks for underscoring that. I definitely will be seeking training although I didn't explicitly state that. Do you have specific recommendations near St. Paul or Duluth? Are there classes dads can take with kids? I'd take my almost 8 year old son and 9 year old daughter.

IIRC NRA Basic Pistol is available to "appropriately supervised mature children". You'd have to find an NRA instructor close to you and see if they allow children. Maybe check the NRA website. I doubt that it would be appropriate for a 9 year-old to take a firearms self-defense course, even if you could find one that would allow a child that young. But you should definitely take that series of self-defense courses and become as proficient as possible. Note that a Handgun Permit Course has nothing to do with the techniques of self-defense shooting.
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Re: Heading to the Homestead

Postby UnaStamus on Sun Mar 06, 2016 3:28 pm

A 9yr old should go to a DNR Firearms Safety Course, but a home defense course is something for the young teens or older.

As for firearms training, I would highly recommend Dave Timm and Mike Davis with Learning Firearms over in the Brainerd Area for some good firearms training. I can guarantee you that what you learn from them will blow away any NRA curriculum firearms training course.
http://www.learningfirearms.com
Learning Firearms - Training and Firearms Industry Video Production
http://www.learningfirearms.com
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Heading to the Homestead

Postby gaberelli on Sun Mar 06, 2016 7:25 pm

Nougat wrote:hundreds at least, right?

worried I was wrong for a second when I saw the post appear above this. :oops:


Yes, hundreds. But have the right tool for the job. Ideally you'd have both but if you can only afford one, get the one you need.


Heinous typos thanks to autocorrect.
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Re: Heading to the Homestead

Postby TSKNIGHT on Mon Mar 07, 2016 12:04 am

DNR Hunter Safety course age limit is 11 & over. Will not receive a certificate until age 12.

I have taught children as young as 6 basic firearms safety with no problems. I don't recommend starting with a 9mm though. Get a.22or or even a pellet gun to start with.

For HD?
A pistol in 9mm or larger and a long gun, either rifle or shotgun, is a good place to start. Try a few out if possible before you actually buy. Will help stop some the "dang this one isn't as good as it looks" feeling that sometimes happens after shooting a new gun.

Good luck with your move and hope you enjoy the rural life. I did my time in the city and am now back on the farm. Guess you can take the kid off the farm, but not the farm out of the kid.
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Re: Heading to the Homestead

Postby Holland&Holland on Mon Mar 07, 2016 9:44 am

Your initial choice is fine and will serve you well in a variety of roles.

Your 2nd choice, and perhaps really your first should be a .22 rifle. For less than $200 you could have one of the most useful tools in existence at your disposal. It would be perfect for your 9 year old to start on. Help you gain skills. Take care of most pests and varmints you might have issue with. Etc.
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Heading to the Homestead

Postby gun_fan111v2 on Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:05 am

I grew up in a city, but my first purchase moving into the woods would be a nice short barreled rifle - something like this http://grabagun.com/savage-11-hog-hntr- ... bl-od.html.
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Re: Heading to the Homestead

Postby photogpat on Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:21 am

A quality .22 rifle, a pump shotgun and a 9mm pistol will be yours, with ammo and necessary accessories for an initial outlay of well under $1000. This will cover nearly all of your basics from marksmanship training, grouse gathering, bear/two-legged varmint deterrent, and carrying. As far north as you are going to be - I wouldn't worry about a slim subcompact carry gun...the G19 should fit underneath just about any outfit you'll be likely to wear. Deep woods don't lend themselves to 500yd shots....so buying a scoped .308 right off the bat isn't necessary. If you branch out into deer hunting - then pick up a used deer rifle really cheaply by perusing the Armslist ads right after deer season. A sportered deer gun should run between $2-300 bucks...sometimes including a scope....there are also entry level options from Savage, Ruger and others that don't run much more for a fairly accurate, scoped gun. I'd recommend either .270 or .30-06....ammo in those calibers is widely available, and relatively inexpensive.

Ear protection - Howard Leight Impact electronic muffs: http://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-Imp ... pact+sport

Work for both chain sawing, and target shooting. Eye protection just about any standard safety glasses - looks for ANSI rated ones. Get 2 pairs, sunglasses and clear lenses...you'll be more likely to wear them that way.
Nothing to see here. Continue swimming.
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