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Thinking about buying my first gun (self.liberalgunowners)

submitted 3 weeks ago by ramenshaman to c/liberalgunowners

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I've been shooting every now and then for the last 20-ish years and I'm a decent shot. I've shot a handful of different pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Leaning towards getting a pistol, not totally sure what I'd get. It would be for home/self defense but I like to go to the range sometimes. I'm considering:

Some sort of 1911
Ruger LC380 (is it even possible to get a CCW in CA?)

Any thoughts/recommendations?

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[–] SupraMario 3 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I don't know where you are from, but no one says automatic handgun here in the states. As automatic, is exactly that around here: hold trigger and it mag dumps. Semi-auto is just pointing out it's not a revolver.

[–] shalafi 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Paul Harrell always called them "auto loading pistols".

[–] SupraMario 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yea, but that's different than automatic. The other user has pointed out that it is a term, but as I stated no one I've ever talked firearms with or even been around calls them automatic pistols. We just call them pistols or revolvers or even wheel guns...this is at ranges and matches all over the USA. It's not a common term. When someone says automatic, they're talking about a giggle switch for their pistol or rifle. It's just not common.

Not that the term is wrong or anything, it's just not common.

[–] setsneedtofeed 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

You might not like it, but "automatic" has been a term for semi-automatic self loading handguns. Here is an NRA article written in 2024 repeatedly referring to "automatics". John Browning himself developed "ACP"- Automatic Colt Pistol cartridges, which were named such at the time, which were used for Colt Automatic Pistols.

Non-Colt pistols have also been referred to by their makers as automatics. A Bauer "Automatic 25" example.. A family of Webley & Scott handguns.

As to use, people still put up listings referring to self loading pistols as "automatics".

And another listing.

You can buy a 7th edition of book called Gun Digest Book of Automatic Pistols Assembly/Disassembly which was refreshed in 2022 and still kept the name.

And for good measure, this isn't even a pistol but shows historical willingness to consider self loading as automatic, the Browning Automatic-5 shotgun.

You can disagree if it is a good term, you can use other terms, but it is a thoroughly established and used term.

[–] SupraMario 1 points 3 weeks ago

While I know no one who says automatic pistols, as everyone instantly thinks...well automatic machine gun. It is very interesting to see your links. This is the first time I've seen the term used this way. Thanks for the info.

I'm still going to refer to the as semi-auto lol ...the anti-2a crowd doesn't need more metaphorical ammo.