Bogley

jimflint1 · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 569 Location: Middle-of-Nowhere

I borrowed this gun from my dad's arsenal (my dad died last year, so I borrowed it from my mom who really knows nothing about it), so that I'd have a significant protection weapon when my family, including my two todler granddaughters, go camping this summer in bear country. The gun is a Smith and Wesson .45 model 4506--semi-auto. I really know nothing about handguns except for revolvers, so any help you can give me on how this thing works, I'd appreciate a lot. I want to go out and learn to use it before I have to use it---and hopefully, I won't have to use it.

denaliguide · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 684 Location: new zealand/alaska

find a shooting range in your area. theres probably a pro there that can walk you through the safety measures, and how to load and strip it down. i'm sure they will also offer courses too.

jimflint1 · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 569 Location: Middle-of-Nowhere

Thanks. That's a good idea.

BruteForce · Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 7:26 am Post subject:

Doug's Shootn Sports (around 4400 SOuth Redwood) and the public range Lee Kay are great places to practice shooting.

I highly recommend you learn to load, clear, shoot and clean any firearm you're going to be handling.

jimflint1 · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 569 Location: Middle-of-Nowhere

BruteForce wrote: Doug's Shootn Sports (around 4400 SOuth Redwood) and the public range Lee Kay are great places to practice shooting.

I highly recommend you learn to load, clear, shoot and clean any firearm you're going to be handling.

Thanks. I want to learn all of that stuff. It's about time I did. I know rifles real well, but that's about it.

DiscGo · Joined: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 4057

Seriously, the best place to start is a concealed weapons permit class. A good instructor will help you become familiar with your gun, and when and how to use it.

P.S. Less anyone calls me a hypocrite, I don't have my permit. But I have a lot of friends who do, and it is one of my goals for the year.

parrothead_madness · Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 12:48 pm Post subject:

Nice! In my humble opinion the 4506 is one of the best autos S&W ever produced, even if it is huge and heavy. :haha:
I agree completely, go somewhere that is willing to walk you through field stripping it and reassembly a couple of times. Also since you don't have much experience with auto it will be a good time to have someone look over the pistol, particularly that the decocker operates smoothly, the S&W decocker/safety can be susceptible to crud and takes a bit more disassembly to get it cleaned properly.
I am not as enthusiastic about Doug's though, in fact I wouldn't send anyone there for any reason, ever.

BruteForce · Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 3:11 pm Post subject:

parrothead_madness wrote:
I am not as enthusiastic about Doug's though, in fact I wouldn't send anyone there for any reason, ever.

Doug's is fine during the weekday, but evenings and weekends seem to be occupied by gang-banger wannabe's, but what the hey.. I'm armed, they're armed, we can shoot it out! :naughty:

jimflint1 · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 569 Location: Middle-of-Nowhere

parrothead_madness wrote:
I am not as enthusiastic about Doug's though, in fact I wouldn't send anyone there for any reason, ever.

What's your place of choice, parrothead?

Glockguy · Joined: 27 Jul 2005 Posts: 323

I'm going shooting this Friday at Get Some (Near Sam's Club on State Street in Murray)

If you are not familiar with guns remember the 4 rules of safety:

!. Treat every gun as if it is loaded
2. Don't aim the muzzle at anything you do not want to destroy.
3. Finger OFF the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
4. Be sure of your target and what is behind it.

tapehoser · Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Posts: 83 Location: Salt Lake Valley

Flint! Good to see you here! I had no idea you were a member!?!

I've sent you an email and you replied as well. Hope to see you at LeeKay soon! Please let me know....schedule is WAY flexible and I can break away at any time.

parrothead_madness · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 9:32 pm Post subject:

jimflint1 wrote: parrothead_madness wrote:
I am not as enthusiastic about Doug's though, in fact I wouldn't send anyone there for any reason, ever.

What's your place of choice, parrothead?

On the rare occasion I actually get home to Utah I am blessed to live in Stansbury Park, I usually go to practice across Hwy. 36. I don't know how many more years that will last since a large number of shooters leave giant piles of shotgun shells everywhere. Eventually it will be closed to use.
I sometimes shoot at Impact in West Valley, but not often. My last 3 pistols have come from Impact as well.

The reason I won't go to Doug's anymore is just their incredibly bad service. I stood at the counter for 30 minutes, no one said a word. No "I'll be right with you", nothing. I drove to Impact where they greeted me when I walked in the door and helped me fairly quickly. I then bought a DW 1911, I got a lifetime service warranty, they dropped the price to $25 below Doug's and they were busier to boot. This was not the only time I had bad experiences there, just the worst and last.

Brian in SLC · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 461

jimflint1 wrote: I'd have a significant protection weapon when my family, including my two todler granddaughters, go camping this summer in bear country. The gun is a Smith and Wesson .45 model 4506--semi-auto.

IMHO, you don't have "significant protection" from a bear with a .45 ACP. Very poor choice of caliber for a pistol in bear country.

You'd be better off with just about any magnum revolver, .357 and up (depending on where and the type of bear perhaps).

My ex-bro in law carrys a .45 Long Colt for bear in AK, but, he's retro.

Never been a fan of Smith's autos. They do know their way around revolvers, though.

Cheers,

-Brian in SLC

parrothead_madness

Brian in SLC wrote: You'd be better off with just about any magnum revolver, .357 and up (depending on where and the type of bear perhaps).

jimflint1, as much as I love the .45 ACP round and I do like the S&W autos, he is right, a magnum revolver would better serve you if bears are the main concern.

tapehoser · Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Posts: 83 Location: Salt Lake Valley

WRONG, WRONG, and WRONG. Sorry....I get a little excited on this topic.

Utah has black bears. Not grizzly bears, and not Alaskan browns. Just black bears. And it is RARE for a Utah black bear to exceed 300 pounds. They are not invincible. They are not indestructible. If my .45 ACP +P rounds will go through a 300 lb bad guy, they will have no problem penetrating to the vitals of a black bear.

.45 ACP is perfectly suited for Utah's back country, IMHO.