Indians For Guns

Hi,

I may be in the market for a second handgun by next month. Looking for something small and light to carry in the pocket or conceal easily as my current one is too large and I don't want to sell it.

A used IOF Ashani is an option but how is the performance of the .22LR pistols/revos, will it be ok for SD situations? What about loading it with Stingers or similar high power ammo, will that be better or a .32 is always better no matter what kind of ammo is used?

I'm also looking at the .380 but it's last on the list as the guns are relatively large and ammo is expensive. I want to to shoot this new one as much as possible.

Thoughts please!

AMK

I had done lot of survey on the subject in past and the best possible solution in India as per my openion is ,
Buy a Llama pistol in .32 with good barrel condiction , appearence can be made attractive , this is a beautiful 1911 mini pistol , very easy to feildstrip, drop down magazine allows you to use extended 12 shot magazine , can be devloped at resonable cost .

Slim and compact size allow this to be kept in pocket holster with shirts tucked in, .32 acp bullet is any day more reliable than .22lr pistol .

The complete package cost is not more than 4.5 lac againt Beretta 82 which holds same 12 rounds and cost around 13 lac in India.

Anyway Buying Pistol is purely personal choise , this is no limit to what you can spend but keeping in mind Indian hypothtical situation , the above option seems to me justified. Cheers James.....

amk 32 ACP is better for sd role than 22 LR, Star or Llama both are good pistols and will do the job if properly maintained. as the prices of auto loaders are very high, you can also consider a good revolver in 32 which are less costly and if properly holstered, they can conceal well and they require less maintenance as compared to any self loading pistol. revolvers are best for pocket carry as they do not get jam with pocket lint and can be fired from coat pocket in any sd situation. u can find Arminius or other swing out cylinder revolver in less budget than any pistol.
regards

hi amk

considering the ammo quotas and prices,a .32 would be the best and an ashani would be worth it.for serious self defense, a .380 would give you the advantage in the indian conditions.you didnt mention about your first gun....the .22s are generally prone to jamming and misfires.just my opinion.

cheers.

concur with mash's advice go for a revolver.

best

I like revolvers too but the nice ones are pretty expensive. I don't want to spend crazy amounts of money on my 2nd gun. Seriously considering the Ashani now.

My first priority is weight and size; I want something I can slip into my jeans pocket and head out. That is the reason I was considering a .22. I'm not too concerned about the make of the gun.

Are the Arminius good quality revos?

AMK

If u donn want to invest much then go for an IOF pistol,,sure you will be in profit whenever you will sell it..I bought one for 85k last year and sold it last month for 1lakhs15 K ,, best investment and very good performance...

badshah0522";p="59067 wrote: If u donn want to invest much then go for an IOF pistol,,sure you will be in profit whenever you will sell it..I bought one for 85k last year and sold it last month for 1lakhs15 K ,, best investment and very good performance...

I wouldn't mind spending a sensible amount of money for a nice gun. Like a S&W, a Colt revo, etc. But not in the 10 to 13 lacs league for a Beretta.

However, the Ashani does sound like complete value for money from a SD perspective doesn't it? And with a few mods it can be made to look and function absolutely beautifully?

AMK

I have yet to see a .32 IOF pistol that does not fire and eject properly as it comes from the factory.

The 'modified' pistols that I have seen with dealers are an example of shoddy workmanship.Case in point is the ventilated rib that many slap on the slide.It should be machined or filed to merge with the slide.However, it is not the case and you have excess metal on both sides of the slide.Also,adding weight to the slide might change the timing of the pistol.

Many de-plate the pistol and blue it.This would change the fit of the parts and of the slide to the frame.

Many of Indian gun lovers would sneer at a Webley .455.However they are reliable revolvers and plenty accurate.Would not feel under gunned carrying one in today's world of magnum power.Give me a Mark 6 .455 instead of a .357 Mag. and I will be HAPPY

amk";p="59065 wrote: I like revolvers too but the nice ones are pretty expensive. I don't want to spend crazy amounts of money on my 2nd gun. Seriously considering the Ashani now.

My first priority is weight and size; I want something I can slip into my jeans pocket and head out. That is the reason I was considering a .22. I'm not too concerned about the make of the gun.

Are the Arminius good quality revos?

AMK

Contrary to popular myth (in India) Arminius revolvers are quite decent, especially considering the price difference! I'd think you should be able to get an imported .32 (long) revolver for between 2-4.5 lacs depending on condition/ make/ model/ size etc. If you are lucky it could be even less...

Since you already own a sweet semi-auto and that too in a nice calibre, if I were you I would be thinking revolvers... but this is entirely a matter of personal choice and intended use...

I don't much care for shooting .22's... too much like airguns... and the fodder costs a lot more - and before the brickbats come sailing in, this has nothing to do with the power levels, merely a personal opinion on how they "feel like" when shooting...

Cheers!
Abhijeet

penpusher webley are excellent revolvers in a very decent caliber which will do all required social work without making you blind or deaf(which 357 certainly will), handles well & they have very manageable recoil, i have also seen some Colt & S&W in 455. the price of a webley will be be 5 to 10 K but ammunition is very scarce.IFIRC only Fiochi makes it now. what will be prices on your side and are bullets available.
Abhijeet, Arminus were never popular on our side also largely due to gunsmiths used to say they are made of pewter and will crack after some time. Dry firing without snap caps can be a cause of that.but i have found them reliable,(IN 32 S&W atleast) well built and quite sturdy. 32 long is not a power house and i suspect that it can develop cracks or will throw the revolver out of timing. the only drawback i think that as powder coating is not widely available, the only option for refinishing them is paint. otherwise they are nice little revolver ideal for defensive role.
regards

hi mashh

i agree with you that 455 webley is a beautiful gun but it is a PB according to the indian arms act regarding the arminius .32,the debate still goes on but there are many happy users.some members on this forum have them.i think they paid around 1.75 lakh.

cheers

indian it never came to my mind that it was PB. Amk can check with his licensing authority as he already have a 45 ACP, so he might get 455 also endorsed. the authority might be in consensus with opinion that respected SD caliber should start with .4
as you mentioned that people have mixed opinions regarding Arminus,it is true but in 32 long they are fine & reliable but those chambered in 22 LR are very different. you will get 2 to 3 misfires in every cylinder, gunsmith usually solves this with a heavier & stiffer hammer spring which although cures ignition problem but result in a trigger pull which will be more than revolver's weight and will crack the frame under the firing pin hole. once this has been occur it is PITA to repair it as its alloy either cannot be gas welded or any epoxy will stay there.
regards

Guys, I'm not keen on anything besides a .22 or .32 (maybe, just maybe a .380) as I want cheaper ammo for plinking at the range.

.455 although nice to have would be a close to impossible for ammo here in Mumbai.

My FIL has a rusted arminius in his safe; I'll try to have a look at that too. Someone's offering and Astra in .32 for 3.5L. It is engraved. I'd rather have a revo too, if I can find a good one.

amk the Astra you mentioned is Astra Constable or some other model. constable is a DA/SA pistol which happens to be quite sleek & reliable. best of luck for your quest.
regards