Indians For Guns

Gentlemen,

I am looking for a small gun for self defence. I would like to go for a revolver, you may suggest otherwise. Cost is a constraint and so is the ease of use. Even my mother should have no issues using it !

How to approach for a gun license in India? How long does it take and can I go for a gun only after getting a license?

Kind regards,
Windfactor

Welcome aboard, Windfactor.

You can find the relevant information on how to get a gun licence here...
http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php?t=504

A handgun would be your only choice since you want something small.

Yes, you will only be able to buy a handgun (pistol or revolver) after you have got yourself a licence for the same.

Just one tip though...you and your mother will need to learn how to use a handgun well, otherwise it could do more harm than good. Perhaps you and your mother should consider enrolling at your local rifle association first.

Mack The Knife

Hi Windfactor,

Owning any kind of firearm, including (but not limited to) antique muzzle loaders! - handguns, rifles, shotguns etc. REQUIRES that you have a valid arms license (for that category of gun) prior to being able to purchase it. No arms dealer/ firearm owner can sell/ transfer/ gift the gun to you unless you have a license. Details on the process of how to go about applying for an arms license can be found in the "knowledge base" and "arms laws" sections of this site. I do not want to discourage you, but be warned that handgun licenses are the hardest to come by!

Your choice of a revolver (as opposed to a pistol) is quite good for a couple of reasons -

a) Revolvers are the simplest handguns to operate safely and even a novice can be taught to handle one in a very short time. Pistols on the other hand require some degree of training to be able to handle them safely and effectively.

b) Due to the poor quality of Indian made ammo, pistols often jam, which in a self defence situation, can be catastrophic! (I shudder to think of what our jawans on the front lines have to go through!!)

Pistols have their own pluses, but I will not get into that here.

If you are on a budget, then the IOFB .32 calibre revolver may be the only real option you have. It is retailed by the government, direct from the factories in Kanpur ( FGK & SAF ) for approximately INR 67,000/- or so tax paid. I am told the waiting period is between 2 - 6 months these days. If you buy it from an arms dealer he is sure to add several thousand rupees more to that price... There is also a .22 LR revolver made by IOFB, but that suffers from quality problems, besides the fact that the .22 LR cartridge is not very well suited for self defence, due to it's low power.

HTH

Welcome to IFG, do take the time to post a brief introduction about yourself in the appropriate section.

Cheers!
Abhijeet

Thanks a lot guys.

Mom n I are pretty comfortable using guns of all types as my father was an IPS. We lost him last year when he sacrificed himself preventing a train dacoity. If he had a gun then, things would be different now. This has reinforced my will to be well equipped to handle situations like that.

As per your suggestion, I am going for IOFB .32 calibre revolver. I guess my choices are limited with this kind of budget. Is there any serious performance issue with this revolver? How much does the .22 revolver cost? If i stretch my budget to 1 Lakh, is there a better option?

Thanks again.

WF

Windfactor,

Sorry to hear about your father.The IOF .32 revolver is the cheapest one that you can buy in India.Next in line would be .32 H&R revolvers(65-80,000/-) and then Erma .32 revolvers (90,000/- to 1,00,000/-)

penpusher

Windfactor,

Sorry about your father.

penpusher,

Erma are nice revolvers. Didn't know they were available in India that cheap. Would be a good buy for someone who was looking for something for self defence. Vastly better than an IOF if the piece is well maintained, of course.

Cheers!

Mehul
I have heared that the body of erma revolvers are made of alloy and is not so durable. Is that true ?

Danish

Windfactor

Sorry to hear about your loss. As stated by others best option for you is IOF .32 revolver.

danish

Do a search here there was a discussion on Erma's

all the best

Windfactor,

Sorry about your father.

The IOF .32 Revolver is good val for money.If budget is not an issue then you could get a good imported handgun in any make.

Best

Sanjay

I must add that you will not be able to sell a new .32 IOF revolver for 5 years, as it is prohibited and stamped on your license !

Danish,

Colt, Smith and Wesson etc all made alloy frame "pocket revolvers" in the old days and they were all functional. I hear a lot of opinions from India which are not supported by experience outside the coutnry like the worries about Arminius revolvers some time ago over here. ANY revolver could be damaged so that it does not work properly though of course, it is far more difficult to break a revolver down than an autopistol. Erma are a well regarded company and if a good example of their products is found it should serve the owner quite well.

Funnily, in India old break-open Webleys are very highly regarded and though they are fun to use, they are looked at more as a curiosity over here. The break open frames wear much faster in use than a rigid frame revolver would. So, many of the prejudices that are tossed about any brand in India are most probably individual experience with a bad or damaged example.

Cheers!

Windfactor, Welcome aboard.
You will get fine advice here from people who have been there , done that.Especially when it comes to IOF and pistols.yes, it does have many drawbacks, but is the maximum bang for the Indian buck! penpusher has given a very accurate quote, though prices may vary due to several factors.Since 32 is the most popular and cheapest, suggest you get a licence and then search around??
best
Axx

Windfactor,


32 Revolver by IOF should be good value for your money. The only problem is the 5 year condition of not selling the revolver .
Considering the 32 KF cartridges ERMA should be strictly NO NO...never. However , 32 KF ammo fires without any problem in the Indian IOF Revolver.

Ac