Smith & Wesson 40caliber

Question
I just bought a 40 caliber Sigma series. I took it to the shooting range a couple of times, they require you to buy their ammo from them. The first time they sold me a box of 50 rounds for 21 dollars, a couple of days later they sold me a box for almost 30 dollars. Should I be asking for a specific type of ammo? What should I shoot at the range, and what should I keep in the house for defense? I don't know about grains or hollowpoints or full metal jackets. I'm new to all this. Also what is your opinion of a .380 for my wife to have at the house? Thanks!

Answer
Hello Austin.

I assume that you are visiting an indoor shooting range. Most of the indoor ranges will require you to use specific types of ammunition to prevent damage to their bullet traps and/or to minimize the amount of lead or smoke in the air. The most common requirement is to use round nose lead bullets instead of jacketed bullets or hollowpoints, although some ranges will allow you to use round nose full metal jacket bullets, preferably something like Winchester's WinClean product, since they virtually eliminate the airborne lead and minimize the smoke.

Some ranges (both indoors and outdoors) will require you to use commercial factory loaded ammunition instead of homemade handloads or off-brand remanufactured ammunition. This is usually to reduce the chance of defective or malfunctioning cartridges which could cause a misfire, hangfire, or even an explosion.

Outdoor ranges usually have less restrictive ammunition rules but if you are shooting at steel targets then they may not allow jacketed bullets or hollowpoints and they will probably have a minimum safety distance established.

Regardless of the range type and rules, some ranges will require you to purchase the ammunition from them solely because they want to make a profit. If you are paying a fee to use the range then they should provide you with the option to bring your own ammunition or they should at least sell you the ammunition at a fair price comparable to what you would pay at a discount store like Walmart.

Sometimes they will let you use your own ammunition if you ask first and you let them inspect it to be sure that it is an approved type. If you are using the range for free then just accept the higher cost of ammunition as the fee for the range. If their combined ammunition and range fees are too high then I would take your business elsewhere. They need to make a profit to stay in business but they shouldn't gouge you.

Most indoor ranges I have seen charge anywhere from $5 to $20 for 1-4 hours of shooting time, per person or per shooting lane. Most will let you bring your own ammunition and only a few ask to inspect it. Those that require you to purchase the ammunition on site usually have low ammunition prices and/or a free range use policy. About half of the ranges provide free targets and they will loan you free eye / ear protection while others charge for those accessories. So just add up your fees and see what you think is fair.

The choice of a defensive catridge is such a complex subject that there are thousands of articles and even entire books dedicated to this topic. I can't give you specific advice without knowing a lot more about your situation but in general I like to use medium weight jacketed hollowpoints for my defensive use. I prefer the major brands such as Winchester, Federal, Remington, MagTech, etc. For my .40 caliber pistols I often use the Winchester Silvertip or Winchester Ranger products. It all depends on your home layout, number of occupants, anticipated threats, etc. If you really want to learn more about bullet selection for defensive use then check out the following book:

http://www.amazon.com/Street-Stoppers-Handgun-Stopping-Results/dp/0873648722/

Regarding pistols in the home for self defense: if you and your wife are new to handguns then you will most likely be better off starting with revolvers. They are generally simpler to learn and use with less training and practice, and they are usually more reliable as well. Consider a .357 magnum revolver which can be loaded with milder and less expensive .38 special cartridges for practice but loaded with full power .357 magnum cartridges for defensive use. If you do decide to get a semi-automatic for your wife then I would recommend a 9mm over a .380 because the difference in recoil and overall comfort is minimal yet you get a much better performance for defensive use and the ammunition is much cheaper.

Also consider taking a few handgun classes such as the NRA Basic Pistol class and a carry permit class if your state offers those.

Good luck, God bless, and stay safe!

Bob