New Guy

Strutter769 · April 10, 2013, 11:05 PM

Hey there! Within the past month, I moved to a really remote area in northern WI, and before I left, my uncle gave me a little .25 pistol (apparently to protect me from beavers). I've always been a bit intimidated by guns, growing up with a step-dad who served in Viet Nam who "saw enough of them over there."

Well, after a few rounds of this little .25, I'm hooked. Now, my birth dad has paid for some actual home protection, and next week I'll be picking up the EAA Windicator .357. I've done a ton of research and found mixed, but overall good reviews, and seems to be a good choice for self defense for a novice. So, since my wife is very concerned about her aim, especially under threat of an intruder. So, to help her feel more at ease (in addition to lots of practice) I'd like to have a laser grip or laser sight. I cannot seem to find ANY at all. I've also been told the .357's concussion is too much for any laser to handle, so they don't make lasers for them. Of course, I've also been told they ARE available. Are they? If so, might I ask that someone post a link for me?

Thanks in advance!

Roy

mxsailor803 · April 11, 2013, 03:28 AM

Recoil is not the issue with lasers. It depends on the weapons popularity and weather or not a company wants to invest in developing a laser for a particular platform. If it was a S&W, wouldn't be a issue finding a laser. As for a EAA, there might be something out there that fits but i'm not sure enough to say yay or nay.

10-96 · April 11, 2013, 05:16 AM

If you can find some in your area (or anywhere)- I'd like to suggest that maybe you start out with .38 Special cartridges and get yourself and your missus accustomed to the use of sights. You'll find there will be a world of difference (most likely) between whatever the .25 was and the EAA. The .38 will be easy to handle and shoot and as far as I can recall, the EAA has pretty good sights. It's pretty cool that you're being gifted a firearm. Anyway, give it a chance and see how the skills come around until the time comes you locate a laser.

Evan Thomas · April 11, 2013, 01:33 PM

Roy, welcome to TFL.

Even more than a laser sight, by far the most useful thing for novice shooters is -- training. You and your wife will be much more confident, and better able to handle anything that might arise, with some good instruction. A good place to start would be to find someone offering the NRA Basic Pistol course in your area. Another would be the Civilian Firearms courses offered at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, in Green Bay. (I know you said you're in a remote area, but WI isn't that big...

)

Once you both have some training under your belts, you'll have a much better idea of what accessories will really be useful.

bikerbill · April 11, 2013, 01:44 PM

You've already been given two pieces of excellent advice ... get professional training, and start out shooting .38 Specials to see how you and your wife deal with recoil ... .357s do kick a tad ..

So I guess I'll just say welcome ... I've learned more here about shooting and firearms than I have anywhere else ... there are tons of folks here who can answer just about any question you have ... as for me, "always a ready answer -- wrong, but ready" ...

have fun and easy on the beavers, they have to be on somebody's "protected" list ...

AFK · April 11, 2013, 01:56 PM

Great advice above. I will add if she is at all intimidated by guns, don't put a .357 in her hand right away. IMO that's a sure fire way to turn her off to the sport.

357 Python · April 11, 2013, 06:43 PM

As stated earlier 38 Special +P may be the ammo you are looking for. As for lasers, forget what you hear in the gunshop or on the street, call the manufacturers and ask them. Nobody knows their products better than the makers. You can start with Crimson Trace. CT is a highly recommended and respected company that specializes in lasers.

April 10, 2013, 11:05 PM	#1
Strutter769 Junior Member Join Date: April 10, 2013 Posts: 2	New Guy Hey there! Within the past month, I moved to a really remote area in northern WI, and before I left, my uncle gave me a little .25 pistol (apparently to protect me from beavers). I've always been a bit intimidated by guns, growing up with a step-dad who served in Viet Nam who "saw enough of them over there." Well, after a few rounds of this little .25, I'm hooked. Now, my birth dad has paid for some actual home protection, and next week I'll be picking up the EAA Windicator .357. I've done a ton of research and found mixed, but overall good reviews, and seems to be a good choice for self defense for a novice. So, since my wife is very concerned about her aim, especially under threat of an intruder. So, to help her feel more at ease (in addition to lots of practice) I'd like to have a laser grip or laser sight. I cannot seem to find ANY at all. I've also been told the .357's concussion is too much for any laser to handle, so they don't make lasers for them. Of course, I've also been told they ARE available. Are they? If so, might I ask that someone post a link for me? Thanks in advance! Roy

April 11, 2013, 05:16 AM	#3
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,159	If you can find some in your area (or anywhere)- I'd like to suggest that maybe you start out with .38 Special cartridges and get yourself and your missus accustomed to the use of sights. You'll find there will be a world of difference (most likely) between whatever the .25 was and the EAA. The .38 will be easy to handle and shoot and as far as I can recall, the EAA has pretty good sights. It's pretty cool that you're being gifted a firearm. Anyway, give it a chance and see how the skills come around until the time comes you locate a laser. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

April 11, 2013, 01:33 PM	#4
Evan Thomas Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 2008 Location: Upper midwest Posts: 5,631	Roy, welcome to TFL. Even more than a laser sight, by far the most useful thing for novice shooters is -- training. You and your wife will be much more confident, and better able to handle anything that might arise, with some good instruction. A good place to start would be to find someone offering the NRA Basic Pistol course in your area. Another would be the Civilian Firearms courses offered at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, in Green Bay. (I know you said you're in a remote area, but WI isn't that big... ) Once you both have some training under your belts, you'll have a much better idea of what accessories will really be useful. __________________ Never let anything mechanical know you're in a hurry.

April 11, 2013, 01:44 PM	#5
bikerbill Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2007 Location: Lago Vista TX Posts: 2,425	You've already been given two pieces of excellent advice ... get professional training, and start out shooting .38 Specials to see how you and your wife deal with recoil ... .357s do kick a tad .. So I guess I'll just say welcome ... I've learned more here about shooting and firearms than I have anywhere else ... there are tons of folks here who can answer just about any question you have ... as for me, "always a ready answer -- wrong, but ready" ... have fun and easy on the beavers, they have to be on somebody's "protected" list ... __________________ "The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants." Albert Camus

April 11, 2013, 03:28 AM	#2
mxsailor803 Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2010 Location: SC Posts: 1,344	Recoil is not the issue with lasers. It depends on the weapons popularity and weather or not a company wants to invest in developing a laser for a particular platform. If it was a S&W, wouldn't be a issue finding a laser. As for a EAA, there might be something out there that fits but i'm not sure enough to say yay or nay.

April 11, 2013, 01:56 PM	#6
AFK Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2010 Posts: 151	Great advice above. I will add if she is at all intimidated by guns, don't put a .357 in her hand right away. IMO that's a sure fire way to turn her off to the sport.

April 11, 2013, 06:43 PM	#7
357 Python Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2007 Location: Charlottesville, VA Posts: 941	As stated earlier 38 Special +P may be the ammo you are looking for. As for lasers, forget what you hear in the gunshop or on the street, call the manufacturers and ask them. Nobody knows their products better than the makers. You can start with Crimson Trace. CT is a highly recommended and respected company that specializes in lasers.