Having the "which gun do I, a guy who doesn't care about guns but is scared, buy right now?" convo w/ two different friends. Might as well make a short thread.

First, a gun is not the right answer for everyone. You need to assess your living situation (roommates? small kids?), your constraints (can you commit to some training? afford a safe?), & overall needs before taking a big step. It's ok to take a pass & just adopt a large dog.

If you're going to get a gun, & you fit the profile of "I don't care about guns, I just need a (potentially disposable) bullet dispenser that's simple & reliable," then you're in luck. There is a gun specifically designed for you: the plastic fantastic Glock 9mm semi-auto.

There are two kinds of people in the "I don't care about gun nerd stuff & need a reliable bullet dispenser" camp: 1) total gun newbs who want to buy one & hide it in a safe, & 2) elite commando types who shoot people for a living.

The Glock is popular with both crowds.

(There is also a crowd that does care about gun nerd stuff & buys Glocks to race them out with special parts and whatnot. If you live your whole life without knowing about that whole scene, you're doing ok IMO.)

(FWIW I am actually in the middle & I care about gun nerd stuff, so I shoot SIG race guns & 1911s and other neckbeard things. I have no personal interest in Glocks & don't own one, being neither a gun newb nor a commando nor a weirdo Glock nerd.)

Anyway, you want either a Glock 17 or a Glock 19. They both are the same & take the same magazines, but the difference is size. The 19 is smaller & more compact, which makes it more flexible (you can conceal it easier if you need to), so I'd go with the Glock 19.

But you may find that the 17 fits your hand better, or that you're a larger person & can conceal the 17 easily. So then get the 17.

Some caveats:
- You're going to pay for a Glock right now, even used. Everyone wants one at the moment.
- 9mm ammo is hard to find and expensive. Get some junk ammo to train a bit with, & some good stuff for home defense.
- This gun has no safety. Your finger & brain = the safety

A word on "potentially disposable" since some may take that the wrong way. You're not going to shoot someone then destroy the gun. Rather, if you shoot someone with it then the cops will take it from you for evidence, even if the shoot was justified. https://twitter.com/jonst0kes/status/1274447332646551555

For me, the handgun is the most general purpose, do-it-all "one gun" for the simple fact that even the craziest doomsday scenario still involves being around lots of people. So ability to conceal maximizes your flexibility in social situations. https://twitter.com/octal/status/1274448151483748354

I am a huge fan of the gauge & would not want to be without a good 12ga in any kind of doomsday situation. But if I had to pick between a 9mm semi-auto & a 12ga without knowing ANYTHING about the situation I'd be facing, I'd pick the pistol every time.