# Looking for advice on guns



## Mrs_Clark (Jun 25, 2014)

I'm 5'3 and weigh barely 100lbs. I have weak elbows and shoulders from a degenerative bone condition. So now my question is; What would be a good handgun that has low recoil and a slide that I can actually pull back? Any and all opinions are welcome.


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## Innkeeper (Jun 18, 2014)

Mrs_Clark said:


> I'm 5'3 and weigh barely 100lbs. I have weak elbows and shoulders from a degenerative bone condition. So now my question is; What would be a good handgun that has low recoil and a slide that I can actually pull back? Any and all opinions are welcome.


 You could try my Glock 30sf, it is a subcompact but holds 10 rd, the recoil is not bad and the slide is smooth and easy. so far 2 of my nieces have shot it and had no problems. The nice thing about a 45 is the knockdown power, I do not want to wound anyone attacking me which a 9 mm is more apt to do unless your very accurate, and it is not winter time. But the .45 will nock down a horse, the army adopted it originally to help deal with natives in the Philippines who got all wacked up on Drugs before attacking (the Moro's) they could shrug off the then official round the .38. They had it for over 80 years until politics made them change to the 9mm. I used it was not fond of it.

The glock 36 is a single stack magazine if it fits you better but I have not fired that one. The 30sf is narrower in the straps then the regular 30 or 30s so it may fit your hands just right. I also have a shoulder injury which one of these days after I finish college I will get surgery on to help fix, but so far it has not interfered with my shooting. I have heard good things about Glock's new .380 auto also, but off the top of my head can not recall the model #.

Oh and welcome to the Forum from Michigan!


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kel-Tec_P-3AT

Five pound trigger pull and .380


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

Maybe pick a .38 spl. instead of an auto.some are 5 shot like a Taurus m85 or some Smith & Wesson models but many others can be had in a six round version.some of the small autos can be very hard to rack the slide although,there is a device called the handy racker that catches on the slide at the sights.or,there is a technique I have seen where you rack the slide on a table edge or a belt buckle.one of the easiest autos I have racked are the 92 or 99 series made by Beretta or Taurus they come in 9mm or .40 caliber but are big high capacity full size autos and can be heavy when loaded but have 15+ rounds depending on model.my wife can shoot my autos but,she prefers her S & W 642 .38 spl with 5 rounds of Hornady critical defense and two speedloaders in spare.myself, I would not consider anything less than 9mm or .38 special some .380 autos like a Bersa may be easy to rack and would have about 13 rounds and with the new types of ammo available would be a reliable self defense round.


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## TxBorderCop (Nov 19, 2012)

Springfield XD-S would fit fine, and recoil is a consideration. For you 9mm is probably the better option, less felt recoil, means you will practice more, and have better quality practice.

Get a little .22LR auto, Sig Mosquito or Walther P22 to start and practice the fundamentals. Then go on to a Springfield.


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## Innkeeper (Jun 18, 2014)

MI.oldguy said:


> Maybe pick a .38 spl. instead of an auto.some are 5 shot like a Taurus m85 or some Smith & Wesson models but many others can be had in a six round version.some of the small autos can be very hard to rack the slide although,there is a device called the handy racker that catches on the slide at the sights.or,there is a technique I have seen where you rack the slide on a table edge or a belt buckle.one of the easiest autos I have racked are the 92 or 99 series made by Beretta or Taurus they come in 9mm or .40 caliber but are big high capacity full size autos and can be heavy when loaded but have 15+ rounds depending on model.my wife can shoot my autos but,she prefers her S & W 642 .38 spl with 5 rounds of Hornady critical defense and two speedloaders in spare.myself, I would not consider anything less than 9mm or .38 special some .380 autos like a Bersa may be easy to rack and would have about 13 rounds and with the new types of ammo available would be a reliable self defense round.


Unless your an anti-glock guy check out the new .380 auto they have.

I actually just got a notice in the mail from a Military job site, about an Armorer's job with Glock down in GA, of course it comes after I find a house and run the paper work. lol It is always fun to be paid to play with guns.


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## Innkeeper (Jun 18, 2014)

James m said:


> Kel-Tec P-3AT - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> Five pound trigger pull and .380


14.36oz fully loaded, 6 rds, 5.5lb trigger pull, .49" trigger travel and .380 G42

Glock 42 | G42 | 380 Pistol | GLOCK USA


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## Hemi45 (May 5, 2014)

I too, would vote for a revo in maybe, .22 Mag, .38 or even 9mm - good luck!


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

I'm not gonna sugar coat this. You're in a bad way.
A handgun delivers a lot of recoil to the shooter.
The only ways to mitigate this are to make the gun heavier, or make the recoil spring stiffer(not an issue on a revolver).
Both of these would be less than optimal for you, as a heavier guns is... well, heavy, and a stiffer recoil spring makes the slide harder to pull back.
If you go with a smaller caliber to compensate for these things, then you are sacrificing effectiveness.

A .22 caliber would certainly put the hurt on most people, and would be easier to hold and manipulate.
The drawback would be, well... it's only .22 inches in diameter. For an aggressive attacker, he may be able to continue his onslaught for a good half hour before having to stop.
This is where practice and shot placement become paramount. A .22 to the eye socket does the trick just as well as any other round.


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## Mrs_Clark (Jun 25, 2014)

Thanks for the great ideas. Im going to go to this gun shop not too far from where I live. They will let you fire some of their test guns (a fee for each gun you try). I just wanted to narrow down my list and get some advice from people that aren't just trying to make money off of me.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Mrs Clark,
What is your anticipated use for the weapon? Self Defense everyday carry in a purse or holster? Bedside or home personal protection?

Semi Auto's are wonderful weapons but so are Revolvers. Regardless of your anticipated use, please take a weapons/handgun course to get the proper training.

Mrs. Slippy is a small woman too and she started out with a Revolver; a Smith & Wesson Model Small Frame (J Frame) 
Here is a link.
Small Frame (J) - Smith & Wesson

Hers was chambered in .38 spl. It is not a fun gun for her to shoot multiple rounds at the range but as a carry weapon it will get the job done. But she enjoys shooting a Browning Buckmark .22LR and a Ruger SR22 in.22LR at the range, both are semi-autos.

I would highly recommend a Revolver instead of a semi-auto for your first personal protection firearm but your instructor may suggest a semi auto once you take a course and log some time at the range. Maybe a .22 mag, or .38 Special are both good rounds for protection in a revolver and a 9mm or .380 acp in a semi auto. You might be stronger than you think and a .45 acp may end up being your gun of choice. Technique has a lot to do with racking the slide in my opinion.

Mrs Slippy also is proficient with a 9mm semi auto but it took her some time to gain confidence and skill. She is happy with her Smith & Wesson M&P Shield.

But sadly, we lost all of our firearms in a horrible boating accident deep in the Marianna Trench...:wink:


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Mrs_Clark said:


> Thanks for the great ideas. Im going to go to this gun shop not too far from where I live. They will let you fire some of their test guns (a fee for each gun you try). I just wanted to narrow down my list and get some advice from people that aren't just trying to make money off of me.


An excellent idea!
A small price to pay for a long-term investment in your safety.


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## Mrs_Clark (Jun 25, 2014)

I'm just looking for personal protection. I have some experience with guns from before my condition but I haven't fired one in years. The gun shop I was talking about also teaches safety courses, I'll sign up for one when I'm there.


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## SDF880 (Mar 28, 2013)

Kauboy said:


> I'm not gonna sugar coat this. You're in a bad way.
> A handgun delivers a lot of recoil to the shooter.
> The only ways to mitigate this are to make the gun heavier, or make the recoil spring stiffer(not an issue on a revolver).
> Both of these would be less than optimal for you, as a heavier guns is... well, heavy, and a stiffer recoil spring makes the slide harder to pull back.
> ...


22 might be the way to go for you. I have a Smith and Wesson model 317 8 shot 22. The revolver is light weight, well made and easy to shoot. While I don't carry a 22 I sure as heck would not want to get shot with one!
Check out some of CCI 22 ammo like the "Stinger" or the "Velocitor". You might also check out Ruger LCR in 22 which is a hammerless revolver I believe holds six rounds. I have the 357 version and it is a good revolver for me.

Lot's of good options and opinions on this subject, good luck!


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

The gun you get - that you like - you should be able to put three rounds in rapid succession into a 10 inch circle at no less than seven yards. You need to be able to recover from the recoil and fire again without difficulty. Get a dun that is comfortable. Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you need a bigger caliber or a lighter gun. If a 22 auto is all you can easily handle then get it! Three solid hits is always better than 14 misses.

I know small women who love to shoot big guns and do so well but I know others who are fine shooting a 380 auto or a 22 rim fire and it always comes down to one thing: what are *YOU* affective with.


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

Go with a revolver. 

My mom is 70 in a couple months and I talked her into a S&W Body Guard, (Double Action Only, with a laser), in .38 Special (+P). It's light, it's compact, you can buy some great defensive ammo for it and the recoil is very manageable. And all you have to worry about is squeezing the trigger.

I would not recommend a semi-auto for you based on your described conditions. I would assume that you most likely lack a lot of grip strength as well due to your condition. 

Semi's, for novice shooters, can be a headache. You also need to be able to provide a certain amount of "physical rigidity" to make it function reliably. I'm no "weakling" by any means, and I broke my arm last year. About 3 days after getting my cast removed (after 6 weeks), we had firearms qualification (former police officer) and I could not maintain a strong enough grip to allow my Glock 22 to cycle.

With a revolver you do not have to worry about Failure to Feeds, Failure to Ejects, Stove-Pipes, Double Feeds or anything like that. in my opinion, the biggest advantage to a semi-automatic is capacity and ease of reload. Unless you're Jerry Miculek. However, if you get in to compact semi-autos, the capacity advantage isn't that great. And you still have all of the other potential issues to contend with. 

I like Semi-Autos, and if I had to choose between one or the other, I would take a semi-auto. But I have spent 25 years training with and shooting them. I carried a revolver as a back-up weapon. And I did so knowing that a revolver, would never fail me. With a little practice on Speed Reloading a revolver, they are very effective options, and I like them very much. But for ME, a semi is much more practical.


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## Purkeypilot (Dec 21, 2012)

Even with your size and DBC, I am very confident that you would do just fine with a Glock 19. Good luck and keep us posted.


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## Innkeeper (Jun 18, 2014)

Slippy said:


> Mrs Clark,
> What is your anticipated use for the weapon? Self Defense everyday carry in a purse or holster? Bedside or home personal protection?
> 
> Semi Auto's are wonderful weapons but so are Revolvers. Regardless of your anticipated use, please take a weapons/handgun course to get the proper training.
> ...


doesn't that suck, I lost mine in a boating accident on Lake Superior celebrating My Graduation from college June 2015. I have no clue what to do anymore, all my ammo was with it also. I wonder if that is why my boat sank?


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## Innkeeper (Jun 18, 2014)

SDF880 said:


> 22 might be the way to go for you. I have a Smith and Wesson model 317 8 shot 22. The revolver is light weight, well made and easy to shoot. While I don't carry a 22 I sure as heck would not want to get shot with one!
> Check out some of CCI 22 ammo like the "Stinger" or the "Velocitor". You might also check out Ruger LCR in 22 which is a hammerless revolver I believe holds six rounds. I have the 357 version and it is a good revolver for me.
> 
> Lot's of good options and opinions on this subject, good luck!


Have you tried the S&W M&P22? it is a nice shooting gun , 12 shots almost effortlessly swings on target, recoil is about nil. It is way too fun to shoot I will tell you , but was pretty much on target right out of the box, I consider ita great purchase.


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## Mrs_Clark (Jun 25, 2014)

I have a friend that is down sizing her collection and offered me her Taurus tcp .380 for $50. She said she has never had any issues with it and it will take any brand ammo she put in it. I'm going to test it first but she said compared to her nano it's super easy to use. She is someone that I trust and wouldn't lie to me about the quality. Does anyone have any experience with this particular gun?


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## mcangus (Jun 3, 2014)

Kauboy said:


> I'm not gonna sugar coat this. You're in a bad way.
> A handgun delivers a lot of recoil to the shooter.
> The only ways to mitigate this are to make the gun heavier, or make the recoil spring stiffer(not an issue on a revolver).
> Both of these would be less than optimal for you, as a heavier guns is... well, heavy, and a stiffer recoil spring makes the slide harder to pull back.
> ...


Yup. Maybe do a 22lr handgun, at least just for now. You should start off with a 22 no matter your physical strength anyways in my opinion. Learn to shoot right first. Then shoot the big stuff.


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

Mrs_Clark said:


> I have a friend that is down sizing her collection and offered me her Taurus tcp .380 for $50. She said she has never had any issues with it and it will take any brand ammo she put in it. I'm going to test it first but she said compared to her nano it's super easy to use. She is someone that I trust and wouldn't lie to me about the quality. Does anyone have any experience with this particular gun?


I have owned a few Taurus' and I can't say one way or another on them. Some are good, some are crap. There doesn't seem to be a lot of consistency in manufacturing. Kind of a crap shoot. But I owned two Jennings J-22's and one was garbage and one was FLAWLESS. Taurus, in my experience, is just kind of a "You never know what you're gonna' get" type deal. I steer clear of them anymore, but if hers works, and you're comfortable with it, sounds like a good deal to me!


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## Innkeeper (Jun 18, 2014)

I agree with BigDogBuc on both issues, Taurus is a hit or miss weapon company some people love them others hate them because they got a weapon made on a Monday or Friday, when the workers were not paying attention to quality. But if it s a good fit for you and you like how it handles, definitely a good deal.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

I have a female friend who carries a Taurus TCP 380 with a Crimson Trace trigger guard lazer.
She had to send it to factory to correct an extraction issue. They did the repair under warranty.
She has had no issues since and really likes the gun.
The recoil is a little snappy, but certainly usable.

Shoot the gun with some different ammo, see how you like it.


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## sparkyprep (Jul 5, 2013)

Mrs. Sparky carries a concealed Ruger SR22, and a purple one to boot. Very light, almost no recoil, packed with hollowpoints, it's not a man destroyer, but it will put the hurt on someone.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Mrs_Clark said:


> I have a friend that is down sizing her collection and offered me her Taurus tcp .380 for $50. She said she has never had any issues with it and it will take any brand ammo she put in it. I'm going to test it first but she said compared to her nano it's super easy to use. She is someone that I trust and wouldn't lie to me about the quality. Does anyone have any experience with this particular gun?


The only thing that I can think of is the strength in your wrists. Shoot it - if it works for you then all you need to do is learn how to clean and lubricate it and enjoy shooting it. If you don't like shooting it or it fails to eject a round because your wrists can hold it firm enough the go with a smaller caliber. There are a ton of 22 caliber guns out there and even some 25 autos and 32 revolvers.

Find one that you like shooting for sure.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

I was waiting to find out if you were new to guns, or been away for a while. My wife who is 5' 4" 130 shoots my/her ruger lcr 357 with 38's like nobody's business. Folks need to realize you need not put 500 rounds down range to handle self defense for training. Start small and work your way back to the more acceptable self defense calibers. My mother who is 87 loved to carry a beretta (sp) 25 auto, no carry permit, at her age she didn't give a shit, she had a taurus 38 sp, with ported 2" barrel. Could not convince her the 25 would just piss the bad guy off.  Like I used to shoot my 338 mag from the bench, not so much fun, when adrenaline kicks in as in the bad guy coming or the buck in the sights, you most likely won't even feel any recoil. my .02 No need to beat yourself up on a regular basis, Dry fire practice is your friend.


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## jimb1972 (Nov 12, 2012)

I bought a Ruger SP101 in .327 federal for my wife, shooting .32 S&W longs for practice it has only a bit more recoil than a .22 and it will fire .32 H&R mags or .327 federal for defense. The size works well for people of smaller stature and the weight of an all steel revolver really keeps the recoil down. Add a couple speed loaders and you are not giving up much to the autos in fire power and definitely increasing reliability epecially for someone with weaker wrists. A compact semi auto requires a firm hold to cycle reliably and I would never recommend one to someone in your situation, a full size is better but still not as good a choice as a revolver if you may have trouble racking the slide to load or clear a malfunction.


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

if its a ma and pa style firearm store, you have a winner

those types of stores get a huge % of business based on word of mouth, there are too many guns to list that suit you, then ammunition, and load types... 

just have a play, if the dealer is any good, you will walk away very happy, and be more inclined to go back (the deal doesn't end with the gun, you need ammo, cleaning supplies, holsters, fancy bits, lit goes on, and the ma and pa types normally understand that the deal hasn't ended when you leave the shop, this is more important to a business) 

to firearm options, go a revolver, and play with common calibres (don't be too disappointed if its a 22, the 22 is responsible for more assassinations than any other weapon in modern history)


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## Innkeeper (Jun 18, 2014)

jimb1972 said:


> I bought a Ruger SP101 in .327 federal for my wife, shooting .32 S&W longs for practice it has only a bit more recoil than a .22 and it will fire .32 H&R mags or .327 federal for defense. The size works well for people of smaller stature and the weight of an all steel revolver really keeps the recoil down. Add a couple speed loaders and you are not giving up much to the autos in fire power and definitely increasing reliability epecially for someone with weaker wrists. A compact semi auto requires a firm hold to cycle reliably and I would never recommend one to someone in your situation, a full size is better but still not as good a choice as a revolver if you may have trouble racking the slide to load or clear a malfunction.


 That is an excellent weapon I have had one on back order with my local gun shop for 9 months, they are hard to get at least in Michigan. A friend who was the Gentleman who taught my CPL class had one and he let me shoot it, it was so fun I decided to get one about 6 months later, well they ordered one and I am still waiting, when I looked on the Ruger website the other day it did not even offer an option in the SP101 or GP 100 in .327 so I am wondering if they discontinued it. I liked the lesser recoil but it still has the knock down power of a .357.

If you all can't tell I love guns, it was part of the reasons I took my 1st MOS change in the Army and went over to Armament where I worked on everything from .38 to 8" howitzers. I also enjoyed the trips overseas and working on weapons from other countries. We were a third shop level unit and were qualified to do everything the factory could, I loved my job sometimes.


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

Mrs_Clark said:


> I have a friend that is down sizing her collection and offered me her Taurus tcp .380 for $50. She said she has never had any issues with it and it will take any brand ammo she put in it. I'm going to test it first but she said compared to her nano it's super easy to use. She is someone that I trust and wouldn't lie to me about the quality. Does anyone have any experience with this particular gun?


A tcp would be a good choice,shoot it with some jacketed hollow points to see if it is reliable.they are small pistols so, I would make sure you could manipulate the slide.I have handled one but never have shot one.my issue with it is it dissapears in my hand.it may be just right for you.do you have a range nearby that rents firearms?...might be a good start,especially if its the place where you may train.


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## Bazoo (Jun 26, 2014)

Howdy, I am a firearms expert and firearms instructor for KY. My wife is little, and she is pretty weak. She has a hard time racking the slide on most automatics. She's tried about every type of major auto around. A bersa thunder 380 is the only one she's found that she can comfortably use. The slide is easy to rack, and the controls easy to use. The recoil is very light as its a larger size 380 than something like a keltec p3at or a ruger lcp. 

If you dont have to have an automatic, i'd suggest a revolver, but i'd go somewhat different than the norm of suggesting a small revolver like the j frame smith with a 2" barrel. First of all, Do not get a 642. The recoil is terrible. IM 6'5 and 330 pounds and it hurts my hand because its aluminum framed. Get an all steel version. A ruger LCR is out of the question as its lighter than the 642. My recommendation would be a smith and wesson 36, with a 3" barrel. It wont be as concealable as a 2" barrel, but you'll gain barrels in the way of accuracy from the extra inch of sight radius. Also the extra weight forward helps dampen recoil. If you get one, you can lighten the trigger pull by having the trigger return spring changed to an 11 or 12 pound instead of the original 15. It will make world of difference. Also, you might look into a ruger SP101. Its a heavier small frame revolver. It has pretty light recoil as a result. I believe you can also get it with a 3" barrel.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Bazoo,

You might want to edit your post and insert the word "Semi" in front of the word "Automatic". No reason to ask for a visit from the ATF.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

Im surprised nobody said anything about a ppk but they are very expensive. 

The one her friend has for $50 I would take that if I were you and it is in good shape. I don't think you can beat it for a start.


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## Dark Jester (Jun 8, 2014)

My 2¢... There are many good surplus handguns out there for good prices. A suggestion; CZ50 compact pistol in .32 ACP caliber. Single or double action, 3½" barrel, 6" overall, and hold 8 rounds. Easy to shoot and made by a quality company; CZ. The .32 ACP is a manageable cartridge to shoot and these handguns can be found for around $225.00.


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## Mrs_Clark (Jun 25, 2014)

My friend and I just got back from the range. I fired 3 shots through the tcp and it jammed but I was able to clear the jam and fixed my grip and put 22 more rounds through with no problems before my arms started getting sore. I only used fmj but I'm going to order some jhp online. So I think its a keeper.


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