The Handgun Thread
- Thread starter SirTimothy
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1818Steve
Guest
Rules for a Gunfight
Anonymous
6. If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun and a friend with a long gun.
Anonymous
6. If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun and a friend with a long gun.
LeeEnfield303
Pelican
The LCP is ok for what it is - a 'point defense' weapon good to about 15 yards. Self-defense only. If you have large hands, its going to be a bit to hold since its so small.
For a first pistol for "nightstand" or general use, I would get a good 9mm semi like a Glock 17 or the equivalent. Glocks are an acquired taste...some love, some hate. But there's Springfield XD, S&W M&P, etc. No shortage of 9mm pistols out there, and you can customize to your heart's content.
I normally CCW a Glock 27, but then I have small hands for a guy. Some day I'll save enough pennies for a Kimber Ultra Carry.
For a first pistol for "nightstand" or general use, I would get a good 9mm semi like a Glock 17 or the equivalent. Glocks are an acquired taste...some love, some hate. But there's Springfield XD, S&W M&P, etc. No shortage of 9mm pistols out there, and you can customize to your heart's content.
I normally CCW a Glock 27, but then I have small hands for a guy. Some day I'll save enough pennies for a Kimber Ultra Carry.
LeeEnfield303
Pelican
1818Steve said:
Rule #1: Bring a gun.
Also good for sword fights.
LeeEnfield303 said:
I was considering these but went with the Kahr PM45 and don't regret it. Has been very reliable and no beaver tail poking me in the stomach when I lean over with it on me. Firm trigger and no safety. Springfield XD is another decent, cheaper, non 1911 45.
SirTimothy
Kingfisher
Company invents a concealed-carry .380 pistol that looks like a smartphone. I don't know how practical it would be (since you apparently have to unfold the grip) but it's a very cool idea.
http://www.examiner.com/article/com...s-like-a-phone-ideal-conceal-has-some-worried
http://www.examiner.com/article/com...s-like-a-phone-ideal-conceal-has-some-worried
I like this for CC: Walther PPS In this: Urban Carry Holster
I like this in the bedroom safe with a light: Glock 17
I don't see any reason to go below or above a 9mm for self-defense unless you are bent on a pocket pistol. Though, in my opinion the linked-to holster is a better option than a pocket pistol. Most modern HP 9mm will be gtg. I have a weak preference for Federal HST rounds for self defense and whatever is on sale at Wall-Mart for the range. Alternatively, you can use http://ammoseek.com/ to find good deals on ammunition (as well as to scout average cost per round for whatever chambering you are considering in a new firearm).
I like this in the bedroom safe with a light: Glock 17
I don't see any reason to go below or above a 9mm for self-defense unless you are bent on a pocket pistol. Though, in my opinion the linked-to holster is a better option than a pocket pistol. Most modern HP 9mm will be gtg. I have a weak preference for Federal HST rounds for self defense and whatever is on sale at Wall-Mart for the range. Alternatively, you can use http://ammoseek.com/ to find good deals on ammunition (as well as to scout average cost per round for whatever chambering you are considering in a new firearm).
I've been casually shopping around and I think my next gun will be a Glock 43. I've never been a big fan of Glock aesthetics, but it looks like a solid pistol. Decent compromise on size, concealabilty, and firepower.
I do not own any handguns as I am in Canada. Plenty of rifles and two shotguns though.
Lately there have been more bear attacks getting closer and closer to home. A couple days ago some guys had to club a sow over the head a couple dozen time before she dropped a kid. Kid is still pretty critical.
Anyways, I have always like the little S&W .357. But this one has been catching my eye:
Is there an advantage of .410 over .357?
I envy you Americans, it must be nice to have the right to carry protection.
Lately there have been more bear attacks getting closer and closer to home. A couple days ago some guys had to club a sow over the head a couple dozen time before she dropped a kid. Kid is still pretty critical.
Anyways, I have always like the little S&W .357. But this one has been catching my eye:
Is there an advantage of .410 over .357?
I envy you Americans, it must be nice to have the right to carry protection.
@Laner - What type of bear? Inland black vs coastal brown/griz is a large delta. I would choose 10mm over both in the form of the Glock 20/29 series due to their light weight, corrosion resistance, recoil mitigation, and their 15/10 round capacities respectively.
To answer your question though I would choose the .357 over the Judge.
Box O' Truth #41: Taurus Judge
.410 3" ballistics
.410 2.5" ballistics
.357 Magnum ballistics
10mm ballistics
44 Magnum ballistics
Truth be told your best bet is a .338+ rifle or a 12 ga with a heavy slug.
To answer your question though I would choose the .357 over the Judge.
Box O' Truth #41: Taurus Judge
.410 3" ballistics
.410 2.5" ballistics
.357 Magnum ballistics
10mm ballistics
44 Magnum ballistics
Truth be told your best bet is a .338+ rifle or a 12 ga with a heavy slug.
Adonis said:
Indeed it is a good idea to shoot a few before purchasing.
Rex I would also recommend giving the XDS a try if you can.
When you look online the differences in dimensions all seem so close and insignificant, but when you handle them you will notice quite a bit of difference between them.
Then, when you fire them, you'll quickly realize which triggers you hate or like, another factor.
After going back and forth between all the single stacks I chose the XDS in the end, which I didn't expect to like so much.
When testing out the others, these were my personal conclusions
-Glock 43: Didn't like the feel in hand, didn't like grip angle, terrible trigger like all Glocks, 6 rounds. Wasn't able to be real accurate with it.
-Sheild: Nice gun overall, but I hate M&P triggers. A smaller point- I find it odd looking.
-Walther PPS M2: Excellent gun, super well made, best ergonomics. I just found it a little more bulky than the others, especially being 6 rounds. Should have been 7 at that height. I would go for it without question if slightly smaller or if 7 rounds.
-LC9s: Super slim, very smooth and snag free, good overall, just the trigger is a little lighter than I want, and I didn't like the feel in hand.
-XDS: Felt good in hand, was crazy accurate for me at distances well beyond intended use, trigger is acceptable, holds 7 rounds. Just was the overall best for me when considering the factors I wanted.
It's important to give a few a try, or at least handle all of them, and dry fire. There are differences in ergonomics, bulk/size, capacity, trigger feel, accuracy (personal and the gun) etc.
TheSergeant
Pigeon
For those on a tight budget but want/need a tough and reliable semiautomatic, the first pistol I bought a couple years ago was a Smith and Wesson SD9VE. It's clearly a stripped-down entry-level firearm and not pretty by any means, but it's remained my favorite. Every time I consider trading it for something a bit sexier, I pick it up and immediately change my mind. It serves as my bedside bump-in-the-night and carry weapon.
Biggest complaint from most owners I see is a heavy, gritty trigger pull. It's never bothered me, but that could be my being used to beat-up M9 pistols in the military.
9mm, DAO, 16 round magazine (capacity 17 with a round chambered), rail for flashlight mounts, has eaten everything from top-quality hollow points to the cheapest steel-cased FMJ junk without a hiccup. Bought it for just over $300 a couple years ago; not sure what they're going for now. I love it.
Biggest complaint from most owners I see is a heavy, gritty trigger pull. It's never bothered me, but that could be my being used to beat-up M9 pistols in the military.
9mm, DAO, 16 round magazine (capacity 17 with a round chambered), rail for flashlight mounts, has eaten everything from top-quality hollow points to the cheapest steel-cased FMJ junk without a hiccup. Bought it for just over $300 a couple years ago; not sure what they're going for now. I love it.
Here's a list of handguns I want to own someday.
Glock 17 - I owned this for a while but ended up selling it to a very close friend. The Glock is very versatile, you can get a shoulder stock, a red dot sight, and a 33 round magazine and turn it into a civilian semi auto submachine in a hurry. Honorable mentions would be it's subcompact little brother, the G26 (also known as the Baby Glock). This would be my conceal and carry, it shoots 9 mm and holds 10 rounds. The G43 is the newer single stack subcompact but it only holds 6 rounds, so for versatility's sake I'd stick with the G26. Fact is, any size doublestack Glock in the same caliber can use any magazine of equal or larger capacity. So a 33 round magazine would fit in a G26 even though it looks hilarious.
Taurus .357 model 608 with a 4 inch barrel (ported)- This is an 8 shot revolver in .357. It is a big ass gun, I believe it weighs 3 pounds unloaded. This would be a "nightstand gun" or one that I could keep loaded at all times and have ready instantly if someone were to break into my house and I was asleep. Depending on recoil I might go with a longer barrel. I'd have a flashlight and a laser on it.
Ruger SP101 with a 3 or 4 inch barrel - I haven't decided which length of barrel would be best. Supposedly revolvers have a quickdraw advantage that semi autos do not. You can also "limp wrist" a revolver or shoot it through a jacket pocket, which you cannot do with a semi auto handgun. The drawback, obviously, is that you have to make those 5 shots count. A revolver is also supposed to be better at "point shooting" which is an instinctive style of shooting. I guess in a fight or flight situation, it is very common to revert to point shooting. If I were to conceal and carry an SP101, I would get a laser pointer and "snap caps" and just drill point shooting every single day. Depending on the situation I would try to practice at least once or twice a week with actual ammo.
The biggest upside to the Ruger SP101 is that it's tanky enough to handle .357 without breaking a sweat. Compared to other revolvers at it's size, that is definitely not the case. It is a very easy shot with .38 special as well.
Using lots of .357 in a similar sized revolver that isn't massively overbuilt like the SP101 will result in quick destruction of the gun.
The upside of point shooting is that it's a lot faster in a defensive, close quarters situation and the downside is that you have a practice a lot to get any good at it.
Another handgun I'd like to own is the Thompson G2 Contender.
It's single shot and it's break action so I know what you're thinking. Hannibal, why the hell would anyone want anything like that? I'll tell you why. Not only does it come in bunch of different calibers, but you can switch out the barrels between calibers in seconds. Want a .223 handgun with a scope? No problem. Do you want to switch it to 30-30? Not a problem there either. You don't even need tools to pull this off. You can also "build your own" on the website to whatever specification you desire.
If I were to buy one of these, it would be for hunting and I'd have .22, .223, 30-30, 45-70 Government and 410. If you've ever looked up long range pistol shooting, this is THE gun to own for that purpose.
Honorable mentions include the NAA Sidewinder or Black Widow .22 magnum revolver, most any flavor of 1911 (I'd like to build one one day), the Taurus Judge because 410 in a handgun is hilarious, and the Serbu Super Shorty 12 gauge "shotgun" that's basically handgun sized.
Glock 17 - I owned this for a while but ended up selling it to a very close friend. The Glock is very versatile, you can get a shoulder stock, a red dot sight, and a 33 round magazine and turn it into a civilian semi auto submachine in a hurry. Honorable mentions would be it's subcompact little brother, the G26 (also known as the Baby Glock). This would be my conceal and carry, it shoots 9 mm and holds 10 rounds. The G43 is the newer single stack subcompact but it only holds 6 rounds, so for versatility's sake I'd stick with the G26. Fact is, any size doublestack Glock in the same caliber can use any magazine of equal or larger capacity. So a 33 round magazine would fit in a G26 even though it looks hilarious.
Taurus .357 model 608 with a 4 inch barrel (ported)- This is an 8 shot revolver in .357. It is a big ass gun, I believe it weighs 3 pounds unloaded. This would be a "nightstand gun" or one that I could keep loaded at all times and have ready instantly if someone were to break into my house and I was asleep. Depending on recoil I might go with a longer barrel. I'd have a flashlight and a laser on it.
Ruger SP101 with a 3 or 4 inch barrel - I haven't decided which length of barrel would be best. Supposedly revolvers have a quickdraw advantage that semi autos do not. You can also "limp wrist" a revolver or shoot it through a jacket pocket, which you cannot do with a semi auto handgun. The drawback, obviously, is that you have to make those 5 shots count. A revolver is also supposed to be better at "point shooting" which is an instinctive style of shooting. I guess in a fight or flight situation, it is very common to revert to point shooting. If I were to conceal and carry an SP101, I would get a laser pointer and "snap caps" and just drill point shooting every single day. Depending on the situation I would try to practice at least once or twice a week with actual ammo.
The biggest upside to the Ruger SP101 is that it's tanky enough to handle .357 without breaking a sweat. Compared to other revolvers at it's size, that is definitely not the case. It is a very easy shot with .38 special as well.
Using lots of .357 in a similar sized revolver that isn't massively overbuilt like the SP101 will result in quick destruction of the gun.
The upside of point shooting is that it's a lot faster in a defensive, close quarters situation and the downside is that you have a practice a lot to get any good at it.
Another handgun I'd like to own is the Thompson G2 Contender.
It's single shot and it's break action so I know what you're thinking. Hannibal, why the hell would anyone want anything like that? I'll tell you why. Not only does it come in bunch of different calibers, but you can switch out the barrels between calibers in seconds. Want a .223 handgun with a scope? No problem. Do you want to switch it to 30-30? Not a problem there either. You don't even need tools to pull this off. You can also "build your own" on the website to whatever specification you desire.
If I were to buy one of these, it would be for hunting and I'd have .22, .223, 30-30, 45-70 Government and 410. If you've ever looked up long range pistol shooting, this is THE gun to own for that purpose.
Honorable mentions include the NAA Sidewinder or Black Widow .22 magnum revolver, most any flavor of 1911 (I'd like to build one one day), the Taurus Judge because 410 in a handgun is hilarious, and the Serbu Super Shorty 12 gauge "shotgun" that's basically handgun sized.
LeeEnfield303
Pelican
Gorgiass said:
Speaking of which, I recently picked up a Springfield XDS 3.3 in .45ACP and like it a great deal.
With appropriate ATF approvals, of course. :-/
Pretty decent choices, Hannibal, but I'd definitely recommend the S&W 627 instead of that Taurus. Or go with the 327 TRR8, it's not so heavy but it's heavy enough to tame the 357 Magnum recoil fairly well. Weighs about the same as the short barrel 686+ I had, and that wasn't bad with full power 357 Mag loads.
You might want to go with a T/C Encore instead of the Contender, too. Beefier frame, can handle higher pressure rounds. I have been wanting an Encore and a pile of barrels since I was a teenager, but I've never found one for sale locally when I had money. That's kind of amazing considering how many guns I've bought.