Posted on 11/19/2014 7:38:52 AM PST by Gamecock
Title pretty much sums it up.
Interested in one I can secure in my glovebox, if I feel the need. and keep at home to "discourage" anyone who may want to do us harm.
In the military I was used to a 9mm and back in the day a .45.
Will look for a concealed carry weapon later.
What does y'all suggest?
Many thanks!
Glock 19.
Pretty much perfect for any need, given no details on particular needs.
Threaded-barrel models are available from the factory now (add a suppressor!).
I use to have a really nice Sig P 226 Mk5 until my wife tried it. Now she has a really nice Sig P226 Mk5 and I am back to using my old Sig Spartan.
That's how I did it. I went into my local Bass Pro Shop...they have a large selection of pistols, and just asked questions and handled guns. The salesman was helpful and all, but it really came down to what felt best in my hand (Beretta M9).
Also, 9mm ammo is much cheaper than most, and the last thing you want is the cost of ammo to deter you from going to the range, IMO. Sadly, a bunch of indians took the gun from me on the trail this spring.
+1 indeed!
My wife and I both carry Glocks, but, that’s our choice after going to the range and using several different brands.
Just remember to get practice rounds for practice and hollow points for carry.
and
Practice Practice Practice!
First, are you willing to use it, if your life depends on it?
Second are you willing to learn the details of the laws governing the carrying of weapons and the use of deadly force?
Do you want to get a concealed carry license?
Depending on your answers then you need to ask yourself how do you want to carry the weapon of concealed carry and how do you want to store the weapon when not on your person.
Then when all those are answered you can start figuring out what kind of firearm you want.
I have a cpl, I have learned the local laws that govern firearms. I prefer pocket carry. I want a firearm bullet caliber that can pass the FBI penetration test requirements. That limits the size and weight of my choice of firearms to a couple dozen that are currently manufactured.
Since you have experience with both 9mm and .45 acp, you are familiar are probably familiar with single action full size semi-automatics, suitable for inside the belt concealed carry. The previous advice from others is just fine as to trying out what feels good.
If you want pocket carry then that is a whole other kettle of fish. If that is the case, then Kahr, Keltec, Ruger, Sig Sauer and others make extremely small single and double action 9mm pistols. I would look at the smallest lightest ones that you feel you can control in your hand. My personal favorites are a KelTec PF-9 and a Sig 938. Both require you to work with the firearm before it can become a true concealed carry weapon. By that I mean you need to learn a new way of shooting so that your wrist doesn't reduce the recoil transferred by the pistol to the slide and you need to learn what kind of ammo the pistol will reliably function with. On ultra small & light firearms the physics of the firearm changes dramatically and tolerances require the shooter to become part of the design.
Good luck
And how often do you carry a .30 caliber rifle? See rule #1.
That doesn’t make rule #4 true.
I’m SURE someone had already said it, but Taurus Judge. The most versatile weapon out there. Best thing against a carjacker.
I picked up a very low cost one, the SCCY in 9 MM. $250.00 brand new. Double action only and concealable. If it is confiscated by some abusive cop you are not out much.
The other is a Makarov 9x18. Low cost and works well.
For a bigger one I picked up a SARB6P 9MM. Very low cost, $300.00 double and single action based on the CZ 75 style but with a smaller grip for my hands.
I prefer a Browning Hi-Power but they are too expensive and the one I have is way too valuable to shoot.
For a pistol that isn’t intended for concealed carry, then your criteria should be based purely on it’s use in a shootout with an armed bad guy.
We compromise with concealed carry for size and weight, but the only time you would ever be using your glove compartment pistol would be in a “situation” so your focus should be purely on it’s effectiveness.
One thing I would add to your list of recommendations is the option, in many cases, of being able to change the fit and feel of a handgun by changing the grips/stocks.
His rule 4 is generally true.
A bigger bullet is better than a faster bullet, up to a point in the difference. A way faster bullet will be more effective than a somewhat heavier bullet. A soft tip will do more damage than FMJ. There are many differences that can affect stopping power. But, generally speaking, he is correct.
The stopping power of any handgun bullet turns out to be a function of its ability to disrupt vital bodily functions, not the diameter or weight or initial shape of the bullet that strikes the victim. For example, the difference in the size of the entrance hole made by a .451” bullet compared to that made by a .355” bullet in an elastic (semi-self sealing) material like skin turns out to be largely irrelevant to stopping power. The idea (which I have heard expressed) that a bigger bullet makes a bigger hole to “bleed out” a man or an animal is faintly ridiculous.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/beginners_stopping_power.htm
I have a Beretta Px-4 9mm. My hands have gotten beaten up over the years and are arthritic to say the least (everything hurts). The relatively small Beretta is easy to handle, load and shoot and breaking it down to clean isn’t beyond my stiff fingers. It’s accurate out to, at least 25 yards which is pretty much my limit, I don’t really know how a talented shooter would do at greater range. The other handgun I’m comfortable with is a .38 special Colt revolver. I’m not going to put it in my coat pocket. However, it’s quite accurate.
Very smooth, accurate and with an easy recoil. And like you said, 9mm is cheap and generally available.
Plus, with the Baretta M9/92FS there's a decent selection of mags, grips, accessories and parts. Make it personal.
It is a bit BIG, and heavier than a plastic framed, but one of the all time great pistols, in my very humble opinion, and often found at a good to great price.
Given its military history, it's a top choice pistol, especially if you can only have one.
I’ve got a nice Lorcin I’ll sell ya.
It does when you consider that the rules are listed in order and for a reason. Rule #2 is subject to rule #1. Rule #4 is subject to rule #3, #2, and #1
I have the Springfield XD 9 mm and really really like it. I thought a bit too big and bulky when I bought it but happy with the way it/me shoots. Wife just got a S & W single stack 9 and that is a solid weapon. Love to shoot that as well.
NOW you’ve done it, Gamecock. You’ve touched the third rail, and all of us will come out of the woodwork to pitch our favorite handguns.
Let me be the Nteenth person to suggest a revolver. Unless the ammo is bad, it will work every time you pull the trigger; no fail to fires, not fails to eject, just boom. Few things are as intimidating to a bad guy as a shiny revolver pointing at them. My S&W 686+ fires 7 shots. Almost every personal defense encounter is soled with zero to 2 shots. If you need more, you likely don’t need a handgun; you need a SWAT team.
As to caliber, again that’s a matter of choice. I like my .357 because I can practice with .38’s, and there a quite a few loads for each, from mild recoil to flame thrower. They are fun to take to the range.
Compare the wound penetration of a 6” barrel 357 to a 3” 45 derringer.
12” penetration is critical to stopping power.
The “bigger is better” concept, as applied to handgun caliber, has a strong emotional appeal. However, strong emotional appeal often has little positive correlation with science. Indeed, it may have a negative correlation with reality. Keep this in mind when evaluating handgun stopping power.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/handgun_stopping_power.htm
Back in the 1960’s, big bore fans asserted that .45 ACP 230 grain ball ammo would achieve 95% one shot stops. Subsequent research has shown that 230grain FMJ .45 ACP loads actually provide about 60-64% one shot stops and several smaller calibers using expanding bullets are more effective stoppers. The most effective of all self-defense handgun cartridges is the medium bore .357 Magnum with a 125 grain JHP bullet, which provides 93-97% stops. Those numbers are supported by a huge data base and several different researchers, working independently, have discovered essentially the same thing.
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