Please help a rookie pick a semiauto (vanity)

I can't answer about the Sig, as I've never owned one. My friend (the ex-SEAL) really loves Sigs, so you could consider that an endorsement

re: duty versus concealed-carry: a good duty (open-carry) gun is not necessarily going to be very concealable. That's why manufactorers make guns in "full-size", "compact" and "sub-compact" sizes.

For "concealed carry", you're probably going to go more for "discrete" carry rather than absolute deep-cover concealment. A small, light gun is easier to conceal than a bigger, heavier gun, but it's also generally less accurate and subjects the shooters hand to more recoil (the amount of recoil you will experience is proportional to the mass and velocity of the bullet, and inversely proportional to the mass of the gun. Try shooting a titanium "air-weight" revolver with .38 +P rounds some day. Ouch! )

For a duty gun, you want something massive enough that you can rapidly fire +P rounds through it without the recoil causing the gun to smack you in the face. For a concealment gun, you want something light and small.

I have two "main" guns: a .38 snubby for max concealment, and a .45 for when I know I'm going to be passing thru bad areas at night and concealability is secondary to the "warm and fuzzy" feeling that 10 rounds of .45 hollowpoint on your hip will give you

Since I've posted this thread I've gone done some intensive Sig and Glock research on Glocktalk, Sigforum and thefiringline. My findings are pretty much along the lines of what you see here. Some have a preference, most have a lot of respect for both and many own both.

It really looks like I'll be fine if I just pick the one that fits and points the best for me and practice-practice-practice.

New wahoo--from an old wahoo (U.VA. 72). Lazamataz nailed it. Get 'em all! (BLOAT)

After much research, I bought my daughter a Sig .357 (2340) for her 21st birthday. She is mechanically minded, loves it and is very good with it. The ammunition is a bit pricey and I am not inclined to reload, but the piece is very, very reliable. While partial to my old pinned and recessed 6" S&W N frame .357 with Pachmayr grips, I am now looking at my own, very own Sig.

It really looks like I'll be fine if I just pick the one that fits and points the best for me and practice-practice-practice.

That sounds like the best approach. The gun that fits the best in my (large) hand is not going to feel right in my wife's hand. The only way you'll be able to tell what's right for you is to go and feel them

BTW, www.cheaperthandirt.com has Sellier & Bellot 9mm ammo on sale for $6.29/box of 50 rounds, which is a pretty decent price. (I don't know how much practice ammo your dept allocates for you, but buying an extra case for practice would seem a good investment)

www.cheaperthandirt.com has Sellier & Bellot 9mm ammo on sale for $6.29/box of 50 rounds, which is a pretty decent price.

Check out http://www.ammoman.com. You can get Wolf 9mm for $105 per 1000 rounds. They also have Sellier & Bellot 9mm for $139 per 1000.

That price includes shipping. They are in NJ, so you should get fast service.

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