Sig Sauer P938
Can't go wrong with a Sig
Posted on 12/19/2012 6:00:17 PM PST by jdsteel
I'm interested in a 9mm or slightly smaller quality handgun that has a stock laser pointer. Comfortable carry and the laser are equally important.
For what you are describing, the Ruger LC9 is one of the better priced standards everyone seems to praise. (no experience with it myself).
http://www.ruger.com/products/lc9/models.html
I ask because You can get a Ruger LCP .380 (6+1 capacity), or a S&W 642 .38 special (5 round capacity) stock with a laser.
Oops, I forgot that the LC9 has a laser option.
Is this your first pistol? If it is, learn how to shoot and practice w/o the laser.
Iron sights first then lasers.
My 2 cents...
You might find the MouseGuns comparison chart useful.
http://www.mouseguns.com/PocketAutoComparison.pdf
Can't go wrong with a Sig
What are you comfortable shooting? Is the firearm for self defense? A 9mm or smaller isn't much good against large four-legged predators. Are your hands large, average or small?
You can't point and plug? Most confrontations occur within 3 meters in a home setting, and I can do that in the dark without my glasses. Anything longer distance, I'm going to want glasses, pants, and a rifle. And maybe shoes. I find visible light lasers to be a distraction.
/johnny
Batteries fail, quality range time does not.
S&W Bodyguard 380 sounds like the gun you want. Its easy to conceal, has an integral laser, has a DAO trigger that isn’t going to get pulled by accident but is easy to keep on target. I’ve put about 300 rounds though mine (5 brands of a mix of JHP and FMJ) and have never had a misfeed or fail to fire.
I carried a j-frame for years, but this has replaced them as my everyday carry gun.
I think they probably do a lot of PowerPoint over there.
“Batteries fail, quality range time does not.”
That should be engraved someplace.
At twelve feet you don’t need a laser.
Another vote for the Ruger LC9.
If you're buying for personal defense and know (be honest) you're not going to get a lot of training and practice go with a wheel gun. Hard to clear a jam with some guy beating or stabbing you.
What would Dr. Evil say about iron sights first and lasers later?
A laser is a good training tool. They can be turned on or off.
You would be surprised at the low percentage of hits in a real gun battle.
http://www.impactguns.com/advsearch.aspx?i=1;q=laser;q1=Firearms;q2=Handguns;sort=RetailPrice;x1=t1;x2=t2
do some browsing here (not the only online site I recommend, but they have a good selection; http://www.budsgunshop.com is good too and has better prices). It’s a nice look at price and availability on some options that will be mentioned here. To some extent, you get what you pay for.
oopsies, somebody turn off the red!
The shot group loosens as the pucker tightens....
I wish you hadn’t posted that. I don’t need to spend another $600 on guns right now, but I really want that one. I’ve had my eye on it for a while now (since they came out). I have an XDm .45 and love it but of course it’s too big to carry concealed.
Laseraim was making the last weapon with an integral laser sight, but many makers offer a sight bundled with a weapon (usually a Crimson Trace) or you can get one aftermarket.
That has a lot to do with people who just want to get rounds off because it fees good to them. I guess they think the sound protects them.
If you are shooting in self defense, then you are in a ‘may die’ situation. Accept it and take the extra 1/2 sec and aim. At least a little. Or point with your arm before pulling the trigger.
I refuse to buy any more small guns, I'm waiting for Open Carry and then the Rossi Ranch Hand 45 Colt comes out :)
Smith & Wesson 380 Bodyguard. Comes with the laser and can be carried in a pant pocket
thanks! I have the keltec p32 and have to say I don’t really trust it. Its not very accurate and jams more often then any other gun I’ve ever owned.
In a real incident you might even have to rely on point shooting.
**************************
The Taurus 85 ultralight is a nice gun for the money. .38 special snubbies slip right into the pocket and nobody has to know you are carrying. But they are strictly up close defense tools unless you are a tournament shooter.
Reviewed by Mr. Hickok himself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT1q1C_PnIY
S&W Bodyguard .380 fits your bill. I carry it in my back pocket w/pocket holster. Also carry Kel-Tec P3AT .380 in my front pocket. Carry it in my front pocket for quick retrieval and no safety on it for draw and fire...if need be. Both are double action, but the S&W has laser sights. Yes, I conceal carry two...
The laser site is a great training tool that can be turned on and off. A person doesn't have to go to the range to practice pointing. With the laser they can see exactly how close they would come to hitting what they are pretending to shoot at. This is especially helpful in a home. With daily practice one can become proficient at point and shoot without using sites.
I used a BB gun to become proficient at point and shoot without using sites. I can now pick up a BB gun point, shoot and kill a red squirrel at up to 50 feet.
I've got grand-dad's .38 snubby. It's a house pistol, or an open carry field pistol. I'm not large enough to carry it concealed in the summertime. Concealed is more difficult for some of us.
You are correct that most close encounters are dealt well with them. I've used it 5 times, and handed it once across the fence to the State Trooper former neighbor to send rattlesnakes to their great reward with snake shot.
/johnny
“Batteries fail, quality range time does not.”
“That should be engraved someplace.”
I agree.
Light, accurate, concealable.
I've only put about 500 rounds through mine, but no problems whatsoever. Also, I like that it has no safety. It has a long, smooth trigger pull, which takes a little getting used to but actually works quite well. My daughter has a P9 which has special rifling and night sights. It's popular for LE backup gun.
My wife (She Who Must Be Obeyed) likes it too. That's a plus.
I paid 550 out the door. traded an old .38 and .25 towards it. made it less painful.
My brother brought his XDs over to shoot and it was very nice...and small. You have to learn the right force to use to rack a round or a jam is very possible which is why I lean toward revolvers. The XDs carries 1 and 5 so the capacity argument doesn’t even apply here.
Chuckle. I got a S&W Airweight a couple of years ago. First time I took it to the range I was just glad to hit the target. Well, *lots* of $$ for ammo and careful practice and I can now usually do a hand size group at up to 18 feet. Which means in a real life situation I would be doing well to get a good chest hit at that distance. But I figure at 12 feet I am in fairly good shape. With good self defense ammo, the little bugger packs a pretty nice punch. It's very concealable and being a revolver with an 8.5 lb trigger pull, if you shoot someone, it's because you planned to.
Another vote for the Kahr. They have 6 pocket sized models (9mm and 40) that are very high quality, and do not have needless safeties that render the gun useless in an emergency ( the ruger mentioned above has 7 safety features, half of them are known to cause malfunctions and render the gun a very small club, I had one and got rid of it).
The Kahr is as weather proof and corrosion proof as you can get in a firearm, very important in a tool you will carry close to your body summer and winter. Stainless steel and polymer or aluminum frame.
Learn to shoot at pistol distances, and look into the laser later, after you get comfortable with whatever you get.
You might consider modifying an OTC green light laser to be extra powerful. Much more potent than red light.
US citizens cannot buy any OTC green laser over 5mW. But you can legally modify your 5mW green laser all the way up to 150mW, with power depending on the module used.
This is legal because while it is illegal to buy a functional laser as such, you can import laser modules over 5mW without FDA safety features 100% legally. It is also legal to assemble your own handheld laser over 5mW as long as you don’t sell it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQWx-7lH8ec
Bookmark
I had an instructor at a gun shop mention it once and the concept intrigued me.
Nope. Just surprised at the high percentage of warning shots ;-)
You can get aftermarket crimson trace laser for pretty much anything. Focus on getting a gun that fits you and then add the sites. Add some tritium nite sites to it too for redundancy purposes. get a Glock 19.
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