MDCmotorsports;882918 said:
My next pistol is definitely going to be a 1911. I open carry so the size isnt a factor for me. The Loaded full size combat looks sweet or I handled an OD/black mil spec one too that seemed awesome.
Gun caliber?
- Thread starter iwannadie
- Start date
My next pistol is definitely going to be a 1911. I open carry so the size isnt a factor for me. The Loaded full size combat looks sweet or I handled an OD/black mil spec one too that seemed awesome.
cuel;882929 said:
Well by quick I dont mean cowboy gun slinging but certainly a fast draw that youd want in a defense situation. I have a kydex holster that uses a spring to hold/clamp the gun in place Very secure. It takes a good swift pull to draw it, it took some getting used to compared to my old holster with thumb break strap.
My gun doesnt have a safety button, it uses a grip safety and trigger safety. I want to buy a few 'dummy' rounds so I can chamber it and know its there and see if it ejects etc. Ive never had a mishap but having a loaded clip(not chambered) makes me Very cautious even after like 4 years of having my gun ha.
My gun does feel Very different without a loaded clip. The body is polymer so its Real light weight, the clip feels heavier than the actual gun...
Clueless;882955 said:
Yea, They are nice bright colors to keep track of them, how heavy are they compared a live round?
iwannadie: Sorry, I sometimes forget that all pistols are not equipped with a decock safety. My B.E. 9mm is double action with a decock. It leaves my hand in a natural position, and is easier to flip the switch than pull the hammer back. It has become such a natural part of shooting, that when I pick up the 1911, I still reach for the decock. My friends find it amusing...
The most important part of what I said is Don't pull the trigger. If your finger isn't on the trigger, it won't go off.
The most important part of what I said is Don't pull the trigger. If your finger isn't on the trigger, it won't go off.
iwannadie;882933 said:
I strongly suggest against open carry for a couple of reasons:
-Targeting
If you do happen to be involved in a situation, you are most likely going to be the first one targeted.
-Militia Threat
Some people may see your open carry as offensive and that you are on the prowl for trouble. This is especially true when in known gang territory.
-Sheep factor
Most citizens are sheep. The think like sheep. They act like sheep. They vote like sheep. They PANIC like sheep. Do I need to explain more?
-Officer harassment
Even if its legal to carry in your state or city openly, most officers will question you the moment they see you with a hand cannon strapped to your hip. The officer knows you NOT from a criminal to a open carry legal hand gun owner. You may be questioned with a hostile voice, or you may be questioned in a calm matter. It depends on the LEO.
Best of both worlds for me, fast and heavy. 200gr at 1200 FPS, 10MM. I love 10MM auto. Second choice is 45ACP. But I'll carry either without a qualm.
9MM, never.
9MM, never.
iwannadie;882165 said:
the .45 bullet was designed specifically against collateral damage. It imparts the maximum energy possible as quickly as possible. I believe that it is supposed to stop within 6 inches of entry wound.
I prefer something smaller tho. i kinda like a .38 personally
Supracentral;882909 said:
+1
a friend of mine is a retired LEO. long while back he pulled a guy over for speeding, and the passenger shot him twice with .45. one round grazed right side of his chest, second round entered lower right abdomen and exited bout an inch from his 2nd or 3rd lumbar, dont remember which. put him in the hospital for a while, he got lucky as fook. He worked another 6 years before retiring. I dunno if i'd have stayed on after something like that.
currently, his preferred CC is a NAA .22 (i'm thinking about getting one myself)
EDIT: training at any range is good, but I don't imagine that you will be assailed from farther than 10 feet unless the other guy is likewise armed, in which case you're jolly-well-fucked if he has the drop on you.
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.40 S&W is a good round for multipurpose, fairly accurate, lots of power over a 9mm, having fired regurlary a Beretta M92F and a Glock Model 22C as well as a Colt 1911 .45 and a Sig P226 9mm I have my preferences, for a 9mm the Sig is a great handgun, although for the price you can get a much more powerful gun of similar quality. FN makes a handgun can't remember what it's called the uses high velocity 5.7mm rounds similar to the P90 or PS90 carbine. It's almost identical in price for a Sig but much more accurate and powerful.
I like the Glock 22C model though out of them all, fairly inexpensive, very reliable, no safety to switch off in a tactical situation such as a break in or police shooting (I'm going to be a road office sometime in next year or so) and it uses the .40S&W which is easy to get, offered in a variety of types and has accuracy and stopping power.
I like the Glock 22C model though out of them all, fairly inexpensive, very reliable, no safety to switch off in a tactical situation such as a break in or police shooting (I'm going to be a road office sometime in next year or so) and it uses the .40S&W which is easy to get, offered in a variety of types and has accuracy and stopping power.
MDCmotorsports;883058 said:
Well not to turn this into a political thread, open carry in Az is Very common and I havent had any problems over the years. Id rather not go into more details here lol...
iwannadie;883600 said:
it depends on the state...I don't see anybody open carrying, I thought about it myself especially riding a motorcycle.
Wills7MGTE;883496 said:
FN Five-seveN. it shoots the same round as the p90 so that militaries using it have interchangeable ammo.
20 round mag
FWIW, here are the reasons for the choices I made:
* 9mm Cougar 8000 for home defense: This was my first pistol, and I bought it in 9mm, because it was the highest powered caliber that every adult in the house could shoot. My wife and stepdaughter are both comfortable with it. It's all steel and high capacity, which makes for easy recoil and perfect for the bedroom. Had it been just me, it would definitely have been a 40, if not 45 depending on my ability to shoot without flinching.
* 380 ACP - Kel Tec P3AT: Yes, I get a lot of crap for carrying a cheap pistol in a wimpy round. The reason is that it is the only affordable pocket pistol I know of, in the highest possible caliber. It's ALWAYS with me - always (well, except at work where I am forced to relinquish my right to self protection :3d_frown: ). Caliber doesn't mean a thing if a gun is too big or heavy, or uncomfortable to have with you every single time you walk out the door and for me that means a pocketable auto. Actually it's pretty accurate, and has been good for reliability. Recently I've started to run into light primer strikes, but I am calling KT for a firing pin spring replacement, which is a well documented fix. My wife and daughter HATE this gun, because at only 8oz empty and a tiny grip, it snaps pretty sharply. Doesn't matter much, since it's always in my front right pants pocket, though.
What's next? Well, I can tell you with a lot of confidence that it will be these or something close to it:
* 9mm Kahr PM9 or Taurus Mil Pro (single stack config): Either of these can be pocket carried, but not quite as easily. I've dropped 6 lbs recently, and if I can drop another 10 it should be a lot easier for inner waistband carry, and it would be nice to have the choice between IWB and pocket carry. Why 9mm when I could step up to 40 S&W with the same dimensions? Well, since I have no intention of taking the 9mm away from my wife, it would be safer and easier to keep ammo from a single caliber in stock. If I had the money, though it would be a Rohrbaugh R9 which is virtually identical to the KT in dimensions, but much higher quality and chambered in 9mm. At a grand for a mouse gun, it isn't something I'm likely to buy anytime soon...
* For the women: 38 snubby DAO with enclosed hammer - probably Taurus, maybe a Charter if I can be convinced of their reliability. These are just so freaking easy to shoot, and have proven themselves for decades as effective bad guy stoppers. My step daughter turns 21 in a year and has already asked for a carry piece for her birthday. I want to get her to the range and let her shoot one, but given the concealability, light weight, easy recoil, reliability, inexpensive and proven effectiveness, I can't think of anything better. My wife is considering a carry piece, and I have the same thoughts for her.
* 9mm Cougar 8000 for home defense: This was my first pistol, and I bought it in 9mm, because it was the highest powered caliber that every adult in the house could shoot. My wife and stepdaughter are both comfortable with it. It's all steel and high capacity, which makes for easy recoil and perfect for the bedroom. Had it been just me, it would definitely have been a 40, if not 45 depending on my ability to shoot without flinching.
* 380 ACP - Kel Tec P3AT: Yes, I get a lot of crap for carrying a cheap pistol in a wimpy round. The reason is that it is the only affordable pocket pistol I know of, in the highest possible caliber. It's ALWAYS with me - always (well, except at work where I am forced to relinquish my right to self protection :3d_frown: ). Caliber doesn't mean a thing if a gun is too big or heavy, or uncomfortable to have with you every single time you walk out the door and for me that means a pocketable auto. Actually it's pretty accurate, and has been good for reliability. Recently I've started to run into light primer strikes, but I am calling KT for a firing pin spring replacement, which is a well documented fix. My wife and daughter HATE this gun, because at only 8oz empty and a tiny grip, it snaps pretty sharply. Doesn't matter much, since it's always in my front right pants pocket, though.
What's next? Well, I can tell you with a lot of confidence that it will be these or something close to it:
* 9mm Kahr PM9 or Taurus Mil Pro (single stack config): Either of these can be pocket carried, but not quite as easily. I've dropped 6 lbs recently, and if I can drop another 10 it should be a lot easier for inner waistband carry, and it would be nice to have the choice between IWB and pocket carry. Why 9mm when I could step up to 40 S&W with the same dimensions? Well, since I have no intention of taking the 9mm away from my wife, it would be safer and easier to keep ammo from a single caliber in stock. If I had the money, though it would be a Rohrbaugh R9 which is virtually identical to the KT in dimensions, but much higher quality and chambered in 9mm. At a grand for a mouse gun, it isn't something I'm likely to buy anytime soon...
* For the women: 38 snubby DAO with enclosed hammer - probably Taurus, maybe a Charter if I can be convinced of their reliability. These are just so freaking easy to shoot, and have proven themselves for decades as effective bad guy stoppers. My step daughter turns 21 in a year and has already asked for a carry piece for her birthday. I want to get her to the range and let her shoot one, but given the concealability, light weight, easy recoil, reliability, inexpensive and proven effectiveness, I can't think of anything better. My wife is considering a carry piece, and I have the same thoughts for her.
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There are plenty of ultra compact .45's out there. The Glock 26 is under 6" long. The Bersa Thunder .45 is easily concealed even in casual wear.
Supracentral;884041 said:
Id like to get my hands on one of the new micro .45's 1911 from the Springfield Armory.
Two problems I have with them though:
1.) $$$$$ Over $900 for most of them that Ive seen.
2.) Ive seen alot of the micros jam due to the short stroke of the slide
All in all, to answer the original question, caliber size is one consideration, but like option 3 in the poll said, "Both have their place". I think it comes down to more of a prioritization of the following:
Answer all the questions above and then put in order of descending importance. Then you can start to search for pieces that match up best to your specific requirements.
Even within the same areas, individuals can value things very differently. Case in point: Earlier I mentioned that I was willing to sacrifice in caliber so that I would be absolutely certain that I always had my gun with me (i.e. for me, concealability outweighs caliber). In response, SC suggests that there are many concealable guns in 45. He is more willing to carry outside his pocket, therefore for him caliber >> gun physical dimensions.
The point is, everybody will have their own specific priority list in their own particular order of importance. The most important thing is that you know what works best for you and stick to it. That way you will carry often and carry confidently. Same can be said of whatever you choose for home defense. So take what people say here, get your list together and choose accordingly.
- Caliber (big & slow / small and fast)
- Purpose (Concealed Carry vs Home Defense vs Do it All) = Physical dimesions of the gun
- Recoil Tolerance of the Shooter
- Users of the gun (Just for you or Do-It-All for you and your wife?)
- Matching ammo to other guns in the house for efficiency and safey?
- Type (auto / revolver)
- Action (DAO, SA/DA, etc)
- Frame Type (Steel vs Polymer)
- Price
- Others
Answer all the questions above and then put in order of descending importance. Then you can start to search for pieces that match up best to your specific requirements.
Even within the same areas, individuals can value things very differently. Case in point: Earlier I mentioned that I was willing to sacrifice in caliber so that I would be absolutely certain that I always had my gun with me (i.e. for me, concealability outweighs caliber). In response, SC suggests that there are many concealable guns in 45. He is more willing to carry outside his pocket, therefore for him caliber >> gun physical dimensions.
The point is, everybody will have their own specific priority list in their own particular order of importance. The most important thing is that you know what works best for you and stick to it. That way you will carry often and carry confidently. Same can be said of whatever you choose for home defense. So take what people say here, get your list together and choose accordingly.