First gun / CCW recommendations?

[jbos6]

BS. You don't put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to fire. Any thing else is just an excuse for poor training

Fair enough ... as I said, statistics can be tweaked to sound any way you want them to. I'm interested by David's research that says even trained shooters can finger the trigger even subconsciously, despite the fact that all of us have always been taught to only touch the trigger when we're ready to fire.

I fully agree you SHOULD only touch the trigger when you mean to fire, but is it possible that there is some instinctual need to touch the trigger? *shrugs* Seems it's possible, and as we're all clearly open to possibilities (given that we carry b/c of the possibility of needing a gun), I would thus think I should consider the possibility that David is right when deciding on a carry weapon. Heck, that's all *I'm* saying!

 

[Goomba]

jose, is that your daily holster? that the normal length of your shirts?

 

[Jose]

While we all train to keep the finger off the trigger, a SA trigger reduces the margin of safety to almost nothing once that safety is flicked off.

Double action firearms allow just a bit more margin for error. That's just the way it is.

I do not own nor will I ever own a single action handgun. I want nothing to with with them, all the training in the world notwithstanding.

 

[Jose]

jose, is that your daily holster? that the normal length of your shirts?

I no longer have that holster, but my other OWB holsters ride about the same.

I wear all my shirts untucked so I have no problem concealing IWB or OWB.

 

[Supermoto]

While we all train to keep the finger off the trigger, a SA trigger reduces the margin of safety to almost nothing once that safety is flicked off.
.

the safety margin doesn't change when the safety comes off. It only changes when you rest your finger on the trigger. Using trigger weight as a safety is always a bad choice

 

[Jose]

the safety margin doesn't change when the safety comes off. It only changes when you rest your finger on the trigger. Using trigger weight as a safety is always a bad choice

Suit yourself. When it comes to something as important as a life and death struggle, I want every advantage against a mistake that I can take.

That is one big reason why I compete with the same exact pistols I carry and why NONE of them have gamey light-breaking triggers.

 

[Jose]

these bathroom photos are f'ing classic!

Where else can you get GREAT light and lots of mirrors?

ETA: double ply FTW!

 

[CRSIII]

This pic boggles my mind.
Are you left handed with a Sig with a left hand eject?
Or is this some kind of bathroom mirror magic?

 

[TY43215]

the safety margin doesn't change when the safety comes off. It only changes when you rest your finger on the trigger. Using trigger weight as a safety is always a bad choice

Most data in these cases is related to law Enforcement. The elevated adrenalin levels involved in clearing a building, apprehending a violent suspect, and at the end of an extended chase whether it be vehicle or foot are more than you realize (Been there)

The most prevalent problems do not arise in the best trained but rather happen with those that accept minimum training. Someone carrying for self defense rarely trains to the levels needed to be totally able to rely on training and finger discipline to assure proper safety. It takes years.

Most involved in this type of scenario never realized their finger was on the trigger. Many have no idea how the gun went off. Fear is a very strong affect on what happens. Try searching an unlit building with a hand light and hand gun and see what it does to you.

I believe every option needs to be given to someone carrying for self defense. I have a little bit of experience and still prefer carrying a DA/SA Sig, a DAK Sig, or a DA only revolver. Having that added pressure needed is adding one more safety and requires a totally conscious effort to use deadly force.

When I did training, my biggest emphasis was you can never call that bullet back.

As much as I did not like David's book (Sorry Dave) I respect his data and I believe his data. John Farnum is also a very credible source.

To the OP, I gave a list of items needed for new carry and prices. Add to that list proper training. Going to the range with a buddy is good but it is not proper training unless your buddy is Ernest Langdon, Mas Ayoob, John Farnum, etc.

This is kind of going off topic so I will stop

Good luck to the OP on his search. No matter what you choose, I hope you never use it anywhere but the range.

 

[Jose]

This pic boggles my mind.
Are you left handed with a Sig with a left hand eject?
Or is this some kind of bathroom mirror magic?

You are seeing a mirror image of my right hand side. The pistol is an M&P.

 

[jbos6]

Round Gun Shooter: I greatly appreciate your input, as well as your shopping list. As for training, I plan to shoot with the weapon as much as I can to cover that portion of things, and I agree, I hope the only place I ever have to fire it as at the range. As for my "range buddy" ... suffice it to say that I trust his experience.

 

[Goomba]

http://lonelymachines.org/2009/11/08/pushing-the-envelope-vs-pushing-your-luck/#more-1478

this makes me nervous about purchasing any airweights, anyone have any opinion on this?

 

[JayMac]

http://lonelymachines.org/2009/11/08/pushing-the-envelope-vs-pushing-your-luck/#more-1478

this makes me nervous about purchasing any airweights, anyone have any opinion on this?

Crap... I was just about to post about how I carry an M&P 9c in a SmartCarry as my EDC, but I just handled a 642 airweight today at the store and was considering picking one up as a new carry gun, and now I see this!
If you don't mind, I'm going to start a new thread on this topic to get some specific input!

 

[SecondAmdFirst]

Crap... I was just about to post about how I carry an M&P 9c in a SmartCarry as my EDC, but I just handled a 642 airweight today at the store and was considering picking one up as a new carry gun, and now I see this!
If you don't mind, I'm going to start a new thread on this topic to get some specific input!

Jay, it's a personal choice, but I hated the 642. It pivots way too much and didn't seem accurate. Now I normally shoot a .45, so control isn't the issue. Someone on another thread said you need to change your grip and the accuracy is better. My issue is that I don't want to change my grip since I carry different pieces during the year. All of my CCWs require the same grip and have become second nature. Like I said, it's a personal choice and that is just my 2 cents.

 

[dwarven1]

http://lonelymachines.org/2009/11/08/pushing-the-envelope-vs-pushing-your-luck/#more-1478

There are reasons that I prefer steel for my .357s... although I gotta admit, fear of the gun blowing up hadn't been on the list before!!

but I just handled a 642 airweight today at the store and was considering picking one up as a new carry gun, and now I see this

JayMac, the 340 is a totally different gun than the 642 - different caliber, different frame materials. I've got an Airweight M637 I pocket carry and I have NO doubt that it will perform as it's supposed to when I go to use it. The gun mentioned above was probably assembled incorrectly, since it blew up with the first round of .357 through it.

Get your 642 and be confident in it... especially after you through a few hundred rounds through it to get used to it.

 

[JayMac]

Get your 642 and be confident in it... especially after you through a few hundred rounds through it to get used to it.

Cool, sounds like the reassuring vote of confidence I needed!

 

[George D]

This topic comes up quite often and its similar to asking, "what kind of car should I buy?"
There are a hundred correct answers. Post this again in five years and everyone that posted will have a different answer.
I had been carrying a Glock 19 with 16rds of 9mm in it, then went to a S&W M&P9c but now I am usually carrying a S&W K frame snubnose in 38spl.
The holster will be just as important. If you have a crappy holster that is inconvenient or uncomfortable, you won't carry as often.

 

[jbos6]

This topic comes up quite often and its similar to asking, "what kind of car should I buy?"
There are a hundred correct answers. Post this again in five years and everyone that posted will have a different answer.
I had been carrying a Glock 19 with 16rds of 9mm in it, then went to a S&W M&P9c but now I am usually carrying a S&W K frame snubnose in 38spl.
The holster will be just as important. If you have a crappy holster that is inconvenient or uncomfortable, you won't carry as often.

Alright, perhaps George D is onto something. Perhaps I should have said "does anyone know any reason why I should NOT purchase one of these pistols I'm considering." Of course, I'll ultimately go with something that fits my hand and that I'm comfortable with, but as I'm going into this as my first pistol purchase, I guess I want to make sure that I'm not making a mistake and purchasing something without considering some major point that, in my inexperience, I wouldn't have known to consider.

 

[George D]

Alright, perhaps George D is onto something. Perhaps I should have said "does anyone know any reason why I should NOT purchase one of these pistols I'm considering." Of course, I'll ultimately go with something that fits my hand and that I'm comfortable with, but as I'm going into this as my first pistol purchase, I guess I want to make sure that I'm not making a mistake and purchasing something without considering some major point that, in my inexperience, I wouldn't have known to consider.

My 1911 is my favorite gun, its what God would carry if he needed a gun.
However, I find it to be a bit large/heavy and I found myself not carrying it because it made me too self conscious about. I love shooting it but I rarely carry it.
Inversely, you don't want it to be so light that you don't even know its there because if for some reason you lose it, good bye LTC, and rightly so.

 

[SecondAmdFirst]

Alright, perhaps George D is onto something. Perhaps I should have said "does anyone know any reason why I should NOT purchase one of these pistols I'm considering." Of course, I'll ultimately go with something that fits my hand and that I'm comfortable with, but as I'm going into this as my first pistol purchase, I guess I want to make sure that I'm not making a mistake and purchasing something without considering some major point that, in my inexperience, I wouldn't have known to consider.

I say look at the Walther P99c. It's pretty small and light, but still carries 10+1. If you get one with the full kit, there is also changeable backstraps to fit different hands. Also, if someplace rents them, best to try it out at the range first.

 

[Bfatz]

I enjoy carrying my Sig 232 as well as the 239, but for everyday carry, my S&W Airweight 638 is tops. Maybe not cell phone weight, but sometimes I hardly know it's there.

 

[Jose]

http://lonelymachines.org/2009/11/08/pushing-the-envelope-vs-pushing-your-luck/#more-1478

this makes me nervous about purchasing any airweights, anyone have any opinion on this?

Yes, I have an opinion.

Staying away from a well-proven design due to a failure sample size of one is stupidity.

I have almost 1200 rounds through my 637 (exposed hammer, stainless steel/aluminum Airweight) and the barrel is still attached to the frame. And most of the loads are 158 grain +Ps.

 

[xring]

Try a Commander size 1911. Smaller than a full size, bigger than an Officer's model and still has the feature that make a 1911 one of the easiest guns to shoot accurately, namely, a crisp single action trigger.