Rifle rich and pistol poor...

freefall said:
This is the last time I will waste my time here.
DON'T LISTEN TO THESE GUYS!
Go to a big gunstore, or two or three, and feel all the pistols they have.
NOBODY is making shit handguns these days, at least in the names you've heard of.
The one that feels right FOR YOU is the one you need. Not the one I like, not the one ANYBODY likes.
Pick it up, shut your eyes, raise it to ready position, if you're looking down the sights, that's your gun.
Send me $6 for the advice, and quit reading all this crap.
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Yup....agree with you on handling as many as possible....have couple of sig 1911 as love 1911s, and a glock 19...very old first model...carry that around on the ranch as not bothered if it gers beat up....wanted something bit smaller...and so when in the gunshop I use whenever he got some new stuff in I would check them out...obviously not a nassive selection like you get over there ...but not bad....handled small sigs...berettas...glocks...and odd other ones....but none really felt right to me...then just recently he got in some taurus G3c ones....picked the show one up ...and yup instant feel good ...so did the deal and licensing and home it came ....that was probably over a year or so...but patience was rewarded....strange as actually that is a commodity I have probably zero amount of :X3: :E Rofl:
 
As another person said, drop by a well stocked gun store and try out some sub-compacts and micro compacts. If you're a bigger framed guy, you may be comfortable carrying a larger pistol. Also check out handgunhero.com for comparisons. If small is where you want to be, I can tell you the major manufacturers have gotten 9mm pistols about as small as they can get in the micro compact class. One may have one shot more capacity than another or be 0.1" shorter in one dimension, but that's about it.
 
When shopping, get the gun that fits YOU! I have never shot a 1911 well, but the SW M39 fits me like a glove. A Glock is a non starter with me.
After dropping my Gemsbok with a .338 shoulder shot at 150 yards, my PH offered me his Glock to put the critter out of its misery - damn Glock-thing did not fit my hand , so it took 2 shots to hit the heart.

Nope, it is S&W for me for revolvers and autos. Well, except, maybe a Walther,

Oh yes, my grandson just bought himself a full size Walther 9mm pistol which came well equipped in a nice box.. Do not remember the model , but it is very slick and does fit my hand! Looking forward to his next visit so I can shoot it. He will be home from college for the holidays and we will do some shooting then. Meanwhile, my son has the Walther in his safe.
 
@steve white , like many others have said, I would suggest holding and shooting as many different pistols as you can to see what fits you best and gives you the best accuracy combined with the most user-friendly operation. Along those lines, I see from your profile that you are in the Dallas area. I think myself and maybe a few other members of this forum may try to get together at the gun show in Allen (north of Dallas) next weekend (probably on Sunday) and maybe grab a beer afterwards. If that comes together, you would be welcome to join us; and although the show in Allen isn't a large show, there is plenty of opportunity to handle most of the current combat/defensive pistol models on the market.
 
Steve White, If you truly ment what you said about accuracy than based on my experience as a competitive pistol shooter your best option will be something from Accuracy X. Not cheap but the best. Depending on your preferences a 1911 styled pistol and or one of their new Glock 19 AXE pistols will fill the bill. I own several of Steve Huff's pistols and am in the process pf buying another. here is a link to the Accuracy X website, https://accuracyx.com/ Send me a PM if you want to talk.
 
I have more than a few handguns around here from .22 revolvers to .44 mags and .45 Colts that make big thunder.
Probably like 1911's as well as anything, but for quick grab and carry I have a small J frame Smith .38 Special +P and another I think has good utility is a P64 in 9 Makarov, sort of between the .380 and 9mm Para in power.
Nightstand gun is a Ruger Security Six SS in .357 mag. KISS.
 
OK, I lied. I'm back.
I just want to say, a quality revolver is FAR more accurate than a production autoloader.
If I had to shoot someone in the eye at 25 yds to rescue my wife, I would want my Security Six. I know I could do it with that.
 
As a long time carrier of J frames, I can no longer recommend them as an only gun for CCW. They are already an expert's weapon with limited sight radius and capacity. With today's environment often having multiple armed adversaries it is as useless as a two shot derringer which I also carried for a time.

You can choose whatever you want in the end, but my favorites current are simple to use in a hurry. I'd advocate a Glock or S&W M&P in .45 or 9mm as they are commonly available and effective. The also have the added benefit of being able to accept magazines from larger pistols for improved capacity. With the Glock one can use a 33 round magazine in 9mm and something like a 25 round magazine in .45 thanks to the adapter from Kriss Vector.

I use the Lucky Gunner tests to see which of the available self defense loadings are most effective in common barrel lengths.
 
Don’t overcomplicate this one. Pick a pistol you like and shoot it and dry fire it A LOT. Pistols, for self defense, are mechanically more accurate than the shooter. I’ve trusted my life to Glock, H&K, FN, and M&P pistols and they all served me well. Find one that you like in your hands and that you instinctively point well. Then practice. Good luck with the search!
 
NTX said:
Don’t overcomplicate this one. Pick a pistol you like and shoot it and dry fire it A LOT. Pistols, for self defense, are mechanically more accurate than the shooter. I’ve trusted my life to Glock, H&K, FN, and M&P pistols and they all served me well. Find one that you like in your hands and that you instinctively point well. Then practice. Good luck with the search!
Click to expand...
What he said.
 
BourbonTrail said:
Springfield XD-M Elite OSP with optics.
Click to expand...
Get it in 10mm. I carry a full-sized 10mm in a chest holster when I'm in bear country. Those 200gr bear bullets work wonders. And because I use the 10mm there, I just use it in my EDC with a compact Springfield with holosun optics. Why the 10mm?

1. Ballistics are just a bit below .357 magnum depending upon what load you put through it. Buffalo Bore will put a 180 grain bullet out at 1350 fps for about 728 ft-lbs of energy. A .357 will put a 180 grain bullet out a about 1400 fps for 783. Underwood Gold Dots use a 155 grain bullet at 1500 fps for 775 ft-lbs whereas their .357 bullets are generally lighter or a touch slower. Point is, ballistically it is a noticable step up from the .45. In my neck of the woods, not only do I have to deal with bears but half the year the residents are swaddled with a number of layers of clothing to keep warm. If I need to use my EDC, I need something that will have the energy to penetrate an out coat, a layer of arctic Carhartts, a long-sleeved fleece layer and finally a T-shirt of some type before even reaching a person. That works out to a 10mm for me. Ballistic info taken from this website:

Ballistics 101 | All the ballistic charts. Finally, in one place

Complete ammunition ballistics charts. Compare ammunition from all manufacturers on one easy chart, sorted by caliber.
www.ballistics101.com

2. A full size 10mm can hold many more rounds than a revolver. Further, the recoil on the 10mm is such that you can generally fire more quickly than from a heavier gun. This YouTube comparison is a good example: with a .44 you can get off 2-3 rounds in the same time as 5-6 rounds from the 10mm. If I'm dealing with a bear, I want as many projectiles going down range as possible.


3. I find its easier to put a red dot onto a striker-fired semi-auto than a 1911 or a pistol. Just my 2¢ and a personal preference thing for me. YMMV.

4. Ammo for the 10mm is cheaper than for the .44 mag although not cheaper than .45 ammo. But the recoil, while note worthy, is not nearly as bad as some of the larger magnum revolvers even though the gun is lighter. Because the gun is lighter and its easier to control and rounds are cheaper, I'm far more likely to effectively practice with it. I came into possession (very long story) of a .460 S&W. 8" ported barrel. Held 5 rounds. It was a cannon. But it was just heavy and cumbersome.

The difficulty is that every round and pistol and situation calls for compromise. Yes, the .44 penetrates better and shotgun slugs are even better than that. The 10mm does have more recoil than a .45 or 9mm. But overall, it's light enough I am not going to leave it at home because its too heavy or cumbersome. I can practice with it fairly easily. They aren't super expensive. I can get off a fair number of shots if I have to and it's easy to attach a red dot. I just got the X-Ten P320 by Sig in 10mm but I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. Given my schedule, its probably going to be after Halloween but the reviews are good.
 
Namagiqa said:
Get it in 10mm. I carry a full-sized 10mm in a chest holster when I'm in bear country. Those 200gr bear bullets work wonders. And because I use the 10mm there, I just use it in my EDC with a compact Springfield with holosun optics. Why the 10mm?

1. Ballistics are just a bit below .357 magnum depending upon what load you put through it. Buffalo Bore will put a 180 grain bullet out at 1350 fps for about 728 ft-lbs of energy. A .357 will put a 180 grain bullet out a about 1400 fps for 783. Underwood Gold Dots use a 155 grain bullet at 1500 fps for 775 ft-lbs whereas their .357 bullets are generally lighter or a touch slower. Point is, ballistically it is a noticable step up from the .45. In my neck of the woods, not only do I have to deal with bears but half the year the residents are swaddled with a number of layers of clothing to keep warm. If I need to use my EDC, I need something that will have the energy to penetrate an out coat, a layer of arctic Carhartts, a long-sleeved fleece layer and finally a T-shirt of some type before even reaching a person. That works out to a 10mm for me. Ballistic info taken from this website:

Ballistics 101 | All the ballistic charts. Finally, in one place

Complete ammunition ballistics charts. Compare ammunition from all manufacturers on one easy chart, sorted by caliber.
www.ballistics101.com

2. A full size 10mm can hold many more rounds than a revolver. Further, the recoil on the 10mm is such that you can generally fire more quickly than from a heavier gun. This YouTube comparison is a good example: with a .44 you can get off 2-3 rounds in the same time as 5-6 rounds from the 10mm. If I'm dealing with a bear, I want as many projectiles going down range as possible.


3. I find its easier to put a red dot onto a striker-fired semi-auto than a 1911 or a pistol. Just my 2¢ and a personal preference thing for me. YMMV.

4. Ammo for the 10mm is cheaper than for the .44 mag although not cheaper than .45 ammo. But the recoil, while note worthy, is not nearly as bad as some of the larger magnum revolvers even though the gun is lighter. Because the gun is lighter and its easier to control and rounds are cheaper, I'm far more likely to effectively practice with it. I came into possession (very long story) of a .460 S&W. 8" ported barrel. Held 5 rounds. It was a cannon. But it was just heavy and cumbersome.

The difficulty is that every round and pistol and situation calls for compromise. Yes, the .44 penetrates better and shotgun slugs are even better than that. The 10mm does have more recoil than a .45 or 9mm. But overall, it's light enough I am not going to leave it at home because its too heavy or cumbersome. I can practice with it fairly easily. They aren't super expensive. I can get off a fair number of shots if I have to and it's easy to attach a red dot. I just got the X-Ten P320 by Sig in 10mm but I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. Given my schedule, its probably going to be after Halloween but the reviews are good.
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"I need something that will penetrate an out coat", etc. This is something that is rarely discussed but critical when choosing a defensive handgun cartridge against human targets. For many years, I carried my Glock 27 (.40) with Speer Gold Dot "short barrel" designed HP bullets all of the time when off duty. They're supposed to open up quicker in a short barrel handgun. If you look at the bullets, the HP is much "wider" than a standard HP. Fine for an attacker in a T shirt, but MAY NOT penetrate much with someone wearing heavier clothing. I only use those now when carrying in temperate weather. I carry Remington Golden Sabres in the 27 now during the winter, but since I bought my Glock 29 (10mm), I now seldom carry the 27 at all during the winter. Penetration on an attacker wearing heavy clothing is really something to consider when choosing a defensive handgun cartridge/bullet.
 
Isn't a carry pistol against one of the Big bears just wishful thinking?

I know of one that was successful, however. That was a game warden that had the foresight to put all of his 357 revolver rounds into the bears neck, as he was being mauled.
 
Namagiqa said:
Get it in 10mm. I carry a full-sized 10mm in a chest holster when I'm in bear country. Those 200gr bear bullets work wonders. And because I use the 10mm there, I just use it in my EDC with a compact Springfield with holosun optics. Why the 10mm?

1. Ballistics are just a bit below .357 magnum depending upon what load you put through it. Buffalo Bore will put a 180 grain bullet out at 1350 fps for about 728 ft-lbs of energy. A .357 will put a 180 grain bullet out a about 1400 fps for 783. Underwood Gold Dots use a 155 grain bullet at 1500 fps for 775 ft-lbs whereas their .357 bullets are generally lighter or a touch slower. Point is, ballistically it is a noticable step up from the .45. In my neck of the woods, not only do I have to deal with bears but half the year the residents are swaddled with a number of layers of clothing to keep warm. If I need to use my EDC, I need something that will have the energy to penetrate an out coat, a layer of arctic Carhartts, a long-sleeved fleece layer and finally a T-shirt of some type before even reaching a person. That works out to a 10mm for me. Ballistic info taken from this website:

Ballistics 101 | All the ballistic charts. Finally, in one place

Complete ammunition ballistics charts. Compare ammunition from all manufacturers on one easy chart, sorted by caliber.
www.ballistics101.com

2. A full size 10mm can hold many more rounds than a revolver. Further, the recoil on the 10mm is such that you can generally fire more quickly than from a heavier gun. This YouTube comparison is a good example: with a .44 you can get off 2-3 rounds in the same time as 5-6 rounds from the 10mm. If I'm dealing with a bear, I want as many projectiles going down range as possible.


3. I find its easier to put a red dot onto a striker-fired semi-auto than a 1911 or a pistol. Just my 2¢ and a personal preference thing for me. YMMV.

4. Ammo for the 10mm is cheaper than for the .44 mag although not cheaper than .45 ammo. But the recoil, while note worthy, is not nearly as bad as some of the larger magnum revolvers even though the gun is lighter. Because the gun is lighter and its easier to control and rounds are cheaper, I'm far more likely to effectively practice with it. I came into possession (very long story) of a .460 S&W. 8" ported barrel. Held 5 rounds. It was a cannon. But it was just heavy and cumbersome.

The difficulty is that every round and pistol and situation calls for compromise. Yes, the .44 penetrates better and shotgun slugs are even better than that. The 10mm does have more recoil than a .45 or 9mm. But overall, it's light enough I am not going to leave it at home because its too heavy or cumbersome. I can practice with it fairly easily. They aren't super expensive. I can get off a fair number of shots if I have to and it's easy to attach a red dot. I just got the X-Ten P320 by Sig in 10mm but I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. Given my schedule, its probably going to be after Halloween but the reviews are good.
Click to expand...
The problem with a 10mm is this: it's a reloader's caliber. You're never going to practice extensively with one without reloading. Get a compact or subcompact .45 or 9mm and you're able to practice. You might be able to find a 10mm to 9mm conversion barrel and then you're really in business, but usually they're had in 10-40 conversions for Glocks only.

I really like the OSP XDM. It feels very good in the hand. Personally I'd take the hit on capacity and go .45 loaded with the Winchester 230 +p sxt and call it good.
 
The problem with this entire thread is that we’ve drifted away from simply discussing best guns for self defense carry, into a good discussion of the merits and shortcomings of various handguns.

Remember, in a purely defensive shooting situation, you’re more likely to be shooting an attacker at 10 feet than at 10 yards. Dependability, safety, ease of use are of utmost importance, yes even over accuracy, since you’re unlikely to draw such a weapon except in a truly dire emergency at close range. And, if you draw it you’re likely going to fire shots, so I’ll stick with the aspects I described above.
 
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Oldie but a goodie
 
Well, I really jumped in the deep end on this one! I have been spending every spare hour researching all the recommendations so far, and the blogs that surround them are also about a mile deep--but I am serious about the whole business, and one day will announce what I have purchased. May not be a Manhurin MR73, Freedom Arms 97, AccuracyX, Python, or gold plated Gold Eagle, but...in the mean time, keep the advice coming!
Probably need to take up a couple of your offers to come shoot with you nearby.

BTW, it might not be a bad idea to investigate those interchangeable barrel?
 
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