Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Now we get political. I saw the other day on FB a post from a teacher of why teachers shouldn't be required to carry because in order to be proficient, to shoot only the bad guy if it came down to it, they need to spend 10 hours a week on the range (as the teacher said) and they are already spending heaps of extra time unpaid to make their academic lessons count.
A pretty close statement. When we get into practicing that much, to never miss.......is it a "hobby" anymore? Further, it is not just time at the range but also, from my aspect, of how much effort, how much money we spend to ensure that we always have sufficient training ammo. If in anything else of using, say, a case of pistol ammo a month, in doing so, we enter the cross hairs of the uninformed who have been taught that anyone with thousands of rounds is planning a massacre (nutshell).
An active shooter in a school comes close to the worst possible scenario in a civilian setting. As we've seen, even trained police officers hesitate to enter that situation.
We're certainly expecting too much out of schoolteachers, unless we're willing to accept calamities. Frankly, IMO, the only practicable tactic for an armed teacher is: "Defend the room you're in."
Quote:
My issue with revolvers is that they are not pistols, not that easy to reload ESPECIALLY if one is trained to do it with still one in the pipe (got to get that Browning Hi-Power to a gunsmith someday). Shrug. It is what I am. Carry 3 magazines minimum.
As I mentioned earlier, most armed citizens won't be going against adversaries in "warrior" mode who are prepared to shoot it out to the death.
I have been accustomed to rifles and shotguns. Yesterday I went to my first handgun class. The instructor asked me why I was there. I explained that we were out to lunch and a light went off in my head and I felt unprotected. We are most time on an island off the coast of Washington. It's very peaceful. I can't imagine I would ever "need" a gun here. But when we ferry over it's America with it's choices and risks.
The class was interesting about posture safety and risks and how to mitigate those realities. For my gun range I opted for the Sig Sauer 365XL 9mm. It felt good in my hand, compact and lightweight. I loaded the magazine finally using a device to help me load. The instructor reviewed my instructions I cocked and aimed. I can only describe it as an explosion. Recoil was noticeable but fine. She said I closed my eyes once. LOL. Next to us was a man shooting a large handgun with 323 ammo>? The concussive effect was palpable.
I had a red dot on the Sig and it helped conform my shots to the center with movement downward which she said was pretty standard. My overall impression was getting that much "bang" with a small semi automatic handgun.
I did not really like the experience to be quite honest. Not the principle of the carrying a gun, but the power of that little hand cannon was not really fun. I've always been a good shot. I will continue to move forward to learning and purchase and more training To my surprise it's Kinda a necessity these days.
Feedback welcome but without crap
Not really familiar with the Sig, so I can't speak to that particular part of your experience.
But in general, the catch 22 of carrying is that the smaller, lighter and more concealable any gun is in a given caliber, the snappier the recoil is going to be.
It's simple physics.
The trick is to find one that has the best combination of being carry friendly, effective and easy to shoot.
Maybe think about trying a steel framed revolver in 38 special such as the Ruger SP101?
It's a bit heavy for it's size but it's not unmanageable and the weight helps with the recoil as long as you stick to .38 loads and pass on the .357s.
If that's still too much then maybe look at a .22 magnum.
Location: When you take flak it means you are on target
7,646 posts, read 9,980,982 times
Reputation: 16466
Quote:
Originally Posted by kell490
How many police officers have shot themselves in the leg while trying to draw a Glock from a holster. The thing has no safety only that little tiny button on the tip of the trigger. They probably work great for holster carry and lot of training but typical CCW not going to practice that hard. Rather have a double action only .38 trigger won't ever be pulled accidently. Most street altercations where a gun would be needed will not be father then 20 feet away no need to have large caliber frame guns. The Ruger LCR revolver is one I wanted to buy always had my SP101 the LCR is even lighter .38 is more then enough
Your point is valid. A LOT of people catch a case of "Glock Leg" or now with appendix carry being all the rage "Glock C**k" - by IMPROPER TECHNIQUE, or bad holsters. I wear my sidearm in an outside the belt, hard shell kydex holster and I "look" my gun into the holster. The only time I might holster blind is in a duty holster like a Safariland ALS where there is some standoff.
You are unfortunately wrong regarding the need for larger guns. Trust me, if you are in a gunfight you want the BIGGEST freaking gun you can carry, with as many bullets as it can carry. A belt fed .308 would be my preferance...
I've been retired for about 5 years, so I don't know how they are currently, but when I was teaching I had several LCR's lock up in class when the internal mainspring took a dump. Like 4 or 5 times, two were brand new guns. And I LIKE Ruger. SP101 is a good gun too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by YourWakeUpCall
I replaced my Glock 19 with an H&K 9mm. While the Glock was a very reliable gun, it felt crude compared to the H&K, which feels like a piece of precision machinery. I miss the Glock, though.
Problem is, a piece of precision machinery is not what you want when the S is Hitting the Fan. That said, (considering my earlier comment was meant as a joke) I think my actual all time favorite combat pistol (not counting a good 1911) is my HK45. It's a monster, accurate, good trigger, great sights, all around awesome gun. But... it only holds 10 rounds, the mags are $70 each! And it takes rubber "O" rings to keep the barrel tight. WTF? Yeah, expendable rubber rings. What a great idea around solvents, heat and combat.
Mine is in my nightstand with a ten zillion lumen light and laser on it. If you break into my house that's what you will probably get shot with, after we both go blind with my new rail light. There is such a thing as too much. I'm working on a replacement.
A famous gun writer/trainer gave me some grief over carrying my HK in his class about ten years ago, because I run it like a single action. Cocked and locked. I finally went out to my car and switched to my Glock to get some peace. I'm still peeved, Mas are you listening?
I carried a 1911 for most of about 35 years. Before that it was revolvers. Then, about 15 years ago I was taking an instructor class from a (different) famous trainer, and using my several thousand dollar 1911. The trainer, who is a known 1911 hater, gave me so much grief, "That's an expert's gun." "Well yeah, no duh. That's why I'm in an instructor class..." during lunch I ran out and bought a Glock to get him off my back.
Carried a Glock 19 most of the time ever since. Are there better guns? Yes. Are there more accurate guns? Yes. Glocks are good guns. So are Sigs, HK, S&W, Baretta, Rugers, etc..
I mainly switched from steel to plastic because of basic math. 15-22 rounds vs 7-10 rounds. Bottom line, more boolits is good. I would have to reload a 1911 TWO times and reload a six shooter THREE times while still on my first 22 rd Glock mag. The other reasons are "red dots" and ammo cost. .45 ammo costs about $100 a case more than 9mm. I'm more accurate with my 1911, I can cloverleaf 4 shots at 10 yards, slow fire. My best with my Glock 19 is about a "quarter" size group.
Also, these days a LOT of bad guys, probably the majority, carry high capacity guns. You do not want to be reloading in the middle of a gun fight, no matter how fast you are. At least "I" don't.
Anyway, there are many good guns, I'm not here to tell others what to carry. That's just what I carry.
Oh, and let me just say, "Friends don't let friends buy or carry Taurus..."
An active shooter in a school comes close to the worst possible scenario in a civilian setting. As we've seen, even trained police officers hesitate to enter that situation.....
Long story short of it, I cannot analyze a school shooting outside my official circles. A primary reason being......I wasn't there.
In any event, the basic point is that in order to hit only your intended target, there is no other way to have that ability than practice, practice, practice correctly.
Quote:
...As I mentioned earlier, most armed citizens won't be going against adversaries in "warrior" mode who are prepared to shoot it out to the death.
Well, I certainly hope my possibilities don't become realities but they are there, never the less. From rich heiress who lives alone to opinionated woman to old enemies of my own to old enemies of my family.....at least. Who knows, it could be as simple as some land baron.
No it hasn't. It's just about the safest it's been since the 60s. Murder rate has gone up, now it's only as safe as 1962. 2013-2014 were the safest since before the FBI started keeping stats in 1960.
Oh jeez. My MkI Target weighs 46 oz! Can't feel anything, especially with subsonic target rounds
My Ruger American Competition feels a whole lot snappier, at 34 oz. I think I need to play with the trigger, but it's technically my wife's.
I hated shooting my FIL's LCP. 9 oz and my hands were too big for it. Only 3 fingers fit on the grip!
"TUESDAY, May 10, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- During the first year of the pandemic, the number of Americans felled by gun violence reached a level not seen since 1994, a new government report shows.
From 2019 to 2020, the rate of murders involving guns rose by nearly 35%, the highest logged in more than 25 years."
So there's that. More importantly, I live about 15 miles from Baltimore, in which 348 homicides were recorded in 2019, a number second only to the number recorded in 1993 when the population was nearly 125,000 higher (Wikipedia). It's pretty much a war zone.
I'm not blaming guns, just pointing out that the US has become increasingly dangerous and I'm not going to sit around with no means to defend myself.
I have been accustomed to rifles and shotguns. Yesterday I went to my first handgun class. The instructor asked me why I was there. I explained that we were out to lunch and a light went off in my head and I felt unprotected. We are most time on an island off the coast of Washington. It's very peaceful. I can't imagine I would ever "need" a gun here. But when we ferry over it's America with it's choices and risks.
The class was interesting about posture safety and risks and how to mitigate those realities. For my gun range I opted for the Sig Sauer 365XL 9mm. It felt good in my hand, compact and lightweight. I loaded the magazine finally using a device to help me load. The instructor reviewed my instructions I cocked and aimed. I can only describe it as an explosion. Recoil was noticeable but fine. She said I closed my eyes once. LOL. Next to us was a man shooting a large handgun with 323 ammo>? The concussive effect was palpable.
I had a red dot on the Sig and it helped conform my shots to the center with movement downward which she said was pretty standard. My overall impression was getting that much "bang" with a small semi automatic handgun.
I did not really like the experience to be quite honest. Not the principle of the carrying a gun, but the power of that little hand cannon was not really fun. I've always been a good shot. I will continue to move forward to learning and purchase and more training To my surprise it's Kinda a necessity these days.
Feedback welcome but without crap
I have a .380 and a Glock 9mm. The 9mm is a bigger round, but you'd be amazed how much less kick the Glock has. I prefer to shoot it. The gun is heavier, less recoil, and it's just nicer. I compare it as the difference between driving a Lincoln to a Chevette. The Chevette just FEELS tinny and loud.
Your point is valid. A LOT of people catch a case of "Glock Leg" or now with appendix carry being all the rage "Glock C**k" - by IMPROPER TECHNIQUE, or bad holsters. I wear my sidearm in an outside the belt, hard shell kydex holster and I "look" my gun into the holster. The only time I might holster blind is in a duty holster like a Safariland ALS where there is some standoff.
You are unfortunately wrong regarding the need for larger guns. Trust me, if you are in a gunfight you want the BIGGEST freaking gun you can carry, with as many bullets as it can carry. A belt fed .308 would be my preferance...
I've been retired for about 5 years, so I don't know how they are currently, but when I was teaching I had several LCR's lock up in class when the internal mainspring took a dump. Like 4 or 5 times, two were brand new guns. And I LIKE Ruger. SP101 is a good gun too.
Large heavy frame guns are heavy pita to carry all the time if I have to draw the bad guy won't even know what is in my hand until he hears go off. I want to surprise the bad guy because the criminal has the upper hand they will have to make the first move. Center mass shot at 10-15 feet with .38 will drop anyone.
I never tried the LCR good to know haven't read any reviews on them just noticed they have them.
How many police officers have shot themselves in the leg while trying to draw a Glock from a holster. The thing has no safety only that little tiny button on the tip of the trigger. They probably work great for holster carry and lot of training but typical CCW not going to practice that hard. Rather have a double action only .38 trigger won't ever be pulled accidently. Most street altercations where a gun would be needed will not be father then 20 feet away no need to have large caliber frame guns. The Ruger LCR revolver is one I wanted to buy always had my SP101 the LCR is even lighter .38 is more then enough
yup - no way I'd ever own a Glock (or any other striker-fired pistol without a manual safety):
Another thing to consider - magazine fatigue. Nearly ALL of the articles I've read claim it doesn't happen...but from what I've seen - it's real. The magazines I've left fully loaded (for years) don't have as much "springiness" as ones that are left unloaded when stored. I don't know if/when that would lead to a malfunction, but I definitely don't want to find out the hard way if I'm actually in a situation that requires me to use my firearm. So - revolvers it is for me from now on for handguns.
Welcome to the handgun owners population. You'll get used to the noise and recoil. I use a full size 45 so I'm so used to it I have to pause when a new shooter such as yourself has these issues. But I've helped many a newbie become at least a confidant handler. When I think of a "hand cannon" my mind goes to the TC 445 Supermag and 50SW I've fired. Uggg! No where on the spectrum is muzzle blast and recoil not somewhat ...objectionable. But better bowling pin match guns there are not. LMAO.
The guy that had the 500 was using it at a pin match one da and he let me and my son shoot it. It didn't just take the pins off the table. It broke them in half. For pin competition a 45 Auto is about bare minimum. Pins are evil. (mm and 40s just lay them down. They have to be off the table to count. "Power" in a handgun is a much debated subject.
Much depends on what the intended purpose of the handgun is. In your case the SIG is a solid choice. And there is an old adage about practice that comes into play. Since your carrying for defensive purpose practice is most important. The drawing and firing with no thought about noise and recoil are pretty much essential. You will get used to it. Handguns are a different world from rifles and shotguns. Light years difference.
The laser will help. I never shot much with one as they are illegal in competition and I competed heavily for 30+years. My son did a stint with the SW youth team. He started when he was 10. Revolver turned out to be his niche. He started with my mod 25 SW in 45 Colt and saved his money and with a little bump from me got a mod 625 SW 45 ACP. He was greased lightning with that revolver and he got noticed. I was re loading mass quantity then and he would burn 3-500 rounds 3-4 times a week in practice. He was 12 when he got the 625.
Practice practice practice. Can't stress that enough. These days it's tough to burn mass amounts in ammo I know. But shoot as much as you possibly can. Even dry fire practice is better than nothing. It's actually an integral part. Helps immensely with your handling skills and confidence. I could go on for hours but these are some high points to think about. Welcome aboard.
Thanks
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
