| Author | Message | ||
     Rick_a |
I agree fully on the purpose part...but 1911's are flat and round all over so they conceal quite well. As to the weight a sturdy belt and quality holster go a long way. I'm not a fan of guide rod lasers. They're relatively frail, the activation is hokey, disassembly is often compromised in some way, and the battery life sucks. The more experience I get shooting the more I move away from lasers on guns. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I agree on the "good holster and belt" theory. The only time I notice my XDs...is when I'm not wearing it. Main reason I like my laser is for situations where I may not be able to create a traditional sight picture - it enables me to simply reach around a corner, put the dot where I need it, pull the trigger, and make a hole without having to necessarily stand behind the gun. That's the theory anyway - hopefully none of this will ever need to be put into practice. | ||
| Rick_a |
Turns out that while standard capacity (for those in sane states) magazines for most anything popular are sold out nationwide, "'stendo clips," as they say, are readily available...so I've got a factory Beretta 20 round mag set aside and am ordering a factory H&K twenty rounder as well. The nice thing is that the two fifteens I have for each gun plus a twenty equals a neat fifty rounds, or full box of target ammo. I damn near bought a new to me/used CZ P07 to replace my troublesome 40-P (a weak recoil spring causing issues), but cooler heads prevailed. That thing is not tolerant of weak recoil springs. Unfortunately the factory spring is a bit underpowered/wears out quickly so the fix is to get an extra powered Wolff spring and cut it down...which is strong...but also wears out quickly. | ||
| Ourdee |
My goal is to never fire a round. I carry a cane as a primary weapon and grey man disguise. My first line of defense is to not be in the fight. For the never again part: Get an AR and train. Learn how to carry at least 420 rounds loaded in mags. Get a .308 and be able to hit a silhouette at 1,100 meters. Study the set up of our Republic. Cache most of your weapons off site where they will not be found or accessed by accident or confiscated by the ... ever. Think time capsules and never trust knowledge of all of them to one person. I have even bought people you wouldn't think had a gun, a safe so I could hide something of mine in with theirs. When you build an AR, buy enough parts for 2. They don't cost that much. Get some shotgun shells and hide them. I can make a shotgun in five or ten minutes at the hardware store. There is no excuse to be un-armed or un-prepaired. | ||
| Rick_a |
I used to think having a .50BMG rifle around was good sense...but I guess a thirty cal would do. A gentleman yesterday was telling me about dollar sized groups at two thousand yards with his Remingtern [sic] seven hundred.  I don't know why people tell stories like that to people that know better. | ||
| Ratbuell |
My goal is to never fire a round. Amen. I practice (both physically at the range, and mentally, running scenarios), but I pray I never have to put any of it to use. My EDC is 7+1. I see the thought behind carrying "more"...but honestly, in an EDC situation, if 8 rounds can't get me out of it...I shouldn't be in it to start with. When I do shows (large groups, concerts, potential for "mass shooters"), I do carry spare 8rd mags...but for everyday, just the 7+1 for me. And you bet your ASS I don't leave home without it these days. My job is "essential", so I'm still working...and people are weirder than usual. Exponentially so. | ||
| Ourdee |
I am thinking that after this CCP problem has stabilized I want to try .22 TCM. I usually need to be able to source a thousand rounds before I pick a new to me caliber firearm. I passed on a great deal on one just before ...CCP. | ||
| Ratbuell |
ammoseek.com is one of my favorite resources. Bulk is (usually) no problem. Another standby is georgia-arms. I've run thousands of rounds of their canned heat through my 9mm with no feed or FTF issues. I also have a decent supply of theirs at the house for the .308 rifle, and a couple other calibers...good stuff, and if you buy 500 or 1k they ship in gen-yoo-wine metal ammo cases. Great for storage! | ||
| Whisperstealth |
I am sure this has already been brought up, but... Does anyone have firsthand experience with a Smith & Wesson MP 9mm Full Size or Shield? If so, what are your thoughts? | ||
| Ratbuell |
I auditioned the M&P before I got my XDs. It was...ok. Kinda like riding a Sportster or Road King - did the job, behaved relatively well, did what I told it, no real complaints but...it didn't speak to me. Soon as I picked up my XDs 3.3...it was like the first time I threw a leg over a Uly. It was screaming "I'M THE ONE!!!". My first five rounds downrange out of the XDs, went through 3 holes. My qualifications (30 minutes after those first 5 rounds) scored 250/248/248/250. I wear it every day and it feels like a part of me. Again - the M&P wasn't a "bad" gun, and it certainly has good history and reviews...but it just wasn't the right one for me. I do read good reviews about the light spring / easy-rack slide on the Shield, but I have big paws and haven't started having issues racking the slide yet, so that's not really a factor for me. | ||
| Rick_a |
The original M&P and Shield were okay. The triggers left something to be desired, and the accuracy of the full size M&P's was average at best. The current 2.0 versions are the ones to get. The M&P got beefed up, the barrel lockup geometry changed to make them more accurate. Triggers were improved to something acceptable. The M&P also got an ambidextrous slide stop and a detent to prevent auto loading when a magazine is inserted forcefully. They also got more aggressive texturing, which works for most guys, but most ladies find too harsh. My choices were a 4" Springfield RO Compact for a single stack, a Polymer80 G19 build and H&K VP9 for something like the M&P. It's really all preference and what you shoot well. | ||
| Aesquire |
Question??? Asking for opinions! Contemplating next purchase, subject to stock market prices. Concealed carry, seven rounds. Can have a ten round magazine. And reduced SAFE act mags are usually available. Carry options are ankle, (mostly) pocket, ( with pocket holster ) and IWB. Also, my sweat is corrosive. I wear titanium glasses, only. "Stainless" or memory Nickel, turn green and rot. Nickel plate, not so good. There's a reason my SCA helmet is stainless, period correctness be damned! I So I'm open for CC suggestions. Time to join the 21st century? 9mm revolver with moon clips? Lasers? Subcompact Glock .45? Taurus Curve? | ||
| Rick_a |
Taurus...no. That trigger is like mashing a stapler. A Ruger LCR 9mm would be good...though they shoot kinda rough. Subcompact 45? XDS? For a Glock I'd go 26. It's pretty size efficient. 43X for something thinner, maybe. Springfield Hellcat seems nice. I like S&W Airweight 38's for ankle guns. I've always wanted a Sig P238SAS for a pocket gun, but they're so expensive and nobody will buy me one.   | ||
| Ratbuell |
Like I said above, I love my XD-s 3.3 9mm. FLush fit mag, 7+1; x-tend mags either 8 or 9 capacity. I carry flush, and fire with my pinky curled under the baseplate (big hands). Thin chassis (0.8" wide), and I have an original version (not a Mod2) so I have interchangeable backstraps to adjust grip size. Good grip texture, no slip, back on target quickly, and I have a Viridian Reactor5 instant-on green laser that turns itself on when I draw. Light weight, easy carry. No manual safety - striker fired with a pin block; backstrap safety; and a bladed safety trigger. The Hellcat is bad-ass. I put about 100 rounds through one at the range the other day. VERY similar to my XDs - marginally thicker due to capacity (13+1; 15+1 extended mag) but outstanding grip pattern. Felt literally like a large-capacity version of my XDs - reasonably snappy but not overwhelming, outstanding sights (front Tritium circle, rear tritium bucket - a very legible "U-dot" setup), and you can get a factory-option slide machined for a red-dot sight (for a whopping $30 extra). It felt just about like my XDs...but oh, that capacity...SO nice to run that many rounds through a subcompact, without reloading! I suspect, though, that the capacity would make it too heavy for an ankle rig - that's a lot of lead on board! But either will work very well IWB. I'm 6'4", 200#, and have no problem in shorts and a tee shirt with my XDs and Alien Gear holster. And the Hellcat is also striker-fired with no manual safety, but it does have a pin block safety, as well as a bladed trigger (but no backstrap safety). If I get something larger-capacity...I'll probably snag one of these. But right now, I'm not panting and drooling over one because it IS so similar to my XDs. I love the capacity, but I didn't think it was a "head and shoulders above" gun compared to my XDs. Not to belittle the Hellcat...I just like my XDs that much! Oh, and a note about my M&P experience - I was shooting the 2.0's. The same day I shot the Hellcat, I also ran some through a P365XL. Very similar specs, but...I just didn't like it. Grip size, angle, something...it just didn't "work" for me. It felt unstable in my hand, like it wanted to lift or rotate between rounds, where the Springfields are simply tattooed to my palm. The Springfields have a good angle (for me), and they have a more "blocky" shape to the grip so even though they aren't thick, there's a good bit of grip surface. A friend I was with, loved the XL because it fit her hand better. If you have the ability, spend time at the range with ...well... everything. Don't just focus on the pistols that are "on your radar" - try them ALL. This...is like motorcycles. Spec sheets be damned - one will fit YOU perfectly, which will inherently make you a better shot with it, than with the current industry-darling new-release best-thing-ever. Or, maybe the new industry darling IS the one that works best for you...but you have to try them. One other that I really like, is the Springfield 911 9mm with factory grip laser. Super compact, stable even in my big hands (I fired the .380 version, they didn't have a 9mm in rentals), a 1911-style trigger...so nice. But again...my XDs does everything I want, so well, that I can't ju$tify a second carry pistol at the moment. I suspect if I go 1911 style, it'll be a true 1911, possibly in a 4" or a 3.8". I like (surprise) the Springfield EMP. A LOT. Sacrilege, but 9mm to keep from having to have too many calibers in stock in the safe. Maybe a Kimber. I fired a friend's Kimber at the range and he won't let me touch it again - I put an entire mag through one hole at 10 yards. He was a little mad at me after that.  | ||
| Whisperstealth |
I'd love to take a test drive on a number of models, but rental options are limited where I live. I'm going to go to the range this week and run through what I can. Hopefully I will find one in what they do have, that fits me the best. I am determined to buy a made in USA piece, and am hoping to find one in my price range that will work for me. The XDs look awesome, but price and availability is a bit of an issue. The one's I priced online were in the next tier up from the M&Ps, and selection is more limited. That said, if I find one to test drive and love it, I'm more likely to make the step up. I found a M&P9 M2.0 Full Size(17+1 capacity) online for $430, Compact(15+1) for $427, and a number of Shields from $370 on up. My last pistol was a Smith and Wesson Sigma in .40 caliber, bought twenty years ago. That thing was a dump truck. Hard trigger pull, and would jam up without the right ammo. But it was cheap, easy to disassemble and clean and I was young at the time. I'm thinking both the M&Ps and XDs have to be much better than the Sigma... | ||
| Ourdee |
Rick, Don't stop short. Get the P938. basically the same size as a 238. You get 9mm instead of .380. Patrick, Sig Sauer P-938, I carry it everywhere in the pocket with one of those trigger clip things on it. | ||
| Ourdee |
Joe, If you have a pistol that works well for your carry piece, I would keep it well maintained use it. You have mentioned a True 1911 a few times. I would suggest you save up for a Dan Wesson 1911. Look at a Commander with a bobbed grip in .45 ACP, or a Government in 10mm. https://danwessonfirearms.com/ | ||
| Ratbuell |
The DWs are very nice. Maybe once the house sells... I know it's sacrilege, but I really do think I want to stick with a 9mm just for caliber inventory. Unless I get a bigger safe. Which I might. A friend is downsizing her inventory, and I may trade myself into her Liberty FatBoy once she's down to the "essentials". Only problem with that is...then, I'd have to FILL it! | ||
| Ourdee |
Some of the DWs come in 9mm | ||
| Court |
Check out the Valor or the Vigil. | ||
| Rick_a |
I actually like the .380 better in that case. I like lightweight Commanders in 9mm and full size steel framed guns in .45ACP. It's the way JMB and Colt intended it to be. | ||
| Ducbsa |
Stand your ground laws; some analysis https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=118071 09408110000712608400102201112005100202203303003412 01190201091200760051000211060020280290550220350111 20089091081117000124057083038050074013095090008118 08000105101307808510608900200208912502308509612308 4001112100024081029072120097072079083029110&EXT=pd f | ||
| Aesquire |
How is pocket carry with a cocked & locked Single action? The idea makes me nervous. Trigger guard clip? Hmmm. My default is a S&W snub nose revolver. I've been shopping for a 638 with the idea of having a 9mm cylinder fitted, maybe in Ti. ( I'll get one of those if I can anyway to replace the old all steel Gun-Kote ugly that's my regular ) But the Sig looks nice. The Ruger LCR & LC9 are on my short list, too. | ||
| Zane |
I had a P938 for a short while and liked it a lot. It wasn't overly snappy for something that small. My only complaint was that it was about 1/2 inch to big to be a true pocket pistol which was my intended use for it. It would hang up when I tried to take it out of my front pocket pants. I'd only consider carrying it in a pocket holster. No way I'd carry a 1911 style anything without the trigger being protected. | ||
| Ourdee |
"How is pocket carry with a cocked & locked Single action? The idea makes me nervous. Trigger guard clip? Hmmm." "I'd only consider carrying it in a pocket holster. No way I'd carry a 1911 style anything without the trigger being protected." Lot of assumptions being formulated gentlemen. The trigger clip is like a mini holster that only covers the trigger. I buy clothes that will allow me to carry without the pistol snagging on the way out. Just because it is a mini 1911 style pistol, does not mean you are required to carry cocked and locked if it is in a pocket. I carry full size 1911s C&L in holsters on my 3 or 4 o'clock. In a pocket on a mini the clip keeps the trigger area lint free, a round is in the chamber, the safety is off, the hammer is down. I am not in quick draw mode, but I am not unarmed. Retrieve pistol from pocket, remove trigger clip and "rooster" the hammer. It is very simple, practiced, and safe. 1911 on waste, draw, safety off, again simple, practiced, and safe. If you don't want it to go off, keep your booger hook off the bang switch. If something has you nervous, figure out why. | ||
| Hootowl |
That sig is one of many near clones out there. I have the kimber variant. They can be had cheap enough under another name. Note the striking similarity.  | ||
| Ourdee |
I actually like the .380 better in that case. I like lightweight Commanders in 9mm and full size steel framed guns in .45ACP. It's the way JMB and Colt intended it to be. Please, explain why you want less power for protection? With respect for James Moses Browning you should consider he did not intend the .45 ACP to be 230 grains in his design. Take a look at it offered in .460 Rowland and 10mm. When it comes to Colt, "Eff Colt" Look inside any of their 1911s and see all the crappy machine marks. Instead of fixing their weapons to operate in series 70 design, they make it with bandaids into a series 80 design. Not the "JMB" original. I get tired of purists worshiping JMB and cussing about an external extractor not being correct even though it is a better design for some uses. Take a look at SW1911SC. Dimensions are different too. At least they got the engineering right. They also did not leave a bunch of ugly machine marks inside. | ||
| Hootowl |
Safety decouples the trigger from the hammer. I carry mine loaded and cocked. | ||
| Ourdee |
 Old pic from before the accident. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Please, explain why you want less power for protection? Uh-oh...this is on the edge of being a tire or oil thread here... |
