Hello All,
There are really only two pistol designs that I have consistently carried.
For the last decade, I've carried a gun that is light, easy to conceal, easy to carry, easy to clean, and always goes bang. It carries 15+1, has low tolerances, and is cheap to run. Parts for it are ubiquitous. LEOs and special forces love it. Some people have called it the perfect pistol. I don't necessarily agree, but I can see its merits. If you haven't guessed by now, I'm referring to Gaston Glock's G19.
In order to maintain what I consider a high level of proficiency on the G19, I have to work hard. I've taken classes, taken private lessons, and spent hours on the range. Shooting is a perishable skill. If I miss even a few weeks of range time, I can tell immediately. There are a lot of things going for the G19, but I've never been able to shoot it as accurately as I wish I could. Some of this has to do with the design, the sloppy trigger, and of course, my ability to shoot.
Then, there is my indulgence. It's big, heavy, difficult to take down, hard to conceal, expensive to own and operate, and only carries 8+1. But, it's ready to go to war, and, let's not forget, it's been several times. I'm referring to my government size 1911. I'm lucky enough to have a Wilson Combat, and it's so sexy. In every way, it is a superior product to my Glock, and it's G10 grips are practically daring me to take it into battle. I take it out of the safe and shoot it at the range every few months. Every time I do, I feel like a rockstar. I have an emotional connection to this gun in a way that I could never feel about a Glock. It's ridiculously accurate, has a near perfect trigger pull, and is well balanced. It's tolerances are extremely tight, which I'm reminded of every time I clean it. It outshoots my G19 over and over again. When I pick it up, I shoot bulls eyes. When I put it down, I'm always convinced that I should throw my striker fired plastic POS away and carry the Wilson.
Reality eventually sets in. It's a pain in the butt to carry a full sized metal gun when you can carry a smaller, lighter plastic pistol that will more or less do the same job. In a real gun fight, accuracy loses to capacity most of the time (so I've been told), and the G19 shines in capacity and reliability. In accuracy, it is good enough. And, so the story goes, the best carry gun is the one you will actually carry all day long.
I ask the reader, is the Wilson 1911 simply a range or comp gun, or is this the gun I should be carrying? I don't think carrying a G19 is in any way bad choice, but is it the best choice I have available to me? Maybe I should throw them both in the trash and buy a FN Five-Seven. Life is confusing sometimes, and I can never come to any meaningful conclusion. So, I grab the G19, put it in my kydex holster, and long for the Wilson.
There are really only two pistol designs that I have consistently carried.
For the last decade, I've carried a gun that is light, easy to conceal, easy to carry, easy to clean, and always goes bang. It carries 15+1, has low tolerances, and is cheap to run. Parts for it are ubiquitous. LEOs and special forces love it. Some people have called it the perfect pistol. I don't necessarily agree, but I can see its merits. If you haven't guessed by now, I'm referring to Gaston Glock's G19.
In order to maintain what I consider a high level of proficiency on the G19, I have to work hard. I've taken classes, taken private lessons, and spent hours on the range. Shooting is a perishable skill. If I miss even a few weeks of range time, I can tell immediately. There are a lot of things going for the G19, but I've never been able to shoot it as accurately as I wish I could. Some of this has to do with the design, the sloppy trigger, and of course, my ability to shoot.
Then, there is my indulgence. It's big, heavy, difficult to take down, hard to conceal, expensive to own and operate, and only carries 8+1. But, it's ready to go to war, and, let's not forget, it's been several times. I'm referring to my government size 1911. I'm lucky enough to have a Wilson Combat, and it's so sexy. In every way, it is a superior product to my Glock, and it's G10 grips are practically daring me to take it into battle. I take it out of the safe and shoot it at the range every few months. Every time I do, I feel like a rockstar. I have an emotional connection to this gun in a way that I could never feel about a Glock. It's ridiculously accurate, has a near perfect trigger pull, and is well balanced. It's tolerances are extremely tight, which I'm reminded of every time I clean it. It outshoots my G19 over and over again. When I pick it up, I shoot bulls eyes. When I put it down, I'm always convinced that I should throw my striker fired plastic POS away and carry the Wilson.
Reality eventually sets in. It's a pain in the butt to carry a full sized metal gun when you can carry a smaller, lighter plastic pistol that will more or less do the same job. In a real gun fight, accuracy loses to capacity most of the time (so I've been told), and the G19 shines in capacity and reliability. In accuracy, it is good enough. And, so the story goes, the best carry gun is the one you will actually carry all day long.
I ask the reader, is the Wilson 1911 simply a range or comp gun, or is this the gun I should be carrying? I don't think carrying a G19 is in any way bad choice, but is it the best choice I have available to me? Maybe I should throw them both in the trash and buy a FN Five-Seven. Life is confusing sometimes, and I can never come to any meaningful conclusion. So, I grab the G19, put it in my kydex holster, and long for the Wilson.