Doc7
Member
Here are my questions for those who don't want to read a long description of my thought process as I shot a bunch of handguns today:
- How proficient should one be BEFORE choosing and purchasing a handgun for CCW purposes? It seems hard to pick a handgun without a lot of skill at shooting them, but then again it seems hard (and costly) to acquire skill with having to rent only and buy range ammo.
- Is a private lesson or two enough to help me decide on if a gun is a good fit for me, if I find an instructor who knows I have this in mind?
- Should ability to rapidly fire shots, which to be honest seems a LONG way off at my current handgun skill, be an important factor or is this something that can come with any gun as the fundamentals get practiced and speed comes along later, naturally?
So I think I've taken a lot of good steps so far in my slow progression to where I am now. Took NRA Basic Pistol course, developed a fanatical firearm safety habit, have shot (and given some basic instruction with my parents, wife, sister) rifle and shotgun at a private range quite a bit, acquired myself a .22 revolver that I plink with but I am not very well versed in exercising the fundamentals of shooting with handguns yet. I watch a ton of YouTube videos of reputabe gun guys but I know that this is NOT a substitute for actual training. I wonder if I need some actual training before I go on to choosing a self defense weapon, because it is a lot harder than I thought it would be.
I went out to the range today to test (expensively!) a bunch of handguns so I can figure out what to acquire and get proficient with, of particular importance to me because I want to exercise my right to carry in my new home state of Virginia as soon as I am safe and trained enough to do so. I had the following reactions (bullet weights were what they had available at range, and cannot use own rounds with rented guns):
Ruger LCR 38 Spl with 158 grain standard pressure round nose
- I know that this is not a gun for a beginner but as it was there, I wanted to try it in case I end up getting a J-Frame style revolver as well as a slightly larger piece, so I have both IWB and Pocket Carry options.
- After 30 rounds some skin on the top side of my thumb was peeled off ouch! The recoil was quite heavy as you know with this light weight gun, and as I expected. I want to have a comparison point.
- Accuracy was reasonable, the trigger felt OK to me for a DA revolver.
A stainless or nickel Smith and Wesson of unknown model # with the same 38 spl rounds above; it had wooden grip with flames etched on the cylinder. A brief google makes me think possibly a "36LS"?
- The heavier weight meant recoil was a lot better
- The trigger was so heavy I could not keep a good sight picture.
- I felt like I wanted the softer grips of the LCR and the lighter trigger of the LCR with the heavier weight of this gun at this point.
Glock 19 w/ 115 gr Blazer FMJ
- I got too far ahead of myself I think and tried some rapid fire strings with terrible accuracy. This is where I ask - how much training should I have BEFORE I try this, because obviously I am too much of a beginner to be able to judge a gun on my ability to rapid-fire it.
- Obviously the lightest trigger pull at this point in the test.
- Thought it was too big for my hand as I had to shift to reach magazine release, but google indicates that is normal now after the fact
Kimber CDP Ultra II .45 w/ 230 gr FMJ
- By far the best trigger in the test
- In slow fire, at 5 yards I had a 2" 5 shot group which amazed me.
- I don't recall thinking the recoil was much different than the Glock but at this point I was 100 rounds in and maybe a little "shell shocked". I'm a long way from plinking with my .22 revolver here.
- I did not like the grips as they had a sharp diamond design on them but I know I can swap out grips.
- I again tried rapid fire and that was just as no bueno as before. But again I think I need all of the fundamentals first before I start trying that.
My group size that I could get in slow fire with the 1911 tells me that at least I can shoot a centerfire if I take my time.
I hope I gave enough, and not too too much, information to tell you where I'm at and what my concerns may be.
Thank you!
- How proficient should one be BEFORE choosing and purchasing a handgun for CCW purposes? It seems hard to pick a handgun without a lot of skill at shooting them, but then again it seems hard (and costly) to acquire skill with having to rent only and buy range ammo.
- Is a private lesson or two enough to help me decide on if a gun is a good fit for me, if I find an instructor who knows I have this in mind?
- Should ability to rapidly fire shots, which to be honest seems a LONG way off at my current handgun skill, be an important factor or is this something that can come with any gun as the fundamentals get practiced and speed comes along later, naturally?
So I think I've taken a lot of good steps so far in my slow progression to where I am now. Took NRA Basic Pistol course, developed a fanatical firearm safety habit, have shot (and given some basic instruction with my parents, wife, sister) rifle and shotgun at a private range quite a bit, acquired myself a .22 revolver that I plink with but I am not very well versed in exercising the fundamentals of shooting with handguns yet. I watch a ton of YouTube videos of reputabe gun guys but I know that this is NOT a substitute for actual training. I wonder if I need some actual training before I go on to choosing a self defense weapon, because it is a lot harder than I thought it would be.
I went out to the range today to test (expensively!) a bunch of handguns so I can figure out what to acquire and get proficient with, of particular importance to me because I want to exercise my right to carry in my new home state of Virginia as soon as I am safe and trained enough to do so. I had the following reactions (bullet weights were what they had available at range, and cannot use own rounds with rented guns):
Ruger LCR 38 Spl with 158 grain standard pressure round nose
- I know that this is not a gun for a beginner but as it was there, I wanted to try it in case I end up getting a J-Frame style revolver as well as a slightly larger piece, so I have both IWB and Pocket Carry options.
- After 30 rounds some skin on the top side of my thumb was peeled off ouch! The recoil was quite heavy as you know with this light weight gun, and as I expected. I want to have a comparison point.
- Accuracy was reasonable, the trigger felt OK to me for a DA revolver.
A stainless or nickel Smith and Wesson of unknown model # with the same 38 spl rounds above; it had wooden grip with flames etched on the cylinder. A brief google makes me think possibly a "36LS"?
- The heavier weight meant recoil was a lot better
- The trigger was so heavy I could not keep a good sight picture.
- I felt like I wanted the softer grips of the LCR and the lighter trigger of the LCR with the heavier weight of this gun at this point.
Glock 19 w/ 115 gr Blazer FMJ
- I got too far ahead of myself I think and tried some rapid fire strings with terrible accuracy. This is where I ask - how much training should I have BEFORE I try this, because obviously I am too much of a beginner to be able to judge a gun on my ability to rapid-fire it.
- Obviously the lightest trigger pull at this point in the test.
- Thought it was too big for my hand as I had to shift to reach magazine release, but google indicates that is normal now after the fact
Kimber CDP Ultra II .45 w/ 230 gr FMJ
- By far the best trigger in the test
- In slow fire, at 5 yards I had a 2" 5 shot group which amazed me.
- I don't recall thinking the recoil was much different than the Glock but at this point I was 100 rounds in and maybe a little "shell shocked". I'm a long way from plinking with my .22 revolver here.
- I did not like the grips as they had a sharp diamond design on them but I know I can swap out grips.
- I again tried rapid fire and that was just as no bueno as before. But again I think I need all of the fundamentals first before I start trying that.
My group size that I could get in slow fire with the 1911 tells me that at least I can shoot a centerfire if I take my time.
I hope I gave enough, and not too too much, information to tell you where I'm at and what my concerns may be.
Thank you!