Carry What is Right For You

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earlthegoat2

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A recent thread about the most recent flavor of the month, the Sig P365, and the new owner's problems with it got me in the mood to share a few bits of observation on the theory and practice of shooting, marksmanship, practice, and concealed carry.

1. Don't be so quick to jump on the next new thing.

If your current carry gun is adequate, think carefully before trying something new. We are firearms enthusiasts here. It is a hobby for most of us and even further, a passion for some of us. I would like to try out anything and everything I can get my hands on. Objectively, there is very little that can be done so differently as to cause a paradigm shift in the world of concealed carry yet often on the cusp of a new release many folks like to start hyping something in which they have very little real information about.

2. Its OK not to like a new gun.

I can understand there is significant financial and time investment in evaluating a new and unknown firearm. Initial purchase, ammo, travel time and time at the range all will play a part in your evaluation unless you can separate yourself from that thinking. You paid big money for something. You convince yourself you "have to" like it. Like there is no other option. Some things just don't work out. If you give it an honest try and it still does not work, put it away or get rid of it.

3. A gun will not adapt to you.

If you have small or big hands or grip angle geometry does not work for you, it is not the fault of the gun or the company who made it. It may be yours though. Make sure your firearm fits you the best that you can perceive without being able to fire it. If you can, shoot a friend's gun or rent one at a range. I understand this is not always possible. If it is not possible, once again, you need to think carefully before purchase. Do not fall into the trap of "I have to have this gun and I have to like it because it is the newest thing." If you find that you cannot disengage the safety one handed or the magazine falls out under recoil because your hand keeps hitting the release button, it is not the gun's fault. Everyone has different anatomy. Most guns will work with most people. As in, an incredible number of guns of various designs and configurations will work flawlessly with the majority of people out there. One aspect of any particular design of firearm will usually have a ton of overlap with many different builds of people. Do not fret if your gun is not working for you, it is an anomaly I can assure you and there will be another option out there for you.

4. If it is not working, do not try and make it work.

It is unwise and not recommended to go against any previous training or instincts you have developed in the past to try and "work with" or "retrain" yourself on a new gun that has some quirks but if you concentrate can be overcome. This should not be done for a tool you use under uncommon stress to defend yours and others lives unless a great commitment is made to fully and irreversibly train for that platform and forgo mastery of the others. Like I said, this is not recommended and I would not ask this of anyone.

5. There is more to all guns than the physical item in your hand.

I have read through countless threads that start off as a passable Public Service Announcement about a particular gun and an individual's problem or problems with it. It is really nothing more than a veiled bash that then evolves over a page or two into a Customer Service rant. Really, one begets the other in the end. There are many folks who applaud companies on their fantastic CS and use this as a point to buy said company's products. I don't see things this way. I take note of every time I hear about a problem with any gun and make a note of it. I don't want problems. Period. If a company has good CS and they get your defective equipment back to you fast that is excellent but I want no part of that transaction. I buy my guns second hand always. I buy the individual gun that has a good reputation. If the company that made it has a good reputation as well then that is a happy bonus/coincidence. HK has a terrible reputation for service whether it is deserved or not. It did not stop me from buying an out of production no less P7. I put 7000 rounds through that thing before I lost interest in it and sold it.

As always, practice with your carry gun. It is the only way you are going to know if it is the right one for you.
 
A recent thread about the most recent flavor of the month, the Sig P365, and the new owner's problems with it got me in the mood to share a few bits of observation on the theory and practice of shooting, marksmanship, practice, and concealed carry.

1. Don't be so quick to jump on the next new thing.

If your current carry gun is adequate, think carefully before trying something new. We are firearms enthusiasts here. It is a hobby for most of us and even further, a passion for some of us. I would like to try out anything and everything I can get my hands on. Objectively, there is very little that can be done so differently as to cause a paradigm shift in the world of concealed carry yet often on the cusp of a new release many folks like to start hyping something in which they have very little real information about.

2. Its OK not to like a new gun.

I can understand there is significant financial and time investment in evaluating a new and unknown firearm. Initial purchase, ammo, travel time and time at the range all will play a part in your evaluation unless you can separate yourself from that thinking. You paid big money for something. You convince yourself you "have to" like it. Like there is no other option. Some things just don't work out. If you give it an honest try and it still does not work, put it away or get rid of it.

3. A gun will not adapt to you.

If you have small or big hands or grip angle geometry does not work for you, it is not the fault of the gun or the company who made it. It may be yours though. Make sure your firearm fits you the best that you can perceive without being able to fire it. If you can, shoot a friend's gun or rent one at a range. I understand this is not always possible. If it is not possible, once again, you need to think carefully before purchase. Do not fall into the trap of "I have to have this gun and I have to like it because it is the newest thing." If you find that you cannot disengage the safety one handed or the magazine falls out under recoil because your hand keeps hitting the release button, it is not the gun's fault. Everyone has different anatomy. Most guns will work with most people. As in, an incredible number of guns of various designs and configurations will work flawlessly with the majority of people out there. One aspect of any particular design of firearm will usually have a ton of overlap with many different builds of people. Do not fret if your gun is not working for you, it is an anomaly I can assure you and there will be another option out there for you.

4. If it is not working, do not try and make it work.

It is unwise and not recommended to go against any previous training or instincts you have developed in the past to try and "work with" or "retrain" yourself on a new gun that has some quirks but if you concentrate can be overcome. This should not be done for a tool you use under uncommon stress to defend yours and others lives unless a great commitment is made to fully and irreversibly train for that platform and forgo mastery of the others. Like I said, this is not recommended and I would not ask this of anyone.

5. There is more to all guns than the physical item in your hand.

I have read through countless threads that start off as a passable Public Service Announcement about a particular gun and an individual's problem or problems with it. It is really nothing more than a veiled bash that then evolves over a page or two into a Customer Service rant. Really, one begets the other in the end. There are many folks who applaud companies on their fantastic CS and use this as a point to buy said company's products. I don't see things this way. I take note of every time I hear about a problem with any gun and make a note of it. I don't want problems. Period. If a company has good CS and they get your defective equipment back to you fast that is excellent but I want no part of that transaction. I buy my guns second hand always. I buy the individual gun that has a good reputation. If the company that made it has a good reputation as well then that is a happy bonus/coincidence. HK has a terrible reputation for service whether it is deserved or not. It did not stop me from buying an out of production no less P7. I put 7000 rounds through that thing before I lost interest in it and sold it.

As always, practice with your carry gun. It is the only way you are going to know if it is the right one for you.

Very well said. Something I have been thinking about for quite a while. I have always advocated taking your time to choose your personal weapon.And when possible always try and shoot the gun you may be interested in. And Yes, some of these new guns seem so great with all the ads, over hype etc. But when you stop and look at what has served you so well, you realize that the new gun of the month in really nothing to spend more money on. I have done just this. Saw some pistols I liked, felt the impulse to buy, and then halted and ended up just taking the money I was going to spend and buying more magazines and ammo.
My last Micro 9mm that I bought and a main carry, I spent over 6 months searching for. And in the end, it paid off with big dividendes The gun I found turned out to be the gun sent from heaven in regards to shooting, handling and quality. Patience is a virtue. I now realize the only new gun I might spend money on is a second one. I like having two guns that I truly love and appreciate, especially since they get shot so often.
And yes Practice, Practice. Get hardwired into your gun. Become one with the gun.

Great Post. I hope others read it as well. .
 
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Good points all, I’d say. If you like brand z and shoot brand z well, it’s ok to try brand x but don’t fall for the hype. I remember when everyone wanted a new CZ, Glock fanboys where furious with someone wanting to try the latest and greatest. CZ 75b was the running favorite. That’s when the koolaid wars erupted.
 
I don't think we can really blame the "Fan Wars" on Glock or CZ. Our history is and has been filled with "Fan Wars", Bud vs Miller, Ford vs Chevy, Cadillac vs Chrysler, Stieff vs Kirk, AlkaSeltzer vs BromoSeltzer ...

But the pace and frenzy does seem to have increased as advertising returns to the basics; FUD, SEX, Lust, Envy and Gluttony. Look at the ads for any product and you will see that it really tells you absolutely NOTHING about the product and all about how you will want to feel about yourself.
 
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Step 1 in terms of my selecting a handgun is to buy guns that fit me and my small hands. If it's too big in the grip frame, too unwieldy, too long to reach the trigger, or I don't get a good feeling about it while handling it then it certainly isn't going to be any better if I do buy it and go to use it.

Step 2 is to gather enough information about the gun to make an informed decision about it if I'm not familiar with the manufacturer or that particular model. I'm not one to make quick decisions or impulsive buys when thinking about getting a new gun, nor am I one to jump on the bandwagon when the "latest and greatest" first comes out.

Step3 is where I try the gun out, seeing if it functions properly and if it's good to go for it's intended purpose; i.e. range use, home defense, or concealed carry.

Finally I come to Step 4 when I, in the words of our own Jeb Stuart:
And yes Practice, Practice. Get hardwired into your gun. Become one with the gun.
I don't get out and practice as much as I would like to but when I do get the time I try to go with the guns I'm going to be depending on the most.

In my younger days I sometimes went out of my "comfort zone" with a few guns (an HK P7 and P9 come to mind), where their design or operation just weren't working out for me. And while they didn't work out I'm still glad I had the opportunity to give them a try.
 
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My main thoughts on a carry weapon is that there is no perfect firearm to please everybody.
There are tradeoff's, to me small size is very important. How the grip feels, sights, fast follow up shots are not as important, but that is just me.
With everyone wanting a powerful caliber, comfortable hand filling grips, easy to see sights, easy to operate controls, and fast follow up shots, everybody would be carrying a full size 1911.
 
Good points, to which I would add that just because others like a particular model doesn't mean you have to like it. And just because others can shoot a particular model accurately doesn't mean you will.
 
. Don't be so quick to jump on the next new thing.

What can I say? I'm guilty enough of this. I grew up with the Colt Single Action Army, a good enough gun for the likes of me and better. I can state the obvious and say that it's gotten me through anything I needed to get through. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here to write this. It wouldn't have served me too well in some of the combat matches I've been in, but in most of those to be competitive I would have needed to kill the paper equivalent of fifteen to twenty, not a scenario I've found waiting for me around too many corners.

The thing is, first chance I got, I couldn't resist trying out the next new thing. Aside from something to collect and marvel over the early semi-autos and double actions didn't strike me as anything I wanted to trust. Though after the New Service came out in '98, and especially those improvements in '08, I picked one up first chance I got. Same with the N-frame Smiths that came out in the same year. And about anything by John Moses Browning makes me happy. How could a person not want a 1911?

Since then? Maybe I've packed on a few years and gotten contrary. I read that these new things work. But then young people always have their enthusiasms. Witness Winston Churchill's excitement for shooting people with the Broomhandle Mauser. As much as I love his writing, I wouldn't want to strap one of those things on and head out into the dark.

So, yeah, I'd say a little constraint is in order.
 
Bottom line for me is a carry gun has to be reliable, durable, and accurate. Lightweight (comfortable to carry), ergonomic design, and readily concealable are also factors I consider when selecting a CCW. Three that work great for me: a Kahr CM9, SIG P238, and a S&W Model 638.

From time to time I might also carry some of my other handguns, like my Ruger SR9c, CZ P01, S&W Model 649, Colt Officer's ACP, or Colt Commander...just because I can!
 
Excellent points. I'd add that we need to account for changes to ourselves. I carried mid size double stack 9's for years. Back and neck injuries made it necessary for me to switch primarily to pocket carry, necessitating the change to smaller guns. Changing guns for me is at least a $1000 investment, when you account for the cost of the gun, additional magazines, night sights (if not already on the gun), a holster, a few hundred rounds of range ammo to get acclimated to the gun and make sure it's functioning plus another 200 rounds of the SD ammo I plan on using. It would really take something special to make me change at this point.
 
I think that many people fall for the "iPhone syndrome" and transfer it to firearms. You know - to own the greatest and latest gun (as seen on TV). Why do they buy them? Because it's NEW! I pity the man who changes his CCW every one or two years, only to find out that the latest and greatest is still not "the one". You know what, buddy - you just ain't gonna find it... Endless rants about this and that, about how that new gun has a slide stop that is .002" too far, or the trigger is tenth of an ounce heavier than they feel confident with. This is not a pair of shoes, it's a gun - just make an informed decision, take into consideration your physical features (like the size of your bloody hands for instance!) and then just get used to that gun. In other words - just man up and learn how to use it...
 
I don't think we can really blame the "Fan Wars" on Glock or CZ. Our history is and has been filled with "Fan Wars", Bud vs Miller, Ford vs Chevy, Cadillac vs Chrysler, Stieff vs Kirk, AlkaSeltzer vs BromoSeltzer ...

But the pace and frenzy does seem to have increased as advertising returns to the basics; FUD, SEX, Lust, Envy and Gluttony. Look at the ads for any product and you will see that it really tells you absolutely NOTHING about the product and all about how you will want to feel about yourself.

The Magical power of Advertising. It works. And a company can take a mediocre gun, spend a ton on advertising and sell a bundle.
The ART of "Sell the Sizzle, not the steak".
 
Doesn't pertain to carry, but for years I longed for an HK Socom pistol. Then I saw one at a LGS. Damn thing was too big in the grip for my hand. Thankfully, I hadthe good sense not to try and make it work.
 
Been carrying a Kel-Tec PF9 since 2010.

Last year, I decided to try hopping onto the .45 train. I bought an import "GI-type" 1911 just to familiarize myself with the platform, then a stainless Commander-type via online order. Decided it's bulkier than I thought it would be, too much for carry here, and too much a PITA to have a LH-ed safety installed. I'm keeping both guns because I like them, but neither is likely to be an EDC for me.

So, I bought a used Kahr CW45 I came across at the LGS.

That gun was an abysmal disappointment at the range (though I'll try a little more and see if I can make it work, even if not for carry.)

The Kel-Tec remains on my hip.
 
Jeb is right.

I practice almost daily with my carry pistol, which allows confidence. 6 months of practice before I carried in public. I'm glad I put the work in.
 
I admit I’m always a little intrigued with these threads and enjoy reading about others philosophy when it comes to carrying a gun. For me, I fortunately live where the probability of needing a firearm is less than my odds at winning the powerball. That said, there are several excellent points in this thread. But I just don’t carry on my person. I wear a suit at least 20 days out of the month and I’m in and out of the courthouse each of those 20-plus days. I can’t carry with the suit and into the courthouse, so carry on my person is just not feasible. Those other times it’s just situational awareness and drop into the glove box. To each his own....I am certainly not qualified to tell anyone else what to do or how to live their lives.
 
"Bottom line for me is a carry gun has to be reliable, durable, and accurate. Lightweight (comfortable to carry), ergonomic design, and readily concealable are also factors I consider when selecting a CCW."

I'm with Bannockburn on this one.

For me, 90% of the time it's a 38 snub when I can carry it and a micro 380 when I can't. (The other 10% involve unusual clothing, weather, situations, or all of the above.) Looking back, I haven't changed much. I started to carry occasionally about 30 years ago. In those days it was a 38 snub or the smallest 380 I had. Over the decades the exact identity of the 38 and the 380 have changed, but the basic ideas haven't.
 
"Bottom line for me is a carry gun has to be reliable, durable, and accurate. Lightweight (comfortable to carry), ergonomic design, and readily concealable are also factors I consider when selecting a CCW."

I'm with Bannockburn on this one.

For me, 90% of the time it's a 38 snub when I can carry it and a micro 380 when I can't. (The other 10% involve unusual clothing, weather, situations, or all of the above.) Looking back, I haven't changed much. I started to carry occasionally about 30 years ago. In those days it was a 38 snub or the smallest 380 I had. Over the decades the exact identity of the 38 and the 380 have changed, but the basic ideas haven't.

I like the 38 snub and that’s where I draw the line personally on power and effectiveness. I’ve just never warmed up to the idea of a 380. Tried once, with one of those Rugers, but sold it within 72 hours. Just not for me.
 
As one of those who are challenged by smaller hands my search for handguns that fit me has resulted in many guns bought and sold, mostly at a loss. This took place over a period of many years. Some hung around for a while as I tried to adapt to them, others were quickly sent down the road. I was growing frustrated at the wasted money until I began looking at it as "renting" the guns for a trial period. That made it more palatable to me.
 
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