chaim
Member
Since Maryland was forced to go shall-issue with Bruen my thoughts on carry guns have changed. When I only carried occasionally (about once a month) when out of state on a non-resident permit I liked to switch things up a lot. I had too many carry type guns I liked to narrow it down (other than wanting a DA/SA, DAO or striker fired pistol with no external safety to make training easier, they all are put into action by simply drawing and pulling the trigger). I do still have a few for different needs (compact service pistols when I can get away with going larger and heavier, for that I have a Glock 19 and a CZ PCR that get carry time, snub revolvers especially for pocket carry or when I need to be as concealed as possible, an LCP theoretically for pocket carry that I've never pocket carried, a S&W M&P 40c, and my main carry gun which is a SIG P365). I don't like to carry too long without practicing with my carry gun (a month or two), I don't like to clean my range guns after every range trip, and I won't carry a dirty gun, so I mainly switch between the G19 and PCR based on which is in my range bag and which is clean (switching between them every couple months) and the same between my M&P40c and my P365. That works with the G19 to PCR as they are about the same size, and despite the weight difference, I don't carry either all day every day so I don't really notice the extra weight of the PCR. However, the M&P40c and P365 are more different in feel when carrying that they don't feel like as good a trade off between each other. The M&P40c is noticeably wider which when carrying all day IWB is enough to be a problem, and if I'm going to deal with that I'd rather carry the larger and higher capacity G19 or PCR.
I'm thinking about trading the M&P40c on something more similar to the P365 (either literally, or more likely "replacing" the M&P40c for carry and relegating it to range use and maybe using it for home defense since I do like it quite a bit).
If you don't want to read all the details behind my thoughts on each gun and just jump to the guns I'm considering, see the TL/DR at the bottom.
First option is another P365, which in many ways makes the most sense. It would be exactly like the P365, range practice with my 365 acting as the range gun would transfer 100% to the 365 in my holster. I already shoot it quite well. I do like my P365 quite a bit and know I'll like this gun and enjoy carrying it. Of course, I already have several mags of various sizes (a pair of 10 round and a pair of 12 round mags), and holsters, so I wouldn't need to spend any more money on accessories. There are a couple disadvantages. First, I just like to have some variety (even while trying to keep things similar), and while I picked the P365 over the Glock 43X, S&W Shield Plus, and SA Hellcat, I really did like those guns and the S&W and Glock were very close to being picked over the P365. If I'm looking to add a second gun for the same overall purpose of my P365 it would be nice to add one that is different but one I wanted almost as much. Also, I do a lot of dry fire. I don't dry fire the guns I have set aside at that particular time for defensive use for safety reasons until they are switched out for something else. If I had a loaded P365 as my carry gun and one that is set aside as a range gun for a couple months, when I dry fire the range 365 it seems like it would increase the chances of a mistake and a ND (though I do compulsively check the chamber on any gun I'm dry firing even if it hasn't left my hand if some time has passed since I last pulled the trigger or checked it so the chances would be low). As it is now, the P365 doesn't get dry fired until it is the M&P40c's turn to be carried and vice versa.
The next is a Glock 43X. It almost beat out the P365 when I made my purchase, and I still find myself interested in it and have almost bought one a few times since (before deciding I needed to add another CCW). My P365's grip texture is aggressive and was uncomfortable until I hit it with some fine grit sandpaper, my Glock 19 and 22 are fine as is so I presume the G43x would also be comfortable when carrying with no modifications. I like the longer grip length for easier holster presentation. Glock has the best aftermarket support for accessories of pretty much any company if I wanted anything for the gun. While Glock sights aren't very good, I'd likely just add the same sights I have on my G19 to make it as close as possible a correlation between the two. While my two Glocks are different sizes (the full sized G22 and "compact" G19) and this third would be a subcompact single stack, practice between the three would transfer over pretty well since they all pretty much feel and shoot the same. While it wouldn't quite be the same as the P365 so that when one is in my holster and the other is the range gun it wouldn't transfer 100%, I would be getting plenty of range practice with each gun every couple months, and in this case, the G19 and G22 practice would be similar to the G43x. The biggest drawback is that while I have been shooting for decades now (I started owning guns over 20 years ago), I only got into Glocks this past fall and with their very different grip angle from my other autos, I don't shoot them as well as pretty much any of my other autos (though, I am more than "combat accurate" and will get better with practice). Also, I'd need at least one holster, though I may get away with no additional mags since Glock usually ships their guns with 3 mags (3 is just barely enough IMO). A 10 round mag is another disadvantage unless I wanted to buy the Shield Arms 15 round mags and metal mag release (I'm not sure).
My third option is a Shield Plus. I do like my M&P40c a lot and was hoping it would work in this role, but unfortunately the feel between a regular double stack subcompact and this new generation of slim 10+ round micro 9s is quite different. I shoot the M&P nearly as well as my SIGs, CZs and 1911s and much better than my Glocks. The Shield Plus would likely have the same plusses in feel as the M&P and shoot nearly as well, while still giving me the slimmer carry feel that I want like the P365. Like the Glock, while it wouldn't be quite as similar at the range as the P365 as if I had two P365s, I'd still get plenty of practice with each by switching every couple months, and when the S&W was in my holster, practice with my M&P40c would likely mostly transfer over to the Shield. The biggest disadvantage would be that I'd need to buy a holster and mags, and while there are a lot of aftermarket options, it isn't the same as it is for Glock.
I'm not really interested in the Springfield as much, and so in the name of narrowing things down, I'm already dropping that from consideration.
TL/DR, just the guns:
To "back up" my P365 as my main carry gun when the P365 is acting as a range gun, I'm considering:
I'm thinking about trading the M&P40c on something more similar to the P365 (either literally, or more likely "replacing" the M&P40c for carry and relegating it to range use and maybe using it for home defense since I do like it quite a bit).
If you don't want to read all the details behind my thoughts on each gun and just jump to the guns I'm considering, see the TL/DR at the bottom.
First option is another P365, which in many ways makes the most sense. It would be exactly like the P365, range practice with my 365 acting as the range gun would transfer 100% to the 365 in my holster. I already shoot it quite well. I do like my P365 quite a bit and know I'll like this gun and enjoy carrying it. Of course, I already have several mags of various sizes (a pair of 10 round and a pair of 12 round mags), and holsters, so I wouldn't need to spend any more money on accessories. There are a couple disadvantages. First, I just like to have some variety (even while trying to keep things similar), and while I picked the P365 over the Glock 43X, S&W Shield Plus, and SA Hellcat, I really did like those guns and the S&W and Glock were very close to being picked over the P365. If I'm looking to add a second gun for the same overall purpose of my P365 it would be nice to add one that is different but one I wanted almost as much. Also, I do a lot of dry fire. I don't dry fire the guns I have set aside at that particular time for defensive use for safety reasons until they are switched out for something else. If I had a loaded P365 as my carry gun and one that is set aside as a range gun for a couple months, when I dry fire the range 365 it seems like it would increase the chances of a mistake and a ND (though I do compulsively check the chamber on any gun I'm dry firing even if it hasn't left my hand if some time has passed since I last pulled the trigger or checked it so the chances would be low). As it is now, the P365 doesn't get dry fired until it is the M&P40c's turn to be carried and vice versa.
The next is a Glock 43X. It almost beat out the P365 when I made my purchase, and I still find myself interested in it and have almost bought one a few times since (before deciding I needed to add another CCW). My P365's grip texture is aggressive and was uncomfortable until I hit it with some fine grit sandpaper, my Glock 19 and 22 are fine as is so I presume the G43x would also be comfortable when carrying with no modifications. I like the longer grip length for easier holster presentation. Glock has the best aftermarket support for accessories of pretty much any company if I wanted anything for the gun. While Glock sights aren't very good, I'd likely just add the same sights I have on my G19 to make it as close as possible a correlation between the two. While my two Glocks are different sizes (the full sized G22 and "compact" G19) and this third would be a subcompact single stack, practice between the three would transfer over pretty well since they all pretty much feel and shoot the same. While it wouldn't quite be the same as the P365 so that when one is in my holster and the other is the range gun it wouldn't transfer 100%, I would be getting plenty of range practice with each gun every couple months, and in this case, the G19 and G22 practice would be similar to the G43x. The biggest drawback is that while I have been shooting for decades now (I started owning guns over 20 years ago), I only got into Glocks this past fall and with their very different grip angle from my other autos, I don't shoot them as well as pretty much any of my other autos (though, I am more than "combat accurate" and will get better with practice). Also, I'd need at least one holster, though I may get away with no additional mags since Glock usually ships their guns with 3 mags (3 is just barely enough IMO). A 10 round mag is another disadvantage unless I wanted to buy the Shield Arms 15 round mags and metal mag release (I'm not sure).
My third option is a Shield Plus. I do like my M&P40c a lot and was hoping it would work in this role, but unfortunately the feel between a regular double stack subcompact and this new generation of slim 10+ round micro 9s is quite different. I shoot the M&P nearly as well as my SIGs, CZs and 1911s and much better than my Glocks. The Shield Plus would likely have the same plusses in feel as the M&P and shoot nearly as well, while still giving me the slimmer carry feel that I want like the P365. Like the Glock, while it wouldn't be quite as similar at the range as the P365 as if I had two P365s, I'd still get plenty of practice with each by switching every couple months, and when the S&W was in my holster, practice with my M&P40c would likely mostly transfer over to the Shield. The biggest disadvantage would be that I'd need to buy a holster and mags, and while there are a lot of aftermarket options, it isn't the same as it is for Glock.
I'm not really interested in the Springfield as much, and so in the name of narrowing things down, I'm already dropping that from consideration.
TL/DR, just the guns:
To "back up" my P365 as my main carry gun when the P365 is acting as a range gun, I'm considering:
- Another P365
- Glock 43X
- S&W Shield Plus
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