Anyone knowledgeable on HANDGUNS?

[Tonec]

With an $800 budget and previous experience with a Ruger 9mm, I would suggest a Glock 26 with pearce ext. Use the money left over for your preference in nite sites, decent holster like sidearmor, extra magazines, more practice ammo. At realistic ccw ranges ~7yards max, the shorter site radius, barrel length velocity loss, and caliber are nonissues. Any +P JHP from the four premium brands will more than suffice and if things really get bad, the 26 will accept spare G17/19 17 round mags.

One thing to keep in mind. Since this will be a part time carry weapon and you are in Texas, the gun will be subject to sweat. The sig finish is not known for its durability unless you get a stainless steel model. Showing cosmetic scratches and being rust prone is usually the #1 complaint of sig owners. If you're the obsessive cleaning type, then its not a problem.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Buy the Glock

I've got a 22C & a 26

Drop by Glock Talk, lots of stuff to look @...

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

<< Buy the Glock

I've got a 22C & a 26

Drop by Glock Talk, lots of stuff to look @... >>



Hee hee - I am on GT now.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Yeah Colt doesn't make the .25 anymore. I'll stand by my original suggestion Despite the low caliber it's a great little gun for what it is. Extremely small. About the size of a wallet. It's extremely functional in this regard and with +P will has plenty of power. People talk about accuacy and all that stuff, but I really think that if you are ever going to need it, it's going to be point blank or within 10 feet.

If it's something for the car I'd definately go with something bigger, but something just for everyday use that you can carry around in your pocket, it's tough to beat. You can find one in good condition for <$250 You could even get a holster that goes inside your pants and it wouldn't be uncomfortable at all. Plus it would be much easy to conceal in the case that you ever needed to use it. Rather than pull a big bastard out that would be obvious to the bad guy, you could shimmy this guy out and have it hidden in the palm of your hand. He'd never have a clue.

He'll just get both, that way you are covered

 

[Megamorph]

Hey guys, thanks for all the advice. I purchased a Glock 23 today. It felt really good in my hand. I looked at the Sigs, USPs, Kimblers, and the P99. I really liked the P99 too, but eventually decided on the Glock. I will probably end up getting a P99 in the future.

 

[Amused]

<< Oh hellz no! .22's, .25, .380's. can all go to hell! I would rather throw throw that gun at someone then shoot at them >>



.380s are very effective rounds, and are a good size for a CC weapon. I guarantee if I pump one center mass using Hydra-Shok rounds, you ain't getting up

 

[FelixDeCat]

<< Oh hellz no! .22's, .25, .380's. can all go to hell! I would rather throw throw that gun at someone then shoot at them >>

Its kind of funny. A gun can have many purposes. You can scare and then you can kill. If you want a noisemaker to give the impression you are unloading, go for the .25 Its actually best if you can avoid killing someone.

I keep the browning 9mm hipower (preban) locked up, but dont carry it.

 

[BooneRebel]

<< Colt .25

Holds 7 rounds, extremely small (small that the palm of the average hand) no safety switch (kinda like a glock, just pull and boom). Put P+ ammo in and you're good to go. Much better than those big guys.

I'd go with a Glock 30 over the 36. 10 round capacity and is the same size except double stack mags (where the 36 is a single stack 6 round mag).

Really tiny=colt
Don't need really tiny=Glock 30

If you wanted something in between you could get the 26, it's a 9mm and is just a tad smaller than the 30/6. >>



BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Name a single law enforcement agency that issues a .25 caliber firearm. Or .22 or .380, for that matter. Remember, you're not carrying a weapon for it's size. You're carrying it under the assumption that you will need to protect your life at some point in the future. In a life-threatening situation, I cannot imagine anyone choosing a .25 caliber over an available larger round.

 

[JohnnyReb]

Name a single law enforcement agency that issues a .25 caliber firearm. Or .22 or .380, for that matter. Remember, you're not carrying a weapon for it's size. You're carrying it under the assumption that you will need to protect your life at some point in the future. In a life-threatening situation, I cannot imagine anyone choosing a .25 caliber over an available larger round.

In the Deep South it is very hard to conceal a full-size service pistol in the summer. The best gun for self defense is the gun you have with you when you see the white elephant.

John

 

[Amused]

<< Name a single law enforcement agency that issues a .25 caliber firearm. Or .22 or .380, for that matter. Remember, you're not carrying a weapon for it's size. You're carrying it under the assumption that you will need to protect your life at some point in the future. In a life-threatening situation, I cannot imagine anyone choosing a .25 caliber over an available larger round.

In the Deep South it is very hard to conceal a full-size service pistol in the summer. The best gun for self defense is the gun you have with you when you see the white elephant.

John >>



Yep. When it's 98 degrees and 100% humidity (trust me, this heat is far worse than any 105+ temps I've felt in the Southwest), where are you going to put a full size or mid sized pistol? That's why I've always favored the Walther PPK/S as a CC weapon.

Of course, fannypack holsters are OK, but obvious to anyone who knows anything about guns.

 

[BooneRebel]

<< Name a single law enforcement agency that issues a .25 caliber firearm. Or .22 or .380, for that matter. Remember, you're not carrying a weapon for it's size. You're carrying it under the assumption that you will need to protect your life at some point in the future. In a life-threatening situation, I cannot imagine anyone choosing a .25 caliber over an available larger round.

In the Deep South it is very hard to conceal a full-size service pistol in the summer. The best gun for self defense is the gun you have with you when you see the white elephant.

John >>



But you can still buy a small frame pistol capable of firing .38 special, 9MM, .40, or .45 ACP. The introduction of the 10-round limits have made development of these small guns even more prevalent.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

<< But you can still buy a small frame pistol capable of firing .38 special, 9MM, .40, or .45 ACP. The introduction of the 10-round limits have made development of these small guns even more prevalent. >>



Agreed. I know I would be a lot more comfortable with a subcompact Glock in 9mm or above, or a Sig P239, than any .22, .25, or .380 weapon. In all fairness, the .380 can be an adequate defense caliber with the right load, but with all the better choices out there, I can't imagine why anyone would choose it anymore, much less buy a .25.

 

[Mani]

Anyone know of any ranges with a decent rental array in or around the Austin TX area?

 

[Flat]

<< H&K P9s >>

 

[308nato]

.44 Special with a 2" barrel. Out of everything in the safe, I usually carry this. I leave the poodle shooters to the wife.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

I think you guys are missing the point. You are going for accuracy and knock down power at a distance. This will NEVER happen. If it does, you might as well go buy some vasiline for your nice stay in jail. Any self defense engagement is going to be 2-10 feet. Anything more than that and you're going to have a hard time convincing the jury that you were in emminant (sp) danger for your life. You guys act like it's some flippin' movie or something. You aren't going to aim, you aren't going to wrestle the guy, you aren't going to be diving over couches and reloading. It's not a John Woo flick. Why don't police carry larger rounds? You aren't the fukin police so it doesn't matter. I'd much rather have something with decent power and be able to get a ton of rounds off quickly and in a small area rather than one of these big guys that's going to kick more and make that 2nd shot a little more off.

Granted in the event you shoot a 300 lb muscle man on crack a .25 +P is just going to make him bleed to death after he kills you, but most likely you'd never even have a chance with any gun in this situation. He'd shoot you long before you could finish drawing. Sure you can't take 3 or 4 guys with it, but would you be willing to do that with a bigger gun? Probably not. Just look at it from a practical stand point, not what makes you FEEL best.

And btw, several police departments still use .38 cal revolvers as secondary weapons.

 

[Maetryx]

I've been carrying a Glock 19 (compact 9mm, NOT subscompact) for years. But my wife got a Ruger SK101 .357 revolver, stainless steel with a 2" barrel. That is REALLY fun to shoot, and it is very simple to operate. I was into semi-autos until I fired that gun. Now I like both.

I say I carry, but really I just have the permit and take the gun with me only on "special" occasions, like working in remote locations or going to the theater. I'm a round shaped guy with a job that often has me sitting in front of a computer. It's difficult to find a holster solution that accomodates the rotund desk bound AND conceals the gun. If I wasn't trying to conceal it, then a sholder holster would be the obvious choice.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

<< Hey guys, thanks for all the advice. I purchased a Glock 23 today. It felt really good in my hand. I looked at the Sigs, USPs, Kimblers, and the P99. I really liked the P99 too, but eventually decided on the Glock. I will probably end up getting a P99 in the future. >>



Good choice. I looked at the P99 too - it's nice but I am still ambivalent about DA/SA pistols, and I think it looks REALLY weird.

I am still scratching my head at people here recommending .25s - weird wild stuff! If I were looking for a tiny gun I would look at Kahr or the subcompact Glocks (the new single-stack .45 36, for example, is very tiny and quite powerful and accurate). I see zero reason to settle for such a tiny, worthless weapon, which imparts all of the liability of concealed carry with few of the advantages.

 

[BooneRebel]

<< I think you guys are missing the point. You are going for accuracy and knock down power at a distance. This will NEVER happen. If it does, you might as well go buy some vasiline for your nice stay in jail. Any self defense engagement is going to be 2-10 feet. Anything more than that and you're going to have a hard time convincing the jury that you were in emminant (sp) danger for your life. You guys act like it's some flippin' movie or something. You aren't going to aim, you aren't going to wrestle the guy, you aren't going to be diving over couches and reloading. It's not a John Woo flick. Why don't police carry larger rounds? You aren't the fukin police so it doesn't matter. I'd much rather have something with decent power and be able to get a ton of rounds off quickly and in a small area rather than one of these big guys that's going to kick more and make that 2nd shot a little more off.

Granted in the event you shoot a 300 lb muscle man on crack a .25 +P is just going to make him bleed to death after he kills you, but most likely you'd never even have a chance with any gun in this situation. He'd shoot you long before you could finish drawing. Sure you can't take 3 or 4 guys with it, but would you be willing to do that with a bigger gun? Probably not. Just look at it from a practical stand point, not what makes you FEEL best.

And btw, several police departments still use .38 cal revolvers as secondary weapons. >>


Are -you- on crack? I don't think anyone here has mentioned long distance accuracy, diving over couches, etc. The debate is on the knock-down power of a given round. Assuming that your adversary is within 2-10 feet (as you have described), would you rather be shooting at him with a .25 with xx ft/lbs of energy, or a 9mm with xxx ft/lbs of energy? And there is a big difference between a .38 and a .380, knucklehead.

 

[Amused]

You know, there's really no reason for anyone to be insulting in this thread.

 

[TommyWDetroit]

DE .50

 

[ShotgunSteven]

I really like the compact H&K USP-40. Pricey, but definitely worth it.

 

[BooneRebel]

<< You know, there's really no reason for anyone to be insulting in this thread. >>

There never is. Regardless, it happens every time...

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

<< I really like the compact H&K USP-40. Pricey, but definitely worth it. >>



The USPs are nice guns, but I find their pricing really unreasonable. I cannot see what justifies the 30% price increase versus a Glock, which seems to be built just as well and uses similar materials. For the same money, you could buy a comparable Sig, with its jewel-like build quality and smooth trigger. I also really dislike the trigger on the USPs, especially in DA. The H&K P7, on the other hand, is a beautiful (but VERY expensive) little weapon.

 

[Pokey93]

<< Anyone know of any ranges with a decent rental array in or around the Austin TX area? >>



There is a good indoor range on the Southwest side of Austin and they have a decent selection of rentals. The website is www.redsguns.com. The page will give you directions and has a list of the rental guns available.

Hope this helps.

Pokey