Real world difference between .40, .45, and 9MM

[corwin]

Take it for what you will. The tl;dr version seems to be 'stupid people with guns are more dangerous than stupid people without guns'.

Damn good summary...seems like common sense to me, what isn't common sense is that the dumb should dictate what the masses that aren't get to have and do

 

[Pia]

Every hi-point I've handled was thick and heavy. These arent desirable attributes; you don't buy a gun for its utility as a melee weapon.

Weight is absolutely a desirable attribute for a home defense and range gun. It reduces felt recoil, lets you get better shots by making the gun more stable, and makes the gun point easier. Only someone with very weak hands, likely due to age/health issues, might need to think about whether a handgun is too heavy.

 

[MotF Bane]

Have fun trying to shoot someone with a handgun jacked on adrenaline. Shotgun is the way to go! Unless you train regularly and such.

Put a laser pointer on the pistol?

 

[ViviTheMage]

9MM is my favorite caliber.

 

[shortylickens]

I went to 5 places, none of them had the XDS.

 

[Dannar26]

Weight is absolutely a desirable attribute for a home defense and range gun. It reduces felt recoil, lets you get better shots by making the gun more stable, and makes the gun point easier. Only someone with very weak hands, likely due to age/health issues, might need to think about whether a handgun is too heavy.

Making the weapon big and clunky is the cheap way to address the points you bring up. At that point I'd say the issue lies more in the type of frame you're employing; IE is the weapon a full sized service pistol, or is it a small little carry gun? You're right, for home defense (and range), having the bigger gun isn't a problem. But there's no need for weight for the sake of weight.

I wouldn't take a hi-point over a glock because the glock wilk accomplish everything thing the hi-point does, and at a lower weight premium. That's win-win to me.

Duely blundered from my thunderdolt

 

[corwin]

Making the weapon big and clunky is the cheap way to address the points you bring up. At that point I'd say the issue lies more in the type of frame you're employing; IE is the weapon a full sized service pistol, or is it a small little carry gun? You're right, for home defense (and range), having the bigger gun isn't a problem. But there's no need for weight for the sake of weight.

I wouldn't take a hi-point over a glock because the glock wilk accomplish everything thing the hi-point does, and at a lower weight premium. That's win-win to me.

Hi-Point could be the most reliable gun ever made and I still wouldn't own one...they're fugly of course I feel the same way about Glock too so...yeah

 

[schneiderguy]

I went to 5 places, none of them had the XDS.

Good, hopefully they stopped making them and Springfield ceases to exist.

 

[SilthDraeth]

First .45 I bought was a hipoint. If you are still in the market, I would check out Kahr cw 45

They can be picked up for less than $400 sometimes and is a very nice gun, very slim, comes in 9mm, .40, and .45

But between hipoint and Smith and Wesson, go with the SW.

 

[Pia]

Put a laser pointer on the pistol?

Does not improve real performance and may decrease it - as usual when adding crap on guns.

A slide-mounted low profile red dot is actually useful, but hardly essential and quite pricy.

 

[schneiderguy]

Does not improve real performance and may decrease it - as usual when adding crap on guns.

A slide-mounted low profile red dot is actually useful, but hardly essential and quite pricy.

Normally I'd agree but one of the top pistol instructors has this to say:

If you weren't ever going to practice, I'd say the laser could be a good idea. It allows you to aim while keeping a target focus and doesn't rely on precise alignment between eye, gun, and target. Take two equally bad shooters and I see the untrained guy with a laser outshoot the untrained guy with iron sights every time.

 

[Merad]

Making the weapon big and clunky is the cheap way to address the points you bring up. At that point I'd say the issue lies more in the type of frame you're employing; IE is the weapon a full sized service pistol, or is it a small little carry gun? You're right, for home defense (and range), having the bigger gun isn't a problem. But there's no need for weight for the sake of weight.

Hipoint pistols are big and clunky because they use a blowback action. They need the mass in the slide to keep the breech closed until pressure drops. To lower the mass of the slide they'd have to change to another more complicated type of action and wouldn't be able to make their guns anywhere near as cheaply as they do.

 

[Pia]

Making the weapon big and clunky is the cheap way to address the points you bring up. At that point I'd say the issue lies more in the type of frame you're employing; IE is the weapon a full sized service pistol, or is it a small little carry gun? You're right, for home defense (and range), having the bigger gun isn't a problem. But there's no need for weight for the sake of weight.

Weight isn't the first or second or third thing to look for in a gun, but more weight on the frame of the gun really does help by itself. It's a matter of elementary physics. It is also obvious in practice - just try shooting a revolver both in airweight and steel versions. Or look at IDPA rules, which define strict upper limits for gun weight to keep things fair.

 

[Pia]

Normally I'd agree but one of the top pistol instructors has this to say:

I'm sure he is right when he says a laser is good for a handgun shooter who won't practice at all. I just think - and said as much earlier in the thread - that a person not willing to train should prefer a shotgun. If you don't have the use of both of your hands, and aren't willing to practice, then sure, handgun with laser it is.

 

[irishScott]

I went to 5 places, none of them had the XDS.

I heard they weren't shipping until late March, and that may very well have changed since Shot Show. Makes sense.

 

[shortylickens]

Doesnt matter. I put two old guns up on consignment and played with a Beretta Nano.


BUMP!
Theres already plenty of reviews on the Nano.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qko-wvLbswA

 

[BladeVenom]

Hipoint pistols are big and clunky because they use a blowback action.

And aren't they made of zinc? They need to use more metal because zinc is far inferior to steel for making firearms.

 

[BladeVenom]

Kel-tech is above hi-point in terms of quality. Lots of people are eager to heap on the hate; nothing I've encountered personally gives me a clue as to why.

Probably the best selling gun right now, Ruger LCP, is a Kel-Tec design.

 

[shortylickens]

Kel-tec design, but using the superior Ruger build quality.
And I was totally unaware of it being the best selling gun right now.

 

[Kroze]

I have. The guy that works for me took 6 9mm to the mid section. Had surgery, was in the hospital for a month, but he is alive and kicking today.

Not because it's 9mm round though, he's just extremely lucky.

 

[BladeVenom]

And I was totally unaware of it being the best selling gun right now.

In 2010 they manufactured 255,789 of them. How many Glock 17's are sold in a year?

 

[shortylickens]

In 2010 they manufactured 255,789 of them. How many Glock 17's are sold in a year?

Ummm, how many of those manufactured were sold?

 

[DaFinn]

In 2010 they manufactured 255,789 of them. How many Glock 17's are sold in a year?

Glock 17 and its variants are standard military service weapons in over 50 countries and standard law enforcement weapons in 48 countries (2011). >65% of US law enforcement agencies are using Glock (2011). 2.500.000 units had been manufactured by 2011. Glock does not disclose figures for govermental sales, but it makes the major part of their business.

 

[BladeVenom]

Ummm, how many of those manufactured were sold?

I assume they are all selling. That's 50,000 more than the year before. The number of .380s manufactured in this country from 2007 to 2010 has quadrupled. Since Obama became president Ruger's stock price is up 510%. So I would guess they are selling well.

 

[LiuKangBakinPie]

Glock 17 and its variants are standard military service weapons in over 50 countries and standard law enforcement weapons in 48 countries (2011). >65% of US law enforcement agencies are using Glock (2011). 2.500.000 units had been manufactured by 2011. Glock does not disclose figures for govermental sales, but it makes the major part of their business.

The Glock 17 and its descentants became very popular military and law enforcement firearms, being exported in more than 50 countries.