4 guns need 1 general purpose for SD.

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dchi

New member
I have a problem. Im using 4 different handguns for shooting, home protection and CC. I know many people carry several different types of guns but I'd like to settle on one to cut down on ammo cost and training.
For home protection I keep a loaded S&W 4506 in the night stand with the safety off. I can reach for it half asleep and not worry about any safties. Its very heavy and recoils light for a .45.
For CC I carry a glock 23 .40 about 40% of the time in a fobbus paddle holster. I feel this is the best compromise for weight, size, power and capacity. I choose not keep it as a house gun because it would have to stay in the holster or unloaded. Also being dead asleep and then grabing a pistol with a 5 lbs trigger is not comforting to me. If I knew I was going to be alert when trouble stuck, this pistol would be fine for home protection.
60% of the time I carry a S&W 638 airwieght .38. Its a joy to carry and can always go with me. I have CT laser grips to offset the limited capicty, power and difficulty of shooting a small snubby. Real problem is this gun is no fun to shoot, and I would not carry it if I can conceal a larger gun and I would not keep it as the main gun for home protection.
Lastly I do most of my shooting with a 1911 .45 but I do not want to keep one loaded for for home protection or carry. The reasons are weight size and light trigger and safety. Great for the range paper punching but not so good for me waking up at 2am.
So what gun can I get to replace most of the features of these 4? Im thinking something light, DA for the 1st shot, capable of adding laser grips (I really like them) and something with a rail for a light for home protection. Size about like a GLOCK 23 or smaller but not too small. I want to be able to comfortabley shoot 100-150 rounds at a time and be decently accurate. Caliber is not so important. I plan to use good ammo and practice 4 times as much with only one gun.
 
Which to carry CCW

If I had to choose from only the firearms you have listed I would pick the Glock 23-40.
Get some good personal protection rounds like Gold Dot in a +p load or something similar, put a couple of magazines where you can access them in a hurry if you need them.
The 40 will give enough knockout power to provide ample protection and loud enough to get the neighbors up so they can call the cops. The 40 is also small enough for an easy conceal and not so heavy as to be a bother.

My next pistol will be a XD-40. I couldn't find a clean used .40 to fit in my budget so I ended up with an XD 45 that I could afford. I tried the Glocks but they just didn't fit in my hand right, and the XD's did, so that's why I have the XD instead of the Glock.

Other than that. I don't see anything wrong with carrying any of the others. they are all suited to CCW, it's all about preference.
Good luck on your decision.
 
They all do their own specific task well, but none does everything well. I was hoping to find one pistol that was more a jack of all trades. I might even go with 2 guns. One being more suited to pocket carry but keeping both pistols very similar in action and hopefully in the same calibure.
 
Tough call because of the rail requirement, which eliminates easy candidates like the steel Kahrs and the SIG P239.

Also the Glock 23 is a bit smaller and lighter than other obvious all-around candidates like the SIG P229, Beretta Px4, Ruger P345 and P95.

HK USP Compact or newer version? The HK USP Compact is definitely size-competitive with the 23, and definitely has a rail, but the newer models (P30, P2000?) have the more common rail setup I believe, which will save you the money for the rail adapter. HKs cost a bunch and I don't know about lasers.

SIG P250 caught my eye. And you can get different frame/grip/barrel sizes to adjust to your needs......Also pricey, but it seems almost designed to be adjusted to fit the size that is wanted. It's also new and unproven, though the basic system I think is established.

While the HK USP Compact can definitely be ordered as a DA/SA (Variant 1), the HKs and the P250 may be partially-cocked trigger designs. It does seem that the trigger strokes are long enough to deal with some of your concerns there, but they are not as heavy as a traditional DA pull.
 
Rails. Do you really want to point your weapon at something you may not intend to shoot, just so you can see it better?

Get a separate flashlight. And a shotgun.
 
Sounds like exactly what I have, CZ P01, 9mm, forged alloy frame, DA/SA with decocker, M3 rail, Crimson Trace Lasergrips, quite accurate, same size as a Glock 19, and I carry it easily in an HBE Specialty Leatherworks COMIII IWB rig. Best sidearm I have used yet.:cool:
 
Why would you want to use only one gun for multiple purposes when you could have several that are each better suited for their own purpose? A compromise like this means that you will never have the BEST gun for each situation, instead you will always have a gun that is merely sufficient. If you really MUST downsize your arsenal, you might be able to do a pretty good 2 gun solution. A larger gun for HD and the range, and a smaller gun for general and hot weather concealed carry. There are several lines (XD, Glock M&P, & USP to name a few) that would allow you to essentially get the same gun in two different sizes. BTW, do you have a caliber preference?
 
I would ditch the 1911, since any practice time with it takes away from functional time with your working guns. Short of that I do not see your problem other than selling the 4506 and getting a 4006 to consolidate calibers to .40. Definately keep the j frame. maybe sell the glock and 4506 for a sig 229. Same basic size as your glock, better range piece, heavier trigger for sleeping next to you. 1911's are fun, but they always got the most range time when I owned them and my actual carry guns were more uncomfortable to shoot and thus my functional training suffered. Get a .22 for pleasure shooting for le$$ ammo costs
 
Personally, I would utilize two guns from the same maker in different sizes - i.e. maybe a Glock 17 and a G26, or a S&W snubbie, and it's bigger K or L frame brother, or similar. That cuts component/ammo costs down. Secondly the manual of arms will be essentially the same, so on the street or at 2AM there's no confusion. Third, it gives you a backup in the event your gun has to go to a shop for repair.

YMMV
 
keep the glock and the .38 for a bug and send me the 4506 and the 1911 as my consultant fee.:D

seriously, don't get rid of anything. do you have any idea how many handguns I have, cuz I'd have to go count them to know for sure. I thinks it's about 10 or so. they all get shot but only 2 don't have a specific "use" and only one of those I might consider getting rid of. and believe me I could use the money.
 
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CZ-P01 is a good recommendation.

An extremely cheap solution would be to use the Glock 23, set it on your nightstand unholstered with one of these on it:

http://www.ajaxgrips.com/ajax/saftblok

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102.jpg
 
I would sell the Glock and the 4506 and buy one of these

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=45916&tabselected=tech&isFirearm=Y&parent_category_rn=

Eight shots of .357 Magnum or .38 Special (.357 Magnum is just as good a SD caliber as .40S&W or .45 ACP IMHO), it has the light rail you want, the extra weight and larger grip will make it more pleasant to shoot than your 638 (especially with .38's), and it has the same basic manual of arms as the 638 that you routinely carry.
 
My personal preference (which is what you are getting from most folks here) is a good revolver.

However, you don't need to buy another gun.
Good Grief. You've got some fine guns there already, and you said your purpose was to focus on one gun and practice, practice, practice.

OK. Just do it.

Out of what you listed, I'd go with the 40 cal., Glock 23. Great round, excellent gun. Nothing you get is going to be any better -- just different. Don't worry about the trigger pull, that is what the practice is all about. Lock the others up (except for the 638 -- keep that in your pocket.), get a case of cheap .40 ammo,
http://www.reedsammo.com/
http://georgia-arms.com/index.aspx
and just shoot the crap out of that gun.

Buy ammo. Not a new gun, and just practice. No new gun is going to make you better. Practice with what you have.
If you just have to buy something, get night sights.
 
Im thinking something light, DA for the 1st shot, capable of adding laser grips (I really like them) and something with a rail for a light for home protection. Size about like a GLOCK 23 or smaller but not too small. I want to be able to comfortabley shoot 100-150 rounds at a time and be decently accurate. Caliber is not so important.
Click to expand...

Then look at a Walther P99 AS in a 9mm or .40, has all the above that you described. The AS trigger is my favorite out of ALL gun triggers.
 
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