Carry Gun Paradigm Shift

D

doc540

New member
cliffs:
XDS in .45 ACP sold after getting it back from the recall (serious trigger issues)

carried the custom Colt CCO for two months - 8 rounds of .45 ACP

One of my firearm mentors convinced me that shot placement trumps caliber. (And I've been a .45 ACP guy.)

Now I am carrying an ugly, sunrise-dependable Gen3, Glock 19.

16 rounds of Barnes all-copper 9mm.

25 cent trigger job = smooth, 5 lb trigger

finis
 
caliber is no substitute for shot placement and more importantly, reliability.

there is nothing wrong with the .45acp, I on rare occasions carry a Kahr PM45.... but that's only because its substantially smaller than a G17.
 
As I posted on the other forum where you asked this, all handguns are relatively poor stoppers regardless of caliber or bullet used. Shot placement and sufficient penetration are paramount, all else is secondary.
That's why I carry a SIG P2022 15+1 9mm w/quality JHP ammo for less recoil, faster followup shots and greater capacity (YMMV).
Tomac
 
Shot placement is, indeed, most important. It’s also super-duper hard to accomplish during a gunfight when everyone is dodging and ducking and shooting as fast as possible from panic-induced positions.

That being said, I usually carry a 9mm loaded with +P+ JHPs.
 
The trick is not to panic....and it is heard to practice in a way that simulates that sensation. Practice a lot so that muscle memory and training kick in.
A square range is not much help....try to practice realistic scenarios


One of the tricks used by one firm was to drop flashbangs or big firecrackers on you while doing drills. The fireworks are a cheap alternative and it is nerve wracking for newbies.

That said, reliability is my preference over caliber and quantity.
 
You are talking about stress inoculation. If not maintained, it goes away. The shape of the range is of no consequence.

As for shot placement, don't confuse external placement with internal placement. Proper shot external placement requires and is meaningless without the additions of proper trajectory to lead to the internal vital structures you want to disrupt and sufficient penetration to do the damage.
 
IMHO, concealability trumps caliber and most other considerations. In the summer I'm a tee-shirt and shorts guy. No place to conceal a big handgun. I use a pocket pistol. Have two in .22lr and one in .380. Three times in my life I have had to show a gun in self defense (never fired), bad guys never questioned caliber, all were with .22lr.
 
The square range is a term I heard for static training where you shoot in lanes with no "realism".... sorry thought it was a common term.
 
One more thought. Stress reaction is an interesting thing. I took a couple of "second time around" guys out for training who hadn't been in the mix for over 5 years. Both had ice water in their veins....no flinches, lots of muscle and training memory that kicked in. Surprised me..
 
My 2 cents in this ....is everyone who chooses to carry -- should carry the gun they shoot the best...in whatever caliber and capacity they think is important.

Shot placement is the key over caliber in my opinion ....and reliability is critical ...but that depends on a lot of factors ( who made the gun, maintenance, etc )....

My choice of carry weapons has shifted once in a while over the years...( and while once in a while I may carry a K frame 4" S&W revolver 6 rds .357 mag / or a Sig 239 in .40 S&W ( 7 +1) / 99.9 % of the time, I go back to a full sized 1911 - Wilson Combat CQB 5" gun in .45 acp...(8 + 1) ...and it just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy...:D

http://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=37933&d=1226019002
is mine....

and I carry it because its the gun I shoot the best, it's 100% reliable, and shot placement is not a problem because I practice ( with a little pressure from a timer - every week )....
 
One more thought. Stress reaction is an interesting thing. I took a couple of "second time around" guys out for training who hadn't been in the mix for over 5 years. Both had ice water in their veins....no flinches, lots of muscle and training memory that kicked in. Surprised me..
 
doc540,

I've used Colt Defenders in .45 ACP and +p Cor-Bon 200s. Found impossible to control one handed.

Used S&W TI lite .357s with Cor-Bon 125gr DPX magnums. Found them impossible to control one handed.

Used Marlin .45/70 Guide Guns with hot Buffalo Bore .45/70s. Got tired of being kicked into flinching every shot.

And over the years it dawned on me that while I can take a .45 ACP if it was in 4-5 inch format (all steel), and .357 revolvers if all steel, and even elephant rifles if I used 12 lb guns, I sure could not take those flyweight guns!

Yes I use a Glock 33 .357 Sig, but that and the Glock 27 in .40 are about as much power as I can hang on to and still get good fast hits.

Same for the .30-06. That is about my limit in 7 lb guns.

Your Glock 19 will do excellent work. +p or higher powered 9mm ammo are good loads for defense. Just practice mucho (I do!)

Deaf
 
I will soon be replacing the beloved 642 with a Glock 26 as a carry gun. More projectiles makes me feel better. The town I live in is getting scarier by the day.
 
Interesting mention of summer time carry. I am of the opinion that comfort is a big issue for the average joe out there. The old saying is that your carry gun should be "Comforting, not comfortable", but the fact is that if carrying is a pain in the arse, most people will stop doing it rather quickly. I personally carry the largest caliber (that I am proficient with) I can practically, and comfortably, carry in any given scenario. Sometimes this means carrying my S&W air weight revolver, sometimes it means carrying a full size 1911. I don't think I would be content carrying a .22 like the person above mentioned, however anything is better than nothing at all.
 
Not a fan of the 9mm

No real reason other than the .45 makes a slightly bigger hole. A good, realiable 9mm is enough handgun to stake your life on.
 
In the entire history of gunfighting, there has never been a time when one of the shooters wished he had a smaller gun that held fewer rounds of less powerful ammo.

If I knew there was going to be a gunfight, I’d be 50 miles away in a nice, quiet library reading about gunfights.

I never leave the house without a gun. In the summer (most of the year here in Florida) I carry a PF9 in a Remora IWB holster. In the winter, I carry an XDm 3.8 9mm with the full-size, 20 round grip frame. When I wear a Tux (pretty often) I wear a P3AT in a Remora IWB under my cummerbund.

And I always carry a stun gun. That’s a lesson I learned from George Zimmerman.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top