Carrying different weapons

This was a topic that came up during my police firearms instructor class. Some of the students felt that since we were going to teach a specific platform that we need to stick with that particular platform including the compacts-subcompacts under all circumstances (in our case the majority of us carry Glocks). Not all of us agreed with Glocks or nothing idea since most of us shoot/own different handguns in addition to our issue weapons.
I do believe that if I'm shooting another type of handgun that I should give equal time to my carry/duty piece.
 
Different Pistols?

I'm new here and I not an X-purt, but I've kinda always felt it depended on the individual who was carrying the pistol. Me, I've been shooting pistols for 51 years and teaching other officers for the last 27. Some can and some can't deal with different off/on switches on a pistol. It usually depends on whether the person is a shooter, how intelligent they are and how much experience they have with different types of pistols.

I believe for the average officer or ocassional shooter that carries a pistol for self defense should carry pistols that work the same.

Jungle Work
 
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This is why I got the XD-9. No extra levers to worry about when the SHTF. Grab-n-go.

Many times at the range I've forgotten my safety is on when using the Ruger 22/45. That's not good for defensive purposes...fine for the range.
 
it all depends on how much you practice . . .

It's probably best to stick to a similar "manual of arms" if you can.

For example, M1911 pattern pistols and the Browning High Power have a similar arrangement of external controls.

Conventional S&W Autos and most Berettas and Walthers work the same. (I would NEVER carry a conventional DA/SA "on safe". There is no logical reason to)

Glocks and Kahrs work the same.

Conventional SIGs work the same (excluding the DAO and DAK guns).

However, I've accumulated a lot of guns over the years, revolvers, SA auto pistols, DA/SA auto pistols, and other "self decocking" guns like a DAK Sig, Glock 19 and Kahr P9.

Most of my practice is with my duty gun (currently a Sig 226R-DAK in .40) and with my most often utilized off-duty guns, a SIG 230 and Kahr P9. But I work other guns "into the rotation" if I can (none of us can never get enough range time).

I have found that once you build up a set of skills to operate a given weapons system, given some practice once in a while, you keep those skills. New skills/reflexes don't get imprinted over the top of old skills, they exist in ADDITION to old skills, but the old skills do need to be refreshed and renewed sometimes.

So the best advice is to keep your battery simple and of a similar operating system if you can, but it is possible to switch around without detriment fiven frequent practice.
 
When the adrenalin's pumping and you have to act right now, things happen...

I've seen an officer "miss" a safety that he knew needed to be switched off and with which he was used to. Had used before and trainned with - It was the only type he worked with, in fact! Mashed and mashed on the trigger and couldn't get it to go off - all the while I was struggling with a suspect, desperately needing his help. I finally gainned the upperhand and the fight was over without him, and that officer never did get it to fire - couldn't operate the safety properly under the adrenalin dump. And no - he's not an incompetent boob who shouldn't wear a badge, but we both learned a valuable lesson that day. Glad it was only a pepper spray situation and not a deadly force one...

I can see that switching safeties on firearms would not be good thing and I prefer to carry firearms without them. (Revolvers, Glocks, Sigma, etc.)

But at the same time, I don't have anything against carrying a single safety type. But don't think it's a good idea to mix and match.
 
I switch off between the Dan Wesson and the P85. Both DA. I worked over the grips on each of them until they both shoot to same POI at 21' with the grip I get drawing from IWB. It works for me.

Pops
 
Quote:
"OK, you guys who have never trained force on force or been in a violent encounter, or have studied and train people for violent encounters know better than those who have."

I've been in a few "violent encounter"s. Back in January and February of
1969, it seemed like a "violent encounter" came along about every fifteen minutes. But that was I CORPS, RVN, and the 26th Marines.

Life is a little slower these days, not nearly so many firefights. But I did
learn a lot about weapons-handling back then. I don't think I have
forgotten ALL I learned "on-the-job". If I can't grab a gun I own, and
readily adjust to where the safety is, and how the sights work, I should
get rid of that gun, or, get rid of all my guns.

I feel pretty confident in my gun-handling ability. I am extremely comfortable
with the "carry" guns I use. I believe I'll keep on carrying whatever gun I decide fits my need for the day, and not worry too much about whether or not I can find the safety.

Walter
;)
 
There are a lot of good opinions here and that, in and of itself, is pleasing. What this boils down to is "If it works for you, great. If not, stick with one type of MOA".

Mannlicher said:
You don't get proficient by reading books, or going to the range once a month. You get proficient by constant practice, and by attending training with good instructors.
Click to expand...

Mannlicher is right on about that. There's no substitute for practice except perfect practice!

To those of you who don't worry about a different manual of arms and carry different guns, try thinking about this. When you are confronted and need to engage with deadly force, what happens when you are verging on exhausted? Or simply very tired? One person wrote about his reaching for the column shifter in a car with a console mount. Been there, done that, especially when tired.

When you are at less than 100% your body will react to what the brain remembers as it's #1 choice. Thus if you carry strong side 95% of the time and happen to be carrying crossdraw or small of the back that day, your first reaction is to reach for the strong side hip. With a SOB holster you can keep reaching, however your draw is slower now as your brain re-engages with your body.

Remember, the BG chooses when and where you'll be the victim.
 
walter

I feel pretty confident in my gun-handling ability. I am extremely comfortable
with the "carry" guns I use. I believe I'll keep on carrying whatever gun I decide fits my need for the day, and not worry too much about whether or not I can find the safety.
Click to expand...

This is right on! While over the years I have migrated to mostly cocked & locked I still contiue to use all of my guns as often as I can, and like walter, I don't worry about finding the safety.

Besides, when is the last time all you gunfighters lost a gunfight because you forgot to flick down the safety? :D huum? (not including Glockies, of course)
 
This is not set in stone. Some people have a stronger muscle memory and others have no problem with different MOAs. It's really that simple.

Do what works best for you.
 
txinvestigator - I think you have a valid point, but not the only point. There are situations where it would not be practical to carry a Beretta 92FS, but a Beretta Tomcat will do quite nicely. Then again, there are situations I wouldn't go into with less of a gun/round than the 92FS. So, having a similar manual of arms amongst one's guns is a valid factor, but not the only one and often not a very important or practical one. Having the proper tool for the job can be much more important.
 
I can pull my (in alphabetical order) Beretta 92FSC, CZ 75 BD, Glock 23, Kahr K40, Ruger SP101, S&W 457, and Walther P99, and pull the trigger. Never, EVER, would or do I use any so-called safety on the Beretta or S&W. To me they're just decockers, then right back up. Just as I never have to rely on a loaded chamber indicator to tell me the pistols are loaded, because they're ALWAYS loaded. So to me, because I know ME, it's not an issue. If I wasn't so familiar with my weapons, I'd probably consider carrying only 1. I DON'T carry my Kimber 1911 or Browning HP much in urban settings, because they now introduce a real safety, and the technique differs. I can't just pull them and pull the trigger. Well, I could, but that's the problem :o
 
The old saying........."Beware of the man who has only one gun, for he probably knows how to use it." I think we have all heard that one.

I have never heard, "Beware of the man who has a big gun collection."

I think it is best to carry one gun, and carry it often. I am equally at home with a Glock, Sig, or a Kahr. Notice no safety to mess with. Different guns, yes, but they are all basically point and press guns. 99% of the time I am with a Glock, keep in mind the grip angle affects your natural pointability for different firearms. I have 5+ years of pointing a Glock, so that is my choice.

I do "play with" others, like the venerable 1911, but right now I do not carry one, nor even shoot one often. I have no need to mix safety positions, etc in my Carry Setups.
 
Coaching-teaching others....

(For what it's worth)....after 40 years of experience I would coach the same by teaching skills through repitition.Certainly we all don't all learn the same or are at the same intelligence level but when the game is on the line and I have done my job properly my teams will beat you most of the time because they learned and will react from repitition of concepts, correctly taught,under stress.
 
the man with only one gun

You always hear the old saying "Beware the man with only one gun, for he probably knows how to use it . . . ."

A very logical thought, on the face of it. And true. But in my experience, the "man who only has one gun" usually only has one gun because he doesn't particularly LIKE guns, and he doesn't shoot that one very often EITHER.

That's not always the case, just usually the case. If you are restricted by policy to one particular weapon as a service weapon, by all means make that your primary and focus your training on it. And it's probably best for most people not to spread themselves too thin by trying to maintain familiarity with LOTS of different operating systems.

And it makes no sense for a GI who has to carry an M9 on duty, or a cop who carries a Glock 22 on the job to do all their practice with a Kimber Warrior SA auto that they only shoot in pistol matches. Train the way you want to play.
 
I say find a platform you like and stick with it.
Sigs, Glocks, 1911's, ect all come in different flavors to satisfy your carrying needs. Personally i am a SIG guy. Therefore i probably won't buy anything but SIG's for at least a while.
 
I have only two handguns due to the high price of FA in my country.My M1991A1 stainless and my DP51 Daewoo. Both has almost the same operation it it comes to the manual safety. The only significant difference is the trigger pull. My 1911 has a short trigger pull whereas my DP51 is too long that you need to press the trigger along the way to go bang.

With these two firearms, there is no internal modifications made. About familiarity to each gun, I would say, I am very much familiar to the operation and it will not affect which ever I will carry.

I think it would be better to have carry guns switching everyday that has the same operations, you just don't know what may happen when you are in a situation where you really need to make the first fire. If you are used to 1911 and that that day you are in need to shoot for self defense and carrying a beretta, then you migth be confused when to remove off the safety. This is shallow reason anyway but it might happen. :confused:
 
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I think it's a good idea for those of you who are not comfortable with different manuals of arms to not carry more than one. I also think it's a poor idea for those who are competent with several types to limit themselves to one because of someone elses ideas of what works for them. Sometimes it's easier to agree to disagree.
 
Murphy is a big fan of combat situations. Unless you are crazy or stupid, you will revert deep down into instinct and training. I really believe that a person does not actually "think" in combat. It is not how you imagine it. Your reaction must be rote and automatic, without hesitation. Toss in an unfamiliar weapon and you up the percentage of something going wrong, and that will compound an already anxious moment. You up the chances that you will be the one springing a leak.

You just gotta believe that there are some new/young CCW holders out there, standing in front of the bathroom mirror, saying with their toughest voice, "you talkin' to me?", and calling it training. Confidence is a good thing, but it won't remind you which pistol you have that day/night.

I suppose i've used up my .02 cents
 
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