CCW not "primary range gun"

J

johnwilliamson062

Moderator
I have seen several posts where someone basically says, "this is my CCW ppice. I have carried it for 6 years. It has 100 rounds down the tube."
After someone commenting how odd that seems something like 'I don't fire this at the range because I have full size pistols for that,' is said. Am I the only one that shudders at the the idea that someones carry piece is not what they are most familiar with, or even shooting regularly. My G27 is fired almost every range trip and gets a few dedicated trips mixed in. I might fire my Ruger MK II more, but certainly not any centerfire pistols. Maybe I am e one that is crazy.
 
It seems that if your going to carry that CCW you should be the SME-Subject Matter Expert, so you don't end up on the business end of your own toy. With somebody else pullin' your ticket.:o
 
When I made the decision to CCW, I decided that I would only get a CCW gun that I knew I would shoot at the range. Initially, I looked at Kel-Tecs, Seecamps, and even a Rohrbaugh R9. I settled on a Kahr CW9. Not only was it a great deal, but it was large enough to be more enjoyable to shoot. For the same reason, I was also looking at a baby Glock or two, a subcompact XD, and a Taurus Millenium Pro. The key for me was how thin the Kahr was. In retrospect, it was a good purchase, but as I usually carry outside the waistband, I could have gotten away with the Glock or XD. I think of all the carry guns, the Glocks make the most sense. The operating system is the same as the big boys, the mags are interchangeable, and the Glock reliability is there.

So, to make a long, boring story short, one will be certainly better served by a carry piece that they actually enjoy shooting. Not just one they run a couple boxes of Gold Dots through and then strap it to their hip (hopefully) never to be employed again.
 
Different strokes for different folks.

While it would most lekely be beneficial to practice a lot with a carry handgun, I also think going to a gun site for training, hiring a personal trainer to help improve handgun use and even joing a club and getting involved in matches would help.

Have you done all of these things yourself ?

Some might have any number of restrictions that preclude doing any, or all of these. Perhaps having a handgun one feels safe with is a real plus. Practicing, even with a .22, surely cannot hurt, even if it might not be ideal.

Go easy on your fellow travelers.
 
I Can't Agree With Some Of This...

In my opinion (again, just one guy's view) making sure you are proficient with the firearm you choose to use to defend your life should be the primary weapon you "practice" with. And I'd practice with it as often as possible, in as many different situations as possible, strong hand shooting, off-hand shooting, one hand shooting, difficult postures, whatever scenario you can imagine you may have to overcome in a self defense situation. Trust me, a bad guy isn't going to wait till you have a strong "Weaver" hold, a proper shooting stance, a perfectly prepared weapon, and add whatever preparation for defending yourself you can imagine could happen. You've got one chance to set up, react the way you need to, and it occurs in micro-seconds, not hours.

When I hit the range, usually on a regular basis (about every other week, your skills in shooting NEED a regular training session) I shoot a variety of weapons. But my primary weapon, my carry weapon, is what I focus on being proficient with. That is the one that gives me a chance to save my life in a life and death situation. Not the .22 caliber fun gun, not the .30 caliber carbine, not the 5.56 Stag "lefty." The one I carry defends me, the others are just gravy at the range. But then again, I like to smell cordite and hear a big "bang."

If I hit the range, and come home not using at least $50.00 in ammo, I feel I wasted my time and range time someone who really deserved the slot could have used much better. But that's just me, your mileage may vary.
 
Agree with Stick... I shoot at least twice a week with my carry..... And now days since aquiring permit... I dont leave home without it.
 
It's a free country, and I don't care, I just hope that who ever (If I ever go face to face with guns) has the used the same practicing methods as them.:cool:

I shoot my main carry gun every time, more than every other gun I have, an Airweight (my only carry gun although I have many others in my car/home)

PS: I can shoot 2" groups at 25 yards with my snub. Not really but a lot of people on this board can.:rolleyes: "UFO's"
 
My favorite excuse is when someone shows up for defensive drills or IDPA and says something like "It is designed to be carried a lot and shot a little" which seems to be standing excuse for not practicing with some guns. I find this statement disconcerting when the gun in question is the primary carry gun. Often, not always, these are small guns. What gets real interesting is when the person opts to practice with some full sized gun as a substitute.

And I have seen the other extreme where somebody carries something like a more inexpensive Glock or Ruger but practices with his Les Baer super doodad Country Ranch Special because it is important for the person to look good at the range. Why don't they carry their practice gun? Because they don't want the cops to get it if they are in a shooting, so they carry a much less expensive gun for self defense. I can see practicing with a comparable gun to your carry piece, such as if you carrying piece is something like a Springfield Loaded and you want to practice with your BBQ 1911 that has the same controls and same action on the trigger, but that isn't what I have seen happen in the past. The practice gun is some really nice gun that is completely different from the carry gun in caliber, trigger, grip (double versus single) etc.

If you are claiming to do concealed carry practice, then the gun you should be practicing with should be your concealed carry gun or something very comparable, not something very different.
 
My Goal Is..

I could care less how cool I look at the range, I want to come home from a deal where I have to use a gun to defend myself, alive, intact, with no holes in me. That's a good day in my opinion.
 
Hi,
I think we all pretty much agree that one should be very proficient with the weapon he is most likely to use when it really matters. this does not necessarily mean that you should only shoot well with that firearm, or that you could not have a firearm with which you shoot somewhat better but is not practical to lug around whe whole day.

I see no problem with carrying one gun which is not necessarily my favourite at the range when plinking or shooting matches of various types, because I shoot just as well with it as I do with the competition pieces ( at ranges whieh I consider realistic for SD). for example, I'm just as comfortable with my S&W 4006 when shooting IDPA as I am with my Hi Power or 1911, and my scores are similar. but for many reasons I preferr to keep if as my EDC gun.

In general, I go to the range at least three times a month, and although each time I practice also my with carry gun, I may shoot more with other guns.
I feel that I am profficient with my carry gun, and while it is very important to practice for the day you may need to defend yourself, I believe that all sportsmen and hunters feel they need to practice for the match / hunt in which we take part on regular basis.

Brgds,
Danny
 
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I shoot my carry piece the most. I'll put 100 rounds (minimum) a month through it. It's the most important gun I own and the one I want to be the most accurate with.
 
Of my carry guns one has probably 10 times the rounds through it then all my others combined (Glock 19). My smaller carry (PPK) doesnt have nearly as much, but thats just because i have thousands of rounds of 9mm in the ammo safe and very little 380 and for a while based on price it will stay that way.
 
It's hard to argue with the concept of practicing with your carry gun, so I won't. :) However, a few points to consider:

I have three different 1911s that I will carry in cool weather. Plus, I have other 1911s that are more range guns. The manual of arms and point of aim/impact are all the same. Does it matter that one has a checkered front strap and another has chain link stipling? I think not.

I also carry small frame revolvers and practice with them. Assuming I use ammo which hits point of aim/impact, any shooting I do with a K-frame or N-frame SW is still going to help when I shoot a J-frame. The shooting basics remain the same. Manual of arms is the same.

Finally, I do carry a .380 that I don't shoot a lot. It is for backup or as primary while wearing very light clothing (shorts). I consider it a short range gun because of small sights and heavy trigger. But it is the gun I can carry when I can't carry anything else. I shoot it enough to know it. But I'm not going to the range and shoot 200 rounds of .380. I will do that with a .22. Which is better, to shoot the 25 rounds of .380 and stop because I want to be able to say I mostly shoot what I carry? Or is it better to put the 25 rounds through the .380 and then shoot the 200 rounds of .22?
 
in a 'situation' very, very few rise to the occasion--
the many default to their training.

one cannot train for every situation so train with what you carry, train often and vary your training as best you can. IDPA is as close to real world as the many can get. train with friends such that you can engage multiple targets that they set up while you are blindfolded.
a range timer [has a delay feature] is money best spent as a traing aid.

unless you are able to afford factory SD ammo, reload and make your own. it is not difficult to replicate a round at your bench for 15 cents that has the same perceived recoil and POI as the $1.15 factory SD round.

good luck
 
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Alright, I'm going to disagree with this one to some extent.

I shoot my carry gun regularly...enough to stay in practice and stay familiar with the feel of it.

But, I'm primarily a hunter. Small game, big game, predators, and varmints are what I shoot at most of the time.

And I don't normally shoot at them with a 2" barreled J-frame, although I've done it a time or three.

I have a decent collection of shooters, and my carry gun is likely the one that gets shot the least of all of them.

Does that mean I can't hit with it? Nope. Does it mean I'm not familiar with it? Nope. Does it mean I'm going to be inadequate with it in a bad situation? I seriously doubt it. I'm VERY good with it, but it's not the one I shoot the most at the range.

Daryl
 
While it would most lekely be beneficial to practice a lot with a carry handgun, I also think going to a gun site for training, hiring a personal trainer to help improve handgun use and even joing a club and getting involved in matches would help.
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Have seriously considered trying IDPA. The closest matches seem to be about 40 minutes away and quite expensive. I have only been serious about pistol shootiong for about the last 9 months, most of which ammunition for such matches was relatively unavailable. I do shoot in a target pistol league, but there is not a great transfer to CCW.
I am lucky enough to have several very knowledgeable older shooters that help me out. Retired military and law enforcement mixed with a few target shooters that each offer a slightly different perspective along with different tips and tricks. Some have formally trained in the past and some have certifications.
Since I have free knowledgeable resources I have never given much thought to a training class.

Not the .22 caliber fun gun
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I use my 22 pistol to work on smooth trigger pulls and other universally applicable fundamentals. At the beginning of this summer I was "milking the grip." I broke the habit with my 22 and did so very cheaply. Don't really want to think about what it would he cost with a 9mm, if I could find ammo.

My problem here is only somewhat pointed at "can you hit with it?" There is also simple questions like can you handle a malfunction, do you draw from a holster, etc.

I probably shoot twice as many rounds out of rifles as pistols. Round count for shotguns and pistols is probably very close.

Maybe part of this is I do not enjoying going to the range just to put holes in paper. When I go i am always working on something/testing something.

If you are shooting even 50 rounds a month out of your carry gun I do not think that is a problem, but if it only has "100 rounds down the tube" and you are shooting a full size toy regularly, I think there is a problem there.
 
I admit I just don't shoot as much as I used to. I used to live in close proximity to an indoor range, so it was easy to go there and blow through a couple hundred rounds whenever I felt like it. Now I'm pretty much shoot in my yard for lack of a better place to shoot and I limit myself to no more than a dozen rounds at time when shooting centerfire out of respect for my neighbors. I also own a lot of handguns and rotate through them based on what on hand for ammo and what I fee like shooting, however they mostly operate more or less the same.
 
My biggest concern regarding my primary carry weapon is that it cycles cartridges reliably. I shoot it often enough -- usually a mag or two, with SD loans, each range trip -- to know it will work if/when I need it to.
I don't have the misconception that I'm going to be able to stop, point, and aim in a self-defense situation. So, practicing with it in front of the mirror, drawing, is as meaningful as shooting it at the range. I just need the gun to go off if I ever have to discharge it in the direction of an assailant. Therefore, my carry weapon need not be a 'range gun'.
My range guns ARE, however, similar in operation and aiming to my carry weapon. I shoot (and carry, occasionally), in fact, six pistols -- of four various calibers -- from the same manufacturer. They all operate the same mechanically.
The only dissimilar gun I have -- a Communist Chinese 'plinker' .22LR pistol -- is my 'fun gun', which shows up with me EVERY TIME I practice. It, frankly, doesn't count. I just like to shoot it.
 
actually I think the three guns in my carry rotation get shot more than anything else short of rimfire ..but that is just me...mostly 1911's and smith revolvers...
 
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