Do you carry different guns based on what you're doing that day?
- Thread starter TheeAntic
- Start date
Yes, I do.
There are also other factors and influences involved, though.
If you want to tell yourself that one or another handgun is more "utilitarian" than another, for your purposes, that's your prerogative.
I can offer the opinion that in the case of a damaged or contaminated (submersion in water, sand, dirt, etc) pistol, it's probably a lot more likely for you to find a Glock armorer to perform a detailed disassembly & cleaning than to find a Walther armorer. FWIW, the PPQ, being a 99 series variant, is a lot less complicated when it comes to the number of parts, assemblies and springs than the PPS.
I once had a guy bring me one of his personally-owned SW99's (he owns 3) for an armorer inspection and cleaning. I was surprised when I field-stripped the gun and found a LOT of sawdust and small woodchips in it.
He merely shrugged and said that he'd been wearing it while working on his mountain property, using a chainsaw and doing some fencing work the last few days. He also said he'd just the gun for some practice that morning (he usually shoots on his own range daily), and that it had functioned just fine, even though it was dirty. Dirty? Really? FWIW, I'd never seen oil-soaked sawdust in a gun before.
This guy has been my closest friend for going on 44 years (this Fall), and he's another retired peace officer/firearms instructor. I realize I'm not going to change his methods and practices, so I just help inspect, maintain and occasionally repair his assorted guns. As he's been a longtime revolver and 1911 guy, his foray into plastic pistols has only been going on for about 15 years. He owns those SW99's, a LCP and a Shield 9 ... and I just interested him enough for him to have bought his first Glock (G26).
I can hardly wait to see its condition the first time he brings me the G26 for an annual inspection.
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I carry two guns. Always have. Inside the waistband-a 15 round semiauto 9mm In my right hand pants pocket a 5 shot 38 special. I have trained the mindset that the 5 shot 38 is a backup defense and will come out into play only when the 9mm stops or runs out of ammo. When I worked as LE that was the way I trained now retired still the same mindset.
Well, I have to submit that you have done pretty much just that if there are that many times you don't want to use the Walthers. If you want to be able to look at them in their pristine condition, take some pictures.
The other thought is that if these are the guns you shoot best, then why switch to Glocks? Why not get a second copy of each?