Handgun variety vs one platform

Swappin' guns and holsters can jack with your muscle memory .... you end up like Tex whatever his name was and shoot yourself in your bee-hind.

I have several guns and Carry one. I don't shoot the others much.
 
An oft heard rejoinder when I was a mere lad was, "Beware the man with only one gun, he generally knows how to use it...". I've never taken that advice, tho I can say with some experience, that when I spend a cpl months here on my home range with a single type...1911, Single Action, S&W double action, etc...I can see a definite improvement in my scores and group sizes. Rod
 
I think it was learning to shoot DA revolver that led me to accept the DA pistol with all the advantages. If the double action felt lighter than a stock 1917, well that was at least good enough to get it cocked in a hurry, and thus the pistol became predominant in my collection. But I still keep some KA wheelguns like colt detectives, security six, S&W model 28, and a mighty fine 58 and 64-4, model19, to keep it honest.
 
The man with only one gun may also not be all that much into shooting; may have inherited it but never used it; may not be able to afford more than one (which suggests, but does not necessarily mean, lack of funds for practice ammo or training).

I have always found that saying kind of, um, quaint.

Seems to me most of the shooters I have read about, from Bill Hickock to Jim Cirillo to Chuck Mawhinney, used more than one gun.
 
I don't buy the premise that you need to regularly shoot a variety of guns to be able to use something new.
I've pretty much only ever shot 1911's until I started to CC, an Xd for a few months after that, and now a PPQ. I do have a .380 and a SP101 for the woods, but neither get shot much.
Despite that, I've never had any problem figuring out friends guns. Figuring out how to eject brass from a SAA did take several seconds the first time, and I imagine I'd have a hard time breaking any of them down, but as far as shooting goes most handguns have a lot more similarities than differences.

Also - on a more pragmatic note - how likely is it that you'll ever have to defend yourself with someone else's gun? Or if you did, what are the odds you wouldn't have the few seconds it would likely take to identify the safety and type of action?

In the end they're your guns, so if you like glocks the best, I really don't think there's any good reason not to go for it. The great thing about guns is that if you ever change your mind you can sell them and get something else.
 
“Beware the man with one gun, he knows how to use it.”
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I've seen that many times and it is BS. Everyone I know who only owns one gun doesn't know squat about guns. I recognize this may not be true for every person who owns only one gun, especially for someone on a budget.

I personally like variety but I don't consider all my handguns as self-defense guns (though they could all be used that way). I like single action semi-autos best but I have striker fired (with no thumb safety) and traditional DA/SA. I like steel revolvers but I own one polymer revolver. I'm not much for lasers but own one handgun with a laser. When it comes to carry/defense, however, I stick to a gun that is point and pull the trigger or with a frame mounted safety (down for fire).

Really, though, it's just a personal preference. If you want to stick with a particular manufacturer and type of gun, nothing wrong with that.
 
The man with only one gun may also not be all that much into shooting; may have inherited it but never used it; may not be able to afford more than one (which suggests, but does not necessarily mean, lack of funds for practice ammo or training).
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This statement is over-used and under-thought. It may have been true a century ago; today it is a relic of a bygone time. I know a number of people with one gun and none of them shoot regularly (or particularly well). Everyone I know who shoots half-decently owns multiple guns and devotes a fair amount of time and energy to maintaining that skill.

That said, I believe that there is something to be said for a single platform--especially if you do not shoot frequently. If you are comfortable with the Glock action and manual of arms, and you practice enough for it to be second nature, I believe you will be well served.

One of my many personality flaws is that I try to keep only those handguns that I carry or shoot regularly.

This gives rise to a number of conflicts. I shoot a 1911 best, and try to carry a 1911 exclusively, but I also own some S&W revolvers (K and N-frames) and therefore "must" carry them at least a certain percentage of the time...generally, winter time.

I try to spend some time at the range every week with my carry pistol. When the seasons change, I make sure and spend some extra time to make sure the "transition" is ia smooth one...yet I doubt that muscle memory is truly and immediately ingrained during the changeover period. Only in a true emergency is the theory proven, and if luck is with me, the true emergency will never confront me. Of course, in the absence of proof, there is always doubt...

If I were able to carry each for six months, I'm fairly sure I could achieve a balance...but due to our seasons, I have to work hard to carry a revolver four months of twelve.

I am a bit less concerned about the 1911-to-S&W revolver transition (after all, a revolver is as intuitive as it gets) than I am the inverse.

I am not yet ready to sell my revolvers, so I will deal with the cross-training, and the doubt...but I am not saying that this is the wisest course of action.

Perhaps these words will one day adorn my headstone. :)

My point...your choice. Make sure you can live with it.
 
It's fun to shoot different guns. I see no advantage to sticking to one type. However, I do want to either keep it simple for a carry or home defense gun, or make sure I am very, very familiar with operating any gun chosen for that purpose. It would suck to forget to disengage the safety.

Disadvantages to sticking to one type of gun (at least for me):
-boredom (means I won't want to shoot at all)
-remain unfamiliar with other weapons that may be better than what I have
-unfamiliar with other weapons that I may find in my hand one day for one reason or another.


The more the better.
 
j3ffr0 said:
...However, I do want to either keep it simple for a carry or home defense gun, or make sure I am very, very familiar with operating any gun chosen for that purpose. It would suck to forget to disengage the safety.
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I'm with you there. My carry/home defense guns are a 442 Airweight and a Model 3953, both double action with no safety. Pick up either, point and squeeze if necessary. My fun and range guns have various decocking and safety levers, with a few single action revolvers thrown in for good measure.

All is fair in fun and play, but I like consistency for stressful situations.
 
Stick with the same control set. Lots of commonality with Sig. Simple. If only the trigger guard shape changes, not much difference. Try it first.
Sometimes the smallest change is important. It doesn't matter, unless it does.
 
Didn't read all the posts in this thread, so forgive me if it's already been said ...

For me, I have two sets of criteria for a "platform" ... use and sport.

For sport, I have a variety simply because I want to have a well rounded knowledge of how they work and perform.

For use, I stay with one or two "platforms" so that when the need arises, I'm not searching for a magic button to make the thing go bang.

And we "train" with the weapons routinely just to make sure we can react appropriately.

YVMV
 
If I could only choose two platforms, I would have glocks and 1911's. I enjoy both, and I shoot them very well. I dont see any advantage to choosing another platform. If you find something that you like, that works for you, stick with it.
 
I am in a different boat entirly. I believe in having lots of platforms so that you can use any kind of pistol out there if you have to but I also believe in keeping to a single self defense round. That way you can stock pile ammo much easier.

For me it was a 357 magnum. I have double action and single action revolvers, Derringers, 1911 (style), pocket guns, single shot encore and even a lever action rifle in that round.

They all eat the same ammo so I can easily stock up on ammo but I am familure with all these kinds of guns encase I ever have to use some one else's gun. I wish I could find a Glock style gun in 357 magnum,
 
I've seen that many times and it is BS. Everyone I know who only owns one gun doesn't know squat about guns. I recognize this may not be true for every person who owns only one gun, especially for someone on a budget.
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You contradicted yourself here.

It's not BS. I had only one gun for many years, my 4" S&W M586. I dedicated myself to learning how to run it and master it. Instead of buying lots of guns, I bought ammo and trained with that one revolver. I do like shooting other weapons and calibers of course, but when it comes to serious business, I always go for that 586.
 
I shot competition with a 1911 almost every weekend for over ten years; why would I then carry a gun with which I had relatively little experience? I have 1911s in four different sizes and calibers, but operating them is the same, across the board. I do allow myself a Browning Hi-Power when I want more capacity, but it operates the same way, with the controls in the same place, so it's an easy transition. Switching to a DA/SA, or something with a safety/decocker mounted on the slide? Don't think so.
 
I like to shoot'em all,I take a bit of pride in be proficient with what I pick up
and good with a few.I once sold of a bunch to get down to one cal.with in 6 mo/I was bored and started replacing the ones I sold.I no longer think about these things,I buy what interests me and I can afford,some I shoot for a while and use as trade fodder to buy something else to play with.
Whats left when I leave this world my Gal and the Kids can do what they wish
with.I just enjoy learnning and shooting.
 
Everyone I know who only owns one gun doesn't know squat about guns.
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My old man only has one handgun (and one hunting rifle), and still manages to out shoot me on a disturbingly regular basis.
The only special forces member I know on a personal basis only has one gun.
When I was in college I only had the one - in large part because I spent all my gun budget on ammo rather than other guns.

While it's true that many shooting enthusiasts wind up becoming gun collectors, I don't see one as having a whole lot to do with the other.
 
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