Poll: Whats most important to you in the self defense handgun?
- Thread starter JohnH1963
- Start date
Playboypenguin
Moderator
Reliability of course. If it does not go bang every time the rest of the stuff is pretty irrelevant. 
SilentHitz
New member
Easiest poll I've done...if it don't go bang everytime, your problems have just begun. Pretty won't get you squat.
tony pasley
New member
Facing a bad guy is not the time to find out you pay a lot of money for a very small club to hit some one with.
I don't see a trend to venerated US military pistols much here. Not that a compact 9MM poly Commander couldn't do, but science marches on.
The majority of modern self defense pistols seem to be gravitating to shorter barrels, less ammo, poly frames, double actions, and few or no external safeties. Other than making the magazine non-circular, pretty much what the revolver offered for decades.
Add a striker mechanism with drop block safety, you get product liability for the 21st century. The more things change - well, the more they stay the same.
The majority of modern self defense pistols seem to be gravitating to shorter barrels, less ammo, poly frames, double actions, and few or no external safeties. Other than making the magazine non-circular, pretty much what the revolver offered for decades.
Add a striker mechanism with drop block safety, you get product liability for the 21st century. The more things change - well, the more they stay the same.
Hawaiian Eye
Inactive
I was tempted to choose "Other charecteristics not mentioned" and enter the ability to quickly acquire a sight picture for the first shot, but, then figured that might be more of a shooter function than the gun itself. Yep, it's got to fire or no matter how accurate, or how effective a round it fires, it ain't worth the price.
David Armstrong
Moderator
Reliability and comfort. Basically will it work and will you have it with you. After that, everything is fairly low on the scale.
Reliability
Accuracy
Quick Follow-up shots
For reliability, tony pasley said it best above.
Accuracy is next. If it goes bang, I want the bullets going where I've aimed. I can't miss fast enough to win.
Quick follow-up shots - this means I can fire a 2nd shot within 1/2 second or less reasonably accurately (it doesn't mean I'll enjoy it though). In a gunfight for my life, if a fired round didn't work, I want to be able to hit him again and again rapidly until it works or I get to cover!
Caliber doesn't matter as much as the ability of the round to meet the above AND penetrate sufficiently to reach the CNS or shock the body into incapacitation. A .38 Special in expert hands can beat a .45ACP in a novice's hands.
One gun that meets my criteria of reliable, accurate and quick follow-up shots is
my 3" .45ACP Model 25 by John Jovino.
And this one just barely scoots under the wire for quick follow-up shots.
Accuracy
Quick Follow-up shots
For reliability, tony pasley said it best above.
Accuracy is next. If it goes bang, I want the bullets going where I've aimed. I can't miss fast enough to win.
Quick follow-up shots - this means I can fire a 2nd shot within 1/2 second or less reasonably accurately (it doesn't mean I'll enjoy it though). In a gunfight for my life, if a fired round didn't work, I want to be able to hit him again and again rapidly until it works or I get to cover!
Caliber doesn't matter as much as the ability of the round to meet the above AND penetrate sufficiently to reach the CNS or shock the body into incapacitation. A .38 Special in expert hands can beat a .45ACP in a novice's hands.
One gun that meets my criteria of reliable, accurate and quick follow-up shots is
my 3" .45ACP Model 25 by John Jovino.
And this one just barely scoots under the wire for quick follow-up shots.
scorpion_tyr
New member
The most important thing to me when it comes to home/self defense firearms is training. I don't trust the gun with my life, I trust my skills with the gun to save my life.
Deaf Smith
New member
It's there when I need it.
If it's not there, well it isn't worth a dang, right?
If it's not there, well it isn't worth a dang, right?
KnightZero
New member
Reliability tops my list. Accuracy comes in a close second - doesn't have to be bulls-eye, but I like to know that I'll be hitting what I intend to shoot. Concealability and CC Comfort follow suit.
My Taurus PT140 Millennium Pro has lived up to all of the above so far. I purchased an XD40 service recently, and it has become my bedside gun - it far exceeds my Taurus in the first two respects, but fails miserably on my other two requirements.
My Taurus PT140 Millennium Pro has lived up to all of the above so far. I purchased an XD40 service recently, and it has become my bedside gun - it far exceeds my Taurus in the first two respects, but fails miserably on my other two requirements.
The Great Mahoo
New member
1. Reliability - it just has to work. Period.
2. Ergenomic - has to point naturally and handle well
3. Concealable - If I can't carry it well, it will end up at home doing me no good
4a. Quick follow-up shots
4b. Accurate
4c. Powerful
I'm going to group these together, since its a combination of them. If the gun accels in one, the others can be a bit less. Its a balance of each element to find a good firearm. I'll take a .32 or .380 that is accurate and I can shoot quickly, or I'll take a .357 that I can shot accurately but have a slower second shot (or faster second shots that are less accurate if in a jam.)
5. Capacity / ease of reload - Not a major concern, as I am confident in a 5 or 6 shot firearm, but something to consider. I wouldn't want a 2 shot derringer, unless nothing else was available.
6. Looks. I'd like it to be in good shape and look nice, but its at the bottom of my list and definately not a deal breaker/maker.
2. Ergenomic - has to point naturally and handle well
3. Concealable - If I can't carry it well, it will end up at home doing me no good
4a. Quick follow-up shots
4b. Accurate
4c. Powerful
I'm going to group these together, since its a combination of them. If the gun accels in one, the others can be a bit less. Its a balance of each element to find a good firearm. I'll take a .32 or .380 that is accurate and I can shoot quickly, or I'll take a .357 that I can shot accurately but have a slower second shot (or faster second shots that are less accurate if in a jam.)
5. Capacity / ease of reload - Not a major concern, as I am confident in a 5 or 6 shot firearm, but something to consider. I wouldn't want a 2 shot derringer, unless nothing else was available.
6. Looks. I'd like it to be in good shape and look nice, but its at the bottom of my list and definately not a deal breaker/maker.
Thanks for all those that responded. The poll results reflect my own view and opinion about the ultimate self defense weapon. Reliable, accurate, concealable and comfort in concealment.
Here is my definition:
Reliability-
-Able to fire even if dirty and not maintained.
-A sudden drop from 6 feet on to concrete does not render the weapon unusable.
-Able to fire 100 rounds in one sitting with no malfunctions.
-Able to be dropped into the mud, water or dirt and still be able to fire.
Accurate-
- Able to hit a target the size of a pie plate from 25 yards consistently.
Concealment-
- Able to be concealed and worn comfortably for the whole day. The "trained eye" should not be able to detect that you are concealing a firearm.
Here is my definition:
Reliability-
-Able to fire even if dirty and not maintained.
-A sudden drop from 6 feet on to concrete does not render the weapon unusable.
-Able to fire 100 rounds in one sitting with no malfunctions.
-Able to be dropped into the mud, water or dirt and still be able to fire.
Accurate-
- Able to hit a target the size of a pie plate from 25 yards consistently.
Concealment-
- Able to be concealed and worn comfortably for the whole day. The "trained eye" should not be able to detect that you are concealing a firearm.
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