Your Ideal Fighting Platform

Which fighting handgun platform would you pick?

  • 1911/2011/double stack 1911

    Votes: 16 16.0%

  • CZ75 and clones

    Votes: 14 14.0%

  • Glock

    Votes: 24 24.0%

  • XD

    Votes: 5 5.0%

  • M&P

    Votes: 3 3.0%

  • Berretta M9

    Votes: 6 6.0%

  • Sig P226

    Votes: 6 6.0%

  • Colt Revolver

    Votes: 1 1.0%

  • S&W Revolver

    Votes: 10 10.0%

  • Other. Please explain.

    Votes: 15 15.0%
  • Total voters
    100
  • Poll closed .
N

Nathan

New member
Given what you know about typical handgun fighting, what platform would you pick and why?

You are free to define fighting as CCW, HD, war, mall cop or whatever.


Hard for me to be positive, but I feel a double stack 1911 in 45 auto would be ideal. I feel fighting would not have me worried about concealment, but that capacity and trigger action would be important. Capacity to engage multiple targets. Trigger action to ease hitting where aiming. 45 for it's effectiveness.
 
HK VP9 for me.

9mm gives good capacity, excellent combat trigger, lightweight, good ergonomics and reliable.
 
Fighting means all of the above. CCW, Woods gun, Home defense, and SHTF (the zombie herd is swarming the back forty) I like the CZ style guns in 10mm. I will soon be carrying a plastic compact in ten for CC and I have a steel Tanfoglio next to me at all times at home. Wouldn't choose the ten if I didn't shoot it very close to as fast and accurate as nine though. Also like my SAR K2 in .45 for HD and in .45 super for woods patrol. I like the safety off, ready to go quick, or if you have time cock the hammer for single action first shot.
 
Glock 9mm.
Wouldn't choose the ten if I didn't shoot it very close to as fast and accurate as nine though.
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Have you shot same make pistols in the two calibers side by side with a shot timer? Like a G17 and G20? Just wondering. I really wish some of the more advanced shooters would post videos of such. Engaging 4 or 5 targets with two or three rounds a piece.
 
The PRC 77, and also the PRC 72.

These were more dangerous to the enemy than any other weapon I ever used.
:D

But at any range that is too close to use any of the above, I'd probably still choose a good 1911 or a heavy frame S&W in 357 or larger.
 
S&W revolver for me, specifically my M28-2. I shoot it better than any other handgun likely because I've shot it so much. If I were going into a fight, I think familiarity and proficiency with a particular gun would probably trump capacity, speed of reload, caliber, and any other theoretical advantage that a different gun might offer.
 
Voted s&w revolver because I am most confident in that platform and thats what i usually carry. Although as always it depends on the situation and if I was going into combat I would rather have a 1911 and a bunch magazines.
 
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Have you shot same make pistols in the two calibers side by side with a shot timer? Like a G17 and G20? Just wondering. I really wish some of the more advanced shooters would post videos of such. Engaging 4 or 5 targets with two or three rounds a piece.
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No. I don't go for all the gear and everything. The targets at the same distances are pretty darn close. I'm no marksman but I get everything in a pie plate at 7 and 10 yards. Both 9 and 10 in a full size CZ type. I'm not going to worry about tenths of a second in a five shot string, especially since the hits are 10 mil.
 
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These questions focus way too much on the arrow and not enough on the Indian.

I strongly believe that WAAAAYYYY too much effort and focus is on this or that next wiz bang device and too little training and knowledge.

Give me a Glock, EAA, Sig, CZ, 1911, etc. any common platform and the end results will likely be the same. It's a handgun, not a magic death ray device.

It requires manipulation of pretty ergonomic controls, steady hand, movement, calm-ness, training, etc. As long as you have some minimum caliber and a modern(ish) reliable platform, nearly any handgun can be effectively used in self defense.
 
Sig P320C 9mm. It's the all-around best auto I have ever used in over fifty years. This includes shootability and accuracy, carry, maintenance and configurability and quality of workmanship and materials.
 
If I could vote twice it would be for 1911's and S&W Revolvers. Those are the 2 I have the most trigger time on. The only reason I voted for the 1911 is concerning reloading.
 
I said 1911 just due to the most trigger time, but my G19 is on the nightstand. I could go either way. Depends on the situation.
 
Other. NO handgun would ever be "ideal" as a "fighting platform". So, to give a somewhat direct answer to the question....ideally, it would NOT be a handgun.

However, I realize that the question, so it seems, was intended to ferret out what kind of HANDGUN do people here favor for SD/carry/combat situations. So, in that vein, I can only answer with that which I carry and shoot - and favor for all around use (though I never apply words like "ideal" and "fighting platform"). That choice, for me, is a Smith and Wesson K-frame revolver....specifically, a model 64 with a 3" barrel.
 
This is a lot like my ideal fire fighting platform. Which is an engine and truck company. Yet I have a fire extinguisher and a garden hose.

In handguns much like the fire extinguisher I will use whatever is at hand to get me through to safety. It's more about mindset in my head.

That being said I have pretty much settled on the HK P2000 in .40 or 9mm for the following reasons.
-reliability
-accuracy
-GLOCK 19 perfect size
-hammer fired (I am weird like that)
-paddle mag release. (The rest of you are wrong :))
-either caliber is fine with decent ammo
-ability to mount a light without a big honking pic rail
-portability and conceal ability.
-barrel length is just about right for caliber not too short not to long to hinder draw
-ergos fit me perfectly
-cost. With nights and 3 mags you really are around gen 4 GLOCK prices with all steel (yeah yeah MIM I know I know) components.

Basically it's a hammer fired GLOCK 19 /23. Which really are damn near perfect fighting pistols all around. I love my GLOCK 19 but the P2000 gives me the ergos and hammer fired action I want without really giving anything up.

That being said I wouldn't really care if you handed me anything on that list above as I am reasonable confident and equally unskilled in all of them as far as handgun fighting goes. ;).
 
I selected other, single stack 1911 and I concur with MrBorland, better to avoid the fight if at all possible.
 
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