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My Carry Choice

flienlow

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Messages
33
Location
, Washington, USA
I have never carried before. I know that everyone is going to have an opinion on what caliber, and what weapon is best. I also realize those opinions are going to be as diverse as the amount of manufactures and types out there. I am not interested in arguments, or starting a war on what is best. Instead, I would like to offer my thought process for choosing a gun for me for CC/OC/Home protection. I would however like feedback (so this helps me choose/rule out guns.)

I am not a fan of revolvers, so I will rule that out. –For no good reason either.

A friend of mine suggest a Glock “X” (Can’t remember which one.) He tells me they just work, period the end.- Not sure I like them.

1st on my list is a 9mm Walther PPS. It’s narrow, compact, fits nicely in my hand, and the Girlfriend could handle this weapon as well (I believe.)

2nd is a Walther P99 9mm. I really like the de-cocking feature that it has. My thought would be to put 1 in the tube, de-cock, and then have a harder trigger pull. (I view this as a safety feature.)

3rd is a 9mm compact XDM. I like the fact that you can change the clip and have a larger handle for target shooting. I also like the palm safety not to mention it’s a cool gun.
SO… what considerations should I take assuming I will only buy 1?
 

The Patriot

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2010
Messages
85
Location
Vancouver, WA
What I have and have had!

I owned a Walther P99 .40. I loved it very very much. Unfortunately had to sell it to pay the rent. I would own it again.

I now own a Glock 22 .40, I love it. The safety feature is that it will not fire unless the trigger is pulled.

That is where I am on this issue. Hope it helps.
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
SNIP what considerations should I take assuming I will only buy 1?

I wouldn't ask here. I'd go to an expert source that spent a lot of time writing an article on how to select a carry gun.

Size. Caliber. Method of carry. Cost. Holster availability. All of these things are considerations. And, not necessarily the only one's neither.

Spend some time hunting the internet. Plenty of gun gurus (real ones) have written about it. I've read some of them online.
 

p2a1x7

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
99
Location
Pullman, Washington, USA
I would go to a range where you can rent some guns to try them out. Just because someone else likes a gun doesn't mean you will. With that being said, I like my xd45.
 

Jayd1981

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2010
Messages
387
Location
Richland, Washington, USA
The most important factor is going to be personal preference. Shoot as many as you can and find what feels right. I carry an XD45 in a serpa CQC holster. I like it a lot. However I also own glocks, 1911, beretta 90-2, .357, ect... They are all fun to shoot, but for everyday carry I prefer the xd45 due to caliber, feel, and the setup I have for it.
 

Bookman

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
1,424
Location
Winston Salem, North Carolina, United States
The best advice I can give you is to go to range that rents guns. Rent and shoot until you find what you like. No matter what we tell you, it may not be for you. If you plan to carry all, or even most, of the time it's best to find a handgun that fits YOU; otherwise you'll end up leaving it at home.
 

.45ACPaddy

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Messages
999
Location
Lakewood, WA
I say carry what you shoot the best, even if it doesn't feel quite as comfortable as something you shoot less accurately.

I love Glocks, I can put down a decent group with any given Glock, but give me a Springfield Armory XD and I'll outdo myself. I like the feel of Glocks more than XD's but since I shoot the XD better, I would carry that over the Glock.

I recently acquired a 1911, and I like the feel of it as well. I shoot better with it than my XD, so the 1911 has become my everyday carry. As we try out and own different guns, we find more and more what suits our fancy. That being said, I'll second, third, and fourth what others have said. Try out as many different guns as you can until you find one that suits YOU. Rent from ranges, try out friends' guns. Heck, see if you can get together with guys from here, I'm sure at least a few would be willing to let you try their guns at the range if you buy the ammo.
 

amlevin

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
5,937
Location
North of Seattle, Washington, USA
My Carry Firearm selection criteria:

Something I can afford
A firearm that fits my hand and I can shoot well
A firearm of a size and shape that I can carry easily and comfortably.

Most important of all, a firearm I WILL CARRY rather than something I got talked into by a friend or salesman but is either too large or too bulky for me.

As for caliber? All are lethal. Get something that you can shoot comfortably and accurately.
 

MSG Laigaie

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Messages
3,239
Location
Philipsburg, Montana
My Carry Firearm selection criteria:
Something I can afford
A firearm that fits my hand and I can shoot well
A firearm of a size and shape that I can carry easily and comfortably.
As for caliber? All are lethal. Get something that you can shoot comfortably and accurately.

Yes, that's the ticket!!
Good price
If it does not fit your hand, Don't buy it cause you won't carry it
All are lethal, but you have to TRAIN with it. A small hole beats a large calibre miss
 

waterfowl woody

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2010
Messages
137
Location
Silvana, Washington, USA
This is one of the most important choices you will make, the weapon that will HELP protect life. The only way a handgun can HELP is if you are able to make it an extension of yourself and that takes comfort of said firearm. this is a great start by asking questions but the next step is putting them in your hands, even if you are just lookin. get to those gun shops and make that person show you ever gun you want to hold. then you can find a range that offers the guns you found comfy to shoot and shoot the heck out of them. Take your time and don't rush your choice just to get one, you can do that later when you buying gun number 2,3,4.....
 

flienlow

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Messages
33
Location
, Washington, USA
Sounds like before I pull the trigger, I need to go and pull some triggers! Bahahahahahaha.

Seriously, I feel I should heed the advice and go rent a few guns. I know there is an indoor range in marysville, and one on Airport road. Any others I should consider?


Thanks,
 

hermannr

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
2,327
Location
Okanogan Highland
NorPoint indoor range up between Arlington and Marysville just off hwy 9, has a lot of different guns to rent.

Call them up for specifics but if I remember correctly then just had a special on: 2 people, two hours, any number of weapons, there was a limit on the free ammo...like I said, it was a special but $49 if I remember correctly...call them and ask.
 

Bill Starks

State Researcher
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
Messages
4,304
Location
Nortonville, KY, USA
My Carry Firearm selection criteria:

Something I can afford
A firearm that fits my hand and I can shoot well
A firearm of a size and shape that I can carry easily and comfortably.

Most important of all, a firearm I WILL CARRY rather than something I got talked into by a friend or salesman but is either too large or too bulky for me.

As for caliber? All are lethal. Get something that you can shoot comfortably and accurately.

+10
 

Bill Starks

State Researcher
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
Messages
4,304
Location
Nortonville, KY, USA
Sounds like before I pull the trigger, I need to go and pull some triggers! Bahahahahahaha.

Seriously, I feel I should heed the advice and go rent a few guns. I know there is an indoor range in marysville, and one on Airport road. Any others I should consider?


Thanks,


Champion Arms in Kent has a great selection listed on their website (http://www.championarms.com/gunrange.html) (daily & weekly specials on rentals)

West Coast Armory, Bellevue (http://www.westcoastarmory.com/the-range/range/37)
 
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SovereignAxe

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2011
Messages
791
Location
Elizabethton, TN
Here's the thing about saying Glocks "just work"

Just about every name brand semi-auto nowadays will "just work" and will do so with just about every ammo you put through them. I've heard people say that about the S&W M&P, the Ruger SR9, every Springfield XD, H&K, and I can say the same about my Walther P99 (I've had one FTE and it was due to a 25+ year old squib load. But I shot a whole magazine full of them and it ate up the rest just fine. I think one just had more degraded powder than the others). Hell, I've even been hearing from Hi-Point owners that those guns are relatively problem free as well.

Granted, I don't know if all of these weapons would survive the "torture tests" that the Glock and XD have been subjected to, but how often are you really going to bury your carry weapon in sand and mud?

So what it really comes down to, like others have said, is how each gun feels and shoots. If you like one over the other, get it. Guns any more are like cars these days-arguing over reliability is a moot point, they're all going to last 10+ years. Something unheard of 30 years ago. Handguns have about reached the same point. 30 years ago each model had a few loads that they just didn't like and you had stay away from. Nowadays, AFAIK, any modern handgun (except maybe pocket pistols-tolerances are tight on those small calibers) is going to shoot whatever you put in it, and go bang every time.

So find a gun that is comfortable, that you can shoot well, and chambers something in .380 or larger ;), and I highly doubt you'll be disappointed.
 
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j2l3

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
871
Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Don't gert caught up in "what your girlfriend/wife can handle". I made that error recently and my wife surprised me with her choices of preferred weapons. She has a Bersa Thunder .380. I chose that for her, she has smallish hands.

She prefers my Ruger P94 .40, a full size 1911 and the S&W M&P Pro 9mm.

She's saving her nickels and dimes for the S&W right now but is eyeing the 1911 as well and buys ammo by the case....


Go figure......
 

bronczilla

New member
Joined
Nov 17, 2011
Messages
2
Location
Washington
I guess it depends if I want to OC or CC. I OC my 1911, I CC my Glock. I have the Judge in the bedroom for home defense.
 
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