More Thoughts on Handguns

I spend a lot of time helping people pick out handguns for various applications. With only one or two exceptions, I find that the rule of picking the handgun that feels best in your hand will be the gun you enjoy shooting the most to hold true. The exceptions to that rule would be guns that are chambered in an inappropriate caliber, guns that are too large, too heavy, too small or too light for the intended application. Fortunately, there is a wider selection of very accurate and reliable handguns on the market, from many manufacturers, than ever before. I'll often hand a customer 8-10 different handguns before they find the one that makes their eyes grow wide as it seems to become an extension of their arm. Sometimes, however, new guy buyers simply won't listen to experience and determine the big gun in the big caliber is what they just have to have. I often see these guns coming back in on trade a week or two later.

Before you can determine with which guns to begin the search, you must determine the buyers intended application for the handgun. Personal defense, concealed carry and home protection are the three most popular responses I hear. Unfortunately, I very often see customers who have already made up their mind based on what they read on the Internet or in a gun magazine. The Ruger LCP is a great example of this. For the past 1-2 years, LCP's have been in very high demand. I never thought I would see so many people putting their safety behind a gun chambered in 380 ACP. After all, the Beretta 84 & 85, Sig Sauer 232 and Walther PPK/S have been around for decades and all of them are tremendous pistols chambered in 380 ACP. Not to mention the Kel-Tec pistols that Ruger virtually copied with the LCP design. It was a marriage of the right sized gun with the right manufacturer at the right time. Now, 380 ACP is difficult to get. When we do find it, it is more expensive than 9mm or 40 S&W. I see people buy LCP's every day only to have them come back and complain about the pain in their hands from the snappy recoil the next day. Everyone seems to agree if you plan to carry a gun for protection, you need to practice with that gun. Firing more than one or two magazines through the Kel-Tec, LCP or new Taurus TCP is usually enough for most people. Many people profess that they may never shoot the little guns again unless they have to in order to protect their lives. These little guns are the guns that you can take anywhere. They make great backup guns. However, I don't believe you should be carrying a concealed firearm if you aren't proficient with it. That means practice time on the range. I usually try to steer customers to 9mm's or 38 special revolvers.

I carry a Browning Hi Power most of the time. 15 rounds of 9mm should get me out of most jams. If I'm wearing dress pants or lightweight shorts, I'll often go with my S&W 360 PD loaded with 38 Special +P rounds. I prefer Federal Hydra-Shok ammunition for defensive carry. I practice with these guns on a regular basis. The key is the holster. Once someone marries a compact or medium sized auto pistol or small revolver with a high quality concealment holster, they realize they too can carry a larger caliber weapon concealed. Another favorite saying of Clint Smith's is "handguns are comforting, not comfortable.". This is usually true. I carry concealed every day and most of the time I forget the gun is back there. However, it will sooner or later give me a little jab in the love handles to remind me I can't bend over to the right very easily with it on. I've been known to carry a Colt Lightweight Commander at times as well. It holds 8 rounds of 45 ACP, and I haven't found anyone to argue that isn't sufficient protection. It fits the same holster as the Hi Power and has about the same weight. They are both single action only trigger designs so I don't worry about having brain fade while trying to put one of them into action under stress. Except for my revolvers and .22's, all of my guns are single action only for that very reason. I've found that switching from safe action, DA/SA, DAO and SA to be a recipe for disaster under stress. I try to keep is simple. I had to sell some good guns, like my HK P7M8's, but my muscle memory is all the better for the sacrifice.

Some people are just too small to carry medium to large autos. They may want the extra power, but they often can't rack the slides, clear jams, or control the pistol during recoil. I like to put these people into revolvers when ever possible. A revolver chambered in 357 Magnum/38 Special is extremely flexible with all of the heavy and very light loads available for those guns. They can practice with very light Cowboy Action style 38 special loads and carry 38 Special +P loads for defense. Believe me, if they are truly threatened, they won't notice the extra recoil of the +P loads in a life and death situation.

I don't want to make any enemies, but I have never found much use for the 40 S&W round. Yes, it packs more punch and knock down power than the 9mm. However, I believe the increased cost of the ammo and the increased recoil that tends to turn people away from more practice shooting, offsets the extra power factor. I can more easily instruct a shooter to shoot their 9mm or 38 Special with increased accuracy due to the lower recoil. Also, they tend to buy more practice ammo because of the cheaper price of 9mm ammo. It's just my opinion, but I've seen these scenarios play out with hundreds of customers and students. I'll sell you a gun chambered in 40 S&W if that is what you want. However, if you ask my opinion, I'm going to steer you towards the 9mm.

The other obvious caveat to the rule are pistols intended for competition use. These guns tend to be much larger with longer sight radii. They are also often chambered in 22 long rifle. I'll discuss competition shooting and equipment in future posts.

Shooting is supposed to be fun, and never forget it that it is also a sport.

Live To Shoot.