Platform or caliber?

[Steelharp]

When you consider a handgun, especially for carry, what do you look for first? Is the size, weight, ability to conceal, manual of arms the first consideration, or does the caliber get your first nod?

[Rightwinger]

Yes

[Guest PapaB]

When you consider a handgun, especially for carry, what do you look for first? Is the size, weight, ability to conceal, manual of arms the first consideration, or does the caliber get your first nod?

I just completed this journey.

1st I'd go by useage. A handgun for home or vehicle opens up a lot more options than a small backup for instance.

2nd, you'll probably find more than one caliber available in that choice so size & weight would be next. These 2 obviously affect your ability to carry, based on your size.

3rd, you'll probably have a few calibers available in those choices.

4th, try several to see how they feel and shoot for you.

5th, search the forums for opinions on your choice, you might rethink things.

That's how I did it.

[towerclimber37]

all in all a good question!

I would have to say the first thing I think about is caliber. lets face it, I can say "I want a pistol to carry" and get a .22 derringer. will it protect me or my family? the answer is "maybe".

that's not good enough...so caliber is the first requirement for me.

2nd would be manual of arms..for me, it's second.

I've used single action pistols all my life...it's ingrained in me...while some might think that I'm limited, I don't choose to think so. stick with what you know...it makes a difference in a tight situation. if you're equally versed in other types of firearms, it's not that big of a thing.

3rd would be reliability.

Actually, since manufacturing methods are pretty good industry wide (folks have been making firearms for a long time!) it's not hard to find a good reliable weapon of the type that you're accustomed to using and training with so I guess this would be consideration 2a. It's still a very important question and answering it poorly can lead to catastrophic consequences.

4th would be weight and how concealable it is.

the last consideration I think about is this: How well have I trained with this pistol? can I use it successfully without putting any rounds where they don't belong? How much time can I devote to training with this pistol?

I think one of my greatest fears is having to defend myself and having a round go where I don't intend it. God forbid I shoot someone that I didn't intend to. That is enough to drive me to constantly hone my marksmanship with both rifle and pistol.

[redstategunnut]

There are "no go" calibers for me (anything smaller than 9mm or larger than .45 ACP). Within the acceptable range, I fulfill wants.

[Guest FroggyOne2]

What can be done with a single action.. though it is a modified Ruger to shoot wax bullets.. still a lot of skill!

YouTube - Fast Draw - How to hit 5 targets under one second!

[Guest Matchguy]

There are three important things to consider in selecting a defensive handgun:

1. Shootability

2. Shootability

3. Shootability

A good place to start is to select a class of cartridges you want to consider, such as 9mm, .40 S&W, .357 Sig, .45ACP, and so on. Now you research each to see which has the best documented record of stopping assaults, and you select the one you want to go with from that research.

Now you go looking for the gun in that caliber that you can shoot the best, and if you don't find one you can handle well in that caliber, then you change calibers. But shootability ALWAYS comes before concealability, sex appeal, and pride of ownership.....and if the best you can handle accurately is the .22 Long Rifle, than that's what you go with.......someone once said that you can't miss fast enough to win a gunfight, and someone else said that a loud bang has never put an assailant down. So get one you don't miss with.

The only advice I'll give about specific guns, is to warn you that the smaller the gun the harder they are to hit anything with, and the greater the recoil and blast noise. So I'd recommend you do your basic training with a full-size or near full-size pistol and ease into the compacts and subcompacts gradually, as your proficiency develops, making sure you're good with one before buying it. Best of luck to you.

BIG IMHO's

MG

[Guest jackdm3]

Froggy, that was breathtaking!

[-boatman-]

I never really thought about this but first the caliber. Then the overall size and how I would carry it but of course I would first have to like something about it or it would have never gotten my attention in the first place. Then the weight would come in. I sold a .45 partly because I did not consider the weight of the gun loaded.

Edited October 20, 2009 by -boatman-

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Froggy, that was breathtaking!

That is pretty dang cool isn't it!

[molonlabetn]

Caliber is an initial concern, just because I prefer to choose a gun in a caliber I already shoot... but mainly I go by the grip feel and how naturally it points. Manual of arms is important, but only to the point that the controls are well placed for my hand... everything beyond that is just practice. Size is the next concern... I don't like uber-small micro or sub compact pistols, since I'd rather make the extra effort to conceal a midsize gun which I am confident that I can shoot the heck out of, than a less powerful, less accurate gun which will run dry quick and be slower to reload.

[Guest hi im drummer03]

That video was awsome.He shot so fast until the slowest video ,i couldnt even tell what order he shot them...

[THE COOP]

The smartest LEO and defensive pistol trainer I know will tell you if he had just 1 pistol to go to battle with it would be a Glock 19!!!

I dont own 1 but would like too. I like a middle of the road caliber and have all caliber guns so a .40 cal to me is perfect and a gun that holds 12+1 is a plus so my perfect gun is a Sig P229 elite in .40 cal, it stays with me 24/7.... Dependable, good caliber and round count, great feel and it conceals great.....Oh did I mention I'm very accurate with it!!! IMHO!!!! COOP

[Guest grimel]

In order:

1) it goes BANG every time all the time

2) it goes BANG all the time every time

3) it points where I look (Glocks don't)

4) it shoots reasonable size groups

5) it shoots reasonable size groups where I want them

6) it is in the caliber which the gun was designed around (1911 = 45acp, Glock = 9mm)

7) caliber something 9x19 or bigger

[Bassoneer]

In order:

1) it goes BANG every time all the time

2) it goes BANG all the time every time

3) it points where I look (Glocks don't)

4) it shoots reasonable size groups

5) it shoots reasonable size groups where I want them

6) it is in the caliber which the gun was designed around (1911 = 45acp, Glock = 9mm)

7) caliber something 9x19 or bigger

Mine list is close...

1. it goes BANG every time all the time

2. I can conceal it with what I am wearing

3. it goes BANG all the time every time

4. it is preferably a .357 Magnum or a .45 ACP

5. it goes BANG all the time every time

6. it shoots reasonable size groups

7. it goes BANG all the time every time

As you can see, I am big on reliability.

I know #4 says .357 or .45, but sometimes I do carry a .38+P airweight because it is so light and easy to conceal. Ballistics are OK, but not as good as the .357 or .45. Just depends on what I'm wearing and where I'm going.

[DWARREN123]

I look for a platform in the caliber I use.

Nowadays it is a Sig P239-40, love the 40 S&W and the Sig.

[R1100R]

I look at the platform first for what I will use it for. Second comes caliber.

[Mark A]

Manual of arms for me. I want to make sure each one works the same so that I won't fumble when it counts. After that, all the major brands have pretty much all of the calibers covered so pick the platform and add calibers as funds allow...

[nightrunner]

caliber first. then it has to fit my hand. then reliability. then looks.

I also pick one for what purpose it will serve. a carry gun would be much different than a truck gun or a home defense gun.

[USMCJG]

1) Usage- Which 1911 do I need for this purpose- Gov't., Commander, or Officer?

2) Caliber- Which caliber of 1911 do I want?

3) Price- How much do I want to spend on this 1911?

4) Features- How much do I want to spend on this 1911?

[Guest The Highlander]

Matchguy pretty much summed up what I was going to reply, for you. I'll add a little however.

The most important things are how well it fits you (preferably shoot examples, not just holding them in the artificial environment of a gunshop), how reliable is the platform, and is the caliber sufficient for the purpose intended. A corollary, is the caliber easily obtainable without handloading, and is it inexpensive enough that you will practice (or can you get a .22lr conversion for your platform).

If I had to pick only one of the above as the most important...I wouldn't! Fit and reliability are equally important.

And I didn't accidentally leave off accuracy. If the gun is reliable and fits you, today's weapons will probably be sufficiently accurate for the intended purpose.

For me, it comes down to what do I want next, is it in a caliber I already have (preferably), is it from the same family so my holsters, etc. fit (ie, all Glocks of the same frame size fit the same holster, regardless of caliber or size. G26, G17, G34 for example)

The Highlander

[eapking]

1) Usage- Which 1911 do I need for this purpose- Gov't., Commander, or Officer?

2) Caliber- Which caliber of 1911 do I want?

3) Price- How much do I want to spend on this 1911?

4) Features- How much do I want to spend on this 1911?

+1 on all the 1911 criteria. I wished I'd had someone steer me towards a 1911 before I bought all this CR_PPY plastic. Now all I want to shoot is my 1911.

It's like someone told me recently: "There's 1911's and then there's everything else".

[Guest Ae-35]

USMCJG for a "young" feller you got a good head on them shoulders!!! Useage first, then platform, them cal. You got to consider usage first, just home defense, always full 1911, alloy frame if you must.LEARN not just how to shoot it but how it works!!!! But thats another subject, hunting and HD or PD you're really limited to 357 rev. 4in. bl. All said one gun or cal. isn't for everyone, look , handle, think, ask questions, here is a good place to start, read, an if you can find a range that rents try what you think you want, get real instruction!!! I took a year to buy my first hand gun, took me that long to save up the money an decide between a Colt Woodsman, Ruger 22 Standard Auto, and SW 32/22 kitgun. I bought the SW. Hey I was 13. Good luck