thoughts on buying your first sidearm

[crashgordan]

Recently a friend across the country sent me query on how to go about picking his first sidearm.
I replied with the following and on the prodding of several locals that i work with, i will share it here and perhaps it will be of some help to someone as they begin this same journey:

... a quick note starting with the essential selection process and build from there:

we are discussing concealed carry options...

I think its great that you are taking the steps you have outlined in your search. Casting a broad net from known and trusted people is a good start. Thank you for your trust.

for a bit about my perspective and what it is based on:

* I am committed to concealed carry. I am psychologically trained and prepared for the event of "stopping the attack" on my person or anyone that i am responsible for. I will not show a weapon as a deterrent or ever fire a round in the defense of property. Life and human safety at stake is the only reason for me to take the life of another. If the gun comes out, it's serious. I am also fully prepared for the possibility that even a justified defensive event may cost me my life, my career, my marriage, my life savings. The national average for defending a justified shooting is well past $10,000 per round fired. If you are not mentally prepared for these things, please stop, and re evaluate. I highly recommend the following book: In the Gravest Extreme by Massad Ayoob, a lifetime police officer. The text is a bit dated, but the message is timely. http://www.amazon.co...n/dp/0936279001

* I shoot thousands of rounds a year.

* i carry every single day whether on two wheels or four. putting a firearm on my person is no different than putting on my seatbelt or my helmet. it's SOP and part of staying safe. I do not live in fear or seek out dangerous situations in hopes of entering into a gun battle. i've been on the business end of incoming rounds and it's no fun.

* I am routinely retained to work with individuals are taking the same steps you are.

* These are generally professionals in the region who are trying to get started without unnecessary expense and waste of time.

* i own and carry and bet my life on many different platforms.

* i will not own or carry any platform that i would not bet my life on. Ever. That said, there are platforms out there that are probably excellent that i do not own or have not trained with yet. so to be completely fair, i will stick to my personal experience and the personally observed experience of my peers. If i stray outside of that, i will note it clearly.

As you begin your search for a CC (concealed carry) I encourage you to seek the wisdom of many, but choose opinions wisely and whenever possible based on actual experience. I encourage you to take my thoughts as simply one perspective among many.

I tend to look at firearms from the following perspective: They are tools. if i was looking for sexy i would buy only 1911's and HKs... they are damn sexy. Are they good guns and the right choice? yes and no... more on that later...

Generally, people tend to recommend the one they currently carry as the best. I am, in many ways, no different with the exception that i will never say model “X” is "The Best". Rather i will suggest a good starting point and may be an option for you to consider and back it up with reasons why i hold that opinion. It may turn out to be in fact, the best choice for you…
Anyone who says "X is the only to own" is flat out wrong... take their advice with care. While they may have some very sound advice, be aware of the obvious bias and possibly lack of perspective.

Additionally, I look at firearms for CC a lot like running shoes or work boots. One generally does better if they can try them on and run in them/walk in them a bit to know if it's a good fit.

If you have a range somewhere near you that rents any of the platforms you are considering, it's worth your time to do so. If you don't have that option, perhaps there is someone near you like me with a similar crack addiction that has several platforms to choose from and that you can test on the range. Should that option not exist, do not despair.

WHATEVEVER you choose, i highly recommend that you do the following, even if it's simply in the gun shop of your choosing...

Before you begin the following exercise, verify the gun is clear and safe

1: choose a point to aim at within 10 -20 feet away. Close your eyes, and present the firearm to your target, imagining that you are sighting it exactly on target. Open your eyes and without moving the gun, position your head behind the sights. Is your point of aim close to what you intended to aim at? If so, this is a good starting point. It means the gun 'points' well for you. (Of note, Glocks tend to point high do to the grip angle. This is a design feature, this is not a bad thing, it just is what it is and training will overcome this. For some people, Glocks point very instinctively, which is awesome for them)

Now, with the firearm firmly in the hand in the shooting grip and WITHOUT adjusting your grip, do the following functions:
(the point of these functions is to see if you can run all the controls without adjusting your hand from a combat grip position)
A: Manipulate the manual safety and/or de-cocker with your thumb. safety on/safety off. (If there is no manual safety or de-cocker, this is fine, but if there is you need to know it's positioned instinctively)
B: Press the magazine release button to drop the magazine: (keep in mind you may need to catch the mag with your non dominant hand) There's a wide range of ergonomics out there... and some guns require you to re position the gun in your hand to simply manipulate the magazine release and other controls.

I've sold some really sweet guns because of this reason alone. Ideally, you should be able to drop the mag and run all the controls without re positioning the gun in your combat grip. Depending on the platform you can sometimes run the mag release with both the thumb AND the index finger (HK does this as do others) so you have options. This is fine, and many of the new platforms now feature ambidextrous mag release, which is never a bad thing.

Following are some platforms i would consider serious contenders. For full size, I am very confident in the Smith and Wesson M&P line, the Springfield XD line, and Glock.
For concealed work, I trust the above as well as some you mentioned including selections by Sig, Ruger LCP and LCR, Kahr and Smith and Wesson Shield.

Briefly on caliber: choose what works for you. many will debate 'bigger is better'... i will leave that debate to others here. i only recently consider .380 to be a reasonable SD (self defense) with the introduction of the Hornady Critical Defense round. The terminal ballistics are impressive and if i had no other options, i'd be pretty happy carrying it. Generally i prefer 9mm or larger. 9mm is really the baseline round for me anyway, as there are great platforms that run it that are very concealable. To me, 9mm recoil is a bit lighter and less snappy then .40, so many who may be sharing the sidearm with their significant other choose it for this reason. .45 no problem for many who i have worked with including women, who are generally surprised at how well they hit with it.

9mm is a legitimate fighting round when properly chosen. again, referencing the Hornady Critical Defense round among others. They will get the job done if you do your part.

If you've ever considered a sidearm for HD (home defense) Consider starting with CC option, for the simple reason that your CC platform can also serve as your HD platform. (Smith, Springfield, Glock and Kahr all make platforms that meet the above requirements for me honestly in both HD and CC. Most ideally, one would choose a platform of identical controls for both CC and HD. The reason is that as muscle memory develops, you will be able to instinctively run either one, without any change in response function or response time. Again, more on that later)

CC is something that takes time and training to be comfortable with. Once i found a very comfortable inside the waist band holster, i honestly have found that once i'm strapped, i am so comfortable, i forget i'm carrying. (concealed carry position is something deeply personal that will take time to completely be happy with. there are books written on it, and thousands of products designed to make it work for you... more on carry options later )

and on an aside, I will never carry a sidearm without 'one in the chamber' that's simply dumb. if you are afraid of an accidental discharge, you've either selected the wrong firearm or you are not training and practicing correctly. no offense to those who carry this way, i simply don't understand it, and without exception have found it to be an excuse for not training and practicing.

I'll start with my favorites, in no particular order, understanding that these are simply my choices based on the above starting points for fit, finish, reliabilty and fighting capability: again, note that everthing listed here is something i have personal experience with.

Springfield XD: I own several in all calibers: I use the XD platform in both CC and HD. The mags interchange. So I can carry a compact mag in the subcompact on my person and my spare full size mag. No need to purchase different mags, mag holders and sidearm holsters as they are fully interchangable. Depending on your size and body shape, The subcompact XD line are excellent choice for concealed carry as the Sub Compact lines are very small (although boxy) and have excellent capacity. they are affordable and tough as nails.

Springfield XDM platforms: I actually really like XDM platform as Springfield tuned it up nicely. You get a truly better match grade trigger, a match barrel and a fully adjustable palm swell, so you can adjust the firearm to fit a wide range of hand sizes and shapes. Love these as well, but stayed out of them as I was already heavily into the XD line when they came out.

Also Springfield XDS: This is a very small compact and highly shootable .45 (which I have run, absolutely love and will be purchasing soon) love this gun and love the way it runs, fits and works. and the .45 caliber is not at all punishing in this configuration. very compact, and, it's a .45, which is to me a win/win.

Smith and Wesson: M&P. this platform is also like the XD in that you can have both CC and HD platforms that will interchange mags. Excellent guns with good ergonomics, and a low bore axis. It will likely feel different when you shoot it, not better or worse, just different. These are great guns and will get the job done. The finish is excellent and i would and have trusted my life to one.

Smith and Wesson Shield. I LOVE THIS GUN. Cannot wait to own one. They shoot like a dream for me and I love the fit, finish and controls. Highly concealable. I will own one soon in 9mm and when they become a little less hard to find. in my experience, excellent in every way.

Sig 2022: excellent gun. Internally identical to the 229, which is world class. I personally would bet my life on this gun, but do not own one at present. Like all sigs, the trigger reset is, for me anyway (and most everyone I know), ridiculously long… i can go make coffee while waiting for the bang but about $50 will put you in the factory SRT (short reset trigger) which is essential if you intend to fight with it. Otherwise, a great choice. The other downside to this is the limited availability of holsters… it’s getting better, but it’s nothing like the Smith or Springfield or Glock options.

Smith and Wesson SD: this is a good basic gun and cheep. had one and sold it. Opinions vary, but i could never fall in love with the crappy trigger. but if the price is right and you just need a basic gun, this will do the job. My experience is that the very long and heavy trigger pull and reset make for marginally accurate gun to shoot. To me, it's a good gun to throw in the glovebox or the console of the truck, as it will run when asked, and without any problems. but it would not be my CC or HD choice. add to that that magazines were over $40 before the current madness, and it's not in my list of goto platforms.

Glock: these are the most basic of guns. They are not sexy in any way and are the most utility of all out there. They have the least number of moving parts, hence, less things to fail. They are stupid simple and will never stop. I have several and carry them as well. They do not point like any of the others and need some time to become accustomed to the grip angle. No big deal here. Again with Glock, your CC and HD platform can share mags and holsters.

Kahr: I love Kahrs. I have several and carry them with confidence. I do think that once the Ruger LCP came out, the Kahr line become somewhat overpriced for many in the market for very small guns. Mine all run like tops, but only after the break-in period. The fit and finish is exceptional. The trigger takeup is long as it's part of the intrinsic safety feature, but while it's long, it's not crappy with stacking or creep. Kahrs have extremely tight tolerances and like all "micro" or subcompact platforms, you MUST break them in. I will not trust my life to any gun in the Kahr/Ruger ultracompact line until i have run at least 250 trouble free rounds through it. and then, i will absolutely test the round i intend to fight with in the gun and verify it will function. Kahrs come from the factory super tight and need this amount of break in. this is not a bad thing, it just is how they are made.

Ruger SR: I love this gun. It will perform CC and HD duty very well. it's sexy too... and it's a great shooter. To me, the trigger is excellent. Be sure you are buying a 2nd generation or better. The first iteration of the SR sucked. but they've got all the bugs worked out and it's sweet.

Ruger P95: Old Faithful. These things run. are cheep as hell, big and hard to conceal. They are proven and built like tanks. They are not my favorite pair of workboots, but they will get the job done. If it fits your hand, your budget and your personal style, buy with confidence. Not a damn thing wrong with them.

OK.... so, i've worn you out with a lot of crap (but honest crap)
it occurs to me that it may seem i'm somewhat biased toward or against certain platforms.
this is not true. it is however my personal experience and i encourage you to develop your own.

One thing you did not mention is your feeling on a manual safety or not. many platforms, like Kahrs, have no obvious manual thumb safety. I choose Springfields and Glocks and Kahrs (among others) for these very reasons. They have many safety's built in and work as intended. It is my experience and opinion that the greatest safety is the operator. Muzzle and Trigger discipline are critical and will easily be learned from training and repeated practice.
Learning to manipulate a manual safety is not something i choose to do, as i find that even when trained, once you induce high stress, this simple manual safety is forgotten. Cops and Combat soldiers seem to do better with manual safeties as they train with them regularly as part of their job. Civilians who do not commit to a regular training/practice regimen tend to forget that manual safety under stress. (this is one of many reasons why the 1911 is not on this list for a first sidearm along with the limited magazine capacity, and need for occasional 'tune'... don't get me wrong, i love the 1911, but it will never be my first choice for social work)

When i am training or we are in the 'platform' selection process, 8 of 10 of those i am working with go home with the XD or XDm line. They run them all, and this is the one that works well for them. They hit that they point at and like it.
I expect the recently introduced S&W Shield will be on the short list for them as well as they become less difficult to get.

The second most oft selected platform is a revolver, specifically, the Ruger LCR. The reason for this is simple: It's the ultimate point and click firearm. no safety, no slide, no hammer that you can 'cock' and go to jail for 'premeditation' over, no way it can malfunction, no chance of an "accidental discharge". It can effectively be fired from a purse or pocket. you point and click until it runs dry or the desired effect is achieved. In high stress shooting, people revert to their most basic instinct, and point and click is it. Many clients who do not wish to commit to at least monthly training/practice go this route. (i don't recommend buying any firearm and then never training or practicing with it) I'm not redirecting you to a revolver by the way, just talking about my experience.

Best wishes in your search...

Please ask any questions you think of them and I'm glad to help in any way i can.

disclaimer: the above opinions are mine alone based on the reasons i have outlined. if you disagree, please share your thoughts based on fact and experience. I am a willing student of fact and truth


~crash~

[TMF]

I would have just saved him all the reading and told him to buy a Glock 19.

[TexasAggie]

Crash,

Good read. I don't think most people really understand the follow-up self defense training needs and the legal responsibilities they are taking when they first get their concealed carry license.

 

Mike

[Lumber_Jack]

I think your philosophy on decoding to carry a gun were very good. But I have A.D.D. So I'll have to read the rest later.

With that I agree with TMF. Get a glock 19 or an M&P 9, then shoot the hell out of it. If he wants something more after that those guns will resell for almost what he paid new.

Also gun rental, go to a range that rents guns and shoot as many as possible and decide.

[glock55]

I would have just saved him all the reading and told him to buy a Glock 19.

 

ditos on this recommendation. i advise the following equation to new buyers:    several gun rentals + buyer perception = glock 19. its that easy

 

on a more serious note i advise to following to people looking to buy their first fire arm:

1) DON'T buy a gun first  ---- if you dont have some exeperience with guns you cant make an intelliegent decision

2) DO get some training ------ find someone with gun experience and whom you trust to teach you basic gun saftey and handling techniques.

3) BE comfortable with fire arms ----- you should be able to  comfortably work the manual of arms on a gun and replaced the beginners fear with respect for this tool

4) NOW you begin the search ---- you may now look at those guns that appeal to you,compare features,ck fit, and make an informed decision

5) THEN carry and practice ----- train,train,train and train some more.

 

p.s. -- OP have you considered a career in politics?

[strickj]

The national average for defending a justified shooting is well past $10,000 per round fired.

 

Says who?

 

Massad Ayoob doesn't count. He sells the fear of a lawsuits.

[TMF]

 

 The national average for defending a justified shooting is well past $10,000 per round fired.

 

 

 

Says who?
 
Massad Ayoob doesn't count. He sells the fear of a lawsuits.

Hmmm... I guess it depends on where you buy your rounds. My uncle shot a guy three times in a justified shoot; it cost him about $.25 per round.

Edited February 22, 2013 by TMF

[Jonnin]

i keep it fairly simple. 

 

A new pistol buyer needs to understand 1 thing above all others, as everything I itemize after this is another way of saying the same thing.

EVERY PISTOL IS A COMPROMISE SO YOU PICK THE THINGS THAT MATTER MOST TO YOU AND GIVE UP WHAT IS LESS IMPORTANT.

 

Personally, small size and trigger pull are huge for me, which is how I ended up with a sig 938.   I gave up capacity as the biggest "loss" by picking this pistol.

 

Now that we have covered that .....   itemized things to consider....

 

size: bigger and fatter is harder to conceal and less comfortable to wear.

trigger: 20 pound pulls over 1 inch of travel is difficult to control, difficult to fire rapidly, and requires very strong hands of a young, healthy shooter. 

weight: 5 pounds isnt much until its in your pants, pulling them down to your knees. 

recoil: if your hands are behind your head after every shot, maybe you should cut back a little.

cartridge:  how much does ammo cost, how easy is it to find, and how good is it at putting a stop to an attack?

gun brand: does the comany have good service if things go wrong?  Is the gun reliable and well made? 

used/new:  If on a budget, is a used gun a better deal for you?

capacity:  2, 5 shots or over 20, how many do YOU need?

safety/functional design: do you want a gun that is ready to shoot without pushing any buttons or do you feel better with a safety engaged?  Some designs, with the ligther triggers, a safety is important, and others, with the heavy triggers, not as much.

 

Try as many guns as you can that give you some idea of the above features.  Shoot them if you can, dry fire if you are allowed to (ask first!), hold them if you can't.   Avoid ANY blowhard that tells you that BRAND X MODEL Y is the best and only choice for a pistol.  This ties back to my first statement -- all pistols are compromises.

[dcloudy777]

I would have just saved him all the reading and told him to buy a Glock 19.

That's why he didn't ask you.  :taunt: