I need advice on gun selection

[El Gato]

Originally Posted by maldos

Just had to chime in. I also have the PM40 and it's not bad at all. Slightly more than the PM9 but completely reliable and manageable. If you want to "try before you buy" just let me know via PM.

We had a cw 40 for a while.. and early model...
Recoil is much more manageable than the glock 27... way better in my opinion.. and the gun is more accurate and the trigger easier to manage IMHO... and I'm a glock shooter and armorererer...how many ers are there in that word anyway...

The little plastic framed Kahr 9mm my wife has now..you know the little itty bitty dinky one...? very easy to control even with cor-bon 115gr's..as long as you keep a firm grip on the thing...

The pm 45 is very accurate but not as easy to control as the kimber ultra carry II.... I think my wife's pm 45 is in fact about twice as accurate as the Kimber I am carrying in a threatsolutions IWB holster as I type this...sad but true...

As to guns under $500-
The sig P6 if you can find one...
The Ruger double action 45 in whatever version you can find it in... good choice! as is the 9 or 40...but if I'm gonna be limited to 10 rounds... I kinda like the idea of fillin' that space in the frame with 45's
Any used glock...
any good used 38/357 K,L or J frame is a buy... find a used one with the key lock in it ... the purists hate the lock and will offer a premium for one without the lock...hence... my penchant for looking for guns with the lock! I am a tightwad!...and the lock don't bother me none...

[gr8fatman]

Thanks for the excellent input. My neighbor brought over his K frame 4" .357. I was able to wear it in his Galco for 4 to 5 hours around the house. Sitting, standing, bending and reaching, I found it to be heavy and difficult to conceal. It was a good opportunity, and I gained some good insight on my carry preferences. In a wheel gun, I now know that a J frame is going to be my preference. Now I need some hands on with different semi autos. All of your advice is valuable, and I appreciate yoos guys for it. Keep it coming.

[spc]

If you have good questions you will get great answers here. I try to keep it simple and am allowed only 2 sidearms on my permit. My longtime primary is my
Springfield Micro-compact. My 2nd is my Kimber Ultra CDP II. I know they are duplicates, but I wish to stick with the same platform for my back-up.

If/when I can put a 3rd on my Colt Mustang Pocketlite 380 will be high on the list because it is the same platform.

spc

[Trinity]

Originally Posted by Bombard

The guns I currently have on my CCW are

Glock 23
S&W 640
Kahr PM 40.

All are available used for under $500.

OTOH - since you are a member here, you might look around and decide on what's absolutely perfect in a new gun regardless of the price. B, just as an example. Then post here that you're looking to buy one, new, and ask if anyone knows where to get one at a good price.

You might be surprised.

I went with the Kimber UCII - but it was close to $1K by the time you add extra mags & the first few hundred rouds of ammo.....& I got a great deal on mine.

[Bombard]

Originally Posted by X-ffdo

Have a question for you, Bombard. How is the recoil, muzzle flip with your PM40?

It's kind of 2 different questions. The muzzle flip is significant, I'm not good at coming back to target quickly, yet. My double taps with a full size 45 are about 6" apart. With this, I'm lucky to get the second shot on the paper, unless I slow down are re-acquire the sights. Overall recoil isn't bad, it doesn't move the rest of your body, just your hands. It's like having someone next to you slap the gun off target by hitting it with a cricket bat.

[wcpassegai]

If you are accustomed to, and confident with, revolvers, then why change? You can accomplish a lot with 38+Ps, 357 Mag, 44 and so on. I saw a film clip a while back of a guy shooting the 8-shot S&W 357 from their custom shop, and he could put a lot of rounds downrange very accurately.

[gr8fatman]

WOW!!!!!! HOLY COW!!!!! OMG!!!!!! I dont know what else to say. I tried my friends glock 17 at his house this morning. It feels good in my hand, very comfortable to shoot, and hitting the target was as easy as pointing my finger. I'm fighting the urge to stop looking, but I have to say that I really loved it.

[Bombard]

Originally Posted by gr8fatman

WOW!!!!!! HOLY COW!!!!! OMG!!!!!! I dont know what else to say. I tried my friends glock 17 at his house this morning. It feels good in my hand, very comfortable to shoot, and hitting the target was as easy as pointing my finger. I'm fighting the urge to stop looking, but I have to say that I really loved it.

If you liked the Glock action (and I had the same reaction the first time I shot one) certainly look at the range in their selection. Which caliber do you want, how big a gun do you want? Personally I'm a fan of big calibers in small guns, so the micro 40 and 45 GAP appeal to me.

[X-ffdo]

A used Glock is easy to find wthin your price range, and it would be a safe bet. Other guns of the semiauto kind, if you buy used, you might be buying a lemon or a jamomatic.
There isn't much you can do to a Glock, they are boringly reliable. Likewise for Sig, but they cost more which blows them out of your price range.
Test drive before you buy!!!!

[NikNak]

Originally Posted by gr8fatman

My wife and I were discussing gun selection for CCW. As I mentioned in another thread, I wont use my HiPoint C9. My plan was to get a Charter Arms undercover in .38 SPL, or a Rossi R461 2in. in .357. Either of these guns would be under $400 out the door. She asked "Is that all our lives are worth, $400"? I'm embarassed to say that I never looked at that way before. She really caused me to think about gun choice and how serious it really is.
Can you guys help me with sugestions on a reliable carry gun. We can't afford $1000, but can go up to maybe $700 out the door.

I am a proverbial cheapskate ... I reload as well.

I carry three pieces that all total have my NET cost below $1000

I bought two used and one new ...

S&W 637 (38Spec +P) J-frame revolver
S&W 649 (38Spec +P) J-frame revolver
Taurus PT145 (45ACP) Semi Auto - small size

I am quite comfortable with any style of firearm ... except muzzle loaders. I suggest buying what is comfortable for you and what you are comfortable with. Let the $s fall where they may, but do not skimp on the time behind the gun. That, in my opinion will do you the most good.

Shoot lots of ammo and learn the pieces inside and out.

If your wife wants you to spend good $s on a gun, be glad you married her and be sure she understands that you both will need to expend more $s in ammo as you do on the guns.

[NikNak]

[quote=gr8fatman;71974]My wife and I were discussing gun selection for CCW. As I mentioned in another thread, I wont use my HiPoint C9. My plan was to get a Charter Arms undercover in .38 SPL, or a Rossi R461 2in. in .357. [quote]

I own a Rossi 2in 357 ... I bought it used at the same time I bought a 2in Taurus model 60(?) 38Spec. Both were stainless and I was going to keep the best one after some range time. The Rossi hit point of aim very well at 10 yards with both 38 & 357 ammo, but the Taurus was awfully inconsistant and it "spit lead" from the big cylinder gap that this one had. I expected the Rossi to do worse, but I was pleasantly surpised. I kept the Rossi and sold the Taurus.

I have never heard good things about the Charter Arms products, only bad things ... but I have never owned one. I think that any used S&W will do much better than a new Charter Arms, or Taurus revolver. IMHO

A word of caution about your Hi Point. They have been prone to rear frame cracks at the slide stop, so limit your range time with the piece and stay away from +P loads.

If you liked the Glock, try the S&W M&P ... I personally like the feel of the gun, and the fact that the backstrap can be changed out may help if your wife has a smaller hand than yours.

[X-ffdo]

PT-145. I hear they are now 3rd. Generation and that they are good....true?

[gr8fatman]

Thanks NikNak. Great info!

[38special]

I have a .38 as my primary/purse gun and a sweet Glock also on my CCW.

The Glock is probably one of the easiest guns to take apart and put back together. Very important when it comes to gun cleaning time!

[NikNak]

Originally Posted by X-ffdo

PT-145. I hear they are now 3rd. Generation and that they are good....true?

X-Fddo - .... I bought my PT145 Pro kinda new in early 2007. Some guy had ordered one and backed out on the deal, so the FFL gave me a good deal on it. It felt good in my hand and was about $200 less than the small Glock(30 or 36?) in 45ACP. I bought it w/o reading up on it, or trying it out because I felt that at that price, I could always dump it and get my money back.....

I went home and looked it up on line where i found all kinds of articles relating to problems with the frame cracking in front of the trigger and under the chamber..... I was pretty bummed until I checked the serial numbers ... those with problems were much older than mine and according to the rumors, Taurus had fixed the issue.... well, mine shot well, not like the results I have had with other Taurus units ... ie Mod 60 revolver and an older PT22 with a tip-up barrel that continually key-holed at 15 yards(even after they put a new barrel on it).

I was & still am pleased with the PT145, but I do not shoot it allot. It is not an action pistol piece that people pound thousands of rounds through and it stays in my home office as a house gun.

Since I shoot all types in competition, I am not "married" to one type and style of gun. The PT145 feels good and I can hit with it ... for the $s, it is one of the best buys. I think mine may be a 2nd generation....

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