cameramonkey
May 14, 2004, 01:42 PM
This is my first post here. First and foremost, I'd like to thank all the members for their informative posts. I have been searching the boards for the past 2 months and reading up on many topics. It has been a great and enjoyable research tool. After all of my lurking, I've finally decided to join the ranks and post a question.
I've decided to purchase a semi auto handgun for home defense. I've picked it over a shotgun and a revolver for multiple reasons:
1) I live in the Maryland D.C. suburbs and the only places to go shooting are a few local ranges. They're aren't too many places to shoot shotguns and getting lots of practice time at the range is important.
2) I'd like to try and find a place to shoot IDPA to improve my skills.
3) I've always wanted one.
4) Revolvers just don't give me the "warm fuzzies" when I shoot them. They're cool; I just personally like shooting semi autos better. This is just a personal preference, so please don't take this as a flame. It's probably due to my "newbieness."
After doing all of my research on message boards, I've gone to some local ranges, took some lessons, and rented various types of guns in different calibers. Getting to the point, I fell in love with the .45 acp and the 9mm. I suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome and the .40 s&w and the .357 sig really aggravated my condition for some reason. After about 50 rounds, my wrist was feeling it. But I was easily able to shoot the 9mm and the .45 for 150+ rounds w/o a problem. So caliber requirement for this semi auto is either .45 or 9mm (weird huh?? Since these 2 seem to be constantly contested by many loyal followers here).
I rented and tried almost everything I could get my hands on. You name it: Sigs, HK's, glocks, 1911's, XD's, etc. But here's the kicker. Living here behind Maryland's Iron Curtain, you can only purchase a newly manufactured handgun that has an internal lock installed at the factory unless it was manufactured before 01/01/02. It may be 01/01/01??). So for a new gun, I can only buy the following: glock, taurus, HK, Springfield 1911, S&W. Talk about limitations. I need to move to Virginia. There are some Sigs (mostly refurbished) and a few CZ's, but most everything else is sparse.
So based on my range time and message board lurking/research, I have decided on the following as options:
1. Glock 17 or 19. It shot well for me and handled the recoil nicely. I think the low bore axis really helped. It was as accurate as I could shoot it, and the controversial grip angle didn't bother me at all. Didn't fail at all w/ all types of ammo that I tried. My only concern is that it lacks a "true" safety. This may be a training issue, but it seems like if I was to keep one on my nightstand and went to pick the gun up after being woken up abruptly by an intruder and accidentally grabbed the gun and squeezed the trigger, there would be no real resistance from causing an AD. I know you're supposed to keep your finger off of the trigger until ready to shoot, but people do strange things when woken abruptly. A gun w/ a safety or a DA pull may offer more "preventives" against this kind of accident from happening.
2. HK USP .45 - This gun was awesome. I think the buffer system really made it comfortable to shoot. The muzzle flip was a little more than the Glock 21 (again I think a bore axis issue), But it was more accurate that the Glock 21 that I tried (for me at least). I also like the fact that it holds 10 rounds in the magazine. I like the safety decock feature also. The only con is the High price. It costs 825 here. The glocks are 550. And money is tight right now.
3. Sig 220, 226, 229 - Hands down the sigs fit my hand better than anything else. They shot well for me and were very accurate. They seemed to have more recoil than all of the other guns (bore axis? aluminum frame?). The decoker seemed to be well placed for my hands. I also like the fact that Sig claims this gun has a 2nd strike capability (the striker fired weapons do not). I don't know if this really makes a difference, but I'll mention it nonetheless. Here again, cost is the issue. Refurbished guns start at 800 dollars. YUP, 800 dollars. Maryland gun laws drive the prices wayyyyyy up.
4. Springfield 1911 - It was fun to shoot this piece of history. I can see why people like them. The one I shot had one FTE. I cleared it, and it kept on going. My only concern about the 1911 is all the debate about the MIM stuff and the need to possibly have to get the gun worked on to be a reliable defense gun (hollow point feeding). I'd really like the gun ready to go out of the box. Again this is a cost issue for a gunsmith to have to look at and tune the gun.
5. CZ-75bd - I shot a friend's. It felt really, really nice. Probably second to the Sigs. It was reliable w/ FMJ ammo. The problem is that his has been really finicky about hollow point ammo. Also, the recent stories of CZ's customer service kinda turn me off.
6. Springfield XD - Very cool gun (I'd love to have one of all the above - who wouldn't?). The problem is, I can't find one anywhere because of the gun laws.
What I'm asking for is some helpful advice to help me narrow down my choices. I'm really kinda' leaning towards one of the Sigs, HK's, or glocks since they seem to have less out of the box issues. If the XD was available, it'd be on the list too :( . I'll probably wait to purchase a 1911 in a FREE state (I really like the STI from what I have read). But for now I have to do what common sense and finances dictate and pick the one semi auto that will be great for personal/home defense.
I've decided to purchase a semi auto handgun for home defense. I've picked it over a shotgun and a revolver for multiple reasons:
1) I live in the Maryland D.C. suburbs and the only places to go shooting are a few local ranges. They're aren't too many places to shoot shotguns and getting lots of practice time at the range is important.
2) I'd like to try and find a place to shoot IDPA to improve my skills.
3) I've always wanted one.
4) Revolvers just don't give me the "warm fuzzies" when I shoot them. They're cool; I just personally like shooting semi autos better. This is just a personal preference, so please don't take this as a flame. It's probably due to my "newbieness."
After doing all of my research on message boards, I've gone to some local ranges, took some lessons, and rented various types of guns in different calibers. Getting to the point, I fell in love with the .45 acp and the 9mm. I suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome and the .40 s&w and the .357 sig really aggravated my condition for some reason. After about 50 rounds, my wrist was feeling it. But I was easily able to shoot the 9mm and the .45 for 150+ rounds w/o a problem. So caliber requirement for this semi auto is either .45 or 9mm (weird huh?? Since these 2 seem to be constantly contested by many loyal followers here).
I rented and tried almost everything I could get my hands on. You name it: Sigs, HK's, glocks, 1911's, XD's, etc. But here's the kicker. Living here behind Maryland's Iron Curtain, you can only purchase a newly manufactured handgun that has an internal lock installed at the factory unless it was manufactured before 01/01/02. It may be 01/01/01??). So for a new gun, I can only buy the following: glock, taurus, HK, Springfield 1911, S&W. Talk about limitations. I need to move to Virginia. There are some Sigs (mostly refurbished) and a few CZ's, but most everything else is sparse.
So based on my range time and message board lurking/research, I have decided on the following as options:
1. Glock 17 or 19. It shot well for me and handled the recoil nicely. I think the low bore axis really helped. It was as accurate as I could shoot it, and the controversial grip angle didn't bother me at all. Didn't fail at all w/ all types of ammo that I tried. My only concern is that it lacks a "true" safety. This may be a training issue, but it seems like if I was to keep one on my nightstand and went to pick the gun up after being woken up abruptly by an intruder and accidentally grabbed the gun and squeezed the trigger, there would be no real resistance from causing an AD. I know you're supposed to keep your finger off of the trigger until ready to shoot, but people do strange things when woken abruptly. A gun w/ a safety or a DA pull may offer more "preventives" against this kind of accident from happening.
2. HK USP .45 - This gun was awesome. I think the buffer system really made it comfortable to shoot. The muzzle flip was a little more than the Glock 21 (again I think a bore axis issue), But it was more accurate that the Glock 21 that I tried (for me at least). I also like the fact that it holds 10 rounds in the magazine. I like the safety decock feature also. The only con is the High price. It costs 825 here. The glocks are 550. And money is tight right now.
3. Sig 220, 226, 229 - Hands down the sigs fit my hand better than anything else. They shot well for me and were very accurate. They seemed to have more recoil than all of the other guns (bore axis? aluminum frame?). The decoker seemed to be well placed for my hands. I also like the fact that Sig claims this gun has a 2nd strike capability (the striker fired weapons do not). I don't know if this really makes a difference, but I'll mention it nonetheless. Here again, cost is the issue. Refurbished guns start at 800 dollars. YUP, 800 dollars. Maryland gun laws drive the prices wayyyyyy up.
4. Springfield 1911 - It was fun to shoot this piece of history. I can see why people like them. The one I shot had one FTE. I cleared it, and it kept on going. My only concern about the 1911 is all the debate about the MIM stuff and the need to possibly have to get the gun worked on to be a reliable defense gun (hollow point feeding). I'd really like the gun ready to go out of the box. Again this is a cost issue for a gunsmith to have to look at and tune the gun.
5. CZ-75bd - I shot a friend's. It felt really, really nice. Probably second to the Sigs. It was reliable w/ FMJ ammo. The problem is that his has been really finicky about hollow point ammo. Also, the recent stories of CZ's customer service kinda turn me off.
6. Springfield XD - Very cool gun (I'd love to have one of all the above - who wouldn't?). The problem is, I can't find one anywhere because of the gun laws.
What I'm asking for is some helpful advice to help me narrow down my choices. I'm really kinda' leaning towards one of the Sigs, HK's, or glocks since they seem to have less out of the box issues. If the XD was available, it'd be on the list too :( . I'll probably wait to purchase a 1911 in a FREE state (I really like the STI from what I have read). But for now I have to do what common sense and finances dictate and pick the one semi auto that will be great for personal/home defense.