Why do you choose the gun and caliber you use for defense?

[The-Fly]

my carry gun is a G26. Why?

Good capacity (12 rounds total including the +1 extension), I have faith that 9mm (in the form of Hst 147gr) JHP's will do the job, it shoots very similar to my G17, fairly low recoil, compact enough that i can carry it in a variety of ways depending on how i am dressed.

 

[makarovnik]

Russian makarov 9x18 FMJ

I carry a russian makarov in 9x18. It's easier to carry than a S&W J frame, it is very accurate and it's safe to carry with a round in the chamber. It has a rebounding hammer so it can not strike the firing pin unless the trigger is pulled all the way back. This means you can drop it on the hammer and it just can't hit the firing pin. I also like the convenience and safety of a good double action. I wish it came in 9mm parabellum but it doesn't so I will settle for the moderate 9x18. Why FMJ? I know they will feed properly and penetrate. This caliber is actually closer to a 9.25mmx18mm if you caliper it and it tends to tumble when it hits (that was by design).

 

[Dr.Rob]

I shoot 9mm more accurately than .45 or .357 but 'indoors' any of them will do.

I practice with the 9mm more. That's why it's the most likely go-to gun.

 

[azredhawk44]

I have 3 carry guns and 4 toys that could be pressed into carry mode if needed.

The 3 that are for carry are:
Ruger sp101 3" .357. Loaded with low-to-mid 158gr LSWC handloads, this gun gets on target and fires very quickly and is small enough to carry most of the time. After seeing bunnies and coyotes hit by this load, I don't doubt its efficacy. More powder or power would be wasted, as this is only a 3" barrel anyways. Rides well IWB or OWB, has true manstopper power.
Springfield XD9 4" Bitone 9mm. 16+1 rounds, 2 extra mags. Very accurate, concealable OWB with a jacket, rides comfortably there. Exact same results on bunnies and coyotes. 115gr Remington Golden Saber +P hollowpoints. Usually only carried if doing something deliberately higher risk. It gets carried on Minutemen patrols, long road trips, things like that.
Ruger Redhawk 5.5" .44Magnum. Backwoods rambling gun. Will occasionally do nightstand duty with 44specials, 180gr JHP handloads in the specials. Most arizona hiking, it gets 240gr LSWC magnum lite loads around 1200fps. If black bear might be around or if hunting for elk, it gets either heavy-fast 240gr LSWC at 1600fps or heavy-fast 300gr JSP at 1200fps. I'm looking to find a good, inexpensive 260-ish grain bullet for this purpose so my POI and felt recoil isn't so different between these loads.

The toys are a Charles Daly 1911, a Glock 21, a Taurus 94 and an Uberti Colt Navy 1851 replica. The glock is the best of the four, IMO, but needs better sights and a grip angle reduction to match the XD. Even then, it's too big to carry anything other than OWB for me. I only have a cheapo nylon holster for it with the attached mag holster... I hate that holster. Need to get a good BladeTech like I have for the XD9. The G21 used to be the hiking gun until I got the redhawk, then it got shelved. The CD1911 is okay, but just doesn't feel totally reliable. Feeds perfectly with ball ammo, and 98% with JHP. Probably 2 stovepipes per 100. I would only ever carry ball in it. Also only have a cheapo nylon holster for it, need a good one for it.

 

[Devonai]

I keep a 9mm Beretta 92 as my 'ready' gun, should i suddenly have to confront a BG with it @ 0300-ish.

I agree. I like 18 rounds available instantly in a package I can shoot well.

For carry, I keep going back to the Glock 22. This is actually my third G22, but a few years ago I decided to quit waffling and make one part of my permanent collection. While I've only fired about 3,000 rounds through this model (compared to 9k or so through my 92FS), it still comes in second by a longshot.

I believe that the .40 S&W does have a marginal advantage over the 9x19mm as long as I do my part. I find the size of the G22 to be perfect for concealment in all but the hottest weather. I like the NY1 trigger spring device (brings the pull up to about 8 lbs) and I can install or remove it myself. I also have a tendency to "baby" my firearms, so this time around I intentionally bought a slightly fugly Glock so I'll be less likely to obsess over a nick or scratch.

 

[bpisler]

I grew up shooting revolvers and i'am comfy
carrying them.I carry a 3" 65-3 loaded with
145gr silvertips and my BUG is a 642-2.My
apt gun is a 3" 10-7 load with Federal 158gr
+P lead hollowpoints.My back up to all 3
is a 640-1 357mag loaded with 125gr HP's.

I prefer stainless steel for carrying in the AZ
heat and it seems most easy to carry revolvers
are 38spl or 357mag so that's what i use.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Way back when, everyone knew the M1911A1 was antiquated and no one could hit anything with it. But that's what we were issued. I checked mine out of the arms room, drew the 50 rounds from the practice range each Saturday, and was amazed to discover it wasn't nearly as bad as people said. Of course the issue guns were about 15 to 20 years old at that time, so naturally, they were prettuy worn from the Army's vigorous cleaning.

I wound up acquiring my own, tightened it up, and put new sights on it. I began to find out things about it -- it could shoot as well as I could. It was flat and easy to carry concealed. And it was reliable.

I've carried one for the last forty years or so.

 

[tombo]

What I carry and why

I carry a CZ 75D or a P-01 in 9mm. They are small enough to conceal and are lightweight and they feel good in my hand. I shoot in an IDPA like competition monthly and practice in the off-times. I don't do that well in the competitions but it is good practice.

I don't really "like" the 1st double action trigger pull of the 75D and the P-01 but I figure that if I am in a situation that I have to use a firearm it is going to be highly stressful and I want to keep things as simple as I can. I also like to be able to decock the pistol and put it into a relatively safe mode. Again, if I have to use a firearm it's going to be pretty stressful and I like things simple. I do have a SA CZ so I know how cocked and locked works and am okay with it.

As far as the 9mm round: I feel comfortable with it. I have a lot of faith that when I pull the trigger in either one of those pistols that the round while fire and cycle and go where I want it. That's important.

 

[Clipper]

...I carry a Kel-Tec .380 everywhere I go. My wife also has one. In winter, or when I can otherwise cover it well, I also carry a Taurus PT-145. Every handgun I own remains loaded at all times, so in my house I have the choice of a couple of .22RFs, 2 .380s, a .44 mag and the .45...I also plan to keep the Hi-Point 9mm carbine loaded up somewhere in the house when it comes home...

 

[Hypnogator]

Kel-Tec P-32 ALWAYS. It just disappears in my rear pants pocket with a Pocket-Slipper laser attached.

Taurus PT-145 Millennium Pro stainless for "serious social occasions." You can't beat 11 rds of 230-gr Hydra-Shoks, DAO trigger that is long but smooth, absolutely reliable, compact, and amazingly accurate. Ten or twenty extra rounds with one or two spare mags if in a "two-magazine area." (Oh, plus eight rounds of .32 ACP as a New-York reload. Remember, I said ALWAYS.)

 

[MachIVshooter]

I carry a Witness Compact 10mm most of the time (clothing permitting). Why? I like the ergonomics of these pistols, they shoot nice and are plenty accurate. I prefer TDA carried hammer down on a loaded chamber, though the witness is C&L capable. It is small enough to be convenient but large enough that it really doesn't handicap my abilities, as most sub-compacts do. The reason for the chambering is pretty clear, but for those who don't know my 180 gr. Gold Sabre handloads offer 742 ft/lbs from the 3.5" tube, times 11 rounds. If that don't take care of the problem, I should've had a rifle.

 

[evan price]

My normal carry weapon is a Sig P239 in 9mm with the single/double action and decocker; I like the fact that I can have 9 rounds of Golden Sabre with one in the chamber & decocked, the hammer is safely down and it takes a strong double-action trigger to make it fire. Somehow, even though I carried a Glock 19 for years, and own Glocks and an XD now, I still do not feel comfortable carrying a striker-fired polymer pistol with one in the chamber. However I do not feel comfortable carrying with an EMPTY chamber either; The Sig is small enough that it is almost invisible in the right cover garment, all metal, and the safeties mean it won't fire unless I tell it to. It fits my hand like a glove and it puts bullets exactly where I tell it to. The whole .40 vs 10mm vs 9mm vs .45acp vs .357sig et al debate really boils down to one thing: Can you hit what you aim at every time with what you carry- and with 9mm practice ammo $12/100 I can easily burn off 500 rounds a month every month in practice to make sure I can hit what I aim at.
For a household gun I keep a Gen I Glock 21 with +2 mag floorplates loaded with .45acp Black Talons handy. Or an XD9 with SureFire and Golden Sabres.

 

[David N]

BANG FOR THE BUCK

I regret price is a major consideration for me. My Kel-Tec P11 has a reputation for reliability and only cost $195 at my local dealer's, "used" but mint, I don't think it had been fired when I got it.

I not educated enough to argue 9mm vs. .45. I know the 9mm L is four times the mass of the .22's I used to carry. Right now it's loaded with LVE "Brown Bear" ammo becuause it's cheap and has been utterly reliable in both my 9mm Mak and my P11 in 9 L.

 

[Bobo]

Situation:
Retired and at home most of the time.
The only other person at home is my wife who feels uncomfortable around guns.
Want a gun for our protection that I can have within arm's reach 24/7, but will be out of sight so my wife won't have to feel uncomfortable in her own home or when we are out.
I want as few guns as possible because I don't want to spend any more time and money on equipment and training than is needed to get the job done efficiently and effectively.
This is not to say to I don't train and practice. I shoot 50 to 100 rounds twice a month at the range, run dry-fire drills at home daily, I'm constantly running scenarios through my head, and I visit these forums daily to get information that will help me to be as proficient as possible.

Me and my condition:
68 year old male in better than average physical and mental condition.
Have astigmatism.
Wear trifocal eyeglasses except when sleeping.
When not wearing glasses all objects at all distances are recognizable but a bit blurry.

The trifocals make it very difficult to sight a gun using the "iron" sights. If I line up the part the glasses that allow focus on the sights, the target is very blurry - if I use the part of the lenses that allow the target to be sharp, the sights become extremely blurry. I have learned to shoot quite accurately by tilting my head up and using the portion of the glasses that focus well on the sights so I get good sight alignment and an iffy sight picture. This is OK at the range, but in a real situation it would most likely not be practical.
If I were awakened at night and had to react quickly I would not have my glasses on and everything would be blurry. Even if I did have time to put them on, it would be very difficult if not impossible to sight the gun even with night sights.

My solution:
A Kel-Tec P-3AT with ArmaLaser and two spare magazines loaded with a mixture of Santa Barbara TCMJ and Speer Gold Dot JHP in a SmartCarry holster.

 

[GeorgiaGlocker]

I alternate between my Glock 19 and my Glock 26. Why Glock? Because it goes bang eveytime I pull the trigger!

 

[mpmarty]

What gun, what caliber?

In the summer I carry a Taurus PT145 Millenium Pro w/185gr solid copper Barnes bullets. It weighs less than a pound and a half with eleven rounds in it and fits iwb with a shirt tucked over it. In the winter I carry my full size Witness 10MM with 180gr. DTs My house gun is the same 10mm in the bedside table top drawer next to my 12ga pistol grip Mossberg 500 with #4 buck. If my doberman is on the ball I have plenty of time to pass the 10mm to the wife (95lbs and handles the 10mm like it is a 22 rimfire) as I grab the 12ga and shuck a round up the pipe. Now as to why I choose this particular firearm? The Taurus is smaller than the compact Glock 30 and fully supports the chamber, is full true double action with the capacity to restrike a primer with just a pull of the trigger and has a 1911 type safety to boot making my iwb appendix carry one thing less to worry about. The 10mm full size all steel Witness for winter because it hides under bulky coats and has the penetration necessary to do the job on BGs wearing heavy clothing, penetrates windshields better than the .45
Marty in Oregon.

 

[sm]

For a timeline - I am 51 years old.

I have stuck with the same basic Defensive Firearms Since I was a kid. The Guns fit me, MOAs I can reach and use strong or weak handed, I can get quick accurate hits with them, firearms are proven and reliable as are the ammunition they take.

A Revolver in .22 caliber was waiting for me to be born, I assisted maternal grandma in how to shoot it b/t age 3 and 4. I shot my first centerfire handgun, a bone stock Gov't Model of 1911,when I was six, seems a Gunny needed some lessons, then a K frame revolver, I had to assist an Uncle on how to shoot and would even let him shoot his own K frame - if he was really good- as I kept it at my place.



I later shot a BHP added that one. Then the J frame. All these years, even if added a NAA .22 mini revolver, Beretta Jetfire, or anything - my basic defensive guns are a Full size, bone stock Gov't 1911 and K frame, make mine a 3" Round Butt please.

Oh I have a niche gun or two I had added, "niche" being the key word. I use a Keltec P-11 often...just a plastic double action revolver that is butt fed is all it is. I have my reasons for this one...mine are proven, never malfunctioned and I get quick accurate hits with it.

I am most comfortable with the Gov't 1911 and 3" K frame RB.

Well there is that Model 29 in .44 as a car gun... Oh phooey - Just a K frame on steriods is all that is...works the same darn way...just barks a bit louder is all.

I am not sentimental and old fashioned - just consistent is all.

 

[748]

When I need some thing light and smaller then the 1911, I turn to the
FN 5.7x28 pistol loaded with 20 of my hand loads pushing 40gr winchester C/T ballistic silver tip bullets around 2000fps.
It is around 1.7lb loaded.
When bigger is hide able I have the 1911 with 8 or 10 round mags.
In maine I have my 7.5" ruger super red hawk 44mag.

 

[carry2011]

I have extremely short fingers, but a fairly wide hand. That precludes most pistols, actually. A full-size (though slim-line) 1911 frame, the Kahr K9 frame, the CZ 75 series, and one or two others are all that fit me well. I simply can't hold any SIG, HK, Beretta or similarly-sized pistols and have much control or confidence in my grip on the gun. :banghead:

Anyway, I have a CZ P01 9mm compact (28oz) that performs perform primary carry duty. 14+1 rds of 9mm +P JHP, 1300 fps, 450 ft-lbs.

Would love to carry a 1911, but the package of features simply doesn't work for me ... reliability, weight, ergonomics, concealability, availability of good ammo choices, proven 45ACP, "tuned" price. Love to shoot them, but for carry I feel there are better choices (for me).

 

[MikeJ]

My CCW is a S&W 442 loaded with Speer Gold Dot 135 grain .38+P. I chose the 442 for the following reasons:
1. Simplicity and reliability
2. I mostly pocket carry and the 442 fits this role better than anything else I found in a caliber I am comfortable with.

My home defense gun is a S&W 3" 65 with the same Speer load. My reasons for choosing this gun are:
1. Simplicity and reliability
2. I am able to shoot this gun extremely well in DA mode and since it is backed up with the 442 I feel relatively comfortable with 11 rounds at my disposal.

 

[Working Man]

My primary carry is a stainless H&K USPc in .40.

1)I carry IWB and it can get hot here so I prefer the stainless.
2)The size allows me to have no more than a T shirt with a few inches
of over hang to keep it concealed.
3)I am confident in its function as I have never had any form of malfunction.
4)It is rather accurate and since I am not using it to make world record
breaking shots, at that distance I have other options.
5)I am confident in the .40 Remington High Velocity's abilities to be an
effective stopping rnd and I have a total of 13 to rely on (12 in the mag
and 1 down the pipe)..... but I do carry an extra mag JIC.
6)I can carry it cocked and locked or ready to go with the hammer down.

 

[10-Ring]

I do have several to choose from, but I have gone with my USPs...either 45 or 9. I try to stick to the one just because I am very familiar w/ it, I shoot it well and I have total confidence that if called, it will respond.

 

[pharmer]

S&W 6906 9mm. Perfect compromise compact, lightweight, 11+1,rust resistant. IWB in cheap nylon holster (gotta take it on and off a couple times a day)that I toss in the laundry yearly to get out the sweat. Been working for me for a long time. Joe

 

[mattw]

.45 acp here. I use it because i don't have to worry about weight or size - i leave it in my truck because i don't have a ccw lisence, and i don't need a high capacity magazine to hit what i aim at (if i need more than 7 rounds i'm in more trouble than i can handle with a handgun) and my father shot alot of people with a 1911 in vietnam and says it does a pretty good job.

 

[Medusa]

Well, FiveseveN was my first, I bought it because it was cheap (surplus, less than 100 bucks, almost NIB original Tactical model) and has effective ammo, namely SS190 that I can get. Besides the "stopping power" it has good capacity, 20+1, and AP ability. It's good SD/HD handgun and has home-defence duty.

When I shopped for another gun, with what I could actually go to range with, my choices were limited to ammo availability. I did like Glock 20, cal 10 mm Auto (more power than .45ACP and good capacity), but ammo is rare, .45ACP ammo is also pretty scarce, only couple of place sell it, 2 rounds per buck, and FMJ only.

9x19 offered best capacity/availability/reliability option, plus Softpoint ammo. I got brainwashed in gunstore I work for a little (write them technical stuff, like manuals) - steel frame is the best, don't settle with plastic - so I got me a CZ 75B for 500 bucks. Indeed, it's a reliable piece of brick.