Older and more experienced: How have your handgun preferrences changes?

Dogsoldier0513-You posted- you get the story. 1965-into USAF SP(M15 38), but I cheated, got into guns and reloading, my M15 carried 125JHPs,, CCW was BHP 9MM w/hand loads in US, In SEA a M36 S&W carried 158LHPs, until I co-oped a 1911! 230Ball. Saved my ass in an armed robbery attempt in Thailand!, BAck in CONUS, M15/CCW was Nickle Colt 1911/A1 series70(with an outstanding Commander who knew if you didn't like the answer don't ask the question- we had the highest obscene phone caller arrest in the USAF(world) and solved a USAF LEO Murder from our unit). Then the dawn rised! I was out of military LEO into civilian LEO-went from issued M66 357 to PW M66 357 6" both with Full power 125 JHPs. After 6 mo. went to State LEO- issue was M66 2.5" POS full of lint and trash w/ 6!-6! bullets! Got a Taurus PT92AF 9MM and promptly pissed off the Firearms Staff by shooting 6X 100 scores with it! Agency got thw "wonder 9"bug,went to G17s. First shootout, Bad Guy carried 19 147gr Fed JHPs away from a car chase untila deputy put 1 45ACP in him to stop the fight! Hail Sig P220s!, the next week!, went 7 yrs w/o any Ads, FTFs, FTEs, great qual scores even with small female shooters( I am a seasoned Firearms Instructor by now, and my carry weapon is a SA 1991A1 Loaded). Got our carry policy opened up to 1911s + approved what you can qualify with, on good guns. New election, New Administrator-former cop-groupy mayor, we got Glock 22s( Sig P22os w/ 6 mags didn't have enough bullets1) Scores dropped, ADs returned but no one cared, the "Chosen Ones" all former local Mayor "body guards" like a local city mayor rated that" prevaled and as we stand a at one time the "without exception the most pro-activive, take drug dealers off the street-lock-ass-up agency is now chasing federal grants to sustain their infated pay to buy cigarettes and beer. They pissed away a million dollars moonshine investigation over agents who couldn't prduce on the range or in the field. Sorry I got long on you Dogsoldier0513. See me today, G21, SA 1911, maybe BHP/w 127+P+/ or G22 w/ Fed HST. God Bless you, GHI

I carried a 4" Colt Python or Combat Commander both on and off-duty with a M60 as a BUG.

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....For about a full 5 minutes there I was thinking of the wrong M60.

When I first started shooting firearms, almost 40 years now, my motto was, "the bigger the better" I only carried 45's and exclusively used 12ga and 30-06's for hunting. Now I only carry 380's and love to use my 410's and 28ga's as much as possible along with 223 and 22-250's for most big game. I guess I have learned that you don't really need that much firepower to get the job done right if you do it correctly.

...as a Back Up Gun?

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Yup. My brain was forcibly forming the mental image of a guy with an M60 machine gun in an ankle holster.

When I was young and foolish, I thought that ONE good handgun would be all any one man would want or need. That belief went away years ago...........

My first handgun was a S&W 39-2, followed by a Colt Series 70 and a Browning Hi Power. Now I have three Glocks - G19, G30 and G36. I was happy with my older .45s and 9 mms and am happy with the ones I have now.

Over the years, my eyesight has gotten worse. Other than self defense, ccw pieces, all my target or hunting handguns have to be scoped or have red dot sights. It's just easier.

When I was in my early 20's I was all about 1911's and the 45. Now that I am much older I use Glocks in either 9mm or 10MM.

I've gone the full circle like many I guess. I started CCW with a S&W M49 bodyguard. I carried a snubnose 44 spl Taurus for awhile. I wasn't carrying often enough and found the Seecamp .32...never left home without it for many years. Then came the Keltec P32, P11; the awesome tiny/light guns. These days it is mostly a Kahr PM40 or Keltec P3AT depending on my dress and the weather.

no change for me...............then or now, i like S&W stainless steel revolvers

My preferences have changed amazingly little since 1985. I started handgunning with a 1911 in 1982 or 1983, and thought the 1911 was IT, and saw revolvers as obsolete. When I started wearing a police badge in 1984, however, I had to carry a DA revolver for the rookie year, period, so I did my best to really learn the system, both by avid reading and by buying the the four S&W frame sizes and practicing extensively. (Actually, this revolver research and practice started in mid-1983, when I knew I was likely to be hired.)

Gradually, I learned to really, truly appreciate revolvers. I was the fastest at speedloading in my academy class, even though my classmates including some former LE and competition shooters. My DA sixgunning skills soon surpassed my 1911 skills, and the 1911 has been unable to catch up.

When my year was up, I started carrying a pair of HK P7 pistols for duty and most concealed carry; in a custom-made flap holster when on the clock, in uniform. Yep, flap holster, by regulation. When my PD progressed to open retention holsters for duty sixguns, I reverted to sixguns when in uniform, with the more accessible holster being the deciding factor. My PD allowed quite a bit of flexibility in duty weapons, and I liked the .41 Magnum. Sometime around this time, in 1985, I developed a slight preference for DA revolvers.

I went through a financial hard time in which all my handguns had to go, except for one Model 58 for duty, and one Model 60 for back-up, but for most of the last 27 years, I have had at least one 1911 around, and at least one good DA fighting-sized revolver. I settled on the GP100 as a permanent part of my accumulation in 1990 or 1991. I settled on the SP101 as a permanent addition in 1997 or 1998. After learning how much I missed my S&W Models 19 and 66, which went away in the late 1990's to finance 1911s, I just recently bought a minty 19-5. It won't stay minty; I am already carrying it some of the time. I am still on the lookout for a minty S&W Model 581, to replace the one that had to go in the financial bind of the late 1980's.

When I had to stop carrying a 1911 at work in 2002, I sold several, but kept one, a Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special, as I had settled upon it as a truly great 1911. (Baer frames, with the high-cut frontstrap, fit my hands MUCH better than a standard 1911 frame.)

I really do like the SIG P229 I carry at work now, and much of the time off the clock as a concealment piece. I own my duty firearms, and will almost certainly not part with this one, ever, after I retire. But, it is a tool, kind of like a Dewalt drill. I prefer revolvers and 1911s.

DA revolvers and 1911s, since 1985, for me. I see the revolvers as ideal defensive weapons, both "primary" and back-up. I see the 1911 as an ideal offensive pistol. Let's keep in mind it was designed for cavalry soldiers, as a very much offensive weapon. Not that a .357 service-sized revolver is any slouch in the offensive category, of course, and a 1911 could certainly serve as a purely close-range defensive weapon.

FWIW, I have used other handguns. Other than the present P229, and prior P7 pistols, I have used, for duty and serious concealed carry, a P220, 3rd-Generation S&W pistols, and Glocks. For various reasons, they did not stay around longer than a couple of years, each.

Not a whole lot of change but quite a bit of refinement. Been shooting since early childhood. Bought my first single action revolver at age 12 and never looked back.

Started with a plain vanilla Mil. Spec Springfield 1911 in .45 about 17 years ago. It's the old style without a high cut front strap. Tried S&W revolvers and autos, Glocks, Sigs and several others. All the others are gone but I still have that old 1911. It was redone by a very good local 'smith a few years ago with a beavertail and night sights.

RX-178 said:

Yup. My brain was forcibly forming the mental image of a guy with an M60 machine gun in an ankle holster.

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I was having the same brain fart, only I was picturing it slung across his back like a Scotsman's claymore.

"What's the big one for?"
"In case my main gun-" *brandishes pistol* "-fails!"

You know, I agree with the base premise of the post, which is asking for how other people's likes and dislikes have crystallized with experience and their own exposure.

What I don't like here is the phrasing, which implies that the "true goodness" of gun selection is in the hands of a generation that hasn't experienced the same well .. social, socioeconomic, political and other realities the current one has experienced.

Just because someone is older and (in the classical conservative sense) "more experienced" doesn't mean much when it comes to the situation of a newer generation set, which spans up to two! biological generations in this particular audience.

TLDR:
What previous generations used has little to no real meaning on the realities of the current generation in terms of gun selection.
Hence, while I personally appreciate the stereotypical old guy sitting there using one round per hour homing in on one perfect shot from his revolver or bolt action, this means squat to what I actually want in a gun. Let's not over-glorify age, by adding knowledge as a byproduct, because that's simply not the case.

When I was a youngun' I made fun of my father, Chief in a small city, because he carried a 38 as his primary side arm. A 4 inch Colt Diamondback.

I was a dedicated 1911 guy and did not like wheel guns. Looked down on 38s. Sure, I had a couple, because they were cheap. But I ALWAYS carried my Commander.

Well as I write this I do not own a 1911 and I have a Diamondback on my hip (a 2.5 inch).

What is really funny is that I gave my daughter a Smith model 19 for her 15th birthday. While she loves the 4 inch wheelie she REALLY wants a 1911.

I am willing to bet that if father is in a position to look down on us he is laughing his ass off.

Hell...I am giggling too.

Less "cool" and more useful. Grew up and realized that it did not matter how many rounds that a gun puts down range or how cool the huge gun looks, it matters if you can hit your target.

The pray and spray AK became an AR-15 and the .45 became a .40. I waste very little amo and hit the target the first time.

Let's not over-glorify age, by adding knowledge as a byproduct, because that's simply not the case.

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You youngsters really should hurry up and solve all the worlds problems while you still know everything.

You youngsters really should hurry up and solve all the worlds problems while you still know everything.

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Alternatively, you non-youngsters should make sure to leave us this place in a better condition.

The logic goes both ways.

As for practicality ... I always liked the saying that "The only place the .38 Special doesn't kill someone is on the internet." But that doesn't mean I'm sold in rifles that are accurate for miles longer than I am and have a rate of fire with said accuracy of oh .... 3 per hour?

There's extremes on both ends, and while sure, us youngn's tend to gravitate to the more "fun" endeavors, it's not like the old guard is flexible in its tactical expertise.

Guillermo said:

When I was a youngun' I made fun of my father, Chief in a small city, because he carried a 38 as his primary side arm. A 4 inch Colt Diamondback.

I was a dedicated 1911 guy and did not like wheel guns. Looked down on 38s. Sure, I had a couple, because they were cheap. But I ALWAYS carried my Commander.

Well as I write this I do not own a 1911 and I have a Diamondback on my hip (a 2.5 inch).

What is really funny is that I gave my daughter a Smith model 19 for her 15th birthday. While she loves the 4 inch wheelie she REALLY wants a 1911.

I am willing to bet that if father is in a position to look down on us he is laughing his ass off.

Hell...I am giggling too.

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funny how we end up back at where we were trying so had to leave.

The pray and spray AK became an AR-15 and the .45 became a .40. I waste very little amo and hit the target the first time.

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You could hit the target the first time with an AK or .45, just saying.

funny how we end up back at where we were trying so had to leave

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Back then I only looked at knock down power and father preached shot placement.

I never thought that father was stupid...he just didn't understand.

Of course I now tell people that they should carry the most gun that they can shoot well. Sounds like I am preaching shot placement.

LOL

I started with a G23. Reliable, reasonably powerful catridge, and I shot it more than well enough to qualify. But I never could get comfortable with it's fat arse...through a number of holsters.

My first CHL instructor had the opinion that a 2" .38 Spl was the ultimate CCW weapon. I tried his vision for a while, and expanded it to include snubby .357s. Went through a bunch of S&W j-frames in all frame materials. When I got to the S&W 360/340, I thought I was onto something. They are definitely the ultimate carry revolvers...as long as you never practice with them. Of course, a pistol you never practice with is counter productive in the extreme...

Somewhere along the way I found a used Kahr PM9. It experienced the barrel peening issue that afflicted a number of early PM9s. Fortunately, Kahr fixed it quickly and correctly the first time. I carried it for the next 3 1/2 years, although I experimented with others in the mean time...

Four Kel-Tecs, the first of which was a Gen 1 P3AT. Second was a P32, price was right. Third was a P-11, kind of like the Kahr PM9 but with 11 rounds capacity. I bought in to the "you can get something for nothing" concept. Unfortunately, I never owned a Kel-Tec that worked correctly...and that includes numerous calls to Cocoa Beach, numerous care packages of free parts, numerous visits to KT Range, "Fluffs and Buffs" galore, new mags, changes of ammo, so on and so forth. Great in concept...incredibly poor in execution. Let's wrap it up by saying that K-T will never see another dime of my money.

I have experimented with others since. I really like 1911s of any size and frame material. Alloy 3" or 4" are my favorites, steel 4"ers are what I shoot best, although they are a bit less in the comfort department...from November to March (when a cover garment is viable) or so they are very do--able.

I love N-frame S&Ws in a caliber that begins with a .4...but realistically, I only carry them 30 days a year or so, during what passes for winter down this-a-ways (Texas) see 1911s above.

The rest of the year, I have yet to find anything to replace my Kahr P45. The PM9 is a true pocket carry gun, but the P45 is an outstanding compromise...18.5 oz, 6+1 of .45 acp in an only slightly larger package.
The P45 is a small IWB .45. If I need to go smaller, the PM9 is a great alternative. If I need to go smaller, I have an LCP...but to be honest, I have only carried it once or twice in the two years I've owned it.

Enjoy your Search For The Ultimate CCW. It will be an interesting (and probably expensive) journey.