Disaster pack semi-auto handgun recommendations

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B!ngo

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So, I don't consider my wife and I to be 'preppers'. At least not the National Geographic thousand square foot underground bunker world-destroying solar flare kind of prepper.
On the other hand, we live here in the CA Bay Area where the earthquake clock keeps ticking and it truly is a matter of 'when' rather than 'if'.
So over the past year or two, we've equipped our cars with 'get home kits'. These are not 'bug-out-bags' as I've heard, but backpacks that are stocked with food, water, first-aid, and other odds and ends that can be used to hike it back home from 10, 20, or 30 miles away if the roads are deadlocked, damaged or shut down. We're fortunate enough that we have four cars between the two of us, which means four separate kits.
One of the items that I'm considering adding is a locked box hidden in the trunk with a firearm, and a separate locked box for magazines/ammo. All configured that way to comply with CA law.
So that would be four semi-autos and I'm looking for a recommendation. The constraints are that I'd want them all to be the same, all 9mm (the only handgun round we use), reasonably priced (we need four of them), preferably ambi (I am left-handed), mid-sized in that it is preferable for them to be reasonably light, but we could keep them in backbacks so CC per se is not required.
We own a number of nice H&K USP's and P7's but there's no way I'd keep those valuables in our cars with hot weather and the risk of theft. But the closer the MOAs is between the car guns and either the USP's or the P7's, the better.
So has anyone here done such a thing? The ideal (to me at least) would be four G19's. I was just wondering if there's a lower priced alternative. And any other thoughts on the issue would be appreciated.
Thanks,
B
 
The G19 would be a great way to go, the cheaper route would be 4 LEO trade-ins. You could also look at the Ruger SR series as a less expensive alternative. The tough part is finding 4 of anything in stock right now.
 
I would go with the SR9c sugestion as well. Great gun, very reliable, and for me at least, very user friendly in terms of its design and ergonomics. Maybe get the stainless model if there's a concern about rust due to long term storage in the trunks of your cars.
 
Go with your gut

The G-19 is the right way to go if you must have a 9mm. I much prefer the G23 in 40 S&W, especially since they are much more available and reasonably priced right now.
 
for cost, used glocks would probably be your winner.

cons:
being a lefty myself I turned them down because if the mag release digging into my hand all the time. I hated the ergos as well, so that would be a detriment to training with it.

neutrals:
given that they'd be Bug-In guns only, if you're comfortable with the way they work enough and don't require extensive practice with them they might be ok.

pros:
once the shenanigans are over, they should be the cheapest price/best value.


have you considered Caracal F and/or C as choices? 18rnd mags in the F, 15rnd mags in the C, and you can use the bigger mags in the C as well if needed, and they have an ambi mag release. my understanding is they're also not that expensive... $500 new IIRC.

(edit: wait. It just caught up with me, you're in Cali. can you have 18/15 rnd mags? they also sell 10rnd mags for CA according to the web site.)

finally have you considered removable lock boxes with common mounting plates? that way you could cut down to 2+2 (2 ammo boxes, 2 gun boxes) that you put in the vehicles when you leave and take out when you come home.
 
In addition to the aforementioned police trade-in Glocks, you might also consider new or used Ruger P95s or one of the various 3 or 4 digit S&Ws. Perhaps a S&W Sigma as well. I've seen them NIB in my area for low $300s, and under $300 used from time-to-time. Nothing fancy, but they are usually dependable and are backed up by two companies with good CS reputations.
 
As far as rust/storage issues go, you are packing for disaster not for CCW. Vacuum pack them with a desiccant pack in each bag. Plus it strengthens your legal transport case/claim. (Not readily accessible.)

With 4 guns you can take one out, shoot it, clean it, and repack it every three months. That way they all come out at least once a year.

Home vacuum sealers for the kitchen are not terribly expensive.

Jim
 
You're severely limiting yourself by specifying 9mm Luger. Everybody has bought up all the good deals on used 9mm Luger pistols; there are just about none to be had.

If you were to open the window to other, less popular but still very effective 9mm rounds, say, the 9x18 Makarov, then your options would be far greater. A set of police trade-in CZ-82s can be had for $240-270 each. If you open your cartridge window a little further, you could purchase CZ-70s, chambered in .32Auto, a round that gets a lot of criticism but will still get you home, for $100 less apiece.

The MOA for these CZs is not identical to the HKs, but is easy to learn. They're not exactly lightweight guns, as they are all metal, but they're compact. They're said to be rugged, dependable, and silly accurate. And at those prices, you could equip all four packs and have a couple of spares to practice with (master their MOA) and scads of ammo for the price of two new G19s, assuming you could even find the Glocks.
 
Heck, get your C&R FFL03 and you might (California?) be able to get the delivered to your door. Too bad you can't get mail order ammo out there. You could get everything you need shipped to your door in one box!

Jim
 
The Beretta 92 FS is a little on the larger side but fits all the other criteria. Having an alloy frame, the weight for size is reasonable. It has ambi controls as well. I mention the 92 FS because used ones can be found for a good price.

My first choice is the Glock 19. The Generation 4 models offer more flexibility in ergonomics and reversible features. The previous Generation guns can be found used in larger abundance.
 
FN Five-seveN is what I have in mine, along with some extra ammunition.

- 20 Rounds of lead filled love in each of the three magazines
- Far longer range than nearly any other pistol
- The cleanest shooting pistol I own requiring little to no maintenance
- Would be very good at producing a wide variety of meat-cycles
 
Keep in mind that he is in California. He is probably limited to 10 round magazines.

If you wanted to go smallish, get 4 P64s. 6 + 1, barely pocketable, inexpensive, and built like a tank.

$229 each, 5 or more spare mags at $15 each gives you $995 plus tax and shipping for four pistols and 9 magazines.

That is a modest investment for a dependable (and expendable) car gun, plus if you run out of ammo you can use it for a club!

Jim
 
Beretta 92FS. Good value, extremely reliable, hicap, durable, accurate, and they are all over the place, so parts are available. They are also extemely easy to work on yourself if you need to. Even with the current unavailibitly of 9MM Luger, I'd stick with that as it will be available again and is our standard mil/NATO round.

All that being said I keep a Bulgarian Makarov with a couple boxes of 9x18 in my BOB. :)
 
Keep in mind that he is in California. He is probably limited to 10 round magazines.
Click to expand...
^^Great point. I didn't see that......^^ But I wouldn't live there so I don't think about that stuff often! Regardless, it is a valid options for others who may be reading this thread with interest so I won't edit the post.
 
Whatever you get besure that the smallest handed person to use them can do so well. When I vouluteered on our club range as a range officer and while teaching the old NRA Personal Protection class I had husband wife teams show up on occassion.

Usually "he" picked the guns based on what he liked and what hee heard the other guys recommend. More than once a couple had GLocks and she could not shoot that well with it because of its girth and angles.

Take everyone that will be depending on these guns to a rental range and let them shoot a Glock 9silly meter of the type you want and see how it goes.

If it turns out that the GLock works, fine. if not, You might consider looking for trade ins on S&W single stacks based on the old 39 design.

I know you said left hand friendly, but one of my backwards built buddies likes his 1911s just fine. You might look into a Star B model of some sort. Single stack 1911-ish but small of grip.

My all time favorite ( and wife's) single stack 9 is the HK P7 PSP so I hear ya, brudder. Don't want to leave that in the car if you got it or one of its decendants. Wish HK would liscence some US out fit to make them at a reasonable price without the import duty. A Ruger made stainless P7 single stack even with a Euro mag release would be so nice for CCW........

Hey they ripped of KelTec......

Say for cheap and leave it in the car you might want to look at the KelTec guns in 9.

-kBob
 
"Cheap" ?.

I see that most do not go cheap when it comes to their "personal" weapon,so why take a chance that your 'car gun' may become your INCH gun [ Im not coming home = INCH ].

If that could possibly happen,would you be a bit put off by the choice of the "cheap" gun you chose .

I think that a Glock 19 [ police trade in might be the 17 ] would be the least I would go with.

But having a quality .22 with a brick of ammo would be a pistol that would be included in the set,somewhere and yes that might be the 3 rd gun.
 
I bought a used glock 22 in 40 s&w. with a 9mm conversion barrel and a 357 sig on the way. One gun and 3 calibers. Incase I had to scavange for ammo. I got 3 options. It's all in a Mtm surviver box with 200 rounds of 40. It has been 100% with the 9mm barrel and g17 mags
 
For rough service, which I would qualify this as, Glock will always be my choice in a semi-auto. Given that you're limited to 10 rounds in **** a Glock G26 would be my first choice. Discrete to carry if needed, virtually rust proof to prevent deteriorating in less than optimal storage, famously reliable, able to digest virtually any 9mm ammo up to +p+ rounds and no bigger than it has to be for a 10 round capacity. Get the factory nite sights or add the sights of you choice and install Pearce mag extensions to make it more comfotable to shoot & call it good. Not the cheapest option, but the optimal one IMHO.

The other plastic 9's would all likely do equally well if you have a strong preference for something else or a dislike for Glock.
 
Four cheap nines? Kel-Tec P11. About $1000 for all of them. Personally, I would pick .22 revolvers.
 
Keltec 9's or ruger sr9c. Both would suit you well. Nothing wrong with the 9 with today's loads regardless of what some people say.
 
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