While we do choose a CCW gun based on some interesting personal choices, one thing does need to be sorted out first. I came to this thinking about what the definition of a "combat" handgun would be and it boiled down to if you're pressing the trigger - it's combat to you.
They are all combat handguns from that perspective. Type of action has little to do with it.
What can and does separate them is something else - do you go looking to engage in shooting with another human being, or is it carried to respond to someone who may have selected you to be a victim.
The first circumstances are all about hunting down and engaging another party. The second that you are responding to being hunted down. The first is combat, the second is self defense.
But in discussions about "Which gun should I carry?" we see models from both. There are a lot of CCW who carry combat oriented firearms. On the other hand, I don't see combat oriented organizations who issue self defense guns so much - how many .32 snubbies are still issue? I make that point because it's not as easy to see for some. Reversing the perspective might make it clearer.
So, if we aren't issuing Combat Master .32 Colts in coyote cerakote, why choose a double stack double action with barrel over 4"? I see it happening a lot - plenty of full sized 1911 fans carry. But are those really handguns for self defense against a predator?
Not arguing any gun is better than no gun. The point is that if you are hunting predators, you pick enough gun plus an ample amount extra because you don't accept the odds working against you on a two way range.
On the other side, do you need to lug around 19 rounds and attempt to conceal a Commander sized gun when most of the time we read it takes less than three shots - if any - to resolve a confrontation in self defense.
What I see is that the very conservative trend in self defense is to accept and use every little edge to increase the odds against an aggressor. OK - the accelerated trend will then take us to carrying an AR Pistol in .458 Socom with binary trigger. But somewhere along the line, common sense does intrude and we are far from doing that.
No, a self defense firearm can be much less and still considered sufficient.
Let's look at the contrasting conditions:
Being the hunter, you may encounter multiple targets and want to exploit the bounty of your fortune. Being hunted, you have one predator and flight may be your better response.
Hunter, you prefer to engage at longer distances. Hunted, you might find distance to be too close. Barrel lengths are involved here, as is concealability.
Hunter, you prefer accurate and precise sighting, hunted, up close and personal means almost point blank engagements at contact distances.
With those and other comparisons we could come up with, it should become clear, a duty gun is more oriented to combat, for a hunter, and a self defense gun is meant for the hunted, who is not running to the sound of gunfire, but maneuvering in a retrograde manner. Often with family in tow. Not many use their wife and kids as cover in a shootout.
The question "What guns should I carry for CCW?" should now be somewhat clearer for those who are considering it. At one extreme we have military and duty grade full sized double stack double action firearms suitable for a 20 year fleet service life, with annual qualifications, monthly practice, and daily carry exposed in holsters. On the other hand we have single stack guns, possible single action, which may be shot a few times a year for familiarization but not always as a primary range gun, which have less barrel length, are overall much smaller, might be carried deep concealed, and some which may never see sunlight for months at a time.
One type of firearm and it's use are not necessarily the best for the other job.
They are all combat handguns from that perspective. Type of action has little to do with it.
What can and does separate them is something else - do you go looking to engage in shooting with another human being, or is it carried to respond to someone who may have selected you to be a victim.
The first circumstances are all about hunting down and engaging another party. The second that you are responding to being hunted down. The first is combat, the second is self defense.
But in discussions about "Which gun should I carry?" we see models from both. There are a lot of CCW who carry combat oriented firearms. On the other hand, I don't see combat oriented organizations who issue self defense guns so much - how many .32 snubbies are still issue? I make that point because it's not as easy to see for some. Reversing the perspective might make it clearer.
So, if we aren't issuing Combat Master .32 Colts in coyote cerakote, why choose a double stack double action with barrel over 4"? I see it happening a lot - plenty of full sized 1911 fans carry. But are those really handguns for self defense against a predator?
Not arguing any gun is better than no gun. The point is that if you are hunting predators, you pick enough gun plus an ample amount extra because you don't accept the odds working against you on a two way range.
On the other side, do you need to lug around 19 rounds and attempt to conceal a Commander sized gun when most of the time we read it takes less than three shots - if any - to resolve a confrontation in self defense.
What I see is that the very conservative trend in self defense is to accept and use every little edge to increase the odds against an aggressor. OK - the accelerated trend will then take us to carrying an AR Pistol in .458 Socom with binary trigger. But somewhere along the line, common sense does intrude and we are far from doing that.
No, a self defense firearm can be much less and still considered sufficient.
Let's look at the contrasting conditions:
Being the hunter, you may encounter multiple targets and want to exploit the bounty of your fortune. Being hunted, you have one predator and flight may be your better response.
Hunter, you prefer to engage at longer distances. Hunted, you might find distance to be too close. Barrel lengths are involved here, as is concealability.
Hunter, you prefer accurate and precise sighting, hunted, up close and personal means almost point blank engagements at contact distances.
With those and other comparisons we could come up with, it should become clear, a duty gun is more oriented to combat, for a hunter, and a self defense gun is meant for the hunted, who is not running to the sound of gunfire, but maneuvering in a retrograde manner. Often with family in tow. Not many use their wife and kids as cover in a shootout.
The question "What guns should I carry for CCW?" should now be somewhat clearer for those who are considering it. At one extreme we have military and duty grade full sized double stack double action firearms suitable for a 20 year fleet service life, with annual qualifications, monthly practice, and daily carry exposed in holsters. On the other hand we have single stack guns, possible single action, which may be shot a few times a year for familiarization but not always as a primary range gun, which have less barrel length, are overall much smaller, might be carried deep concealed, and some which may never see sunlight for months at a time.
One type of firearm and it's use are not necessarily the best for the other job.
