Mindset Behind Expense Of Carry Piece

We're still talking about this? Gotta say, one concept I've never understood, never will: worrying about losing a gun, permanently or temporarily, after using it to defend one's self or love ones (presumably successfully).

The reason expensive guns are better than cheap guns is that they tend to be far more reliable, far more accurate, and much easier to shoot effectively.

But if you want to trust your life (or your wife's or your child's lives) to a cheap gun due to the highly unlikely event of being involved in a shooting incident and being worried about the possibility of losing it to the proverbial police evidence locker forever, that's on you.

I know I can shoot a Wilson CQB Commander far better, much faster and much more accurately, than I can shoot a Ruger LC9s; I can shoot a SIG P-229 Legion far better, much faster and much more accurately, than I can shoot a Taurus G2.

This shouldn't even be a consideration unless one is severely economically challenged, i.e., simply cannot afford a better handgun.

In any event, as previously mentioned, one is more likely to be struck by lightning than one is to be forced into a defensive shooting encounter (unless one is either a dedicated golfer who ignores thunderstorms or a stupid person who hangs out in bad places at 2 a.m.).

But most golfers I know still eventually gravitate toward higher-end clubs...

So many pages of responses.
This will likely have been covered already but, here goes.

Regardless of value with obvious considerations, I would always rather have a carry-gun of considerable quality, personal value to me and possessing of some degree of *bar-b-que* gun pride.

This, at the risk of rough handling by me, ill-handling in the possession of L.E. after use or outright loss in a post-shoot investigation.

Life's too short to carry a cheap, ugly or otherwise downmarket (within one's own parameters) gun if alternatives are available.

I, of course, have carried: the ugly, the inexpensive, the moderately questionable, etc... as situations dictated.

One of my favorite carries has been an all but irreplaceable Kimber Det-1 1911 and I never for an instant contemplated leaving it behind relative to value.

Quite, in fact, the contrary!

Todd.

LNK said:

Carry what you shoot the best in an effective caliber. Should you ever need to use it, the last of your worries will be whether you will ever get the gun back, or if it can be replaced.

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OP needs to ask, "What's my life worth to me?" In 52 years of carrying or relying on handguns I have been fortunate enough never to have to use one for personal defense and, G-d Willing, will never have to. That said, LNK nails this one. I like one of my 1911s in .45ACP or in 10mm when in the woods. If one is lost or confiscated, I'll get its brother from my safe.

YMMV, but it really shouldn't.

What does the full customized super shooter that cost $3000 do that a $500 Glock?
Once I carried a Walther P5c that in the 1990s, if you could find one ran $700 or better. I practiced monthly at the St Pete Police Range fending off outrageous offers to buy my Walther. I soon realized that accepting the high bid and taking that cash to buy a lesser priced but reliable pistol and more ammunition made better sense.

P5 Guy said:

What does the full customized super shooter that cost $3000 do that a $500 Glock?

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That entirely depends on what the user expects it to do. A handful of rounds on a 10" plate at 5 yards in 5 seconds? Then nothing.

But if you want better performance, have the skills to take advantage, and the higher price gun gives you those? Then there ya go.

Example, my $2500 EDC X9 and $500 Glock 19 shoot almost the same inside 15 yards in any practical drill, I'm slightly faster out of the holster with the Glock but splits are a bit better with the Wilson so times are a wash. Accuracy is acceptable with either at that range, but I do shoot tighter groups with the Wilson at speed. Would any of that make a difference in a close, fast, CCW situation? Maybe? Probably not.

But push it out past 20 yards and the single action really pulls ahead for me. Unlikely I'd need to take a 20-50 yard shot but if I did I know which I'd prefer.

Plus, of course, there's the simple factor that I have a nice thing I paid a lot for, so carrying it daily does bring me pleasure.

Mr. Mosin said:

I do not yet carry, but I've always heard tell from several people close to me something along the lines of "Don't carry anything not readily found, afforded, or replaceable. You ever have to use it, you probably won't get it back".

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If you need a gun, and it fails you, you definitely won't get anything back, including your life.

Imagine this -- you're facing a known killer and a guy comes up and says, "I can save you from death. What will you pay me?" Would you quibble over a few thousand dollars to save your life?

Carry whatever you like, for whatever REASON you like.
If you feel more secure carrying Dad's old J-frame, go for it.
The main thing is to carry.

Hoppes Love Potion said:

Carry whatever you like, for whatever REASON you like.
If you feel more secure carrying Dad's old J-frame, go for it.
The main thing is to carry.

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Can't argue with that -- everyone should carry, all the time. And that's more true nowadays than it was last year.

"but the reality is, a stock $500 Glock is every bit as reliable as a $2000 custom 1911 or grandpas old Colt SAA or whatever (probably more reliable in many cases). Why not carry the lower cost, more easily replaced weapon since it'll do the exact same job just as well?"

You are making a lot of assumptions, some of which are not valid.

I jumped on this merry-go-round almost 20 years ago when I finally moved to a state that recognized my rights (TX). Before that, I owned pistols and revolvers, but did not carry them, because it was unlawful to do so.

So I knew what I shot reasonably well (mostly 1911s and HK P7s), what I enjoyed shooting, but not what I could carry effectively all day, every day.

When I first got my CHL I carried a G23 or an S&W K-frame, and later, a 1911. Shot the K-frame and the 1911 better but the G23 held more cartridges. The more I practiced, the better I shot the K-frame and 1911.

Started carrying the K-frame or the 1911 more...tried alloy framed and shorter barreled 1911s and J-frames. Even tried some N-frames, which I shot even better. And through the years, lots of other things. Traded the G23 for a G19. Never shot it much better, and ended up selling it.

Advancing age and three spinal surgeries later, I still carry a 1911 or a K/N-frame whenever possible, but more often than not it's a Kahr PM9 or P45.

The Kahrs are single-stack, and hold fewer cartridges than a Glock...but I shoot them better.

Are you seeing a theme emerge here?

Bottom line...cost is not the issue. Capacity is a factor, but maybe not the deciding factor.

For me, I carry what I shoot best, and can actually carry day in, day out.

I was in the replacement camp until I tried a higher end 1911. I have a RIA 10 mm and a Colt Defender, and both are good guns. I’ve owned S&W revolvers, Sig 225..lots of different good, but not 2K and up guns.

But then the local range had a Staccato C for rent, which is about a 2K gun. That Staccato was just incredible. The fit, the recoil, the incredible accuracy was something I’d never experienced with any other gun before. It’s something hard to describe, but once you experience it you’ll understand.

And yes, I will be buying a Staccato to carry.

loneviking said:

I was in the replacement camp until I tried a higher end 1911. I have a RIA 10 mm and a Colt Defender, and both are good guns. I’ve owned S&W revolvers, Sig 225..lots of different good, but not 2K and up guns.

But then the local range had a Staccato C for rent, which is about a 2K gun. That Staccato was just incredible. The fit, the recoil, the incredible accuracy was something I’d never experienced with any other gun before. It’s something hard to describe, but once you experience it you’ll understand.

And yes, I will be buying a Staccato to carry.

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It's really that simple, if you know you know, if you don't, you don't.

For guns I can appreciate high quality and it does tend to show in the shooting, same with guitars (when I played, it's been years). Cars? Yes quality leather and a monster under the hood is fun, but I don't see the point over my basic old truck, for me and my needs.

All about what ya like, appreciate, and can take advantage of.

What is a cheap gun? It is relative, I would think. I would indeed trust my life to a Glock 19, Ruger LCR or even my S&W BG pistol and they are not expensive (to me). All three have proven themselves and none are custom specials. In the event, unlikely, that I was to have to defend myself, I would rather the DA be parading a plain old everyday pistol/revolver in front of the jury with standard off the shelf ammo than a shiny custom gun with skulls and Do Not Tread On Me and Kill'em All engraved in the metal and lightening bolts and notches carved into the handles with "special ammo" and all of that. And I am pretty sure Glocks and LCRs are darn reliable, at least as much so as a custom .45ACP. As long as I can run the other way that is my plan and my feet are pretty reliable thus far.

There is a difference between "cheap" and "low cost." A cheap gun is inferior. A low cost gun may be as reliable as one that costs twice as much.

I follow the thought process of no modifications to defensive pistols and revolvers other than adding an ergonomic grip(revolvers mostly) of my liking. I dont see the need in changing internal parts on something that I want absolute dependability to, or adding things that say that I was looking for problems.
Ammo should be kept to factory main product lines as well. Just my way of thinking.
LCP and an EC9 are my go to choices as of now, for CCPs. Sig P320 for HD. All three have duplicates in my battery of arms.

3Crows said:

What is a cheap gun? It is relative, I would think

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Yep - and - not in monetary value only.
- I have two .380s. One is a Ruger LCP & the other an old Targa/Erma/Excam .GT380. The former actually cost more than the latter - but- there's a lot of sentimental value attached to the latter - whereas the former is just a tool.

- One of my EDC guns is an S&WM69. I paid around $1000 for it including tax & shoulder holster. I bought it as a self defense tool, nothing more. The jury is still out as far as "do I like it-yes or no? - is concerned. It's not that I don't "like" it, it's that I don't "Like" like it - as in I don't like it anymore than I'd like a snow shovel. Despite the fact that the gun cost me a grand - I wouldn't really care one way or the other if it sat - unloved - in a police property room.
I would be put off some if I lost it - as I would be if I lost anything I paid that much for.

I have a Hudson H9. I like the gun and shoot it decently. I have carried it in the past. The fact that I can't buy another one would be a factor in my thinking if I thought about carrying it again. However, I have a few other pistols to choose from that I shoot just as well. If it was the only pistol that fit the need, I wouldn't have a problem carrying it.

I have guns I paid under a $100 for, and others I paid well over a thousand for, I would not hesitate to carry any of them that are in my safe if I "needed" to.

At a BBQ, I might carry something flashy, and other than that the pricey or flashy guns don't go out as a carry gun much.

Carry guns have to be reliable, shoot where I point them and fit my hand in the event I ever have to pull it. If the only gun I had that fit that criteria was a $75 Hi-Point then I would carry it. If it was a $1000 sig I would carry that one. But that is really the point right, they are not the only ones I have so.

So how do I choose?

I don't own a gun that I would consider carrying that does not fit the 3 criteria, reliable, shoots straight, and fits my hand. What I found over the years when I reach in the safe and grab a carry gun, a little LCP .380 or similar (could be any BUG you are comfortable with) slips in a pocket, if I am going to church, that might be all I carry. If not, then a 9mm poly gun or a favorite revolver (insert brand here) goes on my hip.

That simple, trust your instincts, when you reach in the safe, which one do you reach for first? That is probably the one you feel most comfortable with, and don't even think about what it costs for all the reasons others have stated above.

The last thing I would think about is what happens if I have to use, because I know, it is reliable, shoots straight and fits my hand and that is all it needs to do and all I need to worry about.

What comes after that, I may not have much control over.
d

This thread is very reminiscent of the 9mm vs 45acp arguement. If you are going to carry a gun:
1. It must be something you can carry comfortably, or most people will not do so as often as they should.
2. It must be something you can carry concealed, or if your state allows open carry.
3. It must be a gun you can handle(i.e. caliber, size, etc.) if the time comes to use the weapon.
4. You must become proficient enough to strike your intended target. so practice, practice and practice some more.....with your carry ammo.
5. You must be 100% confident in your abilities to execute the action and have no hesitation if the situation escalates to that level.
6. You must trust in your weapon. Purchase what you can afford and re-read #4. If that weapon will not provide flawless functionality, then look for something else in your price range. I choose to carry a very expensive Wilson Combat 4” 1911 for over two decades because it has performed flawlessly for thousands of rounds and I can put a magazine full of 230gr. hollow points in a 2” circle at 25 yards consistently. The action, trigger, sights and accuracy are like comparing a Yugo to a Cadillac next to my other 1911’s. I have many guns I carry from time to time, and they ALL meet the above listed criteria but 95% of the time my Wilson will be in the custom Milt Sparks Versa Max 2 inside the waistband, sufficiently covered until it is needed. This is just my way, and it may not fit your way or needs and that’s ok. Just do the best you can with what you have. You or your families lives could depend on it!!

I have kids who's safety I'm responsible for and who need me to be around. My EDC X9S is one of my primary carry guns as it's one of the guns that gives me the best chance of protecting them and myself. My EDC X9 is one of my nightstand guns. Of course I'd rather not lose a $2600+ gun in the event I need to use it for SD, but it can be replaced. We can not. That is my sole consideration when deciding what to carry.

Old Dog said:

We're still talking about this? Gotta say, one concept I've never understood, never will: worrying about losing a gun, permanently or temporarily, after using it to defend one's self or love ones (presumably successfully).>>SNIP<<

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Ha, it's like worrying about the expensive motorcycle helmet that saved your life after what would have otherwise been a fatal crash.

But, to that end, I can see not taking a very expensive gun on the hip so I make sure my EDC is reliable and easily replaceable.

gnappi said:

But, to that end, I can see not taking a very expensive gun on the hip so I make sure my EDC is reliable and easily replaceable.

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There is something to be said about easily replaceable, having a backup EDC set up just the same is a nice thing which can be much harder to do with an expensive option.

Another part of this conundrum is why are police evidence areas so insecure and why do contents go missing?
It might be internet lore yet these kinds of experiences do not materialize completely out of thin air. They occur.

If a law-abiding honorable person defends his/her life in a justified no-bill shooting, why does his/her firearm seemingly get returned (or not) looking as if it were dragged across Texas behind an 18-wheeler in the rain?

Speaking personally...even in my own home...I arrange for the utilitarian models to do basic guard duty.
The reality is sentimental value indeed does truly make some irreplaceable if they were to be tragically lost.

gnappi said:

Ha, it's like worrying about the expensive motorcycle helmet that saved your life after what would have otherwise been a fatal crash.

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Ironically, the same argument used to play out on motorcycle sites as helmets range from less than 100 to over 1500+. ( I no longer ride to to the number of drivers glued to their phone screens)

Human nature, I suppose, that everyone needs justification for their choice.

I'm in the "not gonna carry something I don't want to lose" camp. Most important to me is being able to use it if I need it, second to that is concealability. I love my D.U. edition M9A3, but I will probably never carry it. Why would I carry a $1200 pistol that won't defend me any better than a $400 one. If I could conceal it better, I would probably always carry my XD .40 with me because that's the one I would probably be most comfortable with if I really had to go into action. Since I don't have the frame to conceal that gun well, it only goes with me on winter days when I have enough clothes to cover it. The rest of the time I usually have a Diamondback .380 or LCP. Mainly because you will never know I have them unless I tell you. Everything's a compromise. I choose to sacrifice a little bit of accessibility and mag capacity for the sake of concealability. To each his own. I've witnessed folks who carry 1911's on their hip and couldn't get it out of the holster and safety off before I could have hit them in the head with a High Point. I like to think I am aware of my limitations and abilities, but hope I never have to find out !

tarosean said:

I no longer ride to to the number of drivers glued to their phone screens

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Indeed, once I moved back to the lower 48 I drove a truck for a few years, and the things I saw on the roads all day cured any desire to buy another bike and ride again, doubly so now that I have young kids who need their dad around.