All The Same Handguns

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...in a panic situation I felt our chances are better if, when grabbing a handgun for defense, they are all going to be the same, feel the same, look the same, operate the same, recoil the same
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Excellent thinking.

Now for a possible exception: it seems to me there would be no concern about confusion of muscle memory if one who carries a semi-auto were to pick up a D/A revolver. Very simple operation, and a clear tactile stimulus that would alert the defender to not expect the same things.

Your thought on that?
 
"I am down to just three handguns and they are all exactly the same..." [amprecon]

Brilliant.

Just told my wife I want a Wilson Combat 5", a Nighthawk commander, and a Guncrafter compact for Christmas.
 
^^^ Nice, very very nice! :cool:


Now for a possible exception: it seems to me there would be no concern about confusion of muscle memory if one who carries a semi-auto were to pick up a D/A revolver. Very simple operation, and a clear tactile stimulus that would alert the defender to not expect the same things.
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I carry both revolvers and a 1911. Personally, when I practice drawing, I always swipe the safety off with my thumb on the draw stroke even if there isn't a safety switch there :) .

Works for me.
 
Glock 30S?....

Id suggest trading or dumping one Glock 21 .45acp & buying a new Glock 30S.
The 30S .45acp was co-designed with the elite detectives of the SIS(a special LAPD unit that tracks down & goes after violent felons).
The SIS had Kimber 1911s but the program had many critics(mostly in the police commission & LA city council). The detectives went back to Glock 21s but needed a smaller Glock for undercover ops or off duty use.

I would buy a Glock 30S if I were right handed but since the style is the older gen 03, I'll stay with my big Glock 21 gen 04.
I might get a Surefire white-light for it. I use the 21 for home & vehicle security mostly.
For ammunition, I carry Winchester Ranger T/T Series 230gr +P JHP. I also use MagSafe SWAT for home defense but I may replace it soon. I might get Liberty Defense .45acp or DRT's frangible, www.drtammo.com .
 
Now for a possible exception: it seems to me there would be no concern about confusion of muscle memory if one who carries a semi-auto were to pick up a D/A revolver. Very simple operation, and a clear tactile stimulus that would alert the defender to not expect the same things.
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Actually this is a plan I have given a lot of thought on. A couple of years ago I brought a used Model 10 revolver and it was like shaking hands with a old friend. I learned to shoot on a K-frame so it is a natural fit for me.

I would like to get one or maybe two Model 10's or 13's on the cheap. Alas they are not easy to find in LGS in my area. While I know I can get them over the Internet I would prefer to examine it in person before putting down the $$$.

A 4" barrel K-Frame in 38 Special is still the standard that is darn near impossible to beat.

With all of that said I am not going to deny myself the pleasure of owning other types of handguns.
 
Different strokes for different folks.

I'm glad you found what works best for you.

I am the opposite. I have one in every common caliber except for 25.

It's just a hobby for me.

If I had a 22 rifle, a 30 caliber rifle, a 12 gauge pump, and a snub 38, I would have every firearm that I had a practical use for.

But it's fun to have toys. :)
 
I don’t think the OP’s premise is that far out there, I might have gone with a G17, G19 & a G26 to cover all of my concealment needs but that’s the only change I would have made.

When I first started buying handguns I was all over the map and I ended up with a lot of oddball guns that were hard to find ammunition and accessories for.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’d rather have 1 gun, 10 magazines for it and a thousand rounds of ammunition than 5 different guns with 2 magazines and 200 rounds of different ammunition each.

As I said I might have picked different models than the OP but He now only has to keep .45ACP stocked and he only has to buy 1 type of magazine
 
Absolutely its fun to have toys!

And by having them, you learn them as well, which just adds to youre being a more versatile and well rounded shooter.

I think the difference here is, between those who only "know" one, and those who only "chose" one.

The one who chooses, is usually towards the end, where the one who only knows, is usually at the beginning.
 
Posted by Tallball: I have one in every common caliber except for 25.

It's just a hobby for me.
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Posted by bannockburn: I love diversity, especially in my handguns, and steadfastly believe that variety is the spice of life.
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The OP was about self defense, and self defense is not a hobby. "Boring" is not a valid consideration.

I can see a hobbyist pistoleer enjoying shooting a Colt SAA, a K-Krame revolver with target sights, and a Ruger Mark II. And maybe a Schofield. Whatever he or she likes.

But when it comes to training, practicing, and carrying for self defense, one's objectives are different. Absolutely automatic, rote response is essential, and consistency will help ensure that. There is no need for variety as the spice of life, As the movie quote goes, a gun is a tool, Marian (or Marion, depending on the source).

I had a couple of polymer carry guns, bought at different times. A training class earlier this year led me to acquire a different one, and I have divested the two others that I had--for the sake of uniformity.

And I have bought a second of the new model. Why a "clone"? Well, one of them may be in for gun-smithing.

I do have a steel single action Colt-Browning pattern pistol--officer grip frame, slightly shorter than a Commander. I may be wrong about this, but I think that, if I had to draw it in the gravest extreme, the distinctly different feel, combined with experience from years and decades past, would evoke the muscle memory necessary to shoot it, clear,it, etc. without a hiccup.

But in reality, I do not strap it on anymore.

And again, I don't think that picking up a DA recover would slow anyone down. I like them for back-up.
 
amprecon said:
Well, I finally did it. I am down to just three handguns and they are all exactly the same, Gen 3 Glock 21's. All have the 3.5lb disconnector's and Tru-Dot fixed night sights.

In my history I have had numerous types of handguns in various calibers, but being the pragmatic weirdo that I am, I felt the fewer calibers I had, the better off. It is kind of relieving to only have to buy one caliber of handgun ammo.
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I don't know what your malady is, but sure hope it doesn't come my way!

I do have one gun for social everyday carry. But to not crave that next gun, nor to miss out on shooting something I've not shot before is unimaginable to me!

I've spent most of my life shooting the handgun, from old no-name top breaks to my beloved Single Actions from Ruger and Colt. In calibers of .22 r.f. up to the wonderful old .45 Colt; to see the target topple at 200 yards or cutting strings at 10 yards; to see exploding water-filled jugs or popping helium filled balloons; to have the smell of powder and thin blue smoke to the outhouse smell and thick gray cloud of black powder; its always a thrill to touch one off. To put down a nice white tail buck, or take a gray squirrel and have that meat in the pot. And just to sit and admire, and take pleasure in owning, a case hardened/blue stag gripped Single Action and knowing it is unique of itself.

Sorry if I got carried away. My guns are as thrilling as a fall morning sunrise, or the sighting of a bald eagle over a cypress grove.

I can't quite put it into words.

Bob Wright
 
The G41 is different than the Gen 3 G21's. It comes with several sets of replaceable backstraps, but none matched the feel of the G21 exactly in girth and in texture.
The G41 has a narrower and longer slide giving a slightly different overall sight picture, it is also lighter requiring a slight adjustment when bringing the sights up quickly.
These things may seem trivial to some, but as I wanted to duplicate the feel of the G21, the only route for me was to trade out for a Gen 3 G21.

I shoot ok with other guns, semi's/revolvers, but I never shot any of them as good so naturally and easily as I can the G21's. I can shoot it almost as accurately with one hand as I can with two hands. My wife and daughters even shoot the G21 better than all of the others they have shot. Maybe my family is the exception, but it is what is and I want to take advantage of it.

I don't disparage those that have various handguns at all, to each their own and it's just what they do. Narrowing my handguns down to three of exactly the same is just what I feel needed to be done.

As far as concealing the G21, I have the body shape to conceal it pretty comfortably all day, so I cannot justify going to a different platform just for that reason.

I have had other calibers too and just felt if I had to choose only one caliber, it might as well be .45acp. I didn't like the .40 S&W that much and 9mm is ok, but when it comes down to it, if there was a handgun in another caliber that I could shoot so well I'd probably migrate towards it and consolidate that one also. I just haven't come across it yet and am actually not interested in even looking. This transformation has taken a long time and been costly.

Now the concern is....how do I justify the 4th Gen 3 G21 :scrutiny:
 
Wow! The notion is a good one. I have thought for the longest time that I should get a little focus on what I am doing. Too many revolvers, various calibers, too many differnt semi autos, various calibers. Maybe if took some of the ideas from the original post I could actually get better shooting. I have thought about this al long time. I enjoy revolvers, a lot, that's what I learned on 100 years ago or so. I have acquired a few semi automatics along the way also. I like them and they are great. 1911 might be my favorite, but I do tend to shoot revolvers better. I would have a hard time deciding what to get rid of!! Each time I take three or more out they all tend to be something I cannot figure out how to get rid of. I have sold 3 guns in 40 years and I still wonder if I did the right thing. No kidding intended, this is a big issue to think about.
:banghead:
 
Posted by allin: I have thought for the longest time that I should get a little focus on what I am doing. ...I would have a hard time deciding what to get rid of!! ... No kidding intended, this is a big issue to think about.
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Might I suggest that you avail yourself of a good defensive pistol shooting course before trying to decide.
 
I have done the same thing with the g23,
I do have a g22 and revolvers for range fun but the
core is g23 all hands in the home same gun same mags
makes sense to me also did same with rifles easy to
stock up on ammo too
 
The OP was about self defense, and self defense is not a hobby.
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You're right, but "self defense" also depends upon the context in which the gun is expected to be used. If he's in parts of northern Montana or Idaho - he has a potential problem if he's relying on his Glocks for self defense. That's why I have both a Ruger Super Redhawk .44 magnum and a S&W .460 to carry for "self defense" when I'm in northern Montana and Idaho.

I find the whole idea of "getting confused" in a home self defense situation confusing in and of itself. I keep a 9mm HK loaded for home self defense & that's usually what I carry in my car or conceal carry.

I don't get confused that that's the gun I'm using and have two extra magazines that I also carry - I don't get the magazines confused with any other gun.

Every gun has a specific use - and I don't get them confused with other guns. I certainly wouldn't confuse a single stack 1911 .45 magazine with a double stack HK magazine.

The closest magazines that could be thought of as confusing in a self defense situation would be the HK 9mm and the SIG P229 as they are the same size and relative shape - but not the same color and they are kept separated from each other specifically so they cannot be accidently interchanged. If I'm carrying the SIG, the HK and its magazines get put away, and conversely the SIG and its magazines are put away when I'm using the HK.

If you find limiting your ability to provide self defense in different situations the thing to do ...okay by me - but, I don't have the same problem you do and own lots of different guns in different calibers all chosen for specific uses.
 
Did mostly the same thing with my long guns too. Two .22's (Marlin 60's), two 12 gauge's (870 and 930), two 6.8's (RRA and DPMS), two .308's (700 Tactical and PTR-91) and the 7.62x39 odd-ball SLR-95.

I know they're not all clones of each other like the Glocks, but they are of the same caliber. If I had to choose one center-fire, it'd probably be the PTR-91 as it's in the most powerful caliber I have and it's semi-automatic and uses hi-cap mags. It can cover most centerfire needs and more where the lesser calibers cannot reach out as far.
 
I can see the logic in having *a* common platform at home. I can't see having *only one* platform. I believe in exposure to as many platforms as possible, so you can use whatever is available. If for example, you found a box-o'-parts that you were vaguely aware was a Beretta 92FS, could you put it together and use it, if you were away from home, and without access to your chosen platform?
 
Kleanbore said:
Now for a possible exception: it seems to me there would be no concern about confusion of muscle memory if one who carries a semi-auto were to pick up a D/A revolver. Very simple operation, and a clear tactile stimulus that would alert the defender to not expect the same things
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.

What about when it's time to reload and you're looking for the magazine release?

True (if not very exciting) story, the other day I went to pull the battery out of a drill and just out of habit I hit the FWD/ REVERSE switch (conveniently located exactly where the mag release on a semi Auto is) 3 times and couldn't get that battery out before I realized the problem
 
The thing that I always wonder about are the guys with a bunch of different Glocks or multi-caliber versions of a gun. For instance the guy with the G22 and the G17. In the dark, how do you know what mag you have? How about a guy with a SIG P226 with the .40 S&W barrel, .357 SIG barrel, and 9MM barrel, in the dark, in an emergency, what procedure do you go through to make sure there is no confusion as to what barrel is in the gun and what mags are loaded up and available?
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I had a Glock 23 during the ammo last shortage (added both 9mm & .357 Sig). Whichever barrel was in it, the only loaded mags matched the barrel, all other mags stayed in the range bag.

I learned on one of my forums that using the middle finger\thumb grip resulted in same POI\POA no matter what platform I was carrying.

That being said, I'm working on simplifying my accumulation for just this reason.
 
What about when it's time to reload and you're looking for the magazine release?

True (if not very exciting) story, the other day I went to pull the battery out of a drill and just out of habit I hit the FWD/ REVERSE switch (conveniently located exactly where the mag release on a semi Auto is) 3 times and couldn't get that battery out before I realized the problem
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Then the best solution is to spend more time on the range shooting all of your handguns until you are totally knowledgeable about how they about and have the confidence to do so.

If your lifestyle, family and/or work commitments or economic status prevents you from going to the range enough to truly become knowledgeable and proficient enough to remember how to operate your handgun every time you use it then the best choice is a double action revolver such as a S&W K-Frame with 4" barrel. Kleanbore makes this point in post #26.

Operation of a good quality revolver is much simpler than for a Glock. The manual of arms for a semi-auto is more complicated (make sure magazine is fully seated, rack slide all the way to the rear to completely feed cartridge into the chamber, how to clear a ftf or fte, use proper grip and shooting stance for gun to feed ammo with jamming) whereas a revolver will function as long as the shooter can hold it and pull the trigger.
 
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Im in full agreement with learning as much as you can, about as much as you can, and think that would stop a lot of the "this is better than that" silliness we always seem to have.

Even when you do practice with multiple platforms, we always seem to settle on what we find is best for our uses, and tend to focus on them the most. Doing so, tends to make them the "default", simply because they are what your brain are most wired to.

Thats not saying you cant or wont do well with other things, just that what youre most familiar with, will usually always have the edge.

Revolvers are great and all, but they too have their own specific problems and manual of arms, and most people I run into, still dont seem to want to learn to run them properly. Something you really do need to do, if you hope to make out well with them.

Theres also a little more to them, than just point and shoot. If you arent practicing "realistic" shooting and reloading drills on a regular basis, youre going to be in for a rude awakening, when you have to do it under stress.

Also understanding that any kind of stoppage that occurs with a revolver, is likely going to be a DRT deal when it does occur (and if you shoot them enough, you know its not all that unusual), and not quickly solved, as most auto stoppages (rare as they are) are.
 
BSA1 said:
Then the best solution is to spend more time on the range shooting all of your handguns until you are totally knowledgeable about how they about and have the confidence to do so.
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Alternatively I could put the time in at the range getting really good with the one platform until I’m totally knowledgeable about it and can operate it in my sleep because I don’t have to even stop and think about which platform is in my hand.

Over course, that could screw me when the Zombie apocalypse comes and I’m forced to just pick up random guns and run them but I’ll take my chances
 
I like to relate my decision to what the military does, familiarity with a specific firearm until you know it like the back of your hand. In the chaos of combat, if you lose your weapon or if it gets damaged, there is no learning curve when thrown a replacement.
On the other hand, if all that is available are the enemy weapons laying around, well in that case your a little behind the learning curve, but at least you have a weapon. But in our civilian situations, that is most likely to never happen.

I mean, every time the military is offered a replacement weapon for their M4's or M-16's or even their M9's they always fall back on weapon familiarity as one of their main excuses for not changing. Legitimate excuse or not, it does have validity.

Kind of the same thing I am trying to achieve, especially as my family members are not into guns. When I do drag them to the range I don't want to overwhelm them with various types of handguns and manual of arms. As confused as they are at the range, imagine their efficiency when under duress, not gonna happen. One gun, one muscle memory, they know what to expect each and every time no matter which one they pick up it will always be the same and I believe that will boost their confidence and increase their chances of surviving such a confrontation.
 
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