Balance: Carry and Fun

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ronzorelli

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Looking for a balance of two major things in new handgun. Currently waiting for my CHL to come in, and I'm trying to decide what to carry.

I currently have a S&W Sigma 9mm, but not going to use that as my carry. I obviously want a compact/subcompact, and I have settled on two calibers... .40 S&W and .45 ACP.

I want to be able to carry it with as many rounds as possible, but also want to be able to eliminate a threat if, God forbid, I ever have to do so. In this aspect, I want capacity and stopping power.

In addition, I would like to be able to go to the range and put a hurt on some paper silhouettes without breaking the bank. So in this aspect, I want FUN and frugality (as much as possible, at least)

I am fully aware of the fact that this is the age old comparison (.40 vs .45) and everyone has their preferences (not to mention that there may not be any real 'winner'), but can you more experienced folks give my your opinions regarding the matter?
 
OK, you are setting the bait bro....

The recoil "profile" of .40 and .45 are different. Lots of people love .40 for the ballistics (as a trade off) but there is a contingent of people who find .40 less than pleasant to shoot. I am one of them. I much more enjoy shooting .45ACP, .44mag, and .44sp. It is not the energy or the "recoil" but more how it's delivered. Definitely try out some guns before you buy. Honestly, I think 357SIG is a good consideration if you are just choosing .40 for the mag capacity.

Since you are looking for an autoloader, I would recommend .45 and a spare mag. ;)

Picks: HK45/HK45C for a sweet modern gun that is very reliable, or 1911 for all the various fun reasons. Opinions on 1911 carry vary but certainly many do and if it works for you then there you go.
 
I bought my PPS based on fit in the hand and concealment suitability, and am happily surprised at how much I like shooting it every time I take it to the range. The PPS comes in 9mm and fo-tay, you take a one round capacity penalty in .40, but it is hard to beat for quality or concealment.
Kahr makes slim and reliable .40 pistols
Springfield makes the XD line in .40, they're a bit thicker, but damn reliable and I like the two passive safeties / zero active safeties for CC
Glock, of course, is an option .... assuming they fit your hand.

Sounds like you need to take an afternoon at the rental range, or with a pile of guns fron friends and family ... just like everyone else trying to figure out their compromise for CC
1911's are surprisingly easy to conceal, due to being so thin.
 
Yeah, I definitely plan on renting a few different semi-autos before I choose. We have a couple rental ranges in the Austin area.

Right now, I'm just gathering feedback so I know which ones to narrow the rental choices down to.

I appreciate y'all's input. Thank you!
 
Also consider something that you can get a 22LR conversion kit for. That will allow a lot more range time for a lot less money. The kits pay for themselves pretty quickly.

I'll say go with a 1911. Full size models are surprising easy to conceal with a good IWB holster.
 
ichiban makes a good point ... either a conversion or an equivalent rimfire trainer on the market.
For example, if I ignore the safety on my Walther P22, it mimics my PPS nicely, and provides me with malfunction-clearing drills as a bonus! (not entirely a knock on the P22, I could fix it up easily ... if I didn't really appreciate the drills it provides)
 
I can suggest the Taurus PT145 wich is a great weapon.
Its less expensive than most other in that class,around $400 or less.
Holds 10+1 and is as small as most 9mm's.

In my area .40 isnt much cheaper than .45 for target ammo,just $1 a box cheaper.
9mm would be the best bet if you want cheap practice costs.
 
You're a new guy....but I say the same thing to everyone.

Why is it 'obvious' that you will need a compact or subcompact?

Comfort is relative. If you hand a person who is not comfortable with guns a sub-compact Glock with well.....any kind of concealment holster, she will never tell you it's comfortable to carry. She will think it's a tumor. On the other hand, if you take a kid who turned 21 61 days ago and just got his permit in the mail, and has been waiting for this his whole life, you can hang a Desert Eagle under his left arm and he will swear he doesn't even know it's there. I THINK, gun magazines are largely responsible for trying to convince the general public that full-size guns are impossible to carry, when the truth is, a lot of us have been doing it for a LONG time.

The .45 has softer recoil than a .40, it's a slower round. The thing is, in a compact gun, it will have lower velocity on a round that is already very slow. So we look at lighter loads, to increase velocity out of shorter barrels, and I say to myself.....why not stick to the barrel length and ammo it was designed for?

Carry what you want man, but I tell people, make sure it's what you shoot BEST. Smaller guns are harder to shoot. I strongly recommend trying to carry a couple of full-size guns before you decide they are impossible to carry.
 
DougDubya:
No, no, no. For lighter weight and concealability, I would suggest going the light route with the M240 (7.62mm NATO).
:)

mljdeckard:
Very good point. Barrel length will limit performance of different rounds differently, and seems to affect the older rounds more so. That is actually a big plus of the 357SIG in that it is designed to work from short barrel guns. Also may affect feeding reliability in a short .45.

Afternoon at the range with a pile of guns. Sounds like a good plan...
 
The .45 ACP seems at odds with your desire for economy of shooting, costing much more than 9mm Luger. Speaking for myself, I liked .45 when practice ammo was a ten-spot for a box.
 
I was just in the same situation and I ended up getting a M&P .45 Compact. The .40 is a little shorter if the .45 is too long for you. The M&P compact was the only gun I found that was small enough to carry but didnt feel too small in my hand.
 
Same sort of problem to solve here, for what it is worth, and I have just settled on a Glock 26. I'm not so great an authority as to offer my suggestion as gospel, but when you balance "carryability" with capacity and stopping power, and then top it off with "fun and cheap practice" the G26 makes a good case for itself.

If you are sold on .40, there is the obvious G27 (which, along with the G26, can use a conversion kit to run .22 lr... I just learned that here...). Same goes with .45, of course, but I already have a mark IV lightweight commander that I can use if I want to break the bank shooting buck-a-round defensive ammo.

If you want to step up a half-inch or so each direction in size, there is the G23 in .40, or the G36 in .45 and their closest competitors (ie; the croation creation that is the XD...).

It's fun to shop.

When all is said and done, I'd go with something classic and proven: Commander, G19/23 or 26/27 etc... may as well buy a track record and lots of aftermarket support for accessories, so long as you're at it.

FWIW...
 
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Thanks for all the input. I appreciate y'all taking time out to offer advice.

After reading info from a few different forums, looking details up on line, and some hands-on research, I am almost completely set on the Springfield XD-45C.

Of all the guns I've looked at and held in my hand, it fits my big, fat hands the best... like it was made for me, honestly.

The reliability factor is huge as well. I've seen some testimony from people who run ranges regarding the XD's they use for rentals and it's compelling. I've read up on the torture testing and it's also very convincing. Although I understand the Glocks have been put through the same types of tests with the same types of results, the Glocks I've held do not feel right in my hands.

In addition, I like the two magazines it comes with. The 10 round and the 13 round magazines bring some versatility to the gun.

I think I'll be picking it up within the next couple weeks.



Thanks again for all your help!
 
Well... it took me longer than a couple weeks. Life's financial constraints stepped into the path and prevented me from picking up a gun until recently.

I went with a Springfield XD45 Tactical Compact. Got it through Texasguntrader.com from a local guy at a great price.

Working on getting a Kholster or Crossbreed type of holster to replace my Uncle Mike's holster I was using for my Sigma 9mm (that I also sold through TGT).
 

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