Phaedrus/69
Member
I want to toss out a philosophical question to THR membership, and there probably isn't wrong answer. Does your perfect CCW gun exist? And if it does do you have it?
Let me first explain the terms as I'm using them. First off, it has to be feasible and plausible in the real world. So while a Star Trek phaser would be nice (maybe perfect) the technology doesn't exist to make one. In the same vein it would be cool to have a 10mm that held 100 rounds while being the size of an LCP but that also defies the laws of physics. So I'm looking for a gun that could actually exist. Lastly I realize that "perfect" is perhaps a term that is impossible to fulfill. So I use the term to describe a gun that is as close to ideal as can be built.
Next I acknowledge that the answer will be subjective and probably different for everyone. The ideal gun for a 4' 3" female that's 90 lbs soaking wet will probably not be the ideal gun for an NFL lineman. Since our preferences are also subjective it's fine that some might choose a revolver, others an auto, some a 9mm and others a .357 Magnum. So I'm just looking for what you the reader consider ideal. Let me finally stipulate that the perfect gun would be a gun for all seasons, one that doesn't get swapped out when it's hot or when the snow is on the ground.
The reason I ask is that I have a number of excellent CCW guns, but none of them is really "perfect" at least for all situations. To get at what I mean let me describe some of the guns along with the advantages and disadvantages:
1. Beretta Nano- This one is nearly ideal for me for many situations. It's compact enough to CCW in virtually any situation short of a pool party. It's chambered for a serious fighting round (9mm) and has reasonable capacity (6 or 8 round mags). It's in that sweet spot size-wise where it's small enough to be discrete but large enough to get a good firing grip. It also has great sights, something man small pistols lack. The downsides are that the trigger isn't as good as my VP9, the barrel could be a little longer without compromising concealability and a few more rounds would be nice.
2. Ruger LCR- My LCR is a favorite of mine for warm weather carry. It's reliable, accurate within the range limitations of a 2" snub .38 Special. The main virtue is the diminutive size and very light weight. It's very easy to conceal so long as you're wearing more than Speedos. The negatives though are limited capacity at 5 rounds, short sight radius, a heavy trigger for precision shooting (and no SA capability) and slow reloads. A speedloader is also a bit harder to conceal than a single stack magazine.
3. HK USP Compact (9mm and .40 cal)- Now we're getting into a pretty serious fighting gun. Long enough sight radius to be precise. Good mag capacity at 13 rounds in 9mm or 12 rounds of .40. It's a very robust gun with superior reliability. With the flat magazine baseplate on it conceals well without undue printing. It has a good combat trigger with lots of options. The only notable shortcoming is that it's a bit thick being a double stack. Trigger could be better.
4. HK P30S- Mine has a Gray Guns trigger job which helps elevate an already-great shooter to near-match levels. The ergonomics are superior, simply world class. The gun shoots flat and runs like a raped ape. It's as reliable as death and taxes. Mine is a 9mm but it can be had in .40, too. Mag capacity is good at 15 rounds and it can run any ammo. The only drawback to me is that it's service-pistol sized. I do CCW a lot but it won't vanish under just a T-shirt.
5. HK VP9- I consider this an outstanding gun! It shares most of the virtues of the P30 family including great ergonomics and reliability. It's incredibly easy to shoot well; even the most nOObish shooters that have tried mine got good groups with the first mag. But it shares the same mag with the P30 so it's in the same boat for size. It's great for cooler weather but on the large side to hide you're wearing summer clothes.
Some people will choose to carry a serious gun all the time, no matter what. If that's you, God bless you! If you're willing to wear a shoot-me-first vest in 100 degree weather, awesome! Other people will carry a derringer or NA mini-revolver and consider an LCP to be a big gun. To them a .380 that's always on them beats a 1911 in the sock drawer at home. To you too I say God bless! The first rule of gunfighting is have a gun, and if it must be a mousegun at least you're CCW'ing.
So I guess there might not be a truly "perfect" gun for all situations. But I think a compromise would be possible. For me the ideal gun, if I was limited to just CCWing a single model year around, would probably be an auto. I like having at least 12-13 rounds in the gun and like the tac reload ability of an auto vs a speedloader (I'm not fast with speedloaders). If my Nano was an inch or inch and a half longer in the slide it would be closer; the extra sight radius and velocity would be nice. The trigger of my VP9 is a revelation; it raises my expectations for striker guns. The P30 & VP9 also redefine for me the degree of customization the grips should have.
Ultimately I think my ideal gun would be a VP9c/VPsk. Neither exists right now. Basically I'm thinking a gun roughly the size of a USPc but thinner to accommodate a single stack. It could be hammer fired with a LEM trigger or striker fired. Of course, this would be pretty similar to the single stack Glock people have been begging for since the G19 first came out.
Until the perfect gun does come along I'm pretty happy rotation between the five I listed above. But that doesn't stop me from dreaming!
Let me first explain the terms as I'm using them. First off, it has to be feasible and plausible in the real world. So while a Star Trek phaser would be nice (maybe perfect) the technology doesn't exist to make one. In the same vein it would be cool to have a 10mm that held 100 rounds while being the size of an LCP but that also defies the laws of physics. So I'm looking for a gun that could actually exist. Lastly I realize that "perfect" is perhaps a term that is impossible to fulfill. So I use the term to describe a gun that is as close to ideal as can be built.
Next I acknowledge that the answer will be subjective and probably different for everyone. The ideal gun for a 4' 3" female that's 90 lbs soaking wet will probably not be the ideal gun for an NFL lineman. Since our preferences are also subjective it's fine that some might choose a revolver, others an auto, some a 9mm and others a .357 Magnum. So I'm just looking for what you the reader consider ideal. Let me finally stipulate that the perfect gun would be a gun for all seasons, one that doesn't get swapped out when it's hot or when the snow is on the ground.
The reason I ask is that I have a number of excellent CCW guns, but none of them is really "perfect" at least for all situations. To get at what I mean let me describe some of the guns along with the advantages and disadvantages:
1. Beretta Nano- This one is nearly ideal for me for many situations. It's compact enough to CCW in virtually any situation short of a pool party. It's chambered for a serious fighting round (9mm) and has reasonable capacity (6 or 8 round mags). It's in that sweet spot size-wise where it's small enough to be discrete but large enough to get a good firing grip. It also has great sights, something man small pistols lack. The downsides are that the trigger isn't as good as my VP9, the barrel could be a little longer without compromising concealability and a few more rounds would be nice.
2. Ruger LCR- My LCR is a favorite of mine for warm weather carry. It's reliable, accurate within the range limitations of a 2" snub .38 Special. The main virtue is the diminutive size and very light weight. It's very easy to conceal so long as you're wearing more than Speedos. The negatives though are limited capacity at 5 rounds, short sight radius, a heavy trigger for precision shooting (and no SA capability) and slow reloads. A speedloader is also a bit harder to conceal than a single stack magazine.
3. HK USP Compact (9mm and .40 cal)- Now we're getting into a pretty serious fighting gun. Long enough sight radius to be precise. Good mag capacity at 13 rounds in 9mm or 12 rounds of .40. It's a very robust gun with superior reliability. With the flat magazine baseplate on it conceals well without undue printing. It has a good combat trigger with lots of options. The only notable shortcoming is that it's a bit thick being a double stack. Trigger could be better.
4. HK P30S- Mine has a Gray Guns trigger job which helps elevate an already-great shooter to near-match levels. The ergonomics are superior, simply world class. The gun shoots flat and runs like a raped ape. It's as reliable as death and taxes. Mine is a 9mm but it can be had in .40, too. Mag capacity is good at 15 rounds and it can run any ammo. The only drawback to me is that it's service-pistol sized. I do CCW a lot but it won't vanish under just a T-shirt.
5. HK VP9- I consider this an outstanding gun! It shares most of the virtues of the P30 family including great ergonomics and reliability. It's incredibly easy to shoot well; even the most nOObish shooters that have tried mine got good groups with the first mag. But it shares the same mag with the P30 so it's in the same boat for size. It's great for cooler weather but on the large side to hide you're wearing summer clothes.
Some people will choose to carry a serious gun all the time, no matter what. If that's you, God bless you! If you're willing to wear a shoot-me-first vest in 100 degree weather, awesome! Other people will carry a derringer or NA mini-revolver and consider an LCP to be a big gun. To them a .380 that's always on them beats a 1911 in the sock drawer at home. To you too I say God bless! The first rule of gunfighting is have a gun, and if it must be a mousegun at least you're CCW'ing.
So I guess there might not be a truly "perfect" gun for all situations. But I think a compromise would be possible. For me the ideal gun, if I was limited to just CCWing a single model year around, would probably be an auto. I like having at least 12-13 rounds in the gun and like the tac reload ability of an auto vs a speedloader (I'm not fast with speedloaders). If my Nano was an inch or inch and a half longer in the slide it would be closer; the extra sight radius and velocity would be nice. The trigger of my VP9 is a revelation; it raises my expectations for striker guns. The P30 & VP9 also redefine for me the degree of customization the grips should have.
Ultimately I think my ideal gun would be a VP9c/VPsk. Neither exists right now. Basically I'm thinking a gun roughly the size of a USPc but thinner to accommodate a single stack. It could be hammer fired with a LEM trigger or striker fired. Of course, this would be pretty similar to the single stack Glock people have been begging for since the G19 first came out.
Until the perfect gun does come along I'm pretty happy rotation between the five I listed above. But that doesn't stop me from dreaming!
