General newbie request for handgun experience, opinions
- Thread starter gunny2
- Start date
That's a start. Just remember that there is a very large difference between knowing how to make a gun go bang and really knowing how to use it. Can't begin to count the number of folks I've encountered who consider a typical concealed carry class to be sufficient training.
LiveLife
Member
And even after you identify a particular brand/model of pistol, especially striker fired, try this to select a more "accurate" pistol.
Dry fire while watching the front sight and pick the pistol that doesn't move the front sight - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/trigger-control.834737/page-2#post-11249077
Why?
With today's mass produced modular assembly, there's going to be some tolerance stacking and one pistol may have a bit more smoother trigger action than another. And movement of muzzle by 1/8"-1/4" can be significant as target distance get longer.
My fullsize Glocks have produced around 2" to sub 2" 25 yard groups with factory and aftermarket barrels and I always dry fire before picking the one to buy. When gun shop staff get curious what I am looking for while dry firing, I show them how much front sights jump/move when striker is released. Before I picked my last Glock, I had to dry fire like five pistols before I found one that didn't move the front sight.
And as trigger action parts break-in and smooth out, starting out with pistol that doesn't move the front sight (Or minimally move the front sight), pistol will shoot more accurate than others that move the front sight.
YMMV
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Of course. But I don't know of any "don't be a schmuck" courses.
Will do, and one more time, many thanks for all the replies; so glad I found this site. I cruised various others, but while the people there may have also been great, the web site format was like something from the 90s, not very usable to me.
Autodidactic
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- Sep 19, 2021
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Good idea. I'm of the mind that taking a refresher course every year or two is a good idea. If someone is cleaning and assembling and disassembling handguns on a regular basis, probably that kind of class isn't necessary unless it's been a long time since they did it last. But, I think a actual shooting class is a good idea periodically. For example, I took my LGS' handgun III class once in 2021 and once in 2022 as a refresher.
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Atavar
Member
Don’t forget regular range time. At least every week or two.
Autodidactic
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Agree 100%. Minimum once a month. I go about 3 times a month, sometimes 4.
i purposely chose a heavier steel, not lighter alloy, framed taurus m85 revolver, and swapped out its oem wood grips for beefier pachmayrs, to successfully mitigate recoil with 158gr fmj ammo. it can be a perfectly acceptable ccw too with a decent gun-belt and holster.
regardless of one’s chosen centerfire primary defensive handgun i also urge getting a rimfire handgun to put in lots and lots of fun, cheap practice. revolver guy that i am, my favorite handgun is a (totally reliable and handy) ruger sr22, 22lr, semiauto pistol.
there is no substitute for shooting range time, even in a different action and caliber. sooner, not later, age may dictate that i gravitate to the sr22 as my primary defensive handgun. barring a life in 2- or 4-legged, feral or apex predator habitats, consistent and fast 10-round mag dumps of 22lr cci minimags into centermass at 20’ works far better than misses with any other caliber.
Jim Watson
Member
Right, I shot some practice today, prep for match tomorrow.
About 80% .22s, then some 9mm to get back used to recoil.
About 80% .22s, then some 9mm to get back used to recoil.
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