Just purchased my first full sized handgun ever..

[ColoroadoSupersport]

Wow guys. I had no idea what I was missing out on, not owning any full sized handguns.

Since the day I turned 21 I've been shooting handguns. My very first handgun was a gen 1 XD subcompact, and every single handgun since then (mixtures of 9mm, 45, .357, .40 etc.) has been either ultra/sub compact or compact. Even my 1911 is the officer sized frame.

Even after shooting at one of my local indoor ranges that rents out every kind of gun you can imagine, I still had never fired a full sized pistol.

After owning the P320 xcarry, I decided to pick up the m17 full sized model 2 days ago. I immediately took it the the range and fed about 650 rds through it.

All I can say is that I wished somebody would have smacked some sense into me along time ago. Shooting a full sized frame+slide in 9mm is a different experience all together. I became quite proficient with mid sized 9mm like the 509 and G19. But shooting the m17 was like pressing the easy button in terms of accuracy and shootability. The gun was basically BEGGING to be double tapped. I fell in love instantly to say the least.

Anyone else had this experience? Or maybe even the opposite (full sized to sc)?

 

[Trashyshoots]

Grew up shooting single action revolvers and never fired a semi auto. My buddys all had glocks and fns which are fine guns in their own right, but when I tried them out they all had garbage triggers. Fast forward 10 or so years and after building an ar pistol with a very light match trigger, (timney iirc) a stranger at the range caught interest of it and wanted to fire it. A deal was struck, mag for mag, and he handed me a very finely tuned 1911 gold cup. Love at first trigger pull. The glass rod break, the crisp short reset, this was NOTHING like any other semi auto I had ever shot.

Long story short, I ended up selling almost all my revolvers except for a few, for 1911s.

 

[Spats McGee]

Welcome to THR and congratulations on an eye-opening experience. I always gravitate towards the mid-sized/compact pistols, especially for carry, but I do have a few full-sized. In fact, my first few pistols were all full-sized, and I then moved to the compact ones.

 

[HPCadm17]

Congrats on the awakening!

I've been carrying compact and full-size pistols for the past year simply because I shoot them better and have more confidence with them. I don't carry my M17, but do find it to be my most accurate 9mm. Enjoy!

 

[5-SHOTS]

Wow guys. I had no idea what I was missing out on, not owning any full sized handguns.

Since the day I turned 21 I've been shooting handguns. My very first handgun was a gen 1 XD subcompact, and every single handgun since then (mixtures of 9mm, 45, .357, .40 etc.) has been either ultra/sub compact or compact. Even my 1911 is the officer sized frame.

Even after shooting at one of my local indoor ranges that rents out every kind of gun you can imagine, I still had never fired a full sized pistol.

After owning the P320 xcarry, I decided to pick up the m17 full sized model 2 days ago. I immediately took it the the range and fed about 650 rds through it.

All I can say is that I wished somebody would have smacked some sense into me along time ago. Shooting a full sized frame+slide in 9mm is a different experience all together. I became quite proficient with mid sized 9mm like the 509 and G19. But shooting the m17 was like pressing the easy button in terms of accuracy and shootability. The gun was basically BEGGING to be double tapped. I fell in love instantly to say the least.

Anyone else had this experience? Or maybe even the opposite (full sized to sc)?

More or less same experience here. Started with snub revolvers and compact semiautos. Ended pretty much with all full size and target handguns in my collection. Only a S&W 36 (I've barely shot it) and a Walther P99 AS survive in my collection as small/compact handguns.
So much more fun at the range with full size dedicated pistols and revolvers in my experience. My hands thanked me the day I sold my snubs...

 

[Hartkopf]

I started off shooting a Ruger EC9s and got pretty good with it but I figured out I can conceal a full size pistol so full size Glocks are now my favorites.

 

[Armored farmer]

I had a similar...
I attended a combat pistol class with my ccw. Most had full size service guns and owb holsters. They had the advantage.

 

[jmohme]

My first carry handgun was a Glock 19.
I like it but later acquired a full sized G22 and have bought nothing but full sized handguns ever since.
I still have the 19 and will tuck it in my backpack as a backup sometimes, but even my EDC is a full size. I just have come to not care for smaller framed weapons.

 

[sparkyv]

ColoroadoSupersport, I'm not a big fan of compact handguns, but they do serve me well as CCW. I don't enjoy shooting them as they are difficult to shoot accurately well. I mainly shoot them to confirm functionality of the gun and the shooter. I truly enjoy shooting full sized handguns, both revolvers and semi-autos, and I agree with your comments on that SIG especially on the trigger. I have the base model in 40S&W and it is an excellent shooter. How'd your double taps do?

 

[GunnyUSMC]

The only guns I don’t care for are the ones that hurt to shoot. Most often those are single stack subcompact auto.
I like full size guns the best, but don’t limit myself to one type or brand.
Here are just a few of the autos that I enjoy shooting.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I became quite proficient with mid sized 9mm like the 509 and G19. But shooting the m17 was like pressing the easy button in terms of accuracy and shootability.

Now if you really want to have some fun, get an all steel 9mm pistol. Maybe something like this.

CZ Shadow 2

• Zaydok Allen
• Jul 14, 2019

Full sized guns are far more fun to shoot in my experience, in any cartridge. Enjoy that M17, and welcome to THR.

 

[Olon]

Little guns definitely magnify any issues in technique so it probably was great for you to have gained proficiency with them and then shoot a full sized. Not that technique isn't important with the big ones but the effects sure seem to be less severe!

 

[ATLDave]

It is very unfortunate that there is such a tendency in the shooting world for people to start with the most difficult-to-use equipment and only later get easier-to-use equipment. We generally don't start kids driving stick-shifts with racing clutches and no ABS or traction control. We generally don't teach kids to read with Herman Melville novels. We don't ask beginning golfers to play with forged blades and extra stiff shafts.

Yet it's completely common to see shooters take up pistol shooting by buying a "tactical" pistol in a self-defense cartridge, rather than a pistol with an easy trigger and great sights (or, better, an optical dot sight). And some make this even worse by going with compact guns, because they are planning to carry from the get-go. This seems insane to me, even though I did some of it myself... and I delayed/harmed my progression as a shooter for a long time with it.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Agree. I started out with a Ruger SP101 and full house 357’s just aren’t that fun from a gun that size.

However I had a relatively low income when I bought my first gun so of course I wanted “one gun to do everything”.

On the down side, it did not lead to very fast self defense skills. On the up side, it made me very used to a difficult trigger to master and to heavy recoil.

It’s bass ackwards, but it seems a logical, though ultimately terrible way to do things.

 

[ColoroadoSupersport]

Welcome to THR and congratulations on an eye-opening experience. I always gravitate towards the mid-sized/compact pistols, especially for carry, but I do have a few full-sized. In fact, my first few pistols were all full-sized, and I then moved to the compact ones.

Thank you! I have no plans of getting rid of my compacts/sub compacts especially for carry. But for range time and plinking I'm officially sold on full sized handguns!

More or less same experience here. Started with snub revolvers and compact semiautos. Ended pretty much with all full size and target handguns in my collection. Only a S&W 36 (I've barely shot it) and a Walther P99 AS survive in my collection as small/compact handguns.
So much more fun at the range with full size dedicated pistols and revolvers in my experience. My hands thanked me the day I sold my snubs...

I recently replaced my only dao snubbie for a 3" model with an exposed hammer, which depending on who you ask is still a snubbie. It's alot more friendly with .38 special, but those 158gr .357 loads still hurt! I'm strongly considering a 6" model in the near future.

ColoroadoSupersport, I truly enjoy shooting full sized handguns, both revolvers and semi-autos, and I agree with your comments on that SIG especially on the trigger. I have the base model in 40S&W and it is an excellent shooter. How'd your double taps do?

Double taps were perfect! The gun settled well and allowed for quick follow ups and double taps.

Most of that first range visit was my own way of breaking the gun in and rapid fire checking for any malfunctions. Ran flawlessly. Got a pretty good indication of accuracy, but will be following up on more of that this weekend.

 

[94045]

I grew up in an era when the options where full size 1911/Commander or S&W 39/59 (or the fabled Hi Power which was rare here). Pretty much all 5.5" height pistols.

A less than full-size was a .380 ACP like a Walther PPK.

The first pistol I fired was a High Standard and the first Centerfire was a Colt 1911A1.

The first compact pistol I owned was a Star PD .45 ACP.

 

[12Bravo20]

And the Star PD has quite a bit more felt recoil compared to a full size 1911 due to the PD's aluminum frame and compact size. I can even tell a difference when shooting my Sig P938 and then shooting my Star Firestar in 9mm.

 

[94045]

And the Star PD has quite a bit more felt recoil compared to a full size 1911 due to the PD's aluminum frame and compact size. I can even tell a difference when shooting my Sig P938 and then shooting my Star Firestar in 9mm.

It was definitely a step up from my LW Commander .38 Super and Combat Commander .45 ACP. It wasn't anywhere near as bad as a PPK (That pistol was apparently designed as a custom torture device for me).

 

[Jack B.]

Wonder what he'll say when he buy's himself a large frame revolver.

 

[94045]

Wonder what he'll say when he buy's himself a large frame revolver.

The only large frame I've ever owned was a S&W 29-2. I don't remember it being easier to shoot than my S&W 10-6 or DW 15-2. I didn't shoot Specials or Russians though. I will admit to an unrequited desire for a Ruger SRH Alaskan in .480 Ruger.

 

[Jack B.]

The only large frame I've ever owned was a S&W 29-2. I don't remember it being easier to shoot than my S&W 10-6 or DW 15-2. I didn't shoot Specials or Russians though. I will admit to an unrequited desire for a Ruger SRH Alaskan in .480 Ruger.

I'm with you on the .480 thing! Not an Alaskan but I still love it.

 

[5-SHOTS]

It is very unfortunate that there is such a tendency in the shooting world for people to start with the most difficult-to-use equipment and only later get easier-to-use equipment. We generally don't start kids driving stick-shifts with racing clutches and no ABS or traction control. We generally don't teach kids to read with Herman Melville novels. We don't ask beginning golfers to play with forged blades and extra stiff shafts.

Yet it's completely common to see shooters take up pistol shooting by buying a "tactical" pistol in a self-defense cartridge, rather than a pistol with an easy trigger and great sights (or, better, an optical dot sight). And some make this even worse by going with compact guns, because they are planning to carry from the get-go. This seems insane to me, even though I did some of it myself... and I delayed/harmed my progression as a shooter for a long time with it.

I learned shooting with snub revolvers using them as they were all DAO. I learned pretty fast helped by dry firing so it wasn't a frustrating experience for me at all. It was frustrating for my poor hands however...
.357 and even .38 can be very punishing from a snub.
I think the way I went helped alot my shooting with easier handguns.
However I don't know if I can recommend it for someone else...

 

[ATLDave]

I learned shooting with snub revolvers using them as they were all DAO. I learned pretty fast helped by dry firing so it wasn't a frustrating experience for me at all. It was frustrating for my poor hands however... .357 and even .38 can be punishing from a snub.

You're fortunate that you don't have a propensity towards blinking/flinching, then. Because a lot of shooters develop a blink-involved pre-ignition push from their early shooting of smaller guns or more powerful guns and never get past it.

 

[94045]

You're fortunate that you don't have a propensity towards blinking/flinching, then. Because a lot of shooters develop a blink-involved pre-ignition push from their early shooting of smaller guns or more powerful guns and never get past it.

Never had an issue with light single action or long double action. For some reason Glock Style triggers (Especially 9mm) still give me fits if I lose concentration and allow myself to blink.

Software programming can be complicated.

 

[5-SHOTS]

You're fortunate that you don't have a propensity towards blinking/flinching, then. Because a lot of shooters develop a blink-involved pre-ignition push from their early shooting of smaller guns or more powerful guns and never get past it.

I totally agree.
I cannot recommend the way I have followed to someone who is starting.