My carry conundrum

[sb350hp]

I am just the average Joe with no formal defensive training whatsoever. However I know my why around a handgun. My concern is what I like and what I should carry. I love the 1911's, the fit, feel, SAO trigger pull and currently own one. I practice regularly and can off hand repeatedly put 8 into 2" groups. I also have had (sold it) a SA/DA auto also was comfy (not 1911) and I have ol'fashioned wheelies.

One can never predict how he will react in an emergency exactally. Is a manual safety going to be a problem? My concern is do I need a point and shoot glock,XD, or revolver?

Has anyone had an experience under pressure when a point and shoot would have been a better choice?

 

[mljdeckard]

You are about to be bombarded.

I am one of those who says, "Carry what you shoot best, concerns of comfort, or pretty much anything else is secondary." I squrim, especially when people think they must have a smaller framed handgun because it's for carry.

I have carried a lot of different guns. I have never had to fire one in anger. But after going through a variety of autos and action styles, my 1911 feels the most intuitive. If you practice CORRECTLY with the 1911, not only will you be just fine if you have to pull it, there are also documented cases of people who have had their lives saved when the attacker got the gun away from them and coultn't figure out that the gun was on safe.

CARRY WHAT YOU SHOOT BEST. Good hits are the most important thing. All else is secondary.

 

[ozwyn]

+1 to mljdeckard. if you practice a lot and shoot well with a particular handgun, that's the one to use. Particularly if you are practicing disengaging the safety before shooting as if you were carrying.

 

[sb350hp]

Let me add? Any suggestion on at home training techniques?

Currently I have a 1911 replica airsoft gas gun (same size as my carry). I practice snap shooting, weak hand, off balance, etc. But I do not always go after a sight picture "is that wrong". Just point and shoot as if in a big hurry.

 

[springmom]

I practice regularly and can off hand repeatedly put 8 into 2" groups.

Any suggestion on at home training techniques?

Keep doing what you're doing because what you're doing is working????

Springmom

 

[James T Thomas]

average happenings

Which ever you choose, it would provide you with a last moment crisis if you carry your semi autos in one instance, and the revolvers at another time.
You may find yourself frantically trying to realize which action you have in your hand in a split second. So, I would recommend deciding on only one and carry it regularly. I know, that sounds ridiculous, but it is so.

Drawing in "anger" that is mentioned is one thing. Then drawing in fear for your life or the life of a loved one is another. A safety mechanism can be cause for a fraction of a second hesitation that you may not be able to afford.

The combat veterans that I knew, would have their safeties engaged when moving on foot, but would disengage them at any sign of danger. You should do something similar. Police officers are trained to do so. Of course the men who were "on point;" that is, in the front of a file of men, had their safeties off at that time.

So, like you read all the time here on THR, stay alert as well as you can.
Especially so at the moments when things least seem to present danger.

Your skill is good, however, remember when doing such practice, do not assume a stationary stance; immobile, and score your eight hits.
You may be conditioning yourself for a stand there and shoot it out reflex response!

 

[Neophyte1]

thoughtful

sb350hp: Sir; you have answered your own question You are comfortable; practiced, thoughtful. Sir; it's not the gun; it's the holder. xyz may fit you better than mine.

 

[GunNut]

You'll be fine, just keep practicing with your carry gun.

 

[Ala Dan]

I totally agree with the "Carry What YOU Shoot The Best" theory~!

Not every handgun works for all persons 100% of the time; please rest
assured of that. As a matter of fact, in some instances what works for
one today; may not work for that very same person tomorrow, unless
they train regularly to be the best they can be~!

With that said, what has worked for me in the past is a DA/SA West
German .45 caliber SIG-SAUER P220A and "wheel guns". I'm now get'in
reacquainted with the 1911; after many years of absence. I guess that
is because my old department got to where they frowned on the 1911,
or single action sidearms of any type.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Originally posted by sb350hp:
I love the 1911's, the fit, feel, SAO trigger pull and currently own one. I practice regularly and can off hand repeatedly put 8 into 2" groups.

Why change what seems to be working?

The saying "You fight like you train" has much validity. If you practice enough to reflexively ingrain (i.e., do it without thinking about it) the operation of the safety, you will probably not have any trouble disengaging it in a self-defense situation, or re-engaging it when you wish to stop shooting.

Jim Cirillo, in his book Guns, Bullets and Gunfights, wrote that the officers who competed or hunted with handguns did better in gunfights than those who did not. Neither can duplicate the mental stresses of a gunfight, but they introduce an element of pressure that can approximate it.

 

[GRIZ22]

I totally agree with the "Carry What YOU Shoot The Best" theory~!

+1 on that. I also believe you can learn to shoot well with any handgun if you want to work on it. It may not "feel" right but you can learn to shoot well with anything.

Carry what you'ree comfortable with.

 

[FieroCDSP]

With the miriad of holsters availiable today, there is no reason (short of being a rail-thin frame) that you shouldn't be able to conceal a 1911. If you shoot best with it, carry it. If you want to be able to carry a different one on occasion, practice with it until you are comfortable enough to carry it.

 

[Landric]

I too would reccomend some kind of competive shooting. Not the same kind of stress as being in a real gunfight, but it does get one used to shooting under pressure, at moving targets, while moving, etc. It is also quite a bit of fun.

 

[scurtis_34471]

One of the reasons I like DAO (or striker-fired SAO ala XD) guns for carry is that there is no safety to mess with or any difference in trigger pull from shot to shot. The operation of the weapon is simple and completely consistent.

 

[Whirlwind06]

What about the BUG?

I agree and understand that your carry gun(s) should have the same manual of arms. But it seems like a lot people that carry BUGS are carrying some kind of DOA handgun. Either a revolver or a Khar/ Kel-tec type pistol.

Would there not be a potential problem?

 

[mljdeckard]

The whole idea od a BUG is that the s has gone through the fan twice now, and you are in even more trouble.

I do not at this time carry a BUG, but if I did, it would probably be a sub-compact Glock. I do agree that by the time you get to this play in the game, simplicity is a good thing.

I carry a 1911, and I see options like the EMP or the HAWG 9, and they might be great, but there's a part of me that feels queasy about miniturizing so many parts and expecting them to function flawlessly when it's the most important.

 

[joffe]

FieroCDSP, the 1911 is just as much an advantage for us cardboard-shaped folks. The polymer bricks stick out way more than the thin 1911.

 

[Werewolf]

Has anyone had an experience under pressure when a point and shoot would have been a better choice?

If by point and shoot you mean not using the sights and using the point shooting technique the answer, according to Gabe Suarez (LA police officer involved in a number of shootings), in his book, Tactical Marksmanship, is not only no - but HELL NO!

 

[Nix]

well just remember, if you forget to take off the safety on the 1911... at least its an all metal frame and you have a rather effective brick... i can see it now.

"president hillary and first bitch bill are going around the country today in an attempt to get more support for passing of the beavertail ban on popular handguns after a gun toting lunatic gauged out a young african american mans eyes after he mistook the lunatics house for his own and was simply trying to gather some of his electronics to sell for money to donate to charity. The lunatic attacked him with the gun and has caused permanent damage. No criminal charges have been brought against this lunatic but we are all hoping"

 

[possum]

Has anyone had an experience under pressure when a point and shoot would have been a better choice?

not with a handgun but while in iraq the manual safety on my m4 has never slowed me down when i needed to bring it into the fight.

with that being said i prefer draw and shoot and not having to worry about a manual safety on a handgun for many reasons. one the best safety you have is between your ears, 2 that is just more for the gun to get caught on in a draw situation, will it happen maybe not but i am sure that ya'll are familiar with pvt. murphy! and he will be there at the worst possible time.