New NY CC license-purchase suggestions?

[sbwaters]

My son just got his concealed carry permit in NY and is considering what to buy. His wants:
1. Hunting/hiking sidearm
2. Home defense
3. Carry

He was thinking about a .45 for northern NYS woods (there are bear there) and a 9MM for home and practice. A friend is looking at Sigs and XDm.

I was thinking 9MM for both needs because 9MM would be sufficient for most needs and lighter to carry while hiking. Perhaps a polymer.

For defense, I have a 9MM XDs for home and an 9MM Ruger LC9S that I like to carry. A Sig 320 is an interesting animal.

I have advised him to read reviews, visit shops and ranges, and hold and shoot anything before buying. [I discovered that when Glocks just didn’t work for me bu CZs did. The reverse might be the case for him.]

What would you recommend for the three desires?

 

[Starter52]

Any good single stack 9mm would be ideal IMO.
The CZ is a great place to start.

A bear gun? Seriously? In NYS?

Your son is more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a bear in NY.

 

[dh1633pm]

Plenty of black bear just to the North of Central New York. They occasionally make their way more south. Seen them many times in the woods, they aren't too aggressive, unless you find a mommy. The Adirondack park is about 6.1 Million acres. The largest park in the US and bigger than the state of MA. And yes there are bear and an occasional Moose.

 

[stu1ritter]

Does he live in a house or an apartment?

Stu

 

[Speedo66]

Does he live in a house or an apartment?

Stu

Seems like it would take a mighty big gun to make that pertinent. lol

In response to the OP, a Glock 26 would seem to cover all bases. Original magazine to carry, a higher count mag to keep in the house. Oops, sorry, no higher cap mags in NY, seriously, forgot. In that case, a single stack smaller Glock

 

[heyjoe]

i have a Glock 26 since 1994, and would go with that for starters. If he is worried about bear or moose then add a glock 29.

 

[stu1ritter]

Speedo66, a 9mm will penetrate an apartment wall with ease. .380's will go through. In an apartment environment, you could have people 3 feet away separated by a single wall. Caliber is a major concern when living in an apartment house.

Stu

 

[toivo]

SIG P320 with a caliber exchange kit. Get it in 9mm subcompact for carry, add the .40 or .357 SIG kit in compact for hiking and home defense.

 

[herrwalther]

A bear gun? Seriously? In NYS?

Your son is more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a bear in NY.

Ever been hiking for days through the Adirondack mountains? I have. Seen plenty of black bear. Mostly skittish but why take the chance the bear are more afraid. Might as well carry something.

A quality .357Mag revolver with a 3" barrel is a good all round firearm for carry, hiking etc. And well in compliance with the NY (UN)SAFE act that restricts magazine size.

 

[bannockburn]

sbwaters

I like toivo's suggestion of the multi-caliber P320 platform (the P320 Nitron Carry would make for a good choice), provided of course it feels and handles okay to your son. It's NY State compliant and gives him the choice of not only different size grip modules but also the ability to switch between 9mm., .357 SIG, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP; all with the same gun.

 

[toivo]

sbwaters

I like toivo's suggestion of the multi-caliber P320 platform (the P320 Nitron Carry would make for a good choice), provided of course it feels and handles okay to your son. It's NY State compliant and gives him the choice of not only different size grip modules but also the ability to switch between 9mm., .357 SIG, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP; all with the same gun.

Unfortunately, the .45 ACP doesn't interchange with the others. The .45 fire-control module (trigger group, subchassis, etc.) is dimensionally different. You can get the .45 module and change grip frames -- subcompact, compact, carry, full -- but you can't change calibers. That only works between 9mm, .357 SIG, and .40 S&W.

 

[toivo]

Ever been hiking for days through the Adirondack mountains? I have. Seen plenty of black bear. Mostly skittish but why take the chance the bear are more afraid. Might as well carry something.

See linked story below -- and this wasn't even the Adirondacks. It was the Catskills, about 70 miles from NY City.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/20/n...tches-infant-from-stroller-and-kills-her.html

 

[bannockburn]

toivo

Bit of a bummer on that. I thought they were all available in one system. Would probably suggest going with the 9mm./.357 SIG/.40 S&W module (pretty versatile line-up at that), and then maybe add a .45 once you're familiar with the gun.

 

[beag_nut]

GP100, and SP101. Same cartridge for both.

 

[herrwalther]

See linked story below -- and this wasn't even the Adirondacks. It was the Catskills, about 70 miles from NY City.

I never hiked that far south. No surprise to me since bears usually don't care about what mountain range they wander through. Black bear are normally skittish unless a food source or young are threatened.

 

[zb338]

Either last year or the year before a fellow was killed by a bear in New Jersey! Yes, New Jersey.
It was the first man to be killed by a bear in something like 100 years. Every now and then people
are attacked by bears in Pennsylvania. Why not New York?
Zeke

 

[sbwaters]

Stu -- a house, not an apartment.

Thnx to all. I’ll come back when decisions are made - one, two, or three guns.