karz10
Member
Been readin' lots on here and elsewhere, company sites, dealer sites, went to a couple stores and ranges so far...
* Focusing on 9 MM, w/ right ammo ok for SD/HD, ammo cheaper so can shoot more for practice/fun.
* Main reason buying to protect self and family, but like guns. Main reason for initial gun purchase was for home protection, w/ occasional carry or car for travel.
* Thought possibly may want to carry more once I had gotten used to having a gun around, in which case if I shot a std size gun very well, keep it at home, and later get a compact version of same gun for carry or car, so action / muscle memory would be same under pressure.
* Now wondering if I could get a compact that would shoot well enough to be only handgun, and possibly get a second identical gun later, to have exact same defense gun in more than one location, or possibly have both on me if the SRHTF.
* Regarding those scenarios, on the HD handgun, I would like rails (which the 26 doesn't have, but may be a way around that) to have at minimum a tac light to search/aim/shoot if necessary in dark if power out etc., possibly ad laser for fun or if felt needed later, but may not need rails for that on glock since has handgrip version, but makes the Kahr more of a dedicated carry, less versatile for me personally.
Testing 3 distances on each gun, aimed slow fire to body, then 5 quick rounds to head of target, to compare each gun fairly. So far I shot a:
S&W SVE 9 MM: ok, mixed reviews, price is right heavy trigger, made me shoot lower than intended, could be adjusted (way I shoot it), but my thinking for avg shooter, I should have something w/ no learning curve to be accurate in defense situation out of the gate. (prob ruled this one out, based on below, but just telling you everything I shot so far)
S&W M&P 9 MM: Better than the SVE, felt great in hand, shot well, like the grips, good left or right, mags from M&P also fit the C compact model, if I had both. Couldn't find a place yet here that had a C for me to shoot, but the C feels good for a compact in my hand, esp w/ the pinky extension on the mag
Glock 19: I guess the newer ones have a better grip now (for me), not quite as good for me as S&W, but felt ok, surprisingly shot a little better than the M&P for me, while overall, I only got one or two out of ten rounds outside the glock circle when shooting the M&P, the difference was that w/ the Glock it was much more consistent, on a few occasions I shot bullets through or overlapping other bullet holes I just shot, from 13-25 yards. Overall, I just had tighter groups w/ the Glock, and this was first time I shot the Glock, whereas I shot the M&P at diff range the other day, and shot it for the second time today. This was w/ taking my time to aim each shot from two distances to the body, then rapid fire 5 rounds to the head at short distance, all hit target centerline, whereas a strayed one shot w/ the M&P.
Glock 26: While the grip of any compact feels a little funny compared to either of the above, this gun seemed reasonably stable in my hand for a compact (again, I'm familiar w/ guns and like them, but not a long time shooter). Accuracy was pretty good, probably comparable to the M&P for me.
Things I wish I could have shot:
S&W M&P 9C: Again, held in hand, feels a little better to me than the G26, just like the M&P std feels a little better than the G19, but since I shot the G26 well, wonder how I would shoot this M&P Compact. Things that make you go hmmmm...
Kahr CW 9: dealer said it's just like the P9, but has less finishing details = less cost (quoted $425 or someting), has nice bevel on barrel for easier holstering. I was telling them about my plan w/ the Std & Compact combo of same gun, but wondered if I would be just as happy w/ one Compact and they recommended I look at the Kahr, as they were carrying them in the store, since they have to carry all day, they liked the size. It felt good in my hand, but the rental was checked out, and I had to leave, maybe I could go back and shoot it. The narrow flat size does seem to promote itself as an assett if planning to CCW, but I have done zero research on this gun so far...
- So.... w/out having a war about it, any unique features I should be considering of these, or other similar guns?
- A Glock owner overhead my conv in there, he said get the 19 or the 26, they also can use same mag, and he claimed was only gun of that cal./size that had a 30 rnd mag avialable for it (I guess in case any zombie attacks, but it was interesting to hear that) Confirmation anyone?
- Any ageements, disagreements w/ any of my logic for either scenario above (std + compact or two identical compacts, etc.) Or if not going that route, going w/ a Kahr or other brand.
- Aside from the Kahr ($425), I see many of the above guns see these priced between $480-$680 depending on base pkg, adding night sites or tac light, etc., any idea what I should be paying for the above guns? Should I used Bud's or TheGunSource etc., as a price guide?
- If I pick one, should I buy from a dealer here, or wait and try to catch a deal at one of 2 gun shows coming this month? (next weekend and following weekend)
P.S. I live on border of NC/SC, lic says SC, but most of my dealers are on NC side, more competition there, but have to pay to transfer, so if I save $35 dollars on price buying in NC, prob have to pay $35 in shipping and transfer charges, so have to save prob at least $50+ over the SC dealers in order to justify (for handgun, long guns can buy no prob either state). Based on list prices, the NC dealers are cheaper, sometimes as much as $50+, but don't know if the SC guys will deal at all, haven't asked until I know what I want first.
Thanks for your help...
Karz
* Focusing on 9 MM, w/ right ammo ok for SD/HD, ammo cheaper so can shoot more for practice/fun.
* Main reason buying to protect self and family, but like guns. Main reason for initial gun purchase was for home protection, w/ occasional carry or car for travel.
* Thought possibly may want to carry more once I had gotten used to having a gun around, in which case if I shot a std size gun very well, keep it at home, and later get a compact version of same gun for carry or car, so action / muscle memory would be same under pressure.
* Now wondering if I could get a compact that would shoot well enough to be only handgun, and possibly get a second identical gun later, to have exact same defense gun in more than one location, or possibly have both on me if the SRHTF.
* Regarding those scenarios, on the HD handgun, I would like rails (which the 26 doesn't have, but may be a way around that) to have at minimum a tac light to search/aim/shoot if necessary in dark if power out etc., possibly ad laser for fun or if felt needed later, but may not need rails for that on glock since has handgrip version, but makes the Kahr more of a dedicated carry, less versatile for me personally.
Testing 3 distances on each gun, aimed slow fire to body, then 5 quick rounds to head of target, to compare each gun fairly. So far I shot a:
S&W SVE 9 MM: ok, mixed reviews, price is right heavy trigger, made me shoot lower than intended, could be adjusted (way I shoot it), but my thinking for avg shooter, I should have something w/ no learning curve to be accurate in defense situation out of the gate. (prob ruled this one out, based on below, but just telling you everything I shot so far)
S&W M&P 9 MM: Better than the SVE, felt great in hand, shot well, like the grips, good left or right, mags from M&P also fit the C compact model, if I had both. Couldn't find a place yet here that had a C for me to shoot, but the C feels good for a compact in my hand, esp w/ the pinky extension on the mag
Glock 19: I guess the newer ones have a better grip now (for me), not quite as good for me as S&W, but felt ok, surprisingly shot a little better than the M&P for me, while overall, I only got one or two out of ten rounds outside the glock circle when shooting the M&P, the difference was that w/ the Glock it was much more consistent, on a few occasions I shot bullets through or overlapping other bullet holes I just shot, from 13-25 yards. Overall, I just had tighter groups w/ the Glock, and this was first time I shot the Glock, whereas I shot the M&P at diff range the other day, and shot it for the second time today. This was w/ taking my time to aim each shot from two distances to the body, then rapid fire 5 rounds to the head at short distance, all hit target centerline, whereas a strayed one shot w/ the M&P.
Glock 26: While the grip of any compact feels a little funny compared to either of the above, this gun seemed reasonably stable in my hand for a compact (again, I'm familiar w/ guns and like them, but not a long time shooter). Accuracy was pretty good, probably comparable to the M&P for me.
Things I wish I could have shot:
S&W M&P 9C: Again, held in hand, feels a little better to me than the G26, just like the M&P std feels a little better than the G19, but since I shot the G26 well, wonder how I would shoot this M&P Compact. Things that make you go hmmmm...
Kahr CW 9: dealer said it's just like the P9, but has less finishing details = less cost (quoted $425 or someting), has nice bevel on barrel for easier holstering. I was telling them about my plan w/ the Std & Compact combo of same gun, but wondered if I would be just as happy w/ one Compact and they recommended I look at the Kahr, as they were carrying them in the store, since they have to carry all day, they liked the size. It felt good in my hand, but the rental was checked out, and I had to leave, maybe I could go back and shoot it. The narrow flat size does seem to promote itself as an assett if planning to CCW, but I have done zero research on this gun so far...
- So.... w/out having a war about it, any unique features I should be considering of these, or other similar guns?
- A Glock owner overhead my conv in there, he said get the 19 or the 26, they also can use same mag, and he claimed was only gun of that cal./size that had a 30 rnd mag avialable for it (I guess in case any zombie attacks, but it was interesting to hear that) Confirmation anyone?
- Any ageements, disagreements w/ any of my logic for either scenario above (std + compact or two identical compacts, etc.) Or if not going that route, going w/ a Kahr or other brand.
- Aside from the Kahr ($425), I see many of the above guns see these priced between $480-$680 depending on base pkg, adding night sites or tac light, etc., any idea what I should be paying for the above guns? Should I used Bud's or TheGunSource etc., as a price guide?
- If I pick one, should I buy from a dealer here, or wait and try to catch a deal at one of 2 gun shows coming this month? (next weekend and following weekend)
P.S. I live on border of NC/SC, lic says SC, but most of my dealers are on NC side, more competition there, but have to pay to transfer, so if I save $35 dollars on price buying in NC, prob have to pay $35 in shipping and transfer charges, so have to save prob at least $50+ over the SC dealers in order to justify (for handgun, long guns can buy no prob either state). Based on list prices, the NC dealers are cheaper, sometimes as much as $50+, but don't know if the SC guys will deal at all, haven't asked until I know what I want first.
Thanks for your help...
Karz
