lucky-gunner
Sorry, Glocks did not make my cut. I’m sure they are a fine solution. XDm and M&P as well were not a Goldilocks situation. Albeit the SW was not terribly far off.
The P345 was/is a Goldilocks feel.
1911s were my starting point. Only carry or Officer models fit tightly however… and I felt a full size or closer to a full size a better path.
At $490 done & done for NIB, I felt pretty OK with doing the Ruger. I later opted for the Stainless Steel slide up top for $30 more.
David E
"a gun you'll shoot "almost not at all?"
…at somebody? With any luck at all,nope!
I do not feel guns should be anyone’s first response plan of action. They should be the last plan for action instead.
Do you think your skills will magically materialize in the middle of a life and death situation lasting only seconds?
Magically?
No. they will from experience and training, which I have loads of but am somewhat removed from it by time… see below please. This will change now.
You would've been better off just buying pepper spray.
Alrighty then! Thanks for the considered opinion.
Where my life may be put in jeopardy or actually is on the line, I’ll make my own picks of what I’ll use to try to overcome the prevailing winds. … you can mist the air with peppers in your own house though. From your account, it seems as a worthwhile deterrent.
But in this case, let's do remember, it’s my party so I’m picking both the playground and the playthings.
However, I do apologize for not choosing my words more carefully. I’m hoping never to “HAVE” to be FORCED to shoot the guns. Period.
Rather, to shoot when I WANT to shoot. Not because I HAVE to, or am being forced to shoot.
This isn’t my first rodeo with guns. It has just been a while, that’s all.
But yeah, I do think my former training and nearly ten years of military watch & patrol duties will come right back to me, shortly after a bit of range time and a few in house drills now and then.
They seem to be returning already to some degree.
For me this is like going out to buy a new car after not having driven for 10, 15 or 20 years. I once went a year and change without driving a car. Got right in and in minutes was on my way!
Went 10 years or longer from riding a motorcycle. Got on and in just a few blocks was right back comfortably ‘in the saddle’ again.
Went nearly 20 years in between riding horses. Uh, yeah…. Same scenario. Moments later and all was well again.
Some things… we do with great frequency. Stop. Then much later return to them, aren’t wiped from our memory. Shortly upon our reentry to the vehicle, we’re back on track. Naturally, proficiency comes with and increases from repetition.
I might take a refresher course too, soon enough, or not. Not unless it’s one on one. No group courses.
My primary concern now is quick and steady target acquisition. Predominately my 930 SPX 12 ga. Shotgun will be the preferred weapon. it's mag has been extended so it's capacity for 3 inch '0' shot has too.
The P 345 will be the choice if I’m in another part of the house than usual, or getting the SPX is more a trip than is getting the 345.
I'm OK with either.
Secondarily, a concern rests with the P345, is it’s trigger pull on the first shot. It’s long. Not bad, but long. Jerking or pushing is gonna send me off my spot, so I’ll have to iron that out. Maybe some smithing is going to be involved.
The grip, and breathing and stance will reappear quickly. They always have before upon returning to firearm use..
for a better perspective on what I face now, next time you are faced with some immediate threat… close one eye shut, and the other one almost entirely, then proceed…. that’s what I’m faced with. Some folks might have some real issues keeping their cool under those conditions…. Not being able to vividly realize the suspect.
I’m definitely not trying to impress anyone here, nor am I trying to drill a whole clip into the space of a shirt button, I’m not taking on drug lords or trained soldiers. I’m not looking to become a mercenary either. I don’t live in a really bad neighborhood. I feel my exp in recent weeks is a re-education or re-assessment of our common social dynamic, and our law enforcement associations, and our own local political infrastructure. Each of which is either decaying, hamstrung, or apathetic and lethargic in their actions and responses.
Of late, 12 – 15 min has been the usual response time from the Deputies.
That alone prompted me to regain some firepower. Nothing else… well OK… I hate waiting too.
There’s been a rash of idiots mostly young people and rock stars looking for an easy mark around here lately. Obviously they figured I was one. …and I was, for a while. But no longer.
Everytime I’ve had a gun on or at my nose, forehead, or temple, or ribs, and I’ve had one in each place and a couple more in other spots, so far in my lifetime. I’ve lived to tell the tale. A couple times I had a pistol nearby but never reached for it. Some were held by pros, other’s by fools.
Guns v guns isn’t always the best tact for overcoming some situations. Sometimes brains can overcome a gunman. Sometimes it’s simpler than that.
Luck AND one’s experiences play significant parts in how we travel thru life, and for how long. I’m not sure now, were I to have a gun on me and one pointed at my head that I would pull my gun and try to get off a shot before my assailant could squeeze off one first.. in fact I would not make such an attempt..
Rather, I’d try to manage, temper, or reverse the situation. Then, control the weapon pointed at me. Depending on it’s proximity of course. Probably try and redirect it, Control it and acquire it.
Or sufficiently misdirect it so I can use my own…. It’s never a simple situation until the situation is over…. And we must not over simplify any situation.
Sometimes it’s way simple. Just comply. Doing just that kept me breathing at least 3 or 4 other times in my life.
It was taking control by Taking action which resolved other’s for me... and no shots were fired then.
If 3 or 4 230 grain slugs won’t stop a bad guy I’ll be shocked, and he’ll get 4 more before I drop the mag and send hone ; another one… and all of that will happen if he/she/them don’t follow my orders first…. Provided the 345 finds my hand before the shotgun does, of course.
Being forced to shoot to kill is the VERY LAST THING ANYONE EVER WANTS TO DO…. Or it should be that way.
.0
It ain’t like the movies. You dot someone’s center of mass or upper body/thorax with 2, 3 or more holes in 45 cal ACP. They’ll fall down right there. Likely die in seconds if not immediately, and then they’ll stay right there… for hours. For me, 2 usually does it.
You’ll be in shock, and near deaf. The ringing in your ears will provide for a back drop to your own up front and personal extra real experience. Blood will keep draining out of the body onto your flooring… or carpeting. And you will look at them over and over again. Some hours later after they remove the body, you get to do the clean up.
Perhaps weeks or months will go by before you discover the hole in between the cabinets a missed shot loged into… and that will set the stage and lift the curtain on your past event all over again. Vividly and intensely.
You’ll remember that body. See that face time and time again. You’ll recall too doing all that cleaning up or cutting out a big hole in the carpeting. Even redoing the flooring in a completely different fashion won’t erase that time from your own memory.
That’s if you live alone. If family is about, they’re gonna wake up and come to see what’s wrong, eventually…. Or they’ll see the left overs.
These things touch people differently. Sometimes deeply. Sometimes for the remainder of their lives.
Fewer and fewer threads put this portion … the aftermath into as bright a light as they do the selection process, the ballistics of the ammo… the how to hold it… how many rounds is the capacity… how to keep one running…. How to Sell or trade in an older one for a newer one. I don’t often see posts regarding the aftermath… just all the hoopla focused on acquiring guns. Shooting guns. . But not on the actual aftermath. The fall out. The stress which lingers, and can be as debilitating as being shot yourself, can be.
No one talks about that part much. It’s too bad. They should.
Such situations can work a person. Become a real problem later on. Even if it doesn’t induce PTSD, short or long term, it’ll sure change you. Even when you are 100% in the legal right thing to do, shoes. It’ll stick to your ribs better than a bowl of hot oatmeal & raisins on a January morning.
I’ve done everything I can so I don’t have to deal with that worst case scenario… with any luck at all.
I’ll also do everything I can so if a worse case scenario occurs, I’ll be able to do that part too without trepidation, or hesitation. You just seem to go into automatic mode, just like when you provide someone in a very bad accident first aid. Training just takes over as the event unfolds. You ruminate over it later but remain detached just then.
I was a first case responder in several occupations. Extreme situations were routine for me for a long period of my life.
So yes… I suspect things will fall back into place for me readily. Especially if I’m comfortable with the weapon (s) I’m using, and I’m quite OK with whatever weapon I brought on board.
Range time is important. I get that. But experience and training is too. Probably as key an element is the mind set when you realize you are about to undertake dire circumstances, and allow your mind and body to respond according to your history. Your training. Your experience. You’ll act faster if you’re not having to think. If emotions aren’t clouding the issue. If fear is a thing you are in control of going in. Fear’s always there to some extent…. But you have to overcome it and live with it in those instances… not IN it.
I’ve established perimeter alarms and with some redundancy in key areas outside my home. So I know now in advance of someone breeching my home’s integrity… and where that breech will likely occur. Cameras will soon eliminate any guess work there…. Or serve for I.D. purposes afterward.
I’ve covered or will cover every base I can think of so lethal force is not deployed.
If however it must be then it must be. I’m very matter of fact on this topic, and the actions needed either way.
Do everything you can to avoid use of leathal force which you are able to do, first. If you can avoid pulling the trigger, I assure you, you’ll be glad you did….
Twice now since my exterior floods were brought online, I’ve heard late night possible occasions for a bad time got circumvented. I believe one event I was quicker to check out showed me the floods were still on… and they are set for a given period of operation. So they were triggered and just moments earlier. Funny how light moves people off.
Sorry about the verbage and length. I feel it’s necessary to clarify as best one can the important things… and the importance here can hold lives in the balance… which is kind of important IMHO.
I’m quite looking forward to doing some major plinking with both the SPX & P 345 in the upcoming days. Both are now outfitted with 200 and 190 lumen lights respectively, so even in daylight I can see that spotlight!
People who look forward to using their guns scare me out of my wits… and they’ve probably never had to use a gun to stop anyone. If they have, and they still have a ‘fix things with guns first’, attitude well then I’m petrified of those people. Those zealots who’ll cry “…from my cold dead fingers” or ‘it’s my constitutional rights’, etc. Hoo boy.
They concern me as much as do these idiots that have been trying to enter where they 1`shouldn’t ought to go Both groups seem to have set aside thinking things all the way thru… or have devalued tremendously, perhaps our most critical asset, human life.
I do not feel guns should be anyone’s first response plan of action. They should be the last plan for action instead.
