Those asking for advice on which handgun to carry or how to carry

Old Dog

Old Dog

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Joined
Aug 11, 2004
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on Puget Sound
Am I the only one here who is wondering why so many members lately are starting threads asking which of their handguns they should carry, or in what mode? I'm looking at join dates, and some of these folks have been on the forum for more than a minute.

We're not hanging around with the folks asking these questions, going to the range with them, training with them... We don't know their particular level of training, typical level of situational awareness, body type, level of fitness, capabilities, whatever... They aren't usually forthcoming with a lot of information about their backgrounds or how long they've been shooting or legally concealed carrying.

I got no idea what to tell someone I don't know, whose experience level I don't know, his shooting ability I don't know, when he asks if he should carry his S&W Shield/Ruger LCP Max/Taurus G3X/SIG P365/Glock 43X or his SIG P-320/Glock 19/S&W Model 66 snub/Kimber K6S/Ruger SP101, or whatever...

There's resources out there, people, there's quality training available throughout the country, talk to the folks at your gun club or range, make friends with some cops, I don't know, geez, but asking random people on the internet is not usually going to lead to good outcomes. Find someone to mentor you that you can trust. Take a training course. If you're totally new to the firearms scene, shooting and concealed carry arena, it's time to network, but in person.

Curmudgeon rant off.
 
Old Dog said:
Am I the only one here who is wondering why so many members lately are starting threads asking which of their handguns they should carry, or in what mode? I'm looking at join dates, and some of these folks have been on the forum for more than a minute.
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..........same goes for all those posts about "which gun should I get next?". Again, not newbies, not folks with little to no knowledge of firearms, because most of them post a half log page of info about each particular model they are interested in. Sometimes I think it's just vanity. Hey everybody.....I'm getting a new gun! Otherwise I just don't know why folks need to be convinced by others, that their choice is the best for them, even if it's by complete strangers.

For folks with little to no knowledge of firearms and new to the shooting sports, I get it. But for those that buy a gun every other week and still have to ask?
 
Old Dog said:
Am I the only one here who is wondering why so many members lately are starting threads asking which of their handguns they should carry, or in what mode? I'm looking at join dates, and some of these folks have been on the forum for more than a minute.
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Not saying this to be a smart a$$ but it's winter and this is an internet forum. This type of thing happens all over the interwebs when people are stuck inside.
 
Folks striking up conversation because they have nothing better to do is my guess. I would imagine some honestly want other opinions with direction on what to buy. Of course now days there are those who have a phone glued to their hand and cannot quit looking at it. I don't believe there are many of that type here...
 
In addition to the likely reasons mentioned already, most people want validation (even here in the "higher than average" independently-minded gun community) of their choice(s) and asking on a forum is a quick way to get it... or not.
 
Ever time I see something like that the thought pops into my mind, "How would I know"? I don't know you, don't have a clue about your physical condition, stout as a mule or weak as a kitten, age, tall and skinny, short and fat, or in between, hand size, or anything else. All I can offer is what worked for someone I know well or me which is not a large information base.

Face to face is different from on a internet page.
 
Old Dog said:
Am I the only one here who is wondering why so many members lately are starting threads asking which of their handguns they should carry, or in what mode? I'm looking at join dates, and some of these folks have been on the forum for more than a minute.
Click to expand...
IDK if you've noticed but certain parts of this forum go days without a new post.

I suspect that people are just trying to generate new content.
 
Old Dog said:
Am I the only one
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I noticed it as well and wondered the same.

I assume someone that has been around long enough to have read several threads is just looking for justification for another new gun over what has been working for them.

I'm being tempted by the Boberg/Bond "bullpup" but I know it won't do one whit better for me than the handgun I've trained with and carried for years. I just want it because it is a novel design. I'm not going to rationalize, it's "cool".
 
Old Dog said:
Am I the only one here who is wondering
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Obviously not.
There's several things all at once, like as not.

One is the 'golden age' of firearms we are within right now. There are so many handguns, in every imaginable caliber, and in every possible size and magazine dimension. Not to mention all the possible price ranges as well. And the enormous array of ammo, too.

With that many choices, it's easy to imagine that a person made an incorrect choice.

The fact that we humans have these instincts to form and adopt group characteristics/identity (even as we descry those and trumpet our own individuality).

So, there's a reflex to "do as others do," to "fit in," to "be one of the crowd." And, with, let's say, a thousand choices, a thousand to one chance of "being right." And, for many, so very many, buying that firearm and the ammo, and all the rest, are not "chump change." So, "getting this wrong" could have consequences.

Which is precisely the sort of thing that would lead to questions at the level (to put this unfairly) of "I need a car, which one if the best to get?"

And, yes, that's an unfair phrasing of it--yet, people ask that about buying cars every day, same as firearms.

Which suggests, to me, possibly only to me, that, there's nothing 'wrong' with our community asking the question. We are an information-hungry bunch, by and large. We want to be informed, that's why we are on an information-dense internet forum.
 
The Night Rider said:
IDK if you've noticed but certain parts of this forum go days without a new post.
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Yeah, between Monday and Fridays, the forum gets pretty slow sometimes.

CapnMac said:
Which suggests, to me, possibly only to me, that, there's nothing 'wrong' with our community asking the question.
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I didn't mean to imply that there was something "wrong" with folks asking questions such as this. And at least we know there are actual humans posing these questions rather than AI bots. Just seems as though this is becoming a more frequent thing.

Simply that I'm often surprised that some folks, many of whom seemingly have been in the firearms owning community for some time, pose these questions, often giving a huge number of choices, which then turns into the realm of purely subjective opinion and playing into each respondent's favorite gun. Then also often giving only two choices, which weirdly might be two vastly differing platforms.

Note that almost always one of the first respondents has to ask, "What purpose do you intend to use this for?" Then must come the follow-on questions.

I freely admit I often get sucked into these threads, and make no mistake, for many of us, we enjoy touting the virtues of our personal favorites or our personal style or mode of carry/usage. Just give us a lot more information, and maybe explain why you have to choose between a 6" Model 29 and an LCP.
 
Old Dog said:
I didn't mean to imply that there was something "wrong"
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And, "wrong" may be a poor choice of words on my part. Perhaps "startling" or "confusing" is a better fit.

I have to admit to feeling the same way about all these similar threads all popping up.

Which is why I have the supposition that, after learning about others' preferences, we might question our own. If "everyone else" has [thing] then "why don't we?"

But, I could be wrong. I've been wrong before.
 
I myself don't actually wonder, I just read such threads out of general interest and maybe to learn something new. After all is said and done I don't personally care all that much what someone chooses to carry, or more in line with this thread, why they ask. I do however subscribe to being safe and competent with whatever one chooses. Several people have given variants of that opinion and that's pretty much the best answer, according to me, anyway :)

After that, I figure secondary features of a personal nature apply.
 
Not completely on topic but struck me as I was reading - A few commonalities re: advice I see between here and my motorcycle forums:

1. What's the purpose of your shooting (riding)?
2. Hold it (sit on it) to see if it's even comfortable!
3. Training/practice is way more important than caliber (horsepower).

I do enjoy reading these types of threads because I like getting all (well, most all) the different thoughts and opinions out there and usually end up learning something new!
 
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I would imagine reasons would be all over the board. I read these forums because I am interested in the subject. I can't shoot every gun available so the opinions of others that have experience is interesting. Some don't have access to first hand information, others are curious what others think or may be trying to make up their mind. Or just making conversation. Or stirring the pot.
 
Old Dog said:
I don't know, geez, but asking random people on the internet is not usually going to lead to good outcomes. Find someone to mentor you that you can trust. Take a training course. If you're totally new to the firearms scene, shooting and concealed carry arena, it's time to network, but in person.
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Gotta get out of the easy chair and talk to real humans to do that man. Too much work. ;)
 
The reason I first joined in these types of forums is to gain knowledge and to get opinions from folks with more experience than me. Over the years I have gleaned more knowledge than I even could have on my own. That said, over the years I have noticed that there has been a deviation from real knowledge and experience to biased opinions and just repeating what someone else has previously said, without any type of confirmation. Having owned, used and dealt with firearms for over half a century, some of the things I have read here and on other forums is kinda scary. Especially in the hunting and reloading sub-forums. At one time, when someone asked "which gun should I get?", the answers were given with details of the weak and strong points and the pros and cons of said firearms. Nowadays, it seems the general response is "Get one like Mine!", regardless of how it would apply to the author and their scenario. So not only is the author of the thread seeking some form of confirmation on their choice, but so are those responding. The best examples are the caliber and gun makers wars.

Hopefully those who post these kinds of questions, can sort thru the bias and the misinformation and get the answers they are really looking for. Hopefully, the bulk of their information will be from those who still have real knowledge and experience, and not just those repeating what they thought they read.
 
Many many times on this forum and others as well where a question is asked without including information relevant to the question. It is not just "which gun" questions. Quite often responders have to ask additional questions to get enough info to answer appropriately. You can see this going on in forums on all sorts of subjects. It is just a fact of forum life that often people don't think through how they present their question. Sometimes they may be assuming that knowledgeable forum members will intuit the rest of the info.
 
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Old Dog said:
Find someone to mentor you that you can trust. Take a training course.
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Yet even they won’t have experience with every single firearm available and are subject to the same biases that we are.
Ive got 40yrs + shooting but there are a number of guns I have zero experience with nor does any of my friends/mentors. So why not ask the thousands of members here? Yeah I know every suggestion comes with a grain of salt.
i.e. I am interested in a Rohrbaugh but in all my years I only know of one person, that happens to be on this forum, that EDC's one. So it would be remiss if I didn't ask here.
That said I am more of a 1st hand experience type of person. Buy it, try it and sell it if it doesnt work out.
 
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