9mm or 45cal

[John in Covina]

I have a 3" Sp101 in 357 - it is a nice handgun. i have shot the 3" with 357 and 38.

 

[Renault]

A revolver can lock up when the cylinder is rotating.

Yup, on the rare occasion they sure can! See the ejector rod shrould on this? Know what it's for?

Crackin' skulls........

 

[SGT Rocket]

^^^^ Crackin' skulls. I love it!

 

[Renault]

Or clavicles.......... Whatever...........

I'm too old skool. I know, for the most part, they are quality. But I just don't care for plastic, stainless, or black firearms. Nuthin' against them what do. Just ain't my thing...... Never could figure out why folks need a tactical cheese grater on their gun??????

 

[mdove]

Go with the .45. If he sees it and knows what it is you probably will not have to use it. Sometimes scaring the crap out of them is just as effective as shooting the crap out them. Besides, if you scare 'em crap is easier to clean up than blood.

 

[Johnnysan]

I'm too old skool. I know, for the most part, they are quality. But I just don't care for plastic, stainless, or black firearms. Nuthin' against them what do. Just ain't my thing...... Never could figure out why folks need a tactical cheese grater on their gun??????

Me too...BTW, what is the model number of that S&W. I want one...just like that!

 

[1961MJS]

Go with the .45. If he sees it and knows what it is you probably will not have to use it. Sometimes scaring the crap out of them is just as effective as shooting the crap out them. Besides, if you scare 'em crap is easier to clean up than blood.

Hi

Check your local laws, but in general pulling the gun and not shooting is called brandishing and is actually illegal. I was NEVER sure about the logic here...

Later

 

[Renault]

Me too...BTW, what is the model number of that S&W. I want one...just like that!

One of the new Heritage edition Smiths. Model 22 in .45 ACP. I scored about 400 rds of .45 Auto Rim at the same time!

 

[Johnnysan]

WOW...beautiful revolver, Renault. I've also seen the Thunder Ranch version of the Model 22 and really want to get my hands on one of these. How's the recoil?

 

[Renault]

There was a Thunder Ranch gun came in with the one I got! Recoil is pleasant, even a bit better since I found a nice old Tyler-T grip for it! Now, if someone would just walk in with a pair of old vintage stag grips ...........

 

[CountryGent]

Like many people, I have both a 9mm and a .45 cal. A person would probably be happy with either choice. My 9mm gets shot more, mostly because of the less expensive ammo (and possibly because of the higher capacity magazine). For what it's worth, my daughters' shoot both calibers.

 

[jkingrph]

One of the new Heritage edition Smiths. Model 22 in .45 ACP. I scored about 400 rds of .45 Auto Rim at the same time!

Beautiful! If I did not already have so many would look for one of those. My first handgun was a S&W K-38, bought it at K Mart a week or so before graduating college in 1968, an early graduation present for myself. A couple of years later one of our NCO's heard me talking and brought in a mint K-22. Seems as though he had an interest in a pawn shop. It went home with me.

I had a long dry spell with handguns. Getting married and a two year tour in Turkey where we could not have any rifled arms did not help either. My next was a Browning HP, which got customized witha Bar Sto match barrel and Cylinder and Slide, trigger which eliminated the gritty magazine safety, plus a cnc machined sear and hammer. All that made a really good gun a great gun, my only 9mm.

Got a couple of Colt stainless Gold Cups, one in 45acp the other in 10mm. The 10mm shoots the best although recoil is a bit stouter. Then I picked up a couple of S&W M 29's, one a 6" blue model the other a stainless with a 7.5" porter barrel and non fluted cylinder.

Along the way I got one of the smaller Super Blackhawks, and talking about cylinders locking up, managed to do that with it. I tried loading some 300 gr bullets and even though heavily crimped the recoil was so bad after 3 shots the bullets were moving forward from inertia and locked the cylinder.

They have all been fun, but my old K-38 is still the best of the bunch.

 

[Buggnkat]

I tell folks all the time, if it is made by, maintained by or forged by man, it will faill. Maintenance fact of life we called it.

All we can do is lube it, wipe it down, brush it out and oil it and hope when we need it most it doesnt fail. But if we do all that chances are it will work.

 

[jkingrph]

I tell folks all the time, if it is made by, maintained by or forged by man, it will faill. Maintenance fact of life we called it.

All we can do is lube it, wipe it down, brush it out and oil it and hope when we need it most it doesnt fail. But if we do all that chances are it will work.

Agreed. I fell prey to the notion that some of the dry lubes would work in my Colt Sporter ( AR-15 type). They did not and it would not function. A quick oiling and cycling by hand a few times and all was well.

I just updated the safeties on my Ruger #1's to a model than not only looks better than the original, but will not catch an ejected casing, but deflects it. Where the parts slide they get light grease, rotating gets oil.

 

[Freightpilot]

Primarily (at least on the carry gun argument) Stopping power in a handgun would be the least of my concerns if it came at the price of to difficult to carry. Remember the first rule of gun fighting is bring a gun. a .22 RF with you while shopping in the mall is far better than a .44 mag under the seat of your vehicle down in the parking garage. Shot placement probably means more than caliber / energy. There are records of hundreds dieing after being hit by a .22 Short yet I have a good friend who stopped 3 .30 cal rifle rounds at fairly short range (stopped one the other two went on through) while in the employ of the US govt, these are likely to have far more power than anything you are going to carry in a handgun, yet he is still with us. I frankly am a little concerned about the people who use the have to have a big gun because in the "heat of battle" you might not hit were you are aiming argument. Please people learn to shoot. I might be next to the guy you are shooting at and don't really want to get hit by your pray and spray tactics. Size is the primary consideration in choosing a carry gun otherwise we would all be carrying long arms or full sized handguns. Is the gun you are planning on carrying too large to have with you at all times? Summer? Winter? Are you often in a place where fear of having it print will prevent you from carrying it? I am not advocating little guns just the most appropriate one. I am lucky enough (or cursed) to live in a place where the average temperature means you could probably wear enough clothing to carry an '03 Springfield concealed half of the year. I carry 2 1911's for EDC but live in a state where open carry is permitted so if any one sees one it isn't a big deal. When traveling or during hot weather I resort to a pair of smaller handguns that remain out of sight better. When at the occasional dress function or at the beach the new lightweight plastic autos can go almost anywhere and everyday they are packing more power into a smaller package. Remember you are (hopefully) going to carry it more than you are going to shoot it but when you shoot it you need to be able to consistently hit what you intend to. I find few people who are going to stand there long and let you shoot at them with anything. They usually are even less likely to do so if you are hitting what you aim at. Which brings me to my second concern, reliability. you can be carrying a pocket 105 mm but it isn't much good if it doesn't work. everyone has seen those guys out at the range trying to shoot their carry gun which jams up or misfires every third shot in those cases the heaviest gun not the most powerful is the best option as you are basically armed now with a rock. Shoot the poo out of anything you are going to carry and make sure you know what it's flaws and weaknesses are. I quit carrying one of the popular little plastic autos recently because of one too many (the second) instances of the mag release being depressed just enough to release the mag. Not necessarily a flaw of the gun as much as a flaw of the gun/ holster/ carry location combo. I come to this discussion with just shy of 40 years of carrying at least one firearm EVERY day and often wonder about those who say the best thing to carry is this gun in this holster in this location. I have yet to find such a universal application. I find that when questioned those people usually fall into the occasionally I carry a gun category, or what they carry and how is dictated by their employer or service branch. It has taken me many years to find what works for me and unfortunately It isn't necessarily one gun, one holster, one location. When it comes to the revolver v auto discussion I say either or both. I doubt I helped the OP much in his decision but maybe caliber is less of a decision than how often and where you intend to carry are, as well as your geographic location and the laws governing your area. I do know that whatever your first choice is as a carry gun it will not be your last.

 

[Undertow]

Great point about the misfires, FP.

There are a line of firearms (Hi-Point) that one may purchase new for roughly $100 - I believe the 9mm is $95 and the .45 is $110. My county sheriff noted that these pieces of junk are often found in the waistbands of local crack lords and gang-stars. Now I've heard it all from both sides: from "They're garbage," to "They're awesome."

Let's put it this way, during a requalifying session at the range, I witnessed a brand new Hi-Point "misfire" causing the slide to crack front-to-back and send itself flying into the neck of the poor schlub firing it. He was cut and had a little burn mark, but otherwise okay. Needless to say, he didn't get to finish his qualifying that day.

One should also consider reliability. It's difficult to feel a reliable firearm without firing it. Stick with the good stuff, fire it all the darn time, and then go qualify. Whatever you do, don't get laughed out of your qualifying round like that poor guy did!

 

[Gene]

Never could figure out why folks need a tactical cheese grater on their gun??????

It's called Tacti-Cool! I know I can't fire my pistol or rifle without my Blackhawk gear and all my awesome accessories!

 

[1961MJS]

...There are a line of firearms (Hi-Point) that one may purchase new for roughly $100 - I believe the 9mm is $95 and the .45 is $110. My county sheriff noted that these pieces of junk are often found in the waistbands of local crack lords and gang-stars. Now I've heard it all from both sides: from "They're garbage," to "They're awesome."
...

Hi

Several of the guys I shoot with carry Firestars (I think) and several others have those Hi-Points. There's have all worked fine (so far). I'll note that you do usually get our money's worth.

I liked FreightPilot's article on concealed carry. He's right, you can drop anybody with just about anything, it's usually easier with a bigger bullet going really fast. Sounds simple right? The key is finding the the right pistol in a weight you don't mind carrying, in a caliber you can shoot, that you can hide in what you're wearing today, and you can afford it. Still sound simple? Bigger is always better right? Try shooting a defensive Pistol target twice with a Smith and Wesson .50 caliber from 20 feet... :eeek:

I just ordered one of these to carry the 1911:

http://www.bhlstore.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=1113

I've been looking around for a decent shoulder rig for a long time. I can draw and fire a 1911 in a behind the hip belt holster while setting in the bucket seats in my car in a little less than 2 minutes...

Later

 

[Story]

I've been looking around for a decent shoulder rig for a long time. I can draw and fire a 1911 in a behind the hip belt holster while setting in the bucket seats in my car in a little less than 2 minutes...

Get, or make, a cross-draw.

$10 'trench art' shoulder holster and 20 minutes work.

 

[Hammer Down]

If you will apply for CC then get the LCP for that, and a bigger .40 for the rest. I recommend the S&W M&P over the Glock. It is smoother and easier to control. If you will be hiking in the woods where there are bear, get an S&W extra light backpacker with the steel cylinder in a .44 instead of the M&P. It is also a fine gun for home defense with the right ammo that won't go through walls as easily as a regular .44. It only holds 6 rounds but for most purposes that is fine in the home. Less apt to jam, as well, especially if it's been stored unused for an extended period. To ask advice on one gun is a huge compromise. Save up your pennies and buy the right gun for the right task. The best gun is the one that never needs to be used, anyhow. Peace and love are the answer to the world's problems. As Franklin says an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Bullets are never a cure. They are always a compromise.