Rifle rich and pistol poor...

[steve white]

Isn't a carry pistol against one of the Big bears just wishful thinking?

I know of one that was successful, however. That was a game warden that had the foresight to put all of his 357 revolver rounds into the bears neck, as he was being mauled.

I read that it is the ballistic equivalent of a .30 carbine out of a 5" barrel...

 

[mdwest]

There are many good answers to your question.
The best answer is "it depends".

This +100000


OP wants an accurate pistol..

"accuracy" is a relative term.. are we talking about keeping rounds in the A zone of an IDPA target at 25 yards or less? or are we talking tiny little groups where all the holes are touching?

For me the #1 thing I look for in a pistol/revolver is reliability... unfortunately MANY options out there have some pretty notorious problems in the reliability department.. while pretty much any modern pistol or revolver with a 3" bbl or longer will keep everything inside a fist sized group at typical pistol engagement distances without much of a challenge..

I don't want a pistol (or revolver) that is finicky about what ammo is run through it.. and I don't want a pistol that has a reputation for breakage after a relatively low round count (remember you will put a LOT more ammo through a pistol than you will a bolt action rifle if you do any reasonable amount of training with it)..

Beyond that.. what pistol (or revolver) I strap on for the day depends on what it is I am doing...

If Im simply leaving the house and doing the CCW thing, my go-to for 25+ years has been a glock 19... sure, there are other more "modern", newer designs, etc.. but.. the G19 works.. and works well.. and Ive carried it so long that the weapon is natural to me..

If Im traipsing through bear country.. its a glock 20.. (same controls as my primary CCW.. but in 10mm)..

If I'm trying to look pretty.. One of my Kimber 1911's in well polished leather usually gets put on the belt..

If Im headed out on a jog, or just walking out to the mailbox, etc.. I'll drop a little Ruger LCP in my pocket and go...

and the list goes on and on and on...

You can never have enough pistols to satisfy your every need...

 

[spike.t]

You can never have enough pistols to satisfy your every need...

Yup...especially if you live in USA...and you can

 

[shootist~]

My everyday CCW is what I have in my pocket 100% of the time. S&W J-Frame (older Model 38, Bodyguard). Just never had it on me 100% when I carried a 1911 or other IWB carry.

Having tried a friends Glock 43, both strong hand and weak hand, I should probably upgrade - just too lazy so far.

Oh, and the Smith J-Frame is plenty accurate at 7 Yards - room distance and qualifying - soft ball sized groups - running 5 shots in about 4 seconds), and even further (25 Yards), slow fire.

I replaced the rebound spring >25 years ago and the trigger is very nice (double action).

 

[mdwest]

My everyday CCW is what I have in my pocket 100% of the time. S&W J-Frame (older Model 38, Bodyguard).

I carried a J-Frame airweight with a bobbed hammer in an ankle rig for a long time as a backup.. I beat that pistol all to hell.. it was constantly covered in mud, grime, etc.. was getting knocked around, etc.. and never failed to fire... ever... great little revolver..

 

[7mmFan]

my concealed carry of choice has evolved over the years as pistols and ammunition have improved. I now carry a sig 365 and have no complaints. compact, light, affordable, accurate (given its size), and being in 9mm I can afford to practice more with it which makes me and it more effective.

if accuracy is more important than concealment I'd go 1911.

 

[503]

Go to a range and try some and see what you like. If you want it for concealed carry then I would get something like a glock 19 or 30. Holsters, spare parts, mags etc. Are cheap and plentiful.

I know I will probably get yelled at but I would avoid 1911s. I have been a forearms instructor for many years and 99 percent of the time when someone has a gun on the line that jams and won't work its a 1911.

Nowadays there are too many better options to justify them. Anyway, try a few and go with what suits your mission the best.

Cheers

503

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Depends what you want to do with them. Below are some recommendations. Each will fit/fill different roles. Given modern ballistic technology, I'd suggest you don't go below 9mm unless its for a specific niche like a .22LR.

1) Staccato 2011 P
2) Sig 365 (any variation)
3) Glock 19 or 17 - everyone should own one
4) Sig 229
5) Glock 43, 43X, or 48
6) Springfield Hellcat
7) Springfield Operator TRP 10mm
8) HK VP9
9) HK USP
10) S&W Model 60

 

[Tanks]

This +100000


OP wants an accurate pistol..

"accuracy" is a relative term.. are we talking about keeping rounds in the A zone of an IDPA target at 25 yards or less? or are we talking tiny little groups where all the holes are touching?

...

Almost all pistols are accurate. The target below is from my CCW qualification test with 6 firearms last year, 125 rounds. I slowed down to 0.5 second per shot in order to be accurate. The flyers at the edge of the heart are from a Sig P938 (9mm) with a 3" barrel. Range was from 7 yards to 25 yards.

Pistols were STI .Edge .40 S&W, Infinity .40 S&W, STI DVC Carry 9mm, HK VP9 9mm, CZ P-01, Sig P938

Here is the target.

 

[Monsai52]

For a first handgun you kind of have some conflicting priorities to consider if looking primarily for CC; compact and light weight vs. comfortable enough to shoot a lot to develop skill. I'd suggest going with a medium to full size semi-auto that fits you well, or a 4" revolver. And I'd suggest no more that 9mm or 38/357.

Your number one job is to develop your handgun shooting skills, and that only come with a lot of range time, and shooting the compact and sub-compact pistols and small frame revolvers does not lead to an enjoyable time at the range. Also beginning to learn your skills by starting out with calibers like 10mm or 44 Magnum or an ultra light weight 9mm or J frame S&W, is like learning to shoot a rifle starting with a 375H&H. It takes time to acclimate to recoil, whether handgun or rifle.

Buy something that's fun to shoot so you enjoy your time at the range. If you can also CC it, that's great, if not buy a second gun when you know more what you like and exactly what you want to use it for.

Best regards,

 

[Flewis]

This is the last time I will waste my time here.
DON'T LISTEN TO THESE GUYS!
Go to a big gunstore, or two or three, and feel all the pistols they have.
NOBODY is making shit handguns these days, at least in the names you've heard of.
The one that feels right FOR YOU is the one you need. Not the one I like, not the one ANYBODY likes.
Pick it up, shut your eyes, raise it to ready position, if you're looking down the sights, that's your gun.
Send me $6 for the advice, and quit reading all this crap.

100 percent agree with free fall.

 

[Art Lambart II]

I'm an experienced pistol shooter, in my 20s I shot my way on to the US National Civilian Pistol Team and won a Red Jacket at Camp Perry Ohio, I know a great deal about sight alignment and trigger movement. Six months ago, I would have given you a list of popular handguns that I felt suited your needs. Six months ago, I meet and started shooting with @SLG and in a matter of minutes I went from a decorrelated bullseye shooter to little more than a novice self-defense shooter. With 40 years of experience and several hundred thousand rounds fired I learned was unable to defend myself with a concealed handgun. With my concealed handgun I was unable to draw, present and fire a single accurate round into an eight-inch circle at 5 yards in 2 seconds or less. My technique was awful, my holster was inadequate for the task, and I could not remember to disengage the thumb safety on my beloved 1911, I was a hot mess. Now thanks to SLG’s excellent on-going training, equipment advice and hours of dry fire practice I can make that shot in just under the 2 second mark. Now I’m working on improving my technique so I can fire two shots in 2 seconds.

If you’re looking to buy just one handgun, the best advice I can give you is, get some training from a qualified instructor before you buy a CCW handgun, its time and money well spent.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Go to a range and try some and see what you like. If you want it for concealed carry then I would get something like a glock 19 or 30. Holsters, spare parts, mags etc. Are cheap and plentiful.

Go to a range shoot a few guns, find out what works best for you, and then go talk to their armorer. Find out what is wearing out and breaking in your favorite model. You also get to see how they work heavily used and lightly maintained. Glock 19 is very accurate and seems to be supported by the GSSF matches as more accurate that the 34 and 17.

Almost all pistols are accurate. The target below is from my CCW qualification test with 6 firearms last year, 125 rounds. I slowed down to 0.5 second per shot in order to be accurate. The flyers at the edge of the heart are from a Sig P938 (9mm) with a 3" barrel. Range was from 7 yards to 25 yards.

Pistols were STI .Edge .40 S&W, Infinity .40 S&W, STI DVC Carry 9mm, HK VP9 9mm, CZ P-01, Sig P938

You're also likely a Master or Grandmaster level shooter so I'd expect nothing less. Those are almost all full size guns. To me this reads: limited gun, limited gun, carry gun based off a limited gun, production gun, production gun, small carry gun based off a 1911. Gotta give you credit, switching between so many isn't easy.

 

[steve white]

I'm an experienced pistol shooter, in my 20s I shot my way on to the US National Civilian Pistol Team and won a Red Jacket at Camp Perry Ohio, I know a great deal about sight alignment and trigger movement. Six months ago, I would have given you a list of popular handguns that I felt suited your needs. Six months ago, I meet and started shooting with @SLG and in a matter of minutes I went from a decorrelated bullseye shooter to little more than a novice self-defense shooter. With 40 years of experience and several hundred thousand rounds fired I learned was unable to defend myself with a concealed handgun. With my concealed handgun I was unable to draw, present and fire a single accurate round into an eight-inch circle at 5 yards in 2 seconds or less. My technique was awful, my holster was inadequate for the task, and I could not remember to disengage the thumb safety on my beloved 1911, I was a hot mess. Now thanks to SLG’s excellent on-going training, equipment advice and hours of dry fire practice I can make that shot in just under the 2 second mark. Now I’m working on improving my technique so I can fire two shots in 2 seconds.

If you’re looking to buy just one handgun, the best advice I can give you is, get some training from a qualified instructor before you buy a CCW handgun, its time and money well spent.

that's one of the most sobering things I have read in YEARS!

 

[Art Lambart II]

that's one of the most sobering things I have read in YEARS!

If you think it was sobering, think how I felt.

The belt you wear, the holster you use, the carry location of your handgun, the cover garment you use, how you grip and clear your cover garment, how your grip and draw your firearm from its holster, and how your present your firearm to the target are all things that must happen before you get to sight alignment and trigger squeeze. Then after you finish shooting you need to retract and re-holster your firearm correctly and safely. Most important of all is, where is your trigger finger in all this action and motion.

Going to your local range and working on accuracy is a good thing but if you can’t do all of the things I mentioned above, you may never get the chance to align your sight and squeeze the trigger.

 

[Jfet]

 

[mdsalern]

The problem with this entire thread is that we’ve drifted away from simply discussing best guns for self defense carry, into a good discussion of the merits and shortcomings of various handguns.

Remember, in a purely defensive shooting situation, you’re more likely to be shooting an attacker at 10 feet than at 10 yards. Dependability, safety, ease of use are of utmost importance, yes even over accuracy, since you’re unlikely to draw such a weapon except in a truly dire emergency at close range. And, if you draw it you’re likely going to fire shots, so I’ll stick with the aspects I described above.

If you draw your pistol, you shoot it.

 

[Forrest Halley]

If you think it was sobering, think how I felt.

The belt you wear, the holster you use, the carry location of your handgun, the cover garment you use, how you grip and clear your cover garment, how your grip and draw your firearm from its holster, and how your present your firearm to the target are all things that must happen before you get to sight alignment and trigger squeeze. Then after you finish shooting you need to retract and re-holster your firearm correctly and safely. Most important of all is, where is your trigger finger in all this action and motion.

Going to your local range and working on accuracy is a good thing but if you can’t do all of the things I mentioned above, you may never get the chance to align your sight and squeeze the trigger.

You're going to likely end up with at least three handguns to suit the gamut of concealed carry needs. Nothing seems to do everything well. The one thing I have learned in all my time carrying a gun is that guns are less visible aft of 4:00 and 8:00. You can literally carry them uncovered in the waistband and most will not even see it. The trade off is that this is the first spot to print a cover garment when bending over. Pocket carry is great except when seated and inherent size and snag limitations. Appendix carry has the same issues, but a simple straighten up grants clearance if you can bear the discomfort of sitting for a period of time and are not overly girthy. Body shields for every holster for comfort's sake. It's also helpful to pick something that upscales well. By upscale I mean accepts larger capacity extended magazines. This is helpful for rare occasions where you wish you had brought something bigger, but didn't i.e. multiple like-minded and organized contestants for the Darwin award or a nefarious long gun user. Glocks get to 33 rounds, Berettas to 30, XDMs to 35, and STI's go to something north of 32 rounds of 9mm. This doesn't make it a carbine, but there is something to be said for base of fire. One can keep these large and less than wieldy magazines in a vehicle for times of dire need or reload to them in a pinch. If you can swing it, put a laser, red dot sight, night sights, and a white light on the gun. Just remember the laser is king of the night. Everything else is affected by gun smoke, but you can get those hits with that dot from many positions that might be very unconventional.

 

[sureshot375]

Steve, first just let me say that I’m disappointed in you. A grown man with only one handgun?? Sad. So sad.

Now that you are on track to solve the problem I would say get some kind of full size 9mm for ammo costs and enjoyability of shooting.

if at all possibly go to a range where you can shoot what you intend to buy.

Do you have a .22 handgun? You also need a .22 handgun.

 

[steve white]

Steve, first just let me say that I’m disappointed in you. A grown man with only one handgun?? Sad. So sad.

Now that you are on track to solve the problem I would say get some kind of full size 9mm for ammo costs and enjoyability of shooting.

if at all possibly go to a range where you can shoot what you intend to buy.

Do you have a .22 handgun? You also need a .22 handgun.

I wish I could relay your message to my wife as justification for a multiple purchase, but it will, after all be a stealth purchase anyway. Waste of brownie points. But I'm with you on the NEED.