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View Full Version : The flawed search for "the" gun



iakdrago
01-31-2012, 02:26 AM
I keep catching myself going into the "search" mode. By that i mean, i keep thinking that i have to get gun X, because it does something better than my gun Y, and is thus closer to being the perfect gun.

A brief history:
My entry into pistol shooting was a literal bag of mixed soviet pistols: the makarov, the tokarev, and the Naghant. When it was my turn to buy my own pistol, i bought a glock19, and was happy with it. It always went bang, BUT--it was a late model Gen3 so something had to be wrong with it... (to this day with 5k rounds through it, it has not hiccuped). Thus, i tried the M&P 9 at the range. I shot it better at speed, which i attributed to the better ergonomics. Without hesitation, i purchased one. With many more rounds fired under my belt--i now notice that i shoot the M&P and the glock as well as the other. The initially perceived difference has all but vanished. The extra rounds fired from "a" pistol have made me a better shooter overall. **note that i'm still a grasshopper with a LONG journey ahead of me.

Lessons learned:
Instead of trying to find that pistol that would take me to the next level, i should have bought a few more cases of ammo and practiced more.

Lessons still being learned:

The internet can be a cruel beast that will make you doubt your gun. As no gun is perfect and each has flaws, a perpetual game of musical chairs is all but unavoidable. This lesson is harder to swallow as all the talk of accuracy issues with m&p's are making me doubt the gun that i carry everyday. I've recently had the itch to purchase a Sig2022 as learning the DA/SA gun is very appealing to me, and at the price range it's hard to beat. But once again, i remind myself of where i was when going from glock to m&p, and have to consciously tell myself to not do so.

Does anyone else find themselves in a similar loop?

Nephrology
01-31-2012, 06:53 AM
Yes. I shoot Glocks, but sometimes lust after M&Ps. Certain things about them (ergos, grip angle, mostly) make me feel like I might shoot them better if I standardized on them.

Then I think about the expense and hassle associated with selling my 3 glocks and all the peripheral gear to move over to m&ps and it just isn't worth it. My guns run fine. any error on their behalf is going to be my fault. May as well learn to run them.

Al T.
01-31-2012, 09:17 AM
Well, perhaps if you define the mission you can determine the gear needed. For me, when I started carrying Glocks for a living, I decided to focus on Glocks for training. If I get back to handgun hunting, I'll focus more on shooting my N frames.

Pistolero
01-31-2012, 09:18 AM
When I was a younger man I played that game all of the time. My military uncles, however, were of the persuasion that you had to adjust to the gun rather than trying to find a gun that, 'adjusted to you'. Their mentality was to just pick it up and shoot it well. That's an attitude that I don't see a lot of in today's, 'option rich' marketplace. Buyers of everything - including guns - want personalize features. Individual skill sets and personal versatility always seem to come second.

All of which is not to say that I didn't have a really hard time learning how to become genuinely decent with a Glock pistol. I did! It took me many months to even begin to approach the same skill level I had achieved from 25 years of using 1911 pattern pistols. Finally, however, I began to catch onto Glock's unusual ergonomics; and, after lots and lots of practice, I did become, 'dangerous' with this plastic Austrian, 'wunder pistol'.

While I can carry anything I want to, today, I stay with the Glocks. They're easy to maintain; I don't need a gunsmith; and the parts are as common as dirt. Once in awhile I miss the 1911's grip angle; I miss the much better triggers, and a directly-applied user safety, too; but, still, Glock's other advantages continue to be more desirable. If I were going to replace my Glocks (or if I happened to own one of the glut of late model 3rd or current 4th generation, 'factory screw-up pistols' that seem to be all over the place today) I'd undoubtedly select FNH/USA's FNP pistols; but, I'm not so sure I could, also, find all of those extra (many of them custom) Glock parts I'm, both, already heavily invested in and have become so accustomed to using.

My suggestion? Stay with what you've got, what's easiest and most affordable to keep, 'up and running', and learn to shoot decently with whatever's presently in your hand. Look at things this way: Someday you might need to use a, 'battlefield pickup'. It ain't going to be exactly what you want; it's not going to feel right; and you're still going to need to quickly adjust and shoot it well. Forget the new gun and concentrate on yourself and your own shooting skills.

HeadHunter
01-31-2012, 09:38 AM
When I was being considered for the lead instructor position at Rogers, Bill mentioned three conditions I had to meet. One of which was: "You have to teach the class with whatever gun the students are using." To which I replied: "A true gunman should have no favorite gun."

In one four month period, I taught classes with a Sig 226, Beretta M9, 1911 .45, 3 inch K frame revolver, 2 inch J frame revolver, and several with Glock 17. I will always be grateful for that experience. Something to be said for having to step up and demonstrate my skills, in front of a discriminating audience, at a high level, on demand, with any handgun in the armory.

GOP
01-31-2012, 11:30 AM
Excellent post and very true.

My philosophy is pretty simple: I compete with a CZ and carry a Glock. I usually have a 3rd gun I'm testing out to see if it can beat the G19 for EDC, but nothing has been able to stay as reliable and consistent as my G19. I am now trying out a Walther PPQ for fun (I bought it yesterday), and I REALLY like the controls and the trigger. I train primarily with my CZ, then my Glock gets a good number of rounds, then the test gun gets whatever is left. This has allowed me to stay consistent with my CZ and Glock, yet build up some skills with other guns (M&P's, Sigs, etc).

CMG
01-31-2012, 12:01 PM
I ran across a video a couple of years back titled "The Paradox of Choice". It basic premise is that we now have so many choices for things around us that even if we get the perfect fit we still doubt our selves because we aren't 100% sure there is not a better choice out there. Here is a link to shorter version of the talk:

http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html

CCK
01-31-2012, 01:29 PM
I ran across a video a couple of years back titled "The Paradox of Choice". It basic premise is that we now have so many choices for things around us that even if we get the perfect fit we still doubt our selves because we aren't 100% sure there is not a better choice out there. Here is a link to shorter version of the talk:

http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html

Liberals love this concept. In their thinking too many choices means sometimes people will make the wrong one, and therefore they are "helping" by eliminating choice. Be careful with this idea.

MDS
01-31-2012, 01:35 PM
Great thread!


When I was being considered for the lead instructor position at Rogers, Bill mentioned three conditions I had to meet. One of which was: "You have to teach the class with whatever gun the students are using." To which I replied: "A true gunman should have no favorite gun."

In one four month period, I taught classes with a Sig 226, Beretta M9, 1911 .45, 3 inch K frame revolver, 2 inch J frame revolver, and several with Glock 17. I will always be grateful for that experience. Something to be said for having to step up and demonstrate my skills, in front of a discriminating audience, at a high level, on demand, with any handgun in the armory.

As a n00b, this post is downright inspiring. I'm focusing on the G19 until I achieve a certain baseline ability with that gun. I'm not sure where I want to go with my handgun training after that. I expect a period of time where I'm just maintaining that baseline skill level and just getting in lots of reps, while I work on getting to a baseline level of skill with my long guns. But eventually I'm going to want to push my skills with pistol again, and having "no favorite gun" is definitely a goal of mine along those lines.

So, my question is: do I need to spend a lot of time with a lot of different guns in order to be competent with whatever I might pick up, or would it be enough to just do some fam fire with many different guns to kind of understand how I need to adapt to different platforms?

HeadHunter
01-31-2012, 02:06 PM
So, my question is: do I need to spend a lot of time with a lot of different guns in order to be competent with whatever I might pick up, or would it be enough to just do some fam fire with many different guns to kind of understand how I need to adapt to different platforms?

Become very proficient with one gun first. The others will be much easier after that.

CCT125US
01-31-2012, 02:24 PM
This topic came up in class over the weekend. New shooters were very overwhelmed by the choices out there. I simply said that as long as someone else can shoot your exact gun better than you, there is still more mechanical performance that can be achieved. Picking up what you consider to be a better gun does not always make you a better shooter. This is also the hardware vs. software issue.

JonInWA
01-31-2012, 02:43 PM
It's incredibly easy to be lulled by the siren song into a search for a "holy grail" pistol. This site is far better than others, but there's always the niggling temptation of the Walther PPQ, FN FNS, Caracel, HK 2000/P30/P30L/HK45/HK45C....and so on (and inevitably so forth).

My reality is that I have, like, enjoy, and do reasonably decently with my Gen 3 Glocks. They're reliable, accurate, durable, and exceptionally easy to detail strip as well as field strip, and parts are easily available-and inexpensive to boot. I have full compliments of holsters, magazines, and magazine pouches for them. I can tailor them to my specifications, fiddling with the various combinations of connectors, springs, et al. Aftermarket support that I've personally experienced (from both the LE and Commercial, as well as the overall Area Reps) has been superlative.

In the cold light of objective, analytical reasoning, I can accept that on a part-for-part comparison, an HK (or insert the name of any other quality gun of your choice) might well be a qualitatively superior gun-but the Glock certainly seems to be more than "good enough" as evidenced by decades of fielding. I can accept that the multiple back- and side panel grip insert options on the various HK models might well provide a degree of ergonomic superiority-but in reality, I index (and/or adapt) quite well to the grips of my Gen 3 Glocks, so that for me the Hk advantage is probably at best incrimental, and at worst pretty much irrelevant.

So at the end of the day (at least so far), I've come to the realization that what I've got is in reality very, very good. Perfect? No. Perfection? No. But effective, consistant, and a platform that I've got considerable muscle memory built up on, and one that I trust to be my primary platform for carry, competition, and home defense.

And I'm not really intending to slight others for their respective choices in other guns, be they HK, FN, Walther, et al. The same logic would apply for them obviating against a switch to Glock. Do I use other guns? Sure-I usually dedicate at least one month a year towards my Ruger revolvers, and some professional obligations induce me to spend some consistant time on my Beretta 92 series and 1911 platform pistols-but the vast amount of my time, resources, carry, practice and competition efforts are expended on my Glocks-because otherwise, I'm just continuously chasing an ever moving, unobtainable "ideal."

Best, Jon

MDS
01-31-2012, 04:17 PM
Become very proficient with one gun first. The others will be much easier after that.

Awesome, that makes things simpler. :)

jetfire
01-31-2012, 05:15 PM
A thought: people buy different guns for the same reason they buy different cars. If I applied the same advice I give to people about guns to their vehicle purhcases, I'd tell everyone to buy a Subaru.

The point is that not everyone outside this forum is buying a gun to become a serious competitor or shooter, in fact the vast majority of people who buy guns will never graduate into that category of "shooters"; so for them it doesn't matter that a Taurus PT1911 will fall apart after 5k rounds because the odds of that gun ever reaching 5k rounds are slim and none.

I bought a Dodge Charger because I wanted a loud, inefficient, ridiculous muscle car. People want different kinds of guns because they don't want to be the same as everyone else they know who has a Glock or an M&P. I'm okay with people buying Taurii and whatnot because if they ever decide to become a serious shooter, they'll end up buying the right gear.

JonInWA
01-31-2012, 08:52 PM
A thought: people buy different guns for the same reason they buy different cars. If I applied the same advice I give to people about guns to their vehicle purhcases, I'd tell everyone to buy a Subaru.

The point is that not everyone outside this forum is buying a gun to become a serious competitor or shooter, in fact the vast majority of people who buy guns will never graduate into that category of "shooters"; so for them it doesn't matter that a Taurus PT1911 will fall apart after 5k rounds because the odds of that gun ever reaching 5k rounds are slim and none.

I bought a Dodge Charger because I wanted a loud, inefficient, ridiculous muscle car. People want different kinds of guns because they don't want to be the same as everyone else they know who has a Glock or an M&P. I'm okay with people buying Taurii and whatnot because if they ever decide to become a serious shooter, they'll end up buying the right gear.

That's perfectly true, but one of the nice benefits of this (and similar sites) is that the experience of participants can be provided to potential owners prior to purchasing. Sticking with the example of a Taurus, a neophyte shooter could quickly find that there are guns at a similar (or relatively close) price point with far better reputations-perhaps precluding said shooter from having to upgrade/reeinvest at the point when he/she becomes "serious."

Best, Jon

jetfire
01-31-2012, 11:20 PM
Don't get me wrong, when I'm King of the Galaxy I'll make sure that people never buy crappy guns again. More what I'm talking about is why it is that people will spend so much time looking for a specific gun when the answer is already out there. As much as I'd like everyone to be a serious shooter that buys the right gear the first time, I've got skeletons of Taurus and Paras and other garbage in my closet. I had to learn the hard way. If I'd never decided to take shooting seriously, I'd still probably be on other forums talking about how my Taurus "hasn't jammed in 1000 rounds".

TCinVA
02-01-2012, 01:41 PM
I've owned one of practically everything on the market. If buying different guns really did make a difference in the results you get out of it, I'd be writing books instead of JulieG.

Sadly, it does not.

The best thing I could have ever done for myself is go back umpteen years, buy a Glock 17 and a Glock 19, have the grips modified on both, and then just shot them both until they crumbled to dust. I'd be several thousand percent better off.

JodyH
02-01-2012, 10:40 PM
I've owned one of practically everything on the market. If buying different guns really did make a difference in the results you get out of it, I'd be writing books instead of JulieG.

Sadly, it does not.

The best thing I could have ever done for myself is go back umpteen years, buy a Glock 17 and a Glock 19, have the grips modified on both, and then just shot them both until they crumbled to dust. I'd be several thousand percent better off.
I disagree.
I find that when I stick to one gun for too long I hit a performance plateau after a year or two of hard shooting.
Switching platforms every few years has made me a much better shooter.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

Ed L
02-02-2012, 12:22 AM
A thought: people buy different guns for the same reason they buy different cars. If I applied the same advice I give to people about guns to their vehicle purhcases, I'd tell everyone to buy a Subaru.

The point is that not everyone outside this forum is buying a gun to become a serious competitor or shooter, in fact the vast majority of people who buy guns will never graduate into that category of "shooters"; so for them it doesn't matter that a Taurus PT1911 will fall apart after 5k rounds because the odds of that gun ever reaching 5k rounds are slim and none.

A lot of people like variety and owning different guns and shooting different guns or pursuing the next great thing or the proverbial magic gun.

The magic gun is the gun that you want but don’t own. Once you own it, the magic is gone.

EMC
02-02-2012, 02:33 PM
After struggling with the DA/SA FNP-40 for 4 years, finally getting serious about dry fire practice, improving marginally, and learning a few things from smart people, I've made the decision to standardize on a 9mm striker fired platform. Eliminating unnecessary trigger variability and using a widely adopted platform are very appealing to me now. I recognize that I will have to re-lean some things through practice, but it should be more affordable and sustainable now. The trick I think will be preventing myself from looking for the greener pastures again, once the optimization is done.

LHS
02-03-2012, 11:35 AM
With all the innovations over the last 10-15 years, I've pretty frequently wondered about switching platforms. I shoot my Beretta 92 well, but it doesn't have a rail, doesn't have night sights (though I do have CT lasergrips for low-light work, which I prefer to night sights), is pretty big/chunky for only holding 15+1 rounds, and is hard to find holsters (due to the Brigadier slide). So I've taken some pretty hard looks at replacing it with a more modern platform, such as the FNX-9 or the P30S.

But then I ask myself, what would I gain, vs. what would I lose? The results of moving to a new platform (for me) can be summed up thusly:

Pros:

Lower weight/bulk for more comfortable carrying
Higher capacity
Ability to mount a white light
Ability to mount night sights


Cons:

Cost of new weapons/holsters/mag pouches/mags
Cost of accessories. I can get Beretta 92 factory mags for $15 on sale at CDNN. HK or FN mags are a hell of a lot more than that.
New manual of arms. Both the HK and FN are DA/SA guns, but the placement of decocker/safety/controls are different and would require at least some retraining
Limited aftermarket/factory part support. FNs have to be sent back to the factory and from what I've seen don't have a lot of sight options. HK is pretty notorious for piss-poor customer service (to be fair, so is Beretta, but I can easily get parts and work on the gun myself)
No CT lasergrips available for either FNX or P30 pistols


And in the end, it comes down to the juice not being worth the squeeze. I shoot a Beretta well, I don't have any real issues with concealing a full size 92, and I have a lot of faith in the reliability of my 92s based on thousands of rounds sent downrange. The incremental advantages of a more modern platform just aren't worth it for me compared to the costs of reinvestment in terms of time and money. I would like to mount a light on my 92, but I can live with using a handheld combined with the lasergrips.

JonInWA
02-03-2012, 03:02 PM
With all the innovations over the last 10-15 years, I've pretty frequently wondered about switching platforms. I shoot my Beretta 92 well, but it doesn't have a rail, doesn't have night sights (though I do have CT lasergrips for low-light work, which I prefer to night sights), is pretty big/chunky for only holding 15+1 rounds, and is hard to find holsters (due to the Brigadier slide). So I've taken some pretty hard looks at replacing it with a more modern platform, such as the FNX-9 or the P30S.

But then I ask myself, what would I gain, vs. what would I lose? The results of moving to a new platform (for me) can be summed up thusly:

Pros:

Lower weight/bulk for more comfortable carrying
Higher capacity
Ability to mount a white light
Ability to mount night sights


Cons:

Cost of new weapons/holsters/mag pouches/mags
Cost of accessories. I can get Beretta 92 factory mags for $15 on sale at CDNN. HK or FN mags are a hell of a lot more than that.
New manual of arms. Both the HK and FN are DA/SA guns, but the placement of decocker/safety/controls are different and would require at least some retraining
Limited aftermarket/factory part support. FNs have to be sent back to the factory and from what I've seen don't have a lot of sight options. HK is pretty notorious for piss-poor customer service (to be fair, so is Beretta, but I can easily get parts and work on the gun myself)
No CT lasergrips available for either FNX or P30 pistols


And in the end, it comes down to the juice not being worth the squeeze. I shoot a Beretta well, I don't have any real issues with concealing a full size 92, and I have a lot of faith in the reliability of my 92s based on thousands of rounds sent downrange. The incremental advantages of a more modern platform just aren't worth it for me compared to the costs of reinvestment in terms of time and money. I would like to mount a light on my 92, but I can live with using a handheld combined with the lasergrips.

1) The bulk of you 92 can be reduced to a degree via judicious grip selection (i.e., Trausch grips).

2) Nightsights (tritium) can be installed by Tool Tech (Trijicon) simply by sending them your slide; they did the OEM 92 installation for Beretta anyhow.

3) How much capacity do you need?? Standard magazine capacity is 15 (giving you 15+1), and you can increase that (if needed) simply by using newer 17 round 92A1 magazines (giving you 17+1).

4) I believe aftermarket rail installations are available (perhaps Dawson?) for your 92 for light mounting.

All in all (and especially since you shoot well with you 92, are pleased with it and have proven reliability with it) I think you're very well advised to stick with what you've got, and expend your resources on practice/training/competition, as opposed to new hardware-the cons of which you've already covered. I would, however, make sure that your recoil, triggerbar, trigger return, and slide catch springs are replaced as preventive maintence at least every 5K rounds (or, in the case of the trigger return spring, every 5K manipulations, if you dryfire practice). Your locking block should be good for some 20K rounds before replacing; replacement kits are available from BUSA with the latest and greatest configuration.

Best, Jon

EVP
02-03-2012, 05:27 PM
I disagree.
I find that when I stick to one gun for too long I hit a performance plateau after a year or two of hard shooting.
Switching platforms every few years has made me a much better shooter.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk


JodyH just wondering what area of your performance were you plateauing in?

LHS
02-03-2012, 05:29 PM
1) The bulk of you 92 can be reduced to a degree via judicious grip selection (i.e., Trausch grips).

2) Nightsights (tritium) can be installed by Tool Tech (Trijicon) simply by sending them your slide; they did the OEM 92 installation for Beretta anyhow.

3) How much capacity do you need?? Standard magazine capacity is 15 (giving you 15+1), and you can increase that (if needed) simply by using newer 17 round 92A1 magazines (giving you 17+1).

4) I believe aftermarket rail installations are available (perhaps Dawson?) for your 92 for light mounting.

All in all (and especially since you shoot well with you 92, are pleased with it and have proven reliability with it) I think you're very well advised to stick with what you've got, and expend your resources on practice/training/competition, as opposed to new hardware-the cons of which you've already covered. I would, however, make sure that your recoil, triggerbar, trigger return, and slide catch springs are replaced as preventive maintence at least every 5K rounds (or, in the case of the trigger return spring, every 5K manipulations, if you dryfire practice). Your locking block should be good for some 20K rounds before replacing; replacement kits are available from BUSA with the latest and greatest configuration.

Best, Jon

Good info here.

I haven't tried the Trausch grips, but the overall grip size is pretty much perfect for my truckasaurus hands, and I really like the CT lasergrips. It's just a big gun for toting around IWB all day, though holster selection and proper dress does make it more than manageable. I've been putting up with it for 10 years now, so it can't be bothering me too badly :)

With the lasergrips, the need for night sights is lessened (though I admit, it's good to have them as a backup option if/when the laser goes TU). I've got a Brigadier slide, which means I have a dovetailed front sight. I could conceivably have it replaced, but I've read some horror stories about the staking on them making this pretty destructive to the original front sight, and when it comes down to it, I have some sentimental attachment to this gun and I don't want to risk damaging it like that. Then again, that in itself is a pretty good reason to look for a new carry pistol...

I've never had an issue with the Beretta's capacity, and you're right, with the new 92A1 mags bring it in line with pretty much everything else on the market. One more reason to stick with the Pizza Pistol. My point regarding capacity was more that the Beretta is bulky for the amount of rounds it carries in stock format, i.e. the same as a G19 but in a larger package. It's not something that I really feel is a true drawback, but more of a lack of full optimization compared to more modern weapons. I can easily live with 15-round mags and have never felt undergunned with it. This is a perfect example of a nitpick regarding "the" gun.

I've looked at aftermarket rails such as the SureFire, but then I'd be up the creek as far as getting holsters (which are already somewhat hard to find for the 92G Brigadier). I've yet to see anyone making rigs for a 92G Brigadier with the SureFire rail and an X300. If I ever retire the gun to nightstand duty, then the clamp-on rail might be a viable option.

If Beretta ever decides to make a new version of the 92, with a modern polymer frame, G-model controls, integral rail, dovetailed front sights and a compact or mid-size format, I'd be on it like a hobo on a ham sandwich. But until then, I think what I have is perfectly fine for my needs.

JodyH
02-03-2012, 07:37 PM
JodyH just wondering what area of your performance were you plateauing in?
It varies by platform, that's why switching every few years works for me.
With one gun I may feel like I've hit a speed plateau with another it might be slow precision and another precision at speed.
I've gone from Glock 17 to a Walther P99 then to a H&K P2000 then back to a Glock 17 then back to a H&K P2000 and now I'm currently running a H&K P30 and will probably switch to a Walther PPQ around the middle of this year.
I've really improved my press out by shooting with the LEM trigger but I'm starting to think the LEM is holding me back a little on splits and one-handed shooting.
I'm eager to apply what I've learned about the press out to a shorter reset trigger like the PPQ's.

JB326
02-03-2012, 11:22 PM
I've only really been shooting pistols since 2004 (when I got into LE) and during that time I've had several different pistols of different flavors. Only over the last year or so have I REALLY gotten serious about the quality of my shooting, and it was in that same time period that I decided to become completely Glock-centric. I've kept a couple of things that are used much more for holster making than for shooting, but just about everything got moved out if it wasn't an Austrian Wonder Gun (at least until I found out about the FNS... I HAD to have one of those). Standardizing has proven to be a good and beneficial step for me, but I still expect myself to be competent with everything I pick up. I also still have a VERY strong desire for one super nice, all steel gun... A Hi-Power with all of the bells and whistles.

SecondsCount
02-04-2012, 12:08 PM
When I turned 21, which was somewhere around the time when Miami Vice started to lose popularity, I lived in a state where carrying a gun was taboo so most of my gun choices had nothing to do with concealment, etc.

I started off with a Taurus 92 because it was the "high capacity wonder nine" that the gun shop told me I had to have. Then it was a nice used S&W 4506 because it had been worked over by Novak and with the night sights gave it magical powers. Next came a Norinco 1911 that I was going to customize and become Rob Leatham. The high cap mag ban goes into effect about this time and a friend needs that Taurus 92 and its three 15 round mags for his 70 series Colt Gold Cup. Done deal except now I have too many 45's so the magical 4506 needs to go.

What is that pistol with the funny name...Sig Sauer? My FFL got big into Sigs and dragged me in with him. Bought one in 9mm and then the 40 version came out and I had to have the hot new caliber. Then I needed the P220 because it was "the best single stack 45." Along came the new Kimbers, the custom gun at Colt prices so I bought a couple of them. That was the year I moved to a gun friendly state and got my permit so I started carrying one of the Kimbers but sometimes I needed something small so I got a Kahr because the gun magazine said it was the perfect carry gun.

The Internet age was coming on strong. Search engines and forums would make these choices easier, right? Not really, it gets worse because I meet a guy named Shawn at a Christmas party and he is big into guns. He is THAT GUY who buys and sells a couple guns each month. Every time you go to the range with Shawn he has a new gun for you to try. Just just stick around because it will be for sale in a couple weeks for a good price. Soon we get into Cowboy Action and I have to purchase some Vaqueros in 45 Colt. Crap.

By now I am pretty much a 1911 guy even though I still have a couple Sigs. How about some semi-customs? There was a nice Les Baer for a good deal in the local classifieds that found its way home. Then another deal. How about we start building our own? I never realized what a slippery slope the 1911 was but I think I can recover by buying an XD subcompact. Nope, sold it. The good part of this story is that I start getting serious and begin taking some defensive pistol classes.

The forums are saying that the M&P and the Glock are the way to go, and there is a clean OD Glock 19 down at the local pawn shop with night sights, and Vickers mag release. The next month I read a post that the M&P45c is the same size as a G19 and shoots awesome. Yep, you guessed it, I bought them all.

Wait a second, now I read that I may have made a mistake, the M&P reset is kind of faint and not as good as the Glock, the polymer pistol king. Here is a post from a guy that really likes orange and he has moved on from the M&P to the HK P30. Hmm....I have never tried the P30. The USP didn't do much for me but maybe I should check one out. YVK has one that he said I could try and another friend is transitioning back to Glock from the M&P so now we have a home for the G19.

2012 begins with a promise to myself that I am going to stick to the P30 and I am doing well with it when along come the PPQ and the FNS. I will be strong, I will not succumb.

Now I need to sell all my 45's and transition to 9mm. That suggestion goes over like a lead balloon with Mrs. SC who has stuck with the same gun for the last four years, a 1911 in 45, and shoots it well. Maybe I should take some of her advice and JUST PICK ONE. :cool:

CCT125US
02-04-2012, 03:39 PM
@secondscount...... that should be post of the month. And required reading for all new shooters....

SecondsCount
02-07-2012, 04:44 PM
@secondscount...... that should be post of the month. And required reading for all new shooters....

Why thank you. Now don't get me started about reloading components and gun lube. :eek:

EMC
02-07-2012, 05:01 PM
Why thank you. Now don't get me started about reloading components and gun lube. :eek:

Could it possibly be that for most of us the heavy research, the trying of new guns, the perception that we are on top of the latest trends and industry knowledge, is the actual "spice" of our common interest and all other things appertaining to it are but the logical justifications? I think most of us are forced to trod this path to gain enlightenment about what we truly enjoy (which as Tam would say is the "ethos" of this forum) which should be the satisfying increase in our own skill and competency.

Tony Muhlenkamp
02-09-2012, 10:59 AM
Now I need to sell all my 45's and transition to 9mm.

Let me know if you do, I'm like your wife and picked the 1911 platform; always looking for spares. :D

David Armstrong
02-09-2012, 02:42 PM
"The gun" was found long ago, the search is over. Actually, there are two of them..the S&W K-frame roundbutt and the 2nd Gen Glock. And I know that is right because I said so. Nahhh!:D

JHC
02-09-2012, 03:12 PM
"The gun" was found long ago, the search is over. Actually, there are two of them..the S&W K-frame roundbutt and the 2nd Gen Glock. And I know that is right because I said so. Nahhh!:D

I just saw a used M66 2.5" in great shape. $550!!!! The K frame is truly special. 2nd Gen Glocks I am not a fan off. Slippery. RTF2 for the win!

Wendell
02-09-2012, 10:33 PM
I ran across a video a couple of years back titled "The Paradox of Choice". It basic premise is that we now have so many choices for things around us that even if we get the perfect fit we still doubt our selves because we aren't 100% sure there is not a better choice out there. Here is a link to shorter version of the talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html (http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html)

"Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien."

EMC
02-10-2012, 11:18 AM
Well, I did it, my uncommon gun in .40 is gone and the new 9mm is on order. I have joined the Glock borg. Resistance was futile, I have been assimilated. In this case, I think my search was not flawed.

BWT
02-11-2012, 12:35 AM
My opinion on it is this.

Buy what you think is the best decision at the time, if you begin to feel and truly feel down the road that it's an inadequate decision.

Change.

I went from a 1911 to a Glock 17, and I never, ever, ever thought I'd do that.

I honestly have no interest in replacing this Glock 17, but I'll also say this, I don't think it's going to end with a Glock 17, things are constantly changing.

Who would've ever guessed that S&W would have gotten into the polymer semi-automatics market?

I would say avoid trends, but be willing when you see something better and substantially better, move to it.

GA_Jeff
02-13-2012, 09:19 PM
Once you do find the perfect gun, then it's on to find the perfect holster. Good luck with both :p

The reality is there is no 'one size fits all' solution to a gun or holster. Like any other tool, some tools work better than others depending upon the specifics of the job.

mongooseman
02-25-2012, 08:07 AM
Funny timing on this thread as I just replaced a M&P 9F with a G30. I'm in the process of rebuilding a battery of various calibers but before I make those purchases I'm going to have solid, reliable guns I can use for EDC and not worry about. I have a P30 that's not ever going anywhere and was looking for a G19 when I found the 30SF. I really like the Glock .45's and am actually starting with Glocks: two G19's for carry and practice, followed by either a 21SF or a Gen 4 21 (at least that's the plan :)).
I suspect that some of us here enjoy the hunt for "the gun" as much as actually owning "the ultimate handgun".

Wolvee
03-03-2012, 12:04 AM
I was on the hunt for the perfect pistol for the last two years. I bought all of usual suspects a couple times over. ..except XD's of course. After buying a couple dozen pistols I realized there isn't a perfect pistol. I settled on the HK P30L as my conceal carry and my trainer because it "didn't" have the most amount of flaws I was trying to avoid.

While the HK purest will string me up for what I'm about to say, one of the best pistols I've owned was an M&P, it gave me ergonomics, reliability, average accuracy and a tapered / contoured slide. The H&K P30L gives me all of that, does accuracy better (If you're talking about supported or slow fire), plus it gives me a trigger system I feel safe carrying and depending on.

I think what matters is, not about what it gives you that is positive but what it doesn't give that is negative. ..if that makes any sense at all. ;)

SecondsCount
03-03-2012, 01:21 AM
While the HK purest will string me up for what I'm about to say, one of the best pistols I've owned was an M&P, it gave me ergonomics, reliability, average accuracy and a tapered / contoured slide. The H&K P30L gives me all of that, does accuracy better (If you're talking about supported or slow fire), plus it gives me a trigger system I feel safe carrying and depending on.


I am not an HK purest but I carry a P30 as well as owning two M&P pistols.

The M&P comes in a close second for my favorite polymer pistol. I thought everybody who was complaining about the size of the 4" M&P was crazy until I bought the M&P compact 45. I love the size of that gun and wish they would make it in 9mm.

After a little cleaning up of the factory M&P triggers I don't find them to be that bad.

mongooseman
03-08-2012, 07:19 PM
A lot of people like variety and owning different guns and shooting different guns or pursuing the next great thing or the proverbial magic gun.

The magic gun is the gun that you want but don’t own. Once you own it, the magic is gone.

I missed this before:You are a very wise man.