Pistol Transitions: Ginger Ale and Champagne

Yesterday afternoon I took one of our cops up to the range to qualify with his shiny new gun and the experience prompted a good 24 hours of pondering that has made me decide to put fingers to keyboard for a nice long-winded post.

The Spark

This particular officer is in his last year of a 30+ year career. He’s not a gun guy, but I would say as cops go he is consistently an above average shooter and is very tactically sound. We’ve worked together a lot over the years and I would take him as my cover any day of the week. While he owns a few guns to go plink with his kids, he realistically has only carried and shot two guns for the past 25 years:

- A SIG P229 40 S&W (DA/SA and carried in a Safariland 070 of course)
- A S&W 642 carried exclusively in his front waistband with a Barami hip grip (doesn’t even own a holster for it and with the same 5 rounds of Federal Nyclad purchased back in the late 1990’s)

I would say in the past 25 years he’s probably shot the SIG about 100 rounds every few months and the 642 probably gets a box of 50 rounds through it every other year. The SIG is only carried on-duty and the S&W is carried all the time off-duty. He’s been content with this combo for 25 years. His qual scores are always above average with both. His only formal training has been PD in-service. So that’s our shooter. I think he honestly represents a lot of people.

If you hadn’t noticed, it’s gotten kind of violent around where I live (and in many places) in the last few years. There have been lots of multiple assailant robberies and our officer reached the conclusion that five shots of Federal Nyclad may not be enough. So after pondering this for basically a year and researching and asking questions (read that as driving me and the other gun nerds nuts…I told him to just carry his P229 on and off duty and be done with it) he drove down to the local cop shop last Saturday and purchased a SIG P365 X-Macro Comp with the intent to be his off-duty gun now and be his 24/7 gun in retirement.

So we went to the range and he qualified with it, but noticed his grouping was bigger than normal and he was consistently shooting with a bias high left. He asked the normal question, “Are my sights off?” I shot a mag through the gun and it was a very tight group dead center. We talked about trigger control for a bit and then shot more.

We then shot some different guns of different calibers and vastly different triggers and he noted that my accuracy was consistently the same no matter what trigger or caliber I was shooting.

I could see some frustration, especially after a year of researching the P365 X Macro and it not performing immediately the way he anticipated (because YouTube reviews are so unbiased of course). I explained to him that he’d been shooting the same guns with the same trigger for 25 years and his subconscious knew exactly what to expect, but that the P365 trigger was different and it was going to take awhile to get used to. It led to some befuddlement of why I was so consistent and could shoot so many different guns so well back-to-back. I initially just told him, “I’m pistol agnostic.” Right after I said it I felt it had been a snarky reply. This is where my pondering began.

The Thought

I’ve seen it brought up on this forum, in many others, and in classes, that we should all stick to one pistol platform and certainly one caliber. We debate whether minor differences in the trigger or in the frame design matter how we shoot and that a slight variation in grip design could somehow shut us down or have a dramatic affect on performance.

I, and many others, have no problem transitioning from gun to gun, platform to platform, or caliber to caliber. I can go from a Glock 17, to a 40 S&W SIG P226, to a 1911, to a S&W 629, to a P-09 Luger, to a Ruger LCR all in a day and think nothing of it. I don’t have any problem in the transition, but some people really do. Why?

Honestly, I think it’s two factors:
1) Sound mechanics: Point the gun where you want it to shoot and make it function while disturbing it as little as possible.
2) I know what to expect.

The first one I think we all get (at least in concept). The second is where the title of this post comes from.

Here’s my little drink example:

I know what Coca Cola tastes like. If I pick up a can of Coca Cola and drink it, I know what to expect. Expectation met.

I know what a Jack and Coke tastes like, but if someone hands me a glass I think is just Coca Cola, but I sip it and it’s Jack and Coke, it’ll take me a sec to process since it is similar, but not quite the same, but in a moment my brain will adapt and I’ll have realized I had a nice little surprise. I’ll adapt quickly.

The bigger variable is if I’ve been pining for a Coca Cola all day, I order one, and someone brings the glass that looks like Coca Cola, but is actually Root Beer, my brain is going to go “yuck” initially, whether I like Root Beer or not, because it is not what I was expecting. I may go through the Five Stages of Grief rapidly, but eventually I’ll accept I’m drinking Root Beer (or ask for a Coke). Slightly delayed adaptation.

The problem is when we’re expecting one thing and get something we’ve never tasted.

Ginger Ale and Champagne look very similar in a glass, but obviously are two very different drinks (I personally enjoy both). My five-year-old likes Ginger Ale, but has never tasted champagne. If I handed her a glass of what she thought was Ginger Ale, but it turned out to be champagne I could only assume what her reaction would be. It would probably be similar to orange juice after mint toothpaste.

Conclusion

Myself and some of us have shot lots of different types of guns lots. When I picked up the officer’s P365, I knew exactly what to expect. I know what a P365 trigger feels like and I have good mechanics from years of shooting so my adaptation to his gun was quick. (Coca Cola)

I’ve had the experience in the past of shooting a Glock with an NY1 trigger for a pick and then picking up and shooting a Glock 34 with a (-) trigger. It takes a sec, but my brain adapts quickly. (Jack and Coke)

My friend is used to only shooting a smooth DA/SA and a DAO revolver. The P365 has a light short take up and a hard, but spongy break. I know he’s shot Glocks and M&P’s in the past, and I truly believe that is what he expected (Coca-Cola), but what he got was a mouth full of Sarsaparilla, something similar to something he had tasted before (Root Beer), but not quite. His mechanics are good, which is why he was able to qualify immediately, but his brain had to sort through a whole new thing. Over time, he’ll get used to the sweet drink of the P365 trigger.

So what about the Ginger Ale and Champagne? Ever meet someone that shoots a Glock 17 regularly, but actually carries a Ruger LCP that he’s only put one mag through four years ago? I bet you have, because I know I have. How about a guy that shoots a Staccato 9mm, but actually carries a S&W 340SC with 357 Magnum? Hmmm…..

If you have good mechanics and shoot a variety of guns semi-regularly transitioning is easy. Yes, you should regularly practice with what you carry, but it is just fine to shoot and enjoy a variety of guns. Don’t over think it.

Just make sure the goal is when it really counts and you grab your gun under pressure it tastes like you expect!

When you only shoot the same gun, it is easy to shoot it at a subconscious level, and do it without knowing consciously what you are doing. When that person picks up another gun, especially one with different trigger characteristics, they may try to shoot it the same way, without thinking about what they are doing. That may result in a less than desired result. The 229/Macro is a classic example, as the SA crisp wall trigger of a 229 is very different than the wall then creep of the 365.

When you shoot different guns, especially new to you guns, you need to use conscious thought -- at least until you have so many rounds through it, you can shoot it subconsciously. Since we want to be able to operate our equipment at a subconscious level in a defensive encounter, we want to reach that level. An advantage people who shoot lots of things have, is they better understand how that process works. That does not mean they have subconscious ability from round one, but it may come sooner.

I am often learn something shooting one type gun that I can apply to another. Two last thoughts. You might suggest that your friend prep the 365 trigger beyond the wall, and see if that centers and tightens things up. I think I recall you saying you were bored shooting lately, in another thread. If so, have you considered competition as a way of orienting and validating your practice? I shoot a lot, and I am as excited as a bird dog getting out in the field, when driving to the range.

I agree with your original post.

The broader and deeper your experiences with different types of handgun, the easier it is to shift back and forth with minimal disruption.

When you shift to a different type of handgun, you have that file in your brain and you can access it easily .

Someone with less deep and broad experience has greater difficulty accessing that file and is slower to do so.

Someone with no experience with a particular type of handgun has to create that file, this takes longer.


I believe in doing most of your training with your carry weapons but there are advantages to broad and deep experiences with many different types.

A skilled handgun shooter should be competent with almost anything.

I was posting the same time as GJM, he explained things better.

All I can think is....man, Adamsons is making a killing with cops on all the 365s. Selling like ice cream at a kids pool in the summer.

Great thread and OP. I don't have much to add. As many of us here, I can pick up pretty much any handgun and shoot it decently. But the trigger mechanism isn't the main feature that I notice or care about. And I don't really need to shoot the gun to get a sense of it. Some guns have such terrible ergos (at least for me) that the moment I pick it up, I know I'm going to have to crush the living fuck out of it with my support hand, or super-confirm index & sight alignment because the grip is ambiguous. Even after firing, I'm more focused on non-trigger things, like how balanced and predictable the recoil and return are.

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Originally Posted by AMC

All I can think is....man, Adamsons is making a killing with cops on all the 365s. Selling like ice cream at a kids pool in the summer.

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It's almost unreal. This one actually came from LC Action. He went down there Saturday, had to pull a number out of the machine, and wait over an hour to be helped. He said almost everyone down there was buying P365's.

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Originally Posted by KevH

It's almost unreal. This one actually came from LC Action. He went down there Saturday, had to pull a number out of the machine, and wait over an hour to be helped. He said almost everyone down there was buying P365's.

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Pretty much everyone I know carries some flavor of a 365 -- slim, hi cap, easy to shoot well, reliable, easy to dot, so it checks all the boxes.

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Originally Posted by KevH

It's almost unreal. This one actually came from LC Action. He went down there Saturday, had to pull a number out of the machine, and wait over an hour to be helped. He said almost everyone down there was buying P365's.

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That must be driving those poor Glock salesmen crazy!

When we started our T&E of multiple platforms in late 2018/early 2019, we called multiple manufacturers to get samples. When we called LC Action (one of my favorite vendors to deal with) for Gen 5 Glock samples, Chris knocked on our door an hour later with 5 guns in hand. Literally. They had been trying to get us into Glocks for years. I think he was touching himself the whole drive up.

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Originally Posted by GJM

Pretty much everyone I know carries some flavor of a 365 -- slim, hi cap, easy to shoot well, reliable, easy to dot, so it checks all the boxes.

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Not me… but yeah. A lot of people I know have them too.

Great OP — strong concur with your analysis. I think your original advice to the shooter was the best — if he just carried the 229 all the time he would never have known his limitation.

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Originally Posted by KevH

Yesterday afternoon I took one of our cops up to the range to qualify with his shiny new gun and the experience prompted a good 24 hours of pondering that has made me decide to put fingers to keyboard for a nice long-winded post.

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Great post. Because I like a lot of different guns/calibers, I can go from one odd thing to another easily.

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Originally Posted by AMC

That must be driving those poor Glock salesmen crazy!

When we started our T&E of multiple platforms in late 2018/early 2019, we called multiple manufacturers to get samples. When we called LC Action (one of my favorite vendors to deal with) for Gen 5 Glock samples, Chris knocked on our door an hour later with 5 guns in hand. Literally. They had been trying to get us into Glocks for years. I think he was touching himself the whole drive up.

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I'm not an early adopter, so it will be another 15 years before I buy a 365. More cops here buy a 43X because they're used to Glocks, but it's starting to change with 2011s and 320/365s being authorized. The exception is an SO that dumped 320s for 509s because a guy's 320 "went off in his holster." :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by KevH

The problem is when we’re expecting one thing and get something we’ve never tasted.

Ginger Ale and Champagne look very similar in a glass, but obviously are two very different drinks (I personally enjoy both). My five-year-old likes Ginger Ale, but has never tasted champagne. If I handed her a glass of what she thought was Ginger Ale, but it turned out to be champagne I could only assume what her reaction would be. It would probably be similar to orange juice after mint toothpaste.

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I'll take your analogy a step further.

My dad tells the story of when he and my mom were newly married, he was in the Navy, and were visiting friends, who offered up margaritas. Never having had a margarita, he was eager to try it. While watching them being prepared, he thought that it was sugar being applied to the rim of the glass. Discovering upon tasting that it was salt instead of sugar was a bit of a shock, and he doesn't care for margaritas to this day for that reason.

So, even never having experienced a thing before, the difference between that expectation and the reality can be jarring.


Also, I think that there may be something to inherently understanding a thing. We know how guns work, and understand how mechanically different a sliding 1911 trigger is to a pivoting DA trigger, and know to expect it to be different. To some folks, everything that happens from inserting the magazine into the gun and the loud noise is some form of magic. I have a hard time relating to such folks, but they are out there.

I believe your initial advice to carry the 229 was best. I know a non dedicated person like your friend who switched to the 365 and sucks with it, due to lack of practice that they had with another platform. Your friend won't practice, and could've used all those years of practice with the 229 to his benefit.

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Originally Posted by Dave Williams

I believe your initial advice to carry the 229 was best. I know a non dedicated person like your friend who switched to the 365 and sucks with it, due to lack of practice that they had with another platform. Your friend won't practice, and could've used all those years of practice with the 229 to his benefit.

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I don't disagree with you at all. I tried. I even gave him some solid holster recommendations. You can lead a horse to water...

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Originally Posted by KevH

I don't disagree with you at all. I tried. I even gave him some solid holster recommendations. You can lead a horse to water...

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First, let me say I sincerely agree with and appreciate the OP. I have worked almost exclusively with Glock pistols for over two decades. As retirement moves closer, I find myself asking-after leaving the organization-how competence or “good” will be defined.
@KevH: in your OP, you reported the veteran officer qualified but was disappointed and confused about his shooting with his new SIG blaster, but that he did qualify. So, respectfully, how does one define “good”? I know on this site it has been discussed before, but what is your thinking and practice along these lines? What was the qual cof?
For me, in a (retired) defensive context, discretion would be the better part of valor, and if I can avoid/exit, I most probably will. But they may not be an option for some reason.
I get your original concept and it’s a good one. If I’m going to run my 1911s at an IDPA match for example, I’ll do my best to do maybe 5 minutes of dry practice so I know what the”taste” is going to be. FWIW, when I’ve done some volunteer instruction with civilians dedicated enough to come to a class or two, I’ve used the Gila Hayes 5x5 “qual”. There are a lot of CCWs that can’t pull that off initially-and I mean most. Just interested in opinions here-thanks

Kevin-
Very nicely done!
There is something to grip angle & size, albeit not for all;

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Originally Posted by 1Rangemaster

First, let me say I sincerely agree with and appreciate the OP. I have worked almost exclusively with Glock pistols for over two decades. As retirement moves closer, I find myself asking-after leaving the organization-how competence or “good” will be defined.
@KevH: in your OP, you reported the veteran officer qualified but was disappointed and confused about his shooting with his new SIG blaster, but that he did qualify. So, respectfully, how does one define “good”? I know on this site it has been discussed before, but what is your thinking and practice along these lines? What was the qual cof?
For me, in a (retired) defensive context, discretion would be the better part of valor, and if I can avoid/exit, I most probably will. But they may not be an option for some reason.
I get your original concept and it’s a good one. If I’m going to run my 1911s at an IDPA match for example, I’ll do my best to do maybe 5 minutes of dry practice so I know what the”taste” is going to be. FWIW, when I’ve done some volunteer instruction with civilians dedicated enough to come to a class or two, I’ve used the Gila Hayes 5x5 “qual”. There are a lot of CCWs that can’t pull that off initially-and I mean most. Just interested in opinions here-thanks

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Well, we all have our own definitions of "good" and I think it changes depending upon our experience and what we expect.

Our department qual consists of:

Static silhouette shooting with time limits. All shots should be from the holster and be center mass, unless otherwise noted.
Scoring = 144 point minimum passing score.

• 25 yard line: Draw and fire 3 rounds strong-hand standing and 3 rounds strong hand kneeling, straight through. Barricade optional. No time limit. (6 rounds total)
• 15 yard line: Draw and fire 2 rounds center mass. No time limit. Repeat 3 times. (6 rounds total)
• 10 yard line: Draw and fire 2 rounds center mass in 4 seconds. Repeat 3 times. (6 rounds total)
• 7 yard line: Draw and fire 2 rounds center mass and 1 round to the head (failure drill) in 6 seconds. Repeat 2 times. (6 rounds total)
• 5 yard line: Draw and fire 2 rounds with the strong hand only, transition to the weak hand, and fire 2 more rounds with the weak hand only in 8 seconds. Repeat 2 times. (8 rounds total)
• 3 yard line: Draw and fire 2 rounds from the “guard” position in 3 seconds. Arms should not be fully extended and elbows should remain in contact with torso. Repeat 2 times. (4 rounds total)

Our target is our own design:

https://i.imgur.com/k71nOral.jpg

It's a little smaller than your standard B27. The numbers for scoring if you can't read them are 5, 3, 1.

That's the bare minimum Department qual. Our SWAT qual is much more difficult. Remember, we need to hold a whole department to this standard. That means everyone. We have some every year that can't pass it for whatever reason and have to remediate. It was pretty amazing last year after doing our 8 hour transition course to PMO's that every single person passed it. I'm still not sure if that is because of the optic or the fact that everyone spent 8 hours on the range. Time will tell.

Our officer is used to keeping all his rounds in the 5 in a fairly close pattern. Using this metric, I would describe that as "good." It's certainly a little better than average. With his brand spankin new P365 XMacro he wandered into the 3 with his "bigger than his average" pattern high left. It's not like he was off paper, but he recognized that it wasn't his "norm." His expectation after spending the weekend dry-firing and playing with his new toy and based on all the reviews he had read of how easy it was to shoot was that his performance would at least mimic his norm. It didn't.

There are lots of different standards we can apply (FAST, Hackathorn Standards, etc.). My expectation of myself (which I've had for almost twenty years now) is to shoot the above qual cold with a perfect score (everything in the 5). If I'm shooting in good conditions in daylight I better darn well have every center mass hit in the circle. I typically will go back to the 50 yard line to make sure I consistently hit the head of the silhouette at that distance as well. When I worked graveyards I would go up to the range on my lunch around 4 am and shoot it in the dark with just a flashlight or a my Code 3's going and a vehicle side light. I've used other standards over the years, but I always come back to this one because it's burned in my head.

@KevH - thank you for your detailed reply. I especially appreciate you taking the time to put out your qual. I thought the 25 yard shooting intriguing-might have to try that.
I think it was @jlw who has said something like only cold runs are definitive, so that’s another angle. For myself, I’m trying to be more disciplined about dry practice weekly; I’m pretty sure it will increase as my range time decreases.

I just used the handgun hero dot com site to compare a P365 and S&W 642, especially in the back-to-back orientation. I believe that I would perform poorly with P365, regardless of its trigger, unless/until I went through a multi-thousand-round transition. In my hands, a J-Frame, especially a rounded-butt J-Frame, is already on the edge of the point of diminishing returns, in the size envelope, unless I install grips that add height, and, please, dear Lord, no grips with a “banana” shape. One of my J-snubs has Sile wood grips than provide a square-butt conversion configuration, and add just a bit of overall height. The J remains pocketable, and will still work for ankle carry. (These Sile grips do not add as much height as S&W’s own wood J-Frame round-to-square conversion grips, that can be occasionally found pre-owned or NOS.)

I agree that the retiring officer, described in the OP, should get a really good concealment rig for his P229, but, if the P229 really is “too big,” well, I think that it would be better to carry the familiar J-Frame, and add a second J-Frame, to solve the rounds-on-board problem, and keep things within a familiar weapon profile. Too many of my LE colleagues have taken rounds to the arms and hands, during actual gunfights, here in the Houston metro area, in Texas, for me to see a second gun as anything but a good idea. The FBI incident in Dade County, in the mid-Eighties, provides more examples of second guns being tactically sound, and, then, CA has the Onion Field example.

For reference, I used a railed P229, as a primary duty pistol, 2004 to 2015, and from about 2006, until about 2012, carried a non-railed P229 during personal time. I got away from the P229, during personal time, when .40 S&W recoil became too much to tolerate, and I sold-off my non-railed P229 pistols. I continued to use my railed P229, as a duty pistol, with an X200 or X300 attached, to help damp the recoil, until 2015, at which point my chief OK’ed 9mm as a duty cartridge. The point is, a P229 is easy to conceal, even for the skinny person I still was, at the time.)

I got over my slim-line miniature-/micro-nine quest in the Nineties, and must concede that I have now some amount of prejudice against that entire class of pistol. My hands are not wide, but they are long. I wear size L gloves. Defensive weapons should “fill your hand.”

I reckon that I know little about beverages. If I am thirsty, I drink something, preferably with little or no sugar or alcohol.

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Originally Posted by GJM

Pretty much everyone I know carries some flavor of a 365 -- slim, hi cap, easy to shoot well, reliable, easy to dot, so it checks all the boxes.

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They are popular for sure.

That said, with my xl size hands, I just stuck with the G19. I have a rule/question. I ask what is the smallest gun you are willing to get into a gunfight with against at least 2 people (who are also armed). The 19 is as small as I can go and shoot reasonably well. The P365 is a good gun, but it still requires a holster for me, so I figure I may as well just carry the bigger, easier to shoot (for me) G19. Most the time though, that really translates into a full size frame IWB. A g17/22. But I do understand why the P365s are so popular.

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Originally Posted by Lost River

They are popular for sure.

That said, with my xl size hands, I just stuck with the G19. I have a rule/question. I ask what is the smallest gun you are willing to get into a gunfight with against at least 2 people (who are also armed). The 19 is as small as I can go and shoot reasonably well. The P365 is a good gun, but it still requires a holster for me, so I figure I may as well just carry the bigger, easier to shoot (for me) G19. Most the time though, that really translates into a full size frame IWB. A g17/22. But I do understand why the P365s are so popular.

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I am talking about a 365 in the form of a Macro lower and XL upper. I shoot it as well or better than a 19. As a gun guy, if you haven't tried a Macro, you should, as it shoots like a mid size while being thin like a slimline. The grip is also more comfortable for my hands than a 19.

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Originally Posted by GJM

I am talking about a 365 in the form of a Macro lower and XL upper. I shoot it as well or better than a 19. As a gun guy, if you haven't tried a Macro, you should, as it shoots like a mid size while being thin like a slimline. The grip is also more comfortable for my hands than a 19.

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Dangit GJM!

You're like Dr. Feelgood!

I think like or dislike of the XMacro depends on hand size and a few other things. They shoot fine and I get the appeal, but I much prefer the G19.

I find it too narrow for my hand, the butt too long, and I dislike how complex the P365 is to detail strip. Still if you want a skinny light gun that holds 17 rounds I understand the appeal.

In this instance it wouldn't have mattered if it was a XMacro, a CZ P10C, or a Staccato P. It was the fact that it was something different than what he was used to shooting.

While the Macro trigger is quite different than his 229, it does have the advantage of pointing the same. How many sessions do you think it would require to take your expertise with shooting different pistols, and imprint that on him?

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Originally Posted by GJM

While the Macro trigger is quite different than his 229, it does have the advantage of pointing the same. How many sessions do you think it would require to take your expertise with shooting different pistols, and imprint that on him?

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I think I can get him to the shoot the Macro quite well in a few weeks if he is willing to put in the work.

Shooting twice a week for a couple hours (no more than that) would probably get him pretty close.

The mechanics of shooting are there as is the ability to use sights. He just needs to learn the trigger and the feel of a different gun.

The biggest letdown for him was watching lots of review videos on YouTube and and elsewhere online and then going to the range the gun didn't shoot itself and him realizing he shot the P229 better. He isn't disappointed with the purchase and I'm sure he will shoot it and carry it. I think he was just irked I could shoot it better than he could. I knew what to expect.

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Originally Posted by KevH

I think like or dislike of the XMacro depends on hand size and a few other things. They shoot fine and I get the appeal, but I much prefer the G19.

I find it too narrow for my hand, the butt too long, and I dislike how complex the P365 is to detail strip. Still if you want a skinny light gun that holds 17 rounds I understand the appeal.

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A Razorback grip module can sometimes help with the grip feel.

OEM G19 mags are tremendously more durable than P365 mags just by the nature of what's being done. I haven't had any mag failures but I've taken a few out of service. I just find it hard to trust them. Otherwise the performance advantage of the G19 slides into the category of things that don't matter for me.

Switching platforms can sometimes point out areas where you've gone on autopilot and shouldn't and that has value. We talk a lot about unconscious competence here and that's good but I think certain things should always be consciously done, and there's no better way to remind yourself than spending some time on a different platform.

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Originally Posted by MickAK

A Razorback grip module can sometimes help with the grip feel.

OEM G19 mags are tremendously more durable than P365 mags just by the nature of what's being done. I haven't had any mag failures but I've taken a few out of service. I just find it hard to trust them. Otherwise the performance advantage of the G19 slides into the category of things that don't matter for me.

Switching platforms can sometimes point out areas where you've gone on autopilot and shouldn't and that has value. We talk a lot about unconscious competence here and that's good but I think certain things should always be consciously done, and there's no better way to remind yourself than spending some time on a different platform.

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I definitely felt that way about the 10 and 12 rounds mags. The 17 round Macro mags, which I load one less than their stated capacity, have been working great. I even have four set up with Springer plus three extensions and extra power springs. The Macro mags seem to be based on 226 tubes, so it isn't surprising they work well.

While nothing beats a Glock mag for cost, availability and durability, the Macro mag does have some good points. It is more tapered at the top which eases insertion, and overall it is thinner. I find a mag often prints as much as a pistol and thinner is better when carried in the belt or in your pocket.

Attachment 115284

The Springer extensions work well for me.

Attachment 115285

Here is a 226 mag next to a Macro mag.

Attachment 115286

I think your original suggestion to stick with the 229 was the wisest choice. I've seen someone like your friend switch to the 365 and struggle because they didn't have enough practice with another platform. Your friend isn't committed to practicing, and all those years spent with the 229 could have been hugely beneficial to them.