RE: Glock 34 and the 5" barrel limit
I think Todd's intentions are good, so we should definitely be courteous when we disagree. I am gonna agree with Todd on the need for more reality of firearms used in the game, but disagree on how it is currently being done.
I want to continue to make a similar but related point that barrel length should have nothing to do with whether a gun is allowed in the KSTG game. It should be gun size and weight....nothing more. Barrel length should be taken out of consideration entirely.
The truth is that there is a huge amount of diversity of guns actually carried. Many will carry the same gun they use for competing. Others will carry different guns depending on the season or depending on ability to conceal, etc. There are people to carry a 34...that is a fact.
If we had the money it would be good to do a poll of people who actually carry concealed and ask them to measure the size and weight of their guns and come up with a true statistical model with mean, median, deviation, etc. Then we could use solid concealed firearm data to set the size and weight limit based on a rule, such as: guns smaller and lighter than the 90th percentile will be allowed.
But anybody paying attention knows the popularity of small carry guns right now:
9mm Guns 6" or UNDER in length and 21oz or UNDER in weight:
Kahr PM/CM,
Ruger LC9,
SCCY Gen 2,
Glock 26,
SigSauer P290,
Kel-Tec PF-11,
Kimber Solo,
Beretta Nano,
Kel-Tec PF-9.
9mm Guns 6.85" or UNDER in length and 29oz or UNDER in weight:
Walther PPS,
Cz 2075 RAMI,
SigSauer P250,
Beretta PX4 Subcompact,
Taurus Millenium Pro,
Walther P99 Compact,
Taurus 709B, Bersa UC,
Springfield XD Subcompact,
S&W M&P Compact 9mm,
Bersa BP CC 9,
Ruger SR9c,
Glock G19,
SigSauer P239
(And this isn't a complete list)
That doesn't include everyone carrying .380 guns, which almost all are smaller and lighter that the 9mm list. Please don't take offense that I didn't include .45 or .40 or .357 or other calibers....I am just trying to make the case that it is likely most people who concealed carry are using guns that are smaller and lighter. On this point I support Todd's position and agree with it.
But when you look up the barrel length on these guns, they vary a lot. The key attributes of picking a carry gun is not how long of a barrel...it is the handguns ease of concealed carry and its other attributes that make it easy to operate and carry sufficient ammunition and caliber. My point here is that size and weight are much more important.
This is why I am advocating for a COMPACT DIVISION for concealed carry. That way John Doe with a smallish 9mm carry gun like a KelTec or a Taurus can actually BE competitive with other shooters of similar sized firearms. My Cz 75 won't play, but my Cz 2075 will. THEN go ahead and let the 34's play in the FULLSIZED DIVISION.
That makes everybody feel included and may actually make a more popular division among people who ordinarily would not try to compete with speed demons running 34's or Cz 75's.
I am not trying to make the game harder...I am trying to get more new people to participate and making a new COMPACT DIVISION allows Todd to get his wish and the 34 owners to get theirs.
Later,
CC