Today, I decided to go to a nice new indoor range and wring out some of my smaller guns. We've pretty strong evidence that folks who are trained can shoot them reasonably well but with a drop in performance as compared to the full sizes models. Since, I sometimes drop on of them in my pocket, time to shoot some. I prefer to carry a Glock 9mm of various flavors.
So:
1. SW 432 - That's a six shot light weight 32 HR mag. Fired some Fiocchi SW Long FMJ. Sweet hearts to shoot. Reasonable accuracy and groups but my old eyes having a touch of trouble with the fixed sights. Even with a little orange front sight paint, old is a pain. I'm fairly certain I can get COM hits at reasonable house distances or street if not an extreme situation. Then a set of Federal 85 gr. 32 Mag. Again no trouble, recoil not a problem - I did note a big flash from that stuff. Conclusion, reasonable pocket gun for sloth like EDC or a bug.
2. SW 642 - Nice trigger - rounds were 158 gr Monarch Semi - JHP. Recoil was a touch unpleasant. I could hit stuff. Usual caveat for folks who buy these and never shoot them or give them to wife with a stiff round. Maybe I will join the wadcutter club. WWB wasn't that troublesome. Good pocket gun.
Conclusion - between the two Js - I think I'll carry the 432 more.
3. SW 632 - that's a SS 3 inch compensated J frame. No problems with the Long or 32 HR Mag. Fun to shoot. Double taps easy. Then some Federal 327 mag. Surprisingly, that had some kick to it. It was LOUD in the indoor range. I can shoot 100 WWB 230 gr 45 ACP and feel fine. I wouldn't want to shoot 100 of these.
Conclusion - fun gun - not an EDC carry. I might carry it in the woods as a backup for whatever (no grizzly in TX). Easy gun to shoot for beginners with the lighter loads.
4. Glock 42 - Sigh. It's troublesome. I can shoot it well to make a single hole in a close target. BTW, I shot at 3 yards as I was just playing with the rounds and not trying an accuracy test at a longer distance. More interested in sights, trigger, ammo, double tap ease.
It's been back to Glock once as it was a horror out of the box. So:
a. It went through 50 rounds of some crappy Monarch Brass FMJ with one failure to feed and one stovepipe.
b. Hornady Critical Duty - went through a box of 25 and it jammed on almost every mag. Stovepipe, double, didn't feed (this is with different mags, no difference). Bah. Two mags of some Sig HP 380 that I had demonstrated the same behavior.
When it ran, it was great and easy - recoil is trivial. My old eyes can see the sights. But do I keep it and just shoot FMJ? That's been argued for the 380. I think I will shoot out the ammo I have for it and then decide it's fate. If it goes Bye Bye - I won't go for another 380 - since I'm an old fart, I will fart round with the J frames for my pocket.
Side comments on the range: It's a new indoor range in San Antonio on 1604 and NW Military. Clean and well kept. You have to watch a safety video if you are there for the first time, which is a good idea. Nice lanes with automatic controls and some turning scenarios. The RSOs are very pleasant and helpful. Fun to talk too. The sales staff is new and some are not the most knowledgeable
about techy stuff. They are kids, so cute. When the nice RSO took me to my lane, and I attached my target - I saw that the metal clip holding the target had lead splash on it. Then I looked up and saw lots of them on the ceiling above the lane. I said: Jesus! She said - Yeah, and we've been open just a month.
Glad I'm not a RSO - that must be scary. Nice idea - they have a sink inside the lane complex so you can wash up before you go out to the main store lobby. That's nice. As I was throwing away my paper towel - I saw a bunch of live rounds in the trash. Huh? I told the RSO. They went to dig them out.
All in all a nice day.
Conclusion - I like carrying my 9mm Glocks and shoot them better. I shoot and like my SW 1911Sc Commander better than the little guys. It's tad big to carry, IMHO. As Karl Rehn and others have pointed out you can shoot the little guys decently but have some deficit. New folks really would have to practice beyond the 50 rounds once a year at three yards. The little guys are pocket gun and Bugs.
I didn't shoot my NAA 22 Short mini - maybe I will?