What makes you change your primary (and secondary) firearms?

[CleverNickname]

My first carry gun ever (also first gun ever) was a Glock 26. I got a G26 over G19 because I was concerned about printing. I changed to a Glock 19 later that year when I found that the additional grip length didn't really matter with concealability as much as I thought it would. Since then I've stuck with Glocks because changing over to a different manufacturer would be a huge effort in replacing my multitude of Glocks, spare magazines, holsters, magazine carriers, and spare parts, with only the possibility of minimal gains, at best.

Now, for a smaller gun suitable for more formal dress (i.e. I have to tuck in my shirt), I've changed that quite a few times. I went from a Keltec P32 (second gun I ever bought and the first gun I ever sold, because it was a rimlocking POS), to a Kahr PM9, to a S&W 642, to a Beretta Nano, to a Ruger LCR to a Glock 43. A single-stack Glock 9mm was really what I wanted instead of a PM9 or a Nano, but Glock didn't make the G43 yet so those were the best substitutes I could find. The only reason I think I might ever change from a G43 is if a light-compatible Enigma is released and then I can just carry my G19 tucked.

[LittleLebowski]

Is it wrong that I love and relate to every single post in this thread?

#HeIsBeingAssimilated

[Caballoflaco]

My first carry gun ever (also first gun ever) was a Glock 26. I got a G26 over G19 because I was concerned about printing. I changed to a Glock 19 later that year when I found that the additional grip length didn't really matter with concealability as much as I thought it would. Since then I've stuck with Glocks because changing over to a different manufacturer would be a huge effort in replacing my multitude of Glocks, spare magazines, holsters, magazine carriers, and spare parts, with only the possibility of minimal gains, at best.

Now, for a smaller gun suitable for more formal dress (i.e. I have to tuck in my shirt), I've changed that quite a few times. I went from a Keltec P32 (second gun I ever bought and the first gun I ever sold, because it was a rimlocking POS), to a Kahr PM9, to a S&W 642, to a Beretta Nano, to a Ruger LCR to a Glock 43. A single-stack Glock 9mm was really what I wanted instead of a PM9 or a Nano, but Glock didn't make the G43 yet so those were the best substitutes I could find. The only reason I think I might ever change from a G43 is if a light-compatible Enigma is released and then I can just carry my G19 tucked.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....=1#post1191441

[BillSWPA]

I upgrade when the new choice either 1) accomplishes something important that the previous choice did not, or 2) accomplishes something significantly better than the previous choice.

Holster-carried choices have changed very infrequently over the time I have carried. My most commonly carried IWB choice remained the same from 1997 through the first half of 2020. My pocket gun changed about 4 times during that same time frame, since guns small enough for this role have undergone significant improvement.

[Savage Hands]

For me it's the ability to get an updated model since i can't just buy them easily in this state.

[mmc45414]

I didn't really think of it as a change, more like I settled into what was working. I had 1911s (since my avitar picture, about 1980), and Glocks and XDs and Glocks and 1911s and M&Ps and Glocks and 1911s. And I had .45s and .40s, and then when 22LR got hard to get and more expensive I mathed it out that it didn't cost me all that much more to reload 9mm so I bought a conversion barrel for my G35. Somewhere along the way I bought a M&P Compact, and met Randy and Scott at one of the NRA Annual Meetings and bought the Apex kit for the M&P and that broke the barrier of dropping parts into my own striker guns and then I bought an M&P-40 that I put the Apex trigger and kit into, and I bought a factory 9mm barrel for it. Then I decided to get another M&P-9 and drag it through the catalog, including the barrel.

Then one day I was trying to figure out how to buy a Beretta 686 Sporting 20g (~$2400 at the time) and if I switched to 20g I would need a Dillon SL-900 that was most of another thousand dollars and it occurred to me that I had a probably a couple thousand dollars worth of striker guns that I never shot, because I was always shooting the M&P. I sold everything that has a striker that wasn't an M&P. Well, except the three Kahr pistols, just never mind that.

But I still love shooting the 1911, and since I had pretty much standardized on 9mm I figured I needed a 9mm 1911 and started shooting it every week, and started shooting it pretty well. So then I bought a longer and heavier one that was even easier to shoot, and I started shooting even better.

Then they came out with the M&P 2.0 about the same time that I started to wonder if I was shooting well because I was shooting consistently at least once a week or because I was shooting a forty ounce 1911 with great sights and a sweet trigger. So I got a 5" M&P-9, changed nothing but the sights, and shot it essentially exclusively for two years, and continued to shoot well. About a month ago I decided to dip my toe into that red dot pool and bought the CORE top end and am testing my transition with the Swampfox and have been pretty happy. And somewhere in there S&W finally came out with the 4" Goldilocks compact, so for full size striker guns I am sticking with M&Ps, and maybe might never ever change, I not getting any younger.

But I never have found anything small that I like better than a J-frame, and I have more of them than I need, but I want more.

And I am gonna always love 1911s, just picking one up is like putting on my old motorcycle jacket that I have worn for thousands of miles. I want a 9mm CCO, but I am diving deeper into rifles at this point.

So I never did really switch, I more like migrated. But at this point I am not likely to deviate from M&P 9mm striker guns, J-frames for gym shorts guns. But I will continue to own and buy and occasionally carry 1911s and cool revolvers. And when/if the right Beretta 92 or CZ-75 comes along it is not like I am monogamous, but I am probably not going to be "switching" to another striker gun, maybe ever.

[randyho]

Residing for another few years in deepest darkest pg county, I'm moving to lower capacity magazines, mostly in anticipation of the next mag ban. Anticipating, moving to a single stack 1911 and single stack *wink* glocks.

At this point, still winning the gp100 auction LL pointed me toward, but I am a lot of reps from being adequately competent with revolvers.

Divesting of ak's will result in an influx of lever guns, perhaps shotguns.

#progressNot

[pangloss]

My first defensive pistol purchase was a Gen 2 G17 that I bought in the early 90s. I didn't decide to start carrying until 2009, at which point I bought a Gen 3 G26. Except for my J-frame, I think I've only ever carried Glocks. I bought 19.3 and later a couple of 19.4s. Sold the 19.3. Then I bought a 19.5, sold the 19.4s and bought a second 19.5. Sold the second 19.5 to a friend after vetting and bought a replacement for myself. My bedside pistol is a 17.4 with a Surefire on it. I carry the 26.3, the 19.5 (one for carry one for practice), or the 43 (all outfitted with SCDs). I haven't carried the J-frame much since I bought the 43. In summary, I guess the thing that drives my decision to change carry pistols is the release of a new of a new generation of Glocks.

However, I've come close to changing brands. I have two PX4c's (one of which is a compact carry) and an AIWB holster. I have a P30 and a P30SK and an AIWB holster and a field holster. I have one APX centurion and an AIWB holster on order. I purchased these pistols because I found them for ridiculously low prices on Gunbroker and I was curious about them and I heard the term "gun library," which is a beautiful juxtaposition. I really like all these pistols, but usually after I shoot them I end up thinking something along the lines of "that's a nice pistol, but it's not a Glock." When I order holsters, I have the best intention of carrying whatever pistol it's for, but I just don't follow through. I have several metal-framed service pistols with hammers, all quality pistols, but I've never ordered holsters for any of them. The only real downside I see to trying to support redundant systems like this is the compulsion it creates to buy magazines and trying to cram that many magazines into my safe. Glock mags are cheap and I've bought a lot of them. Beretta and HK mags are not cheap. Right now I want to buy a bunch of standard capacity P07 mags and M&P mags just in case one of those pistols (or the P10c!) turns out to be perfect for me, but then what if the APX is really the perfect choice for me? Or the M92 compact? Or the CZ75 compact? Need more mags! I had only two G17 mags when the Clinton AWB went into effect, so I feel a very strong desire to buy ALL the mags NOW just to keep options open for later (assuming some legal options would continue to exist after major new gun legislation). I have mags for at least three models of pistol that I don't own, two of which I've never owned. It's a sickness, doubly so given my affection for Glocks which I've been happily carrying for a dozen years now! Thank you for listening. I didn't meant to rant.

[Doc_Glock]

My first defensive pistol purchase was a Gen 2 G17 that I bought in the early 90s. I didn't decide to start carrying until 2009, at which point I bought a Gen 3 G26. Except for my J-frame, I think I've only ever carried Glocks. I bought 19.3 and later a couple of 19.4s. Sold the 19.3. Then I bought a 19.5, sold the 19.4s and bought a second 19.5. Sold the second 19.5 to a friend after vetting and bought a replacement for myself. My bedside pistol is a 17.4 with a Surefire on it. I carry the 26.3, the 19.5 (one for carry one for practice), or the 43 (all outfitted with SCDs). I haven't carried the J-frame much since I bought the 43. In summary, I guess the thing that drives my decision to change carry pistols is the release of a new of a new generation of Glocks.

However, I've come close to changing brands. I have two PX4c's (one of which is a compact carry) and an AIWB holster. I have a P30 and a P30SK and an AIWB holster and a field holster. I have one APX centurion and an AIWB holster on order. I purchased these pistols because I found them for ridiculously low prices on Gunbroker and I was curious about them and I heard the term "gun library," which is a beautiful juxtaposition. I really like all these pistols, but usually after I shoot them I end up thinking something along the lines of "that's a nice pistol, but it's not a Glock." When I order holsters, I have the best intention of carrying whatever pistol it's for, but I just don't follow through. I have several metal-framed service pistols with hammers, all quality pistols, but I've never ordered holsters for any of them. The only real downside I see to trying to support redundant systems like this is the compulsion it creates to buy magazines and trying to cram that many magazines into my safe. Glock mags are cheap and I've bought a lot of them. Beretta and HK mags are not cheap. Right now I want to buy a bunch of standard capacity P07 mags and M&P mags just in case one of those pistols (or the P10c!) turns out to be perfect for me, but then what if the APX is really the perfect choice for me? Or the M92 compact? Or the CZ75 compact? Need more mags! I had only two G17 mags when the Clinton AWB went into effect, so I feel a very strong desire to buy ALL the mags NOW just to keep options open for later (assuming some legal options would continue to exist after major new gun legislation). I have mags for at least three models of pistol that I don't own, two of which I've never owned. It's a sickness, doubly so given my affection for Glocks which I've been happily carrying for a dozen years now! Thank you for listening. I didn't meant to rant.

I can really relate to your post above.

I started with Glock. I have only ever carried double stack Glocks in various flavors for a primary pistol. That has never much changed.

In addition I was a dedicated hobbiest who wanted to try all the other plastic 9mm service pistols, then wanted to learn the 1911 and safety manipulation, then wanted to learn to run a TDA decently, then a couple revolvers. But not one of those other pistols has displaced Glock from its carry role. And the vast majority of the hobby pistols are now gone leaving me with some Beretta 92s and Glocks in the semi auto role and various interesting to me revolvers.

For a while (still?) I was obsessed with pocket and mouse caliber guns, and have gone through quite a few trying to displace the Ruger LCP from the pocket role. Nothing as yet has and the .22s are surprisingly unreliable.

[Wise_A]

So what makes you change your handgun of choice?

Changing mission.

I've carried a Gen 3.5 G26 since as long as I've been carrying, but I'm carrying more thanks to a gun-friendly workplace, so I would really appreciate something thinner. At the same time, having a WML might actually be useful, and the more I think about it, the more I think it's time to transition to PMO for carry. So I'm looking at a sort of "generational" upgrade to either a G48 MOS, or a Commander or Officer-sized 9mm 1911 with a rail and milled for an RMR. Either is sort of a moot point given the current market, but I'm browsing.

I might not wind up carrying both the WML and the PMO, but I'd like to have the option.