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

[Glenn E. Meyer]

I don't think I would change from my primacy EDC Glock 9s. I've shot some of the others and see no big increment. I might change away from my J frame pocket guns if I thought my G42 was reliable. I'm still leary of it.

A big change, I'm sorry to say would probably come from physical limitations such as arthritis making the 9's painful to shoot or practice with. Light loads in the Js would work for pocket but maybe if it was really bad, lighter load revolver (like my 632 with wadcutters) or my G44. So far no problem, but I can see it happening.

[Rex G]

This past decade, my changes have mostly been age-related. In 2011, as I closed-in on age fifty, .40 S&W, at least when fired from my high-nore-axis, aluminum-alloy-framed SIG P229 pistols, started becoming too much. There had already been a rumor that 9mm would soon be approved as an alternative duty cartridge, so, I divested all of my SIGs except for my primary duty pistol. By early 2012, I had pulled my 1911 from the safe, and test-fired it, to find that .45 ACP, fired from an all-steel, lower-bore-axis 1911, was less vexing to my wrist, so, the 1911 became resumed being my personal-time carry gun, for the first time since 2002. This also broke with my pattern of carrying the same system on and off the clock.

As rumors grew stronger, about 9mm becoming an authorized duty cartridge, I bought a pre-owned Gen3 G17, in 2012. The rumor became truth in September 2015. At my October qual, I switched to the G17, qualifying with the Gen3, and also with a newly-added Gen4. I also soon qual’ed with a pair of Gen4 G19, but soon found that I did not like them very much, so I carried a G17 in and off the clock. I did not totally put-away the 1911.

At the end of 2015, the chief approved the 1911 as a primary duty pistol. In early 2016, I attended the mandated transition class, and, for first time since 2002, was again toting a 1911 duty pistol, on the clock, and during much personal time. The G17 was mostly a personal-time carry gun.

In mid-2017, I had to start patrolling in a Ford “Police Interceptor,” based upon a miniaturized Ford Explorer. When I was the passenger officer, as was necessary when training and evaluation rookies, a full-sized pistols tended to catch on the right seat bolster, when i exited the vehicle. A work-around was to put the Glock holster body back onto the shank, and carry a G19 in the duty rig. When driving, I carried the larger G17. During personal time, I carried the G17, or the 1911. The G19 was a necessary evil.

After my October 2017 qual, my right wrist and thumb swelled and discolored, and, of course, ached. A couple of weeks later, I qual’ed with the G19 and 1911 pistols. No pain, no swelling, Now I really hated the G19. Other significant factors were present, in my personal life, as well as on the job, so I put in my papers to retire. I never fired a G19 again. In retirement, I gave mostly carried either a G17, or revolvers, with the 1911 being an occasional carry weapon.

Then, along comes the panic-demic, limiting my/our range trips, as my wife has significant co-morbidities. Long-stroke DA is my least-perishable trigger skill, so nowadays, I am mostly revolving around. Eventually, I will probably resume training with auto-pistols, after my wife finally gets her COVID vaccination.

[RevolverRob]

Some great thoughts in here so far.

I sat and looked it over for awhile. And realized that since 2006, I've carried about 10-different 'belt' guns:

4" K-Frame ('06)
Ruger P95 ('06-07, alongside the K-Frame)
1911 ('07-'09)*
4" GP100 ('08-'12, alongside the 1911 and other guns, still occasionally carried)
Smith 3913 ('09-'12)**
Kahr CW9 ('12-'14)***
M&P 9 5" ('14)****
Beretta 92FS ('14)****
Browning Hi-Power ('14-'15)****
HK P30 (LEMs, of course) ('15-'16)****
1911/2011 ('16 to Present)*****

But only 3 different models of pocket guns which is basically evolution to smaller and lighter:

Colt Agent ('06-'08)
Smith 642 ('08-'20)
Ruger LCP ('20-Present)

___

* - This switch early on in CC'ing guns (~2007'ish), because 'forty-five don't shrink'.
** - This switch early in Obama's first term (Ammogeddon of 2009) when 50 rounds of .45 was worth 100 rounds of 9mm. I had been working mostly with revolvers for awhile at this point, but they had not fully replaced my 1911s. Ammo shortages and need for cash meant I traded/sold all of my .45 ammo - then I sold all of my 1911s when I acquired the 3913. 3913 and GP100 were cheaper to feed.
*** - This switch (2012'ish) when I found the Smith with the safety activated (not how I trained) and realized I wanted a single-stack 9mm without a safety.
**** - All four of these came in the short period between March of 2014 and May of 2015. I was moving/had moved to Chiraq and was attempting to find the right double-stack 9mm handgun, because...Chiraq.
***** - Walked into a gunstore in May of 2016 and bought a used 1911. I didn't really intend to switch here, but I quickly found the LEM HKs were simply sitting idle with a 1911 back in my hands. Traded them off to a P-F'er who swapped me a 2011 for the HKs and in the process I resolved my 'issue' of finding the right double-stack 9mm handgun for me.

[camsdaddy]

This past decade, my changes have mostly been age-related. In 2011, as I closed-in on age fifty, .40 S&W, at least when fired from my high-nore-axis, aluminum-alloy-framed SIG P229 pistols, started becoming too much. There had already been a rumor that 9mm would soon be approved as an alternative duty cartridge, so, I divested all of my SIGs except for my primary duty pistol. By early 2012, I had pulled my 1911 from the safe, and test-fired it, to find that .45 ACP, fired from an all-steel, lower-bore-axis 1911, was less vexing to my wrist, so, the 1911 became resumed being my personal-time carry gun, for the first time since 2002. This also broke with my pattern of carrying the same system on and off the clock.

As rumors grew stronger, about 9mm becoming an authorized duty cartridge, I bought a pre-owned Gen3 G17, in 2012. The rumor became truth in September 2015. At my October qual, I switched to the G17, qualifying with the Gen3, and also with a newly-added Gen4. I also soon qual’ed with a pair of Gen4 G19, but soon found that I did not like them very much, so I carried a G17 in and off the clock. I did not totally put-away the 1911.

At the end of 2015, the chief approved the 1911 as a primary duty pistol. In early 2016, I attended the mandated transition class, and, for first time since 2002, was again toting a 1911 duty pistol, on the clock, and during much personal time. The G17 was mostly a personal-time carry gun.

In mid-2017, I had to start patrolling in a Ford “Police Interceptor,” based upon a miniaturized Ford Explorer. When I was the passenger officer, as was necessary when training and evaluation rookies, a full-sized pistols tended to catch on the right seat bolster, when i exited the vehicle. A work-around was to put the Glock holster body back onto the shank, and carry a G19 in the duty rig. When driving, I carried the larger G17. During personal time, I carried the G17, or the 1911. The G19 was a necessary evil.

After my October 2017 qual, my right wrist and thumb swelled and discolored, and, of course, ached. A couple of weeks later, I qual’ed with the G19 and 1911 pistols. No pain, no swelling, Now I really hated the G19. Other significant factors were present, in my personal life, as well as on the job, so I put in my papers to retire. I never fired a G19 again. In retirement, I gave mostly carried either a G17, or revolvers, with the 1911 being an occasional carry weapon.

Then, along comes the panic-demic, limiting my/our range trips, as my wife has significant co-morbidities. Long-stroke DA is my least-perishable trigger skill, so nowadays, I am mostly revolving around. Eventually, I will probably resume training with auto-pistols, after my wife finally gets her COVID vaccination.

Was it the grip or the barrel that would catch? I was just wondering if this would be solved with a 19x/45. Of course now it doesnt matter much as you have freedom of retirement.

[rob_s]

Some other random thoughts...

While my "primary" hasn't changed in quite a long time, arguably my "EDC" has. As my attitude about the "need" to carry has changed, as has my living and working environment, as has other things, what I actually carry, and how often, has changed drastically.

Arguably, by "primary", followed by "secondary" followed by "tertiary" and so on down the list probably looks more like this these days, in terms of what actually leaves the house with me and how often:

1. Leatherman Skeletool
2. Spyderco Pacific (for wet environments, this is SE Florida)
3. Kershaw Leek (for dress environments, rarely carried, and recently stolen by wife)
4. KelTek P32
5. S&W 642
6. Glock 26
7. Glock 19

[Corse]

For me, two basic "reasons". The quotes are there because one is nothing more than justification.

1) Loss of confidence in my current system. Like what happened when multiple G19.3 start failing to extract and eject at 2500 rounds. That one is a reason.

2). When I get bored with my current system and try something new for the sake of trying something new. That is "passion for the gun", which is necessary for me to keep practicing. But that is a justification. I got into the P30 LEM that way. I was unhappy with my G19.3 performance as I had multiple pistols go down and back to Glock. I had gone Glock for more capacity and ease of service. I could have gone back to my 1911-pattern guns but indulged in something new.

Sad thing is I am back to 1911-pattern guns as I had spent most of 2020 getting up to speed on the EDC X9, depleted most of my 9x19, and pulled the .45 and 9x23 pistols from the safe. I have cases of ammo for those pistols.

9x23mm, now you have my attention. How is your performance compared to 45? Are the government models?

[CCT125US]

My very shortened explanation for changes over the years.

P30v3 / 5 yrs / TLG

P30v1 / 2 yrs / changed from v3 due to increasing hand fatigue.

P2000v2 / 2 years / best man's gift, tracked flatter, better recoil impulse, flat sides don't swim in recoil.

USP9c / 2 years / better trigger

P2000v1 / currently / best compromise of the above, between sights and trigger.

[JTQ]

In the 1980's I went through in order, S&W 686, S&W 4506, Colt 1911.

The primary reason for change, was learning different actions, DA revolver, TDA auto, single action auto.

I've stayed with the 1911 since 1990. However, I've never been mechanically handy, and since there are fewer and fewer folks around, locally at least, that can work on a 1911, I expect I'll move to something that is more user serviceable.

[45dotACP]

While I own a variety of pistols, and I enjoy shooting them all, I'd say the main thing that informed my choice to shoot and carry the 1911 was the fact that I looked at every gun I owned and the only one I could never bring myself to consider selling was a particular 1911 and a 8 5/8" barreled Model 57. The latter is difficult to conceal and carry and as such, I figured if I was gonna whittle down the gun safe, I'd just be carrying a 1911.

Of course, I haven't sold any guns because I don't like doing that, but it also occured to me that I can't stuff anything more in the limited space in my gun safe.

At this point, buying a new gun, holster, mags, sights, trigger parts, and learning how to disassemble and troubleshoot a new platform...ugh I've not got neither the time nor the inclination for any of that nonsense and certainly learning a new trigger system, the manipulation and dry fire practice, the sight tracking...like dude I barely have time or ammo to keep current with the gun I currently carry.

As far as my secondary gun. Well I just haven't found anything that conceals in the pocket like the LCP. Not even a j frame. So that's that.



Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

[Rex G]

Was it the grip or the barrel that would catch? I was just wondering if this would be solved with a 19x/45. Of course now it doesnt matter much as you have freedom of retirement.

The grip would catch on the right side bolster, on the seat back, as I would exit the passenger side door. The slightly shorter grip of the G19 minimized that one problem. The holster body was for a G34, so could accommodate a range of Glock models. This factor, alone, did not prompt me to retire; it was just one of the straws piling onto the camel’s back, or, one more weight being placed onto the balance scale. Being able to patrol in a Tahoe had, effectively, been a career-extender, an improvement over the Crown Vic, enabling my long-legged self to step in and out easily, rather than climb. Losing the ability to patrol in a Tahoe un-did that one one favorable factor, but then also put me into a patrol vehicle that required more of a climb, than the Crown Vic, and added a squeeze and an obstacle course.

It was not that I was too big. I was wearing issued Blauer duty trousers with a 34” waist, and could still fit into a pair of 32” VertX cargo trousers. I had made the commitment to wear LEVEL III plates, for the full shift, but they fit above the duty belt, so did not make the holster fit any differently. The holster was the mandated Safariland 6360 ALS/SLS, so that part was set in stone.

I could modify the way I exited the vehicle, by pivoting around more, but that would mean facing away from the direction the vehicle was facing, a problem during a felony vehicle stop, or other situation in which the patrol vehicle was facing danger, as my left flank would be toward the danger, setting me up for a shot into my less-armored and unarmored parts. I actually worked on a drop-and-partial-roll, as a way to bail-out quickly, but I had to lose sight of anything in front of the vehicle, to do that, and then get back onto my feet.

One last bit of creativity would have been to install QLS receptacles onto the duty rig, allowing me to quickly exchange left and right holster bodies. I was already most of the way there, with one QLS receptacle on the left side, allowing me to quickly add a lefty holster body, which I did already have on hand, part of my “active shooter” kit set-up. But, as I said, there were other factors.

Aniother advantage of the roomy Tahoe was being able to maneuver my duty shotgun while still within the vehicle. The more-compact Ford took that away from me. Being able to step out, with shotgun in-hand, I believe, won several battles, without a shot being fired, during my days of driving Crown Vics and Tahoes.