Official Firearm Thread V3

[KartRacerBoy]

At least somebody appreciated my humour. And if you haven't seen The Mechanic, you don't know what Your missing. Great movie

[chowser51]

Lol. I liked the first one. I tried to get my kid to pose for a pic with the gun but he's like me and does not want his face on the internet.

[KartRacerBoy]

Ahhhhh. Just found out my mom gave our Lee-Enfield WW1 rifle to my nephew. Wanted it!

[05GT Guru]

I want it too.

[BDII]

Ahhhhh. Just found out my mom gave our Lee-Enfield WW1 rifle to my nephew. Wanted it!

 

Did he go through a background check?

[KartRacerBoy]

He is actually a helicopter pilot for the Baltimore police so will probably actually use it. On you if ever divulge where you live.

[stm25rs]

He is actually a helicopter pilot for the Baltimore police so will probably actually use it. On you if ever divulge where you live.

 

Can you hook me up with a ride in the chopper? I mean, I know the police do ride alongs, so same thing, right?

[bucko3the7man]

I became an American this week! Gotta start somewhere, and it's getting difficult here in MA. Hi-Point 9mm, will probably get a bipod and some non crazy optics.

[KartRacerBoy]

Can you hook me up with a ride in the chopper? I mean, I know the police do ride alongs, so same thing, right?

 

I'm pretty sure he'd push you out of the 'copter at altitude. But sure.

[TSiWRX]

Would you please ask him where I can get the best pit beef in Baltimore, now?

 

The last time I went back to visit (first time since '98), I didn't really hadn't had time to explore. That'll change next time - so I need a pit beef sandwich!

 

And if he gives me and/or my little girl a ride, I'll buy him all the pit beef he can eat.

[Merc6]

Would you please ask him where I can get the best pit beef in Baltimore, now?

 

The last time I went back to visit (first time since '98), I didn't really hadn't had time to explore. That'll change next time - so I need a pit beef sandwich!

 

And if he gives me and/or my little girl a ride, I'll buy him all the pit beef he can eat.

 

You know Maryland isn't a gun friendly state right? Reason I sucked it up and lived in NoVa all those years before returning to NEOH.

[Elegua]

Let's suppose I lived in one of the most liberal states in the country with regards to gun laws. Let's say I''ve owned shotguns and rifles, but never a pistol.

 

If I was looking for a first handgun to spend a lot of time with at the range, and maybe put in the glove box on occasion, but not really own for concealed carry, what would that be? There seem to be a dizzying array of options.

 

For reference, the couple times I shot a pistol at the range, my scores were better with the M1911 type than the M9 or glock.

[Norm Peterson]

If I was looking for a first handgun to spend a lot of time with at the range, and maybe put in the glove box on occasion, but not really own for concealed carry, what would that be? There seem to be a dizzying array of options.

 

For reference, the couple times I shot a pistol at the range, my scores were better with the M1911 type than the M9 or glock.

You've already narrowed the choices down, so start by ignoring everything that isn't a 1911.

 

 

Norm

[rodan]

For reference, the couple times I shot a pistol at the range, my scores were better with the M1911 type than the M9 or glock.

 

S&W M&P has a comparable grip angle to the 1911, so you might give one a try.

 

As a trainer, I hesitate to recommend 1911s to casual shooters. It's an excellent weapon, but the manual safety and other unique features of the design require more of a training commitment than many are willing to meet.

 

There are a number of good, quality pistols in the modern polymer frame formula. Go to a range where you can rent a few and try them out.

[05GT Guru]

Let's suppose I lived in one of the most liberal states in the country with regards to gun laws. Let's say I''ve owned shotguns and rifles, but never a pistol.

 

If I was looking for a first handgun to spend a lot of time with at the range, and maybe put in the glove box on occasion, but not really own for concealed carry, what would that be? There seem to be a dizzying array of options.

 

For reference, the couple times I shot a pistol at the range, my scores were better with the M1911 type than the M9 or glock.

 

In my experience most novice shooters seem to take to the full size 1911 easily. If you're not planning on carrying it on your person a full size 1911 is a great handgun. As far buying a 1911, it can be overwhelming since just about every manufacture makes one. Comes down to how much are you willing to pay and the little details of the gun, with a glob of personal preference thrown in.

[chowser51]

Went shooting after getting the kids from school. Wanted to blow off the rest of my steel cased ammo since I just got in 3000 rounds of brass cased ammo (the sales are out there! get them while you can! also got 30 pmags in as well)

 

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/chowser51att/IMG_2411_zpsjtcokxah.jpg

[Elegua]

S&W M&P has a comparable grip angle to the 1911, so you might give one a try.

 

As a trainer, I hesitate to recommend 1911s to casual shooters. It's an excellent weapon, but the manual safety and other unique features of the design require more of a training commitment than many are willing to meet.

 

There are a number of good, quality pistols in the modern polymer frame formula. Go to a range where you can rent a few and try them out.

 

I plan to shoot before I buy. But when I look at the S&W M&P, there are 64 models. I'm sure personal preference plays a if role, but in general what types of options do you recommend? Full size, thumb safety ( is that a manual safety?), striker action, 45 cal?

 

And other brands I should look at?

 

The idea is to learn to shoot well. In term of quality: guns are tools, I like and buy nice quality tools.

[rodan]

I plan to shoot before I buy. But when I look at the S&W M&P, there are 64 models. I'm sure personal preference plays a if role, but in general what types of options do you recommend? Full size, thumb safety ( is that a manual safety?), striker action, 45 cal?

 

And other brands I should look at?

 

For a general purpose pistol that is capable of both recreational shooting and defensive purposes, go with a full (service) size in 9mm or .45ACP. An external safety on most striker fired (most 'modern' polymer framed service pistols) handguns is IMHO unnecessary and on those that have them, mostly present for marketing (or legal, in some states) reasons.

 

You can still carry a full-size pistol concealed if necessary, and it will generally perform better for most shooters.

 

With modern ammo, the difference between 9-40-45 is mostly psychological. Any service handgun round is marginal as a fight stopper... it all comes down to shot placement. The .40 is a good round, but has a sharper recoil and muzzle signature because it is a higher pressure round. This makes it more difficult to master for many shooters, and it's harder on the gun. 9mm gives you more bullets, .45 gives you bigger bullets... pick your poison.

 

Glock, Sig, H&K, Walther, S&W, etc. all make good quality guns. Look for features you want, and something that fits you properly (can reach the trigger without compromising your grip).

[Penguin]

Not sure if I posted this or not in the V2 thread. My HK VP9 and my TMACS Inc. "Certificate of Victory" I obtained in the Pat McNamara Tactical Application Practical Shooting (TAPS) class. I was pleased with the result. Really enjoying this pistol, easy to shoot well, not too much of a pain to carry concealed in a good holster, and thus far 100% reliable.

 

http://i.imgur.com/qw0enKM.jpg

[Penguin]

Here is the rifle I ran in that class as it is currently set up. I pushed the optic forward about .5-.75" from my original mounting location to get more forgiving eye relief in sitting and prone since I tend to creep up on the stock.

 

It is a Daniel Defense DDM4 V11 Pro, so it is set up with: 15" Keymod free float rail, 18" cold hammer forged S2W contour (medium/heavy) 1:7" barrel that is nitrocarburized. I changed out the Geissele SD-3G trigger it came with for a Geissele SD-C since I greatly prefer the safety margin and forgiveness of a two stage trigger. I also pulled off the original muzzle device and installed a Precision Armament AFAB (advanced flash arresting brake).

 

On top is a Nightforce NXS 1-4X24 with the FC-3G reticle with bullet drop compensation and basic wind holds, mount is a Nightforce Uni-Mount. Zeroed the optics per instructions to 200 yards, and confirmed a 50/200 zero as well. Torqued down to 65in-lbs. I then installed and zeroed the Magpul Pro off set BUIS (50/200 zero confirmed at 200). I zeroed with a hand load that I developed and ran in class, 55gr Hornady FMJ in Lake City brass, CCI 400 small rifle primer, charged with 27.6gr Hodgdon CFE-223 powder. Bullet seated to cannelure grove and taper crimped. Loaded on a Dillon XL650. Groups at 200 yards were running about 3" which is more than acceptable for bulk 55gr FMJ bullets in a 1:7" twist barrel.

 

Sling is a Vickers Tactical Application 2 point sling, with a Tyr Tactical, McNamara invented, Sling Ding. The Sling Ding is freakin' brilliant on barricades, vehicle doors, vehicle hoods, vehicle "a" pillars, trees, fence posts, corners on walls, or any other readily available solid surface you want to lock into for a more stable shooting position. Once you get the Sling Ding tight on your supporting/cover surface and put your weight into the butt stock you just about can't miss, even in very rapid fire. It is shockingly effective.

 

http://i.imgur.com/CODoFni.jpg

[TSiWRX]

You know Maryland isn't a gun friendly state right? Reason I sucked it up and lived in NoVa all those years before returning to NEOH.

 

I know. I don't like nanny states, but my wife's brother lives there (and works in DC), and we still visit Charm City out of nostalgia as that's where the two of us met, during undergrad.

 

Besides, there's the pit beef, Berger Cookies, softshell crabs, crab cakes (done the right way)....OK, just crab season in-general!

 

 

-----

 

 

S&W M&P has a comparable grip angle to the 1911, so you might give one a try.

 

As a trainer, I hesitate to recommend 1911s to casual shooters. It's an excellent weapon, but the manual safety and other unique features of the design require more of a training commitment than many are willing to meet.

 

There are a number of good, quality pistols in the modern polymer frame formula. Go to a range where you can rent a few and try them out.

 

^ This, +eleventybillion.

 

Also, Elegua, don't wrap yourself around the axle of "grip angle" too much. This is something that you can easily train for, particularly as a beginner shooter.

 

That you're trying out a few pistols is great, but basing your selection on what you shoot better - particularly as a beginner shooter, right now - that's both good and bad.

 

The good is that if you don't plan to train/practice that much, what you "naturally shoot well" will put you higher on the power curve outright.

 

The bad, however, is that you risk really digging yourself into a corner simply because you didn't know better to know better.

 

There's a reason why many shooters shoot the 1911/2011 well, right-off-the-bat. Typically, bigger guns are easier to shoot (and most folks who own 1911/2011s will bring a bigger one out to the range with them, if they're showing a newer shooter the ropes), and the 1911/2011's "straight back," single-action trigger, particularly when well tuned, make them very, very easy to modulate, which makes a HUGE difference in terms of pistol marksmanship.

 

The latter is very apparent with both the striker-fired Glock as well as with the double-action/single-action Beretta, both of which take considerably more time to master. Look online at how many complain that their Glocks "shoot low left" and look at the replies from seasoned shooters or SMEs. Similarly, search YouTube for "Langdon fear not," for the Beretta's DA/SA transition. In both cases, it's the shooter's lack of execution in terms of trigger control that's causing the problem, not the gun.

 

And also as rodan explained above, the manipulations that you need to master with both the 1911 (manual thumb safety) as well a the Beretta (decocker) will mandate that you put a bit more work into your training/practice than with the "grab it and shoot it" striker-fired pistols, such as the Glock, with no manual safety/decocker. Understand this: there are high-end instructors out there who put on special classes *JUST FOR* 1911/2011s. Also, look at Langdon and the Beretta. There's a reason why this is the case.

 

Additionally, with the 1911/2011 in-particular, you either need to invest more time/effort/expense in making sure that your gun runs correctly and stays running correctly, or you'll need to pay someone who knows what they're doing to do so for you. With most modern striker-fired autoloading pistols such as the Glock, this is much less of a concern.

 

And this is where I really want to push you towards the Glock - and no, I'm far, far from a Glock fanboi.

 

Yes, there's a lot of really, really good striker-fired pistols out there.

 

But none of them really have the depth of knowledge/involvement in the online community as the Glock has, and even taking into account the S&W M&P pistols, the Glock just has so much more aftermarket support (or even factory support, for that matter) as well as available gear selection.

 

This is why despite me not being a Glock guy (I only own one Glock, and I rarely shoot it, at that), whenever a friend who is looking for "that one handgun" asks, I always try to push them towards the Glock.

 

Objectively, there's just so much in their favor.

 

The idea is to learn to shoot well. In term of quality: guns are tools, I like and buy nice quality tools.

 

If you truly want a tool, the Glock, in my view, stands alone.

 

It's not the prettiest to look at. There's no prestige in owning one. No one at the range will look over at your lane and go "Oh, man, can I see that?!"

 

But as a tool?

 

It's hard to beat.

[Penguin]

I respectfully disagree.

 

The answer to the striker fired polymer framed pistol for a new shooter or a seasoned shooter has three answers:

 

1.) HK VP9

 

2.) Walther PPQ

 

3.) SIG P320

 

In that order. All ready to run out of the box for a beginner or a serious trained user, especially the VP9 LE model with night sights.

 

Why buy a Glock? Glock QC is a bit lacking these days, the pistol's ship with garbage sights on them, and the stock triggers will take modification to improve and still won't be as good as the HK or Walther. Plus the HK and Walther offer more adjustability to the grip to fit a wide variety of hands. Both are proving to be very very reliable just like the Glocks, except they don't spit brass in all directions including in your face like some Glocks. The HK and Walther also have a well deserved reputation for very very good mechanical accuracy/repeatability. Oh, and they ship with better sights, in the HK's case mone are so well regulated I have no desire to change them in any way (night sights). The HK and Walther also both have a standard Picatinny rail unlike the Glock.

 

The SIG is completely modular and can easily be adapted to a wide variety of configuratiins, the trigger is crisp but a bit heavy though. I'd still take one over a Glock. My wife loves hers, although I'm more fond of my VP9.

[Merc6]

You've already narrowed the choices down, so start by ignoring everything that isn't a 1911.

 

 

Norm

That's still a vast array of guns in the platform. Not gonna carry it then grab a range officer and be done with it. I guess the budget dictates the gun new and used.

 

My car gun is a Sccy CPX-2 till I find something I like better and comfortable with if it got confiscated like my Glock did. Carry is a SW1911SC

Edited October 9, 2016 by Merc6

[Merc6]

For me my 1st handgun was a Glock but it was a 22 instead of the 17 norm. My 1st gun gun was a 590 SP but I never got the bayonet for the lug. I kinda wish I did. I don't regret my choice in the Glock but I limited myself to it because I always wanted one. I wanted something lighter than the M9 I was caring on a everyday basis as a Gate guard or patrolman when I was in the USAF. Now I'm here with a semi heavy 1911.

 

Sccy was more of a personal choice based off events that happened recently to someone who had it. Long story short wanted to be convinced the person would have been able to shoot back with it effectively if they didn't have it locked in their glove box when their car took 8 rounds with them being hit 7 times. Even with all the issues, I'm still convinced he had a fighting chance. Cheap and warranty was enticing but it cost $90 to mail it back when it breaks beyond what I can fix and worth $120 if I sold/traded it today. Don't buy guns based off YouTube reviews alone. Join the forum and see the testimonies.

[chowser51]

Even though I am issued a Glock and can buy Glocks at blue label prices (and I have bought quite a lot) I actually prefer my VP9. I shoot best with it.

 

I have a full size 320 on order from the local SIG LE dealer. They told me it will be months (I ordered it on 8/15). For the cost savings, I can wait.