Thread: Any Firearms Experts Out There??

Hello all,

I'm a big fan of this forum. I have a question unrelated to 1811's or law enforcement hiring (although I'm considering applying soon). I'm a trial attorney for the DOJ and recently went through some firearms training (9mm)at FLETC while there for other training.

I was wondering whether anyone could recommend a reliable handgun for personal use? A friend of mine at USSS recommended the sig sauer but I hear they're pricey. Anyone have any comments about the glock? HK? S&W?

What sacrifices would one make when choosing between a 9mm versus a more powerful caliber like the .40 or .45???

Thanks! And Best of luck to everyone.

Moved your thread over here. Welcome to the unending discussion of platform and caliber. Enjoy looking around the other threads in this forum.
Sig is pricey and the ammo for the USSS round choice, .357, is comparatively less in the market place so also probably a little pricey. 40S&W seems to be the current standard insofar as such a thing exists. Sig and Glock pretty dominant out there as a duty carry. Something to consider.

What you want it for will probably drive your decision. Something for home defense only can be gotten a fair sight cheaper, whereas a good competition gun can make a duty model Sig look like a bargain. Easier to pick a car, less opinionated advice out there.

Try to find a range in your area that will let you rent various handguns so you can try out different makes and models to find what works for you. As ATF SAC said, the reason you want it will impact the decision, but it is also a largely personal choice. Glock is a good choice because they are reliable and easy to use, major considerations for a novice without extensive firearms training, but there are many good alternatives out there as well.

Hi Ducky Dog,

You've asked an age old question. As atf and nsedet, already stated. Picking a gun is really a personal choice. You'll have the "experts" come out and tell you that a 9mm is worse than a BB gun, and to go .45 or nothing. Others will say a Glock is perfect, while still others will say the Glock is plastic and you need a real mans gun like a Sig...

Bottom line is to find the gun that *YOU* feel most comfortable with and shoot well. As for home defense... If you're not carrying this gun outside your home, you can afford to go with a larger size (if that fits your hand better). I personally love the Glock. I have also carried a Sig and like that weapon as well... If given a choice of what gun I could/would carry personally.. Well it would probably be a Glock. I own a Glock 19 (compact 9mm) and I love it. I don't ever feel outgunned when carrying it. I'm very accurate with it. I'm also very accurate with the Glock 23 in .40. The 19 and 23 are identical in size, so I would probably carry the 23 over the 19 if I owned one...

You can't go wrong with a Glock or a Sig. I only own a S&W revolver and it has been great so far, so I can say you can't go bad with a S&W revolver. (The autos might also be good, but I have never owned one although CHP carries the .40 S&W exclusively). If you find a gun that fits your hand the way you like, then I would say get the biggest caliber that you shoot accurately. If you like the Glock 19 and 23 and shoot both equally well, why not go for the bigger round (.40).

Personal choice... Get what you like, get what you shoot well, and if you can't decide.... Get both!



Kahuna

I carry a Sig P226 on duty, and am VERY satisfied with it. My off duty carry is a S&W 3953, which is a scaled down version of the 5900 series. My opinion is don't go with a S&W pistol unless you've fired it a few times (people tend to really love them, or really hate them). Will you be carrying concealed? If so, comfort and concealability are major items to concider. IMHO, the best concealed carry is a snub-nose 5-shot .38 revolver w/ hammerless spur. - Very comfortable, and VERY concealable. Just make sure you hit what you're shootin at, you've only got 5!! (then again David took out Goliath with only five, and he did it on the first shot!).

If they trained you at FLETC can we assume they intend you to carry a weapon in the course of your employment? If so I would talk to your employer about what they want. It wouldn't be a bad choice to stick to what you were trained with. Glocks can be had fairly cheaply particularly if you can get the law enforcement rate on your credentials. The 9mm is an acceptable defensive round, I carry it as an LEO and don't feel under gunned. 9mm ammo is cheaper than .40 or .45. All that aside if you want more power and can handle the increased recoil and muzzle blast the .40 and .45 are nice too.

Bravo to you for taking some firearms training while at FLETC, I wish more "other" law enforcement employees could have the opportunity and take advantage of it. I am going to have to second a post above and recommend Glock. This sounds like an instance where the pistol will not be handled regularly; simple and trustworthy are a must in this instance and you can't get any simpler than a Glock. Besides, a Glock won't bust your wallet like a SIG or HK will. I'll also recommend .40 S&W. It is a potent round that won't bankrupt you to practice with like .357SIG or 10mm will.

Good luck with your purchase.

I carry a SIG 228 for duty weapon, and I enjoy it. However, for personal use, I carry a H&K USP .40 Compact, and I would not trade it for anything. While quite pricey (upper $600-$700), it is well worth the money. It is smaller and more concealable. The recoil is surprisingly light as well...believe me, it is my wife's favorite as well, and if she thinks the recoil is not bad, it is not bad. Have had it for several years with NO problems...just keep it clean.

Overall, the best thing you can do is go to a gun shop / range that will let you shoot the guns before you buy them. This may cost you a few bucks (maybe $10), but usually they will apply the money for renting a gun torwards your purchase, if you end up buying one from them. Carry what you like and feel comfortable with...bottom line.

-OT

My duty weapon is a Sig 229. It's a terrific gun, but it's somewhat heavy. I carry a Glock 27 for off duty. It's lighter and very easily concealed.

I carry a P229 at work and a variety of things when off-duty. The most important factor is to ensure that you train with both weapons effectively. I'm a big glock fan, mainly because I'm a smaller guy and can conceal a glock comfortably. You will also find that virtually every holster and accessory is available for all the glock models. Additionally, I have the whole .40 cal glock family, and the larger mags are interchangeable with the more compact models. My HK's are awesome, but if you are considering price, the glock is a good way to go.

i would not carry certain S&W semi-autos because of one reason alone: they do not fire when the magazine is not seated properly. at least with glock/sig/beretta they fire at least one round.

i don't know if all s&w semis are like that. the ones i've encountered do not.
plus, the ones i've shot always seemed to jam when they were a bit dry.

glocks are good but if you haven't been around handguns for a while, a negligent discharge is quite possible during disassembly.

Originally Posted by nsedet

Try to find a range in your area that will let you rent various handguns so you can try out different makes and models to find what works for you. As ATF SAC said, the reason you want it will impact the decision, but it is also a largely personal choice. Glock is a good choice because they are reliable and easy to use, major considerations for a novice without extensive firearms training, but there are many good alternatives out there as well.

Ditto. Or even better yet, try to hook up with an agency firearms instructor. I am sure that you deal with some fed L.E. agencies. Most can be helpful in showing you what's out there.

My personal opinion is: get a used 4" barrel S&W in .38 special or .357 mag, and buy lots of ammo to shoot with the money you save!

If you get bitten by the shooting bug, they you will probably buy an auto before too long, anyway. But the skills you develop by shooting alot of .38 ammo can be taken with you for life...no matter what gun you buy later!

All good advice above. Whatever you do, don't choose a gun that does not fit securely in your hand, be it revolver or semi-auto.

If you need the gun, you'll probably need to be able to grab it under less-than-ideal conditions, including your hands being slippery with sweat or blood or who knows what.

Originally Posted by DuckyDog

Hello all,

I'm a big fan of this forum. I have a question unrelated to 1811's or law enforcement hiring (although I'm considering applying soon). I'm a trial attorney for the DOJ and recently went through some firearms training (9mm)at FLETC while there for other training.

I was wondering whether anyone could recommend a reliable handgun for personal use? A friend of mine at USSS recommended the sig sauer but I hear they're pricey. Anyone have any comments about the glock? HK? S&W?

What sacrifices would one make when choosing between a 9mm versus a more powerful caliber like the .40 or .45???

Thanks! And Best of luck to everyone.

Personal use for what, self-defense, target shooting, hunting, other?

What do you consider pricey, or what is your budget?

Another try before you buy comment.

You'll be hard pressed to make a poor choice so long as you stick to service and compact pistols offered by the major manufacturors. Try not to buy too much into the marketing, what agency/unit carries what, and which caliber someone swears that you have to have or you might as well be throwing rocks. Buy into ergonomic concerns, if anything.

Best of luck.