new CCW pistol

[ShadowsDad]

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[brothers]

Brian, my late brother was the firearm expert in the family. Before and after my military experiences, I haven't had any interest in them that warranted the expenditure of funds. I happily went shooting at the range, etc. with my brother and friends, but I didn't get bitten by the bug. I admire your interest and expertise. I've read the review, and aside from a hundred (ignorant) questions in general, the only specific thing that caught my eye (the eye of the tinkerer) is your mention of a "trigger job". That would have been something that my brother could have happily explained to me, and probably would have done it himself, or tried. Can you shed some light on this modification, please? Congratulations on your new baby!

[changabang]

So if I read you right, the Kimber is a nine? If yes, you prefer the 1911 config in nine and not .45?

[nolawis]

This is my daily carry. The big one (Sig P226) is issued to me and is worn almost all the time. The little one (Seecamp .32) is always in my pocket. The knife too. It's not one of these "super tactical" knives that the kids wear these days, but it works well on the three things I use it for most often: envelopes, apples, and cheese.

[ShadowsDad]

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[rsp1202]

I used to work at Guns and Ammo and Handguns magazines, so got to try out whatever the senior editors were going to be reviewing in the upcoming months. For handguns, I loved the Colt and SIG .45s and enjoyed the little Colt .380, but decided on a 3-inch Ruger .357 for myself because it was such a sweet shooter. Rugers can be a little rough out of the box, so it got sent back to New Hampshire for trigger work, etc., since that's where the recommended gunsmith hung out his shingle. I don't remember how many pounds of trigger pull it came back with, but the action ended up smooth as glass. It was a fine piece that I kept for years. Never missed having an auto, but if I was buying today I would save up for a customized .45.

[changabang]

Thanks for the clarification, Brian. I was unaware you are a former leo, but it explains, in part, some of your preferences. I have a small Sig nine with a single stack magazine, not because I prefer it, but because I have smaller sized hands. The .22 in a 1911 config is a great idea, although even .22 ammo is still sky high.

[JRTASTER]

Brian, a good interesting and informative post. Thanks!
When I was with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) we were issued the Beretta 96D, a DAO weapon in .40 caliber. Beretta designed this weapon
we heard specifically for the Immigration Service and the Border Patrol. We were permitted to purchase for duty/off-duty carry a short list of alternative
weapons but all had to be DAO and equipped with tritium night sights. I chose from the shortlist the Sig 229 in .40. It was accurate, sturdy and reliable
but as you probably know it's a breadbasket.
Nonetheless ways were found to carry it concealed for off-duty; CBP actually recommended a fanny pack for that purpose, a decision widely mocked even
by our Firearms Team. For nearly10 yrs it was somewhere on me in a variety of holsters most days and nights. I came to accept, if not love, the DAO
configuration.
The Customs Service component of CBP carried 9mm Glocks, 17+1, lighter but hardly less bulky.
At the time of my retirement, the people at CBE, after 5 yrs, decided to cycle in a new common weapon, a compact H&K .40 cal; it carried 12+1,and was
heavy but decidedly more compact for off-duty carry. I qualified on it but was never issued one since my retirement was so near. It too was a DAO.
I am a fan of .40 or larger even for concealed carry and note that Kimber has even introduced newer compact "carry" 1911's. If I could afford the
huge pricetag one of them might be my choice.
Just now applying for a carry permit here in MA and when/if approved (4 months seem to be the minimum processing time), my choice will probably
be a weapon I already own, the SIG 239, in .40... a real compromise but one I can live with. When I win the lottery a compact 1911 in .45 will be found
in my Christmas stocking!
jr/John

[Kyle76]

I've hunted nearly all my life and own several shotguns and a 30-30 rifle, but damn if I can follow the details of this thread. You handgun guys speak a whole 'nother language.

[ShadowsDad]

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[nolawis]

ShadowsDad--In New Orleans (or parts of it) it is always Friday night....in Mogadishu.

Four homicides since my last post (although three were from one incident, if that makes it any better)


Nw

[rtaylor61]

My first daily carry was a S&W .38 special snubnose airweight with shrouded hammer. Love the gun, but with +P ammo, accuracy is not what I wanted. Now I carry a Firestorm 9mm. Absolutely love this fun. Two 9 round mags keep it operational. Easy to shoot and the most accurate of all of my pistols. It's not a heavyweight, but I carry it daily and have great accuracy. Hard to beat in a daily carry.

Randy

[ShadowsDad]

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[rsp1202]

I had MagSafe ammo back in the '90s, in .38+P and .357. Back then it was a buck-and-change per bullet, and I never did get to test fire it at those prices. I read all the reports beforehand and felt it was worth the risk. That was backup for Winchester Silvertip hollow point. Never cared much for 9mm (though I really liked the Browning Hi Power) but it sounds like it has come of age.

[ShadowsDad]

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[rsp1202]

Brian, I wouldn't know what to get if I was buying today. Something in .40, maybe. I think that was considered a good all-around round a few years ago. I'm sure I test-fired a .40 pistol when they first came out -- probably a SIG -- but apparently it wasn't/isn't as memorable as my GP100* or .45.

*Hate to keep bringing up revolvers in an automatic age, but Ruger's snub-nose .357 SP101 with full mag load was lots of fun to shoot. I once saw a plain-clothes officer arrest a subject on the street and immediately recognized the little Ruger he was pointing. I'm sure of the gun, but in L.A. maybe it wasn't a police action, rather just a friendly conversation between drug dealers.

[ShadowsDad]

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[ShadowsDad]

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[rsp1202]

Brian, I've shot most of the SIGs, and much prefer them to, say, Glocks, which don't fit in hand at all. The P220 (.45) was my fave, and it breaks down much easier than the old Colt, a concern since I considered myself a rookie. As for dry firing, that's one reason I always went for the Ruger revolvers over the S&W -- you could dry-fire the former all day and night without concern. Gunsmiths were aghast when I first tried doing that with the Smiths. That, and the older-version Rugers were more robust and could handle a steady diet of magnums. I think the later 600 Series S&W's corrected that, but I only got to shoot one once before just falling away from the sport. I'm glad you like your new piece, it sounds sweet.

[ShadowsDad]

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