New handguns

[Mr. Pinchy]

Yes there are. But that's a subject for a new thread. This thread is not about that.

Good luck with that thread not getting political.

Edit, But briefly I'll address your question. There will be variations but I'll let you figure them out.

Scenario: there is a home invasion; your home. Assuming big brother has enough drones overhead to provide one for you, do you really want a Hellfire missile strike on your house to save you from the home invasion? Until mans basic nature changes there will always be wolves among the sheep. One may not like it but there are sheepdogs among the sheep to keep the wolves at bay. The sheep don't really understand the sheepdogs 'cause they have fangs just like wolves, but their intentions are only to keep the wolves away. Then, where I live there actually are 4 footed animals that can harm, and not just 2 footed wolves.

If you want a drone strike on your house when you call the police, go for it. Then there is the issue of the police being minutes away when they're needed in seconds. But guess what the cops have when they show up? Firearms. Why is it moral to ask and underpaid cop to take care of ones life, but somehow not moral for the person in jeopardy to do the same?

Much can be written on the subject, but hopefully not here.

I hope I didn't take this thread in a direction I didn't intend, but I didn't want to not answer your question. Please, just think about it so that this thread can stay on subject.

Yeah, I've heard that old chestnut of an argument before.

Living in Australia, I've never thought to myself, I wish I could have a gun. Haven't ever heard anyone say that either.

I guess looking in from the outside, it seems guns create more issues for you guys then they solve. But you'd know better than me since you live there.

Enjoy your guns!

[Gene]

I guess looking in from the outside, it seems guns create more issues for you guys then they solve. But you'd know better than me since you live there.

This is a common thought, but it's not accurate. There are way, way more gun enthusiasts than folks realize in America - in every state in the union - and the truth as I see it is there are far more times firearms have been used to save the life of a loved one than there are times of senseless gun violence. The good guys don't get nearly as much ink on the subject is all.

I have been around guns all my life. My father was a semi-famous pistol shot in Dallas in the 1960's, shooting in 2700 matches (2700 being a perfect score) in Texas and Louisiana. I learned to take his custom 1911's apart to clean them at the same time I was learning to drive.

I, too, love the 1911 - one day my dad will hand his down to me, and I will treasure them until it's time to hand them over to my son. They were built by the legendary gunsmith Jim Clark out of Shreveport - and the are highly accurate (out to 50 yards), with trigger pull of about 2 pounds. Not suitable for carry, but still amazing weapons.

I prefer the striker fired weapons for general shooting and for personal carry. I have a large Smith M&P for the house, and the Smith M&P Shield for personal carry. Single stack, so only 8 rounds, but small, light and easily concealed - with a spare magazine in my back pocket I could stay in a fight for a while, if needed.

[M6Classic]

This is a common thought, but it's not accurate. There are way, way more gun enthusiasts than folks realize in America - in every state in the union - and the truth as I see it is there are far more times firearms have been used to save the life of a loved one than there are times of senseless gun violence. The good guys don't get nearly as much ink on the subject is all.

This is a common dodge but it's not accurate. When one investigates the data that prove this supposition, it always originates with a gun advocacy group and is developed through a truly whacka-whacka methodology. As the Ol' Perfesser said, "You could look it up." But, hey, we're all free to believe whatever fantasy justifies our obsession. I admit that it is difficult if not impossible to find any significant and fair data about guns because everyone has a story to sell and whatever side one is on, he will refuse to accept the validity of the other side's data.

Buzz

[Mr. Pinchy]

So how many on this forum carry a gun when they go grab a bottle of milk from the shop?

[ShadowsDad]

Mr. Pinchy, start a new thread, don't steal mine.

Back on subject...

Since this is the first handgun I've had with a picatinny rail I dropped the striker on one of these tonight, with the green laser because the human eye sees green much better than red.

http://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-69240 ... B0077RHYWQ

[drmoss_ca]

So how many on this forum carry a gun when they go grab a bottle of milk from the shop?

Don't stir it up. This is the first time a gun thread has made a second page at SMF. Whether there will be a second such thread depends on people like you.

C.

[Mr. Pinchy]

So how many on this forum carry a gun when they go grab a bottle of milk from the shop?

Don't stir it up. This is the first time a gun thread has made a second page at SMF. Whether there will be a second such thread depends on people like you.

C.

Not stirring.

Never having been to USA, your way of life intrigues me. So many ways we are the same, yet in so many ways we contrast.

I'm just trying to understand the psyche. Not really that interested in pushing my opinion.

[sgtrecon212]

Turkey has been producing some top notch shotguns for many of the big guys for years. I wouldn't balk one bit at buying a handgun produced in Turkey.

[ShadowsDad]

The Streamlight TLR-4 G came in today. By the pound it's quite expensive. I wish I had something I could sell for the same "by the pound" rate. One doesn't even know it's hanging under the barrel except when using a two hand hold. Then the controls are "right there"; exactly where they should be with a 2 hand hold.

The unit is nice. It's missing some of the bells and whistles of the larger, full size units (strobe mode and ultra bright white light) and requires another battery type for me to stock (CR2), but mounted correctly it extends just a hair beyond the muzzle of the Canik making the entire package quite small, no larger than a full size handgun. I think that it's the smallest laser/light unit that Streamlight makes. All controls are easy to find in the dark with the supporting hand. I understand now why Streamlight chose the controls that they did. It wasn't immediately apparent when I ordered or saw the unit at my gun dealer. The on/off paddle is outside the trigger guard, and the extremely tiny toggle switch that controls the selected light mode is under the trigger guard. The controls are bilateral for lefties or righties.

Selected light options include momentary or constant on with the laser, white light, or both laser and white light.

The green laser is extremely easy to acquire indoors. Outdoors in daylight, well, not so much, but one doesn't need it in daylight. The white light is very bright, blinding actually if looking at it. It has a hot center and a decent amount of surrounding light. There would be absolutely no problem using the surrounding light (not the hot spot) to recognize friendlies from bad guys. But it's not to be used as a flashlight to explore. The light has a loaded handgun behind it and it's not to be pointed at things that aren't about to be ventilated. The light is there only to verify targets before ventilation. It isn't the brightest white light unit that Streamlight makes, but this only uses one tiny battery; it's a very small unit. With the white light turned on makes the iron sights extremely easy to acquire.

The laser is the lowest item on the unit and approx' 2 1/2" below the bore centerline, approx' 3 3/16" below the sights, so it can only be sighted in at one distance. All other distances will be over or under the front sight making the laser invisible if using the iron sights closer than where it's cowitnessed for. So I cowitnessed the laser to the iron sights at about 25' - 30', just about right for my home. You'd need to regulate it for your home based on your needs. Closer than that the laser isn't worth much if holding the gun and also using the iron sights, beyond that the laser rises above the iron sights. But frankly, at 10 yards the laser is only useable if one just wants to stick ones hand out from under cover. At short range the laser will give an idea where the bullet will land since it's not parallel with the bore (or iron sights). Close is close enough since I'm only discussing 3" or so from the line of bore. Obviously with the angles, the further the distance one cowitnesses the laser to the iron sights, the further the laser will be useable without figuring hold unders at distance. But that also affects the distance where it can be seen when sighting over the barrel. It's a balancing act. You need to figure out what works for you.

Cowitnessing the laser was a piece of cake. But initially I thought it would be a problem. The manual does state that it might not work until both screws are moved and that's what it took for mine to take to the new settings. Once I moved the lateral adjustment things worked fine and I was able to adjust the laser. No big deal, just something to be aware of. Once both are moved it will adjust just fine. The adjustments are gross and not MIA, but we're talking close range here so IMO it's no big deal.

Even if I don't keep this handgun as my new handgun it will make one nice state of the art, and high quality, handgun for clients... for things that go bump in the night and not break the bank to take care of it. Lots of handguns cost more than this without the Streamlight unit and aren't nearly as capable.

I still need to get the sights worked on to stop them from drifting under fire, but that's minor. I can actually take care of it with some Lok Tite and might just do that. I have other handguns I want to evaluate first before putting more $ into the Canik for permanent changes to make it 100% right for me. (CZ P-09) I'm not unhappy with the gun, but I want to make sure it's the best I can get for myself. The CZ P-09 is supposed to be sweet also and it can be carried cocked and locked with SA carry. That sounds 1911ish to me and I love the 1911.

One advantage to the CZ comes from a rumor I heard. It said that there is a an aluminum base plate for its magazines that allow an additional 2 rounds in them. For competition or open carry that would make it a 21+1 capacity. Not too shabby.

Edit: correction. The aluminum baseplate increases capacity to 24+1. Assuming one can carry the P-09 concealed that extended magazine would probably change that unless one wears a trench coat. It becomes a handgun suited basically to competition only with one of those mag's in place.