By Tim Carroll
What gun should I carry for self-defense? That’s a question that’s been asked more times than I can count during my professional training career and more often in recent years. The answer is, well…complicated.
1. Stopping Power
First we need to look at one of the most important aspects of carrying a handgun for self-defense, the ability to stop a threat. Statistics will show that a handgun round is a relatively poor choice for stopping an attacker. If I told you that we were going to get into a gunfight at a particular time and place, we would probably both choose rifles. A rifle is a much better option to stop a threat.
On average, it takes three to four hits with a handgun caliber round to stop a bad guy. Notice I said hits, not shots. Odds are, no matter how good you think you are, you’re going to miss somewhere between 50% and 100% of the shots you take in a stressful defensive gun use situation.
So now let’s do some math. If it takes three to four hits and I miss half my shots, that means I’ll have to shoot six to eight times just to stop one threat.
What if I’m facing more than one threat? You can see how ammunition capacity becomes a very important part of “stopping power” when making the choice on what handgun to buy and carry.
2. Caliber
This particular point has been argued over for decades and those arguments are going to continue for decades more. The fact, however, is this; when it comes to duty calibers, it doesn’t really matter.
That’s right, from .380 ACP all the way up to .45 ACP, using good, modern defensive ammunition, the caliber doesn’t matter. It still takes about the same number of hits to stop a threat regardless of the calibers mentioned above.
Personally, I’m choosing the firearm that I can carry that has the most capacity. I suggest you do the same.
3. External Safety
Plenty of folks are still hung up on external safeties. They’re not confident enough in their skills to carry without one. The fact is, with a lot of newer model handguns, at external safety is there for one reason…to make people feel good.
If you want an external safety, that’s OK. Just be sure to train properly — and often — when using it. During my classes, with inexperienced students, I’ve seen far too many forget to take the safety off and put the safety on. When they try to draw and fire under the minimal stress of the training environment, they get silence, then look at the gun and realize it’s because their handgun’s safety is still engaged.
I’m not saying that external safeties are a bad thing. But y need to be able to use it without thinking, automatically, and all of the same firearm safety discipline still needs to be observed. You can’t use an external safety like a crutch.
4. The Right Fit
How are you going to carry your gun? Inside the waistband? Outside the waistband? In a purse or backpack? All of those decisions will affect your choice of handgun.
If you’re unfamiliar with the different types of carry, I strongly suggest getting some in-person training to see how you feel about and perform with each one. You have to be able to quickly deploy your firearm when you need it so being familiar and comfortable with your carry method is critical.
How does the gun fit your hand? That has to factor heavily into your choice, too. You can’t choose a firearm for someone else and they can’t choose one for you.
You have to see if a gun fits your hand, if you can rack the slide, how the trigger press feels. Rent any gun you’re thinking of buying if you can to see if you can handle the recoil, load its magazines, and perform all the routine manipulations. Most importantly, it has to be your choice.
All of these factors and more will go into choosing the right handgun for you to carry and you need to consider each one carefully. A handgun is a life-saving defensive tool. It needs to be safe and reliable and you need to be able to use it effectively. Low cost shouldn’t be the driving factor. No one goes into the parachute store and says, “Give me the cheapest one you got.” That’ not a good strategy for a carry gun, either.
Tim Carroll is head instructor at Tennessee-Carry.com.
….I’m not really disagreeing with the author, more quibbling over the details.
‘The right fit’ should be #1, and count for about 80% of the evaluation. The gun needs to fit the shooter ergonomically, with recoil the shooter finds tolerable and controls they can manipulate easily (so that they do not avoid practicing), and it needs to have a form factor that isn’t so inconvenient that they only carry it when they think they might need it.
Once that criteria is satisfied, the other stuff is worth thinking about… but IMO someone with a small-caliber mouse gun who has practiced regularly and has it with them is going to be in a better situation than someone with a HK Mk 23 that they left at home.
Agreed, regular wardrobe both at work and not, is a huge consideration and often overlooked.
From the author:
“The fact is, with a lot of newer model handguns, at [sic] external safety is there for one reason…to make people feel good.”
Yeah, well, my EDC gat has an external safety, and I *do* like the extra peace of mind it provides since I carry AIWB. Because, you know…when you AIWB and are sitting or driving, the muzzle is pointing right at your nuts or femoral artery. So I’ll take that external safety…it makes me feel “good”.
Another choice is good double action/single action
.45 ACP is combat proven…that’s good enough for me…..
“4 Factors You Need to Consider When Buying a Concealed Carry Handgun”
1.Power
2.Power
3.Power
4.Did I mention, Power?
If you ain’t using something .500, and up, you ain’t usin’ real guns.
Loud noise is a force multiplier all on its own.
RE: “During my classes, with inexperienced students, I’ve seen far too many forget to take the safety off and put the safety on.”
What needs to be perfectly clear is the little dingus thingy in the middle of Glock type triggers is not, never has been and never will be, “The Safety.”
Problem is not the mag fed firearms with a Manual Safety. The problem is the mag fed firearms with the manual safety Missing. If incompetence causes one to forget to release the Safety then they may be wounded or die in a fight. On the other hand should you forget to engage the safety on a loaded gun and an Accidental Discharge happens you or most likely someone else may be wounded or die. And that scenario will release a swarm of EMTs, police, detectives, doctors, lawyers, etc. Bottom line…Manual Safety or No Manual Safety it’s what’s at stake if you drop the ball.
they sell a device that provides a safety of sorts for Glocks…
Glocks will install a safety on contract models which require it.
And, most military models since the 1911 have had a separate thumb safety. Since no one is expert when first getting used to operating a handgun, it’s better you have a safety to become expert than have no safety and risk never becoming good at it at all. It seems generations of trainers and Commanders prefer that.
BTW, there are plenty of top competitors who win championships with safeties which have to be operated. Somebody dealing with new students in classes should be more concerned about keeping the gun from discharging – and one of those reasons is “combat reholstering” in class to ramp up the repetitions.
Sam, you and I don’t agree often, but on this post, I agree 1000%.
In spite of what the author of this article says, stopping power and caliber are interchangeable.
“Sam, you and I don’t agree often, but on this post, I agree 1000%.”
Now, don’t that knock your hat in the creek?
As someone here commented only a few days ago, the cartridge and the stopping power a person likes to boast of doesn’t matter if you miss your target.
1. Location
2. Location
3. Location
4. And if you can hit the target, then consider using some power.
My childhood best friend was killed by a single .22 LR to the head.
FYI, location = shot placement
“FYI, location = shot placement”
Understood, however….
A hit to the shoulder with .45APC will blow off the entire arm. And if you miss only a little bit, the shock wave will crush ribs.
“As someone here commented only a few days ago, the cartridge and the stopping power a person likes to boast of doesn’t matter if you miss your target.”
Not so sure. The sonic wave of .75 calibre bullets passing by will blow a lung clean out of the body.
I am sad to hear about your former best friend.
Biden told us 9mm will blow your lung out, kid.
Vasily Blokhin killed 15,000 people with a .25 ACP Walther.
Size isn’t everything.
1. Can I afford it?
2. Can I conceal it yet still produce it relatively smoothly and with ease?
3. Would I actually use it if I needed to?
The rest is easy.
To my comments above I would also add that mindset is really Number 1.
Mindset is #1. Period. If you can’t use it for whatever reason. It’s worthless to you and becomes little more than an expensive dust collector. Mindset needs to be dealt with before you even consider buying a firearm for personal protection.
Craig, there are a lot of people out there that your #3 would disqualify them from carrying.
#1 reliability.
#2 power
#3 ergonomics
#4 concealability
These mean different things to different people. YMMV.
I would switch 2 and 4.
The power level of what I carry usually depends on how well it conceals with what I’m wearing. I don’t carry a full size in the summer.
I carry everything from 6 shot revolvers up to a new S&W M&P 5.7
I carry .44mag, .357, 9mm and 5.7 calibers
I am just as confident in my ability to stop an attacker with 6 shots of 44 as I am with 23 rounds of 5.7 (M&P 5.7 holds 23)
At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that the weapon is comfortable enough that it is carried every single day. Whether that’s a 6 shot revolver or a 23 shot semi auto doesn’t matter. Cause if you don’t have it with you on the day you need it, it won’t matter how powerful it is or how many rounds it holds. I’ve had this conversation so many times it has become nearly annoying. But I tell everyone the same thing. If you aren’t comfortable with it on, you won’t carry it. And you can’t use it if you don’t have it on you. So find something you can tote around everyday like second nature. You don’t even need to realize you have it on. Fortunately for me, I can adapt my clothing around carrying whatever size EDC I choose on a given day. For others, that isn’t possible. Those folks need to start with something smaller. I’d rather be under armed with a .22 or .32 or even a .25, vs being unarmed altogether.
The caliber of your carrygun means nothing. If your gun is too heavy, you’re not going to carry it. If your gun is too big to conceal. You’re not going to carry it.
Stopping power, really??? A 22 has killed many a criminal. Or stopped an attack. Shot placement is everything. The caliber means nothing.
Number 4 I’d the only valid consideration mentioned in the article.
Everything else is a load of BS
Number 1 by far is how well can you shoot the particular pistol. I always highly recommend that one tries out whatever they are considering before they purchase. Some places let you do that for minimal cost when you are considering a gun. Nothing beats live fire. How a gun “feels in the hand” is not a good indicator. Either is relying on social media influencers on which gun is best for you.
In California, the manual safety is there to make the State feel safe. Along with the mag disconnect, the loaded chamber indicator, and the ten round limit. Moreover, the State is doing everything in its power to eliminate the ability to carry a concealed firearm. The decision by the trial court judge that shot down much of the “sensitive places” dictated by SB2 (that otherwise goes into effect January 1) is of course helpful, since SB2 made it essentially impossible to carry anywhere but in the street, but that will only last long enough for AG Bonta to file a notice of appeal and an application for a stay pending appeal. We fully expect that the Ninth will grant that stay, even though it will deprive citizens of their second amendment rights, because public safety clearly outweighs constitutional rights notwithstanding Bruen, and of course the State is “likely to succeed on the merits.”
I am guessing that it will be three to five years before the case reaches the Supreme Court, and meanwhile I will not bother to renew my CCW. Fortunately I live in a pretty safe town away from the urban chaos.
“I am guessing that it will be three to five years before the case reaches the Supreme Court, and meanwhile I will not bother to renew my CCW.”
As in, carry anyways, and deal with the potential legal ramifications later?
If so, you’re a braver man than I…
Nope, not going to carry. Around here, the odds of being robbed at gun point are vanishingly small. However, I could lose my professional license by being caught with a concealed firearm, especially if charged with a felony (it’s a wobbler, and being a white professional I will be the guy they want to make an example of by charging the felony). I may be older, but I am not ready to retire.
Where do you live that you’d loose your professional license for legally carrying a firearm?
” If it takes three to four hits and I miss half my shots, that means I’ll have to shoot six to eight times just to stop one threat.”
In .380 or 9mm, sure. But I just don’t buy the “stopping power is a myth” BS. That’s just whistling past the graveyard. I’m going to carry the most powerful round I can. At self defense distances, I’m going to hit, and I’m going to hit with a .44 magnum. Three times the power of a 9mm is going to make a difference.
A BIG difference.
It’s called physics, and it matters.
100%. 44 mag, 357 mag are still the kings of stopping power. If anyone tells you a 44 wound track is identical to a .380, ask them why Alaskan guides don’t carry LCP’s as their primary weapon. Or ask hunters why they don’t deer hunt with 9mm carbines…
Don’t get me wrong, if .380 is what you got and you shoot it well then it’s certainly a valid choice, but there is a difference in calibers.
.44 mag is a poor choice in most instances…too slow on the follow-up shots….
Speak for yourself. I can shot follow up shots just fine. And if you’re competent, you’ll probably only need one follow up anyway.
Completely agree – all calibers are the same BS is a marker for a lack of experience
at least 9mm and .38 and up
1and2 are the same ain’t they?
Power, caliber.
Two factors to consider when purchasing a hand sanitizer.
Does it go bang when I pull the trigger
Does the bullet go where I’m looking
If you don’t live in the United States, like here in Maryland, you also have to select a pistol that can be concealed in or under your clothes. Only “momentary AND inadvertent” printing, or exposure of the handgun, is legal.
Doing better than NY but right mindset for both.
I’ll stick to my Smith and Wesson 3913.
Your disparagement about an external safety is effectively rebutted by the many people I’ve met who are suffering from Glock Walk or the heartbreak of Glock Cxck, or Glock no Cxck.
Of course a 12 gauge shotgun loaded with buckshot and equipped with a rifled choke tube massively increases the probability of getting multiple hits. At the ranges that are likely in the impending civil disturbances, the ability to hit multiple assailants with one round is an extreme advantage.
Any long gun will greatly increase the odds of making a successful hit on target due to their inherently greater accuracy than a handgun. But a shotty isn’t exactly a concealable weapon.
Learn the law where you carry. Read the actual statutes. Several times. Like maybe 3 times a week for a month. Once you got them down pat, the politicians will probably change them, so watch them like a hawk
I’ll take it the writer doesn’t advocate revolver carry…
For me it’s ergonomics and ease of carry, I can carry a bigger more powerful revolver than I can a semi automatic with my wardrobe, and contact shots. If they made a 30 round capacity concealable revolver I’d be all over it. As it stands I choose to sacrifice capacity for caliber performance and superior carry and concealment.
Absolutely. The MINIMUM I carry is .357 magnum, a Ruger SP-101 with a 2.25″ barrel. Very concealable, and packs a punch. I would take that over a 13 round 9mm microcompact any day of the week.
It’s all academic if you can’t hit what your aiming at. Take it to the range and practice. Carry what you like. Just have it with you.
I tell people that havent shot pistol to get a good 22. I recommend the Sig 322 or Taurus TX22. Most people need to develop good shooting habits and recoil or the wrong size gun or grip is a confidence killer. Get good with the 22 and then pick out a good weapon in the caliber you want and practice with it on controlling the recoil and naturally accuracy. Less than 10 yards on your distance unless you goal is to more than self defense.
Mr. Tim Carroll skipped the most important points, is the piece reliable and of an incapaciting caliber.
After that everything is according to the article.
Everyone is an expert in their own estimation.
Well yes and most of us know best. Unfortunately individual experiences with reality and danger may vary and make a lot of expertise moot.
“Everyone is an expert in their own estimation.”
I am absolutely the single, prime and only expert about my thoughts and opinions. This is some sort of problem, or shortcoming?
Precisely. Acronyms help me. When in doubt, I always remember SHAT.
Sam
He
Always
True
“When in doubt, I always remember SHAT.
Sam
He
Always
True”
I may be wrong sometimes, but I am always Right.
Buying a carry gun? 6 things to consider.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyZYX1xhP1U
BREAKING NEWS: Joe Biden Pardons Thousands Convicted of Marijuana Charges.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=salAwgodgDM
Trump would get impeached for doing this.
Another Lesson on Protestors Blocking the Road.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeKXda12-Ic
“During my classes, with inexperienced students, I’ve seen far too many forget to take the safety off and put the safety on. When they try to draw and fire under the minimal stress of the training environment, they get silence, then look at the gun and realize it’s because their handgun’s safety is still engaged.”
I believe that. I’ve personally seen both new and long time experienced shooters do that. Heck, I’ve seen it happen in some youtube videos with ‘instructors’.
I see people all the time at a green light who don’t let out the clutch smoothly while easing the gas pedal and kill it right in the intersection. Manual transmission therefore sucks -Get an automatic. Makes sense….
not sure how that makes sense to you.
people get the car they want either manual or automatic. If they use it correctly or not is a ‘them’ thing, not a ‘car’ thing.
“If they use it correctly or not is a ‘them’ thing, not a ‘car’ thing.”
Wouldn’t this apply to gunz as well?
well Dude, guns are sorta what we are talking about overall.
.40 cal, yes I know. That would mean if you know what you’re doing, then you can handle a manual safety. You agreed with that relative to cars.
Nikita, JBOL! As about 99% of the cars on the road are automatic transmission, you must be going back in a time machine to see all those people who can’t seem to manage the clutch and the gas pedal.
The only thing anyone should be concerned about when choosing a CCW firearms is “image”, one must “make a statement” with their choice, the bigger, the flashier, the pricier, the more exotic, the better, just like “boutique” (obscure brands) guitars among hipsters.
Before purchasing, ask yourself how this will play on Insta.
“During the exchange, […] said his weapon jammed.”
Oops.
““I went to get behind a vehicle to clear that jam and once I was mid-racking the pistol to clear the jam and I took the round to the arm,” he said.”
Double oops.
Manual safeties. “They’re not confident enough in their skills to carry with
outone.”Wouldn’t this statement be more true? They’re always stressing about remembering to flick it off. I have with and without. I’m confident using it either way.
Well it is amusingly hypocritical when I hear Rambo wannabes spewing handgun manual safety hindrance and then turn to an AR-15 and not a beep about its manual safety being a hindrance. Perhaps those who bark at manual safeties on handguns should first remove the manual safety on their AR-15 and demonstate their wisdom for doing so.
my favorite ‘gotta have a manual external safety’ preaching people are the ones with an external manual safety on their carry gun switching it to ‘fire’ position when they holster it for carry cause “can’t waste time forgetting the safety when I needs muh gun” then pontificating about ‘dem darn Glocks by golly are dangerous cause no external manual safety’, as they AIWB with a gun off safe pointed at their crotch.
.40, I have enough common sense to to need an “external safety” on my GLOCKS and have never had an negligent discharge (there is no such thing as an “accidental” discharge). If that officer in CT had properly seated his SIG in the holster (if you don’t hear the “click” it’s not properly seated.) That officer in CT was negligent. His sergeant at line up should have cautioned the officers to make sure they heard the “click”.
Bottom line is guns don’t shoot themselves.
I carry Glock, I love Glocks. But I also have other ‘brands’ of guns too, lots with manual external safeties too, and I love ’em all but for my normal EDC its Glock. My normal EDC is a Glock 22, but sometimes I switch off for another gun for a day or two depending on what I’m doing that day or just ’cause I want to and usually its a Sig but I will sometimes do the others as well. My wife carries (currently) a P365-XL compact Rose and its got an external manual safety, but she is still partial to Glock and will switch back between the Sig and a Glock frequently.
Our home defense pistols staged around the house are a mixture of Glocks or Sigs but mostly Glocks.
Yeah, that CT officer….there was nothing wrong with the SIG, it did not fire by its self. He should have seated it fully in the holster, that’s a ‘him’ thing and not a ‘gun’ or ‘holster’ thing.
.40, although I own a SIG P320-M-17, my usual EDC is my GLOCK Mod 22 as well and is easily concealed if one knows what he/she is going.
Seems we agree on most things at least regarding what you posted here.
The author of the article missed the most important reason: Comfort. The 577 strato blaster does you no good at all if its left under the seat of your car or at home because it was just too uncomfortable to carry all of the time and too big to conceal on a hot summer day.
I disagree with the author about his comments about the need for a manual safety on a carry gun. How safe a handgun is to carry is important as well. A handgun that is more likely to cause an accident either to you or an innocent person is not the one you should be carrying. Becoming a cripple for life or being sued for millions is what can happen with a handgun that is unsafe to carry or handle. And there are many bad designs out there. If handguns were under the jurisdiction of the Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission quite a few handgun designs would be outlawed. bb
dacian theDUNDERHEAD. Comfort? Only a pansy worries about “comfort” when carrying his handgun. If a owner knows anything about firearms (which you certainly do not) concealing a firearm is no “rocket science.” I’ve been carrying either off duty or now as a retired LEO, no one has detected my GLOCK Mod 22 (which for your edification is a full size handgun).
As to safety, when I carry it is in a LEVEL III holster. Do you have any clue what a LEVEL III is?
To Walter the Beverly Hillbilly
And you have no clue how many people are accidentally killed or injured with unsafely designed handguns.
And even though the availability of .25 and .32 acp handguns is far less than it used to be the stats show more people carry them than any other caliber and the reason is comfort. A study done a number of years ago proved more people die from being shot by the smaller calibers, i.e. .25 and .32 than any other handgun calibers simply because more people carry those calibers of weapons.
I was in a bar one night and saw 3 cops all give their guns to their girlfriends to put into their purses because the guns they were carrying were to big and uncomfortable to carry.
If you had ever been a real cop subjects like the comfort level would not have been news to you at all.
P.S. Genius Boy no big heavy gun is comfortable to carry including carrying it in your beloved threat level 3 holster. That statement really made me laugh.
1. Ergonomics for the type of carry you intend on.
2. Holster for the type of carry you intend on.
3. Shot whatever caliber you want.
4. Practice, practice and then practice some more with clothing you expect to be wearing, clothing you do not expect to be wearing with your holster you have.
What about the factor of long-term viability.
Sub-points:
1. Don’t buy weird calibers. Your first carry gun should probably be .380, .38 special/.357 magnum, 9mm, .45 ACP. These calibers are easiest to find, and have a wide variety of ammunition of different loads, bullet designs and powers. If someone talks you into a specialty caliber get used to having to special order premium ammunition and not being able to bulk buy practice ammo. By the time you’re experienced enough to decide you want .327 Federal Magnum, .357 Sig or 10mm or whatever, you’ll at least be making an informed decision.
2. Don’t buy weird off brands. Eventually when the company goes out of business and you have a hard time finding magazines and replacement parts, you’ll end up with a boat anchor. Buy something from a company that’s on everyone’s list: Glock, Ruger, S&W, Taurus (I know), Springfield (I know), Sig, etc. When you are shopping for holsters and accessories, it is going to be a *lot* easier to find things that are specifically made for your gun. No goofy “one-size fits many” holsters.
3. .410 revolvers are ridiculous, as are derringers of any caliber. Don’t be that guy, unless you are buying it as a toy, not your main self-defense weapon.
just looking at that “judge” is enough to scare most people….the reason I finally bought one….
The hole at the end of that barrel is .45 caliber. I think any .45 is going to be just as scary to have pointed at you.
If it’s a Judge, then I’d have the security of knowing that if it’s loaded with .410 if I can get about 20 feet or more from you the pattern’s going to be so spun out nothing that hits me is likely to kill me.
https://www.gun-tests.com/shortshots/patterning-the-taurus-judge-2/
I had a Judge with a 2.5” chamber and 4.25 inch barrel. It’s the gun I most regret selling. It was reliable, versatile and those 45 Colt maximum xpansion rounds from Lehigh/underwood are unreal. Luckily I never had to use them but I sure felt confident with 5 of those on tap. Funny enough I actually carried it IWB with a simply rugged holster, it was surprisingly concealable haha.
@A Lovely Bunch Of Coconuts
“Biden told us 9mm will blow your lung out, kid.”
Yeah, but it is really true that a .75 calibre bullet whisking by actually will.
The only thing dacian carries in a holster is his dild0.
To Walter the Beverly Hillbilly
And you have no clue how many people are accidentally killed or injured with unsafely designed handguns.
And even though the availability of .25 and .32 acp handguns is far less than it used to be the stats show more people carry them than any other caliber and the reason is comfort. A study done a number of years ago proved more people die from being shot by the smaller calibers, i.e. .25 and .32 than any other handgun calibers simply because more people carry those calibers of weapons.
I was in a bar one night and saw 3 cops all give their guns to their girlfriends to put into their purses because the guns they were carrying were to big and uncomfortable to carry.
If you had ever been a real cop subjects like the comfort level would not have been news to you at all.
P.S. Genius Boy no big heavy gun is comfortable to carry including carrying it in your beloved threat level 3 holster. That statement really made me laugh.bb
No, you didn’t see that.
Everything you’ve ever posted is lies and copypasta.
It seems, dacian, the DUNDERHEAD, you want to make guns and probably everything else idiot proof?
I am more than sure that no police officer would ever give up his gun to his girl friend just because it was “uncomfortable”. And how do you know this? Did you walk up and ask? JBOL!
Do you always make up these farcical tales? Or are you just talented that way? For you education, as edification would not work, I personally carry a GLOCK Md 22 (that’s a full size GLOCK) every single day and guess what? As I know how to properly carry it, it is very comfortable.
Have you ever been able to figure out the firing sequence of a cartridge?
Watching my fair share of self defense videos, I (my experience) have come to the conclusion that the only thing that matters is having a gun. I have yet to see a video where the perp/perpetrators (notice plural, as in multiple) have stuck around and asked:
What brand of gun is it?
What caliber is it?
What kind of ammo is it?
Does he carry a reload?
Does he have the latest optic / light on it?
How often does he train with it?
All I have seen is shots being fired in the direction of an individual/group and that particular subset scurrying away in haste.
Of course everyone on here will have something that they have seen, watched etc…etc… to the contrary. I know, we all know if you have ever glanced at the comment section here. I just wonder what gun, what caliber and how much training the 76 year old in Florida had when he fired one round and stopped an attack on his wife. Food for thought.
Call it ‘Israeli carry’ or what the hell you want- just carry WITHOUT one in the chamber and learn to rack the slide as you punch out to present the firearm for firing as we do here in Israel. People do not realise there is another little known advantage of Israeli carry and that is that you adjust/perfect your grip as you rack the slide…so you don’t miss!
In Israel at least- there has NEVER been an incident where a bad guy won because the good guy spent ‘too much time racking the slide’. (Every single civilian firearm incident in Israel is covered in detail by the press). Oh and guess what- in Israel a negligent discharge of a pistol is almost unheard of……
Now you can vent your anger with follow up comments………
I dont have any knowledge about Israel other than every man, woman, and child, are trained to fight and the use of a firearm. Many in this country have never fired a gun much less even served in the military. All my holsters are OWB and maybe some of you can tell me what purpose IWB has? I wear a baggy shirt and if it “prints”….so what! Its hard to say how a person reacts in stressful scenarios. Some of my carries have safeties and some are DA/SA but there is always one in the chamber and I keep my finger out of the trigger until I have the weapon fully drawn. Another thing is repetition. Most people dont practice. Its the utmost importance to practice drawing, presentation, and accuracy. I cant tell you how many times a person at the range has said “nice shooting but can you do that under stress and when your being shot at?” My reply is I dont know and I hope I never have to find out but if I do, I hope all this practice will pay off.
MLone, the only REAL safety on a handgun is the person carrying.If someone is not SMART ENOUGH to keep their trigger finger outside of the trigger guard, then all the safeties in the world won’t help when push comes to shove. All a “safety” on a handgun does is try to make them idiot proof.
As to “printing”. I agree, so fricking what. If a man carries his gun in any kind of holster, it would be one that is at LEAST a Level II. For us men we have an advantage carrying. We have a slight hollow in our hip bone that makes concealment quite easy. I always carry that way and in a OWB Level III high ride holster.
Totally agree on the idiot proof and Lord knows we have a lot of them. I dont want to discourage people from having a gun and just want to impress upon them to go to the range and practice. Most ranges dont let you draw which I understand and I wouldnt want a bunch of newbees doing that around me either. I have a friend that has a nice piece of land to practice that.
MLone, I don’t know about the ranges near you but we don’t have that restriction (not allowing people to proceed with drawing action). I have a friend of mine who owns a sheep farm about 8 miles from here. He has told me he wants to construct a small range on his property to practice with. Seems he has a coyote problem.
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The “right fit”. To me the most important. If you’re not comfortable with it you’re not going to be able to use it comfortably. No s__t.
Years ago Massad Ayoob had four things to look for in a carry gun.
1. It must be a gun you will have with you when you need it. 22lr in hand beats a 45 at home
2. It must be 100% with the ammunition you are using. These rules came out when semi
autos were not always reliable with expanding bullets.
3. Must have acceptable accuracy for the expected range it will be used.
4. You must be able to hit your target at the expected range it will be used.
For all of you folks who have your mind made up about what is best suited caliber you should check out this video. It is based on over 10,000 real world shooting incidents.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nycYxb-zNwc
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