{"id":22,"date":"2017-02-25T22:21:42","date_gmt":"2017-02-26T03:21:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/conditionredresponse.com\/?page_id=22"},"modified":"2019-11-24T08:40:22","modified_gmt":"2019-11-24T13:40:22","slug":"choosing-a-firearm","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/conditionredresponse.com\/?page_id=22","title":{"rendered":"Choosing a Firearm"},"content":{"rendered":"

Which handgun should I buy?<\/p>\n

So\u2026 this is a complicated topic and what I am about to tell you can and will be disputed by at least one other person you know.\u00a0 It is a distillation of what I have learned by shooting, trying to help others shoot well, talking with gunsmiths, reading ballistics research, and trial and error.<\/p>\n

The first thing you need to do is rule in\/rule out certain calibers.\u00a0 As a first choice, I would suggest 9mm.\u00a0 Why?<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Any model of\u00a0firearm\u00a0that is made in 9mm, .40, and .45 will carry more rounds in the magazine with 9mm.<\/li>\n
  2. Better recoil management than larger calibers. Better recoil management means faster follow up shots.<\/li>\n
  3. It is much cheaper to shoot 9mm; thus you will train more often.<\/li>\n
  4. Modern 9mm hollow point ammunition has a very similar terminal ballistic profile to its larger cousins.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Ok?\u00a0 So, is there anything wrong with shooting a larger caliber?\u00a0 Yes and no.\u00a0 Inherently, no.\u00a0 However; if you cannot manage the recoil effectively, your follow-up accuracy will be negatively affected.<\/p>\n

    What about going with a smaller .380?\u00a0 If you absolutely need the smaller gun or cannot handle the 9mm recoil, then a .380 is a reasonable choice \u00a0The new Smith and Wesson Shield 380EZ is a very good choice for those with weaker or arthritic hands.<\/p>\n

    Next comes the trickier step.\u00a0 Choosing the firearm.\u00a0 In my experience, there are certain questions that you can answer that will narrow the field before you even starting picking one up.\u00a0 In order of importance:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Quality brand.\u00a0 There are several quality brands out there.\u00a0 Certain brands have certain features which may make them more, or less, appealing to you for personal use.\u00a0 I would highly recommend that you stay with a quality brand with\u00a0 reputation for reliability.<\/li>\n
    2. Carry vs. Not carry. This question can help determine both the size of the firearm and the type of mechanism.\u00a0 If you are not going to conceal and carry this firearm, I would recommend going with a full-sized gun.\u00a0 If you do plan to carry, I would stay with striker fired mechanisms until you are more familiar and comfortable with hand gun use. Newton\u2019s 2nd<\/sup> law plays a role here.\u00a0 The more mass your firearm has, the less observed recoil.<\/li>\n
    3. How does it feel in my hand? This is important because you will be more likely to practice with a firearm that you like.\u00a0 As long as you stay within the \u201cquality brands,\u201d it is perfectly fine to choose a gun that you prefer aesthetically.\u00a0 Your hand should be able to wrap around the grip to get a proper hold on it. \u00a0You will get sore spots inside your thumb and have less stability when shooting if the grip is too big for your hand.<\/li>\n
    4. How it feels to shoot. For the most part, a 9 is a 9 is a 9.\u00a0 Assuming you are comparing only firearms within the same general size and caliber, there will be more difference in the way a gun feels to shoot based on the ammo you choose than the brand.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The over-riding principle in choosing a handgun and caliber is to remember you are choosing an effective tool.\u00a0 As a beginner, no firearm will feel perfect to you when you shoot it.\u00a0 You will not be used to recoil management and your first thought will be that the recoil is too much.\u00a0 This is just how it is.\u00a0 As your skill improves the feeling will change.<\/p>\n

      So\u2026\u00a0 Specific recommendations for the new shooter:<\/p>\n

      Full Sized guns:<\/p>\n

      Glock 19 or 17,\u00a0M&P 9mm or M&P 2.0 9mm, CZ p!0<\/p>\n

      Mid sized guns:<\/p>\n

      Glock 26 or 19, M&P9c or 2.0 9c, CZ p10c<\/p>\n

      Small guns:<\/p>\n

      Glock 43 or 48, Sig 365 or 365 XL, M&P Shield9, M&P Shield 380EZ<\/p>\n

      Certainly, there are other choices that will be effective and reliable.\u00a0 I recommend these options because they are reliable, plentiful, have easy to find parts, it\u2019s easy to find someone to\u00a0 work on it, and easy to find accessories for them.<\/p>\n

      **Some people with less muscle mass or those with arthritis have trouble working the slides on the smaller guns such as the M&P shield9 due to the heavy springs, but may have great success with the Shield 380EZ or Sig 365.\u00a0 Make sure that you can use it effectively before purchasing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Which handgun should I buy? So\u2026 this is a complicated topic and what I am about to tell you can and will be disputed by at least one other person you know.\u00a0 It is a distillation of what I have Read More …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":81,"parent":62,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-22","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/conditionredresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/conditionredresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/conditionredresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/conditionredresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/conditionredresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/conditionredresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":615,"href":"http:\/\/conditionredresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22\/revisions\/615"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/conditionredresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/62"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/conditionredresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/81"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/conditionredresponse.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}