Ponder not .45 vs 9mm.....perhaps peruse the perfection of the polymer platform.

[flatlander]

You mean like this?

USP Tactical .45 with my NMSFNO LE. Now THERE'S a potent pair.

Very nice. Had one like that but had to sell it. Mine had a KAC can on it though Are they legal to have up there? It's been replaced by some of the newer pieces

Bob Mills

 

[I'mGatMan!]

I've been in the next lane as my buddy Ben has popped those little clovers at 25 with a G32 in .357 sig. KD, I know you weren't slamming Glocke, but I'd say that a Glock will be as acurate as the user's training prepares him/her to be. On top of that, as long as I can hit COM every time I pull the bangswitch, I don't need little clovers, because chances are that if I ever have to use my G19, it won't be at 25 yards, and I won't be standing straight up with no cover and all the time in the world. Just my .02. YMMV.

I will say this, though: most accurate gun in MY hands has been my little SA EMP, but I couldn't get that thing to feed reliably without sending it back to Geneseo 3 times. I love the 1911 platform for Ergos, but in terms of a combat gun, I'll take GLock every time...as long as I can have Ben do a custom job on the grip. Standard Glock ergos SUCK for me.

Robin, I don't know how you feel about Glocke, but I just recently sold a G21sf (full-sized .45) that I had GentleBen customize with a thinner grip, 1911 grip angled, and a molded mag-well, and that thing was just beautiful to shoot. Almost NO muzzle-flip at all. It recoiled straight backward and was cake to keep on target. Controlled pairs were butter with that thing. :thumbup: might want to look into it, or the g30sf for something plastic in .45. I have also owned and liked the XD platform, but where the Glock is incredibly simple and utilitarian, the XD is much more complex and replacement parts are harder to find and more pricey.

 

[1whobuys]

I'll slam Glocks, they feel cheap, they shoot cheap, they point high and they are built cheap....

That said...they always work and go bang.

I'll still go with my Brown's, Wilson's and Baur's any day.

Oh, and Bob...HK's are OK in my book as are Sigs.

 

[ronybear]

I have 45's, 38's, .380's, 9 mm, 22's and now a .357 Magnum. Just picked this up today at the Louisville Gun Show. It is a Smith and Wesson Model 327 PD all Titanium revolver which carries 8 magnums. It is incredibly light!

 

[on_the_edge]

I have 45's, 38's, .380's, 9 mm, 22's and now a .357 Magnum. Just picked this up today at the Louisville Gun Show. It is Model 327 PD all Titanium revolver which carries 8 magnums. It is incredibly light!

I suspect that will be very nice to carry, but not so nice to shoot. I also suspect you won't be having to shoot it all that much, if at all with any luck (I am assuming you got it for self-defense rather than fun at the range). Still, IMO, that is even more reliable than a Glock when you need it to go "bang".

 

[I'mGatMan!]

I'll slam Glocks, they feel cheap, they shoot cheap, they point high and they are built cheap....

That said...they always work and go bang.

I'll still go with my Brown's, Wilson's and Baur's any day.

Oh, and Bob...HK's are OK in my book as are Sigs.

Eh...I'm not a gun guy. I'm a guy who owns guns, and sees them simply as defensive tools. What I look for isn't aesthetics or style anymore. I've spent 1200$ on a 1911 only to have it hiccup every few rounds for 1500 rounds with all sorts of mags, including those poorly-designed 47d's that everyone seems to love. I studied JMB's concepts and understand controlled feed, the need for the dimpled follower, etc...I WANTED that gun to work so badly, but what I wanted and what I got were obviously 2 different things.

I can't knock anyone else for liking their Nighthawks, Wilsons, Baers, Colts, etc...Especially for the ergos of the 1911. When it comes to guns, I'll spend the money necessary to get a great tool. When I went to grab an AR, I got an LMT instead of a Bushy because I prefer quality whenever possible--and milspec, at the very least, makes things consistent. However, in my experience, price doesn't equate to reliability in handguns.

IMHO, one needs to be a gun guy to be comfortable carrying a 1911 for PD. There is too much that can go wrong with them, and if one is not proficient enough with the platform to fix little problems, he or she will have to take it to a smith for a fix. I felt like I had to become a hobbyist to keep a 1911 running. IMHO the Glock is a much better option for the average man who has decided to be a sheepdog, but is not a gun enthusiast. Again, just my .02. YMMV.

Jason

 

[I'mGatMan!]

Still, IMO, that is even more reliable than a Glock when you need it to go "bang".

Ahh...and this is why I picked up a little Smithy 442 the other day for easy concealment EVEN when I'm wearing a pear of sweat shorts and a tee. GREAT little gun.

 

[on_the_edge]

Ahh...and this is why I picked up a little Smithy 442 the other day for easy concealment EVEN when I'm wearing a pear of sweat shorts and a tee. GREAT little gun.

Thread hijack in progress...

Speaking of concealment, I just got one of these in mid Feb.:

http://www.smartcarry.com/

To say that I love it is an understatement. In hot weather where one looks like a dork wearing any kind of vest or coat, it is the answer to deep undercover carry. Yes, I could just do the untucked Hawaiian shirt thing, but my job does not really permit that style of dress everyday. Lately, I have taken to carrying an SP-101 in it, but I ordered it in a size large enough to carry my 4" Kimber. You won't be super-fast on a draw, but it is comfy all day long, even squatting or sitting down. :thumbup:

 

[Ken44]

.45 vs 9mm

How about .40 vs .357sig vs .380 ???

I like and have a full size .45 and 9mm, but these three are the ones I carry these days. I do need to add a compact .45!

Like Jason said, I also like to keep it super simple, and the Sigs and Glocks are as simple and dependable as it gets:thumbup:

G27 .40 ...It has never had a jam. Great power and accurate for size.
Sig229 .357sig ...it's had a jam once with the .40 barrel, but never with the bottlenecked .357sig round. The .357 is very accurate as well.
Sig232 .380 ...this alloy frame model is new, but my SS frame 232 points and shoots so well I feel comfortable with it, and its .380 round.

 

[Lycosa]

My pistol evolution> Walther P-38>H&K P9s> Glock 17. The monkey stops here.

 

[Z51]

Glock 17L with some more inside the wire gear:

The AK47 is for when it's up close and personal.

 

[xaman]

Thread hijack in progress...

Speaking of concealment, I just got one of these in mid Feb.:

http://www.smartcarry.com/

To say that I love it is an understatement. In hot weather where one looks like a dork wearing any kind of vest or coat, it is the answer to deep undercover carry. Yes, I could just do the untucked Hawaiian shirt thing, but my job does not really permit that style of dress everyday. Lately, I have taken to carrying an SP-101 in it, but I ordered it in a size large enough to carry my 4" Kimber. You won't be super-fast on a draw, but it is comfy all day long, even squatting or sitting down. :thumbup:

That's interesting. I've got a 3" sp101 that i'd like to try out in one.

The pockets are all one size???

 

[hotrodKelley]

The Glock is the best, especially the .40 cal. 23's and 27's. Plus they care more about the American shooter then those other companies. I love that company. If you ever need anything fixed on them, there are Glock armorers at every gun show. I mean, really, what more do you need? They are also the most affordable of most all handguns. HK's cost 2x as much, and for what?

 

[BoulderTroll]

I've spent 1200$ on a 1911 only to have it hiccup every few rounds for 1500 rounds with all sorts of mags, including those poorly-designed 47d's that everyone seems to love... Again, just my .02. YMMV.

Jason

Then you shouldn't have bought a Kimber. . (Just kidding.....mostly.....am I close?)

 

[I'mGatMan!]

Then you shouldn't have bought a Kimber. . (Just kidding.....mostly.....am I close?)

Don't worry. Won't happen again.

 

[ftchmup]

My first Busse and first HK. Good combo!!!!

 

[on_the_edge]

The pockets are all one size???

If you are talking about a single SmartCarry, each one has two pockets, and the one for the hardware is wider than the one for the magazine. However, the magazine pocket is a bit taller (goes up higher) than the one for the gun.

If you are talking about different SmartCarrys, the gun pockets are not all the same size. You basically tell the owner (company) what is the largest gun you'll be carrying and your waste size and they will tell you which one you need. Then if you want to carry something smaller (ie. something with a shorter barrel), then you can add something like a safety pin horizontally across the bottom to take up some of the extra room that would otherwise be occupied by a longer barrel. That way, your gun always sits at the proper height.

Also, for anyone thinking about one of these, you might think a stop in the restroom would provide an awkward moment or two. I have not found that to be the case in practice.

Before I got mine, I read every review I could find on them. Yes, it's only $50, but $50 is still $50 if you know what I mean. It seemed that just about the only folks who thought it wasn't as comfy as they thought it should be were those who were pretty heavy. I am not really sure why that is--it's probably a number of things. What I can say from personal experience is that while I am not heavy around the middle, I am no bean pole either and I find it to be so comfortable that I sometimes forget I am wearing it.

Hope this helps. IIRC, the company's warranty is such that if you don't like it for any reason, you can return it no questions asked. Check their site, but I am pretty sure that is what I recall. :thumbup:

 

[on_the_edge]

Then you shouldn't have bought a Kimber. . (Just kidding.....mostly.....am I close?)

I have heard stories too, but I can't honestly say I have witnessed them first-hand. Thankfully, mine has not even had a hiccupp. I did however see something break on a Glock just last week. That may have been the first time I ever saw that with a Glock. I don't actually know what happened; only that the guy's gun was going to have to go back to be repaired.

 

[Bigfattyt]

I know a guy in Florida who was shooting his XD45 and the barrel ruptured like a hose. It is being replaced under warranty, but it takes away my desire to own one.

Guarantee it was because of either hand loaded ammo, or obstruction in the barrel. Maybe an under loaded or very old cartridge where the bullet did not clear, and fired another one down the hole.

I have seen so many ruptured barrels. Glock, HK, S&W, Colt, Beretta, Sig, Ruger. You name it, some one can find a way to blow it up.

One time I was with my friend, shooting our Ruger 10-22's. That is a rugged little gun. He could not hit anything with his, and thought his scope must be broken. I thought his gun sounded funny when he shot it. His ammo was brand new. I took it and the recoil was off, really felt weird. I asked him when the last time he had cleaned the gun, as in scrubbed the bore. He said never, and he had had it since he was a little kid. Turns out there was so much build up in the barrel, it was squeezing the rounds so they were barely making it out of the barrel. It could have stopped up any time.

 

[1whobuys]

Then you shouldn't have bought a Kimber. . (Just kidding.....mostly.....am I close?)

LOL...You beat me to it...you notice I didn't include Kimber or Colt on my list.

I have never had to work on my Brown's, Wilson's or Baur's.
Maybe a stovepipe in the 1st mag or two...then they just get better.
1" and 2" groups at 25 yards, 3" at 50...
The smoothest gun I ever felt was a Baur with 20,000 rounds through it.

I do have a Smith 945 that shot an 888 out of 900 in a 50 yard match but my every day never gets cleaned, goes to the job site, bank, shopping every time gun is my Ed Brown.
Never had an issue and doesn't need a gun smith at every Gun Show to keep it going.
As far as Customer service, we stopped by his shop one day and Ed gave us the tour himself.
We ordered 4 pistols 2 weeks before SHOT Show, he Bob Tailed mine and set them up at 3 1/4lb for me at no charge.
The gun were delivered before he went to SHOT.
They still run perfect to this day.

That being said...(now read it this time) a Glock always goes bang when you pull the trigger. (it's just a shame you have to pull the trigger so many times to hit the target )