Handgun design article

[KenpoTex]

Handgun Designs

November 13, 2009 By: Jeff Mau
Often times I hear people say that you should select a gun that “feels the best to you. Go to the range and shoot a bunch of guns and buy the one you like.” This is lousy advice, and often results in new shooters making poor purchases. Again equipment should be selected based on the criteria for YOUR mission (private citizen, concealed carry, LE duty, military, etc) and then evaluated based on your tactics and skills. If you have no tactics and skills then you have no reference point to make an informed decision. If your tactics and skills suck, then your equipment selection will likely suck.


...For defensive purposes, guns should only be considered if the platform has seen years of use and millions of rounds down range. I have no interest in being a guinea pig. The latest gun design might be cool to own, but it has no business out on the street until someone else has verified it with a very large sample and lots of rounds.

http://insightstraining.com/blog/index.php/2009/11/handgun-designs/

 

[jks9199]

Interesting article -- and some valid points. But I do think that, once you've identified your mission (is it a duty gun for a cop, a concealed weapon for a detective or civilian CCW carry, or a home defense tool, or what?), determined what guns fit that mission criteria, and with some basic handgun familiarity, it's a good idea to see how several different guns fit you. There are enough differences in how different manufacturers align things and set up their guns that it's worth it to find one that fits you within that range of criteria.

As a working cop, I'm a fan of Glocks. My department requires me to use a .40, so that means I'm carrying the Model 22, Model 23, and/or Model 27. For me, the 22 fits well and is easy for me to control and shoot well with. And, on patrol duties -- I like having 15 + 1 in the gun. (For concealment, I carry a 27.) I like that there're no external safeties or decocking levers to deal with. And that Glocks are very forgiving of mistreatment...

 

[Hudson69]

http://insightstraining.com/blog/index.php/2009/11/handgun-designs/

I will give points to some of what is said in this blog but I think the point of people giving that advice is "do your homework and your fieldwork." This covers the majority of that.

New shooters or old veterans when you pick out a gun or are going to then do your homework. This means determining what you want to use the gun for; CCW, home defense, plinking, rangework etc..... and then look at what is available and in your price range.

Now shoot everything that might fall into that catagory and whittle it down to a few and then research those but ultimately if you really like the feel and recoil of a Smith Model 36 .38 Special but someone says you really need a Glock .40 and it falls into the same perameters as your first pick either shoot both again and re-evaluate or go with what works for you.

I have given out that advice before as an NRA Pistol and LEO Range Instructor (for back-ups/off-duty's) and have never had a problem with persons complaining afterward but I also offer to answer any questions a new shooter may have as well.

I guess I dont know why there is an attack on that type of advice, seems kind of nit-picky.

My .02 only

 

[jks9199]

I think it's a commentary on the generic "see what works for you" advice that's given -- without the guidance on how to do the homework. Kind of like the "all martial arts are good" advice given so often here... It's true -- all martial arts are good. But that doesn't mean that every school is, and that's why that advice needs to be qualified, too.

 

[KenpoTex]

I think it's a commentary on the generic "see what works for you" advice that's given -- without the guidance on how to do the homework.

exactly.

Reliabilty is the most important consideration. How a gun "feels" or "points" is subjective. You can get used to a gun that feels funny the first time you pick it up. It's a lot harder to make a crappy design more reliable. Selecting an inferior gun just because it "feels" better is dumb. I think that's what the author was getting at.