Guns

Roper said:
So, here are my EDC choices. Based on where and when. Byrna CL, Springfield EMP4 9mm, S&W 432 in 32 H&R magnum. Like others, I have a holster collection trying to find the right one. My preference is leather OWB. Kydex is too bulky and doesn’t conform to the waist. The Byrna sits in a belly band nicely, as there are no holsters for it. ( Byrna holsters are crap)
Someone noted that a S&W 642 is a handful. The 432 is comfortable to shoot and has real sights, the front is a bright green dot. A plus is one can practice with 32 long, I happen to reload for both. The magnum with XTP hollow points is a potent weapon, and it holds 6 rounds.View attachment 176949
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My dad was a 1911 lover and had a Detonics Combat Master that Richard Niemer built for him. That EMP looks an awful lot like it, except the grips are much shorter and it's in .45 ACP. Come to think of it, he also had an AirLite S&W similar yours, though his was in .357 (340PD). Niether of these looks like much fun to shoot. The AirLite is shockingly light.
 
krusty said:
It is, indeed, very silly advice.

The best one could do (for grizz/brown bears) in such circumstances is to roll yourself up in a ball and attempt to protect your neck with your hands. The bear may perceive that the threat has been eliminated.

I actually met a badly disfigured man in the YT who had done just that...he was somewhat of a local celebrity and a real character because his major complaint about the attack was that the surgeons did a poor job sewing his scalp back on such that his 'part' simply didn't look right any more.
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Don't forget when the bear starts taking chunks out of your butt cheeks to not scream. Also ignore the grating of their teeth on your skull as they rip your scalp off.
Screw that..........................I'm shooting until the ammo's gone.
 
2MANY said:
Don't forget when the bear starts taking chunks out of your butt cheeks to not scream. Also ignore the grating of their teeth on your skull as they rip your scalp off.
Screw that..........................I'm shooting until the ammo's gone.
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I encountered the bear mauled guy on a solo self-contained bicycle ride down the AlCan in 1999. It's sorta problematic getting any kind of firearm across American and Canadian borders...let alone the logistics of hauling one on a bicycle...and a handgun is totally out of the question in Canada.

Canada is also quite fussy about bear spray...it must be labeled as 'Bear Spray' and NOT 'Pepper Spray'. When I bought a can of pepper spray in Anchorage they asked me where I was going with it....I told them 'Canada', so they wrapped the can with an adhesive label that said 'Bear Spray'. When I got to the YT border station the first words out of the officers mouth was "You don't have any pepper spray do you?"

I successfully relied upon the generally good nature of bears...which worked out fine because I came across both black and brown at fairly close quarters.

The bears were indifferent to my presence, but cow moose were far more aggressive and very worrisome.

Of course the whole 'dangerous' critters in the sticks thing is completely overblown...a walk in downtown Spokane with its population of zoned-out drug addicts and mentally ill folk is far more hazardous.
 
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dflett68 said:
My dad was a 1911 lover and had a Detonics Combat Master that Richard Niemer built for him. That EMP looks an awful lot like it, except the grips are much shorter and it's in .45 ACP. Come to think of it, he also had an AirLite S&W similar yours, though his was in .357 (340PD). Niether of these looks like much fun to shoot. The AirLite is shockingly light.
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The EMP4 is a scaled down 1911 by Springfield, one could say similar to an Officers Model Colt. It holds 10 rounds of 9mm. I love it. More concealable than my full size Kimbers. I also have Kimber Ultra carry in 45acp, not fun to shoot.
 
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I am a big fan of 1911's sure are fun to shoot but my CC is Springfield EMP Ronin 9mm or SF XD9
 
I shot competitively (against Massad Ayoob once!) back in the day. I could barely afford my 1911 and definitely could not afford custom grips. So I took a rat tail file to the left side wooden grip that my thumb could fit into. Sold that gun long ago and when shopping for a new one several years ago I smiled when I came across my design on the Colt that I bought on the spot.

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I'm in the "trigger safety is fine" camp. I was unsure about it at first, but after becoming a "Glock guy," I get it. There's really no chance of unintentional discharge if you have good trigger discipline.

For my rifles and shotguns, I do like a manual safety, but not on my handguns.
 
Clean Willy said:
Muscle memory has that coming off after thousands of draws. Would never own a gun without. To each their own.
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I've owned auto pistols in the past that had de-cockers, but I would never use that feature. Too scary. I would just thumb the hammer down old-school style.
 
What a great example of thread drift.

To the OP's question: Good on ya for taking a class and learning some stuff! It was good for me years ago, and I should probably do so again. What pistol to buy? Well, Glock's just smash my broken thumb joint, I can't even get through a single magazine right handed. The Smithy auto is okay, but what really shined for me was a Springfield. I have an XDE, hammer fired single stack 9MM, essentially a remake of the old Walther P-38. Manual safety, hammer fired, DA/SA with de-cocker, 3.3 inch barrel. Very nice if not particularly inherently accurate.

Try and see if a range around you will let you shoot a selection of pistols, there's an indoor range here in Spokane that will do that for you, it helps to get the feel and fit of the weapon way better than dry firing over the shop counter. There's lots of brands out there, at lots of price points, but the one that fits is the one you want. Like fly rods, a thing of beauty is a joy forever.

Defensively, I carried for years doing field work in the north a Ruger Super Blackhawk in a shoulder rig. After several close bear encounters I switched to 12ga 3in mag slugs in a shorty Remington on a sling. Heavier, but very powerful and acceptably accurate at likely range of use (5 yards or less). Now I use bear spray.
 
One thing to consider, and just an opinion some may not share, is if you do plan to carry, I think the gun you choose should be something you enjoy shooting. If I am not likely to want to fire through a few magazines at the range with my chosen carry weapon, then I don't think it's the right one for me. It should be something I am very well-versed in and can shoot comfortably and accurately with familiarity. I learned very quickly that the "pocket carry" guns are miserable to shoot for me. I'd get through one mag or so and say "naw I'm good" then move onto something more fun. I had Ruger EC9 and the equivalent .380 ACP. Both miserable.

The only "carry" gun I have is my 43x (9mm). It's compact enough to be easily concealable, but still comfortable to shoot. Enjoyable even. Not as enjoyable as my 41, but that's not exactly a practical carry gun for anything but a chest holster.

1769107531776.png
Size comparison of the 41 (45 ACP) and the 43x (9mm)
 
Roper said:
So, here are my EDC choices. Based on where and when. Byrna CL, Springfield EMP4 9mm, S&W 432 in 32 H&R magnum. Like others, I have a holster collection trying to find the right one. My preference is leather OWB. Kydex is too bulky and doesn’t conform to the waist. The Byrna sits in a belly band nicely, as there are no holsters for it. ( Byrna holsters are crap)
Someone noted that a S&W 642 is a handful. The 432 is comfortable to shoot and has real sights, the front is a bright green dot. A plus is one can practice with 32 long, I happen to reload for both. The magnum with XTP hollow points is a potent weapon, and it holds 6 rounds.View attachment 176949
Click to expand...
How do you like your J Frame? Has ammo availability been an issue?
 
Russell said:
Also make sure you practice with the rounds you intend to carry in the gun and make sure they feed and fire reliably. I used to like carrying a glock 29 10mm when camping and hiking but it is the only gun I have that failed me. A bear came into camp and attacked my cooler and I fired toward it to scare it off. The glock blew the magazine out and went into battery on the first shot. I was using hot heavy bear loads and the glock did not like them. Luckily one shot was enough to send the bear out of camp. I typically only carry in the car or outdoors now and concealment does not really matter to me. I have much more confidence with my SW 629 and 686 than I do with the glock.
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One of the only Glock fail stories I've ever heard, but it sounds like it's just a specialty ammo thing. With standard target ammo and hollow points, there's not likely a semi-auto that's more reliable.
 
2MANY said:
Never seen a wheel gun jam.
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I have, although it is a rare occurance that can be caused by:
* severe damage to cylinder
* loose ejector rod assembly
* a high primer

Each of these will stop the cylinder from rotating. I have witnessed the last 2 scenarios & was told of the 1st by a gunsmith friend.
 
This can be as simple or as deep and varied as you want to make it, like fly fishing.
Town guns, backcountry guns, kit guns.. Weight, ease of carry, usage it all just depends.. Personal feel plays a lot into what works for you.
A Ruger MK (whatever) is a great first .22 to get comfortable with.

I’ve spent the last 2 years enamored with the whole “Perfect Packing Pistol” rabbit hole. They all have their time and place, from a 9mm Springfield Hellcat Pro, Ruger single-six 32 H&R mag to a Ruger 44 mag.

Whatever you get, remember it’s just a tool.
You determine its actions and its worth. Practice, practice, practice until it becomes an extension of you. Enjoy the ride.
 

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