Guns... my rant. (Feel free to beat me up... figuratively)

I find the Glock .45 to be a very easy gun to shoot and part of that is because much of the shock is absorbed by the polymer, but I carry a Sig.

 

I carry, and have done so for many years, and do not seek out reasons to shoot people. I will only draw in the event of a direct threat to my or my family's life. Every situation is different, and so it's difficult to define what I would do if I came across, for instance, a rape in progress. Dialing 911 would definately be the first step, unless my personal safety was in danger. I usually carry a Springfield XDM 45ACP.

Only once did my CCW ever come into play, and I didn't even have to draw. I was at a gas pump filling my car in a bad area of Greensboro, NC. A 'gentleman' approached and asked for money, saying he needed gas money to visit his sick mom (yeah, right). I declined. He then stuck his hand in his coat pocket and demanded my wallet. I opened my coat as I reached around to get to my wallet, (which I was going to give to him) exposing my weapon in its holster. He turned and walked briskly away without saying another word.

 

I carry and personally hope I never have to use it. I would probably get sick if I had to shoot someone but I would do it if I had to. When I was younger I was full of myself and invincible. As I have gotten older I realize that life does not always play out in your favor and to be prepared is much smarter than misplaced machismo or burying your head in the sand.

 

Of course, AA; the whole world knows that Sig is preferred by the SEALS. But that means exactly nothing at all. They would be served every bit as well by a CZ, or XD, or, as many in their line of work prefer, a Glock 19.
Caliber preference has little bearing these days. Way back in the Dade Co. shootout, when the FBI guy didn't manage to penetrate enough, his load was pretty weak in comparison to what's available now. I suppose that .357 Sig is the big deal these days, for some. I read enough about the difficulty in obtaining case neck tension in reloads to be unimpressed. It only equals what was already established by the longer 9's like .38 Super, and 9x21 Dillon. I stick with my own 9x19 reloads. The slowest one moves the 124 gr. Rem. Golden Saber @ 1,250 from the muzzle of my G-19.
Still, it's a terrible thing to shoot a man. I don't think the OP understands that most of we who are armed have considered the consequences. Most importantly, whether the shoot was justified or not, the shooter takes on a whole new existential cross to bear. You get arrested and go to jail, while the authorities get things sorted out. You probably lose the gun. Then comes court costs, and the likely civil suit. You'll very likely lose your current job, due to absence, and then your house and car. There's nothing good about shooting someone, so it's definitely a last resort.

 

Like the old saying, "Every bullet comes with a lawyer."

 

I have always disliked 9 mm Handguns.

I find they have a tenancy to move around far too much just from pointing and pulling the damn trigger and prefer something that settles back down to target.

That is why...even though it is not practical...I find a S&W .357 Mag 6 shooter a smooth as silk and accurate weapon which settles back to target.

A 9 mm Glock 17 or 19 is just too bouncy for me.

AboveAlpha

 

it becomes just like your watch or phone, you DO forget that you're wearing it. witness the people who forget and wear it thru the metal detectors at airsports, courthouses, etc, not meaning any harm. If you have the "zanchin" state of mind, (called "see the enemy") tho, when you need a gun, it "grows out of your wrist" (given lots of draw practice from where you carry it) You wont remember the draw, but you'd BETTER have your brain engaged when you point it at somebody!

ha, you "think" full charge 357's aint HARDER to control in rapidfire. than a 9mm (same size and weight guns)? that's pretty ignorant of the facts. buy a timer app for your phone and TIME your repeat hits sometime! Not even Jerry miculek can do that. he always wusses out and uses .38 special ammo when he wants real speed of repeat hits and he uses a huge, heavy gun that nobody'd really ccw, not a 16 oz snubby 357 with full charge magnum ammo.

 

The "Wild west hypothesis" just doesn't happen. It sounds good, but the great majority of people that carry concealed firearms legally are not itching for a fight, and acting less cautious and more rambunctious than they would unarmed. If your theory were correct, shootings would go up after liberalized concealed carry laws. They haven't. It's a nice theory, but we just don't see it in real life. In FL, the first ten years of "must issue" CCW permits, the violent crime rate of CCW permit holders was lower than the violent crime rate of policemen. Most people who care enough to get permission to carry concealed are exactly the people you want to have guns on their person, most of the time.

 

This just isn't happening on a large scale. Yes, there are the George Zimmermans and Dunn's, but they are a great exception to the general rule. There are over 1 million CCW permit holders in Florida. Most aren't acting foolishly.

 

no, it's NOT a "nice theory" It's deliberately evil, and an attempt to disarm us. History has proven, over and over again, that you disarm at your great peril.

 

Substitute the following for "weapon" in the above quote from the OP:

- Fire Extinguisher
- Handheld GPS
- Tourniquet
- Life Preserver
- Swiss Army Knife
- Baseball Bat
- Rabies Serum
- Saul Alinsky Book*

See how silly it looks and sounds?

Just like all the above life saving objects, a firearm is just another inanimate object, too; a tool free Americans have the inherent right to use defending themselves, their loved ones, their property and their country should the dreaded day ever arise (not to mention putting food on the dinner table, too).

I have many fire extinguishers around my homestead. That doesn't mean I'm "subconsciously" looking forward to the day when I can use 'em. I hope I never need one.

The logic and reasoning in one choosing to exercise his or her inherent right to keep and bear arms shouldn't be that hard to fathom for most folks, in my opinion.

* (For throwing "the book" at someone)

 

While there is some logic in your post, what you suggest has not proven to be the case. Since 1987, the State of Florida has issued over 2,500,000 concealed weapons permits. Currently, there are more than 1,000,000 active ones. Since 1987, 168 CCW holders have been convicted of a gun crime, and a good chunk of those 168 are people not qualified for a CCW that somehow slipped through the cracks and got one anyway. I carry on a daily basis, and while I stay alert and aware of my environment, I am not looking for "an excuse" to use my weapon. There has only been one single incident where it even occurred to me that it might escalate to the point I needed to, but it did not.

Quite the opposite, I hope that I never have to even so much as draw it, much less use it.

 

If you read my posts you would see I admit a .357 Mag is just not practical...but if I am shooting at distance...I WANT IT!!!

A Glock mechanism bounces the weapon and so does a Sig but I prefer the Sig.

AboveAlpha

 

The 9mm can "reach" every bit as far as the 357, especially if what you mean is combat accuracy. In a gunfight, you will be lucky to keep all your hits on the man at a mere 5 yds. That's well proven fact. It won't matter that (with ear protection and taking all day) that you can group 3" at 50 yds. when you are getting your ears blown out, eyes blinded by the flashes, men ducking, using cover, YOU are ducking bullets/blows, accuracy nearly vanishes.

 

A .22 pistol is going to shoot to be as able to shoot as fast and accurately as any other handgun with a similar design.

Championship shooters use mainly: .41 cal reduced loads, 38 Super and 9mm's. Defending against paper targets is one thing, but against humans is another.

I think 9mm's are the best all around. It is just simple physics. A round with a reduced power factor will not cause as much recoil and muzzel flip as a more powerful round. If your full power .357's were so great, then all the IPSC and USPSA champs would be using them---but they don't.

9mm's will do about as much damage as the bigger pistol rounds, but hold more, shoot faster and are more controllable.

 

Years ago, I was called upon to defend my life and the life of my wife. Two young men were begging for a confrontation, one armed with a knife. One fled when I pulled my pistol from the holster and released the safety. There was enough time to order the other fellow to back off. He made a wrong choice and proceeded against me. I stopped his armed and violent attack by placing two rounds DCM. In court he told the judge he didn't think I'd shoot him because he was sure we were too frightened. I have total confidence when I carry and you can thank the American Military machine for my training.
An armed criminal relies upon fear and intimidation to carry out their assault. When I pulled my gun out to defend myself, I went cold and unfeeling because it was the same measure that was being used against me.
I spent about 45 minutes with the prosecuting attorney and was exonerated.
Here's my point, had I not been carrying, my wife and I would be very dead. Here's why, the fellow I shot had been out on bail after he had violently mugged two other people and had just left another stabbing when he bumped into me. If I had not stopped him, God only knows what he would have done after us. I attended his trial where he admitted to being on drugs and was looking for more money and a gun.
I did my due diligence on many levels and had stopped a small rampage, accidently. IMO. That is why I carry. I will not be a victim.

 

Like your observation but contest that keepers and bearers are "looking" for opportunities to deploy the weapons they carry. I carry a car, homeowners and medical insurance cards but I assure you that I do not look for opportunities to use them, instead I loathe such occasions and would avoid those circumstances if at all possible. Apology if this has already been pointed out.