[Terry G]

I would like to hear what the Forum members would prefer for a duty carry and back up gun. I was fortunate as an LEO to pretty much carry what I wanted (within limits) , but I would like to hear what the Forum members would carry if they were in law enforcement. My primary was a Glock 21 in an Uncle Mike's sidekick rig. 11 in the gun and 2 spare magazines on the belt. My back up gun started out to be an 11 shot Bersa .22 Model 23, until I discovered the Makarov. I started carrying the Makarov in a small of the back holster in 1995 loaded with ball ammuntion. I would choose Golden Sabre rather than the .45 230 Grain Winchester I was carrying then, and Silver Bear 115 Grain HP's now, but you live and learn.

 

[Garand]

My standard issue handgun in the military was the Browning 9mm. It was also my choice during the first 6 years that I shot IPSC. I was very satisfied with its capabilities.

 

[DJetAce]

If it was LEO work, a Glock 35 set up in .357 Sig and a glock 33, also in .357 Sig, as the backup would sound right. Very reliable, very powerful, accurate, lightweght, and ugly.

For CCW, it's hard to go wrong with a glock in 9mm, .357, .40, or .45! I just sure wish they would make the Glock 27 in .45 GAP. All will do. As for backup, a Kel-Tec .380.

Why plastic? Cause I would not give a sh** if it's dammaged or raining or just anything. My real nice 1911s I would hate to see abused. Glocks, I just don't care!

 

[RIKA]

Not in law enforcement but I would choose the hi-cap Glock 19 with either the Officers Model 45 or a MAK for backup. Extreme reliability with adequate power.

RIKA

 

[brass hammer]

i think a glock in .357sig for belt


i always liked the amt back up in .380, for a back up piece in pocket[?] s/s,clear plastic grips


the only one i shot was awesomly[sp] accurate[rolling a 5gal.bucket at 50 yards] but the one legged gentleman, would not sell it!

i had a bersa mod 383 .380 and that amt was it's equal at 50 yd.


thanks

 

[TODD 3465]

If it was LEO work, a Glock 35 set up in .357 Sig and a glock 33, also in .357 Sig, as the backup would sound right. Very reliable, very powerful, accurate, lightweght, and ugly.

Yep, good choice. I'd also consider my Glock 20 in 10mm myself.

 

[Magnum88C]

SiG SP2340-357-BSS .357 SiG for primary

Ruger SP-101 backup.

 

[John in AR]

We aren't issued anything, but have fairly broad guidelines about what's allowed. We have guys carrying anything from K-frame smiths to HK USP's.

I carry a Glock 19; basically stock with the exception of adding night sights. Loaded with Winchester SXT (the old Black Talon) 127-grain +P+ ammo, and two spare 15-rounders on the belt.

Backup is a KelTec P32 in front off-side pants pocket, in a Galco pocket holster. This allows access to a gun with either hand, and I catch myself often with my left hand in my pocket when dealing with people. It's kind of the "best of both worlds" for everyone involved. I'm not appearing threatening at all to them, as I would if my "gun hand" hovered near my belt gun, so I don't worry the folks, yet there's a gun (albeit an admittedly "lesser" gun) literally in my hand the entire time; they just don't know it, and so aren't made uneasy by it.


I used to carry CorBon JHP's in the .32, but with their short oal, they have a BAD problem with rim-lock, so I now carry it with one corbon in the chamber, and the rest fmj. If you carry a .32 auto, (even though I'm normally a decent fan of corbon), I'd recommend you don't carry their JHP load in the mag. The combination of shorter-than-normal OAL, and the .32's unusual rim, make it WAY too easy to lock up your gun. When loading-unloading the gun each day, all appeared fine, as it only involved the chambered round and the first round up in the magazine, so I had no idea there was a problem with it. I discovered the problem when trying to unload the mag for cleaning; and it had probably been locked up that way for a month. The top round would feed fine, but the second on down were locked up, where the rims had jumped under the round above it. I was effectively carrying a 2-shot .32 auto. That's a scary thing to learn about your "last ditch" gun.


Beyond those, I have the CAR-15 in the car with four mags, and two 31-round Glock 18 magazines. I used to carry a third handgun on duty, but with all the other crap I carry, I scaled back to two.

Let's see... there's the Buck lockblade clipped to my side pocket, a CRKT "Neck Peck", and a B&D 'Executive Edge' knife in my shirt pocket next to my pen. (And the ASP baton, and the radio, and the two pair of cuffs, and the Stinger light, and the notepad, and the cell phone, and the spare cuff keys, and the vest, and the ASP "Stylus" red LED penlight.) I think that's everything; I don't carry pepper spray anymore, as it affects me as bad as anyone it gets used on. [Yeah, call me a wuss.]

Loaded like a pack mule, and nearly as smart...

 

[brass hammer]

John- Ar!

have YOU ran 200-400 rounds of factory ammo threw that piece yet?

i think [in my view ,] that there isn't 500rds threw it at all!

[kel-tec32]


professonaly[sp] speaking,of course!



thanks.

 

[John in AR]

have YOU ran 200-400 rounds of factory ammo threw that piece yet?

i think [in my view ,] that there isn't 500rds threw it at all!

[kel-tec32]


professonaly[sp] speaking,of course!



thanks.

Right at 400, and about 500-600 thru another one I had previously that was stolen. (This current one is the replacement.)

Most has been fmj, along with 90 rounds of CorBon's JHP. (Bought 100, shot 90 to test them in the gun, kept ten for use. My normal minimum amount for trusting in an autoloader is 200, but this corbon stuff is expensive.)

Loading & shooting is no problem, if you just load & shoot it right then; all the rounds I shot fed, fired, etc, just fine at the range. Load the mag, chamber & shoot, no problems at all.

The problem was that when the gun was carried in my pocket, the rounds got jostled around in the mag enough for the rims to slide over one another, and lock up.

When I discovered (to my horror) what was happening, I did some checking, and it turns out it's a common and known problem. Caveat: it's a problem with the .32acp, not .380, .25, etc, as the .32 is the only "non-rimless" round of the group. Never having used or owned a .32 autoloader previously, this was a new phenomenon to me, but on the "KelTec Owners Group" board, you can find several discussions and an article on this very thing.

One such:

http://www.ktog.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=3195

A modified magazine to eliminate the "extra" space created by the corbon's short oal would solve the problem, but that would mean shortening the follower as well, and I'm not comfortable with dinking around with inserting homemade spacers, cutting & re-shaping the follower, etc, in the magazines of defensive pistols. If someone offered an aftermarket magazine, I'd be interested in trying one, as I like the added "oomph" the corbon gives this little round; but if the "oomph" comes at the expense of even the smallest degree of reliability, it's unacceptable IMO.

So, it's fmj for now, which is still a substantial step up from the .22 backup gun I used to carry.

 

[brass hammer]

thanks for your input, john ar

my limited experiance with the kel-tec, is the p-11[i really like the concept]


i bought it new and it was shipped back to factory before 500rds. were ran threw it!


i feel [in my view] that the plant in cocoa fl. does not think people will shoot them,like 'regular' pistols[as often]



sorry to hear of any handgun theft, sounds like it was a'goodie'@600 plusrd.



thanks.

 

[sgtbpm]

Hey Terry, I am an LEO and carry a Taurus PT 111, in 9mm, the reason I chose it is because it's light, pretty thin and shot it like crazy before i decided to carry it and never failed on me. I chose it in 9mm is because that's what our department is issued, S&W 5903TSW 9mm, hopefully I will never have to use my back up but if that ever occures I also like to think that I sure don't want to get shot or loose a gun battle for lack of ammo either, I can always use my duty ammo in my taurus if that should ever occur, but hopefully not.. Choose what ever gun you can shoot well in that size of gun, I shoot better with my duty gun then the smaller back up, but do pretty well with it.

 

[andy]

no it aint, John. You can prove that to yourself by shooting some animals with both. There aint a lick of difference in the two rds, effectiveness on flesh-wise.

 

[txjaws2000]

Left Handed Semi Autos Conceal Carry Size Are There Any For Left Handers?

Wanted to see if anyone knew of any good left handed semi autos that would be good to conceal carry. Looking for a pistol that has the slide release on the right side of the frame, so that a Lefty could easily use.
Any suggestions??? :fullauto: :madeuce: :laugh01: :twoguns: :evilgrin: :kill: :devil:

 

[brass hammer]

Txjaw2000

no help , from me ! would you happen to know where I could possibly buy a LEFT HAND CHAINSAW?

i would suggest a plastic grip/frame strikerfire/D.A.O. for C.C.W.

you are the SAFTEY!



IT'S TOUGH, BEING A LEFTY! EXCEPT, when your fist fighting rightys!



thanks.

 

[jimgard]

Our Dept.

I work as a Civilian Comm Supervisor for our 140 man dept.
Our guys are issued Sig model 226 in 40 cal. We also issue Sig 229 40 cal to detective and female officers on request. They come with the K-Kote finsh and night sights.

For off duty and backup they run the gammit.
Alot favor the Sig 230 or Walter PPK in 380.
Couple carry the Ofc model Colt and Kimbers in 45.
Few the Kel-tec's or smaller Glocks.

Most of our neighboring Dept's all issue Glocks - Most Model 22 40 cal with a Glock 27 in 40 cal as backup and off duty.

Funny story -- I've been here 19 years now - I have always been a gun-nut and most know it. Because I'm not a sworn officer alot feel they can come to me before they can their peers. 10 -12 years ago I had a then rookie come to me one night with a S&W model 60 and a box of shells. He just bought the weapon to carry off duty. He came to me because he didn't know how to load it. Seems the only weapons he ever shot were his dept issue Auto and shotgun. He never shot a firearm before being hired. I took him downstairs and showed him the basics and what I knew of them and never said another word to anyone else. That rookie is now a Lt in detectives,

I see this more and more - guys starting here that had never shot before.

I could go on and on about some of the horrors I've seen here.

Jim

 

[brass hammer]

cool post!

thanks, for the by-line on that 'rookie' lt. detective.ha!





[am I that far behind ,by NOT OWNING a 'glock', that i'm trailin' the pack?]




i KNOW DIFFERENT,[i 'laid ' hands on the mod#17 when it first hit the scene, i'm still NOT IMPRESSED!]

although,a #31.357sig will probably end up in my possession ,sometime soon!




[ go figure!]


thanks.

 

[John in AR]

no it aint, John. You can prove that to yourself by shooting some animals with both. There aint a lick of difference in the two rds, effectiveness on flesh-wise.

First off, I admit to never having used the .32 on any living thing.

Secondly, comparing the .32acp 60-grain Corbon out of the P32, to the .22LR 32-grain Stinger out of the Beretta 21A I carried for years.

- The .32 has 45% more frontal area; the same percentage increase as if going from a .32 to a .46 caliber. To say that's insignificant is curious at best.

- The .32 corbon claims 150 ft/lbs of energy. The stinger (out of that short, 1-inch barrel) isn't going to break 1,000 fps by much, if at all; so it's got at most, 71 ft/lbs. This gives the .32 an advantage of 111%. As I've never confirmed Corbon's numbers, let's assume they're way off, and their claims are inflated by a whopping 50% over reality, and they're only getting 100 ft/lbs, instead of the claimed 150. Even then, the .32 still represents an increase of 41%, even if Corbon is lying thru their teeth. Let's assume the reality is right in the middle between 41% and 111%; say 76%. That's the same difference as comparing a 340 ft/lb load with a 600 ft/lb load; hardly insignificant. As much as you propound the importance of energy ("the ability to do work"), how can a 76% increase NOT make "a lick of difference"...?

- The projectile itself is 88% more massive (32 vs 60 grains). Again, hardly insignificant. I recognize that you don't hold bullet mass as "the" critical factor in performance, but an 88% increase in any variable is significant in any equation.


So even though I freely admit I've never personally shot animals with the P32, I can't help but believe that substantial increases in bullet size, weight, AND energy are relevant.

(Never mind the fact that the gun itself is smaller, lighter, AND thinner than the 21A; again, not irrelevant in a pocket pistol.)

 

[txjaws2000]

What are some good CCW Pistols that are lightweight yet retain their resale value?

Thanks for the your comments. What type of pistols have you heard of that are good for CCW? On the Glocks do you really have to worry about it biting the meat of your thumb? Not sure which I want to carry... Thinking of the Glock 27, SW99, Sig229, Springfield XD40, and maybe the Beretta Cougar. Any advice on if these are suitable for ccw or do you have some other options I should consider before buying my ccw.

Also, thinking of getting something for my wife to carry in her purse but do not want anything smaller than a 9mm. She has shot many pistols and has handled a 44 Ruger Mag, at my Uncles house. Scared the hell out of my relatives cause they have never seen a woman shoot that well despite using the 44mag.

Any suggestions would be great and personal exp with any of your pistols? :dgrin: :flamethr: :devil: :blowup: :devil: :madeuce: :madeuce:

 

[txjaws2000]

9mmVS40cal

First of all want to know what people think about the two calibers. Which would be better CCW pistol caliber?

Looking into compact semi autos for my CCW but I am unsure of which caliber to get. What are the differences in cost for rounds between the 9mm and .40cal?

Does anyone know if the Springfield XD series is a good pistol? Are there any pistols out there with slide releases on the right hand side for easy access for left handers?

Or are there some pistols that are easy to reach the slide release shooting left handed that are for right handers only?


:blowup01: :fullauto: :devil: