Can't have it both ways in a defensive handgun

[Swedonia]

The Lehigh Extreme all-copper bullets get high marks for penetration, and they don't have a hollow point to clog and fail, but they give little expansion.

 

[Otto_Mation]

The Lehigh Extreme all-copper bullets get high marks for penetration, and they don't have a hollow point to clog and fail, but they give little expansion.

Not sure what you mean by "but they give little expansion" They don't expand at all. They create tissue damage and a wound channel by the flutes on the outside of the bullet creating hydrostatic pressure that is very similar to what an expanding bullet does.

 

[Otto_Mation]

I have yet to try those type rounds but they seam to preform well , any real world data on them? I haven't researched this in a while.

I am not aware of any.

 

[Rhino]

I like these rounds so far:

90GR 9MM Interceptor - Detroit Ammo Co.

90GR 9MM Interceptor and more at Detroit Ammunition Company! Manufactured by Triple R Munitions, Inc.

detroitammoco.com

Interceptor line | Ballistic Machinist

The all new Ballistic Machinist line of Interceptor ammunition, Is personal defense ammunition at its finest

www.ballisticmachinist.com

 

[Hoji]

I have yet to try those type rounds but they seam to preform well , any real world data on them? I haven't researched this in a while.

The ARX is absolutely gnarly. Out of a KelTec .380 it will easily punch a foot of wet, compressed cardboard.

 

[Havok1]

I have an LCP but don’t really care for it, and used to have a Bersa .380. For pocket sized guns, it’s hard to beat a j frame in my opinion.

 

[Steve In Texas]

Take a close look at the Sig 938. Has 1911 controls in a 9mm micro package. Mine have been failure free are accurate to the point of their design.

My 938 is awesome! It carries well in a large number of holsters and positions. The night sights it came with are still great many years of regular carry later. The 938's trigger may be my favorite of all small pistols I have ever shot.

 

[WAA]

I LIKE carrying my 17... so there's that.

But he said he knows from experience!!!

I priced a reconditioned G17 Gen 2 today, like the one I was issued so long ago. Probably going to pick it up.

 

[studenygreg]

I never shot an LCP.

Old Lady Cate

Every squeezed a bar of soap? Same thing

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[Rhino]

But he said he knows from experience!!!

I priced a reconditioned G17 Gen 2 today, like the one I was issued so long ago. Probably going to pick it up.

I've literally carried my G17 open carry and IWB for probably 90% of the last 6 months.

 

[Coon]

How do you get it to pull on the reins?

With the Walker, you don't have to pull the reins, you just say "whoa" and the horse knows he better stop!

 

[leVieux]

To the people who mentioned SMITH and WESSON J Frames... I LOVE them too! I only owned and shot the ones from the late 90's to 2001.

I ONLY bought and owned TWO S&W J frame d/a revolvers.

Bought in the late 90's to maybe (?) 2000 or 2001.

I CRS now on the EXACT time frame for the year bought NIB.

I bought the Model 317 KIT GUN (22lr) with the 3 inch barrel and it did NOT have the ugly green (HI-VIZ) front sight like they have NOW on them. It had a NICE and simple regular front sight.

I bought the Model 60 with the 3 inch barrel and it was in the 38Special PLUS P caliber which at the time S&W were only going to make in 357Magnum only from THEN ON OUT and NOT in the Plus P AND in the 357Magnum calibers.

That was the ONLY 38Special or 38Special PLUS P 'ONLY CALIBER' type of handgun that I EVER bought or owned.

I ALWAYS bought a 357Magnum caliber handgun which took BOTH types of ammunition (38Special and 357Magnum) like the 'house gun' of my late husband's.

But my dealer/salesman from my FAVORITE small family owned store where I bought 15 or so guns from, back east, gave me a SALE price, another rebate - INSTANT ONE which I did NOT HAVE TO MAIL IN, a free box of ammo since I NEVER BOUGHT OR EVEN SHOT 38Special PLUS P ammo or a handgun for ONLY 38Special Plus P, my PERP PAPER TARGET (I called them that!) aka a silhouette TARGET since I used them and not the round targets the MOST and free time for their indoor range even though I shot there OFTEN and at my Sportsman's Club - private range closer to my super rural house.

I was ALWAYS treated VERY well by MY favorite salesman, the store owner's son, even as an eager to learn NEWBIE LADY buying my own guns. He did not LAUGH at my lists, my GUN DIGEST BOOK with my POST IT NOTES inside of it, my special ordered brochures to various GUN companies, my GUN and AMMO QUESTIONS, etc. when I was LOOKING and handling guns with my handicap issues. I was treated well when I was all alone AND when my late husband came with me the first few times to the store and told him that I was the BUYER and so forth. CC asked if he could help US looking at BOTH OF US and my late husband pointed to me and replied nicely to him. She is the buyer today. I LOOKED at my own list PLUS all around the well stocked store.

BOTH of those J Frame guns with the 3 INCH BARRELS served me well and they were SWEET GUNS.

I usually PREFERRED a 6 or 6.5 inch barrel in my SMITH and WESSON d/a revolvers and RUGER s/a revolvers even though I loved my GLOCK 19, 2 other S&W semi automatic pistols and my RUGER BLACKHAWK with the 7.5 inch barrel too!

Even though I tried the 38Special PLUS P ammo - I ended up ONLY buying 38Special ammunition for that MODEL 60 down the road. PLUS I used a lot of 38Special ammo AND 357 ammo for my 357 handguns and, later on, for some pistol caliber rifles.

My MT husband, not my late husband, CAST some bullets for some of those rifles PLUS he loaded up some other ammo for both of those rifles. Different grains and different companies for STORE bought factory bullets to reload with. He has reloaded since the early 70's.

I never reloaded - hand loaded even though I thought of doing it with my late husband right before his cancer discovery.

I did TRY OUT factory made wad cutters back east ONE TIME back east. I never read much about them before I saw them in the store and I ASKED about them.

My MT husband did make - reload a bunch of wad cutters for me to try out here. He used them on and off too.

Old Lady Ca

I LIKE carrying my 17... so there's that.

<<

And that is up to you !

Go ahead.

B/F legal CC my EDC was a .380 PPKS, as I was skinny. Once Texas began licensing CC, I tried a G21, big Bro of your G17; but it was just way too big.

One of my all-time favorites was the Taurus PT-145; same size as a G26, w/ .45ACP 10 + 1. But hard to find good IWB leather for it.

<>

 

[seeker_two]

One of my all-time favorites was the Taurus PT-145; same size as a G26, w/ .45ACP 10 + 1. But hard to find good IWB leather for it.

<>

I still carry a PT-145 from time to time. Gave up trying to find exact-fitting holsters long ago. It tends to work well in holsters made for the HK USP Compacts, though. I have a couple of Kydex rigs and a Galco shoulder holster for it that are doing the job....

The ARX is absolutely gnarly. Out of a KelTec .380 it will easily punch a foot of wet, compressed cardboard.

One thing I've seen in rounds like the ARX and Underwood "screwdriver" rounds is the occasional tendency to veer off course when they hit soft tissue. Some reviews have them off-plumb as much as 45 degrees. That could be the difference between a hit on a vital organ or a complete miss. Between that and the price per round, I'm not sure it's that much better than just using .380 FMJ....

 

[Swedonia]

I wish Chris at Lucky Gunner would test some of the "screwdriver" loads. I am currently packing Hornady Critical Defense in the Max. Expansion is great, penetration adequate.

Handgun Self-Defense Ammunition - Ballistic Testing Data

Lucky Gunner tests more than 110 different 9mm, 45 ACP, 40 S&W and 380 ACP handgun self-defense ammunition loads in ballistic gel with analysis and video.

www.luckygunner.com

 

[ItzGene]

Being lazy about carrying a 24-25 ounce (loaded) revolver concealed, I talked myself into buying a Ruger LCP Max. I briefly had the original article when it first came out, but shortly thereafter gave it to my brother. The Max is certainly superior: better sights, better trigger, 12-round magazines. It's so easy to carry and weighs so little that it is a comfort in that department. But ya know what? Take it to the range and run a couple of boxes through it and you are left with the truth: It's a popgun -- certainly lethal when well used -- but a popgun nonetheless. I think I will refocus on the .327 -- or better, go back to a Charter Bulldog loaded with five Keiths. Anyone else have similar thoughts about the .380 pocket guns?

I did this dance and wound up with a P365-380. Light, accurate, FAST, almost no recoil which is paramount in double and triple taps which is a necessity for self defense. With Underwood Extreme Defender ammo you are not undergunned. My choice for pocket carry.

 

[TipBledsoe]

I've never been much of a 9mm guy nor have I been a fan of tupperware or striker-fired, but this past year I got an itch to purchase 9mm pistol - I'll likely catch some grief for this but I got a Kel-Tec PF9 and I'm surprised by how much I like it.

 

[Hoji]

One thing I've seen in rounds like the ARX and Underwood "screwdriver" rounds is the occasional tendency to veer off course when they hit soft tissue. Some reviews have them off-plumb as much as 45 degrees. That could be the difference between a hit on a vital organ or a complete miss. Between that and the price per round, I'm not sure it's that much better than just using .380 FMJ....

Anything worth shooting once is worth shooting twice.

The veering issue should not be an issue. Unless you are shooting a 1911. Depending on how quickly you can clear a malfunction could be the deciding factor on whether or not you get a second shot.

 

[WAA]

Unless you are shooting a 1911. Depending on how quickly you can clear a malfunction could be the deciding factor on whether or not you get a second shot.

I take umbrage, sir.

In the hands of a highly trained operator who shoots 1000 rounds a week, supported by a full time armorer and an near unlimited training budget, whose job is to break shit and take out bad guys as part of a tactical team, the 1911 is still admired for it’s low magazine capacity and classic trigger pull.

I bow out, I wash my hands. I bow out.

 

[JGA177]

I think a large part of my preference of the frame over semiautomatic is the grip. The semis I tried like the lcp had a small flat grip. I like the rounded fuller feel of the j frame. I tried slip on grips but realized I don't like squishy grips that move around.

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on that I agree, but that's one of the reasons I joined this forum. for the info others have gotten and can share that I don't have.
about 3-4 months ago I was in the store trying different compacts and if I had had to buy one right then then based on feel, it would have been the Sig over the Ruger. had a beautiful hand-filling feel, almost like it had been made for my size grip, kind of like how an egg is shaped and every surface of your palm is touching the surface of the grip. even felt like a natural extension of the hand.

 

[Whalercohasset]

I have a MAXX, it's a neat little gun but it's strictly a backip to the backup sort of thing. I cannot shoot them well at all, just too tiny. ( I have a hard time putting on XL gloves) The S&W Shield is about as small as I'm willing to go in a semi.