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Q:
So guys, I am in the market for a compact (not sub-compact) autoloading handgun and I was wondering what caliber/brand do you prefer? purely based on self defense? follow up shots, mag size, and the ability to end a confrontation as quickly as possible are all factors in my decision. As always, Thank You!
Question by feltcheeks. Uploaded on January 10, 2012
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Answers (17)
They aren't pretty, but Glocks are indestructible, incredibly reliable, and not terribly expensive. I prefer the Glock 23 for a compact (.40 caliber). If you are looking for a little more power, the Glock 30 is a .45. I find the double stack .45 is a little too big for my hand.
That being said (and to placate the inevitable horde of Glock haters that will reply), Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Sig, and many others make quality weapons that will suit your needs. I suggest you go to a local gun shop/range and try a few. Pick the one that is most comfortable and that you can shoot well. A Glock or any other gun is worthless to you if you can't shoot it well when it counts.
Ditto~fezzant
I like the Glock M/30 in 10mm/17Rd Mag, less recoil then the 45Acp and less muzzle flip then the 40 S&W.
My next pick is s Springfield Armory XD 9mm(use the 147Gr ammo) there all in the $600.00+/- Range
Best of Luck
KIMBER .45 acp best gun I have ever shot. Kimbers are extremly close tolerence and require good ammunition to feed correctly, but they are extremly accurate.
I prefer the compact S&W M&P .40 caliber.
.40 caliber in Sig, S&W, or Glock in that order.
I just picked up a Ruger SR9c. 9mm is economical over the .40 & .45, and I'm sure there are suitable self-defense rounds that are as effective as those larger calibers. It has a 10 round mag & 17 round mag, and is allegedly OK for conceal carry if you're into that.
I set out to get the S&W M&P, but got this one at significantly less cost. $450 out the door. It's American-made.
HK USP Compact. 9mm or .40S&W.
I carry a Colt Defender 1911 in .45 ACP. If you go the 1911 route, I would stay away from Kimber. They cost as much as a Colt, Springfield, or Smith and Wesson, and they only come with a 1 year warranty and 1 magazine when the others have a lifetime warranty and 2 mags.
Take a look at the Glock 19. Compact 9mm autoloader with a 15 round capacity. As was mentioned before, 9mm is much cheaper to come by, and the functional effectiveness of the 9mm, .40, and .45acp are pretty close. Comes new with 3 mags for around $550.
Feltcheeks, I missed that you wanted reasons for selection beyond just a quick answer. So, I will expand on my previous post.
I prefer the .40 S&W cartridge for several reasons. It is the same length as the 9mm, just a little wider, so it easily fits in the same size firearms. The .45 ACP has a much wider case and does not comfortably lend itself to double-stack magazines and thus does not give you as many rounds in the gun as the other two.
Performance studies show that there is no statistical difference between the .357 Magnum, the .40 S&W, and the .45 ACP. Of course the .357 Magnum is a rimmed cartridge and is chambered in revolvers. The .357 Sig duplicates the .357 Magnum performance in a cartridge designed for autoloaders but it is not as popular as the .40 S&W.
The 9mm performance is said to lag behind that of the other cartridges mentioned above. Yes, the 9mm makes sense if you can't handle the recoil of more powerful cartridges.
In a life and death situation I want to stop the fight as quickly as possible. That means I want a round with great performance and the most reliable handgun I can comfortably shoot and carry. Sig, S&W, Glock, and Ruger are all proven performers.
I say don't let cost of ammo sway your decision. This is not a target pistol. Sure, you will need to spend time at the range and shoot a lot at first to get familiar with your weapon. However, you will probably be practicing with lower cost rounds and carrying the more expensive defense rounds.
S&W M&P40c with x-grip and striker fire action. You stated for self defense. I want one in the chamber,cocked and locked and all I have to do is complete the pull. These are DAO pistols that are really not. You pull through the trigger and there is no double action involved after racking the slide when loading the chamber. They have a block drop safty which prevents the sear from tripping and releasing the striker. When you rack the slide it is ready to go. In a defensive senario I want speed and rounds.Not efford to pull the trigger. 15 + 1 in the chamber fills the bill. A 45 would be a better choice but in compact version they are sometimes a handful under excited fire. 3.8" barrel is min for me
I have a STI 1911 (look it up) 1911 .45 that shoots incredibly tight groups and makes these old bifocal eyes seem like I am 21 again. 8 well placed rounds beats a full magazine of double stacked anything, any day. Accuracy counts.
I also have a walter P22 5inch that I can't hit the side of a barn if I was standing in the barn. Others tell me it is a very accurate handgun. couldn't prove it by me.
The Lesson I learned is : Whatever you get, choose adjustable sites, make the gun fit you not the other way around. That way all your handguns have the same site picture at the the most common ranges (25yards). Make sure it is comfortable in your hand. And if you are an old geezer get one of those fiber front sites. They make a big difference,
I carry a Glock 23 in a 40cal, next pick would me my Kimber compact in 45acp.
Any 1911A1 45ACP is FAR superior to mouse guns like a 9mm that have 15 round mags for a reason.
The 9mm is not a mouse gun and it easily out performs the .38 Special (which is widely carried for self defense). The 1911A1 is not FAR superior. Otherwise, it would be the primary carry weapon for military and police.
http://www.handloads.org/misc/stoppingpower.asp?Caliber=0
The 9mm is used by the military because of NATO. In our world the 9mm will be fine with modern hollow points, but with full metal jackets the military has to use, there is no comparison to the .45 ACP
Used by US Navy SEALs, including SEAL Team 6 (DEVGRU), the HK45C (compact)/ HK45CT (compact tactical) is a compact pistol chambered in .45 ACP. The HK45CT features high profile front and rear sights and an extended threaded barrel which allows supressors to be fitted. The pistols are fed by 8 round magazines with the option of using extended magazines with a capacity of 10 rounds.
http://www.americanspecialops.com/special-ops-weapons/hk45c-pistol.php
The Sig Sauer P228 is a semi-automatic 9mm sub-compact pistol carried by SEAL Team Six (DEVGRU) operators. It is available in double action only (DAO) or double/single action (DA/SA) configurations. Standard magazine capacity is 8 with the option of using extended 10 round magazines. It's small size makes the P239 suitable for concealed carry by DEVGRU operators when wearing civilian clothing.
http://www.americanspecialops.com/special-ops-weapons/sig-p239.php
Post an Answer
KIMBER .45 acp best gun I have ever shot. Kimbers are extremly close tolerence and require good ammunition to feed correctly, but they are extremly accurate.
They aren't pretty, but Glocks are indestructible, incredibly reliable, and not terribly expensive. I prefer the Glock 23 for a compact (.40 caliber). If you are looking for a little more power, the Glock 30 is a .45. I find the double stack .45 is a little too big for my hand.
That being said (and to placate the inevitable horde of Glock haters that will reply), Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Sig, and many others make quality weapons that will suit your needs. I suggest you go to a local gun shop/range and try a few. Pick the one that is most comfortable and that you can shoot well. A Glock or any other gun is worthless to you if you can't shoot it well when it counts.
I just picked up a Ruger SR9c. 9mm is economical over the .40 & .45, and I'm sure there are suitable self-defense rounds that are as effective as those larger calibers. It has a 10 round mag & 17 round mag, and is allegedly OK for conceal carry if you're into that.
I set out to get the S&W M&P, but got this one at significantly less cost. $450 out the door. It's American-made.
I carry a Colt Defender 1911 in .45 ACP. If you go the 1911 route, I would stay away from Kimber. They cost as much as a Colt, Springfield, or Smith and Wesson, and they only come with a 1 year warranty and 1 magazine when the others have a lifetime warranty and 2 mags.
Feltcheeks, I missed that you wanted reasons for selection beyond just a quick answer. So, I will expand on my previous post.
I prefer the .40 S&W cartridge for several reasons. It is the same length as the 9mm, just a little wider, so it easily fits in the same size firearms. The .45 ACP has a much wider case and does not comfortably lend itself to double-stack magazines and thus does not give you as many rounds in the gun as the other two.
Performance studies show that there is no statistical difference between the .357 Magnum, the .40 S&W, and the .45 ACP. Of course the .357 Magnum is a rimmed cartridge and is chambered in revolvers. The .357 Sig duplicates the .357 Magnum performance in a cartridge designed for autoloaders but it is not as popular as the .40 S&W.
The 9mm performance is said to lag behind that of the other cartridges mentioned above. Yes, the 9mm makes sense if you can't handle the recoil of more powerful cartridges.
In a life and death situation I want to stop the fight as quickly as possible. That means I want a round with great performance and the most reliable handgun I can comfortably shoot and carry. Sig, S&W, Glock, and Ruger are all proven performers.
I say don't let cost of ammo sway your decision. This is not a target pistol. Sure, you will need to spend time at the range and shoot a lot at first to get familiar with your weapon. However, you will probably be practicing with lower cost rounds and carrying the more expensive defense rounds.
I have a STI 1911 (look it up) 1911 .45 that shoots incredibly tight groups and makes these old bifocal eyes seem like I am 21 again. 8 well placed rounds beats a full magazine of double stacked anything, any day. Accuracy counts.
I also have a walter P22 5inch that I can't hit the side of a barn if I was standing in the barn. Others tell me it is a very accurate handgun. couldn't prove it by me.
The Lesson I learned is : Whatever you get, choose adjustable sites, make the gun fit you not the other way around. That way all your handguns have the same site picture at the the most common ranges (25yards). Make sure it is comfortable in your hand. And if you are an old geezer get one of those fiber front sites. They make a big difference,
Any 1911A1 45ACP is FAR superior to mouse guns like a 9mm that have 15 round mags for a reason.
Ditto~fezzant
I like the Glock M/30 in 10mm/17Rd Mag, less recoil then the 45Acp and less muzzle flip then the 40 S&W.
My next pick is s Springfield Armory XD 9mm(use the 147Gr ammo) there all in the $600.00+/- Range
Best of Luck
I prefer the compact S&W M&P .40 caliber.
.40 caliber in Sig, S&W, or Glock in that order.
HK USP Compact. 9mm or .40S&W.
Take a look at the Glock 19. Compact 9mm autoloader with a 15 round capacity. As was mentioned before, 9mm is much cheaper to come by, and the functional effectiveness of the 9mm, .40, and .45acp are pretty close. Comes new with 3 mags for around $550.
S&W M&P40c with x-grip and striker fire action. You stated for self defense. I want one in the chamber,cocked and locked and all I have to do is complete the pull. These are DAO pistols that are really not. You pull through the trigger and there is no double action involved after racking the slide when loading the chamber. They have a block drop safty which prevents the sear from tripping and releasing the striker. When you rack the slide it is ready to go. In a defensive senario I want speed and rounds.Not efford to pull the trigger. 15 + 1 in the chamber fills the bill. A 45 would be a better choice but in compact version they are sometimes a handful under excited fire. 3.8" barrel is min for me
I carry a Glock 23 in a 40cal, next pick would me my Kimber compact in 45acp.
The 9mm is not a mouse gun and it easily out performs the .38 Special (which is widely carried for self defense). The 1911A1 is not FAR superior. Otherwise, it would be the primary carry weapon for military and police.
http://www.handloads.org/misc/stoppingpower.asp?Caliber=0
The 9mm is used by the military because of NATO. In our world the 9mm will be fine with modern hollow points, but with full metal jackets the military has to use, there is no comparison to the .45 ACP
Used by US Navy SEALs, including SEAL Team 6 (DEVGRU), the HK45C (compact)/ HK45CT (compact tactical) is a compact pistol chambered in .45 ACP. The HK45CT features high profile front and rear sights and an extended threaded barrel which allows supressors to be fitted. The pistols are fed by 8 round magazines with the option of using extended magazines with a capacity of 10 rounds.
http://www.americanspecialops.com/special-ops-weapons/hk45c-pistol.php
The Sig Sauer P228 is a semi-automatic 9mm sub-compact pistol carried by SEAL Team Six (DEVGRU) operators. It is available in double action only (DAO) or double/single action (DA/SA) configurations. Standard magazine capacity is 8 with the option of using extended 10 round magazines. It's small size makes the P239 suitable for concealed carry by DEVGRU operators when wearing civilian clothing.
http://www.americanspecialops.com/special-ops-weapons/sig-p239.php
Post an Answer