[Uncle Tom]

Consider a 3-handgun set:
1. a .357 mag for outdoor SD -- max stopping power and range
2. a .45 acp or long colt for indoor home SD -- subsonic, less blast, but still plenty of stopping power.
3. a .38Sp+P snubby or .380acp as back-up for both
Does this approach make sense?

 

[CA357]

I have gone to 9mm and .45ACP for SD/HD. My wife has a S&W model 60 for her personal SD/HD, so there is some .38 and .357 ammo in the house as well.

I also have a Mossberg 500 with the 18.5 barrel loaded with 00 Buckshot within arms reach of my bed.

I don't concern myself with long distance in an HD situation. If I'm in the house, I have four pistols handy and if I'm outside, I have a pistol since I live in town.

Next Spring or Summer when we'll be living in the country, I figure to have at least my Mini 14 close to hand.

You asked, and this is what I'm doing.

 

[jeepcreep927]

Any choice in defense pistols will be somewhat of a compromise, on some level. If you tried to take every variable into account for a defense gun, you'd need a seperate room for storage and an abacus to decide which one to use should the need arise.

Obviously you need a suitable caliber for a primary defense gun, but beyond that only you can determine what action type, brand, or specific caliber works best for, or is an acceptable compromise, for a foreseeable situation.

One thing I see most overlooked is familiarity with the weapon. You could have a vault filled with guns for every possible scenario, but if you're half asleep and it takes you five seconds to remember that you grabbed the 1911 instead of the Glock, you're already a step behind.

On average it takes 3000 repetitions of an action to make it muscle memory. If that's 3000 repetitions squeezing the trigger on a Glock or XD or revolver, or 3000 repetitions cocking the hammer or flicking the safety before squeezing on a 1911 so be it. I'm just sighting the possible problems of beeing absolutely fluid and automatic on three different weapon types.

After we transitioned from Glock 22's to Sig P226's, I cannot remember how many times on the range people tried to reholster a cocked Sig.

I would rather have absolute familiarity and proficiency with one suitable gun. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Bighead]

Consider a 3-handgun set:
1. a .357 mag for outdoor SD -- max stopping power and range
2. a .45 acp or long colt for indoor home SD -- subsonic, less blast, but still plenty of stopping power.
3. a .38Sp+P snubby or .380acp as back-up for both
Does this approach make sense?

On average it takes 3000 repetitions of an action to make it muscle memory. If that's 3000 repetitions squeezing the trigger on a Glock or XD or revolver, or 3000 repetitions cocking the hammer or flicking the safety before squeezing on a 1911 so be it. I'm just sighting the possible problems of beeing absolutely fluid and automatic on three different weapon types.

To satisfy both I propose the following:

1. Glock 20 or 29, 10mm (with full power loadings)
2. Glock 21 or 30, 45acp
3. Glock 26, 9mm subcompact. (and yes, I wish Glock would make a P3AT/LCP sized gun)

That being said, several of my friends and I have shot 12-inch steel plates at 100 yards with surprising ease using Glock 21s. I wouldn't feel like my range was limited for two-legged predators by carrying only the M21. If your concern is larger predator animals then the 10mm might be a better choice.

 

[Mark F]

Consider a 3-handgun set:
1. a .357 mag for outdoor SD -- max stopping power and range
2. a .45 acp or long colt for indoor home SD -- subsonic, less blast, but still plenty of stopping power.
3. a .38Sp+P snubby or .380acp as back-up for both
Does this approach make sense?

This is totally NUTS!


This is all you need: One weapon that's super reliable, that you are acutely familiar with, and you are deadly proficient in shooting in any circumstance... nothing else matters.

 

[gorknoids]

Just kibbitzing here, but I don't think I'd attempt a 50 yard shot under pressure with any handgun unless there was absolutely no alternative, let alone 100. Better to take cover, reload, find a long gun, etc...
Unless someone had bet a beer on it, that is. It ain't what you're throwing at them that counts, it's what you hit them with. Mark makes a great point. If I might expand upon it a bit, if the other guy has a deer rifle, he's going to kill you if you stand up and try to take him out with a Hail Mary shot out of a handgun. It's probably best if you think through the multitude of possible scenarios you might encounter where you need to bust a cap in someone's *** and work from there. In my house it's CQB, in the yard it's nothing over 30 yards where I'd HAVE to shoot, and around town I figure the guy is going to already be on top of me. For that reason, I fully support your decision on a subcompact back-up. Something you can stick in their gizzard and unload.
I like the idea of having 37 rounds at the ready, so I carry an XD9 with a spare mag loaded with 147 gr +P JHP, and a .380 loaded with ball ammo (Penetration issues there, so no HP in the mouse.) Bigger is better, until you run out of ammo.

 

[stalkingbear]

You have a good idea in thought but not valid in actual practice. Here's what I mean-to begin with, if you HAVE to worry about range for outdoor self defense, 2 things come to mind. The 1st is there's no way in hell you could justify self defense deadly force at long range in court later. It's just NOT defensible legally-if you're that far away, they'll say you could excape without having to use deadly force. That's assuming the bad guy/s have handguns as well. That brings us to the 2nd part of my equation-outdoor longer range. If you are indeed justified in defending yourself at longer range, it stands to reason whoever is attacking you would have a long gun-either rifle or shotgun, and you would be HORRIBLY undermatched with any handgun. Handguns were originally meant as secondary line of defense (especially at distance) until you can reach a long gun, or if the range is too close/too fast action to use a long gun.

Although I have many handguns, I'm well served by only 2 for personal self defense. My primary home defense handgun is an Remington short barreled 12 gauge pump. As to car/personal carry guns, my .45 is my primary carry/defense gun and ALWAYS on me anytime I step out of the house. I do have an extremely light tiny Ruger LCP .380 that's always in my pocket in case I get disarmed, or for some reason lose the capability to use my .45.

Also it would pay to have just 1 type of operating system for your primary carry defense weapon-otherwise you MAY get confused at the most critical time. In other words, the less you have to think about, the less chance of screwing up when your thought processes are disrupted by adrenline. NOBODY can think as clearly or as fast when they are that excited/scared or otherwise stressed.

Consider a 3-handgun set:
1. a .357 mag for outdoor SD -- max stopping power and range
2. a .45 acp or long colt for indoor home SD -- subsonic, less blast, but still plenty of stopping power.
3. a .38Sp+P snubby or .380acp as back-up for both
Does this approach make sense?

 

[matt g]

Consider a 3-handgun set:
1. a .357 mag for outdoor SD -- max stopping power and range
2. a .45 acp or long colt for indoor home SD -- subsonic, less blast, but still plenty of stopping power.
3. a .38Sp+P snubby or .380acp as back-up for both
Does this approach make sense?

Not at all. My Kimber Compact II provided year round coverage without the logistical hassle of having multiple pistols.

 

[ranger_sxt]

Consider a 3-handgun set:
1. a .357 mag for outdoor SD -- max stopping power and range
2. a .45 acp or long colt for indoor home SD -- subsonic, less blast, but still plenty of stopping power.
3. a .38Sp+P snubby or .380acp as back-up for both
Does this approach make sense?

Only number three really makes sense...