Need advise on a hand gun

Just like Bomber, most LEO's around here carry Sigs or Glocks which says something about reliability and performance from people whose jobs demand both.

From personal conversations, a lot of those guys wish they could carry in .45 ACP rather than the usual 9mm or .40.

If you have a connection in law enforcement, he or she might be able to help you with a police trade-in at their local equipment provider.

Around here that would be

Michigan Police Equipment Co
6521 Lansing Rd
Charlotte, MI 48813
517-322-0443

They must have similar stores in Wisconsin. Good luck!
 


If i could always carry open or had some good suspenders I would roll like this.

Speaking of good revolvers Ruger security 6 4" BBL in 38/357 is an awesome revolver for under $350. She had one and sold it when she got her 38 bodyguard.
 
An Alaskan chiming in here.....for plastic guns you need to find friends that have various brands or a range that rents various brands and then shoot all of them.

I have an old Sigma 40 and love how it fits my hands. Glocks are great guns, however they feel like I am holding a 2x4 rather than a firearm and I hate them.

The sigma needs some serious work to function with hollow points (the feed ramp looks like it was made in a high school shop), but other than that it works very well. I consider it my personal defense "loose it to the evidence room forever" gun. If I ever have to use it to stop someone the cops can keep it as long as they want for evidence testing since I am only out a couple hundred bucks.

My second evidence room ready gun is a 5-shot J frame light weight in 38 special. Real easy to carry, and pretty deadly on soft targets. You really can't beat a revolver in close quarters shooting as long as you only need to shoot one target a couple of times. The good thing about public bad guys is once the first one goes down the rest usually run away.

When I took my CCW class the lawyer asked what we planned on packing. One guy had a $2000 Les Bauer custom 1911. After learning that he might loose the gun to the evidence room for up to a year he cried a little and then changed his mind. At the range the second day of the class the guy could barely shoot that custom gun. Some people have no clue.

There are so many high quality poly guns on the market these days you need to try them out before investing in one. Make sure it fits your hand and you enjoy shooting it.

An issue that I noted with the sigma and glocks with hig cap mags is that when the magazine gets to half full the gun takes more effort to control. All the mass is now above your hand making for harder follow through shots. I don't practice enough to get used to this and it always bugs me when shooting. My P12 Para Ord .45acp behaves the same way, but due to how heavy it is being steel I don't notice it until there is only three rounds left. the sigma and glocks start to feel bad after just five rounds have been shot.

For self defense you have to consider how you are going to carry the gun. Guns are heavy. A loaded gun is even heavier. This is why the compact autos and revolvers are taking on a new surge in the market. The new Ruger small guns have received good reviews by industry and by users.

Fairbanks has become more and more interesting over the last two decades. When I lived there in the 1980's and went to school, petty theft and DV was about all there was going on. There were "camp followers" with family in the military that would come up while brother/sister/cousin/dad was stationed at one of the bases/posts. They caused minor issues.

Now there is a large section of the population camping on the shoulders of the military presence up here and causing many issues. Not to mention the low standards of entry into the military these days. Street gangs are now being professionally trained by the US Government in urban warfare.

The native population is also getting bolder in their confrontation of non natives.
 
If i could have only one Glock gets my vote, in .40 or .45 caliber. Glock is dependable,accurate at all defensive distances,very easy to maintain,will digest any ammo put through it,parts are cheap and accessible . If memory doesn't fail me there only 32 parts to the whole gun, that includes slide,barrel grip frame ,sights,pins,springs etc. They are made to function in the harshest conditions and will shoot underwater. The newer models have changed grip styles to accommodate smaller hands. Also there are after market accessories available to tinker with,oh yes Glock has excellent customer service available if needed. Now if we are talking long range hunting or precision target shooting i would prefer a well tuned long barrel revolver. Almost forgot,desert eagle makes an excellent boat anchor,just my opinion.
Bill.
 
Been carrying a Glock on & off duty since they hit the states.

I've tried alot of different guns over the years & still go back to my Glock's.

Just like any other firearm, "shot placement" is the key to stopping your target.

It doesn't matter what you're shooting @ if you can't hit your target whether moving or stationary, it doesn't matter what caliber or gun you're carrying!!!

Speaking of .22's, I just got my new Kel-Tec PMR-30 in .22 Magnum.

(30) thirty rounds of fun, fun, fun!!!

http://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/pistols/pmr-30/

It ain't the prettiest gun in the world, but damn it can shoot, & shoot & shoot!!!

I'm also waiting for the release of the new KSG-12.

http://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/shotguns/ksg/

(13) thirteen rounds of covering fire!!!

The got a chance to T&E one of few months back & I can't wait to replace my good old reliable 870 in the patrol car.
 
i have a bertta 9mm and its fun to shoot and is not that much to handle plus it wont break the the bank on rounds if you shop around.
 
I didn't read through these but I did see Josh rightfully diss the Sigma. I have fired plenty of rounds through the XD, Glock, Sig and SW M/P and I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed or had any attraction to any of them like I do the M&P. I have a 9MM and I'm happy with it to say the least...it just fits me better and it has a look to it that makes me feel like I'm actually shooting a real gun (sounds silly but confidence always makes you shoot better!). It's a USA made as well. They got this one right and I suspect many LEOs will switch to an M&P frame. A LP County officer friend of mine came by a while back to have a cup of coffee and I asked him about his fancy SIG and he pulled it out and slammed it on my kitchen counter and said ,"I hate this POS". Showed him my M&P and he wanted to borrow it.

Angie carries a Ruger LCP in .380 which fits in the phone pocket of her purse. She can tuck it into her back pocket like a wallet. I love that little gun. I get lots of flack from my friends that suggest she needs a bazooka to kill some white trash rapist but I figure she's 6 foot tall and damn nears broke my jaw once so the guy is gonna get it where it counts multiple times so I'm okay with it. I'd rather have her confident and comfortable and it hides better than a .38 snub.
 
Speaking of the 9MM. I had a conversation with a federal agent last spring and asked him why the 9MM was falling out of vogue. He kind of snickered and said he had carried 9's for years and used them with excellent results and had no problem with them. I asked why he switched to a .40. He said they made him switch...that's what they all switched to and that's what ammo they stock where he works.
 
I own a Sigma...won it at a banquet. They have a VERY heavy trigger pull, even after removing what I call the "lawyer spring". Buy a used Sig....
 
I have to chime in. Look at the FN line of semi autos. I have an FNP 40 and love it. It fists my hand and shoots where I want it to. Best advise IMO, adk some buddies at the range if you can try their gun, and shoot several different guns to see which one you like best. good luck. Made in USA also
 
I'll go against the grain too:
I have an 1980's Model S&W Model 64 .38 SPCL, stainless with pachmyer grips.
Bought in 1990, when FL Trooper switched to 9mm, a distributer down here bought their surplus wheel guns. I paid $165.00.
I absolutely love to shoot that gun. With the right loads, it groups nicely out to around 50 yards. At close range (ie: self defense range) it is scary accurate. I've shot everything from low recoil loads to +P+ law enforcement round through it. It stays loaded with Hydra-shoks.
 
The best advice is to take the advice of people who carry one for a living.

If you are only going to carry it for self defense purposes in a high stress situation......stick with a revolver. Unless you are supremely confident in your ability under high stress if a semi auto malfunctions the revolver is the only way to go.
 
I also am a revolver fan. 2" .357 is my choice. If 5 shots won't get the job done you don't have good gun control (the only good kind of gun control). Plus you can shoot powder puff .38s all day long to get used to the gun and then a few earth shakers for good measure.
 
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