Stepping up from my Browning 9mm (FReeper advice needed for higher caliber pistol)

vanity ^ | 8-5-10 | wac3rd

[wac3rd]

I bought a 9mm and love using it, but am debating what to get for home protection at a higher caliber.

I like the looks of the 1911 45's and I also like the idea of a 40 caliber Glock or 10mm Glock. I think I want a semi-automatic, so the revolver is out...

Finally, should I get a shorter barrel (4" or less) or stick with the standard 4.5 - 5" barrel?

Your advice would be very much appreciated...

[MosesKnows]

Charles Bronson would’ve carried

I was so very disappointed to learn that Bronson, playing Paul Kersey in Death Wish, used a 32 caliber nickel plated Colt Police Positive revolver with a 4-inch barrel.

I've always considered the 32 caliber a very weak weapon.

[Centurion2000]

STI 2011 in .40 S&W .... Eagle 5 or the Tactical 5 .... Be ready to spend 2000 bucks though .... you will LOVE them ...

http://www.stiguns.com/guns/guns.php

[bvw]

Here -- this will handle the job:

[cweese]

He used lots of different guns throughout that series, IIRC. I was thinking of the terrible Death Wish 6 where he had a .475 Wildey Magnum delivered to fight off the thugs.

[wildbill]

There’s a new video on You Tube about the 4th generation Glock .40 that’s pretty informative and impressive. It was linked in one of the articles posted here at FR this week.

Or you could do a search on You Tube.

[School of Rational Thought]

If the 9mm is not effective in your hands, a higher calibar won’t be any more either.

[yarddog]

I guess John Browning was more of an inventor than expert at self defense but his favorite gun was the little FN model 1900 or maybe the similar Colt.

[yarddog]

Oops, forgot to mention that those were in .32 auto caliber. I think he also developed that cartridge.

[Hugin]

For a non shooter, I heartily recomend a small light .38 or .357 magnum revolver. First there's no safety to remember (or more to the point, forget) to click off in an emergency, The original point and click interface. They are small and light enough that they can easily be stuck in a pocket and carried without strapping on a holster everyday, or just when answering a door. I like a hammerless model since there's nothing to snag on the clothes. Obviously Smith and Wesson's are top of the line, but IMHO overpriced. You are paying a lot for the name. A cheaper but still quality gun is the Charter arms 357 Pug. If the 357 is too much recoil, she can always use 38 special rounds in the same gun, which will get the job done just fine.

Charter’s .357 Mag Pug is a home protection revolver second to none. Compact, yet extremely powerful, the 5-shot Mag Pug has the stopping power to dispatch any and every threat to your home and family.

Arm yourself with confidence with this compact, powerful, lightweight, 5-shot revolver that weighs in at 23 oz. and features a concealed double-action hammer and full-size grips.

http://charterfirearms.com/products/Charter_Mag_Pug_73521.html

[Hugin]

My problem with a shotgun as your only home defense weapon is that you probably won’t have it when you need it. When your doorbell rings at 4 in the afternoon, is she going to grab the 12 GA before answering, only to find it’s a girl scout selling cookies? Or carry it around out in the yard? A small snubby can be slipped into the pocket and carried without any problem or anyone knowing. A 12 GA doesn’t do any good if it’s in your bedroom closet when you need it.

[IamConservative]

Plus, the load your talking about is a specialty round - one specialty round. Which means it will be expensive if you intend to practice, assuming you can find it. I can go into any gun shop in America and will have multiple choices of effective 9mm loads that wont break the bank.

I don't know that we disagree, just different perspective perhaps. The advantage I see to the .410 home defense round is that my mother has a much better chance of hitting an intruder in the dark if she squeezes off 2 or 3 of these rounds vs. 2-3 9MM rounds. Even non-vital hits are going to mangle as compared to a 9MM shot in the arm that likely won't deter an aggressive intruder. Of course, there is different 9MM ammo as well such as the Federal Hydro Shock that will increase knock down power.

Myself, I have a 12 gauge pump with a short slug barrel and a .357 Magnum under my mattress. If I don't stop the intruder, I am at least going to rearrange the interior walls! :)

[Hugin]

I agree with you. To me, holding a glock feels like a couple of 2”x2”s nailed together. If I was going to buy a 10mm I would go with an EAA Witness, which is a fine economical gun with beautiful ergonomics.

[Titan Magroyne]

The original poster has gotten lots of great advice - I agree with those FReepers who recommend man-stopping ammo in his Browning, & keep that gun. Not one I've had the pleasure of firing, but
1. It has a fine reputation among shooters;
2. 9mm ammo remained available, at least in my area, throughout the recent shortage; and,
3. In a SHTF situation, one may readily reload from what one's opponents um left behind.

That said, HushTX, .40 ammo also remained available here (as did expensive & small quantities of 10mm) and that is what I have fired the most. In my limited experience, of course. I am female, though not small-framed like your wife. Do take her to ranges that rent out different guns/calibers so that she may judge fit, trigger pull and recoil for herself.

I will not slander Glocks on their reliability, but I detest the boxy, inorganic feel of the grip. Even a friend's compact (G26) was a s-t-r-e-t-c-h between the web of my thumb and fingertip on the trigger. And sorry, too much ick factor having to stroke that trigger safety. I agree with the poster upthread who said trigger guards should only have triggers in them. I like the reassurance of a dedicated manual safety on semi-autos.

You didn't mention if your wife wanted a CCW or nightstand gun - but I like the dead-on reliability of a wheel gun for riding in a vehicle or nightstand. No magazines picking a moment to fail. I was really hot over the S&W Model 60 .357mag in mid-length barrel ... but I walked out with the Model 610, LOL. It shoots 10mm and you can save $$$ plinking with .40 S&W. [An aside to say THANK YOU! to the FReepers who answered my questions about multi-caliber handguns! Omigosh, the trigger on that sucker is so smoooooooooooth. At least, before that tragic boating accident. We FReepers are a clumsy bunch, eh? A pleasure to shoot, and no having to hunt all over the place for scarce calibers that begin with a '3'.]

A word on DA/SA on this wheel gun, and probably applicable to all, is that accuracy is way compromised in DA. SA even on that hand cannon is easy and smooth on the thumb. I would not want a DAO wheel gun. One option I wish I did have is speedloader instead of moon clips. Jiggly, dainty little things, heh. And night sights, because even in broad daylight I lose the front ramp against a black target.

But yeah, if she insists on a semi, definitely fire a variety at a friendly gun range. I did have a smith/dealer tell me he's never had to adjust a Walther out of the box. I can't attest either way. I like the full size Beretta PX4 for its organic grip, though releasing the slide by hand requires a reminder to get the fingers out of the way of the eared ambidextrous safety. Shoots lovely, now that I'm learning not to anticipate the boom. (Still learning.) Unfortunately Beretta has not come up with a lighter trigger mod for this, so I just deal. For that reason only, I wish I had taken the advice to fire a variety at the range before buying.

At least take her to area gun shows so she can make sure what fits her hand and what doesn't, and she can narrow down the list of what to rent afterwards.

In shotguns, I got spoilt on the semi-auto Saiga 12. Although a pistol grip pump is affordable and comes highly recommended for home defense, I gotta go with a nice quiet handgun to start - and then once the surprise is lost, let the AK's big-bore brother speak, 10 shots at a time if need be. I absolutely do not believe in sounding a shoot-me-I'm here beacon for intruders in my own home, fercryinoutloud. If they insist on wading through my dogs, they deserve what they get from the owner.

[Spok]

When I became a police officer, we were issued 9mm S&W’s. I saw several people shot with the 9mm, and the only instantly debilitating shot I ever saw was a point blank brain pan shot. I qualified with and carried an S&W Model 10 with .38 ++P ammo. IMHO (which I’m sure will be challenged) I’ve come to prefer bullet weight to high capacity or high velocity, and now use a .44 Special revolver for CCW. For personal defense, FBI statistics say most firefights will be quick (less than 3 rounds) and at close range (less than 7 meters). FWIW

[surfer]

I agree with you. I prefer my 45 over all others. Kimber makes an extremely well balanced handgun and with Crimson trace it is super easy to shoot accurately and quickly.

[Armedanddangerous]

try some self defense ammo for the BHP like Cor Bon DPX. Find what functions best in your auto, then get some good magazines that you know will work in your browning if you are really working it hard. THEN, you should be good to go.

[texmexis best]

Partly because of the two shooters at Fort Hood who were shot with 9mm and continued to fire, I have really soured on 9mm.

I have felt for a long time that .45 ACP was my best minimum round.

I like the big lead with the soft recoil, I guess.

[Spok]

“.45 ACP was my best minimum round.”

For a semi-auto, I like the .45 acp as well, but hollow points for self defense are a must. Ball ammo is particularly impotent, especially at low velocity like the military loads. My first choice for self defense is an M-1, but it’s kinda hard to conceal!

[texmexis best]

My intention is to switch over to a .45 long colt because I can reload for a revolver or derringer which is does not work for a semi.

I have had a semi jam on me and one of the jams required a bit of work to fix. So it’s going to be a wheel gun or derringer in that caliber. They also shoot wax bullets well which generally cannot be done with a semi. Wax bullets run about 4.5 cents a piece and are frequently used in cowboy shooting.

There are some interesting loadings for .45LC such as 250 gr, 700 fps and another at 300 grain, 565 fps, both devastating rounds. So it should be interesting.

[surfer]

Have you ever fired a judge yet?

Long colt 45...recoil is almost non-existent.

Nice revolver...