Posted on 08/05/2010 12:13:58 AM PDT by 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...
I have a 45LC and never thought of subsonic loads. Are you using loading tables? Which ones?
Pet Peeve post warning!:
“a higher caliber”
maybe you mean:
“a larger caliber”?
almost any powder manufacturer will have a “cowboy” section in their data these days. In addition, original loadings for the 45 colt were typically subsonic. The standard loading these days seems to be around 850 FPS or so.
yes, I use tables for all my reloading.
The best by far are on line at www.hodgdon.com. They not only have the fps, but the pressures and are easy to download and use. They are the absolute best.
“Have you ever fired a judge yet?”
No, I haven’t had that privilege, but I am looking forward to it. I’m also looking forward to trying out the .45/.410 Bond Arms derringer.
These guns are really popular. I noticed some of the rifle makers are now putting out .45/410 rifles and Federal has special ammo for the handguns that works better than the normal shotgun shell.
For those of you who are not familiar with cowboy shooting, cowboys always hot one handed because the recoil of the round was not nearly as disruptive as the modern rounds.
The classic .45 Long colt load is 700 fps, 250 gr. Very slow recoil and easily handled with one hand.
I bought a 9mm and love using it, but am debating what to get for home protection at a higher caliber.
Keep your 9mm. You may be well advised to get a larger caliber handgun, especially if you already have an effective shotgun and rifle. But hand on to your Browning.
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...
Either the 1911 or Glock can be user-maintained with complete and total parts removal and replacement done by the user, so you're in good shape with either. the 10mm Glock can be fitted with a conversion barrel that will let it use the very common .40 ammo for practice purposes, so that might be a thought. Likewise the M1911 can be used with a .22 conversion kit for practice, making it similarly versatile; one can be had for your Browning, too. But don't give up completely on the idea of the revolver, even if that's not your immediate planned acquisition. I've had a couple of periods where the fingers of my right hand were out of service in a cast, once for almost a year, and a revolver on the other side became a very handy thing.
Finally, should I get a shorter barrel (4" or less) or stick with the standard 4.5 - 5" barrel? look here, at the top right of the page.
Your advice would be very much appreciated...
Get more ammo for your 9mm and practice with about half of it. Don't count on having trick ammo improve the capabilities of your handgun, but assume all you have/ is available is standard ball ammo. It'll do if it's what you have, if you're practiced and experienced with it and know where it will go. Get a couple more magazines for your GP, too,
Practice, practice, practice....
I used to love my Springfield 1911-A1 and my Ithaca M&P 12 gauge. I had a very unfortunate boating accident and lost them along with the rest of my guns, and the safe, too.
I used to love my Browning High power as well. It got lost in the boating accident with the rest of my guns. A Sig P-226 in .40 is a nice choice as well. It got lost, too.
Not laughing. I was at the range today shooting very well with mine one handed. Don't expect, where I live, that I'm going to necessarily have the time to get into one of those nice looking two handed stances.
Thanks...larger caliber...got it...
This strategy still baffles me. How do you secure all these various guns at night when you go to sleep? If you leave guns more than one place at night and a perp comes in and finds one of them, you have just violated the sacred maxim "never give your enemy ammunition". I've never understood the idea of leaving a shotgun at the front door and assault rifle at the back door and a handgun in the study, all there just waiting for an invading perp to find so he is well armed while he approaches your bedroom. I don't get this. I really don't.
For some real fun with your .45 long colt look here:
Bullet pouring porno for .45 LC on pages 10 and 11
http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog.html
Making your own wax bullets for .45 LC:
http://www.americanrifleman.org/ArticlePage.aspx?id=2294&cid=32
Special drilled out cartridges to use 209 primers for 950 fps wax bullets:
http://www.banditshooting.com/
.45 LC is the most fun you can have with a gun.
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