What is a good pistol for the range/protection?

Question

I currently have a glock 27 and its my first pistol I liked it due to durablity and its sub compact size, but theres not many upgrades you can do to them. Now i was looking at the 1911 series "all of them" and i like what i saw. I like .45s but i just want some good statistics on 9mm .40s and .45s. and whats it called when you do the target course where you need speed and accuracy i would like to do it and does anyone know of one in south florida?

Answer 1

9mm

Answer 2

45's are okay, but ammo is expensive, and IMO they are a bit too much. Authority types have been making the switch to 40SW to stay ahead of the bad guys these days, but there is nothing wrong with the 9mm if you have the right ammo. 100 gr Corbon Power Balls will do the trick. Here are some links to ballistics for all three calibers, spend a little time and puruse them, before you choose.

Answer 3

Not a fan of  keeping weapons for "protection", but in the unfortunate event it came to that I would choose  the .45 maybe a .40cal

Much more disabling ( or lethal) than most handguns which is  why special forces & swat teams use them & is an excellent target weapon.

Would like to have aColt 1911 Gold Cup , but a little pricey for me.

A friend has one  & he reloads his own rounds & tailors them to his needs.

What you are describing ,I know as police type combat / tactical ranges where the shooter is timed while  firing at moving & pop up targets from various positions, using barricades, weak & strong hand.

None to my knowledge that are open to the public , at least in my area.

Florida ..no idea but might look into the national shooting range registry.

Best regards

Answer 4

Firearms are like automobiles in the sense that you can buy one and customize the heck out of it until you're satisfied (and broke!) or you can buy one that will get you where you need to go without any fuss or financial hardship.

It's your choice.

I suggest taking a look at the H&K USP, the H&K USP Compact, and the Springfield Armory XD9 in addition to whatever else you're considering.

Best wishes.

Answer 5

I'll answer part of your question..... Get a 9MM --- Sure buy the coly or whatever you want but consider the 9MM for practice. The ammunition is cheap..... You can get a lot of range time in without cleaning your wallet out. 9MM can be had as low as $7.95 for 50 rounds on line and in many sport shops as low as $8.95 a box..... Sure the .45 is more powerful but that stuffs expensive at $16 a box on up, more at your local dealer...

.45 at J&G Sales

http://www.jgsales.com/index.php/ammo-fo...

Answer 6

I had a 45 now I have a 9MM. The 9MM is a more usefulgun IMO. The ammo is cheaper and the gun itself is more freindly for what I was looking for.

I do also carry this gun on a daily basic, I have spent some time finding the right ammo for personal protection that works well with my gun.

Answer 7

For the target range,contact the NRA or your local gun clubs and dealers,the NRA supports many shooting competitions each year.

As for protection,it is a matter of personal choice and how close you might be if you have to defend yourself.

Small calibers (like a .22 are best for up close),the low velocity will not pass through a body before doing any damage and the bullets have been known to bounce off the ribs and damage internal organs.

High velocity ammo do more damage at longer ranges as they reach max. velocity.

.22 hollow points can shatter joints just as easy as high power ammo.

Answer 8

The .45 is the gold-standard of personal defense.  It's the round that all others are judged against for personal defense.  If the recoil doesn't bother you, and you can control it well, it's the one you want.

If recoil is a little too heavy on the .45, step down to the .40.  But if you go below the .40 cal, you go into the grey area where some experts don't believe you should be for personal defense.

For the range, 9mm is probably your cheapest bet.  Although, from everything I've read suggests the 9mm may be a tad on the lighter side for personal defense, I believe it can still be a good choice for certain situations (people who can't handle heavier recoil, concealed carry, etc.)

Answer 9

Either a .40 or a .45. The .40 will be easier to handle and a little more accurate but a .45 will have more power/punch.

Answer 10

For the 1911 series,  Go with Kimber Custom's or a 1911 Operator By Springfield Armory.

Answer 11

Find a range/gun shop in your area that will let you try out (test fire) different guns.  There is one close to where I live (in Michigan) that'll let you shoot 10 shots through the gun of your choice for $10, and if you wind up buying a gun from them, that $10 comes off of the purchase price.  Find a gun that fits you good, feels comfortable in your hand.  If you're a small framed person, you might want to steer away from any thing with heavy recoil.  Then practice, practice, practice.  Try to use the same gun you're using for personal protection at the range, try some action pistol shoots.  Then, if you ever need your gun in a self-defense situation, you should be very familiar with it and what you can do.