Advice for a new carrier. (Female)

[VeryMotley]

Hi,

I am new to this forum and was hoping to get some advice. My husband is working away more often and I was looking for a pistol to keep around the house, and possibly to carry, if I decide to go for the CCL.

Anyhow I have a S&W 18-3 22lr. I know this is not good for protection, as fun as it is. Anyhow money is tight and I am thinking of trading this pistol for a 9mm or 10mm. I would like something small, accurate, and reliable. I would like to know what you think would be a good trade. I am in the DFW area, if that helps with the valuation.

Thanks in advance for the help,
Kristal

[longtooth]

Get in touch w/ our own Crossfire. She is an instructor in the DFW area. She will help.

http://www.crossfire-training.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Eliminated the 10mm from your pool of choices. Not being experienced w/ the metric system you do not understand the HUGE bullet difference that 1mm makes.

With your attitude I sure wish you were in East Texas. I would like to have you for a student.
LT

[VeryMotley]

Thanks for the quick reply longtooth. I will, after work, or during if things slow down. If it is to be a 9mm, what would be a good choice for a trade for the S&W, if you don't mind me asking.

Thanks again,
Kristal

[Kevinf2349]

Many gun ranges will rent a firearm to you to try out. (I will throw out a recommendation for The Arms Room if you are in the League City area). I would try before you buy. From a purely no frills and reliability standpoint...you can't really go to far wrong with a Glock 19 (9mm, accurate, reliable and my wife carries it in her pocket book with ease). Of course there are always going to a mind blowing list of choices, that is why I recommended shooting as many different guns as you can before making a choice of what is right for you.

Oh and +1 for getting a good trainer and Crossfires reputation is second to none. If you are outside of her area just post your general location and I am sure someone will recommend an instructor for you.

[longtooth]

Thanks for the quick reply longtooth. I will, after work, or during if things slow down. If it is to be a 9mm, what would be a good choice for a trade for the S&W, if you don't mind me asking.

Thanks again,
Kristal

Crossfire has several for you to try. Without seeing your hands. Large, small, fingers, strength, knowing things like recoil sesative. All these & more are reasons you need to see a good trainer 1st.
I can name you some gun makers that are quality. She will do the same. Example. Glock - quality firearm. Crossfire shoots one & shoots it well. They do not fit my hands. I dont care for them.

You will no doubt get a lot of "suggestions" here w/o seeing you, addressing hand size & strength. See Crossfire or another professional trainer before you trade or buy. What you invest in training will save you financial mistakes down the line.
She will know more about what is available in your area than we who are here in Deep east Texas, Houston, SanAntonio, Austin......
LT

[Crossfire]

Thanks for the quick reply longtooth. I will, after work, or during if things slow down. If it is to be a 9mm, what would be a good choice for a trade for the S&W, if you don't mind me asking.

Thanks again,
Kristal

Thanks for the recommendations, guys!

Kristal,

First off, welcome to the forum! You will get lots of info here.

It is very difficult for us to recommend a firearm to you. Everyone has their favorites, but what works for me may not be the right gun for you. It is all about how it fits your hand. (Apparently, Longtooth types faster than I do!)

Let me know when you are ready and we can get together to discuss. BTW, what part of the Metroplex are you in?

[Rex B]

Hi Kristal, and welcome

I'd caution you to know what your 18-3 is worth.
Here's one that just sold for $600:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =188347792" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You could probably trade that for the .38 spl version of the same gun, and get some cash with it. I gave $400 for a mint K38 recently
A short-barrel .38 DA revolver is a great choice for defense

Take a look at the S&W 642 and the Ruger LCR

+1 on the Glock 19. I think everyone should own 1. mine is on the nightstand

[Charles L. Cotton]

Welcome to the forum VeryMotley; we're glad to have you with us.

I suggest you come to the TexasCHLforum Day at PSC on Saturday, Oct. 23rd, if that fits your schedule. It's a series of seminars as well as shooting clinics on various subjects and skills. You will also have an opportunity to shoot several different guns as there are always folks who would be glad to let you try theirs.

You can get more information on the "forum day" at http://www.psc-range.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and click on the 2010 Event Descriptions link in the green menu. Many clinics have filled up, but there are some left. We will be doing something new this year; "mentors" will be available to offer help and they will also be holding somewhat impromptu mini-clinics throughout the day.

The fee is $20 and includes lunch.

Chas.

[TLynnHughes]

Welcome to the Forum, VeryMotley.

You'll get lots of advice here. Look forward to hearing more about your search. And I echo what Charles says about TexasCHLforum Day at PSC. It's a big day for learning about all things CHL/gun related!

T.

[RapunzelYouPunk]

Hi Kristal,

I have to heartily agree on the Glock recommendations - I started off with a Kahr P9 for concealed carry, but ended up with a Glock 19 even though it's a bit bigger. Try to find some range time with the suggestions you're getting and see what feels comfortable to use. I think often we're so focused on the "concealed" part that we end up with a gun that's really small, but also a real pain to shoot! If you find a gun that's a reasonable compromise of low profile, as well as fun to shoot, you'll practice more - and that's always a good idea :) I love my Glocks! They will never let you down.

All the best,

Andrea

[DangerJ]

I agree with everyone here too. Get as much info as possible and seek a chance to try a few out. I would also suggest trying a Glock 26 along with the Glock 19...as well as any others that are in your price range. In the end you have to be comfortable with it.

[RPB]

I agree with everyone here too. Get as much info as possible and seek a chance to try a few out. I would also suggest trying a Glock 26 along with the Glock 19...as well as any others that are in your price range. In the end you have to be comfortable with it.

I own both the Glock 19 and the 26, either can be good home or carry guns but ...
The 19 with the rail may be better as a house gun IF you intend to mount a light on the rail
I prefer my 26 for carry... one main reason, I can decide how big I want it each day depending on my clothes and etc ... I can carry the tiny 10 round magazine, a 12 or 13 round mag (with +2 or +3 extensions) a 15 round mag from my Glock 19, or 17/18 round extended Glock 19 mags or 17/19/20 round Glock 17 mags depending how big/small I want it to be (You might find it doesn't fit in as purse well with the 33 round mag though, so they stay at home and in the car)


I usually carry it with either a 13 round mag (Pearce PG-39 extension), or a 15 round Glock 19 mag with spacer (either way you get room for your little finger by doing that) ... the shorter slide on the 26 still makes it more comfortable to me than my 19. (When I get home, I pop out the 13/15 round mag and pop in a 20 round one)

Your choice in ammo can make a big difference in second shot speed/accuracy/time to re-acquire a sight picture... I don't like recoil, so I carry a low flash, low recoil ammo, such as Hornady Critical Defense usually
(The same pistol feels totally different with a heavy +P+ load)

[VeryMotley]

Thanks for the help. I have read alot on these pages about the glock 19 seems nice, the reason I mentioned the 10mm is there was a post on here about hitting a guy 3 times, with a 9mm, and him still running 100 yds. (Kinda scary)

I will think about the clinic, Chas, however I am in Dallas and probably cannot make the trip.

Thanks Crossfire, I am in Sachse, Tx. Kinda near Plano/ Garland.


Rex, thanks for the information about the worth of the S&W That is good information, Mine is a little less perfect than that. Holster wear on the barrel, It does however have 2 sets of grips. 1 origional, and 1 fitted grip looks like burled wood, sounds like plastic.

Thanks again to everyone,
Kristal

[longtooth]

Thanks for the help. I have read alot on these pages about the glock 19 seems nice, the reason I mentioned the 10mm is there was a post on here about hitting a guy 3 times, with a 9mm, and him still running 100 yds. (Kinda scary)

Thanks again to everyone,
Kristal

One thing many "new to handgun" folks have to learn is that handguns are not the real man stoppers that Matt Dillon made them out to be.

If you can handle a larger caliber than the 9mm there are several between the 9mm & 10mm. I assure you, I do not feel underarmed w/ 9mm & especially w/ +P ammo & my daily carry is .45acp.
38/357, .40 S&W, 357sig are good choices between the 9&10mm. The new 327 Mag is getting good reviews.

[bnc]

Welcome to the forum, Kristal.

The 9mm Parabellum is 9mm in diameter and 19mm in case length (not including the bullet), while the 10mm is 10mm x 25mm. They operate at similar pressures, so with the 10mm's extra ~62% volume it holds a lot more powder and is significantly stronger.


In addition to the great advice everyone has already given, I'd like to point out that over time the cost of ammo can easily dwarf the cost of the gun itself. Let's say you go shooting once a month to stay proficient with the gun (very important). And lets say you shoot 100 rounds each time, which is pretty reasonable for an hour at the range. I like to use Winchester 9mm 115gr FMJ (full metal jacket) ammo, which costs about $25 for a box of 100. It is not quite the cheapest, but definitely on the more affordable side. So that's $300 of ammunition per year. Shooting at the indoor ranges that are fairly common in the big cities/suburbs of Texas is around $10-15 per hour. So, let's take the low price and spend $120 per year at the range. Combined range and ammo fees for the year comes to $420, which is plenty to get a good gun. A few years of shooting and you've spent a lot more on ammo than guns. You're number may vary, but over a lifetime of shooting the cost of a gun becomes closer and closer to trivial compared to ammo, and any quality gun will last your life and longer.

I understand money being tight, so I was just trying to illustrate that ammo costs will trump gun costs over time, unless you like to buy a lot of guns and never shoot. I'd much rather buy few guns and shoot a lot. There are also the costs of a concealed carry permit (both the state fees and cost of the class), holsters, cleaning equipment, additional training, etc.

So, keeping that S&W to practice with .22lr is a good idea, especially if you get a revolver for protection. If you get a semi-auto, I would recommend getting a .22lr conversion kit if one exists, or a similar gun in .22lr. Aside from the financial aspects, practicing with .22lr is a great way to improve your shooting skills since the kick is so light. Also, the most important characteristic of any gun used for self protection is that you really like it. A gun that fits you well will be practiced with more frequently and used more effectively if needed, so get the gun that feels the best (which does not need to have any connection to price).

You'll find plenty of great info and some of the nicest folks around here.