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I have been having this debate with shooter friends and was curious to get more thoughts. My philosophy has always been to have a consistent platform and caliber in your pistols to make sure you eliminate as many variables from the SD equation. I happen to have chosen the SIG DA/SA in 9mm, and have a conceal p239 and a larger p220 that would be a winter OWB gun. I have one pool of ammunition and the shooting is fairly consistent. The reason I am rethinking this is a sudden desire to move to some 1911 experience.

My question, did you choose a consistent platform for your SD guns?

I'm no expert, but i'd say just be familiar with what you're carrying and you should be okay, FTMP.

I've competed with 3 different guns, in 3 different calibers, and I performed as equally unimpressive with all 3 !

I standardize on what I carry for the simple reason that I don't want my "body" to have to remember which pistol I'm carying should an emergency come up.

My other pistols are what I find, good deals, and basically what I want to own.

BUT......

I only carry my Mini Cougar or my full size Cougar. Both are in 9mm.

Interchangeable mags, one kind of ammo. I'm a huge fan of the KISS standard of doing things.

DoubleJ wrote:I'm no expert, but i'd say just be familiar with what you're carrying and you should be okay, FTMP.

I've competed with 3 different guns, in 3 different calibers, and I performed as equally unimpressive with all 3 !

What does the acronym FTMP stand for?

CompVest wrote:

DoubleJ wrote:I'm no expert, but i'd say just be familiar with what you're carrying and you should be okay, FTMP.

I've competed with 3 different guns, in 3 different calibers, and I performed as equally unimpressive with all 3 !

What does the acronym FTMP stand for?

For The Most Part.

Geoelectro

I only carry what I call point 'n shoot guns. I don't want a manual safety DAO is fine. I've just about standardised on M&P pistols in .40 caliber. I would carry one of my 1911 pistols but there is the chance I'd forget the safety when the chips are down. YMMV.

Oh yeah, I love to KISS. lol

Glock has pretty much made this even easier. Draw, aim, pull trigger, BANG!
Finger off trigger - safety on.
Finger on trigger - safety off.

Both Glocks are .40 for simplicity in buying ammo and hicap mags for carry with the baby.

geoelectro wrote:

CompVest wrote:

DoubleJ wrote:I'm no expert, but i'd say just be familiar with what you're carrying and you should be okay, FTMP.

I've competed with 3 different guns, in 3 different calibers, and I performed as equally unimpressive with all 3 !

What does the acronym FTMP stand for?

For The Most Part.

Geoelectro

Thank you

I practice with a Glock 19 for cheap ammo. I carry a Glock 23 for more effectiveness. The same holsters and mag holders work with both frames.

My carry and HD guns are all kinds of mismatched, but I don't sweat it.

If it doesn't point well in my hand, I don't buy it.

My first handgun was a Stainless Ruger P95 SA/DA Its a workhorse, shoots reliable and its never failed me. I later bought Berretta 92, shoots reliable and has never failed me. both guns have work simular and have the same controls in pretty much the same place. I don't understand the big deal about forgetting the safety, Its pretty easy to figure out and becomes part of the draw. I may some day buy a pretty 1911 or Glock, but my carry gun will always be DA/SA similar to what I carry now. It's not because they are better than any other gun its just thats what I've learned to carry draw and shoot with. It just takes to long to develop a familiarty and trust like this. I can't think of reason to ever change. Some people are always looking for something better, some hate any king of change. I guess I'm the later

I've decided to standardize specifically on the Glock platform for carry and generally 9mm for carry/practice/competition due to it's cheaper cost and availability.

FWIW...I will be carrying a DA airweight revolver and/or baby Glock but would have no qualms w/1911 (next on my list of things to add)...so, multiple calibers/platforms get my vote with the qualifier, obviously (I hope), that total familiarity with each weapon is a must before adding to the daily rotation... I like variety.

Quick story about something that happened at the range last week. I have been carrying my Kimber Ultra carry exclusively for a couple three months now. I have been practicing with it at least once a week firing around 200 rounds each time. My Kahr PM9 use to be my daily carry. I use to practice with it as much as I practice with my Kimber. Last week I decided to take the Kahr along to the range with my Kimber. I fired a couple hundred rounds out of my kimber and then switched to the PM9. The very first round I fired the magazine falls out. Puzzled, I figured maybe I didn't set it properly. I reinsert and fire a couple more rounds, then bam...out it falls again. It was at this point that i realized I was holding it different than I used to and I was inadvertently hitting the magazine release. My grip had changed to conform to the Kimber Ultra carry size and shape. Now I got to thinking that this could be real bad if I had decided one night to take the Kahr as my weapon instead of the Kimber and actually needed it. Can you imagine how much it would suck to have the magazine fall out after firing one round at a bad guy. Talk about bad timing. Anyway, my point is that trying to use weapons that are configured differently is probably more of an issue than carry of weapons in different calibers. It sure made me rethink my habit of choosing weapons based on my dress choices. I kid you not, I was having serious issues not hitting that magazine release and this had never been an issue before I started practicing so much with my ultra carry.

PS sorry about the occasional miss on the caps...my laptop is about worn out and I can't afford a new one without cutting into my firearm budget.

I carry four different guns in three different configurations. Two are .45 caliber 1911s, which are carried cocked and locked. One is a .40 USP Compact, which I can carry either cocked and locked, or decocked, as is my fancy. When I carry decocked, I generally leave the safety off. The last is a small S&W revolver in .38 Special.

It has become my habit to sweep my thumb down, whether or not there is a safety in play, for either the 1911s or the USP. The revolver is so radically different in feel in my hand from the other three that I seriously doubt I would ever be confused about how to use it.

Finally, I practice with all three calibers, so there is no familiarity issue.