getting a pistol in CT

[ArtosDracon]

If you are going concealed I have to recommend the Sig P232. I have one for carry in hot weather. There aren't many you can conceal in nothing but shorts and sandals(I'm in AZ after all) that can take care of anything more than a big rat. At .380Auto it's not on par with any of the full size calibers, but I consider it my comfortable minimum.

I carry Glock, Taurus, full sized Sigs and various 1911s regularly and while I like the simplicity and custom options of the 1911, when carrying all day the weight can get annoying. The polymer bodies of the Glock and Sigs are a welcomed alternative, and aftermarket parts for glocks are pretty prevalent. I have fired on several occasions a 2011, which is a double stack, custom 1911 frame and while the extra capacity and lightness of the billet aluminum is nice, it's way overpriced for a regular carry firearm.



As far as caliber goes, find what you're comfortable with. I generally carry.380 or 9mm, but have carried .40, .45, 5.7mm and 10mm and in an emergency situation, I'd rather have the rounds than that little extra thud. 5.7mm would be my daily in less than scorching weather, except ammo is so expensive, and they've gotten a bad reputation amongst the un-informed, but 21 rounds on tap, impact pressure similar to a 9mm buth with rifle grade hydrostatic shock, it's a pretty slick round, but the amount of money required to practice with it on a regular basis makes in un-reasonable for anything but a "hey looky what I got" gun.

[cheapthrillz]

These look to be pretty cool and innovative (and probably expensive)...

[go-fish]

If we're talking revolvers, I really like the Airweight J-frame series from S&W. Super light and a revolver won't fail on you when you need it most. No stovepipes, mis-feeds, failures to eject.......

[Humbug53]

My carry weapon is a J-frame S&W, hammerless, .38spl. I usually open carry, and encourage more to do the same. My others are all "cowboy" guns, so those stay home untill I wanna play games/ blow some $#!+ up.

[megaladon6]

wow, this thread grew pretty quickly! thanks for all the advice.
lets see if i can remember everything.
i guess money is first, while i'd love a kimber, sig, h&k, there's no way i can afford one. however i didn't realize that glocks were not in that price range so they're in the running.
size, well mine is 6ft3 190lbs, but i almost always wear a jacket that can conceal the weapon. i've got a medium/good sized hand. basically long thin fingers. i've fired a couple of different pistols (a few years ago) and am more comfortable with larger grips.
carry, tell you the truth, i don't NEED to carry most of the time. if ever, but only time can tell that! but there are some places around here where it's a damn good idea (waterbury for one). i mostly want it for fun and stress relief. and if i go hiking in the adirondacks or where ever, and meet mr. mountain lion or mr.bear... and i have found bear and mt lion tracks in southern NY/CT and surrounding areas.
which brings up a question. can i legally bring the pistol into NY, where i won't have a permit, to bring it hiking? or a gun range, shop, show, whatever? i assume it's ok if it's locked up in the trunk, but i'm not sure.
BTW, i'm not buying anything for a little bit. i'm going to get the permit, look around, hopefully test fire a bunch, and then decide.
i did look on the net for issues with the XD40. it looks like the first years had a slide lock issue (more of an improper grip issue actually), a jamming issue if you grip in a way that pushes up on the clip, and a feed/jam issue that's fixed by polishing the feed ramp (as stated earlier)
did i miss anything?

[megaladon6]

had a couple of questions
IIRC single action means you have to **** the hammer, but i've seen a few autos without an external hammer described as SA. am i just an idiot, or is the hammer always cocked, or what?
looking on a couple of forums i see these "FTF" and "FTE", is that failure to feed/eject?
how sensitive are glocks, springfields, or anyone else to ammo type? i'm seeing some complaints about glock, to the point of blowing up the guns?
also, do glocks still have internal only safeties? i seem to recall a few news stories about accidental discharges.
thanks again!
nick

[mc84_zz4]

I have a S&W Sigma (knock-off Glock) my friend has a Glock, ours did misfeed when new/dry, the round did not chamber well, and the slide was 1/2 closed 2 out of 3. We also had 2 rounds that were fired and did not shoot.
The pin hit the primer, but the pin mechanism was too dry/new to strike hard enough to fire.
some oiling took care of the misfires.
more oil took care of the misfeeds, polishing later made the misfeeds completely go away and made it really smooth. I also clean my magazines and lightly oil them inside.
No blowing up gun from these incidents.
The only safety the Glock has is the trigger, and the first chambering of a round.
I never carry mine with a round chambered unless I need to have one, and it comes out by the end of the day.
You have to pull about 10 lbs on the trigger to fire though, so it's kind of hard to accidentally do it. HTH

[go-fish]

autos without an external hammer described as SA. am i just an idiot, or is the hammer always cocked, or what?
looking on a couple of forums i see these "FTF" and "FTE", is that failure to feed/eject?
how sensitive are glocks, springfields, or anyone else to ammo type? i'm seeing some complaints about glock, to the point of blowing up the guns?
also, do glocks still have internal only safeties? i seem to recall a few news stories about accidental discharges.
thanks again!
nick

Autos without an external hammer are SA only autos. When you pull the trigger it pulls the hammer back, your first pull is going to be heavier than the next shots. The hammer is not always cocked.
Double actions have a hammer you can caulk (can't say coc k?) with your thumb and makes the first trigger pull much less. Typically, uncocked (using it as a SA) you could have around 14lbs of trigger pull and cocked, you could have 10 lbs or less (in DA mode). SA-only models most always have less trigger pull (8lbs) than that of an uncocked DA.

When you find a pistol you like, take a look at the specs if it is optional DA/SA and look at the differences in trigger pulls between the variants. If the trigger pull is light enough, sometimes I like the SA over the more popular double action. You can find some light azz SA triggers to the point of being too light almost, usually from the mfgr's custom shop though.

FTF/FTE, you're correct. Failure to feed and fire.

Never heard of any glocks or XD being sensitive to ammo. I always thought, Glocks moreso, would eat just about any ammo. Any time you here about a gun blowing up find out whether or not they were using reloads. 99/100 times it is reloads that aren't up to snuff or dangerous loads. Buy quality manufactured ammo.

There are alot of stories about Glocks having accidental discharges. Remember the DEA guy from Youtube that shot himself in a classrooom full of kids? The Oakland incident at the BART terminal that got a kid shot in the back by Oakland PD? Alot of cops have had "accidental" discharges, alot of civilians have had "accidental" discharges with Glocks. I like to refer to most of those as Negligent Discharges. Guns don't just "go" off. The point is to know your weapon and the characteristics. Let's say the gun was "bad". You're never supposed to point your weapon at anything you don't intend to kill right.

I am in no way a Glock fan, probably won't ever own one, but they are used by many agencies and as with any firearm the user needs to be compitent. The news loves stories about cops shooting people and the majority of PD pistols across the country are Glocks. Hell, there are absolutely no mechanical safeties on my personal Sig or any of the Sigs my unit uses, just your trigger finger and your brain, and I can't imagine where and when I would have an AD/ND. I'm not saying there aren't design flaws or occasional defects in some Glock models but It's usually not the gun's fault is all Im saying. There are alot of very happy Glock users.

[wmhjr]

Just some information for you to use or ignore...

I have a bunch of weapons, and shoot Bullseye semi competitively (meaning in competition but I'm not real serious). Here are some of my handguns at the moment....

Glock 23 in .40 S&W
Ballistar Molina in .45
Walther PPS in 9mm
Colt Series 70 Mk IV in .45
Smith and Wesson Model 41 in .22LR
Les Bauer Premier II w/ 1.5" package in .45

The S&W model 41 and the Les Baer are my Bullseye guns. They are both absolute tack drivers, with the Baer certified to 1.5" groups at 50 yds (test target included).

The Baer is an incredibly precision built gun. Period.

The Kimber is a nice gun, for a compact it shoots REAL accurate, and his a wonderful trigger. It is not the quality of the Baer - not even close - but it's a very nice gun.

The Glock is my least favorite gun to shoot. It's reliable and effective. It's also clunky, and the .40 to me is less comfortable than the .45 due to higher chamber pressures and velocity. In rapid fire, I find I'm back on target after each shot much faster with the Baer or the Colt than with the Kimber.

All of these are good, quality weapons. A lot depends on what you really want. I will say that of all of these, the Kimber is probably easiest to conceal due to the size and weight. The Walther is next, but is heavier. The Glock is kind of blocky and the rest are obviously larger framed.

My experience is that for personal defense, the .45 is REAL hard to beat. Lots of weapons have tried, and none have really shown much of an advantage in close range, low shot count situations - which is EXACTLY how personal defense weapons are used. If you really need a double stacked 15 round magazine, you've got problems that the pistol will not solve. Unless you're in Kandahar.

Single Action vs Double Action or Double Action Only is a personal choice. Personally, I don't really like the trigger feel of DA or DAO weapons and prefer SA. That's just me.

The XD is a good weapon. It's also a REAL large hunk of steel.

Just my 2 cents.

[wmhjr]

Oh, since I saw some other mentions of some things.....

You also really can't label an entire "brand" the same. Example?

Glocks and ammo types. Take the model 23. Early variants of the model 23 (which I have) have an "unsupported chamber" which makes it a little more picky about what ammo it likes to consume. Later versions changed the chamber design, which increased its willingness to tolerate different ammo.

I had a Smith & Wesson 569 a number of years ago, and personally experienced an accidental discharge that should never have happened. The loaded weapon on the seat next to me in a car (legally) returning from a range - another car pulled out in front of me, gun hit the floor - and fired. Very poor. But my model 41 is an excellent high quality (but not inexpensive - used ones can easily go for $800) pistol.

You have to look at not only the brand and caliber, but the specific weapon.

[wmhjr]

I can stop after I say that this administration has done nothing but increase gun owners rights,

Just my 2 cents. BS. Get your head out of the sand. I reload my own ammo for range use. Do a little research before you make that statement. This administration is trying to make it so us reloaders can no longer do so. Fact. And that's just one example.

OK, back on topic.

[cheapthrillz]

i have a s&w sigma (knock-off glock) my friend has a glock, ours did misfeed when new/dry, the round did not chamber well, and the slide was 1/2 closed 2 out of 3. We also had 2 rounds that were fired and did not shoot.
The pin hit the primer, but the pin mechanism was too dry/new to strike hard enough to fire.
Some oiling took care of the misfires.
More oil took care of the misfeeds, polishing later made the misfeeds completely go away and made it really smooth. I also clean my magazines and lightly oil them inside.
No blowing up gun from these incidents.
The only safety the glock has is the trigger, and the first chambering of a round.
I never carry mine with a round chambered unless i need to have one, and it comes out by the end of the day.
You have to pull about 10 lbs on the trigger to fire though, so it's kind of hard to accidentally do it. Hth

1) If you are carrying a weapon on your person, you should ALWAYS have a round chambered. How can you chamber a round if a mugger or whoever grabs one of your arms? You gonna bite the slide and chamber a round with your teeth?

2) I bought my glock brand new (gen III) and have never had a ftf or fte after more than 2000 rounds.

3) I have never heard of a glock having a 10 lb trigger. Mine is 5.5 lbs. I know that the sigma has about a 10 or 11 lb trigger. Is that the one you are talking about?

[toxicz28]

which brings up a question. can i legally bring the pistol into NY, where i won't have a permit, to bring it hiking?

No, you can't.


from http://www.nysrpa.org/nygunlaws.htm

Non-residents:
A non-resident citizen may possess a rifle or shotgun in New York, as long as it is unloaded while being transported. No person may carry, possess or transport a handgun in or through the state unless he has a valid New York license. New York does not issue licenses to non-residents nor does it recognize licenses issued by other states. (A provision of federal law provides a defense to state or local laws which would prohibit the passage of persons with firearms in interstate travel. If a person is traveling from any place where he may lawfully possess and transport a firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and transport such firearm and the firearm is unloaded and in the trunk. In vehicles without a trunk, the unloaded firearm shall be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console. Necessary stops, e.g., gasoline and rest, seem permissible.) A member or coach of an accredited college or university target pistol team may transport a handgun into or through New York to participate in a collegiate, Olympic or target pistol shooting competition provided that the handgun is unloaded and carried in a locked carrying case and the ammunition is carried in a separate locked container. An alien may possess a rifle or shotgun for use while hunting provided he has a valid New York hunting license. "If such (handgun) license is issued to an alien, or to a person not a citizen of and usually a resident in the state, the licensing officer shall state in the license the particular reason for the issuance and the names of the persons certifying to the good character of the applicant." Non-resident target shooters may enter or pass through New York State with handguns for the purposes of any NRA approved competition if the competitor has in his possession a copy of the match program, proof of entry and a pistol license from his state of residence. The handgun must be unloaded and transported in a locked opaque container.

[cheapthrillz]

I usually open carry, and encourage more to do the same.

In the state of SC you can not open carry a firearm..... you will go to jail.....

[megaladon6]

i re-searched the kaboom incidents with the glock. it looks like it is more of an ammo problem than anything else. condensing down, the articles said--glocks don't like lead ammo (i thought most pistol ammo was jacketed?) and don't like reloads due to the possibility of excess powder and brass fatigue (from excessive use). but it only seems to happen on the larger calibers, which really does make me wonder if they didn't beef up the frame for the larger calibers. BUT considering you guys have them with almost zero problems i'm not too worried.
oh, in CT it's concealed carry only.
thanks for the NY regs, that's what i thought. damn it! you'd think they'd at least offer a non-resident permit.
my friends husband may be selling his glock, i think it's a 21, i know it's a .45, about 10yrs old but rarely fired. if you had to guess, what would it be worth? she said $500, but i figure she got it wrong as i can buy a new one for that.
nick

[wmhjr]

SOME glocks don't like lead bullets. See my post mentioning the unsupported chambers. Unsupported meaning the design of the chamber does not fully support the casing the way a traditional pistol chamber does. Later glocks had a revised design. The frame has nothing to do with it. The unsupported chamber allows for more case expansion.

Lots of pistol ammo is not jacketed. I shoot almost strictly 200gr lead semi wadcutter ammo through my .45s.

[megaladon6]

sorry about that. i didn't mean to say that all glocks or even most had any problems. the fact that it was only the larger calibers did make me a little suspicious though.

how much of a difference does an extra in of barrel length make to accuracy? or anything else? i'm considering going with a compact for concealability, if it's large enough for my hand and doesn't lose any significant accuracy.

[SpicerMTR]

Smith & Wesson is good. They have an M&P series that tends to be on special at most gun shops couple times a year. Easy to clean and maintain. I have a 40 M&P and a 45acp Kimber UltraEclipse II. I love the Kimber, it is hard to breakdown to clean though. It is important though that the gun feels comfortable to you when you handle it.

[RatMalibu]

Glocks don't like lead because they have polygonal rifling...the polygonal rifling creates a better seal than normal land and groove rifling. When you shoot lead through any barrel you end up with lead residue on the barrels inner surface, lead build up in a polygonal barrel will eventually cause a restriction in the barrel and an over pressure situation in the chamber....the weakest link is the cartridge case which by the design of the Glock chamber is stretched out a bit by the base of the cartridge in the area of the feedramp (Glock smile) resulting in a blowout near the cartridge rim down into the magazine well....i.e. KaBoom

You see more .40 Glock KaBooms because of the pressures of the .40 cartridge and the size of the cartridge (.40 and 9mm both run about 35,000psi compared to 21,000psi for a .45) the feedramp on a .40 is larger than a 9 so you have more "unsupported" area to blow out from

some will tell you lead is fine in a Glock. I'll not tempt fate with mine. I do reload for my G23 but only use jacketed bullets

[Humbug53]

In the state of SC you can not open carry a firearm..... you will go to jail.....

Michigan (where I live) is an open carry state.