Zhur, you're the man. I've been waiting for someone to give me good advice on this subject. I am going to be buying my first handgun ever and could not decide on a longer (fun at the range) gun or a shorter gun suited for c.c.

I had been thinking that a shorter gun that I can carry would be accurate and fun at the range if I practice with it enough. I just needed someone with experience to confirm that. I'm going to own several guns someday but only want one right now. I'm not going to carry a gun unless I am an expert shot with it so that makes the case even more. 5" and even 4" barrels seem impractical for c.c. to me.

I just want someone to tell me that I will eventually be nailing that steel popper at 85' with my Para carry (or something like it) with practice. If I'm understanding you, you're saying it is possible. Having success at the range will increase my desire to practice so I'm trying to give this thoughtful consideration before spending a lot of $$$. I guess renting and shooting is the best place to start.

Being able to shoot like Bob Munden takes a lot of practice, like thousands of rounds per week. He does that for a job basically, along with his 'smithing work.

I have a Kimber Raptor II that I can shoot with the best of them, but I seriously doubt I could hit a balloon at 300 yards like Mr. Munden does with a .38, but that is also very impractical for my purposes. Up close, 20 yards or so, I can put a bullet right where I want it to go, with a 3" or 5" barrel, I have both. My point about shooting different guns is just that it comes down to comfort and how it feels in your hands. A comfortable gun is just as important as any other aspect, because if it recoils so damn hard that it's uncomfortable to shoot for you, then you are less likely to practice a lot, therefore you will not become proficient with it, and that would be a huge waste of money. I own many different pistols, some I bought before I thought, basically I thought they were really "cool", others I bought with a specific plan in mind. Those ones seem to get shot a lot more than the "cool" guns I own. Kinda weird how that happens huh? hehe

Zhur

Okay, I've mentioned Para because I'm intrigued by the light double action trigger (LDA). However, it seems like Para has fallen off the face of the earth in recent years. The dealers in my area say, "we don't carry Para anymore...".

Have you ever shot a Para with the LDA? If so, have you shot a short barrell vs. a long barrell? I'm looking at Para as a cool gun with a classic 1911 look but updated with modern technology. I want the smallest gun I can shoot comfortably/accurately.

I think that when certain guns "disappear" from gun store shelves, it has more to do with the retailer not wanting to be a preferred dealer. A lot of times, "preferred dealer" status comes with a high price tag. For instance, I believe that to be a Stocking Kimber dealer, there is like a $10000 up front cost, that you pay to Kimber, then they send you guns and take the amount of the guns off of your $10000 until it's used up, then you need to re-up with them to maintain dealer status. It's like paying for a line of secured credit so they will keep sending you guns.

The Para's have probably disappeared in you area due to something of this nature, as I see Para's all the time for sale.

The LDA is pretty slick, I don't own one, but I've shot them, and I must say, I don't know that I could have gotten used to it. I only shot about 150 rounds thru it though. If possible, go to a range where they rent guns, it's still the simplest way to get some hands on time with different weapons.

Zhur

I've pulled the trigger on the LDA on three models (just in the store dry fire) and thought the trigger was good. Seeing the hammer move, however, is a little distracting.

You've shot this gun 150 more times than I have, what did you find troubling about it?

Also, for a first handgun, do you think it's wise to stick with a classic 1911 style (like the Paras) or do I need to live in 2008 and look at something modern like the Springfield Armory XD or XDM?

In all honesty, I'd recommend something along the lines of a Glock for a person just getting into defensive shooting. The reason I mention that, and I know Mike is going to giggle a little, is that the 1911 CAN be a picky pistol and until you get some serious trigger time, and practice malfunction clearing, it probably isn't the best pistol to start off with. Now, I'm not saying that 1911's aren't reliable, I personally have two Kimbers that I have to try really hard to get them to hickup. Either way, the Glocks are just more simple, and fail less with shooter error. Glocks are ugly, in comparison to some beautiful 1911's, but they do a damn good job of putting rounds down range without (as many) faults.

The only issue I had with the trigger on the LDA was that after 150 rounds, there was no way that I'd be used to it. It'd take a heck of a lot more rounds to get used to it, that's all.

I've got a Springfield XD compact in 9mm (wifes pistol) and I like shooting it, but for some reason, I can't understand why Springfield added all those moving parts that do very little to actually make the gun function. (aka loaded chamber indicator, why do I need that when I should be assuming that it's loaded all the time, and checking when I pick it up anyways. Grip safety, it doesn't need it because it already has internal drop safetys as well as a safe action trigger. Bidirectional mag release, if you look at the mechanism, it's fairly simple, but it does have more parts than a regular reversible mag release, I like simple with less parts, except when it comes to my pretty 1911's hehe)

The Glocks are just simplicity and function, no pretty pretty. Load mag, rack slide, wait for reason to make it go bang.

As I've said in other threads here, picking a pistol is a very personal choice, I've given you some of my opinions, but please go out and handle a few, shoot a few more, and spend a good amount of time making a decision, because a good fighting pistol isn't just an expense, it has the potential to be the difference between life and death. To steal a line from Indiana Jones... "Choose wisely"

Zhur

Very good. You have identified my weakness for the beauty of a 1911. That's just the gun I think of when I think of a handgun. The Glocks and XDs are ugly to me but you're right about looks having nothing to do with accurate shots down range.

I'll try to get to our range this weekend and see what they have. Thanks again for all the great advice.