[phillipwayne]

Hi I am currently not a handgun owner, but I've pretty much decided on the duty in .40 as my main carry weapon. I really like the idea of an external hammer so I can use the old 1911 trick to put your thumb on the hammer as you reholster it. As it is going to be my only gun for a while I want it to be comfortable enough to go to the range often but small enough to carry concealed almost daily. I'm worried that the cz is just slightly too big? If there is anyone who carries one regularly could tell me I'd appreciate it.
In truth I think my first choice would be an HK p2000 but it's out of my price range, the cz has just as many features but is almost half the price. The only striker fired pistol I would consider is an Springfield XD because of the grip safety. If the fnx40 was small enough to conceal regularly it would be hard to choose between the two.
Is there any other handguns that anyone would suggest?
I appreciate it.

 

[recoilguy]

The grip safety? What does that do for you out of curiousity?

Size of a carry gun is total a personal thing. It depends on your build the clothes you wear and how comfortable you are carrying your weapon and were and which style you plan to carry. I am 5-10 about 190 to 195 pounds. I carry at 4 oclock IWB everyday. I wear Dockers and golf shirts to jeans and Hockey jerseys. I carry a couple guns one of which is the CZ P-01 I do not own the 07 I like a heavier gun. I do also have a Kahr I carry when I am wearing very summer style clothes. I personally don't think the P-07 is too big to carry. I would carry a FN40 with the correct holster and clothing. Holsters are as important to carrying as the weapon......my advice is get a good quality holster. Cheap ones are cheap, and inexpensive and will hold a gun and are cheap. Good holsters will hide your gun, give you easy access to it, and the ablity to reholster with one hand and will keep it secure in most every situation. They are well worth the money. Get a good gun that you can be comfortable with. Your carry gun depends so much on you and the way you do what you do and what you like that it has to be your decision. Asking others if they can make it work is a good idea, it can work with a P-07. Good luck with what ever choice you make. Practice with the gun and practice with the holster. The more fimiliar you are with your equipment, the better it will work for you.

RCG

 

[phillipwayne]

I feel like the grip safety would give me a bit more peace of mind when re-holstering etc. I don't want to simply trust only a trigger safety, or only a heavier DA/SA trigger pull.

 

[recoilguy]

Oh I see......that kinda makes sense

The weapon can only go off if the trigger is depressed. The trigger can only be depressed if your finger is on it. The saftey will help you trust the other safties until you can learn to trust yourself with your weapon. Good luck with your new CZ or what ever you end up with I hope you will like it very much!

 

[phillipwayne]

To throw a wrench in the gears I was just offered a Glock 27 .40 with 3 mags all with pierce grip extentions, a 4" 9mm barrel, a 15rd 9mm mag with the spacer to fit, and a OWB holster. All for $375.
The real problem is that I don't like glocks much...but I'll have the opportunity to shoot it before I buy it which is nice. Even If I buy it and end up hating it I can sell it back to him for the same price...But I don't know how much I like the thought that the only thing keeping me from firing a .40 jhp though my leg when I re-holster is that little trigger safety and a prayer that nothing made it's way into the trigger guard. Am I being unreasonably prejudice towards glocks or paranoid about having a hammer? Someone give me some advice one way or the other...

 

[recoilguy]

The deal you are offered is a great deal. The dillusional obsesion with shooting your self in the leg and somehow the trigger saftey having anything to do with it is not right. You have to pull the trigger to shoot the gun. Having a hammerstops the trigger from being pulled how? I truly don't get it.

The only thing that keeps you from shooting a .40 cal JHP through your leg is you. Are you safe? Do you know how to properly handle your weapon and do you do the things you know you should or are you careless? If you are careless don't get a gun with a hammer on it to compensate for your lack of focus......don't get a gun!

If you don't like Glocks is because of the trigger or is it that they don't shoot correctly or don't feel right when you grasp one? In my opinion you should not have any gun until you understand how they work and what is actually the responsibility of the gun and what is the responsibility of the shooter. If the Glock shoots you in the the leg it is not because you pissed the gun off and now it wants revenge. It is because you pulled the trigger with the gun pointed at your leg.......so don't do that.

RCG

 

[Shipwreck]

The deal you are offered is a great deal. The dillusional obsesion with shooting your self in the leg and somehow the trigger saftey having anything to do with it is not right. You have to pull the trigger to shoot the gun. Having a hammerstops the trigger from being pulled how? I truly don't get it.
RCG

That's easy to say - until the adrenaline kicks in during a real situation.

I can empathize with him. I've previously carried 1911s and Glocks for years. However, I am somewhat at his point now, after all these years of carrying and owning different guns (I have owned a LOT of different platforms)

I had a near robbery in the parking lot of my local gunstore about 2 years ago. I saw the situation happening, and I managed to avoid the guy and cut threw some cars and jump down a level in the parking lot. The guy cut off pursuit of me after a few moments.

All I had was a Keltec 32 in my front pocket, as I was taking my Beretta 92 into the store to try it for laser grips... (it wasn't yet my carry gun anyway) So, I was walking with that in a gun case.

I kept my wits, but the situation showed me what it was like when the adrenaline kicks in. Your thought process changes. It's not the same as all the practice you put in at the range - or how you THINK you should or will react in a situation.

I also had an old friend from when I was a teen (hadn't seen him in many years) - I recently found out a story about him that happened a few years ago... He apparently was getting car jacked (back in Louisiana), and he grabbed his gun from the center console as he started to comply to get out the car. Guess what he did... As he swept himself with the muzzle to bring the gun in an aiming position, he shot himself in the knee/leg. Boom... Now, he walks with a limp all the time and can't get around well...

Dumb? Yes. Can I see how it could easily happen in a super high stress situation? Yes, I can. Especially after seeing how your thoughts change during the adrenaline dump... Plus, look at all the accidental discharges that are stupidly done by law enforcement officers who carry Glocks. And, people ARE people. We all screw up and make mistakes throughout our lives, even with stuff we practice. So, it's easy to say "the real safety is in your head" - but people mess up sometimes in normal situations... What could happen in an adrenaline dump?

After my personal experience event, I re-evaluated some issues with my carry gun. For a while, I temporarily switched to a 45... I'm back to a 9mm now. But, I no longer carry a gun that needs to be cocked and locked (1911, USP compact that I sometimes kept cocked and locked at the time). I don't want to stupidly forget to deactivate a thumb safety.

And, I also got rid of the Keltec 32... I REALLY, REALLY felt bad in the situation thinking that all I had to defend myself with was a 32 FMJ round. (32 JHP isn't really as effective in that caliber as FMJ)

I also will no longer carry a gun that has a trigger like a Glock, M&P, XD. That short, light trigger too easily could replicate what happened to my friend shooting himself. Also, I get my untucked shirt caught in my IWB holster somewhat frequently when holstering/reholstering at home...

Do this with a Glock - boom.

Do it with even an XD (with the grip safety) - boom (one would probably have their hand in place over the grip safety while holstering).

Do this with a 1911 - and forget to reactivate the thumb safety even ONE time - boom.

The DA/SA trigger of my 92... I do try to be careful, but I know there won't be an A/D when I do this or when I try to clear the shirt from the holster...

Am I over worrying about this situation? Maybe. I admit that I carried a Glock 26 for 8 years previously (OWB or in my pocket, though - not IWB). I also once carried a 1911 (OWB - not IWB). But I"ve owned tons of different guns since then, and my preferences and ideas on the issues have changed.

That experience "I" had showed me I wanted a gun that I could pull and shoot - without deactivation of anything... But, I also didn't want TOO light/short of a trigger. So, the DA/SA trigger is my preference now. And, with a "D" spring, the DA pull of my Beretta 92s are down from 11.5+lbs to 8.2-8.5lbs. Still heavy enough (and long enough of a trigger pull) to keep me honest. But, not too heavy.

I also never hardly EVER practiced my first shot in double action on DA/SA guns I've owned over the years. Nor, did I practice 1 handed shooting. Since that near robbery experience, I have done both. I do it a LOT.

My issues that I personally have stated above sorta keeps me from buying another Glock, or another XD or an M&P or a Walther PPQ as well - as without a DA/SA trigger, it would always be delegated to just a range toy... Not for carry usage...

I REALLY like the look of the 9mm XDm with the stainless slide as well. I may or may not buy one eventually. But, I'd never carry it for the lack of DA/SA.

That's why I like my PX4 Storm so much, I suppose (my 1 real, fullsize polymer gun - as I tend to go for metal guns that I can place rubber grips onto).

Anyway - I'm not telling ya what to do. Carry what and how you like. Disagree with my personal decision... That's fine... Just throwing something out there for some people who may not have considered some of these issues...

 

[recoilguy]

See thats what makes these places a good place to come too. Diversity in opinions. We all should get what we feel safe with. I just don't want any new person thinking that because they have a saftey or a hammer they are immune from accidents. The gun doesn't shot you, you shot yourself.

There are a bunch of documented Glock Booms, but if you reholster with your finger on the trigger or sweep your self when coming to draw with your finger on the trigger, it may be adrenaline that is causing you to break down into unsafe practices, it may be a very good idea to have a back up plan. It is not however the fault of the weapon that someone with a self inflicted limp has trouble getting around now.

I know a guy who shot his finger tip off with a.380. He dropped the mag, but did not clear the chamber. he then he pulled the trigger with his finger over the end of the barrel. He said the gun accidentally discharged and it should not have gone off with the mag out. My contention and a point that has almost made us not as good friends anymore is he put his finger over the end of the barrel and pulled the trigger, that is neither accidental nor is it the fault of the gun. Shipwreck you are right get what you feel safe with but all I want to be sure is that no one is lulled into a false sense of security because they have a saftey on their gun.

RCG

 

[Shipwreck]

Shipwreck you are right get what you feel safe with but all I want to be sure is that no one is lulled into a false sense of security because they have a saftey on their gun.

RCG

I hear ya.

I personally make zero use of the safety (other than as a decocker) on my Beretta 92 I carry daily. However, it is the first DA shot that makes me feel better. The longer and heavier first pull will keep me from having a screwup.