Concealed Handgun Class - Page 2

**FJDave** · 05-09-2008, 12:41 PM

Quote:

taltyman previously said:

Thanks for that info FJDave. I'm still trying to determine which handgun to purchase and have been leaning towards the Glock but now maybe not. The local Academy Sports store here sells pretty much all their Glock models for about $500. Do you (or anyone else) have any recommendations for a semi-auto in that same price range?

The Glock or XD is going to be your best bet in that price range. The H&K USP series is well into the $800 and above range. But the 2 guns are like comparing a Ford Focus (great, car, reliable, does the job it's intended to do, cheap, easy to maintain) and a Ferrari (expensive, does the same thing as the Focus, more gizmos, less economy). So, your best bet for inexpensive, reliable weapons is going to be Glock.

This is simply MY OPINION, and not the opinion of this station or it's sponsors.

MrBigAxe · 05-09-2008, 12:56 PM

Our local classes are taught by retired Texas Ranger Jim Peters. His name is well known in this area.

I hear his biography is a good read.
Amazon.com: Jim Peters: Texas Ranger: Lee Paul: Books

**Swingshiftworker** · 05-09-2008, 01:01 PM

Quote:

taltyman previously said:

Thanks for that info FJDave. I'm still trying to determine which handgun to purchase and have been leaning towards the Glock but now maybe not. The local Academy Sports store here sells pretty much all their Glock models for about $500. Do you (or anyone else) have any recommendations for a semi-auto in that same price range?

No other recommendations here in that price range.

Like I said, I think that Glocks are great guns! They are accurate (I can group shots in the black on a bullseye target at 25 yards w/my M17); they are virtually indestructible (durability tests included burying them in mud, dropping from heights, freezing, dumping in water, etc. and, they always fire afterwards); they don't rust; they continue to fire even if you don't clean them for over 1000 rounds (I'm a lazy at gun cleaning); and, they are easy to fix. There are also lots of aftermarket parts and accessories for them, which make them even better. I've got Trijicon sights, a "minus" connector to lower trigger pull weight, a stronger recoil spring and a lighter/stronger firing pin and a Pachmayr sleeve grip on my M17. I've even got a LaserMax laser sight in my M26. Now, those are MODS!

So, don't let the Chief turn you off on Glocks. Any moron can shoot himself in the foot (or was it the ankle?) with a gun, if he doesn't exercise proper gun safety.

BTW, I remember several years ago when the Oakland PD tried Glocks but switched to Berettas (I think) because all the officers kept shooting themselves in the foot because they didn't know enough to keep their fingers off the the trigger. There's a trigger "safety" (a little lever on the trigger) that keeps a Glock from firing if it's engaged (ie., not depressed) but if you pull on the trigger that releases that safety and allows the gun to be fired. Every deputy in the SFSD, where I worked, was issued a Glock M17 and, as far as I know, there has never been a self-induced injury due to improper gun handling in our department.

Good gun safety training dictates NOT putting you finger on the trigger until you identify your target and intend to fire. So, any accident due to shooting yourself with a Glock is not the fault of the gun but is solely due to OPERATOR ERROR!!!

skorp62 · 05-09-2008, 01:08 PM

I am not the handgun expert that many others on here appear to be, but I do know what I like. I walked around 2 different gun shows, picking up and checking the hoist and fit of every hand gun I came across. I went back again on final day of 2nd show and only one weapon really seemed to fit my hand the best (I think I went back a half dozen times to try it again) and that was the Springfield Armory XD9 sub-compact, manufactured by a factory in Croatia that Springfield acquired a few years ago. It is regularly compared to Glocks for size, general appearance and easy of dis-assembly (as long as you make sure the chamber is clear!) I bought the sub-compact as opposed to other sizes because it is very easy to carry concealed. I paid about $560 at the show for this weapon (after showing my CCW of course).

The first time I took my XD to the range was the first time I'd fired a weapon of this caliber since USMC days - a long time ago! I was quite pleased with the accuracy of the weapon and my own recollection of "sight angle / sight alignment" recalled from boot camp. Without more than 50 rounds of practice, I was able to keep 6" - 10" groupings at 20 yards (max of the range I went to) . Nothing amazing but pretty darn good for first time firing a new weapon IMO.

The XD is the middle one in the third pic, shown with the larger capacity mag and compared to a KelTec .32 and a Ruger .22 revolver ...

USMC_Sgt · 05-09-2008, 01:42 PM

on a side note... The DFW news reported that Texas CHL requests were up 40% over last month and it has created a backlog of 2-3 months before issuing a license. They reported that the increase is unexplained...

Hello, bad economy equals raise in crime rates.

Then one of the other reports was while a news reported was doing a bit in front of some apartments a tow truck was taking some guys car and the guy was pissed and took a couple of pops at the truck, nearly missing the camera crew.

**Swingshiftworker** · 05-09-2008, 01:44 PM

Quote:

USMC_Sgt previously said:

on a side note... The DFW news reported that Texas CHL requests were up 40% over last month and it has created a backlog of 2-3 months before issuing a license. They reported that the increase is unexplained...

I thought that I read somewhere recently that Texas banned concealed carry. I just looked it up myself that's untrue. Just goes to the point that you need to know local laws before you carry concealed anywhere.

USMC_Sgt · 05-09-2008, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Swingshiftworker previously said:

I thought that I read somewhere recently that Texas banned concealed carry. I just looked it up myself that's untrue. Just goes to the point that you need to know local laws before you carry concealed anywhere.

Oh no, hell no!

This isn't Cali or Mass

j/k I wouldn't be suprised that Texas was the first to actually allow CHL's. Local Laws say that a business owner has the right to refuse access to CHL's (in my opinion that's stupid) by posting an "official" sign. Most try to post a note or non-official sign, those are trash cause anyone that has a CHL knows it has to the the state regulated sign.

taltyman · 05-09-2008, 02:46 PM

In Texas you can also carry concealed while traveling without a CHL. Used to be you had to prove you were traveling, now they have to prove you weren't to convict you (actually eerily similar to the founding father's "innocent until proven guilty" theory). However having the CHL makes life much easier. Also gone in Texas is the old "retreat clause" that made you have to retreat if that was an option to deadly force.

**1911** · 05-09-2008, 05:32 PM

Quote:

USMC_Sgt previously said:

on a side note... The DFW news reported that Texas CHL requests were up 40% over last month and it has created a backlog of 2-3 months before issuing a license. They reported that the increase is unexplained...

Hello, bad economy equals raise in crime rates.

I would also bet that some are worried about a gun-unfriendly president being elected in November, though personally I don't think one could overturn the 2nd ammendment or state's rights to issue CHL.

**slither** · 05-09-2008, 05:53 PM

[quote=USMC_Sgt;968622]on a side note... The DFW news reported that Texas CHL requests were up 40% over last month and it has created a backlog of 2-3 months before issuing a license. They reported that the increase is unexplained...

Hello, bad economy equals raise in crime rates.

[quote]

That and Hillary and Obama are running for office. If you think they're hard on firearms now just wait.