I currently have 3 handguns:

Sig P226 - Keep in a bedside safe, I have a Sig 22lr conversion slide for it
Glock 20 - Carry when hiking/backpacking, I have an AA 22lr conversion slide for it
Sig P365XL - Daily Carry

I'd like to really dive deep on training with one handgun to focus my efforts, take a bunch of classes with, dryfire a ton and get my draw speed faster.  Which handgun would you all recommend doing that with?  I've mainly been focusing on the Glock 20 lately, but I generally carry it the least and with it being so big, I feel like I'll never be super fast with it.  I've been watching a ton of youtube training videos with this whole wuflu thing so that's really got me thinking about getting a G19 or the new PSA PS9 Dagger when it comes out.  But that's also money I could spend on training and ammo.  I do have the original MantisX, which I really enjoy using.  What do you all say?  Or is the premise of this question incorrect?

Thanks

365XL is a great carry gun and while it’s great to be proficient with it it might also under your use of the 226 at home due to a different manual of arms. (Striker vs DA/SA)

I’d likely try to make my go to one style of handgun and one “system”.

Maybe make the house gun a p320 so you have similar striker style guns across the board.

Focus on the gun you are most likely to have with you throughout the day, which seems to be the 365.

Train on them all, but focus on the one you're most likely to have to use, which is your carry gun.

Side note, do not train with .22 conversion kits. Run the gun in the configuration you plan to use it in.

I would personally want to be most comfortable with my carry gun.   There is nothing wrong with collecting firearms and having variety, but if you are training to be adept with firearms, staying with same platform will yield more consistent results and build a level of comfort.

Glock 17 and 19 for me. I do have other handguns that I occasionally shoot and collect them for enjoyment, but it is not the same as training with the Glocks.

Just one man's opinion.

I guess if my carry is a P365, would it make more sense to get a P320 Full size or compact and focus on those striker fired weapons?  Is the P365 trigger and controls similar enough to the P320?  Or would going from a P366 to a G19 not be too different?

I voted for the P226.  Largest gun, easiest to manipulate, and train hard on.  It's not so much about the gun - it's more about the shooter.  You're going to spend time honing your fundamentals and skills.  Fundamentals are fundamentals, and not linked to one particular gun.  The 226 will be the easiest of the three to shoot at a high round course (if that's the direction you go).  Working the trigger, the sights, and other fundamentals will build your overall proficiency.  From there, you can easily translate that into your P365 with a few quick reps.

You've got the guns - just add ammo & training.

I'd say 365...
I also carry a 365XL daily, added a RDS a few months ago,
the pay off is well worth the time and ammo to be reasonably
proficient.
I shoot  at least a magazine, usually a hundred rd's a week
through the XL, I added a RDS to my P10C so have added that
to the mix as my night stand occasional carry.
I carried 1911's for 30 years so don't shoot em as often but,
kinda like getting on a bike, comes back pretty naturally.

PennyForTheGuy said it well. "Train on them all, but focus on the one you're most likely to have to use, which is your carry gun."

Would you all feel comfortable bringing a Sig P365XL to an all day class??  Can it take the place of a Glock 19 if using the 15rd mags?

I'm still looking for the option that says  1911.
--- what ever pistol you carry is the one you need to train with.  
It is time to add to your collection .......

The answer is still the same, train with the one you'll be spending the most time with and coincidentally the one most likely to see action. Mouse guns are also typically the hardest to become proficient with so you'll likely benefit most by spending the day with it. Bring a spare though - just in case...

Whatever you’re going to carry the most

I too carry an 365XL everyday and I’ve taken all of my recent pistol classes with it.

Had a few folks look at me a bit weird in a class full of 19s and 320s but I’m committed. And I did better than 80% with my smaller pistol, primarily due to committed training with it before the class.

If it’s my primary carry piece, it only makes sense to learn/train with it instead of training on something easier/larger and trying to transfer those lessons over.

I also picked up a second XL for redundancy and setup for dry fire so I can leave my primary XL loaded/ready but still get dry fire practice in at home.

That’s where the real work is done: dry work from holster to trigger pull, every day.

Train with whatever gun you carry, so the 365. I love the Sig P226 though, great shooter.

really want to say something stupid like DEAGLE but honestly I would say buy a 320. but I recently got a 19. and have no experience with the new sigs. so take my advice for what you paid for it.

I carry a 365XL with the MRDS every day.

I don't find the dry fire or range time with it to any different than my 320 X-five that i run USPSA with, other than the size difference (easily overcome).

I also have a 320 X-Carry in the bed side drawer.

I would agree with the practice with the one your most likely to have to use.  

I also agree with the concept of having multiple types/styles of hand guns. Keep collecting and shooting.

I also agree with the idea of "1911", one of the best platforms to shoot (either 45 or 9mm).

Good luck OP

Practice with your carry gun until you need a change such as you being proficient enough that a different handgun would make a difference in USPSA or something.

Right now if you went and shot Production the gun won't be the limiting factor.

A Glock 19 is my choice and generally my recommendation but if you won't carry it I wouldn't bother.

Exactly this. The only thing I will add is I believe mastering a DAO or DA/SA trigger is very beneficial to being a better shooter overall.

Shoot the one you carry most until you feel you plateau then switch it up.

THIS!!

I’m of the opinion that good fundamentals translate across platforms. So my recommendation is the pistol that will force good habits and that will be the P226 (assuming its DA/SA). The trick is, you have to do all of your practice in DA. Shoot, decock, shoot, decock, repeat. Once you have good fundamentals, even a relatively crappy Glock trigger will be easy. The next challenge would be the P365, because you won’t be able to get a full grip on it and the felt recoil will be noticeably more than the P226. If you didn’t have the P226, Glocks can be good fundamental builders too, because of the so-so triggers and the blocky design. The corners seem to really make for leverage points and make you twist the gun in your grip if you’re doing all around grip not just proper front/back.

You’re gonna get a lot say “train with the gun you’re gonna carry most” and there’s logic to that. I might even say start there if you’re not at a decent level of proficiency yet. But to get good, you need to challenge yourself.  Whatever you do, don’t use a 1911 or tuned triggers, as they’re a crutch. They will mask your deficiencies and make you think you’re better than you are.

A good option might be to dry fire practice with the P226, and live fire with the P365. The P226 won’t require racking the slide to reset the trigger; it will be continuous DA. Once you think you’re decent with the P226, dry fire with an empty case or a coin balanced on the front sight.

Ultimately, if you haven’t yet taken a class from a respected instructor, that should be your first step.

Top level DA/SA shooters advise against DA dry fire all the time.

Well it doesn’t sound like the OP is a top shooter. It sounds like he’s trying to establish fundamentals. Obviously if you’re competing you want to practice both initial DA and transition into follow up SAs. But we’re not trying to make sure OP has blazing splits. Advice for novice level is definitely different than proven shooters.

I would encompass much of what is said here into two concepts both of which are correct to acertsin degree:
1) train with one platform ( for example your carry gun if defensive competency is the goal) and/ or keep guns in different calibers or sizes for commonality and to build reps
2) use all your guns and become competent with multiple platforms so that you can transition from type to type without problems

From my standpoint a beginner should probably follow #1 while a more experienced shooter 2.

Way back in the 1980’s a very skilled shooter I respected told me if you want to shoot the best, concentrate on one platform - you might get good with a bunch but will only get great if you focus on one.
I did this for some time. As part of a military shooting team for a couple years only shot an M9. Both standard and with a 22 conversion kit. I was definitely at the peak of my performance back then. I do not agree with the poster who said not to use 22 conversions. Trigger time of any sort is a plus.
Old saying practice does not make perfect - perfect practice does.
What this means to me fewer shots done properly get you further than higher volumes of sloppy shooting. For example going shooting 3 times a week and shooting 50 focused controlled shots is better training than once a week shooting 200 shots. High volume tends to make us sloppy not perfectly apply the fundamentals especially near the end of a session or when it is very hot or cold etc. and the mind remembers what you did last

Great info!

I wouldn’t consider myself “new” or “inexperienced,” I’ve been shooting on and off for about ten years.

The difference is lately I’ve had some professional instruction, better access to ranges and have been going once a week.  I’ve also been using the MantisX for trigger control and draw and dryfire timing.  Also watching a lot of YouTube training videos, for whatever that’s worth.  I’m going to be taking a more intermediate handgun course I’m the next couple months and that really spurred the question of which route to go.  It seems like most training is geared towards striker fired handguns, and I wasn’t sure if a P365XL would work well for courses and trainings.  This is a lot of good info from you all.

If your carry is the 365, train with it.
If you want to change, do it now.

Glocks are easy to train with.  Draw point shoot basically. Triggers all feel the same.

I have a G20 as well, but it is a dedicated woods gun and not an EDC. Also, the ammo costs alone for 10mm may be prohibitive, for some that don't reload, to maximize any high-volume training. That said, I'd focus training most with what you intend to carry.

Buy a Glock 19.

Did we just become best friends?



There might be a very good reason for top shooters to advise that to top shooters.

Im a uspsa b class shooter and usually compete with a da revolver. Sometimes a 1911 and sometimes a beretta.

The best thing ive ever done for my shooting across the board was to focus on DA.

Im hitting steel faster and more consistent with my DA carry gun at distances i never would have tried. And when i switch to a striker or SA gun im better than I ever was before.

People get so hung up on triggers that they forget that you need to press and release every trigger. Dont dwell on reset or take up, etc

If it works for you, awesome. I only shoot striker guns so I have no opinion. Ben Stoeger was asked that exact question and he said not to train DA all the time, you dry fire the first shot DA and then bounce the trigger off the frame for subsequent pulls. Anderson has the same advice.

I figured they knew what they were talking about and passed it along.