Posted: 12/2/2005 3:58:35 PM EDT
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I am looking to possibly trade out my Ruger P95DC pistol for a new (maybe new to me) pistol this weekend. Currently this is the only pistola that i own and its not really my cup o tea. I am looking for a good CCW for under $500 before the trade (that way i am only out of pocket $350 max). Any ideas on New or used? I know this might be the most appropriate place for this, but everyone seems pretty cool in here. Thanks Dave |
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Your best bet is to hit a big shop or gun show and handle as many different pistols as you can. Heck, if you have a range that rents guns nearby, rent a few of the bigger names like Glock, Sig, HK, Springfield. Pick something that fits your hand well and you feel comfortable with. I'm a Glock bigot when it comes to CCW. They fit my hand well, don't need a lot of tinkering, and they don't have a lot of controls to get in the way when I'm trying to survive in a defense scenario. I also like Sig's, but they don't fit my hand, and I don't shoot them very well. For CCW, it's important to get a good holster and a spare mag holder. A good holster can conceal a firearm much larger than you would expect, and since magazines are common problems in magazine-fed firearms, you'll need a spare just in case. A new compact(G19, G23, G32) or sub-compact (G26, G27, G33) will run you between $450 and $500 typically, but the used market will save you around $100 or more. You might also consider the G30/36 in .45 acp, but they'll cost a little bit more depending on the source. |
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I think Keith's will give the best trade-in. Just tell him how much you want for it and if he thinks he can make $50 on it he will take it. Most places won't come anywhere close to that. Some will offer 60% of what they can later sell it for and that's a big loss for you. Also, the selling price on a new gun at Keith's is only 10% more than he paid to get it in the shop. He has a decent selection of used pistols so you will have more choices too. |
Yeah, I would typically say that .380 is too small for a good defensive gun, but if you can't comfortably carry a larger caliber or can't conceal something larger it's a heck of a lot better than nothing. I carry a Keltec P32 as a backup gun, and sometimes I'll carry it as a primary if I can't conceal anything else due to my attire. It's the gun I carry when I can't carry a gun! ;-) Are you carrying your P3AT in a pocket holster? I considered upgrading to a P3AT, but I really want the slide to lock back on empty. |
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Your probablly going to have to just buy the new gun outright and sell the Ruger FTF in the EE or consignment at a shop. Why don't ya tell me why the Ruger ain't your cup-o-tea? I vote get a Springfield GI 1911, Kieths Sporting Goods sells 'em for $419. That there's a real mans gun! 
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Best gun for you is the one that fits YOUR hand. I carry a Walther P99 because it fits me. Previous to that, I was carrying a HK P7. I switched because the Walther fits me better. I use a Kahr PM9 for when I don't want to be bothered carrying a gun. Best value for your pistol is going to be a personal sale. Keith's, Gunbroker, Crazy Eddies Pawn, ect, will all take a pistol off you hands, but at nowhere near what you can get for a person to person sale. I would only use a store if you have to convert a gun to cash fast. BSW |
I dont like the trigger pull and the over all balance of the gun. For the most part i just cant shoot it as accurately as a glock or a 1911 (i know that they are kinda in another ball park but I can hit stuff pretty good with them). I am thinking of going with a DAO or SA gun, I think that the glock will probably be a good choice, same with an XD from springfield. A local shop has a rock island 1911 for like $400, and i can get a milspec from Springfield for under $500. The XD are in the mid $400 range and i think that i could find a glock right in there as well. A local shop has a beretta 92 and 96 in the 450 range used (i guess i would want to know if these would be a good CCW as they look a little big, but then again when i save some $$ and getta 9mm can i would be set). I already carry my wife's Cheetah 85fs more than she does, but i want a 9mm for the stopping power and the cheetah is a bit to small for my hands. I guess i got 2 things here, I am trying to talk myself into buying a gun (not terribly hard to do other than the $$ factor), and am looking to see what other people have and recommend or would advise me to stay away from. Mainly I dont like my ruger and want to get something else that is more fun for me too shoot and more ergonomic. If it helps, i have a XL sized hand. Just looking for opinions on what is working for other people i guess. BTW sorry for being kinda vague in my first post. Probly should have put a bit more thought or info into it. my bad yo. Dave |
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I say to always try and shoot before you buy. Talk to members here about shooting their's, or go to a place to shoot/Clackamas Co. Public safe and trainging center and rent some. Buy what you shoot best, not what someone else shoots good or thinks is cool. My .02 cents 
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+1 on the Clackamas PFTC. the ONLY downside to that range is the fact you have to buy their ammo.. weach isent even to bad at $10 a Box of 50 9mm.. i went in there paid the range fee and the one time $6 rental fee *they have a good armory there and its $6 to rent as many and any firearm on the wall* go out there and shoot the firearms you are considering.. i found out i aucully started to like the way glocks felt to me after i shot some, just fondling one in the store dident do it justice.. i think over all /w range fee, rental, ammo, target i ended up spending around $40 and shot about 6 differnt firearms.. Only other thing is you need to bring a firearm in with you no matter what.. you check it with the RO when you rent a firearm.. they wont let you walk in firearmless and rent... Jess |
That $40 is money well spent. The things you learn about the weapons, what you learn about your shooting style and what fits you is well worth that, let alone the money you'll save yourself on the re-sale if the gun does not fit you. Baron's den in Eugene is the same way, although I do not beleive thier rental fees are quite as cheap. |
Hey Peta you got AIM  Or anouther Preticular form of IM service?And thats really the whole reason i love that range is the rentel fees, the ROs are killer, and the Range itself is very nice for a Pistol range.. not to mention that membership there is realitvely cheap at around 100 a year, and that Covers all your range fees, Discount on Training thats offerd *pretty desent one as i remember*, And your allowed to bring Centerfire rifles in... all in all i can't say enough good things about it.. |
That right there is some good advice for checking out firearms, when one is unsure of what to buy. |
you too, eh?
| Well I think that i have settled on either a glock 17 or 19. shot both and i dig em. sights line up super easy for me and the 19 seems like i could carry it well. I can also get a model 23 (the mid sized 40cal) for $400 used. Is the slight extra cost of the 40cal ammo worth it? |
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.40 S&W is more powerful than 9mmP, but it has more recoil too. I always found .40s to have a particularly 'snappy' recoil. Shoot both, stick to what you shoot best. You also aren't going to find mil surplus .40 cal ammo anywhere. I'm pretty happy with 9mm, and both my pistols (Walther P99 and Kahr PM9) are available in .40, but I didn't go there. I don't (personally) believe that .40 has significantly better terminal ballistics than 9. I have 2 9mm pistols, that are carried with +P ammo. BSW |
Shoot them both side by side and see if you like the .40. Since you are a big guy, you shouldn't have any trouble with the 23. I'm a big believer of carrying the biggest gun you can shoot and carry comfortably. But make sure you ENJOY shooting it. You'll actually get more practice that way. The cost of the ammo shouldn't be an issue - buy it by the case and use as needed  |
AMEN, everything I've ever done or gotten into, it's a "Time" thing, "you spend more time on that"......etc. This is one she won't win, guranfukingoddamnteed 
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I have a G23 that I've carried for years, and I've recently bought a G19. I tend to be more accurate with the G19, and it definitely has less recoil. In general, all handgun rounds suck for self-defense, so I would feel just as confident with 9mm as I would with .40S&W. |
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I have tried to consolidate my pistols into a couple (few) calibers. I currently carry a Glock 27 or Glock 22, depending on the plans for the day. That means I can buy 40S&W and even use my 15 round mags in the 27, if push comes to shove. During the summer or where I'll be indoors for long periods, I'll carry my Taurus 85CH. My next handgun purchases will be a Glock 35 to fill out the Glock 40S&W thing and then I'll submit to the 1911 45ACP bug. (I've tried to fight it) I agree with the philosophy - find something that fits your hand. If the 45ACP or 40S&W has too much snap for you, step down to the 9mm - if you don't feel comfortable, you won't train and if you don't train, you might as well not carry, cause you ain't going to hit shit. |