What some clueful instructors carry as their defensive firearm

[BAM-BAM]

Special Missions Unit. Delta, Seal Team 6, MARSOC are the ones brought up most frequently. Most likely there are others that don't get talked about.

Special Missions Unit...good lord... is that like giving everybody a beret so they don't feel left out?

Come on; everyone has a special mission...... even the cooks!!!

Keeping the troops fed!!

 

[rwsmith]

How many people have?

Take into consideration that most of these instructors have never actually been in a armed confrontation, what kind of experience is that to draw from?

Aside from Law Enforcement and military, how many people HAVE had armed confrontations? I don't base anything on one data group. But these groups as well as the instructors mentioned here have worthwhile ideas on what is best. Add to that my own experience of shooting the most powerful gun I can shoot reliably and effectively and voila, I have a pretty good idea of what my carry gun should be. If I'm good with a nine, I might be able to carry a .40 with some practice or going the other way a .38 revolver would be close enough to my 'ideal' carry to be effective. There aren't any magic bullets, so whatever has adequate power that you can handle well will be a good carry gun. The main thing is being able to shoot it well.

 

[Ziggy2525]

Special Missions Unit...good lord... is that like giving everybody a beret so they don't feel left out?

Come on; everyone has a special mission...... even the cooks!!!

Keeping the troops fed!!

Don’t think I ever saw a cook carry a weapon. Hadn’t heard of cooks referred to as a SMU. I’ll take your word for it.

 

[CalmerThanYou]

I have never understood what makes Glocks so polarizing. To me they are just an option amidst many good choices.

 

[rwsmith]

Don't knock......

Don't knock the Springfield XD. My son has one and everything about it feels not only good, but right.

The S&W 9c isn't a favorite for me. I prefer the Shield.

Another slight exception would be adding XTPs to the mix, but my first choices are the HSTs and Gold Dots.

This video didn't do anything to change my mind about anything. It didn't have any surprises for me.

 

[Ozark Marine]

Don’t think I ever saw a cook carry a weapon. Hadn’t heard of cooks referred to as a SMU. I’ll take your word for it.

Where were you at Ziggy?
I'm USMC 1969-73, and I have seen cooks, mechanics and all the other non SMU's carry and use weapons as good or better than SMU's.

 

[ShivasIrons]

I had the opportunity at one point in my life to receive training from a number of the most well thought of trainers. Some of them are household names and others are guys people have never heard of. Some of the best were the guys that no one had heard of because they had been there and done that for a variety of police and government agencies.

The best lesson I learned from one of them was to get good with a gun that you carry all the time. Not sometimes, or with the right clothes, or if you need a specific belt or holster etc... You carry it all the time. Walkin the dog, taking out the trash etc... The G19 with two mags of Gee Whiz Death ray hollowpoints does not do a dang thing for you sitting on your dresser. As for me, a J frame Airweight and a can of gas are my problem solvers of choice.

 

[Bamabred]

I have never understood what makes Glocks so polarizing. To me they are just an option amidst many good choices.

I can answer that. It's probably the same thing that makes most inanimate objects polarizing - fanboys. Whenever someone says "It just works" (or a variation thereof) they create a hater. I own many brands of pistol except Glock and they all work. Even my Taurus works (I did have light primer strikes on a Ruger LCR 22Mag once)

Glock has a great track record, so I see why people trust them. But fanboys bring out the contrarian in others.

 

[Rastoff]

My reply wasn't addressing whether the officers, agents or military personnel selected the firearm. It was simply to demonstrate by sheer numbers and volume of guns out there in the hands of folks working with them daily, year in and year out, that they work.

Yes, but this just goes to my point more. Sure, police carry their guns every day, but they rarely use them. In fact, I'm sure I use my gun far more than the average police officer. So, they are not really a good benchmark for use.

By the way, this is not a guess, but based on my personal experience. I know several police officers. Actually, I talk to many throughout the year. None of them shoot their duty piece more than a couple hundred rounds a year. This is not what I consider a good example of use when considering reliability.

 

[blues7]

Yes, but this just goes to my point more. Sure, police carry their guns every day, but they rarely use them. In fact, I'm sure I use my gun far more than the average police officer. So, they are not really a good benchmark for use.

By the way, this is not a guess, but based on my personal experience. I know several police officers. Actually, I talk to many throughout the year. None of them shoot their duty piece more than a couple hundred rounds a year. This is not what I consider a good example of use when considering reliability.

C'mon, Doug...you seem to be intentionally missing the point.
How many departments and sworn personnel are carrying these guns across the United States? How many rounds downrange? How many rounds are sent downrange by the FBI and various federal agencies across the nation? How many SRT / SWAT teams are training and using the gun? How many police involved shootings have involved Glocks?

I'm sorry that you or anyone else thinks I'm trying to defend Glock. They don't need me to defend them. I have no vested interest in the company or their products other than having had a few decades of reliable service. Nor did S&W need me to defend them when I carried their revolvers or autos daily. Nor Colt for that matter.

Sorry my comments come across as cryptic. I'm gonna cut bait at this juncture as any further discussion on my part seems pointless.

 

[CalmerThanYou]

Hey Bamabred, I kind of get that, but on the other hand I am a fan of all the firearms I own, because I did a lot of research, put in great consideration and tested them if possible before purchase.

 

[rwsmith]

Another good benchmark.......

I don't know how many or what kind of competition there is where carry type guns are used, but if there is, they should have a lot to say about the reliability of certain guns. Especially if the contest is timed or if other types of pressure are put on the competitors.

I don't know if anybody has collected data of misfeeds, misfires, miseverthing else concerning the guns, but it sure would be useful to have such knowledge. Right now I would settle for data on just the Shield, Glock and the 9c.

 

[Fastbolt]

...

Didn't the Army think the best pistol ended up being one that ND'd when it was dropped just right from waist height?

If what I was reading elsewhere was correct, the P320 model submitted for Army testing had already received the "revision" now being done to the approx (claimed) 500,000 P320's that had already been sold, prior to the Army testing.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

Before anyone starts claiming that police departments picked the Glock because it was the best choice needs to understand the offer that Glock made to departments nationwide. Essentially, they offered them free guns for swapping out whatever they were using.

I’m not saying Glocks aren’t good guns. They just don’t fit my hands. My officers all carry Glock 22s. I am the only one in my office carrying something else, and it’s a 4 inch S&W Model 686-6. I shoot the same qualification course required by CLEET in our state, and they haven’t outshot me yet. My back-up is a Model 642-2, and off duty I generally carry 1963 vintage 2 inch Model 12-2 round butt.

When I retire next year, no one in my office will be allowed to carry anything but the Glock 22.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bigwheelzip]

Interesting to see where the OP's disjointed video premise leads.

Advice for people asking, who know nothing about CC choices, has no correlation to choices of "Rangemasters" who should be knowledgeable and proficient with anything likely to be found at the range.

Before I bought my first gun, I had a miserable time trying to operate my SIL's service Glock. I'm able to shoot it well now, but at the time I hated it.

As has been stated on this forum repeatedly, beginners should choose what appeals to them.

 

[Smoke]

Take into consideration that most of these instructors have never actually been in a armed confrontation, what kind of experience is that to draw from?

I agree BUT I am going to give them this, they probably see more rounds through more guns than most cops will and they must have some idea of what fails the most in their classes and what fails the least.

I carry a Glock 19. It's not bone stock but the only upgrade I've added was OEM steel rear sight.

 

[Smoke]

I can answer that. It's probably the same thing that makes most inanimate objects polarizing - fanboys. Whenever someone says "It just works" (or a variation thereof) they create a hater. I own many brands of pistol except Glock and they all work. Even my Taurus works (I did have light primer strikes on a Ruger LCR 22Mag once)

Glock has a great track record, so I see why people trust them. But fanboys bring out the contrarian in others.

In just a few minutes, a Glock fanboy will come by and post a link to a test where a Glock was put in a blender filled with Drano, sulfuric acid, Coca-Cola, piranha, and 2 pounds of industrial diamonds. A CAT D8 bulldozer was then dropped on it from 1000 feet. The owner picked up the Glock, chambered a 155mm HE round, hit a post-it note at 917 miles, and then proceeded to run 726,761 rounds of Wolf ammo coated with Gorilla Glue with no failures. "

 

[zeke]

My goodness, it is the guy in someones closet with draped up background videos , again. This past year actually bought 2 glocks, just to see what all the fuss was about. G19 and G42. Love the old man sights and reliability. However with the g19 I still can't get the very first shot where I want it at 25 yards. Mainly my lack of training with it, too used to sa, and own too many differing types of triggers.

If most of my shooting was done with a glock, think it would be a great pick. For me, the trigger is tough to get used to.

 

[BAM-BAM]

A Glock is a good option for many people........ but there are other good choices out there....... Berettas Sigs H&K and Smith Gen 3s and M&P..........maybe even an old fashion, outdated antique revolver!!!!!!

Pick what's right for you....... IIRC Wild Bill Hickok a popular "gunfighter" of his day; stuck with his 36 caliber cap and ball revolvers....... till the day he died in 1876..... several years after that new fangled Colt .45 SAA cartridge revolver was adopted by the SMU of the time..... the US Cavalry!!!!!!

My 3913NL and PC Shorty 9 have served me well since the early 1990s......fact is they are such good guns I've never had to use them off the range!!!!!!!! Was an NRA Pistol/rifle instructor, shot PPC,USPSA and IDPA over about 25 years.......... but never rose to the level of a self appointed 'Rangemaster", wore a Beret or a member of a super secret.........SMU.

Riddle me this: Do SMU have special MOSs?????

Everyone has a MOS mission speciality..... so I guess everyone is "Special"!!!!! Hence the need for everyone to have a Beret!

 

[jay72]

FWIW, Jerry Miculek carries a 340PD.