Handguns: How small is too small and how light is too light?

Agree with you 100% on this. Question however. Given the choice between running and cowering under the table counting the dried up pieces of gum stuck on the underside do you take or leave the Orange Julius.
Me, I'm in the "hide under the table" school and will wait until he closes distance before opening up-unless i am REAL close to a door. A headshot at an active shooter from 25 yards while pooping my pants is something that I do not train for. I will leave that to Gecko45

Perhaps you can exercise verbal judo and offer to buy the shooter one of his own, "Orange or Bannana Strawberry sir?" :)
 
My issued sidearm at my current job is a Glock 23, which I hate with a passion. The grip is simply too small and I often find myself inadvertently engaging the slide stop if I'm not very aware of my hand position. We're supposed to be replacing them with G19s, something that can't happen soon enough in my opinion.

Won't you have the same problem with the G19?
 
That's a nice world of circular logic you're living in, on planet false equivalency. But hey, you do you bro.

More specific?

Anyone who recommends I take a 30 yard shot in a food court shouldn't be throwing rocks.
 
More specific?

Anyone who recommends I take a 30 yard shot in a food court shouldn't be throwing rocks.

Please show me where i recommended any course of action, to you or anyone else. I simply related my personal approach. I'm not the least bit concerned with how you approach life, or anything related to it. Thank you for reminding me why i usually refrain from discussing tactics and actual shooting skills on this forum.
 
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Went through a dozen EDC's before 'finding' the 365. No other weapon offerred as good a combo of compact carry comfort, round count, and manageable recoil. With that said, if just running local chores or on the daily bike or walk, an LCP improved gen 1 will be in one pocket, a spare mag in the other. Almost too small, it works well enough.
 
I could handle it.....

...for defense, but I have a mod 38 that is really light but it is PAINFUL to practice with. If I HAD to I could shoot it all day, but it's not something I'd have fun doing. I put some grips on it so I at least don't have to use morphine.
 
I think that it was "Gunny Highway's" fellow Marine from the conflict in Korea that said it in "Heartbreak Ridge": it must be nice knowing when and where you are going to get attacked!

None of us have an inkling of when or where we may find ourselves needing our carry guns, but if we did, we'd be someplace else! To limit our training and practice to bad breath distances is doing ourselves and our loved ones a disservice. What is the harm behind trying a magazine at 25 or 50 yards after firing away at 7 yards?

I trained as a rifleman for over 50 years, but I have dabbled with pistols. I have (and still do) shoot NRA 2700 matches, as well as PPC, IHMSA out to 200 meters.

My point is, you never know when you will have to depend on your pistol. If it depended on any of us, we would opt to not find ourselves in a defensive situation, therefore we are totally dependent upon fate. Remember, the ideal combat location is sitting at home in your recliner watching TV! How many practice two-handed, strong hand, and weak handed shooting? How many practice from unconventional positions? Remember, in a self-defense scenario, we are initially on the defensive until we get a handle on the situation.
 
Too small for me is...

Semi-autos...
1) Pinkie doesn't wrap around the bottom of the grip (or extended magazine)
2) Strong-hand thumb doesn't reach the slide release

Revolvers...
All strong-hand fingers don't get on/around the grip
 
What's the best size shoes? It depends, feet vary widely, as do hands.
TOO light and/or TOO small is totally subjective and the answer is an individual thing.
I have medium sized hands, BUT my fingers are short and fat (size 12 wedding band).
The P365 fits me PERFECTLY. I can shoot almost anything, because my hands are also quite strong.
But the short front to back dimension of the P365 just works for my short stubby sausage fingers.
As for weight, the P365 shoots like a much heavier gun. I won't say it is soft shooting, but it is a lot softer shooting than the other compact 9's I've shot - and I've shot and carried quite a few, including models from Taurus, Ruger, S&W, and Sig.
 
I think that it was "Gunny Highway's" fellow Marine from the conflict in Korea that said it in "Heartbreak Ridge": it must be nice knowing when and where you are going to get attacked!

None of us have an inkling of when or where we may find ourselves needing our carry guns, but if we did, we'd be someplace else! To limit our training and practice to bad breath distances is doing ourselves and our loved ones a disservice. What is the harm behind trying a magazine at 25 or 50 yards after firing away at 7 yards?

I trained as a rifleman for over 50 years, but I have dabbled with pistols. I have (and still do) shoot NRA 2700 matches, as well as PPC, IHMSA out to 200 meters.

My point is, you never know when you will have to depend on your pistol. If it depended on any of us, we would opt to not find ourselves in a defensive situation, therefore we are totally dependent upon fate. Remember, the ideal combat location is sitting at home in your recliner watching TV! How many practice two-handed, strong hand, and weak handed shooting? How many practice from unconventional positions? Remember, in a self-defense scenario, we are initially on the defensive until we get a handle on the situation.

You make a very good point about shooting at distance, but for many that only shoot up very close, they would quickly become discouraged shooting at 25 or 50 yards. You learn a lot about consistent shooting technique at 25 yards because you are forced to learn if you want to hit the target, something you needn't worry about up close.

I find it best to practice Bullseye style, strong hand, single-action at 25 and 50 yards to help me improve my shooting whether I'm using a revolver or semi-auto. It's very easy to revert back to two-handed, Weaver stance style shooting at any time and you'll have no urge to fire single-action when you do. At least, that's what I've found. An added benefit is that your closeup shooting will also improve, even if you already thought you did pretty well at 5 or 15 yards.
 
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Perhaps you can exercise verbal judo and offer to buy the shooter one of his own, "Orange or Bannana Strawberry sir?" :)
Nope. Like I said, I'm gonna hide and try to sneak away. First priority is to save MY backside. If I can acomplish that by hiding or slinking away rather than shooting the guy, then that is what I'm gonna do. Mainly because I don't have, nor do I intend to make that much time available for training. Got other things to do. Plus, I've lived a good life, the kids are raised and momma is set up-although I'd rather not, if I die so be it. At this stage life is wayyyy too short for obsessively fantasizing over what I need to do to prepare for a 25 yard food court head shot in a shooter situation. Other than not going to food courts in malls to begin with ;).
 
It's nice to have so many choices, and be able to adapt for varying situations. The only firearm that is too small for me is one that is not reliable enough to fulfill it's purpose.
 
I just watched the Maltese Falcon for the umpteenth time, and always enjoy the contrast between the gunsel's 1911s, and Sydney Greenstreet's .25 acp, looks like maybe a Browning 1905, have i got that right? that little vest pocket piece. If I started wearing vest, I might look for one of those.
 
I just watched the Maltese Falcon for the umpteenth time, and always enjoy the contrast between the gunsel's 1911s, and Sydney Greenstreet's .25 acp, looks like maybe a Browning 1905, have i got that right? that little vest pocket piece. If I started wearing vest, I might look for one of those.

As a fan of the movie, I was curious and checked IMFDB. They don't mention Greenstreet's gun, but according to them Cairo's was a Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket .25.

Colt1908pocket.jpg


Maltese Falcon, The (1941) - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games

It's been several years since I've seen the movie, so I can't remember details like that.
 
Smaller is IMO not better, easier yes, but stick somebody in a fire fight and let them use their "little" gun. Yes something is better than nothing!

Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it, whatever is what I always get, well whatever me when you empty you 10 round micro and you've got nothing left but the Frisby of micro whatever your carrying....

Mind you this is of my own opinions, I EDC what some carry on duty with back up mags and I hope to God I never have to use one bullet out of the dang thing...

You can carry anything larger or small as long as your "kit" is correct for you carry what you fight(Train) with the best..

My smallest would be my 19 snub or my G43x with 15+1 can't go wrong there....
 
Smaller is IMO not better, easier yes, but stick somebody in a fire fight and let them use their "little" gun. Yes something is better than nothing!

Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it, whatever is what I always get, well whatever me when you empty you 10 round micro and you've got nothing left but the Frisby of micro whatever your carrying....

Mind you this is of my own opinions, I EDC what some carry on duty with back up mags and I hope to God I never have to use one bullet out of the dang thing...

You can carry anything larger or small as long as your "kit" is correct for you carry what you fight(Train) with the best..

My smallest would be my 19 snub or my G43x with 15+1 can't go wrong there....
Huh?

I carry my P365 (micro 9) with 11 in the gun and at least a 12 round spare mag.

I figure if I can't come out on top with 23 rounds, then having your 31 (16 in the gun + 15 in a spare mag) probably wouldn't help much.
 
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