UPDATED I've Decided To Stop Rotating My Carry Guns.

[Smoke]

This topic came up on another forum and I posted the following. I wanted to post it here as well because I think it's a good summation.

I've been jumped a couple of times in the course of my job. Both times it happened faster than I had time to prepare for. Both times there was a moment of panic while my body was adjusting to my endocrine system dumping adrenalin into my blood stream while my heart rate was going from 60 to 160+ beats a minute and all my fine motor skills were going away.

I know exactly what that moment feels like and I can tell you from experience the fewer things that I have to consider (which gun am I carrying and where is it) during that moment the better off I am.

Someone already said it but in that situation variables are bad. By definition if I'm in a self defense situation I'm already behind the curve. Every step I have to take to prepare to and defend myself is an opportunity for Murphy to rear his ugly head. Every step or decision that I can eliminate increases the odds in my favor.

When I decided to limit myself to two (essentially) identical guns I actually made two changes at once.

I had originally decided that I was going to limit my carry choices to third generation Smith and Wessons. Then one morning I went through some shoot and move training with a S&W 6906 that I had been carrying for years and I made a mistake that would have got me killed in a real gun fight.

I engaged the first target and then (as I had been trained) decocked the weapon while moving from one set of targets to the next. The problem was I forgot to flip the safety back off in the heat of the moment and found my self trying to fire at the next set of targets and not knowing why my gun wouldn't shoot. It wasn't till the second time I did a tap rack and roll that I figured it out.

As another person in this thread has said, I decided then and there that I was never going to carry a gun that had any other controls than a trigger and a magazine release for self defense ever again. I don't care if the mistake was nothing more than a stupid brain fart and I don't care if it only happed once. It only has to happen once in a fight to get me killed.

The result of those two decisions was that I only carry one of two guns and I only carry them in one place and only in one way. And the guns that I carry don't have any extraneous controls on them.

I'm not saying anyone else has to do it that way, I'm just telling you what works for me.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I just kinda grab whatever's handy at the moment. I've got some favorites, but I don't spend a ton of time weighing options.

 

[vito]

Using this same thinking had me limit my carry guns to j-frame revolvers in pocket holsters. But in truth, my accuracy with a 2-inch j-frame is not good, especially with my 642 and its minimal sights. So mostly I go back and forth from my 640 with CT laser, or my Ruger LC9s with excellent sights and a great trigger. I guess there is a chance that by not sticking to one platform I will "forget" which gun I have at a given time and might try to fire the semi with the safety engaged, or might expend 5 rounds too quickly while thinking I have another three rounds available (in the Ruger), but I guess I will have to take that chance for now. Maybe at some time in the future I will just pick one of these two guns and make it my only carry gun but I'm not there yet.

 

[recurve]

I rotate between a 42 glock and a 26 glock depending on how I'm dressed and where I'm going. Same type of weapon so this works for me.

 

[Will Carry]

My goal is to be able to effectively use "Any pistol. Any time." I carry six different handguns or more. Not all at once! My pants wouldn't stay up. These are my concealed carry handguns and a practice with all of them frequently. I do have my favorites. Like my Model 36 3" and my Ruger LC9s, Glock 19, Sig P-238, XD-45 and Colt 1991. Wait a minute? They are all my favorite!

 

[John R]

I have three carry guns, I always carry my 40 compact, in the odd chance I don't have the compact I'll carry my 40 Shield.
When I work I carry a 442 in an ankle holster.
Looking to find a holster that fits on my vest so I can carry the Shield under my shirt.

 

[Brian41]

I've carried different types of guns over the years but decided to simplify things and carry a DAO Model 37 in my pocket. On occasion it might get replaced with a 36 with bobbed hammer or my 49. All function the same.
At times I'll add a 1911 in a belt holster but being so different a mode of carry and gun I adapt to that well.
I'm older now and set in my ways and these seem to work for me.

 

[Smoke]

I just kinda grab whatever's handy at the moment. I've got some favorites, but I don't spend a ton of time weighing options.

Neither do I if it's not cold enough for a coat I grab my M&P. If it is cold enough for a coat I stick my Shield in my pocket and roll

 

[hittman77]

It makes better sense to me to concentrate on becoming totally familiar with this one gun than to try to master 2 or three different guns.

Thoughts?

I agree with you.

 

[forrestinmathews]

Let's play a game on our next range outing. Load one of your carry guns and put it on the table. Sit down and read a book or magazine until you are relaxed. Have someone else give a random start signal and engage a target seven yards away with three hits. Keep track of which gun you fumble with least. Carry that one.

Glocks, M&P's and double action revolvers are least fumble prone for me. 1911's have been fumbled. Single action revolvers also fumbled. These systems are solid when you shoot them regularly. When I was competing regularly, I'd have no trouble cocking the revolver without fail or hitting that safety. Those things I do when awake. I can manipulate a trigger without external safeties pretty well all the time. I'll go with that.

 

[GWK4667]

This topic came up on another forum and I posted the following. I wanted to post it here as well because I think it's a good summation.

I've been jumped a couple of times in the course of my job. Both times it happened faster than I had time to prepare for. Both times there was a moment of panic while my body was adjusting to my endocrine system dumping adrenalin into my blood stream while my heart rate was going from 60 to 160+ beats a minute and all my fine motor skills were going away.

I know exactly what that moment feels like and I can tell you from experience the fewer things that I have to consider (which gun am I carrying and where is it) during that moment the better off I am.

Someone already said it but in that situation variables are bad. By definition if I'm in a self defense situation I'm already behind the curve. Every step I have to take to prepare to and defend myself is an opportunity for Murphy to rear his ugly head. Every step or decision that I can eliminate increases the odds in my favor.

When I decided to limit myself to two (essentially) identical guns I actually made two changes at once.

I had originally decided that I was going to limit my carry choices to third generation Smith and Wessons. Then one morning I went through some shoot and move training with a S&W 6906 that I had been carrying for years and I made a mistake that would have got me killed in a real gun fight.

I engaged the first target and then (as I had been trained) decocked the weapon while moving from one set of targets to the next. The problem was I forgot to flip the safety back off in the heat of the moment and found my self trying to fire at the next set of targets and not knowing why my gun wouldn't shoot. It wasn't till the second time I did a tap rack and roll that I figured it out.

As another person in this thread has said, I decided then and there that I was never going to carry a gun that had any other controls than a trigger and a magazine release for self defense ever again. I don't care if the mistake was nothing more than a stupid brain fart and I don't care if it only happed once. It only has to happen once in a fight to get me killed.

The result of those two decisions was that I only carry one of two guns and I only carry them in one place and only in one way. And the guns that I carry don't have any extraneous controls on them.

I'm not saying anyone else has to do it that way, I'm just telling you what works for me.

It still goes back to training - - - train with the 6906 until you are comfortable with it. Do not rely on something you have not trained with until it becomes second nature.

I carry a 6906 from waking till bedtime 7 days a week. I carried a model 60 for about 30 years - - - then a bodyguard 380 for several years till I acquired several 6906s that were FBI trade ins - - - my duty weapon is a 5906 so the 6906 makes sense to me.

 

[Old cop]

I've never believed it was wise to rotate guns unless their operating platform was exactly alike, similar to small J frame revolvers.

 

[CO_Kid]

I agree that it's a good idea, if the carry guns operate differently. I have two carry guns, one for when I'm not wearing a coat, and one that is for when I'm wearing a coat.

Both are S&W revolvers. Both have the same manual of arms. both reload the same (speed strips). I like the longer barrel for the added "oomph".

If your carry guns are a revolver and a 1911, you might run into problems because they are so different.