So I had this conversation with a co-worker some time ago:
Co-Worker: My gun is a POS.
Me: What do you have?
CW: A (well known brand) compact, 9 mm.
Me: That is a damned decent gun. What’s wrong?
CW: The trigger sucks, it is not accurate. I just hate it.
Me: How many rounds have you put through it?
CW: About 150.
Me: Pardon for asking, what kind of firearms experience do you have?
CW: Well, I haven’t taken any classes.
Me: You know? small guns are for experienced shooters?
CW: Yeah, but I wanted something I could carry.
Me: Get yourself a nice used striker-fired mid-size gun, get lotsa ammo and take a class. And get a lot of trigger time.
CW: I know. But I really want to buy the new 9 mm sub-compact from (well-known brand.) Also I want to get the (well-known Uber Tactical German brand) in .45 ACP but that cost a lot.
Me: About as much or more than an used striker-fired gun, about 300 round and the cost of a class.
CW: Yeah, but it is so cool. Did you know that is the sidearm for (Insert Super Duper Tactical Team name here)?
It took me over a decade of shooting very regularly to be comfortable with a small gun and it was a surprise to me that I could shoot it decently. But even then it took time to figure out how to shoot it well Amazingly, I am more accurate shooting strong-hand only than a two hand stance and that demanded that I had to adapt my way of thinking to it. It was not too hard as I was familiar (but not an expert) with shooting one-handed, but still required work.
If you are new at this shooting thing, get yourself a medium or full size strike-fired pistol, plenty mags, train & practice as much as you can. You don’t have to get rid of your compact, but do not depend on it for life-threatening situation until you have the basics down so pat, you can transition to other makes and models of sidearms with little trouble. One of the things you get to learn after training and lots of practice is the capability to self-diagnose almost immediately what needs to be changed in the way you operate a new gun: From the grip to sight placement to trigger pull and reloads. All of those are easier to learn with a full-sized weapon and then translate to medium and eventually compact and sub-compact guns, but you must not kid yourself thinking that you can do it after 6 months and 200 rounds of ammo at the square range.
And yes, I know that a compact gun is easier to carry and all the other excuses, but we are talking about a life-saving device and its main function is to save you, not accessorize you. I think it was Clint Smith who said that carrying a gun is supposed to be comforting but not necessarily has to be comfortable. A pistol ain’t flip-flops.
I bought a full sized S&W and I still suck. My 7 yard grouping is 5 1/2 to 6 inches. Anything past 7 yards and there is more off paper than on. I’m not buying anything smaller until I can use what I have.
I never even got to use a handgun until I was about 12(my dad’s Colt Python), and I didn’t hit anything with it.
I’m slowly getting better with my S&W 686+ and my M1911A, but if I actually wan to hit something, I pull out a rifle.
Rifle wise, I used to be good. We used spent casings on fence posts at a 100 yards. With a scope and iron sights. Very seldom missed either way. Now I’d have to use the scope to even see the casing at that range.
Joe, you ping out of Texas if I am not mistaken. There has to be plenty of instructors out there. I would ask around, stay away from the “ninja” classes and look for a solid basics class. I am talking somebody who graduated from Gunsite Academy…it might be old school but the basics never die.
Massad Ayoob will be in Texas by Mid October, at least take the MAG 20 Range/Live Fire Course or if you can afford the whole thing, take the MAG 40 that includes Classroom – Armed Citizen’s Rules of Engagement.
http://massadayoobgroup.com/schedule/
Yes sir. Just outside Houston. As for classes, can’t afford. Thank you though.
Check if there is an IDPA club nearby. It is a good way to start and cheap.
I will say that we live in a society that rewards folks for purchases of tangible items. There is NO value to skills. You can’t touch them. You can’t see them, the results, yes, the actual skill. no.
Apparently you are not wisely aware of the fact that all a person now needs is a permit & a gun!
I seem to recall that David killed Goliath with a ,,,,,,,, slingshot & a rock. Well,,,,, it was an Unber TactiKewl model slingshot.
Skills, you can never have enough.
And that’s why when gaming, I tend to prefer fists or small melee weapons.
In high-school the other students used to Marker-Fight. Kind of a knife-duel with dry-erase markers, where both parties tried to mark each other. I only participated in one match, and I entered the fight unarmed. I won.
Preach on, brother.
“If you are new at this shooting thing, get yourself a medium or full size strike-fired pistol, plenty mags, train & practice as much as you can.”
Better yet, an all-steel Full-size .357 Magnum revolver and lots of .38 Wadcutter ammo!
IMHO once you nail down the SA shooting, and then master DA shooting, you’ll have a DAMN good platform for just about any handgun out there.
Plus .357 Revolvers RULE!
No revolvers for beginners IMHO.. bring them with a nice recoiling striker fired 9mm and once they are comfy, then you can progress to revolvers to bring them back to regular size DA/SA pistols and eventually small size guns
AMEN!! Wheel guns rule! Practically the safety trigger you can have on a carry gun.
Yes!
Dead on Miguel, and if they aren’t willing to go practice, they’ll NEVER get better… If I don’t shoot for two weeks, I see a dramatic fall off in my ability… sigh
Roger this. Practice practice practice. Just got out to the range last week after an absence of about 3 months…and I sucked way worse than usual.
[…] Go read this article… […]
And, if you want to carry the thing, a good holster and a good belt.