The Pros & The Cons

I've caught the nasty cold that has been running through our household and, as a result, I can't breathe while in the prone position. So I'm up WAY TOO EARLY this morning and thought I'd make use of the time. As I've previously mentioned I've narrowed my choices for a defensive handgun down to three choices, the Glock 19, Springfield XD(m)-9 3.8 Compact and the Beretta Px-4 Compact. I've already stated my needs in a previous post so I won't revisit that here. I thought I'd lay out the pros and cons for each gun to help me work this out so let's get started!

Often referred to by Glock haters as "firearm tupperware", the Glock has built the most solid reputation for reliability of any other firearms manufacturer in the world. Being in the same size range as the other two competitors in my selection for a EDC weapon, the Glock 19 sits right in between the G17 and G26. The G17 is simply too large for concealed carry and the G26 doesn't have the bullet capacity I'm looking for in a home defense weapon. Honestly, it isn't the prettiest handgun ever designed but I can't ignore it's reputation.

Even with it's sexier appearance, Springfield's XD(m)-9 3.8 Compact is gaining the reputation of being the "new Glock" in reliability. I'm not sure it has yet gained that title as the G19 has had decades of use and abuse in front of it. It is a better looking firearm than the Glock but it's not been put through the rigorous testing and countless hours of use as the G19.

The Beretta Px-4 Compact is the most attractive of the three finalists. There is something about the look of this gun that really stirs me up. And even though it's been available longer than the XDm, it has not gained the attention of the gun-buying public. I can't find many reviews on the Compact version that go beyond initial impressions. However, Beretta isn't exactly a no-name in the firearms industry either. I guess 400+ years of gun building helps to get the word out about you! Their reputation alone keeps the Px-4 Compact in the running with me.

So there you have it. I'd honestly like to buy each of these guns next month but the finances just won't allow it. So I have a decision to make. Do I go with the proven reliability of the G19, the hot 'new kid on the block' XDm-9 or the uber-sexy Px-4? I'm still undecided but if I had to make the decision today, I'd have to fall back on Glock's reliability.

TADA! A Final Decision!

Sorry I've been away. Pressing personal matters have been occupied my time and thoughts. Nothing has changed; I just decided that blogging would be benificial to my intellect and sanity so here I am! Deciding on a carry weapon has plagued me for some time now. Lately I've been tossing the idea of a larger calibered, compact-sized weapon as a carry weapon for some time but that wasn't my original plan.

My initial decision to carry included a small pocket gun. Specifically, I wanted the S&W Bodyguard 380 but as my mind had time to contemplate which firearm would be best for me I turned away from that plan and fell into the "bigger is better", or even more "bigger is necessary", trap. At one point, I was foolishly convinced I could pull off concealed carrying a full size semi-autopistol but, as time went by, I realized it just wouldn't be practical for me to carry a full-sized Glock 17 or Springfield XDm-9. So then I decided on a sub-compact model, either the Glock 26 or Beretta Px-4 SC. I was then convinced that was as small of a gun that would, if necessary, allow me to effectively put a bad guy down.

But today I was listening to episode 138 of the "Handgun World Show" podcast and the host, Bob Mayne, said something that stuck. He was talking about gun/caliber size for concealed carry and commented that the idea that a 380-chambered weapon was laughable, if not dangerous and that you must carry a larger caliber gun was nothing more than 'Internet Rambo junk'. I won't attempt to quote him him here, but he wanted to disspell the notion that a .40+ is required to adequately defend yourself in a gunfight. I thank Mr. Mayne for waking me up and pulling out of that Rambo mentality. Although my primary carry weapon will be a semi-auto (I have fallen madly in love with the Glock 19), I no longer buy into the ridiculous idea that the .380 is unsuitable for personal defense. With today's defense ammunition, although I pray the day never comes that I have to pull my weapon to protect my life or the life of another, a .380 equipped with modern defense ammunition WILL stop an assailant dead in his tracks.

So which weapons have I chosen? For a pocket .380, that, again, is up for debate. Although I am looking at other weapons, I'm seriously looking at Sig's P238. For a compact carry/home defense weapon, I have decided on the Glock 19. I figure it will serve me well in that role and even the IDPA matches I so badly want to get involved with!

Of course, these decisions are subject to change without notice and likely will change by the time I make my purchase.

Sig P238

Glock 19

 

Home Defense Shotgun

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have decided that a single pistol is not adequate as my home defense arsenal by itself. So I've decided to add a tactical shotgun to the mix.

Any defense weapon you choose MUST be reliable, be it a pistol, rifle or shotgun. When the moment comes and you pull that trigger, you want the firearm to go BANG! If it doesn't, you might as well have throw the weapon at the assailant. So I wanted a shotgun that is known to be uber reliable. I chose the Remington 870 Tactical Express pump shotgun as the core of my defense shotgun system. It's renowned recognition as THE shotgun of law enforcement agencies around the country cannot be ignored. That fact was enough reason for me. If it's good enough for people who's lives can depend on them day in and day out then it's good enough for me!

But I'm not going to leave it as is out of the box. I'm going to replace and add a few parts to enhance the weapon's usefulness. First off, the stock with Blackhawk's Specops Stock. Shortening the length of pull up and eliminating most of the recoil from that 12-gauge sounds like the right move to me! I'm also going to replace the forearm with a Surefire forearm with the built-in weapon light and add a shotshell holder from Mesa Tactical along the left side of the receiver. I may replace the sights but I want to try the stock sights first.

So that's it! My choice for a home defense shotgun in the months to come. I'll post photos as soon as possible.