MyE28.com

UPDATE:
So, I've started looking at 10mm pistols and the nicer Kimber 1911s. I guess I'm going to go all out and try to get the nicest, most potent gun that I can for the money. The 10mm are interesting, but I'm curious if they are as accurate as they are "hot".

As far as the XDs 9 is concerned, I still haven't shot it, but sent my wife to the CCW course with it "cold". I got her familiar with the gun (she usually shoots a p22), then sent her with the neighbor's wife and another Marine. They were going to have to qualify with 10 shots, and she hasn't shot in a while, so I packed 20 rounds and wished her luck. She outshot BOTH of them and only needed the 10 rounds! (Both of the others needed to shoot again) No major complaints about the gun from her besides it being "loud".
I'll try to take it out for a drive this week.

Finally got a chance to shoot today.
Shot the XDs 9, it was glorious. Very accurate and smooth as butter. The 45 is the same but for the barrel, and is VERY snappy, but this 9 is just perfect. Small, manageable, returns to center very easily, and just a wonderful gun to mess around with. I shot almost a whole box of 100 through it, then brought out my trusty XD40 for a box of 50. After shooting the 9, it was rather abrupt and obviously kicked a little more. I mean, the XD is my "old faithful", but I honestly wanted to shoot the 9 some more. Once more I am reminded that the XD needs a trigger kit. Badly.

Instead, I rented a Kimber Custom II 1911. Boy was that gun smooth. Like velvet. The trigger was perfect, it almost felt like I was just squeezing the gun rather than actually pulling my trigger finger back. That was a VERY pleasant feeling. And accurate!! Whooo!! I was plinking around on a 'deck of cards' target, (5yds) and my buddy challenged me to do a royal flush and hit the corner suit symbols. (Smaller than your pinky nail) I told him nah, I don't think I'm that good and just shot the letters of a royal flush. That went well, so i picked a card and knocked those corner symbols out. It took 6 shots to get all 4, but DAMN.
I don't know who I'm kidding, I may go up a model or two, but i'm getting the best Kimber 1911 I can find. Done.
My friend jokingly suggested a Wilson Combat, I honestly didn't know what that was. So, after we finished shooting, I wandered around in the store, and there it was, in the case with the expensive ORIGINAL Colt 1911s and the like. THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS??!!?? Jeez man, that thing better clean itself! I had no idea, but I guess now I'll look for an opportunity to shoot one someday. I don't think I could ever outshoot the kind of Kimber that I want to get, but that WC makes me wonder. What the hell is in that thing to warrant that kind of price? Maybe I'll find out.

ldsbeaker wrote:Instead, I rented a Kimber Custom II 1911. Boy was that gun smooth. Like velvet. The trigger was perfect, it almost felt like I was just squeezing the gun rather than actually pulling my trigger finger back. That was a VERY pleasant feeling. And accurate!! Whooo!! I was plinking around on a 'deck of cards' target, (5yds) and my buddy challenged me to do a royal flush and hit the corner suit symbols. (Smaller than your pinky nail) I told him nah, I don't think I'm that good and just shot the letters of a royal flush. That went well, so i picked a card and knocked those corner symbols out. It took 6 shots to get all 4, but DAMN.
I don't know who I'm kidding, I may go up a model or two, but i'm getting the best Kimber 1911 I can find. Done.
My friend jokingly suggested a Wilson Combat, I honestly didn't know what that was. So, after we finished shooting, I wandered around in the store, and there it was, in the case with the expensive ORIGINAL Colt 1911s and the like. THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS??!!?? Jeez man, that thing better clean itself! I had no idea, but I guess now I'll look for an opportunity to shoot one someday. I don't think I could ever outshoot the kind of Kimber that I want to get, but that WC makes me wonder. What the hell is in that thing to warrant that kind of price? Maybe I'll find out.

Before I'd consider any Kimber 1911, I'd have my LGS order me a pistol from S & W's Performance Center. My personal choice would be the Scandium framed Round Butt 1911. Your getting the equivilent of a $2500+ pistol for a little over $1500.

Rich

I have an SA TRP full size. It has been modified a bit. All internal MIM parts have been professionally replaced with tool steel. Has a professional trigger job that breaks like a glass rod. Converted to non-ambi safety. Switched to GI mainspring plug in order to be able to field strip without a tool. Never had a FTF. Just this week I got rid of the S&A magwell and installed a Guncrafter main spring housing. I also had the stock magwell beveled and added beveled VZ grips. I like the more basic configuration.

I like how that one looks a lot. Maybe my priorities are all messed up, but i sure do like a good looking gun. My friend has one of those. He loves it. I like the feel of it in my hand (that front and back strap texture is pretty fun), but I'll tell you all right up front: I have no use for a safety designed like that.
Maybe I haven't been shooting long enough. The grip safety is fine for me. I've heard some really ugly stories and yes, I do have toddlers in the house. But my normal routine/how I treat guns makes all of that a non-issue.
The only safety that's mildly easy to use and intuitive is the one on my service issued 9mm Beretta. (As I'm swinging up from an "alert" to "fire" position, my thumb can flip it off and get out of the way) Or the grip and trigger ones that SA uses on their plastic guns that I like so much. I guess I can see how sweeping DOWN with the thumb can be "safer and more intuitive", I just don't have the practice to make that a smooth motion yet.
I feel sorry for the service guys who had to make the switch from the 1911 to the Beretta 9mm.

Speaking of switches and going slightly off topic; when I came in the Marines, we used iron sights to aim on our M16A2s. I've always been a decent shot with the rifle, too, but I got promoted out of the normal yearly rifle qualification. Earlier this year, I was cleaning my pistol and my Marines had just gotten off the bus from the rifle range. Since the last time I fired, they've gone to an M4 or M16A4 with a 4x scope. (ACOG) The weapon looked foreign to me, so I decided to damn the regs and get on the next range. (Every Marine is a Rifleman) Everyone told me conflicting stories. Either you would really suck because you were used to iron sights, or you'd be awesome. I was amazingly awesome and got the best score out of our 70+ range detail. Honestly, it's still "magic" to me, and it felt like cheating, but those are the rules...
I keep hoping someday I can shoot a PERFECT rifle and pistol score. Now that would be some pretty awesome bragging rights.

Why do they keep me behind a desk?!?

Understand the safety concerns. I don't carry but if I did, it would be a Glock 19 or 26. The 1911 is just for fun.

I don't have issues with safeties in general, except the crossbolt variety, I will say I'm not a fan of the M9 safety. I abhor slide mounted safeties. As a side note, I think the US military screwed up when they choose the Beretta. The platforms presented by Sig Sauer and HK were far better choices. Obviously cost was the deciding factor. The switch to 9mm was another monumental screw up, since the military is only allowed to use FMJ.

About safeties, I have an old school Beretta M70S, resembles a Walther PPK, but SA. It has a very light sub 4 pound trigger, and the safety detent doesn't hold the safety firmly in the Safe position. Handling this weapon requires extreme care, and trigger finger discipline. The finger stays outside the trigger guard until on target and ready to shoot. I don't carry in often in condition 1, but when I do, it's in a holster with a thumb break, the strap locates between the hammer and firing pin.

I currently alternate between 3 pistols for CC, a Sig P239 Tactical, HK45C, and the XDs in .45 ACP. All three have different fire control systems, yet I don't have issues switching. between the three.

Rich Euro M5 wrote:I currently alternate between 3 pistols for CC, a Sig P239 Tactical, HK45C, and the XDs in .45 ACP. All three have different fire control systems, yet I don't have issues switching. between the three.

Rich, that is awesome. You have great taste in weapons. Obviously I am quite the newbie.

Re: The Beretta. I wholeheartedly agree with you. I am used to it, and it is the pistol I learned with. As I have branched out to better weapons, I realize how compromised the military M9s are. At this point, they are all shot out, and quite loose. I am thinking more and more about buying one and setting it up properly so I can qualify with it.

Rich does have good taste...

I picked up a slightly loved Kimber Pro Carry II today for about 1/2 price. (List about $1500) So that gives me 3 1911's to play with (all .45 ACP) Two Kimbers and a Sig.

Still loving the Sig the best, but the carry Kimbers' are ok for my needs and price range.

I haven't had any issues carrying my Colt New Agent.

I took it to the last training class and thought I was going to bomb never shooting with trench sights before.

Double tap drawing from conceal at about 8 feet (I'm on the left) Right before this, I had put maybe 20 rounds through this pistol. During the course of that day, my NA and I became close friends.

M. Holtmeier wrote:I haven't had any issues carrying my Colt New Agent.

The secret to comfortable CC is a good gun belt and holster. I recently had a side conversation at a recent R/C Club meeting about gun stuff with another member, and CC came up. I asked him if he thought I was carrying, he said if I was, no way he could tell. I confirmed to him, I was carrying. Now this is in Houston, in the summer, I'm wearing cargo shorts and a Tee-shirt, with an HK45C tucked away at the 4 o'clock position. FWIW: My carry rig consists of a D.M Bullard 1.5" gunbelt, and a Milt Sparks VM-II holster.

M. Holtmeier wrote:

I wouldn't want to be a bad guy facing you. Nice Shooting.

Held and caressed a Springfield TRP Operator today. *drool*

$1600!!!

ldsbeaker wrote:Held and caressed a Springfield TRP Operator today. *drool*

$1600!!!

That's a fantastic pistol. I still kick myself for not scoring one a while back that I could have gotten for a great price.

As Rich mentioned, for those new to CC, the key is a good holster and belt. Good gear makes an amazing difference in all day comfort and concealability.

Back from the dead!

Lol. I only caressed that TRP Operator for a very short time. I totally bought it. Then I had to leave it at home while I went on my "business trip". Anyway, I LOVE this gun. Full size, sexy, bull barrel so it fires REAL smooth, the trigger is VERY nice (Squeeze your hand and it goes off), and it has adjustable sights. Love CC'ing it, and since I'm such a big dude, not too hard to hide.

I've been looking for another gun, though... I usually know it when I see it...

A friend of mine got out of the Marines a few years ago and now runs guns in NoVA... he's the one that turned me on to the TRP Operator. Well, he posted about another gun and said he LOVES it. All of the press and reviews agree, so I'm on the hunt.
Sig Sauer P226 Legion SAO 9mm

Any owners/experience?

Or, if you really want wood:



About 20K rounds and still going strong:

^^^ P7's get too hot.

L_N_Love wrote:^^^ P7's get too hot.

The solution to that is easy: Bring more than one gun to the range and trade off.

The fact they get hot does not impact their performance as a carry/service weapon. The thin profile, safety of the squeeze cocker, and almost perfect natural point of aim (for me) makes the P7 an IWB ideal carry weapon.

Daughter brought an XDS .45 home the other day. I haven't fired it but it did feel like a toy in my hand(pinkie hanging). She's very happy with it.

^^ that trigger, doe...
looks like some kind of "tickler".... for ze wimmens, yes?

Semi-related... I shot the XDM 9mm with threaded barrel. Very lightweight (polymer), but not as tight as some of the guns that I have gotten used to. The cool thing about it was that the sights were SUPER tall. This thing is meant to have the suppressor on it. It kinda looks like you might be battling that if those are your targets from that gun in the background.

I did end up buying the P226 Legion SAO. What a sick gun. Very tight, smooth, and I don't have to do ANYTHING to it but load it up and rock and roll. I mean... Double Tap City, for real. I go through ammo SO quick.
... and accurate!
The ONLY catch us how big it is. It's a full size gun for real. Not exactly a CCW problem for ME, per se...
I really hope they expand the Legion SAO line to some other calibers soon....

I have a 92A1, its a nice metal frame duty pistol. I figured if I was only going to buy one, buy one that can be run over by a truck, is in a cheap to shoot caliber and would be easy to find parts for. It "works", but its far from very enjoyable to shoot.

I shot my gf's father's 70s colt commander in .45, and it was the most enjoyable pistol I've ever shot. Something about the slow, strong kick of the round just felt really right. it was like it was giving me a handshake every time. shooting at 4" steel targets from like 15 yards in a rapid .75 to 1 seconds between and I think I missed like 3 out of 21. I swore I'd get one one day. Then MD changed their laws and sadly I cant be bothered to get with the new licensing scheme. Also, i'd rather spend the grand on my bike tbh.

I am sorry that MD hates freedom so much. I do know some peeps in MD who are gun nuts, but I don't know how they do it.
Regarding the Beretta, I have NEVER understood why many people (in the armed forces, particularly) dislike it so much. Is it a heavy, clunky, not so sexy firearm? Sure. But for a mass produced gun, it is the most accurate thing I have shot with such high "mileage". Seriously, they get dropped, abused, cleaned only when necessary... and STILL perform.
(Also, when you run out of ammo, it makes an excellent cudgel/blunt force trauma tool!)
It is also VERY easy to operate. Having been a marksmanship instructor for so many years in the Marines, I was spoiled by this gun and this was the first pistol that many people were taught to shoot with.
It served me well in all conditions to include competition.


Now. There are many people who will say that it couldn't hold a candle to its' predecessor, the 1911. Sadly, it was before my time. But I LOVELOVELOVE my 1911, and look forward to shooting it every time I pick it up. There were some compromises with that gun, too. Of chief concern was the size of the magazine.
(ALSO a great cudgel/blunt force trauma tool!)

Now I hear tell that they want to replace the M9 with a Sig Sauer. (P320, unknown caliber) I'm not necessarily AGAINST change, but I'm completely turned off by the hoops that have to be jumped through for this kind of thing to move forward. The fact that it's JUST the Army moving on the new gun is disappointing, but sadly, predictable.
It's a "Modular" platform. My chief concern is how well it works as... you guessed it, a cudgel.

I could go on and on. The punch line, is that I plan to purchase an M9 or two when they fall out of service. I carried the damn thing around for so many years, frankly I'm fully kitted out for it already. Just add GUN.
I'll probably have to wait quite a while... the USMC will likely snap up the half million or so M9s that the Army shitcans, and use them for ANOTHER 35 years!

ldsbeaker wrote:^^ that trigger, doe...
looks like some kind of "tickler".... for ze wimmens, yes?

Semi-related... I shot the XDM 9mm with threaded barrel. Very lightweight (polymer), but not as tight as some of the guns that I have gotten used to. The cool thing about it was that the sights were SUPER tall. This thing is meant to have the suppressor on it. It kinda looks like you might be battling that if those are your targets from that gun in the background.

I did end up buying the P226 Legion SAO. What a sick gun. Very tight, smooth, and I don't have to do ANYTHING to it but load it up and rock and roll. I mean... Double Tap City, for real. I go through ammo SO quick.
... and accurate!
The ONLY catch us how big it is. It's a full size gun for real. Not exactly a CCW problem for ME, per se...
I really hope they expand the Legion SAO line to some other calibers soon....

That's a standard P228 trigger. See last pic in post above for my other P228.

My 'suppressed' P228 has tall sights:


This is a police surplus West German SigSauer P228 purchased from Arms Unlmited (via Gunbroker; deal found in r/gundeals) in 2016.

It was in Good condition with rusty grips screws, worn grip, and clear signs of carry use. BBL was in good condition. Came with 3 mags: Two original West German mags with slight surface rust and one later mfg (no saw-tooth welds on back). Also came with a OWB, police style nylon holster, worn with some rust on buttons.

I sent to Sig to have Sig tall sights installed, slide re-finished, and SRT installed. Also purchased Sig factory threaded barrel from Sig.
Hogue grips. The can is an AAC Ti-Rant 45M suppressor with 9mm ASAP adapter.

When the suppressor is on the HK45C the sight picture is occluded by the can. But it's not that big of a deal.