quote:

Originally posted by cas:
Where I live, if you shoot someone they come take (or you surrender) everything, so it doesn't matter if was on your belt or in the safe.

Every gun you own?

quote:

Originally posted by 911Boss:
I do. Love my Legions but they are range guns only.

Your comment reminded me of the West Freeway Church of Christ shooting in 2019. The shooter took out two parishioners before the head of the church's volunteer security team ended the threat w/ a single head shot. The hero, Jack Wilson, used a P229 Legion.

Here was the most clear-cut good-shoot SD scenario you could imagine which occurred in a gun-friendly state - TX - and all recorded on video, yet it took nine months before the Grand Jury no billed him. Made me think about how if I'm ever involved in a SD shooting, to be prepared to never get the gun I used back.

Video included at following link:
https://www.sparrowdefense.com...ve-killer-prevention

I stopped carrying the collectibles, on a regular basis, except that we carry P7s, around small children.

+1 for not flying with a collectible/hard to replace gun.

(Though I’ve flown with good rifles, without issue)

Gents,

Cost is not part of the equation. Buy the best/most reliable handgun you can afford and TRAIN with it regularly. Should the need to use it arise consider it money well spent. In fact, I recommend having two handguns that are similar...then if one gets confiscated you're still good to go...

If you like glocks go that route. Sigs, colts, etc., go that way. Get what you want and be happy!

Wes

Wes

I agree 100 %

I am in it to win, I'll get another gun, if needed because mine has been detained for some reason.

I want something that will work when I need it, not a low cost substitute.

quote:

Originally posted by Weshowe:
Gents,

Cost is not part of the equation. Buy the best/most reliable handgun you can afford and TRAIN with it regularly. Should the need to use it arise consider it money well spent. In fact, I recommend having two handguns that are similar...then if one gets confiscated you're still good to go...

If you like glocks go that route. Sigs, colts, etc., go that way. Get what you want and be happy!

Wes

I don't consider the cost. If I was involved in a self defense shooting the cost of my pistol would be among the least of my concerns. Legal fees can get enormous even if you are in the right.

That said for my needs I can't think of anything better than my Glock 19 at any price.

I’m carrying a dwx compact now. It’s not my most expensive pistol but it’s near there.
I shoot very well with it and it feels good in hand. It’s also kind of nice to get away from wmls and optics for a change.
My normal carry guns are glocks or hks so regular priced?

Every gun that I have purchased was intended to be used, not to be tucked away as a collectible trophy. It almost worked out that way. One pistol that I bought for under $600, and carried daily for a few years, has morphed into a "collectible." I no longer carry my P7.

Generally speaking, no I don't. If I was ever forced to use it, a more accurate shot would be better than a less accurate shot, other things being equal. If the more expensive gun gives you a better first shot straight from the holster, smoother manual of arms, better groups etc., then that gun might be a better choice. This doesn't include collector pieces, assuming most of us wouldn't consider carrying a collector piece for SD anyway.

Similar to jaybird's reply above, if I lost an expensive carry gun in a legitimate SD, I'd be more worried about paying for competent defense than the expensive Sig I lost.

No. Then I don't have anything that I would consider overly expensive most of my stuff is around a $1,000 or less.

The ones I shoot best are what I carry cost is not a factor at all.

I will say the cost of ammo is more of a factor or even find it... to practice with and stay current. Hence my 239-40 SW never sees the new 357sig barrel.

Most everything I carry I have $2k+ in.

If I'm in a defensive situation and that $2k+ gun did its job, then we are square. If I get it back at a later time, great, if I don't, well that's all right too.

I carry a Staccato C2 limited w/ comp and Leupold DPP. About $3,900 invested. As it is my work gun, I have it with me a lot of the time. If it is used in a shooting, it would be confiscated and I would get it back as long as I didn't ass anything up. I have a Staccto P that I qualify with too as a back-up.

I know it is a tool, but I prefer to have tool that I can shoot in a match or in shit storm and have absolute confidence in it. When lives depend on it, I want the best gun I can get.

There are more expensive guns, but I like my Staccatos. I have a lot of Smiths, old 3rd gen 9's and 45's, but they are 30-40 years old now. I still carry a couple of them as they are old friends, but My C2 gets most of the work.

The cost I consider with my carry guns are the pros/cons of using them in a SD scenario. In that instance I’d hope that my training has paid off and I’ve been able to protect my loved ones along with myself. All my carry guns have been mid level shooters (albeit sometimes carrying an up charge in this wonderful golden state) mostly CZs, M&Ps, and now a P320 and soon a P365.

I use to have a repeated nightmare, before I was a gun owner, that I’d be in a self defense situation and invariably my handgun malfunctioned. I think that stuck with me as I began my journey into the world of firearms. I don’t buy junk, that pretty much goes without saying for most of us. I have no problem paying for Hk reliability when an M&P would probably still have gotten the job done. Would I go so far as to regularly carry a $3000 Staccato? I’d have to put more thought into it.

Never came to mind. When I was in to 1911s, they we all custom guns from Wilson, Brown, Baer. Zero issues with carrying them.

I got out of them because those things are expensive to maintain. Now all I carry are Gen 5 Glock 17s. Again, zero issues in regards to cost of the firearm.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
I for one would think twice about carrying a really nice expensive firearm on a regular basis.

Sure the better gun will shoot better, look nicer and make me feel good when I pull it out but...

it is a tool in these circumstances not an object of affection.

Additionally, I imagine many also consider what could happen to a collector and/or really nice one such as theft, damage or confiscation if in the event it were ever used.

Not an excuse for carrying a throw-away but in as much as I wouldn't mind carrying a nice P210 carry, DWX or CZ Shadow 2 compact, a killer 1911 commander ~ somehow I don't think I would want to worry about the gun itself.
Priority is to carry the best defense weapon you can and there are plenty of more economical and effective choices.

What say you?
Carry a nice $3-4K plus firearm...regularly?

I edc a Shadow Systems MR920, I actually own two of them. The company has a policy that if you legally defended your self with one of their guns, and it is confiscated as evidence, they will provide you another one, until the original is returned to you. My understanding is they've acted on this policy a few times.

Best,

Dave

Under $500, wouldn't give it a 2nd thought; last few pieces were under $900, I paused but went ahead because they were 1st class quality.

To OP's point:
- Chances of using for real are so low; not a factor for me. Chance of theft is probably biggest risk (Cannot carry into office, Post Office, Bank etc.)

- I have nothing in the collector, scarce realm; so not a factor

- I do consider cost of ammo; say using 5.7 or .380 +P would make practice too tough to swallow

- Above ~$1,200 I could not really afford and would not cary anyway (i.e. I'm sure that $2.5k Wilson Combat 9mm is awesome, but too rich for my blood)

I don’t think of it in terms of cost. I look at it in terms of “ can that pistol be replaced?”. If the answer is “no”, then I won’t carry it. By way of example, I have a 228 that isn’t a terribly expensive pistol, but it has sentimental value, so I want to minimize the risk of losing it.

One is none, two is one, three will see you through...

But who really cares?

If you can afford to CCW a Wilson and it saves your life...ok, buy another one?

If you can't, don't.

Now I wouldn't carry a WWII-issue M1911A1 Government on the street, for two reasons, in this order:

1) Really, there are better guns out there now. Simply in terms of sights, even. And I'm not going to maim a historical relic of variable dollar value but irreplaceable historical value to put Novaks on it.

2) Really, there are better choices for carry, and I'm not going to risk an irreplaceable historical relic to a police evidence locker and/or Benchmade's grinding wheels.

Monetarily, buy and shoot the best practical choice out there (really, just how much better is a $3,500 Wilson than a $1,500 Springfield; how much better is a $5,000 Korth than a $1,000 S&W?) and if you win the shittiest lottery ever by getting in a gunfight, dip into your savings and replace it.

For clarity: I used to carry a P229 Legion, and I had a spare one in the safe. I rotated them - one I beat up in practice, the other I just carried. Flipped every thousand or so rounds.

I now do the same with my P365XLs and M18s, and I can (at LE pricing) just about do those four for the price of those two Legions. And I could afford to do that. Now, I made that choice because 1) the Army went with the P320 and 2) wow does the P365XL give you a LOT of capability and shootability in a very small package...but I could afford to do that.

No consideration to cost whatsoever.
I carry what I shoot best. Currently that is a 2011; a compact 1911 in warmer weather; an LCR when exercising or when I must be discreet.
They all work, and all can be replaced.