Thursday, March 13, 2014

What's In Your Holster?

As many of you know, I am a gun owner, shooter and avid defender of a liberal interpretation of the Second Amendment to the Constitution.  Okay, take a breath.  In this context liberal is not a reference to a political ideology.  Rather it means I believe the intent of the amendment should be interpreted and applied in the broadest manner; every law abiding citizen, with the mental capacity to do so, should be allowed to exercise their natural right to “keep and bear arms”.  If your personal philosophy leads you to a different conclusion, that is perfectly your right. You’re wrong, but you have every right to be.

But this post is not intended to be a venue for debate of Constitutional issues.  My intent is to give over a brief primer on the selection of a personal firearm.  At this juncture, I would like to offer mine bona fides.  I have been a shooter since I was an eighteen year-old college student.  My first exposure to firearms was in a basic firearms class; part of the required curriculum for Criminology (now known as Criminal Justice Administration) majors.  My first acquisition of a personal firearm coincided with my acceptance into the Advanced Firearms class, which was the home of the school’s pistol team.  I have shot and owned a variety of handguns and long guns since then; having never been without a firearm since.

I have carried and used firearms for recreation, sport, personal protection and professional need.  While I do not consider myself a collector, I do own a small arsenal of about two dozen guns.  Yes, Tinker Belle, they are locked securely in a safe.  When I was a young man, my enthusiasm for firearms often led me to fantasize about owning one of everything ever made.  But with age comes economic wisdom and financial reality.  The number of guns I own today is limited more by the size of my safe than any other single constraint; I’m lucky that way.  But I digress.

In my lifetime, I have handled a wide variety of firearms types.  I have sent thousands and thousands of rounds down range.  It has been a point with me to keep reasonably current on design trends.  I am lucky to be part of a community that freely shares information and experiences on the subject.  Am I an expert?  No.  But except for a few readers of this blog, I am one of the most knowledgeable individuals you know.  And I am willing to share some thoughts on how to select a firearm.


The first step, and one that many enthusiasts completely overlook, is to define your purpose.  What are your firearm needs?  If you are looking to a single purpose gun, say home defense, you may direct your attention to a very small pool of possibilities and easily find the gun to best suit your needs.  If you want one handgun to protect hearth and home and also carry for personal protection away from home; your parameters have shifted the focus to a different set of candidates.  Add field carry for protection against animals; you will want to look at a whole new population of weapons.

There are other considerations: Are you young and strong or old and feeble?  Are you a weight lifter or a marathon runner?  Are you male or female?  Do you want to spend a little or a lot?  Given time, and a bunch of monkeys with typewriters, I could probably come up with an infinite list of questions (Et tu, Brute?) to answer before you truly know your needs.

But I don’t have the typing stamina.  You don’t have the time.  And I harbor an aversion to the lesser primates.

Oft times, when discussion steers to the question of, “What gun is right for me?”  The next question is, “What do you carry?”  And the best answer is, “It doesn’t matter.”  And that’s because our disparate needs are so far apart, that I don’t want my prejudice to lead you down a false path.  But the trick to finding the right gun is to shop like you are buying underwear.  What makes you the most comfortable?  If you are uncomfortable, you won’t be happy.  But unlike BVDs, a gun is a pricey purchase and one you don’t want to make hastily.

If you are considering a gun purchase, I would take the used car approach; test drive a bunch until you find something you like.  Mastering the firearm technique is athletic in its nature.  It takes practice to get good at it and if you don’t like your gun you will not practice.  In San Diego, we are blessed to have a very good privately operated public shooting range that offers a large and eclectic inventory of firearms you can rent.  They will take the time to answer your questions and familiarize you with the features of any gun you wish to try.  I think you would have a better experience if you enlist the help of someone you know who has shooting experience.  Just be careful not to let them apply undue influence by overlaying their preferences on your selection.

Now I could load you up here with a bunch of esoterica about gun types, manufacturers, ammunition performance, shooting technique and favorite ice cream flavors.  But it would just overwhelm you and not get you a whit closer to an informed decision.

I think that’s about it.  If I try to provide anymore advice, it will color your decision and I want to avoid that.  If you have specific questions, you can e-mail me and I will be happy to give you the best answer I can.  Also, if you are interested in visiting the range I described above, I will provide the name, location and other important information by e-mail also.  Now, get out there and shoot!

So then; you ask, “What type of gun should I buy?”  To which I respond, “Go back to the top of this posting and re-read it until you understand.”


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