Ever realize your favorite gun is not the best gun for you?

Have you ever wanted to stick with a particular gun, but then found that another weapon suits you much better? If so, have you stuck with the gun you prefer, or the one that you shoot more accurately?

I'm a huge j-frame fan. I have a several 60's, several 640's, a 637 and a 642. You'll also note from my posts I carry a j-frame (640 or 642) most of the time.

However, I have some auto loaders - a Browning Hi-Power Standard and a CZ 75D PCR. Try as I might, my point shooting accuracy with a j-frame cannot match the accuracy with the CZ 75D PCR. The CZ just fits my hand and points naturally. The j-frame also feels just as nice. But with the CZ at 5 and 7 yards I can do the "2 to the chest/1 to the head" drill all day long. With the J-frame the drill is really a "two to the torso, and try one for the head." Sometimes I land the latter shot, other times I give the target a hair cut or take out an ear, or just plain miss the head shot.

I was at the range today (after a 2+ month absence) and the difference in my accuracy between my 640 and my CZ was striking. I can practice more with the j-frame, I suppose, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me if I am inherently more accurate with my CZ. Why not develop on a platform that seems so natural to me? So, after my trip to the range today, I've decided that the CZ will be my primary carry. When I need to pocket carry or need to carry with deep concealment, it will be the j-frame, otherwise the CZ will be there.

It's a bit of a disappointment, in a way. But, on the other hand, it's my life and the life of my loved ones that I need to protect.


(On the brighter side, this will give me an excuse to purchase a Sig 229, and some other auto loaders. 2013 may be expensive.)

Yes!

My Ruger LCP was great for carrying concealed. Anything other than that, I felt it lacked. I went ahead and got a Glock 27 for many reasons. While the G27 is easy to carry concealed, it isn't the same to carry as my LCP was. That was a trade off I was willing to do for more firepower both caliber and capacity wise.

I carried a custom 1911 for years - just switched to a Glock 21 SF. The 1911 was/is my favorite gun. But heavy, steel, and not very comfortable to carry. With the Glock I have more capacity (13+1 w/ 17 rd reload) compared to the 1911 (8+1 w/ 2 10 rd reloads) and it's lighter weight, and easier to conceal. Easier to find holsters for. Cheaper to replace if need be. Both guns are easy for me to shoot - so not really a factor. Small DAOs are tough to shoot well.

Austin

I guess I have so many "favorites" that I may not have come across that same problem.

But seriously, once you get past that first gun, the one that was your only gun, I think you start to "specialize." You grab that J-frame and throw it in your pocket because your clothing or your destination make the full-size gun impractical. You get involved in shooting games and you dedicate one gun just for that. And on it goes...

There was a lengthy thread here about 9 months ago about the carry "rotation" and what it meant to the individual reader. Some folks got their knickers in a wad about having just one gun so that the muscle memory doesn't get confused among different guns, others ranted about having just one 'platform' (got this a lot from the Glock fans), and some were just fine with a whole range of guns.

The bottom line is that there will almost always be one gun that just makes those bullets land where your mind tells them to, one you shoot head-and-antlers better than the rest. It's a happy coincidence if that's the one that's with you most of the time, but if it isn't, you just practice and gain competence with the ones you do carry. And it sounds like that's exactly what you're doing.

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Originally Posted by PEF

I was at the range today (after a 2+ month absence) and the difference in my accuracy between my 640 and my CZ was striking. I can practice more with the j-frame, I suppose, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me if I am inherently more accurate with my CZ. Why not develop on a platform that seems so natural to me? So, after my trip to the range today, I've decided that the CZ will be my primary carry. When I need to pocket carry or need to carry with deep concealment, it will be the j-frame, otherwise the CZ will be there.

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I agree .... if the CZ is the one you shoot best naturally, it would be the one to carry.
I'm the opposite, I'm better with my revolver than most of my semi-autos except one. I love revovlers and have shot them a lot more, so that may be the reason... but the "natural" part ... is one aspect of it. But, it's not a big big diffence, enough though it is definitely noticeable. So, I do tend to carry the semi's due to capacity. The one semi that I'm just as good or better with above all of them, is a pita to carry for me..... so I don't.... feel that's a shame.

I love owning J-Frame Smith & Wessons and have toted them off and on for a number of years but I can't do my best work with them. Oh, I'm sure they'd be much improved if I'd take advantage of any of a number of superior aftermarket grips. Problem with the kinds of grips that make the J-Frame more shootable for me is that they make the J-Frame less concealable which is the J-Frame's reason for being. I dislike both bulky grips and rubber grips so that leaves factory panels with a T-Grip as the best option for my purposes.

"When I need to pocket carry or need to carry with deep concealment, it will be the j-frame, otherwise the CZ will be there.

It's a bit of a disappointment, in a way."

Nah...don't be disappointed. You're recognizing the sterling worth of the J-Frame when you keep it for just such applications. J-Frames are best for up close and personal. J-Frames have been oversold to a great extend over the years. Of course this is just one opinion.

Yep, I got my CZ p-01 as my first informed gun purchase. Planned on it being my EDC and THE gun for me for the rest of my life! Well carried it awhile at 1 o'clock about a month and finally had to admit to myself it was a little heavy and bulky for me. I hated to admit it, the grip is such a sweet mold to my hand and the thing is a real joy to shoot, and it was so easy to be pretty accurate even for my noob self at the time. But that big decocker lever and hammer were just plain uncomfortable to appendix carry, and it was on the heavier side. And I found myself drawn to the idea of the same trigger pull every time. But I ended up with a glock for EDC and its been very easy to see why these are so commonly carried by so many people, but I still have a sweet spot for my P-01.

Yes.

I carried a 1911 for years with no problem. Then I had children and that weight just wasn't for my anymore. I'm loving my Glock 19 and 26 as replacements.

My S&W 4006 is the gun I shoot best. It's way too big for concealed carry. so I use asmaller gun.

Yup. My HK45. Still my favorite and I shoot it well, but my G19 and my XDm compacts are what I carry now. That HK is a tank and too much to IWB carry.

Unless a person does a lot of shooting, it is hard to match the accuracy of a semi, with a DA revolver. Not saying it can't be done, but takes a lot of practice.

SIGs are my favorites.

But I shoot my Glocks a bit better.

My favorite (& most accurate with) is my Kimber Super Carry Custom HD, followed closely by my Sig P226. Because I have to deep CC, both are impractical. For EDC, it's either the M&P 40C or Sig P238, depending on what I'm wearing. To my way of thinking, in a SD situation, I won't need to keyhole at 25 yards...a 2" group center thorax will do just fine.

The best gun for you is a reliable one that you will carry.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PEF

I'm a huge j-frame fan. I have a several 60's, several 640's, a 637 and a 642. You'll also note from my posts I carry a j-frame (640 or 642) most of the time.

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The original poster, who carries J frame snubbies, has trouble shooting them as well as his compact to full size semiautos. I can sympathize, as I have a 642 and it is very difficult to shoot well. The gun is lightweight (15 ounces) with a 10 pound trigger pull, 2 inch barrel and minimal sights. When you pull the trigger the gun moves easily off target.

He could certainly improve his accuracy by going to the larger semiauto, but there might be another solution. In addition to my J frames, I also have snubbie revolvers in K frame and L frame size. These guns are much heavier than the J frames (32 to 34 ounces) and have excellent adjustable sights with very smooth DA triggers. I find that I can shoot these K and L frame snubbies as well as a typical semiauto, in either double or single action fire. They just don't move much when I pull the trigger, and my groups at 30 to 40 feet are as good as I can achieve with most semiautos. And these K and L frame snubbies conceal rather well in belt carry because of their rounded shape compared to semiautos.

The original poster could stick with revolvers by simply buying a larger model snubbie and possibly achieve the same accuracy as his semiautos. I would recommend the S&W models 19, 66 or 686.

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