Which handgun do you recommend for EDC?

[Smugs]

Irrelevant if you can't find or can't afford proper SD ammo. And it is marginal at best over 9mmP.

Yes, that's why I carry Eldorado Starfire and Cor-bon ammo.

 

[alanB]

43X grip is just a bit too short for comfort for me. Sig 365 ... why recommend a gun you haven't tried?

Why argue against suggestions when you asked for them?

AFAIK the 43x has the same length grip as the 19, but is slightly thinner.

The Sig 365 seems to have a very good reputation.

So have a look and see what you think.

 

[Foxhound5366]

Why argue against suggestions when you asked for them?

AFAIK the 43x has the same length grip as the 19, but is slightly thinner.

The Sig 365 seems to have a very good reputation.

So have a look and see what you think.

I asked for suggestions and people's experiences of the guns

 

[alanB]

I asked for suggestions and people's experiences of the guns

Which I gave you.

But whatever... seems you didn't want that.

Sorry I wasted my time.

 

[Foxhound5366]

Which I gave you.

But whatever... seems you didn't want that.

Sorry I wasted my time.

You've carried the Sig P365?

 

[alanB]

Hell this is ridiculous!

No I gave you a suggestion.

I'm very sorry I did now.

Next time I will definitely not.

 

[Foxhound5366]

Hell this is ridiculous!

No I gave you a suggestion.

I'm very sorry I did now.

Next time I will definitely not.

Bro, chill your nipples please. We're talking about self-defensive EDC pistols. I'd like to know that the suggestions I'm getting are based on more than "Well I watched this video on the internet this one time." My life will depend on it. Sounds fair right?

 

[PrettigeGert]

My few cents...

Buy a brand with support and spares in SA.
Yes the big brands are reliable, but if you train and shoot regularly you will at some point need spares, it is mechanical, stuff can break.
That pretty much is CZ or Glock at the moment.
Lots of other great brands, but not that easy to find spares, for some impossible.

Buy 9mmP, simply because it is popular and ammunition is easily available and sort of affordable.
Beware the '.40 S&W, .45 ACP, .357 Mag will blow your attacker's head off' stories.
Handguns in all these calibers are not great fight/man stoppers, we carry them because they are effective and can be carried/concealed.

If you intend carrying every day, smaller footprint is better, i.e. G19/CZ P07 or smaller - often people buy one of these as it is seen as the benchmark, only to wish for or buy something smaller later.
Dress code dependant the two above can be concealed easily, or is marginal.

Then...
Get proper training - your proficiency training is not proper training.
Shoot often and improve under simulated stress scenarios.
Buy good self defence ammunition and do not carry the same rounds for years, refresh it regularly.
Carry at least one spare magazine - you might not need the rounds, but magazines are also mechanical and can fail - and you might need the extra rounds anyway.
Plan to buy two - if you are unfortunate to be in a shooting, you might have to be without your gun for a while if it needs to go for forensics, you then need the second one.

Edit: Very often, here too it seems, 'comfort, how does it feel in my hand' seems to be important, as well as looks.
It is a tool, buy the best one you can for the job, learn to use it.
If you are new to guns, the one that 'is comfortable or feels good in the hand' might prove to be the worst one when you learn to shoot properly - a really great Gauteng based instructor with huge hands which makes a G19 look small, and who owns a number of handguns, carries a Glock 43, and he shoots really well with it, better than a LOT of people who have bigger guns which 'feel good in their hands'.

I carry a G19 or G23 when dress code allows it, or a G43 when dress code requires that.
They are ugly, they have holster wear marks, they do not look new, but they are properly fit for purpose.

 

[alanB]

I'm perfectly chilled.

Just maybe do some research on the suggestions you get, provided in good faith, when you ask for them, instead of attacking people taking the time to actually reply to your request!

 

[Hamster]

training - more unimportant than the choice of firearm!

They let anybody carry these days...

 

[PrettigeGert]

This is like asking is the Ocean is full of water...

This depends on you nature.

How active are you regarding firearm usage and maintenance?
EDC is fine. Can you use said firearm when necessary? Will it function when you need it too? Will you service it correctly and frequently?

High stress situational use, Get a Revolver. if it jams just pull trigger again.
Pistol is, Mag out. clear the stored round. Mag in, Chamber. squeeze and bang. I'm lucky Georg made a cycle whereby I can clear the chamber without removing the mag.

Proper untrained ignorance.

Revolvers can and do jam, and when they do, it is normally off the the gun smith, if you are still alive.
To clear a jam in a semi-auto pistol, if you train, as you should, is really very quick, and together with available round count can make all the difference.

 

[Foxhound5366]

My few cents...

Buy a brand with support and spares in SA.
Yes the big brands are reliable, but if you train and shoot regularly you will at some point need spares, it is mechanical, stuff can break.
That pretty much is CZ or Glock at the moment.
Lots of other great brands, but not that easy to find spares, for some impossible.

Buy 9mmP, simply because it is popular and ammunition is easily available and sort of affordable.
Beware the '.40 S&W, .45 ACP, .357 Mag will blow your attacker's head off' stories.
Handguns in all these calibers are not great fight/man stoppers, we carry them because they are effective and can be carried/concealed.

If you intend carrying every day, smaller footprint is better, i.e. G19/CZ P07 or smaller - often people buy one of these as it is seen as the benchmark, only to wish for or buy something smaller later.
Dress code dependant the two above can be concealed easily, or is marginal.

Then...
Get proper training - your proficiency training is not proper training.
Shoot often and improve under simulated stress scenarios.
Buy good self defence ammunition and do not carry the same rounds for years, refresh it regularly.
Carry at least one spare magazine - you might not need the rounds, but magazines are also mechanical and can fail - and you might need the extra rounds anyway.
Plan to buy two - if you are unfortunate to be in a shooting, you might have to be without your gun for a while if it needs to go for forensics, you then need the second one.

Edit: Very often, here too it seems, 'comfort, how does it feel in my hand' seems to be important, as well as looks.
It is a tool, buy the best one you can for the job, learn to use it.
If you are new to guns, the one that 'is comfortable or feels good in the hand' might prove to be the worst one when you learn to shoot properly - a really great Gauteng based instructor with huge hands which makes a G19 look small, and who owns a number of handguns, carries a Glock 43, and he shoots really well with it, better than a LOT of people who have bigger guns which 'feel good in their hands'.

I carry a G19 or G23 when dress code allows it, or a G43 when dress code requires that.
They are ugly, they have holster wear marks, they do not look new, but they are properly fit for purpose.

My question is how do you have three pistols? What sort of licence do you have? Us mere mortals have to pick a single pistol for self-defence and be happy with it. But that's good practical advice!

Who is the largest stockist of CZ pistols in South Africa?

 

[PrettigeGert]

My question is how do you have three pistols? What sort of licence do you have? Us mere mortals have to pick a single pistol for self-defence and be happy with it. But that's good practical advice!

Who is the largest stockist of CZ pistols in South Africa?

Section 13 for SD, and then you can have a Section 15 for occasional sport shooting.

More than that, you will have to look at dedicated sport shooting status which is not really difficult to do via Natshoot.

The above might not be 100% accurate, been a while since I had to read up on this.

Either way, at least get the first one...

 

[PrettigeGert]

My question is how do you have three pistols? What sort of licence do you have? Us mere mortals have to pick a single pistol for self-defence and be happy with it. But that's good practical advice!

Who is the largest stockist of CZ pistols in South Africa?

Hoping someone helps with that info, depends where you live I guess.

 

[Foxhound5366]

The above might not be 100% accurate, been a while since I had to read up on this.

Yeah I figured he was either a bodyguard on a special licence or into sports shooting ... but I didn't know you could buy a stock Glock on a sports shooting licence lol. I thought they needed something fancy at least. For now I'll just get my first and get good at it, which is the general theme on here. Anybody else shot the CZ P07?

One other random question I had: I noticed you can apply for a self-defense licence with a restricted firearm (which implies an auto pistol or semi-auto shotgun I guess) ... with that licence being two years long. Has anyone actually got that right? Seems like a real drag having to renew every two years x.x

 

[PrettigeGert]

Yeah I figured he was either a bodyguard on a special license or into sports shooting ... but I didn't know you could buy a stock Glock on a sports shooting license lol. I thought they needed something fancy at least. For now I'll just get my first and get good at it, which is the general theme on here. Anybody else shot the CZ P07?

There are sporting disciplines for stock standard SD type handguns like CZ P07 and G19.

And the Natshoot dedicated route is rather simple to do, I believe everyone who owns and carries a handgun should shoot much more than that requires in a year.

In my opinion, CZ P07 vs. G19 is much of a muchness, but the P07 has more pointy bits which the G19 does not have, which can impact concealed carry comfort.
I would go smaller than those if EDC was my only purpose.
Also, concealed carry is something to get used to in many ways - proper gun belt and holsters being really important, i.e. your Woolworths belt is not really the best for this, so budget for that too.

One more thing - you will hear and read the 'I want a hammer gun, not striker because it is safer, I trust it more, or whatever other reason' - modern striker fired handguns are as safe as the hammer guns, with fewer pointy bits, so do not make that your deciding factor.

I never tell people to buy a specific brand or model, it remains choice, but have learnt a few things over the years.
I own and shoot Glock, CZ and others and am not aligned to brands, my carry guns are practical tools.

 

[Foxhound5366]

I would go smaller than those if EDC was my only purpose.

Yeah the Glock G43X only has a 10-round mag, while the Glock 19 has a 15-round mag ... that makes a difference, for something you're going to be carrying anyway. People who know what they're talking about claim the Glock 43X is also more snappy with its recoil than the Glock 19, which can be a bit more stable (if held correctly obviously). I don't suppose anyone on here owns a Glock 43X, and can share their experiences of it?

 

[PrettigeGert]

Yeah the Glock G43X only has a 10-round mag, while the Glock 19 has a 15-round mag ... that makes a difference, for something you're going to be carrying anyway. People who know what they're talking about claim the Glock 43X is also more snappy with its recoil than the Glock 19, which can be a bit more stable (if held correctly obviously). I don't suppose anyone on here owns a Glock 43X, and can share their experiences of it?

Yes, but it for some it might be possible to conceal the 43X but not the 19 - in some way regardless of what you buy, it is a compromise at some point.

Yes, G43 will ne more snappy than a G19 with the same ammo, but training and practice can fix that.

Do not own a 43X but have shot one and really like it.
When I got the 43 the 43X was not available, but I think it is a great option.

Try to speak to a few good instructors, not shop assistants, self defence instructors who shoot actively.
Try to shoot a number of guns, but make sure you get instruction in at least getting the fundamentals right when you do, since bad form could lead to the wrong conclusions.
Then look at your requirements and the options and make a call based on the information you gathered.

Good luck and have fun while you do this.

If you have not done proficiency and applied for competency, do that as soon as possible, there is still a lit of time after that to research, test and decide.

 

[Foxhound5366]

Yes, but it for some it might be possible to conceal the 43X but not the 19 - in some way regardless of what you buy, it is a compromise at some point.

Yes, G43 will ne more snappy than a G19 with the same ammo, but training and practice can fix that.

Try to speak to a few good instructors, not shop assistants, self defence instructors who shoot actively.
Try to shoot a number of guns, but make sure you get instruction in at least getting the fundamentals right when you do, since bad form could lead to the wrong conclusions.
Then look at your requirements and the options and make a call based on the information you gathered.

Good luck and have fun while you do this.

If you have not done proficiency and applied for competency, do that as soon as possible, there is still a lit of time after that to research, test and decide.

Yeah you've made me think I need to go back to The Glock Shop in Sandton to do their Glock Experience shoot again: they offer you a range of guns to try out, including head-to-head. Last time I tried the Glock 19, 43X and 17 ... and decided to spend the bulk of my time shooting with the 19. I think I need to try the bulk with the 43X this time around, just to get that balanced experience. That's the only gun shop I've discovered in Gauteng that actually has a shooting experience, which makes it pretty special. Does anyone else know of any other places you can get hands-on time with different guns?

 

[RanzB]

Yeah I figured he was either a bodyguard on a special licence or into sports shooting ... but I didn't know you could buy a stock Glock on a sports shooting licence lol.

You can buy any handgun on any section/across multiple sections as long as you can motivate for the licence.

For Sec 15/16 this means joining a club, and for Sec 16 it also means uploading shoots on a yearly basis (I believe)

Some advice for free - when it comes to guns: one is none, and two is one.