HOW TO CHOOSE THE “RIGHT” HANDGUN
From time to time, I ask my new clients to explain the reasoning behind their “self-defense” style handgun purchases. There is no common answer. People purchasing their first handguns do so for a multitude of reasons ranging from “This one looks cool!” to “My friend has guns and he said this is a good one.” A good percentage of these “first purchases” find their way back into retailers at a loss to the consumer, find permanent homes in the back of the gun safe, or get traded. This breaks down to loss of the consumers hard earned money. That is something most of us would like to avoid given the current economic downturn.
At my store, I very rarely see a “first purchase” walk back in the door. I attribute this to the fitting checklist I have developed over the years. The checklist is nothing more than a few questions that help narrow down the choices. The most important criteria in a defensive handgun, is the fit of the handgun to the hand. If the handgun is not a good fit, it is less likely that you will hit your mark while under pressure.
If the finger doesn’t meet the trigger correctly it will cause misalignment during trigger pull (refer to the NRA diagnostic target). I always start by asking to see the clients’ hand. Contrary to popular belief, a big hand doesn’t equal a big gun. Long fingers can mean a larger diameter grip, but only if they are skinny. Thick fingers typically need a thinner platform (think 1911 single stack). Size and shape of the hand may also give some insight on strength/physical limitations. If there is a strength issue it may eliminate certain firearms. Will they be able to rack the slide, pull a heavy double action trigger, or just hold on to the thing? A handgun that is too small will be misaligned when pulling the trigger just like one that is too large. Is their hand so large that the slide will cut it while cycling? Will they inadvertently bump the magazine release during recoil? If there are physical limitations to consider, there are ways to tune most platforms to be useable to a wider variety of people. Custom treatments such as grip frame reductions, trigger guard undercutting, barrel porting, trigger jobs, or even just installing new grips can have a huge impact for the shooter allowing for a wider variety of platforms to choose from. After determining grip size, I move on to other size considerations: barrel length/caliber.
Over the last few years, most manufacturers have started offering several grip frame/barrel length combinations in a wide variety of chamberings. You can find small, medium, and large handguns in everything from .22 to .50cal. The most recent trend involves super compact lightweight platforms. These packages seem like a good idea to most novice shooters because they are small. I like to bring up the scene in “Men in Black” where Will Smiths’ character shoots the tiny little “cricket” and it blows him back several yards. This is of course an exaggeration, but it gets my point across. The smaller the barrel length used for a given round, the more perceived recoil for the shooter. For example, a short barreled 9mm “kicks harder” than a long barreled 9mm. At this point it is also wise to determine the method of carry and try to use the longest barrel possible for several reasons, such as; longer sight radius, higher velocity, and less felt recoil. If recoil is an issue and a longer barrel/barrel porting is not an option, move to a smaller caliber. This brings us to one of the greatest of all handgun debates.
What caliber is the “best” for self defense? I am of the opinion that there is one caliber that is head and shoulders above all others for the purposes of self defense. The caliber you happen to have on you when you are in need. The 22lr in your pocket is far superior to the 45ACP in your gun safe at home. I for one will take a small caliber handgun over a sharp stick and a rock any day. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to pack my 38super race gun every day. Unfortunately, it hurts my back. Never mind that I would have to wear a jacket or big shirt constantly to conceal it. I also have physical limitations that keep me from carrying the uber tiny mouse guns chambered for medium to large cartridges that drop so nicely into my pocket. So my needs, as do the needs of most, fall somewhere in the middle. Somewhere in the middle is a good description of my budgetary restraints as well.
You really do get what you pay for. Even if you are on a shoestring budget, there is still a wide variety of adequate platforms to choose from. I try to lead clients away from the cheap, pot metal handguns that will surely break. I liken these types of handguns to disposable lighters. Best case scenario, you can use them till the “go” is gone and throw it away. Hopefully, you will be lucky enough that it doesn’t quit on you when you need it most or hurt you when it does fail (I’ve seen it happen first-hand). I think it a far better idea to purchase a surplus handgun instead. Surplus pistols of Czech, Hungarian, and Romanian origin can be had in good working order for around $200 and up. Also helping to cut costs is the fact that many surplus handguns come with amenities such as holsters, extra magazines, and cleaning kits. Not typically considered “sexy” or refined, they are pretty much the “AK-47s” of the handgun world; inexpensive to produce while staying extremely reliable. I hope my tips are of some help to you as you search for a handgun that fits your hand, your lifestyle and your wallet.
Sam Hatfield
