The Right One For You... How to Define It? (Part I
Over the course of over 44 years of shooting and over 30 years of instructing the Combat Arts, I've had many students ask me what's the best weapon or caliber they should select. Although I have sat in classrooms filled to the gills with students asking the same question, I have always refrained from answering this particular question in such a public venue because first and foremost; I'm not a salesperson nor am I receiving any commission for advocating for their product and because of liability issues because if I recommended something and it breaks or they get hurt; it's possible I could be somewhat contributing to a liability suit so I try to avoid it.
With that in mind and that said, I do have my own knowledge base to work with and over the course of three decades of uniformed service in one way or another, I have seen some great weapons and great ideas and observed how a lot of the weapons are poorly made, too meticulous or just a bad idea and this is from my own personal standpoint and I will relay some of my preferences to you; the reader and student of the combat arts.
Have you ever bumped into the shooter whom seemed to have made a decision regarding their personal weapon based on something they've seen on a cop's tool belt, the military or a cool movie? For example; the .44 Desert Eagle that's been gold plated because Demi Moore rocked one in Charlie's Angels? Oh...cop's wear .40's. Oh...the military used the 1911 in .45 ACP M9/Beretta 92 FS 9mm or Germans are known for the best weapons out there? Sure you have. We've all made some decisions based on something we think we know and have sometimes made some poor decisions based on that tidbit of knowledge.
So let's look at two primary things; caliber and weapons platforms and let's define that a bit better. Caliber is the diameter of the bullet you use. It's width and how a FMJ bullet performs versus a defensive round like a hollow point or a expanding jacket. Something that will go into a medium in a small diameter and expand to a larger diameter that will deliver the maximum kinetic energy transfer to our target medium; stopping power.
Weapons platforms; that's what I call them. From a crew served anti-aircraft gun to the smallest mousegun is merely a platform to deliver a projectile from point A to B. Make no mistake. You can call a weapon a gun like the NRA demands of it's training courses but how often does one really put meat on the dinner table with a "gun"? Not often right? There are hunting platforms and then people hunting platforms in a long gun but what about a pistol? Unless you have that Thompson Contender that you hump through the brush to bring meat on the table...it doesn't count. Virtually all handgun platforms are defensive in nature so you can get to the rifle that you shouldn't have left behind. Meaning a hand held platform, meaning a pistol or revolver...99% of them are for destroying and maiming flesh in a possible conflict. Handguns are of a totally different nature because I can't walk the streets around here with my carbine strapped onto me before someone calls the cops to say "That's the Man!". 99% of handguns were made for possible combat and although 99% of those never get used for that purpose rather practice by shooting at targets on a controlled range either static or dynamic.
Let's look at how some folks choose things which personally drives me nuts. The cops all use a .40 S&W Glock 22 right? I know, most agencies have adopted .40's now. Well, they also drive Chevy Impalas or a Ford Explorer or Crown Victoria. Do you own one of those as well? Of course not. I would advocate that a good majority of you selected the right car for you and it's not one of the three listed above.
How about a long gun choice? The military uses the M16/M4 platform so I'll buy an AR 15. OK, if you choose to imitate an entity that buys weapons made by the lowest bidding manufacturer. Or 1911 or M9/Beretta 92 or the new Sig Sauer 230 series? Again, lowest bidder. Want to by a Humvee as well? Or a Abram battletank? Why not? They use them.
Let's keep things in context first; I'm a medically retired cop and I despised what I was issued in the past but I was a patrolman like everyone else once. I used what I was issued and it was tool on my bat utility belt. I was medically retired because I sustained injuries while I was on Active Duty with the US Army for a decade in the Infantry and in the Shadow World. Everything from my original M16A1 then A2, M60's, 1911's, M9's, M240's, M2's, M3 and M249's were all made by the lowest bidder that met milspec requirements. Even in the Shadow World where I was employing H&K MP-5SD2's and other nasty items were all made again...Yep you guessed it. The lowest bidder. Just because I learned how to drive numerous armored vehicles doesn't mean I want a M113A3 or M2 Bradley in my garage. They too were made by the lowest bidder and lemme tell you something; that snippet goes through your mind when you're jumping from a plane. Your parachute was also made by a lowest bidder. What all this means is that no matter what you see or have experienced before may not be the right one you need. I wrote NEED versus WANT.
We're civilians now. Some of us, like myself have been taught more advanced skills but we're among you other folks. This is why some of you read my posts or go to my classes is because you want some of that knowledge base that I have. We are all in the same category. Civilians with a choice and granted, some of us make some very bad life decisions from selecting a spouse to the weapon on your hip. We have a choice in comparison to agencies that have to work within a budget. As a free citizen in a red state that issues concealed carry licenses, we have to utilize our options by selecting the best one for you not based on innuendos, myths, legends or what you've heard or been told.
Do you really know? Or are you just winging it and guessing? Because when it comes to the handgun you depend on with your life you may not survive long enough to rectify that bad decision because it may be a contributing factor when it comes to your own demise by a formidable opponent that knows. Ignorance will kill you and others just as easily as complacency and many of you out there have heard me say this in class; There are few second chances with a firearm. The liabilities are just too great.
Just chew on that for now. If you've had second doubts about the caliber and platform you've already selected then the "Aha" light comes on. Perhaps you've already exercised a bad option. One shouldn't have to second guess a piece of equipment that they depend on with their lives. Don't you think?
Think about that for the time being. I will write more shortly regarding the two main factors; caliber and platform soon.
With that in mind and that said, I do have my own knowledge base to work with and over the course of three decades of uniformed service in one way or another, I have seen some great weapons and great ideas and observed how a lot of the weapons are poorly made, too meticulous or just a bad idea and this is from my own personal standpoint and I will relay some of my preferences to you; the reader and student of the combat arts.
Have you ever bumped into the shooter whom seemed to have made a decision regarding their personal weapon based on something they've seen on a cop's tool belt, the military or a cool movie? For example; the .44 Desert Eagle that's been gold plated because Demi Moore rocked one in Charlie's Angels? Oh...cop's wear .40's. Oh...the military used the 1911 in .45 ACP M9/Beretta 92 FS 9mm or Germans are known for the best weapons out there? Sure you have. We've all made some decisions based on something we think we know and have sometimes made some poor decisions based on that tidbit of knowledge.
So let's look at two primary things; caliber and weapons platforms and let's define that a bit better. Caliber is the diameter of the bullet you use. It's width and how a FMJ bullet performs versus a defensive round like a hollow point or a expanding jacket. Something that will go into a medium in a small diameter and expand to a larger diameter that will deliver the maximum kinetic energy transfer to our target medium; stopping power.
Weapons platforms; that's what I call them. From a crew served anti-aircraft gun to the smallest mousegun is merely a platform to deliver a projectile from point A to B. Make no mistake. You can call a weapon a gun like the NRA demands of it's training courses but how often does one really put meat on the dinner table with a "gun"? Not often right? There are hunting platforms and then people hunting platforms in a long gun but what about a pistol? Unless you have that Thompson Contender that you hump through the brush to bring meat on the table...it doesn't count. Virtually all handgun platforms are defensive in nature so you can get to the rifle that you shouldn't have left behind. Meaning a hand held platform, meaning a pistol or revolver...99% of them are for destroying and maiming flesh in a possible conflict. Handguns are of a totally different nature because I can't walk the streets around here with my carbine strapped onto me before someone calls the cops to say "That's the Man!". 99% of handguns were made for possible combat and although 99% of those never get used for that purpose rather practice by shooting at targets on a controlled range either static or dynamic.
Let's look at how some folks choose things which personally drives me nuts. The cops all use a .40 S&W Glock 22 right? I know, most agencies have adopted .40's now. Well, they also drive Chevy Impalas or a Ford Explorer or Crown Victoria. Do you own one of those as well? Of course not. I would advocate that a good majority of you selected the right car for you and it's not one of the three listed above.
How about a long gun choice? The military uses the M16/M4 platform so I'll buy an AR 15. OK, if you choose to imitate an entity that buys weapons made by the lowest bidding manufacturer. Or 1911 or M9/Beretta 92 or the new Sig Sauer 230 series? Again, lowest bidder. Want to by a Humvee as well? Or a Abram battletank? Why not? They use them.
Let's keep things in context first; I'm a medically retired cop and I despised what I was issued in the past but I was a patrolman like everyone else once. I used what I was issued and it was tool on my bat utility belt. I was medically retired because I sustained injuries while I was on Active Duty with the US Army for a decade in the Infantry and in the Shadow World. Everything from my original M16A1 then A2, M60's, 1911's, M9's, M240's, M2's, M3 and M249's were all made by the lowest bidder that met milspec requirements. Even in the Shadow World where I was employing H&K MP-5SD2's and other nasty items were all made again...Yep you guessed it. The lowest bidder. Just because I learned how to drive numerous armored vehicles doesn't mean I want a M113A3 or M2 Bradley in my garage. They too were made by the lowest bidder and lemme tell you something; that snippet goes through your mind when you're jumping from a plane. Your parachute was also made by a lowest bidder. What all this means is that no matter what you see or have experienced before may not be the right one you need. I wrote NEED versus WANT.
We're civilians now. Some of us, like myself have been taught more advanced skills but we're among you other folks. This is why some of you read my posts or go to my classes is because you want some of that knowledge base that I have. We are all in the same category. Civilians with a choice and granted, some of us make some very bad life decisions from selecting a spouse to the weapon on your hip. We have a choice in comparison to agencies that have to work within a budget. As a free citizen in a red state that issues concealed carry licenses, we have to utilize our options by selecting the best one for you not based on innuendos, myths, legends or what you've heard or been told.
Do you really know? Or are you just winging it and guessing? Because when it comes to the handgun you depend on with your life you may not survive long enough to rectify that bad decision because it may be a contributing factor when it comes to your own demise by a formidable opponent that knows. Ignorance will kill you and others just as easily as complacency and many of you out there have heard me say this in class; There are few second chances with a firearm. The liabilities are just too great.
Just chew on that for now. If you've had second doubts about the caliber and platform you've already selected then the "Aha" light comes on. Perhaps you've already exercised a bad option. One shouldn't have to second guess a piece of equipment that they depend on with their lives. Don't you think?
Think about that for the time being. I will write more shortly regarding the two main factors; caliber and platform soon.
7 years ago