New to the site and guns.

The place for beginners, or anyone else, to talk about gun, gear, and shooting topics with a minimum of jargon and/or geekery. The only stupid question is the one you don't ask that blows up in your face later.
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randy
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Re: New to the site and guns.

Post by randy »

Netpackrat wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 7:43 pm Be sure to run a few boxes of your carry ammo through the gun just to make sure there are no reliability issues.
+1. And don't forget to test it with each of the magazines you will be carrying.
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BDK
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Re: New to the site and guns.

Post by BDK »

OK, and now to suggest something expensive, in a way...

I started working with a new shooter, and given ammo/the Southern heat, etc, had him mostly use a SIRT pistol, and a target. (I want to buy myself one of the IR ones, to keep in Miami)

He's made a great deal of progress, for little money. Its not as fun as shooting, and not quite the same, but if you want to achieve a high level of proficiency - say shooting B or better in USPSA Production - it will be the cheapest way there.
Precision
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Re: New to the site and guns.

Post by Precision »

thefifthscallop wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 2:42 pm So a couple questions about ammo…

1. Which grain weight should I be considering? I’m looking to start purchasing ammo for my CZ, but I’m a little overwhelmed with all the different grain weights.

2. Versatile ammo. What’s going to give me the best home defense, while being a good range round? I figure I really should be practicing with something at least similar to what I would use for home defense?

I really appreciate everyone’s input.
There is no such thing as a good range and SD round. Range rounds are designed to go bang, be moderately accurate and do that inexpensively.
SD rounds need to do the first two, but they also need to expand while retaining structural integrity at the proper velocity. As in for a 9mm, they need to start expanding at say 850 fps. This is tricky because if they expand at, say 500 fps, they will explode at 1150 fps creating a massive looking wound that is only an inch or three deep. If they don't expand until 1200 fps, then you are essential shooting a solid and have much less terminal damage (ice pick wound) and a serious risk of over penetration and damage to others down range.

Go here.

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-d ... tic-tests/

for 9mm https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-d ... tests/#9mm



Look at the options
Pick one that performs well.
I define "well" as staying in the green box (12-18") penetration and (consistent) average expansion to 0.60" or greater.
Don't spend that much more time thinking on it.

I run the 150gr Federal Micro HST, but there are several options that work just great.
On the few choices that I have also tested, my results mirror theirs. anecdote, but they seem to do good testing.

ETA .... and you don't want a projectile that has jacket separation like the Remington 124 gr Golden Saber. Very unpredictable performance with that happening.
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Combat Controller
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Re: New to the site and guns.

Post by Combat Controller »

Try different grip angle too, like on an XD if the Glock doesn't feel right in your hand.
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Netpackrat
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Re: New to the site and guns.

Post by Netpackrat »

On another forum I was on, there was a member who tried literally nearly every make and model of 9mm carry pistol in search of that holy grail that would work best "for him". A bunch of other members got great deals on his hand me down pistols as he progressed through tha various manufacturer's offerings, to the point that it became a running joke. In the end, he wound up basically back where he had started with Glock, except with the Gen 5 flavor.

Couple things in play there I think; one, in comparing modern striker fired pistols of quality manufacture, there's really not a huge advantage to be had between any of them, so he went with availability of magazines and accessories. Second, Glock did a really great job when they came up with the Gen 5. If you look at the specs on paper between it and the previous generations, it doesn't look like it should be that big of a deal, but the total effect ends up being greater than the sum of the changes, which has also been my experience with them. The previous generations of Glock are great pistols too and I have no plans to get rid of any of mine, but with the Gen 5 there really is something worthwhile there.
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