New pistol purchase

[JLS]

I recently got the green light from the boss to purchase a new pistol. The primary use for this pistol is:

1. Carry pistol when traveling, camping, etc.
2. Small enough to take mountain biking, etc.
3. Not so small it’s difficult for my wife to shoot

I pretty much narrowed it down to a few different options. I wanted it to be easy to carry in different states without worrying about magazine restrictions, so 10 round capacity was the most I could really look at and not run into difficulties.

I chose 9mm for a chambering.

Guns I looked at and shot:

Sig P365: Great little gun. I really liked it, and if this pistol’s sole purpose was a pocket/concealed gun I think the Sig is very hard to beat. It’s a nice trigger. The little gun is snappy in a 9mm, which is to be expected. Very nice…

Glock 43: Again, very nice gun. It to is very snappy in 9mm. It’s a little larger than the P365, which wasn’t a concern because of how I intended to use it.

Glock 43X: Ditto the above. The extra magazine capacity is nice, and it’s more comfortable to hold and shoot because of that BUT you also make it a little harder to conceal if that’s your jam.

Glock 48: This was the nicest gun to shoot because of the extra slide length and a little more weight. What a great little pistol. This ended up being a strong contender for top spot.

Price wise things were about a wash. I knew if I purchased a Glock I would buy the Ameriglo sight upgrade. The Sig came standard with a tritium/fiber optic front sight. I think all told there was about $20 price difference across the board for all three pistols. Ultimately, I narrowed it down to Glock first. Deciding which one was a little tough. Ultimately, mission dictated the gear. I felt the 48 would be a little more difficult to conceal than a 43 or 43X. Although the 43 was a little more concealable, I felt it would be difficult for my wife to shoot. I wasn’t overly concerned about the capacity difference, but more is always better when it comes to ammo.

I don’t think any of them are a bad choice at all, but for this purchased I walked away with a Glock 43x with orange Ameriglo sights.

 

[MThuntr]

Did I hear that the Sig has a problem with their pistols going bang without permission or am I out of the loop on this?

Not that you asked I opted for a Taurus GX4. They apparently have upped their build quality on this one and are surprisingly inexpensive (plus a $50 rebate). They are snappy and loud. I am no a pistol guy so I can't hit jack with it but for close range I suspect it'll do what it needs to.

 

[NDGuy]

Did I hear that the Sig has a problem with their pistols going bang without permission or am I out of the loop on this?

320 not 365.

Not that you asked I opted for a Taurus GX4.

No, just no.

 

[Chama Grande]

Wait why did you pass on the Sig? I'm lightly in the market as well so this is an interesting thread

 

[sccritterkiller]

When you shot the P365 did you use the extended mag? IMO really helps with the "snappy".

 

[NDGuy]

365 and the 43x basically the only two choices. Try both out and shoot both if you can.

 

[VikingsGuy]

I bought and then sold a dozen different carry guns until finding the p365 -- heads and shoulders above anything on the market at the time. I haven't looked at its newer competitors since I am happy enough to have stopped looking. For its size/weight, it is amazingly soft shooting - maybe a grip thing.

 

[MThuntr]

320 not 365.

No, just no.

thanks and you do you...explain if you have evidence. not just it's a taurus blah blah blah

 

[MTLabrador]

You chose wisely. Splits the size difference perfectly between the 19 and the 43.

That said, a bear is gonna eat you because you’re not carrying a .44 mag.

 

[Jbotto]

That said, a bear is gonna eat you because you’re not carrying a .44 mag.

Come on, let’s be trendy and say 10mm.

 

[VikingsGuy]

You chose wisely. Splits the size difference perfectly between the 19 and the 43.

That said, a bear is gonna eat you because you’re not carrying a .44 mag.

As the old joke says, "be sure to file down the sights".

 

[WildWill]

I bought and then sold a dozen different carry guns until finding the p365 -- heads and shoulders above anything on the market at the time. I haven't looked at its newer competitors since I am happy enough to have stopped looking. For its size/weight, it is amazingly soft shooting - maybe a grip thing.

Absolutely love p365! I shoot it just fine and it's the most comfortable gun I've ever carried.

 

[Jbotto]

I like the options you listed here! Glad you got a chance to test them out. Been using an original M&P Shield9 since 2015 and have no reason to change for a carry pistol. I do like the feel of the Shield Plus with the better capacity. But at this point I have a small fortune invested in a couple dozen magazines, good holsters, and literally thousands of rounds through the pair I own. I shoot the little thing well too. I do want a new M&P 2.0 10mm as I’ve been asking S&W to make since at least 2017, but not one I’ll be carrying concealed or really anywhere besides the range and woods.

My only recommendation to you is a better holster or at the very least upgrade the clips on that one to soft loops. Soft loops, with a one-way Pull-the-Dot snap are better and more reliable than any metal or plastic belt clip. I worked my way through about a dozen lesser holsters before I learned this lesson. Most probably would have worked better if I had just upgraded to these soft loops. All other designs I tried, at some point, came with the gun when drawn and left you feeling stupid that you have a drawn gun that is unable to be shot as it is still in its holster.

 

[belshawelk]

Mine for this is a Ruger EC9. Its better than people think it is. I take it with mountain biking and hiking. It also serves as my ankle rig. Its an inexpensive gun so if it gets damage dropped I wont cry as much.

 

[NDGuy]

thanks and you do you...explain if you have evidence. not just it's a taurus blah blah blah

Name a single Law enforcement/Military/Security agency using a Taurus for anything. There's a reason for that.

What more explanation do you need? Sure buy one to fk around with at the range, but not for EDC/Woods defense with your life possibly on the line.

 

[JLS]

Wait why did you pass on the Sig? I'm lightly in the market as well so this is an interesting thread

Because it doesn’t have a trigger safety like the Glock, and I can work on a Glock.

 

[Seamaster]

I had a similar decision to make and chose a Ruger SP 101. 357 or 38Special ammunition, and there is no worries about either detachable magazines or magazine capacity laws.

 

[MThuntr]

Law enforcement/Military/Security agency using a Taurus for anything

I don't measure anything off government purchases...lots of failed ideas and $ under the table buying first in line choices. Look at the Sig P320 I mentioned earlier...city cops carry those and now over 100 incidents of discharge.

 

[NDGuy]

I don't measure anything off government purchases...lots of failed ideas and $ under the table buying first in line choices. Look at the Sig P320 I mentioned earlier...city cops carry those and now over 100 incidents of discharge.

by all means go wild with your Taurus my man

 

[JLS]

When you shot the P365 did you use the extended mag? IMO really helps with the "snappy".

No I did not. The snappiness was not anything that was a deal breaker. It’s a very nice gun. Mission drives the gear.