Which physical size of handgun should i carry?-Do i lose anything with a subcompact?

[RealtorWhoCarries]

This website has been great to show genuine concern for my questions and have been very patient to answer them not just with personal opinion, but with hard data, research and expert testimony..For all of the Thank You! I have tried several sub compacts that feel great in my hand, but some have suggested that with the shorter barrel i may lose some muscle velocity which may reduce the penetration of my round. Is this true? Should i carry a standard size handgun with a longer barrel? My concerns are:

• effectiveness of the round
• concealability is important to me
• And maximum number of rounds i can carry

Comon' INGO dazzle me with your brilliance and wisdom..Again, thank you in advance.

 

[jforrest]

You will lose some muzzle velocity from the shorter barrel from the powder not being able to all burn. However this loss of muzzle velocity isn't huge when talking about an inch to half an inch. Here is some pretty good data I found on a quick Google search, I guess American Rifleman did this experiment Barrel Length / Muzzle Velocity

One way to remedy this difference is to buy +p ammo. IDK if you know what that means so I'll just explain it, +p means extra or high pressure. This is caused by the manufacture purposely overcharging or adding a little more powder than normal. If you already knew that then I guess anyone else who might not have known just got a little lesson.

 

[furbymac]

http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/general-handgun/58175-barrel-length-muzzle-velocity.html
One way to remedy this difference is to buy +p ammo. IDK if you know what that means so I'll just explain it, +p means extra or high pressure. This is caused by the manufacture purposely overcharging or adding a little more powder than normal. If you already knew that then I guess anyone else who might not have known just got a little lesson.

but doesn't your gun have to be capable of using that ammo or are all subcompacts capable of using +p

 

[jforrest]

you would have to double check but as far as I know, without doing any real research, all handguns made today are capable of handling +p. I think there is a date out there that most handguns made after 1987 or something close to that year can handle +p. I know Glocks can.

 

[Kingrat]

i think there is probably too much emphasis on caliber, i would say try a few different ones out and pick whichever one you shoot best with, shot placement is more important than any other issue, especially since bad guys dont always drop instantly even when hit with incredibly powerful rounds

for maximum rounds you can carry i would go 9mm and get a good +P defensive round, shouldnt have any problem saving your life if you can get the shots on target

 

[The Meach]

For your gun to handle +p loads you need to make sure that the manufacturer states the gun can handle the increased pressure.

While many guns built in recent years are built for +p, just as many are not. NEVER use +p unless your are sure your gun can handle it. Else your looking at the least destroying or damaging the firearm, or at the worst risking serious injury.

 

[melensdad]

you would have to double check but as far as I know, without doing any real research, all handguns made today are capable of handling +p. I think there is a date out there that most handguns made after 1987 or something close to that year can handle +p. I know Glocks can.

Many guns can NOT handle +P loads, this is especially true of the small revolvers and subcompact pistols. I know of no model Glock that can be considered a sub-compact, even my G26, which Glock refers to in their advertising as the "baby Glock" is very similar in size to a Colt Officer model 45acp. Hardly anything that I'd consider close to a sub-compact gun.

Should i carry a standard size handgun with a longer barrel? My concerns are:

• effectiveness of the round
• concealability is important to me
• And maximum number of rounds i can carry

The shorter the barrel the lower the velocity. There are some newer loads, particularly in 9mm and 45acp that are designed to perform in 3 to 3.5" barrels and give reliable expansion but even 4 or 5 year old designs are now generally out of date in terms of technology of bullet design. So pick a big brand name, high quality round (Federal, Winchester and Remington are 3 with PROVEN track records in ACTUAL shootings // choose only their new models of premium self defense loads). These new loads designed for compact pistols do not fire at higher velocity, rather they use newer bullet designs that will expand reliably at the lower velocity that is typical of short barrel guns.

FBI crime data suggests that the typical/average shooting between a civilian and a bad guy only involves a grand total of 3 shots fired. Not saying you won't need more, but I am saying the odds are with you that you will be fine if you carry a 5 shot snubby revolver.

As for concealability, I find a flat thin gun easier to conceal than a gun with a fat grip. Its easier to conceal a medium length barrel than to conceal a big/fat grip on a gun with a short barrel. At least for me it is. FWIW, I'm 6' tall, weigh roughly 185-190 pounds, I typically carry a compact 45acp, which is much larger than any 'sub-compact' pistol. (IWB Crossbreed "super tuck" holster)

 

[antsi]

Carry-ability, shoot-ability, and firepower are sometimes conflicting.

For most people, large and heavy with a long sight radius and a relatively mild caliber will be most shoot-able. Here you're sacrificing firepower and carry-ability.

Firepower tends to favor a big gun (capacity) and a powerful caliber. Not necessarily the most shoot-able or carry-able.

The most carry-able is small, thin, and light - but this can confilict with firepower and shoot-ability.

Whenever you choose a carry gun, you are trying to find a mix of these factors that works for you.

Here's how I prioritize:
1) Carry-ability: the gun cannot help me if it is sitting at home when I need it
2) Reliability: it has to work
3) Shoot-ability: I have to be able to hit my target or it doesn't help
4) Firepower: the scenario where I have the gun, it functions, I make good hits on my attacker, and he keeps on attacking, is to me the least likely scenario. In any case, firepower is totally useless if it is not with me, if it doesn't work, or if I can't hit my target.

That's the way it stacks up for me. I realize other folks will see these factors differently.

 

[cosermann]

Barrel length obviously plays a role in velocity. Hollowpoints typically perform best within a general velocity range for a particular bullet design. What is the effect? What's enough to be effective? It depends. Caliber and load are a couple of factors.

FWIW, Dr. Roberts take on the issue:

"Actually, all our testing has traditionally been done in 4" barrels for 9 mm, .40 S&W, and 4.25" for .45 ACP, although recently most of the organizations we test for have been asking for 5" barrel data for .45 ACP. There is really no difference in performance between a 3.5" and 4" barrel in 9 mm and .40 S&W. In .45 ACP, we see a reasonably significant change in performance going from a 5" to 3.5" or less barrels. Since almost all viable pistols in 9 mm and .40 S&W use 3.5-4.5" barrels, there are no "short barrel" worries for serious end-users. Likewise, almost all .45 ACP platforms worthy of hard use use barrels greater than 4", so again, the short barrel question is moot... "

from - Best Choices for Self Defense Ammo

So, I don't worry about it for 9 mm and 40S&W (as I don't have anything in these calibers with less than a 3.5" bbl). If I'm working with a .45 with a less than 3.75" bbl, I take a closer look at whether the bullet of the load I'm using is within its velocity envelope.

 

[rmcrob]

I think the big trade-off is simply capacity vs. size. It's way easier to carry the smaller pistol without anyone knowing, but you have to give up capacity in the magazine. That's the real decision you have to make.

I'm not worried about velocity. The difference is probably not all that significant.

 

[Jay]

The trade-off also includes recoil. Larger, heavier, longer-barreled handguns tend to deliver less perceived recoil....

Most folks can be taught, or learn to shoot virtually any caliber. Being comfortable with a given handgun is tough to teach. If it doesn't "feel right" in your hands, you'll never shoot it enough to become proficient with it. If you're not proficient with it, you may as well carry a ball bat.

Depending on where you're located, you might consider getting with some of us and see what may be available for you to try out........ most of us don't need much coaxing to go to the range......

 

[rmcrob]

The trade-off also includes recoil. Larger, heavier, longer-barreled handguns tend to deliver less perceived recoil....

True enough. There is a noticeable difference in perceived recoil between, say, the Glock 22 and the Glock 27. That would work in favor of the argument for giving the gun a try before buying. If the recoil is manageable, then you are back to the size and capacity trade-off.

 

[AverageMidwest]

Longer barrel = more accuracy, but if the Bad Humor Man is within 15 feet it may not be that big a factor. Four inch barrel is going to be more accurate than a two inch barrel, but less concealable. My two cents worth....all these other folks have covered the caliber/comfort side very well.

 

[jforrest]

Longer barrel = more accuracy, but if the Bad Humor Man is within 15 feet it may not be that big a factor. Four inch barrel is going to be more accurate than a two inch barrel, but less concealable. My two cents worth....all these other folks have covered the caliber/comfort side very well.

Not saying you are wrong, a 4 inch barrel will be more accurate, but the bigger diffenence with the accuracy is due to the shorter sight radius (distance between the front and rear sight). If you take a G17 barrel and put it in a G26 you will be less accurate strictly due to the sight radius.

 

[sporter]

Not saying you are wrong, a 4 inch barrel will be more accurate, but the bigger diffenence with the accuracy is due to the shorter sight radius (distance between the front and rear sight). If you take a G17 barrel and put it in a G26 you will be less accurate strictly due to the sight radius.

I can shoot my G26 at 10 yards as accurate as my G17. However at a distance the G17 will out shine the 26 but not by much.

If you want fire power, capacity, accuracy, go for a G26 (9mm)

 

[jforrest]

I can shoot my G26 at 10 yards as accurate as my G17. However at a distance the G17 will out shine the 26 but not by much.

If you want fire power, capacity, accuracy, go for a G26 (9mm)

Agreed, and G17 and G19 mags will fit in a G26. Keep these in the car or on person if the SHTF.

 

[cosermann]

Let's see, so far we have a good list: velocity, concealability, capacity, ergonomics, felt recoil, and accuracy. These things do generally vary according to the size of a particular handgun (by how much and whether it matters depends). Everyone has their own priorities with respect to these criteria.

I think the general rule of carrying the most you can given the circumstances is a good one. Thing is, circumstances vary. That's one reason many of us have several guns (for various circumstances).

 

[wtfd661]

Hope this web site helps answer your question,

Ballistics by the inch


Click on results to see what they came up with.

MHO on the subject is I feel very comfortable carrying a 3" .45 for off duty CC.

 

[esrice]

Carry the largest gun you can manage. For some this is a Glock 17. For others its a 26.

 

[Joe Williams]

Going with a compact or sub-compact gun will cost you ease of shooting, the gun will be less pleasant to shoot and as a result you may practice less, they are harder to be accurate with. You'll hear many stories about how snub nose revolvers aren't accurate past 7 yards. This is not true, the guns are plenty accurate, but it's hard for shooters to get that accuracy from them. You may give up durability, firepower, and truly small guns may be in less powerful rounds.

I prefer to carry a full sized gun. It's possible to conceal them most all the time. You do sometimes have to dress around the gun, and there are time it would be nice to have a smaller, albeit less capable, gun just for ease of carry. No two ways about it, there are times that the size and weight of a full sized gun are a hassle, and if you think you wouldn't be willing to deal with it, it's best to have a gun you WILL have with you, rather than one that will be sitting at home or back in the car when you need it.