Considering a 9mm

[Por_sha911]

Good point Jeff, you shouldn't need to shoot beyond 10 yards unless you are doing it for sport. Get proficient at 3/5/7/10 yards and call it a win.
That said there are some things that can improve even a stock trigger for very little cost.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by red-beard

The laser snap caps, the laser is on all the time, right down the barrel, at least the ones I own.

They sound great. The only ones I've come across fire a light at the wall when you pull the trigger. Sort of like emulating range practice, but in your living room.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Good point Jeff, you shouldn't need to shoot beyond 10 yards unless you are doing it for sport. Get proficient at 3/5/7/10 yards and call it a win.
That said there are some things that can improve even a stock trigger for very little cost.

Yup - there are defensive handguns, hunting handguns, and match handguns. The latter two absolutely require a good trigger where the first does not. Accuracy requirements are vastly different. My hunting revolvers have to stay on the bottom of a coffee can at 100 yards from a rest - I would never expect, nor ask that of my defensive handguns. Then again, I would never expect to control the recoil for quick repeat shots at arm's length from one of my hunting revolvers, while using the other hand to hold the guy back. Horses for courses...

[aigel]

Jeff is right. Look at the Paul H. video and see the trigger on that M&P, same story. There is no safety and no decocker of a hammer, so the trigger is the safety and it needs to be relatively heavy and long. What you get in return is a gun simple to operate with every trigger pull being the same:

If you get a 1911 style setup, you get a superior trigger but you run around with a cocked hammer and can't forget to take the safety (on OR off).
If you get a DA/SA setup with a decocker like a classic SIG, you get that same heavy trigger pull on the first DA shot and can follow up with SA after. Very different trigger pulls on the same gun - something many shooters struggle with.

See how good you get with this. The nice thing with handguns is that they aren't all that expensive and they take up little space. You'll likely add some more later. Maybe something more of a target pistol!

G

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by aigel

Maybe something more of a target pistol!

G

Yeah, a .22. HUGE fun. You don't have to be serious. Just loads of cheap plinking.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Unfortunately, an all too common story with these modern pistol designs - really bad triggers. My two sons call me a "trigger snob" and, believe me, they are right. Nothing makes a gun, be it sidearm or rifle, more difficult to shoot than a bad trigger. I know much of it has to do with the designs of the modern fire control mechanisms, and much of it has to do with the desire to manufacture without hand fitting. Doesn't mean I have to like it, though. Maybe that's why I like to stick with older designs - my only autoloaders are all 1911 derivatives. My sons tell me I need to join the modern age... meh...

Realistically, though, for the intended use these modern triggers are just fine. Don't beat yourself up trying to get match grade accuracy from the gun or from yourself. It just won't happen. A realistic understanding of what the gun is meant to do will allow you to enjoy it a good deal more. It's an arms-length or just slightly farther defensive tool. That's it, that's all. And a damn good one at that. Don't disappoint yourself by expecting more.

Solid points Jeff! And thanks for the input. I'm looking at this like it's one of my hunting weapons rather than a self defense weapon. I need to keep in mind that it's more about hitting the target than putting three or four shots in a dime or quarter group.

To everyone,
I ended up buying one of the laser trainer rounds and found out while researching them that there are smartphone apps (iTarget being one) that you set the phone in front of the target, and it uses the camera to record your strikes on target. Sounds like a good way to train a few minutes each day. I know it won't reproduce the recoil but that's really not a big issue with a 9mm. I'll let y'all know what I think of the app once the snap cap gets here.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

They sound great. The only ones I've come across fire a light at the wall when you pull the trigger. Sort of like emulating range practice, but in your living room.

That's what I bought. As I said in my comment above, there are free apps on the app store you can download that use the camera in your phone to record where the laser hits the target and give you a display of the hits on your screen in real time.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by cabmando

That's what I bought. As I said in my comment above, there are free apps on the app store you can download that use the camera in your phone to record where the laser hits the target and give you a display of the hits on your screen in real time.

Don't be a tease!

Which one did you buy? I am interested.

[KFC911]

With a pistol, I'm only concerned with putting the shots within a larger target area....say the size of a soccer ball...

....and selecting a caliber that will get the job done...

and begins with a four ... or two zeros

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Don't be a tease!

Which one did you buy? I am interested.

I bought this one. If you want to wait till mine gets here, I'll give you the full rundown on it. I'm downloading a couple different apps and I'm going to work on (or buy) a phone/target holder.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/9mm-Laser-Ammo-Train-Dry-fire-bullet-cartridge-5mw-red-laser-Fast-USA-Shipping/184372367517?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649


For 13.89 total, I couldn't mess around and try to make my own stand so I bought their tripod too! The have a better deal on the laser and stand in their store but I figured I already bought the laser so....
https://www.ebay.com/itm/184347603350

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by cabmando

I bought this one. If you want to wait till mine gets here, I'll give you the full rundown on it. I'm downloading a couple different apps and I'm going to work on (or buy) a phone/target holder.

Great idea, I will.

Thanks!

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

Yeah, a .22. HUGE fun. You don't have to be serious. Just loads of cheap plinking.

You can shoot more than 200 mini mag 22LRs for less than 50 rounds of 9mm or a 45 at today's prices.

[Steve Carlton]

I was looking for something that would be nice to carry and keep in my nightstand, and went with the CZ 75 D Compact. I like the Beretta-like looks and feel and the smaller size. I don't have the grip in this pic, but would like to find it:

[brainz01]

That is one fine CZ. Great gun.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Bill Douglas]

Great build quality Steve, you'll love it.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

I don't have the grip in this pic, but would like to find it:

Have a look on ebay. I bought a set from some outfit in Thailand who politely sent them over as wood carvings

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

I was looking for something that would be nice to carry and keep in my nightstand, and went with the CZ 75 D Compact. I like the Beretta-like looks and feel and the smaller size. I don't have the grip in this pic, but would like to find it:

Steve, my neighbor shoots competitively and used the CZ to build his "open class" pistol. The basic CZ is an excellent pistol.

[cabmandone]

Big R (now Stock and Field) in Lima had 9mm ammo for 10.99/50! Problem is, 2 box max. Still felt like I was robbing a bank!

[flatbutt]

https://www.bigr.com/sporting-goods/sporting-goods-shooting/federal-premium-ammunition-100-ct-american-eagle-9mm-115-grain-full-metal-jacket-ammunition/2946506247.html?cgid=sporting-goods-shooting

[cabmandone]

My son just said "I'm going to Lima"... I said "grab me two boxes of ...." It's about time having kids pays off!