8 yrs of fear overcame w/ 22LR! What is next? LCP in 380?

[DadSmith]

I do. It is OK with those. It seems to be harder to find them now though. I really like them in my Colt Officers Model Match and old Colt Python. They are such a joy to shoot I tend to leave the Lady Smith unused for long periods.

Federal has them in stock at $20 a box. Not sure what the shipping is.

 

[Jenn]

Next week I will be going to the range with a lane buddy and we will be testing out 380’s and 9’s
I’ll probably spend 5-15 mins starting out with one of my 22LR pistols before venturing off into anything else… or however long I feel I need to.

I feel like I’ve acclimated a bit faster than I thought I would… of course I went two days in a row (one day with a partner and the second alone.) since there will be some time between, I’m not sure how fast it will be for me to feel as comfortable as I did yesterday.
I’ll report back after my next visit for sure!

As for my LCP 22, I might try adding a rubber grip and an adhesive grip (small area) around the frame for my thumb to hold onto better. It does tend to slip from my left thumb after a few rounds and several magazines in.. it feels slick with sweaty hands.

One thing that I liked about holding the Hellcat was that it has groves along the sides of the frame.

This might be something most people may not consider or think about, but I always have hand lotion on. I will use less when I know I’m going to the range, but in a SD situation my hands will be a bit slippery.. or a lot if my hands are also sweaty.
I’m comfortable with adding grips to the guns I will own for carrying and don’t mind how it would change them aesthetically. My concerns would be about if the additional grips would make it harder to draw or conceal.
This is something that I have to think about when deciding about my EDC..

I have a sticky holster (that can accommodate a laser if I decide to get one), and a IWB holster for my LCP.

 

[nonobaddog]

Federal has them in stock at $20 a box. Not sure what the shipping is.

All I can find is Premium for $50.99 a box at
https://www.federalpremium.com/handgun/
and
https://federalammunitionsshop.com/product-category/handgun/gold-medal-handgun/

Where do you find the $20 stuff?


(I have 1000 wadcutter bullets but I have to talk my son into loading them for me since I gave him all my reloading stuff.)

 

[nonobaddog]

This might be something most people may not consider or think about, but I always have hand lotion on. I will use less when I know I’m going to the range, but in a SD situation my hands will be a bit slippery.. or a lot if my hands are also sweaty.
I’m comfortable with adding grips to the guns I will own for carrying and don’t mind how it would change them aesthetically. My concerns would be about if the additional grips would make it harder to draw or conceal.
This is something that I have to think about when deciding about my EDC..

I have a sticky holster (that can accommodate a laser if I decide to get one), and a IWB holster for my LCP.

You are right - I never think about hand lotion since I never use it.
That is very good that you are concerned about it. That sounds like it could be a major factor in handling - even dangerous.

 

[DadSmith]

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This might be a fraudulent site. I thought it was federal.

It is a fraudulent site bitcoin etc only.

 

[nonobaddog]

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This might be a fraudulent site. I thought it was federal.

It is a fraudulent site bitcoin etc only.

I've seen them before, several sites, I don't trust them.

 

[WanderingSol07]

I started with Browning Buck Mark and Smith & Wesson Victory 22lr pistols. These are big, 5" barrels, range guns. Then I got a Browning .380 ACP with 4" barrel, a little more kick, a little more bang, but I could shoot it well and I was able to get a left handed Kydex/leather inside the waist holster make. After three years with it and renting everything the local gun shop has I moved up to a Smith & Wesson Shield (M2, 2nd generation). I shot the Shield better than the Browning right away and continue to do so.

 

[BigRed]

My EDC as of now is LCP II lite rack in 22LR because it’s easy to conceal, and not overly loud. I consider myself to be fairly accurate, for my first go with it. A lot more than I was with a 380 or 9mm.

If I can handle 22LR stingers in the LCP II (despite not liking the muzzle flash), would I be able to handle 380 in the LCP II, or LCP max next? I would need to start with lower power cartridges before getting into the standard.
I saw that the muzzle energy for the stingers is 191. I saw that some 380 cartridges to be as low as 200.
Since the LCP II is the same body, would it be comparable.. or would 380 still be closer to 9mm in loudness and flash? I don’t think it’s the actual recoil that bothers me. It’s mostly the loudness and muzzle flash.
If comparing the muzzle energy from two different calibers isn’t a great way of making a decision, could you explain?

My goal is to be able to use a 380 or maybe a 9mm eventually as my EDC.
I’m leaning towards LCP max, or Sig P365 in 380..

The sig is a little small in my hands but nothing like the original LCP. I feel like it would be a good compromise of ease of concealment, and capacity.

Less likely cause I don’t want to send myself back into fear (all in 9mm):
P365, p365 XL, Hellcat, Hellcat Pro, Shield Plus.


Backstory if you’d like to read
———————————————
Long story short: many years ago, I went to the range for the first and only time using a tiny 380, and a full size 9mm handgun. My body went numb and shaky… ever since then I could not pull the trigger. I would flinch and jump whenever I was around others shooting at the range.
I just overcame my fear of pulling the trigger with 2 different 22LR pistols!!

For me, it is not the muzzle flip.. it is the sound (even doubling up on ear pro) and the muzzle flash. I do not even like seeing lightning at night from the window, and I will put on ear muffs when there’s loud thunder.
I am light and sound sensitive, which I believe I can work through to a reasonable extent with time.

9mm rounds are too flashy and way too loud for me right now.

I have a full size 22 with a flash can, and a LCP II in 22.
I started with quiet suppressor rounds and ended my range visit using CCI stingers in both.

Good on you!

 

[jason867]

This might be something most people may not consider or think about, but I always have hand lotion on. I will use less when I know I’m going to the range, but in a SD situation my hands will be a bit slippery.. or a lot if my hands are also sweaty.

I know many lotions leave your hands oily slick, however I'm sure there are some that do not. It may be worth experimenting and trying some other varieties.

 

[foszoe]

Route 45 posted almost word for word what I was going to say. Smaller guns with shorter barrels tend to have more felt recoil and larger flashes. The P365 would be a good choice as would a Beretta 85 Cheetah.

I think the straight blowback design of the Cheetah makes the felt recoil worse than a 9mm 92 compact

 

[jason867]

I think the straight blowback design of the Cheetah makes the felt recoil worse than a 9mm 92 compact

Probably has recoil similar to a makarov or walther ppk

 

[Ziggidy]

It's an overblown concern like short stroking a pump shotgun. If you can't figure it out, you suck and should train more and you are the problem, not the gun. (Not you specifically, a generic you. I've no idea if you suck or not. )

^^^^ Exactly^^^^

 

[Route 45]

If you short stroke and reset then you'll have an unfired round between two fired rounds, which crime lab workup will note. If you suck or not becomes self evident. Like, did you hit who you meant to hit in a place that mattered? If someone pulls the trigger and gets no bang...it tends to come up if they survive. A non-insignificant number had trouble getting a thumb safety off, for example.

As for the why of 'inferior' note the OP's problem of their gun not running reliably. Revolvers are more tolerant of maintenance neglect. Don't clean or lube it for two years? Five? It'll shoot. Semi-autos are more tolerant of high round counts, mind you, but don't take to lack of maintenance as well.

They are more tolerant of ammunition disparities (light loads are fine since there's no need to cycle an action, heavy loads are fine since it won't batter itself to death or run the slide faster than the magazine can feed another cartridge),

They are safer for the neophyte and the casual handler, in that they have a simpler administrative handing learning curve. There's no clearing steps to reverse and accidentally leave a cartridge in the chamber, which is a pretty common cause of unintended discharges.

They are better for those with limited hand stength/athritis issues. No magazines to load, no slide to rack, no malfunction drill beyond pull the trigger again.

Not everyone can carry a duty sized pistol at all times (and some of the people on this board who've proclaimed the need the loudest didn't carry in NPEs at all...so take that for what it's worth). If you have no specific and credible threat (you aren't dealing with a crazy ex, you don't owe your dope man money, etc) than capacity is irrelevant in any but the most extreme outliers. I've yet to find anyone dead with an empty j-frame in their hand from a randomly targeted crime. I've found people dead with empty extended mag Glocks in their hand from targeted crimes. Your threat level matters in equipment selection. I'm assuming the OP isn't leading the life that requires capacity concerns, counterambush fighting, etc.

When I travel, I often travel with an LCR. I can load it in the airport bathrooom with no noise and be armed before I'm too my rental car with zero notice taken. When I was a working detective, I used it as a coat pocket gun routinely. I could have my gun in a firing grip with zero indication that I was doing anything but having my hand in my pocket.

I would not use it as a primary duty gun. Different context, different equipment.

Well let's just hope your crystal ball is right about the type of defensive encounter that may await you. I will continue to carry something that is more appropriate for a wider array of situations, since I've yet to find a fortune cookie that mentions whether it's my day to need more than the bare minimum. A S&W Shield Plus holds double to almost triple the number of more effective rounds, has real sights, carries as easily and is far easier to hit with than any snubby.

Because we all know that inncoent people that aren't directly involved in criminal activity never get caught in bad situations, right? Good luck with your 3 shots/3 feet/3 seconds BS. In fact, if we are talking "outliers" when choosing defensive equipment, why don't we talk about how much of an outlier it is to even need a handgun in public? Maybe you should trade the LCR for a rape whistle, since the average number of shots needed by an American citizen in public each day must be approaching zero. As a bonus, I think you can even take the whistle onto the plane and don't need to visit an airport restroom.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Well let's just hope your crystal ball is right about the type of defensive encounter that may await you. I will continue to carry something that is more appropriate for a wider array of situations, since I've yet to find a fortune cookie that mentions whether it's my day to need more than the bare minimum. A S&W Shield Plus holds double to almost triple the number of more effective rounds, has real sights, carries as easily and is far easier to hit with than any snubby.

Because we all know that inncoent people that aren't directly involved in criminal activity never get caught in bad situations, right? Good luck with your 3 shots/3 feet/3 seconds BS. In fact, if we are talking "outliers" when choosing defensive equipment, why don't we talk about how much of an outlier it is to even need a handgun in public? Maybe you should trade the LCR for a rape whistle, since the average number of shots needed by an American citizen in public each day must be approaching zero. As a bonus, I think you can even take the whistle onto the plane and don't need to visit an airport restroom.

And I'm not telling you to carry an LCR or disputing that the Shield is better for *you*. But you aren't everyone.

If you want to talk outliers and stats, look at the entire picture.

Guess how many people in Marion County shot a bad guy in self defense this year. Now guess how many people shot themselves or others accidentally with a self loading pistol due to improper clearing. Would you care to guess how many people lost when presenting a non-functioning handgun? Safety on, round not chambered, or just didn't go bang? So do you just ignore that when giving advice to someone who will be a gun owner but not a 'gun person'?

Nothing to do with a crystal ball, just a lot of exposure to reality and paying attention. I find that revolvers lose a lot of hypothetical fights on the Internet but do much better in the real world. And people seldom shoot themselves with them and the go bang on that most important first shot more reliably.

Context matters.

 

[Route 45]

And I'm not telling you to carry an LCR or disputing that the Shield is better for *you*. But you aren't everyone.

If you want to talk outliers and stats, look at the entire picture.

Guess how many people in Marion County shot a bad guy in self defense this year. Now guess how many people shot themselves or others accidentally with a self loading pistol due to improper clearing. Would you care to guess how many people lost when presenting a non-functioning handgun? Safety on, round not chambered, or just didn't go bang? So do you just ignore that when giving advice to someone who will be a gun owner but not a 'gun person'?

Nothing to do with a crystal ball, just a lot of exposure to reality and paying attention. I find that revolvers lose a lot of hypothetical fights on the Internet but do much better in the real world. And people seldom shoot themselves with them and the go bang on that most important first shot more reliably.

Context matters.

Yeah, no. I'm not giving advice to a new shooter with the assumption that they are going to be incompetent with all but the most idiot-proof of equipment. In fact, I'm particularly giving advice to the OP, who from their post content, appears to know quite a bit more about firearms and shooting than the typical newbie. Talking about different models, calibers, muzzle energy, handing concerns, etc. And the original concern is flash and noise (for the umpteenth time), not whether you see dead people with extendo mags.

Apologies to the OP for the pissing context, I've given my advice and reasoning. I yield the floor to the man who obviously is privy to every defensive encounter on earth.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Yeah, no. I'm not giving advice to a new shooter with the assumption that they are going to be incompetent with all but the most idiot-proof of equipment. In fact, I'm particularly giving advice to the OP, who from their post content, appears to know quite a bit more about firearms and shooting than the typical newbie. Talking about different models, calibers, muzzle energy, handing concerns, etc. And the original concern is flash and noise (for the umpteenth time), not whether you see dead people with extendo mags.

Apologies to the OP for the pissing context, I've given my advice and reasoning. I yield the floor to the man who obviously is privy to every defensive encounter on earth.

Well considering the rodent in the hat is a SME in this... He might be worth listening to. Sometimes we are wrong when we think we are right. Well, you guys. I'm NEVER wrong.

 

[BigRed]

On average, folks have ***ty skills with arms.

Endeavor to be above average.

 

[nonobaddog]

Well let's just hope your crystal ball is right about the type of defensive encounter that may await you. I will continue to carry something that is more appropriate for a wider array of situations, since I've yet to find a fortune cookie that mentions whether it's my day to need more than the bare minimum. A S&W Shield Plus holds double to almost triple the number of more effective rounds, has real sights, carries as easily and is far easier to hit with than any snubby.

Because we all know that inncoent people that aren't directly involved in criminal activity never get caught in bad situations, right? Good luck with your 3 shots/3 feet/3 seconds BS. In fact, if we are talking "outliers" when choosing defensive equipment, why don't we talk about how much of an outlier it is to even need a handgun in public? Maybe you should trade the LCR for a rape whistle, since the average number of shots needed by an American citizen in public each day must be approaching zero. As a bonus, I think you can even take the whistle onto the plane and don't need to visit an airport restroom.

Right, the statistics are pretty meaningless when it comes to predicting the future and/or the next situation. Especially in an environment that is changing, since the statistics are based on happenings in the past.

 

[DadSmith]

Both my parents are using 5 shot 38-special revolvers one a model 85 the other an LCRx.
Both parents have lost a lot of strength in their hands because of arthritis. Both shoot the low velocity wadcutters accurately out to 10yds.
Dad cannot cycle his 1911 very good anymore even with the reduced recoil and main spring.
So I'd rather they have something they can hit with even if it's just 5 shots than nothing at all.
They are confident with their revolvers and feel safe.

 

[nonobaddog]

Both my parents are using 5 shot 38-special revolvers one a model 85 the other an LCRx.
Both parents have lost a lot of strength in their hands because of arthritis. Both shoot the low velocity wadcutters accurately out to 10yds.
Dad cannot cycle his 1911 very good anymore even with the reduced recoil and main spring.
So I'd rather they have something they can hit with even if it's just 5 shots than nothing at all.
They are confident with their revolvers and feel safe.

Nothing wrong with doing your best. Good for them.