I get most of my info, if you care, from reading many gun mags cover-to-cover, talking to cops about what they carry, and then shooting anything I can get my hands on at the range. It seems that most people who enjoy shooting also enjoy talking about it too. Most of them just don't write PAGES on their bbs forums like I guess I do.

Anyway...

CAM2: Congrats on your new P40! I handled one again, since you mentioned it, and they really are sweet. You could stash that little baby just about anywhere, couldn't ya?


RAZORHUNTER: Gald to hear you intend to practice intensly. It's an aspect of preparation too many people underestimate. Sorry to hear about your bad experience, but even Illinois will grant a FOID card (Firearm Owner Identification) to people to HAVE felony convictions, as long as the crime was non-violent. I don't think you'll have a problem, but I'm no expert on Florida law. Apply. The worst that can happen is that you get turned down.

Now, selecting a gun...
Obviously, from the 3 calibers you mentioned, you want a semi-auto. All three are good choices. Don't worry about making a bad choice. If you are not interested in concealing the gun, that simplifies things. Choose a large framed gun. The bigger and heavier it is, the more recoil it will absorb allowing faster and easier follow up shots. "Anyone worth shooting is worth shooting twice."

At the ranges at which defencive shootouts occur, the flatness of the trajectory will be of negligible importance. However, if that's what you like, the .357sig takes the cake, but there is not much data yet regarding it actual effectiveness in shootouts. It is expected to be good, but theory is sometimes different than practical application. The Indiana state police use the .357sig are are very happy with it. By the way, the .357 sig was engineered to duplicate the external balistics of the .357magnum revolver round, which is famous for its dramatic stopping power.

The 10mm is very flat shooting too, but it has some stout recoil. So much kick in fact that the FBI stopped using it, in part, because their agents found it difficult to qualify with.

more later...









Keep 'em all in the Bull.