ButchA

The best load that I use in the Taurus .38sp is Federal Hydrashok 129gr. It is the recommended load for small .38's and works the best from a snubnose. But, the $*#&!@ indoor range that I go to has a stupid policy where you can't bring in YOUR ammo. You have to shoot theirs. So, I have to deal with semi-wadcutters, or CCI Blazer .38sp LRN garbage.

I went to another buddy's farm and tested the Taurus with the Federal Hydrashok and a couple of coke cans. I could punch the "o" in Coke at 5 yards away and then blow the coke can to pieces with a few more rounds. Good stuff....

Butch

dep214

law enforcement has gotten completely away from the 9mm.the reason being it had little or no stopping power.a 4" barrell on the 38 would have been more accurate. revolvers are not like they show on tv.they are very hard to shoot accurate.for power and stopping power i would get the 45

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icthruu

Another good gun for larger hands is the Para-ordinace double stack guns. I haven't shot the new LDA's, but I have a P13.45, that I really like. It sure seems to feel better in my hands than the normal single stack .45's, yet it works just the same as any of them.

James B

It would not be a carry gun but someone mentioned a 4 inch Ruger gp 100. The six inch GP 100 357 mag is uneartly accurate. Just off sand bags I have shot 3 inch groups with open sights on that gun at 100 yards. I got about the same groups with the 610 S&W whichs shoots 40 Smith and 10 MM with moon clips I could shoot plastic pop bottles filled with warer at 100 yards every time. Funny thing was it was just as accurate with the 40's that had a much longer jump to the forcing cone.

burniegoeasily

M1911-A1 .45ACP is a great gun. I will die with mine. Reliable, accurate, feels great. I love it. My wife carries a 38 sp snubby, a colt cobra. It is pretty accurate, as far a snubbys go.. She holds a pretty good group at ten to fifteen feet. She can nail cans all day long with it.

A good 9mm is the beretta. Good fun plinker.

kyhillbilly74

out of 6 hand gun's that I'v got only one is not a 45 auto the one that is not a 45 is a 22 ruger 22/45 for plinking if sh-- het the fan I would grab one of my 1911's with out a dout good luck

Wolf killer

I would recommend the Springfield Armory M1911-A1 45-ACP.
Would already love the feel of the M1911-A1. You will also have more stopping power with the 45-ACP than the 9mm.

I carry a Springfield Armory XD Tactical model 40-S&W. I love this gun. You might want to shoot a XD before you buy a M1911-A1?

spd522

Snubbys are OK but not really the best choice now that quality semiautos exist. They are more difficult to shoot due to felt recoil and short sight radius. However, your Taurus most likely suffers from the same thing most Taurus suffer- not a very good trigger. A good gunsmith can slick the action up on your Taurus and I guarantee you will be able to shoot it much better.

I really like the 9mm guns. With quality ammo, stopping ability ranks up there with most 40/45 loads. They make great CCW guns.

Unless you are a big bodied person, I would stay away from the big frame guns. Everyone makes a smaller frame gun in about any caliber that is much easier to carry and for the most part, just as accurate.

I have carried a Sig P232,P226, P229, P220, Glock 17, 26, Para P12-45, Walther PPKS, Colt Defender, S&W 3913, 469, Model 19 (4in) and Model 36(2in) in concealed rigs. With the right holster, almost anything can be carried comfortably.

I would prefer a small 9mm auto such as a Glock 26 or Kahr 9 over a snubby anyday. More rounds available, mags are easier to carry than speedloaders, and the guns themselves carry flatter and are easier to shoot accurately.

My current CCW guns are the Colt Defender and a Browning HiPower.

akbound

Hi spd522,

I agree with you that the small quality autos of today have many things to recommend them. (I'm looking very closely at the PM40 or the PM9.) But for someone that practices "not as often as they should" a small revolver is simpler into battery. (With less likelihood of experiencing a stoppage or malfunction.) And I know that people that carry very well should spend more time practicing....but sometimes they don't.

My wife's current CCW is a S&W 642, .38 +P rated. She shoots about once a month....which keeps her familiar with the gun to reasonable defensive ranges. But she spends her time practicing on presentation from the holster, shooting, and some time reloading. She doesn't feel that she spends enough time to maintain the required proficiency needed to be totally proficient with an auto. The difference for her is this. She doesn't feel that she is confident enough clearing stoppages, or malfunctions, to be able to perform it under stress. (But we may get her there yet!?) She does actually shoot most of our autos better than her revolver.......she just doesn't feel comfortable with it.......as she does the revolver!

My personal choice is currently an auto. (Though I haven't got rid of my S&W 649......nor do I intend to.)

Dave