Hal Copple
01-14-2009, 11:06 PM
First post on this forum:
Living in SC, where CC is not complicated, i decided a few months ago to get a CC permit and pistol. My son and will take the course this spring. I don't think i will very often need to carry, but want the choice.
If i could wear my own favorite pistol openly, i would just holster my tuned Highpower, as it fits and shoots as if it were part of my right hand. I spent 30 years in the army, and so have shot a lot, and also have a tuned Army 45. You can't make a better grip than that of a Highpower, in my opinion.
Using the advice of this forum a nd also the SIG forum, i tried to put a lot of thought into what would be best for me. I shoot my son's 9mm 226, and like it a lot, but wanted something with a narrower grip. I have big hands, so i tried some of the smaller pistols, but on many of them, my pinkie fell off the bottom. Some magazines help with a lip on the front, just enough to give a full grip on the handle. One salesman suggested a polymer frame would be less subject to sweat and rain, although there are some good coatings available. Magazine capacity was not important, but i wanted a 9 or 45, to go with my other pistols.
Went to some gun shows, but with the security cables on them, it was hard to get a "feel" for grip and safety and decocker feel. I wanted a DA/SA trigger, too. Someday i want a Colt Commander, but for CC, i want all the safety features of a modern gun. I also wanted a gun i would enjoy shooting, or i just wouldn't fire it much, not a good thing with one's CC pistol.
At several gun stores, i finally got down to a 239, 2022, and an HK USP compact. I really liked the metal frame of the 239, but the grip was just a tiny bit short for my big hands, and it was appreciably heavier than the polymer grip HK. The HK had a narrower grip than the 2022, and on the HK the safety/decocker lever was right where my thumb can sweep it down in a natrual, instinctive arc. The polymer frame is really thin, and the 13 round capacity was nice, but not that important.
I kept handling them at the gun counter, and finally decided that the thinner frame and lighter weight of the HK, plus the natural feel for the safety/decocker made the choice for me the HK, and since the gun shop had an HK that while used, looked new, with case and such, for some hundreds off list, i brought it home today. Plus a nice leather holster.
So now, my son and i have a 226, Mosquito, HP, army 45, and an HK to shoot with.
This forum is informative, enjoyable, and i appreciate the advice of many of you.
all the best...
Hal Copple
IV Corps, '71-72, Desert Storm '90-91
Living in SC, where CC is not complicated, i decided a few months ago to get a CC permit and pistol. My son and will take the course this spring. I don't think i will very often need to carry, but want the choice.
If i could wear my own favorite pistol openly, i would just holster my tuned Highpower, as it fits and shoots as if it were part of my right hand. I spent 30 years in the army, and so have shot a lot, and also have a tuned Army 45. You can't make a better grip than that of a Highpower, in my opinion.
Using the advice of this forum a nd also the SIG forum, i tried to put a lot of thought into what would be best for me. I shoot my son's 9mm 226, and like it a lot, but wanted something with a narrower grip. I have big hands, so i tried some of the smaller pistols, but on many of them, my pinkie fell off the bottom. Some magazines help with a lip on the front, just enough to give a full grip on the handle. One salesman suggested a polymer frame would be less subject to sweat and rain, although there are some good coatings available. Magazine capacity was not important, but i wanted a 9 or 45, to go with my other pistols.
Went to some gun shows, but with the security cables on them, it was hard to get a "feel" for grip and safety and decocker feel. I wanted a DA/SA trigger, too. Someday i want a Colt Commander, but for CC, i want all the safety features of a modern gun. I also wanted a gun i would enjoy shooting, or i just wouldn't fire it much, not a good thing with one's CC pistol.
At several gun stores, i finally got down to a 239, 2022, and an HK USP compact. I really liked the metal frame of the 239, but the grip was just a tiny bit short for my big hands, and it was appreciably heavier than the polymer grip HK. The HK had a narrower grip than the 2022, and on the HK the safety/decocker lever was right where my thumb can sweep it down in a natrual, instinctive arc. The polymer frame is really thin, and the 13 round capacity was nice, but not that important.
I kept handling them at the gun counter, and finally decided that the thinner frame and lighter weight of the HK, plus the natural feel for the safety/decocker made the choice for me the HK, and since the gun shop had an HK that while used, looked new, with case and such, for some hundreds off list, i brought it home today. Plus a nice leather holster.
So now, my son and i have a 226, Mosquito, HP, army 45, and an HK to shoot with.
This forum is informative, enjoyable, and i appreciate the advice of many of you.
all the best...
Hal Copple
IV Corps, '71-72, Desert Storm '90-91