Looking into a compact

[erwos]

I absolutely concur with Blaster that "how it feels in the hand" is a questionable metric. Things that are, I think, more quantitative:
1. Can I reach the trigger with my finger pad? (especially for smaller people)
2. Can I access the slide release with my strong hand thumb (righties) or trigger finger (lefties)?
3. Can I access the magazine release with acceptable hand movement?
4. Is the trigger weight and pull length acceptable for my intended purpose and accuracy needs?
5. Is the grip conducive to a high-hold grip?
6. Do the mags drop free when you are gripping it hard?

I'm going to tell you a secret: I don't like the way my P365Xs feel and I don't like the way they recoil. However, I shoot them very well anyways, because it turns out that "feels good in the hand" matters very, very little for actual shooting performance compared to the above considerations. I can pick up a Glock, a 2011, a P365, a P320, a Jericho... it doesn't matter. They're all handguns. You aim and pull the trigger. It's just that most people never learn that whole aiming and pulling the trigger thing very well.

 

[BurkeM]

Another option-

Age Verification - NRA

 

[John from MD]

definition of "snappy"

(stolen from another thread)

Excellent example of poor hold.

 

[miles71]

No one has mentioned the m&p shield plus?

 

[SkiPatrolDude]

If you go to the range to rent a gun go with a friend or bring your own gun. They may not want to rent to a single person that does not have their own gun. It can be a red flag but maybe not.

Huh? Gun ranges legitimately do this every day without hesitation.

 

[RFBfromDE]

Huh? Gun ranges legitimately do this every day without hesitation.

I think this was the last one that didn’t require a buddy/your own gun.

Anne Arundel First Alert - Accidental Shooting at 2600 Block of Annapolis Road (Cindy's?)

I saw a report on facebook. Accidental shooting. Victim reported as being beyond help. Cindy's is in that block.

www.mdshooters.com

 

[outrider58]

Huh? Gun ranges legitimately do this every day without hesitation.

More and more, only if you have held a membership. Noobs are never allowed to rent guns at pay ranges(at least the ranges that have experienced suicides).

 

[Sundazes]

More and more, only if you have held a membership. Noobs are never allowed to rent guns at pay ranges(at least the ranges that have experienced suicides).

This.

 

[Tapper]

More and more, only if you have held a membership. Noobs are never allowed to rent guns at pay ranges(at least the ranges that have experienced suicides).

Cindy’s still rents to loners.

 

[John from MD]

Cindy’s still rents to loners.

Even after they had a suicide in Severn?

 

[Tapper]

Even after they had a suicide in Severn?

I rented a gun last week (Glen Burnie). I asked if I needed to bring a gun to rent a gun and the girl looked at me like I was crazy.

 

[joppaj]

I rented a gun last week (Glen Burnie). I asked if I needed to bring a gun to rent a gun and the girl looked at me like I was crazy.

That's surprising. Few places will do that anymore.

 

[Mike444]

If you’re willing to drive up to Owings Mills to guntry, I have a hellcat original, Glock 43x and a 365x you’re welcome to try out

In addition to my newly purchased P365X I own and mostly carry my P365X Macro. I'm just 5-6 and 155lbs and have no problem conceal carrying the Macro. I bot the 365X for the warmer tee shirt and shorts weather. But we will see.

Happy to join you all at Guntry sometime.

 

[Tapper]

That's surprising. Few places will do that anymore.

I know. I was in Kentucky two weeks ago, and it was similar. I called and asked if I came in alone,could I rent a gun, and once again it wasn’t an issue.

 

[DocPeanut]

In addition to my newly purchased P365X I own and mostly carry my P365X Macro. I'm just 5-6 and 155lbs and have no problem conceal carrying the Macro. I bot the 365X for the warmer tee shirt and shorts weather. But we will see.

Happy to join you all at Guntry sometime.

That would be awesome. Send a PM and we can work out the details

 

[outrider58]

I rented a gun last week (Glen Burnie). I asked if I needed to bring a gun to rent a gun and the girl looked at me like I was crazy.

And you don't have an existing membership?

I would think their liability insurers would have set guidelines.

 

[Pale Ryder]

If you can find one try the IWI Masada slim 9. Uses CZ mags too.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Yea, I love my Sig 1911U. Most call it a “ultra compact” even though it’s the size of a Colt Commander.

View attachment 463564

No . Not the size of a Commander . If anything . it is inspired by the Auto Ordnance Pitbull .

Of the various Commander / Officers Hybrids , the so called Lt Commanders probably make the most sense , with the short Officer's length frame , and the ( 4.25 ) Commander upper . For IWB , the bbl length is negligible , and shorter butt . Plus 4.25 is as short as a "1911" can go , and retain a semblance of JMG geometry .

 

[Biggfoot44]

Minor expansion to EROS's list #1 -
The gun size vs hand size things go both ways .

With big hands and micro guns , the trigger to backstrap can be too short to get finger placement on the gun .

 

[Bob A]

Check out a CZ P01 or PCR. The primary difference is the first has a rail.

DA/SA with a decocker, so function will be familiar. About the size of a Glock 19. For me the grip feels like it melts into my hand.

2a Sales in Jessup usually has them in stock.

I'll second this, being fond of CZ myself.

I particularly like the DA/SA aspect, along with the decocker. It presents me with a stiffer trigger pull for the first shot, but because when loaded, one de-cocks the pistol, returning it to half-cock, the pull is not as heavy as might be expected. This removes for me the need for a safety, which means it's that much less I have to program into muscle memory. Draw, point, fire. In an adrenalin-fueled encounter, one might find that fine motor skills are overwhelmed anyway, so the stiffer trigger pull makes little difference.

If you like the idea of a light on your pistol, the P01 allows for mounting one. Nice for a home defense gun.

The size is not excessive for carry, though it's no feather. The extra mass does contribute to a far more pleasant gun to fire, which is not a bad thing, and certainly tames recoil. You are going to train with your pistol, and are likely to appreciate this aspect as skills develop.

The extra length may make it more concealable than some of the smaller guns; counter-intuitive, but the barrel length assists in levering the grip closer to your body.

My original reason for buying a P01 a decade ago was its reliability. The NATO test regimen was pretty brutal, and the pistol treated it like a walk in the park. Important to me in a self-defense arm.
(https://cz-usa.com/cz-p-01-gets-nato-approval-the-next-generation-of-perfect-pistols/)

And as Bullfrog notes, the pistol seems to play well with human hand anatomy. It seems every CZ owner wants to mention this.