Best Fighting Pistol

[Sturmpanzer]

Right...I have a Gen 5 Glock 19...works great and in a pinch, I will konk you with it... I am mindfull of the fact that it wont operate like a snub revolver in super close, nasty fights...been there.. Best solution is to eliminate bad guy before he gets into knife range.... We are talking fighting here... Great points you brought up...

[seeker_two]

Instead of choosing a pistol with which to go into combat, I tend to select my pistols with getting out of combat in mind.....

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[Sgt Pepper]

The best one in your scenario is the best one that you can shoot. Period. End of story. Caliber, make, model, operating system, barrel length, etc., are essentially non-factors. That's just for board jockeys.

As an example, I have a close friend who loves shooting skeet and trap games. He frequently outshoots everyone, and his shooter of choice is an old loosey-goosey pump .410. Moral of the story, it's what YOU perform best with and not what performs best.

[GarandTd]

I agree with using what you shoot best. My best is with a SAR K2P. 25 yds, 50yds, 10 yds, or zero yard blunt force. It's what I'd hope to have in hand. I love that gun and shoot it best. Emphasis on the period.

[Brutus]

Never buy a gun with a springy thingy in the trigger.
I can explain a 1911 to you but I can't understand it for you.

[seeker_two]

Can you understand a detachable plunger tube on a combat pistol? Because I never could.....

[presspics]

9mm or larger caliber, reliable and something that you are well trained with.. That simple. As for me, Any of my 1911's. They are all .45's, incredibly accurate, 100% reliable and I can hit 6" plates at 25 yards 95% of the time.

[Big Shrek]

Originally Posted by xcc_rider

The only best fighting pistol is the one you've trained and are proficient with. It won't matter what anyone recommends as the best, and it doesn't matter how many rounds or mags you carry, if you don't shoot it well you might as well carry a stapler in your holster.

All the other recommendations (read opinions) are just that, opinions. (Just like mine above)
Find a weapon that ergonomically works for you, train with it until exceptionally proficient, get some tactical defensive training and don't look back.

I'll amen that.

Mass shootings are like hostage situations, got to be real careful where you send your rounds.
Also have to worry about the folks directly in front of you jumping up in the way, screaming
and running in a random direction to get away...which very well may be directly into your line of fire.

And as soon as the threat is ended, and no other threats present, HOLSTER your stuff.
Don't want to be holding the bag when the first cop runs around the corner.
You may stand on the dead bad guy's gun to secure it without putting actual fingerprints on it.
Make sure YOUR hands are easily in view of the cops. Preferrably raised.

[agtman]

Can you understand a detachable plunger tube on a combat pistol? Because I never could.....

Hence, why our Navy Seal teams chose the Sig 226, not some variant of the 1911.

No one wants to lose a gunfight because their plunger tube imploded.

[Sulaco]

Originally Posted by Sharkbite

I attend a large church and am part of (and train) the armed(ccw) usher contingent.

My carry piece during services is a M&P with a RMR red dot mounted. The reason for the RMR is EXACTLY what you are asking about. Accuracy at distance is the red dots strong suit.

Shots that are difficult with standard sights are easy AT SPEED with the red dot. 100 yard body shots are stupid easy, as are closer range headshots.

This is exactly the scenario I'm asking about. I just joined our church security team and being responsible for 1,200 people is different than being responsible for one or two. Hence the question.

So far some good info, other than the typical garbage we all have to wade through on the internet.

Thanks for all the info. Feel free to keep the thought process and comments coming!

[MTT TL]

In this scenario, and given these requirements, what would your pistol choice be and why?

And yes, I know a rifle would solve problems, but lets just say for arguments' sake, it must be a pistol.

I didn't sift through five pages to see if anyone has hit these.


AR pistol in 300BO with a 9" barrel w/shooting brace. Suppressed if that is an option. I'd go with a heavy, low penetration round with a separate magazine holding barrier penetration rounds. Large magazine capacity, best accuracy, great stopping power, easy to equip, inexpensive (around $600) it is a long list of upsides. Downside is that is extremely difficult to carry concealed to the point of not being an option.


If say for some reason an AR pistol is not a option (laws or logistics) I would go with either a S&W M&P (if carried all day) or a 1911 customized for you (if stored somewhere in case needed). Both are excellent pistols but the S&W is a bit easier to carry and conceal.

If the 1911 is too large or uncomfortable than the Sig 226 is also a good option for storage.

But the AR pistol is the best option for fighting.

[tipoc]

Best Fighting Pistol

I can't make a recommendation as I've never seen or even heard of a pistol fighting. I've seen people fighting with pistols of course, but never the guns fighting among themselves.

Because of that the best gun to use in a gunfight is the one you shoot the best, with a caliber that is the strongest that you shoot well, and bullets chosen for the task.

Hope this helps.

tipoc

[Cosmodragoon]

I attend a large church and am part of (and train) the armed(ccw) usher contingent... My carry piece during services is a M&P with a RMR red dot mounted. ...

I just joined our church security team and being responsible for 1,200 people is different than being responsible for one or two.

Domestic terrorism at churches is still rarer than a lightning strike but God bless the people who are prepared for it. I'm a small church guy and my regular EDC goes with me. I sometimes forget just how big some of the mega churches are. With much longer ranges and lots of innocent parishioners in the way, having some of the parish specifically trained and discretely carrying full-sized with an optic could be a very good thing.

[seeker_two]

Originally Posted by tipoc

Because of that the best gun to use in a gunfight is the one you shoot the best, with a caliber that is the strongest that you shoot well, and bullets chosen for the task.

Hope this helps.

tipoc

Nah. That makes too much sense and doesn't sell any tacticool guns or gadgets. Plus, it doesn't even start any argument on caliber, capacity, or anything that can lead to dank memes or bruised egos.

Stop being so wise and thoughtful, m'kay?



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[agtman]

W.W.C.K.C? ***




























*** What Would Chris Kyle Carry? ----------------------------> Sig 226.

[Sharkbite]

*** What Would Chris Kyle Carry? ----------------------------> Sig 226

EXCEPT when he carried a 1911

[TheGunGeek]

Ideally for the hypothetical, the Five-seveN. Twenty round standard magazine and flat shooting to long distances. This meets the long distance and multiple targets criteria in a pistol format. It has a lower ricochet risk which is applicable in the large church full of people, and will defeat body armor as in the more recent incident.

The negatives would be more training related. Most indoor ranges don't permit it's use due to back stop damage, it's loud, and has a fiery muzzle blast. One would also need to train with it regularly due to the different safety position.

Since I don't have one, back in the real world I'd have my Beretta.

[MTT TL]

I have heard that 5.7 is an awesome penetrating round. Maybe too awesome for schools.

[hogwiley]

For that situation I would want a good old German Sig p226, or a glock 17/22.

Really though, in a situation like that the difference maker isn't the gun, its not even range training. It's the mindset. Ask combat veterans. Under that type of sudden unexpected stress, most people's IQ is probably going to drop 20 points and their fine motor skills go to pot. Repetition certainly will help, but only up to a point.

That's why back in the day the Marine Corps spent far more time and emphasis on stressing recruits the F out and getting them to accept that they are worthless POS's than they did on weapons marksmanship. The only way to see how people react when they are knocked down and stressed out, is to knock them down and stress them out, repeatedly, from day one.

They either built up a tolerance to it, or got weeded out(some still slipped through the cracks). Its also why the Corps continually made us "practice being miserable", because that mindset fades when you aren't regularly experiencing some adversity, fear and discomfort. You get too fat and happy and you wind up reacting like that school security guard in Parkland Fl(to be fair I think he's been scapegoated some), but the point still stands.

[Cosmodragoon]

Ideally for the hypothetical, the Five-seveN. Twenty round standard magazine and flat shooting to long distances. This meets the long distance and multiple targets criteria in a pistol format. It has a lower ricochet risk which is applicable in the large church full of people, and will defeat body armor as in the more recent incident.

It also has relatively low recoil, which is another benefit for this kind of situation.

Will it really penetrate body armor? Is the right ammo available for that? I'm not sure but again, domestic terrorism of this kind is pretty rare in the first place. The odds of body armor, much less the quality and coverage of said armor, will be smaller still. If you or your church can justify the increased cost of guns and training ammo for any of the other reasons listed, and you happen to like one of the extremely few handguns offered in this chambering, then this could be a good option. I don't know that armor-penetration would be a major factor for me. There is a point where we can start considering more serious defensive options and maybe it would make sense for a 1000+ person church, but I hope we aren't there yet.

[peacefulgary]

Because of that the best gun to use in a gunfight is the one you shoot the best, with a caliber that is the strongest that you shoot well, and bullets chosen for the task.

No, I must disagree.

If you knew you were going to be in a gunfight....you wouldn't be in one.
You would avoid it.
And if you couldn't avoid it, you would most certainly bring a rifle....and friends with rifles.

And this is where the real world rears its ugly head:
The best handgun is one that you have with you at the time you need it.

I have carried some big and heavy handguns in the past...Glock 22, Ruger GP100 4", even a CZ 75B in .40S&W.
But one must be very committed to haul around a full-sized pistol every day.
It's not fun at all.
And yeah, I've tried all manner of carry methods, holsters, belts, etc...
It's just a PITA to carry a large handgun.
And full-sized handguns where never meant to be carried concealed anyway....they were made to be carried on a duty belt or harness or such.

So stick to reality and practice with that j-frame snubbie you carry, or that Ruger LCP, or that Glock 43, or that S&W Bodyguard, etc...

[agtman]

I have carried some big and heavy handguns in the past...Glock 22, Ruger GP100 4", even a CZ 75B in .40S&W.

Compared to S&W's 3rd Gen 5" pistols, like the 4506 and the 1006, the G22 and CZ are light-weights. Even the Sig 226 I mentioned before is a full-size gun.

Now that 4" GP-100, being a revolver, is a bit different. But I'll agree that any Magnum wheelgun sporting a barrel of 4" or longer is going to feel heavy after a few hours ... My ancient 4", N-frame Smith Model 58 is a boat-anchor on the hip no matter the belt used or what holster it's stuffed in.

But one must be very committed to haul around a full-sized pistol every day. It's not fun at all. And yeah, I've tried all manner of carry methods, holsters, belts, etc... It's just a PITA to carry a large handgun.
And full-sized handguns where never meant to be carried concealed anyway....they were made to be carried on a duty belt or harness or such.

Yep ... Smith's full-size 3rd Gens were all intended for duty-carry in exposed holsters on a duty belt. Very few Smith 4506s, for example, were carried concealed by LAPD officers, although a decent shoulder holster and the appropriate covering garment can make it work in certain circumstances, like where you'll be seated for a significant period of time. But try running or even just walking fast, ...

So stick to reality and practice with that j-frame snubbie you carry, or that Ruger LCP, or that Glock 43, or that S&W Bodyguard, etc

For the last couple of years I've found my 3" Colt New Agent to be slim-packing, carry-friendly, and accurate enough at the distances it's intended for.

[Cosmodragoon]

I carry a full-sized semi-auto about 40% of the year. Comfortable CC is entirely dependent on clothing for me. If I can count on being dressed for it, I'll wear a vertical shoulder holster. That makes full-size polymer pretty easy to carry and it's a great method for those of us who spend lots of time driving or otherwise seated.

[O4L]

If I were on a security team I would carry a full size high capacity pistol probably in 357Sig. I would also try to have an AR-15 available nearby.

[MTT TL]

If I were on a security team I would carry a full size high capacity pistol probably in 357Sig. I would also try to have an AR-15 available nearby.

That is a discussion our school district is having these days. SRO's and hired security have rifles but the rifles are locked in gun racks in cars in the parking lot. Much less useful.