Beretta PX4 Storm, Smith & Wesson BodyGuards

[Corey]

Well that was easy

Had yesterday off (have been off on company paid holiday since the 23rd) and went to my local PD to get the papers to fill out for my CWP.

They fingerprint only on Tuesdays, so I went in a bit ago and paid the fee, filled out one more form they put your prints on, then waited a short bit until they put my fingers in ink.
Stuff comes off very easily there with GoJo.
They said I should have it in the mail in a week or two at the latest.

This will give me a little time to think about which handgun I am going to get, but I am pretty sure it will be the Glock 21SF like my friend has.
Ammo is not all that much cheaper for it than the Federal 55 grain Ball FMJ 5.56 NATO ammo I buy for my AR15.
Least I will be able to shoot this at the indoor range though.

 

[robert]

You just need to add a 9mm AR to your collection. 9mm is cheaper and you can shoot it at the indoor range; they make great training guns too since they don't have hardly any recoil- see, it's perfectly logical to spend another couple of hundred on black rifle disease. :costumed-smiley-007

 

[Corey]

Made up my mind and have done a lot of research, and I am getting the Glock 21SF.
It came in a few variations including a pic rail and ambidextrous mag releases which were a fail.
You can read about that here.
http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1307390

I am getting the same one my friend has with the standard Glock rail and one mag release button.

My concealed weapon permit came in the mail today, so I can go pick up the gun tomorrow after work or Saturday morning.
Perhaps the latter, I am bushed when Friday rolls around.

At least I can go in now and walk right out with it instead of waiting the seven days while they run a background check since all that has been done to obtain the permit.

This will be the nightstand home defense gun, and the one I take with me on backcountry camping trips.

The only thing I will be doing to it is to add a Surefire X400 laser/light combo to it like I have on my AR15.

 

[d1sc0ver]

My two cents worth:

I like Sigs. The Sig 250 is supposedly a POS.

I like Sigs too, a lot. But I disagree with you about the P250, wholeheartedly. Don't suppose anything, go use it, then decide. Smoothest trigger pull of any handgun I have ever fired, to include revolvers and SA/DA. The P250 is DA only, so the trigger pull is long...that doesn't qualify it as a POS.

Whatever you get, make sure you’re comfortable with it. If you like the gun you’ll be more inclined to shoot it more often and develop better habits. Practice, practice, practice.

I agree, 100%

 

[Corey]

Glock 21SF Model number PF2150202

Took off one our early from work today, as I knew traffic was going to be a killer up where the gun shop is where I picked up my Glock 21SF today.

God Bless America, I love walking into a store and being able to take the gun home with me after filling out some paper work.
Having the concealed weapon permit show up yesterday was great.

I do not really care for the white sites on the Glock, so I asked about some Truglo Brite Sites.
They use the same technology as the Acog TA31H-G optic I am picking up later for my AR15.
At night it uses tritium, and during the day it uses fiber optics.
I can not find the info on their site, but here is another site with the model number they installed for me.
TruGlo TG131G1 Fiber Optic Sight For Glock
I paid I think a little to much for the sites at the store, they are much cheaper online.

I asked about ammo, and since I am going to be practicing at the range for awhile, they recommended Fiocchi 45 Auto 230 grain FMJ.
They explained to me this is not a good round though for home defense, as it can penetrate walls to easily.
They recommend hollow points for that since it mushrooms out and more than likely will not exit out the back side and go through a wall hurting someone else.
http://www.fiocchiusa.com/cat_centerfire.html
Found it listed at another site for about the same price I paid, around $20 per 50.
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Fiocchi-Centerfire-Pistol-45-Auto-230-gr-FMJ-SD/productinfo/96545A/

The Glock 21SF is not listed on Glocks site for some reason, but they are still cranking them out, and it is a very popular handgun.
I am not finding it online, but the model is PF2150202.

It has the Glock rail (one cutout instead of several like a Picatinny rail has) and one mag release on the left side.
As I posted the other night, the ones with the Picatinny rail and ambidextrous mag release had problems such as snagging on holsters and mags coming out.

Here are a few pictures of it, they include a very nice case with it which holds the mags and a cable lock.

The Surefire X400 laser/light combo I have on the AR15 fits the Glock very well too.
I will have to inquire about a holster that will accommodate the X400 so I can wear it when I am camping in the backcountry.

I am not sure if I am going to be able to shoot it or not this weekend, but next weekend for sure.
I need to lube it first and practice breaking it down and reassembling it.
They make it look so easy in the store

Glock in the box

Truglo sites

Truglow sites away from a light source, the camera can not capture how it really looks, they look awesome

X400 mounted
I think I need to take a piece out of the X400, as it does not sit right.
I might take my Glock down to the shop that worked on my AR15 since I bought the X400 there.
It looks like if I take a piece out of the bottom of the X400 it will slide further back.
Kind of a bummer, as then when I want it on the AR15 I will have to put it back.
A lot cheaper though than springing for a second X400, they are pricey!

Can not wait to shoot this, it has been years since I owned my Taurus 9mm.

 

[Hill Bill E.]

Corey, have you thought about reloading?

If you start shooting a lot, it's worth the time and investment.

For a couple dozen boxes of ammo, you can be reloading for both your AR and .45.

It's fun, saves a lot of money, and I find it relaxing to hand load a few hundred rounds.

:coffeedrink:

 

[dwh]

They recommend hollow points for that since it mushrooms out and more than likely will not exit out the back side and go through a wall hurting someone else.

All I can say to that is "like hell".

It depends on where it hits. If it hits drywall then it WILL punch right on through and keep going. If it hits drywall, and then hits the side of a 2x4 inside the drywall, it'll stop. But that will stop pretty much any handgun bullet.

Drywall, then drywall (just went from the living room where you fired it to your child's bedroom) then drywall and then drywall (just went from your child's room to the bedroom where your wife is) then drywall and then STUCCO - it MIGHT stop.

With a hollow point you might not put a round through your neighbors, but your family is still at huge risk. Not only that, but you CANNOT predict where the round go will when it comes out the other side of the wall.

And not only that, who says drywall will cause a hollow point to expand? Take some drywall out into the field and try it and see..

"There is not much that has to be said about this picture; the .223 calibers rapidly lose their momentum after penetrating drywall first, while the heavier bullets do not. Note that the pistol calibers in the example above penetrate to approximately 50cm (~20"). That would lead me to believe that the bullets chosen for that test didn't expand and thus further highlights the need to choose ammunition which passes the FBI test protocols. A Winchester Ranger-T bullet penetrates approximately 15" (~38cm) after encountering wallboard - about the same as the .308 155gr AMAX."


http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm#OVERPENETRATION

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot14.htm


Nice gun you got there. I like! Love .45.

 

[Corey]

Corey, have you thought about reloading?

If you start shooting a lot, it's worth the time and investment.

For a couple dozen boxes of ammo, you can be reloading for both your AR and .45.

It's fun, saves a lot of money, and I find it relaxing to hand load a few hundred rounds.

:coffeedrink:

Thanks Bill, it states right inside of the case to not use reloads in the Glock.
I really do not have the room here at my place to get into reloading for the AR.
Although I plan on running several hundred rounds of 5.56 through it this summer, I will probably fire that S&W AR15-22 a lot more since 22 long rifle is so cheap.

All I can say to that is "like hell".

It depends on where it hits. If it hits drywall then it WILL punch right on through and keep going. If it hits drywall, and then hits the side of a 2x4 inside the drywall, it'll stop. But that will stop pretty much any handgun bullet.

Drywall, then drywall (just went from the living room where you fired it to your child's bedroom) then drywall and then drywall (just went from your child's room to the bedroom where your wife is) then drywall and then STUCCO - it MIGHT stop.

With a hollow point you might not put a round through your neighbors, but your family is still at huge risk. Not only that, but you CANNOT predict where the round go will when it comes out the other side of the wall.

And not only that, who says drywall will cause a hollow point to expand? Take some drywall out into the field and try it and see..

Nice gun you got there. I like! Love .45.

I did not mean the hollow point hitting the drywall, but hitting someone in the chest.
At least I hope I can hit them and not the wall
That is what the super duper laser is for :victory:

Hopefully it will never come down to that.
I am out of my place so early for work, I think most home invasions take place after I have left for work.
It is a good piece of mind though having this.

Thanks, I had not thought about Glocks to much in the past.
My friend who turned me onto it and sold me the AR use to hate Glocks, that is until he shot a friends, then he was sold.
Right away he bought this model and one in a 9mm.

I should get use to the 45 pretty quick.
Shooting my 9 mm long ago was very easy, and I have shot my friends Colt 45 before up in the mountains where we shoot our ARs.

I am rusty though with a pistol, I wonder if it would be worth taking this course for $80 at the local indoor range.
http://www.championarms.com/basic-handgun-class-i-57.html?OBNsid=2beecf2fa1c81b4c809f31453c714669

Here is an old vid of us shooting up where I camp and wheel.
The area there now is under about 5' to 10' or so of snow.
It was the first time I had shot the AR, and I was pretty excited
I even had to squeeze off a few rapid fire rounds, it was very impressive to shoot it.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBhqQOCASJM"]YouTube - Shooting at Greenwater[/ame]

 

[dwh]

I did not mean the hollow point hitting the drywall, but hitting someone in the chest.
At least I hope I can hit them and not the wall
That is what the super duper laser is for :victory:

Ahh...I see. Well, I suppose that would be something to hope for.

 

[Corey]

Ahh...I see. Well, I supposed that would be something to hope for.

Practice will make perfect I hope, that is on the range.

I fixed the X400 so it fits like it should.
I had to take out the wedge thing that digs into the Picatinny/Glock rail, and changed it for another one that came with the X400.
I will have to see if this slimmer one still works on my AR15, this way I will not have to change them out each time.

Both that small wedge and the sides of the X400 that screw in hold the X400 securely to the Glock.
Notice in this new picture how the X400 sits all the way back now like it should.

I can use the switch on the X400 and turn it either way, and it does not contact the Glock at all, it fits it to perfection.
Gosh I love this gun.
Gotta shoot it soon.

 

[Corey]

A day at the range

Jim and I hit Wade's Guns out in Bellevue yesterday so I could try out my new Glock 21SF, and so he could try out both his too and a Glock 17 (9 mm) he bought.
He also brought along his S&W 357 magnum.

The range we went to was very nice and clean, and also they have a full stocked store there to purchase items.
I ended up buying a nice speed loader for my Glock that works way better than the one that Glock gives you.

I took along 8" and 12" Dirty Bird Color Burst targets, I really like these as the black background is easier to see at a distance, and the colored holes let you see better too.

I need to work on:
Breathing
Stance
Squeezing, not pulling the trigger

Most of my shots were to low most of the time, but when I concentrated on squeezing the trigger I got on paper more.
I have not shot pistol in a very long time, so it is going to take lots of practice to work on the proper techniques.
But that is what the range is for, and I look forward to many more trips out to a few of them and shooing during the summer up at Greenwater.

I ran 152 rounds through it.
100 rounds of my Fiocchi 45 ACP 230 gr ball FMJ, and 52 rounds of Jim's Winchester Whitebox ammo of the same specs.

I will be buying 500 rounds of the same stuff he was using, as you can often get that on sale for a very good price.

The Glock did great (better than me ) not one misfire or jam.
I really like this gun.
If has much more of a kick than my old Taurus 9 mm I had back in the early 90s.

Here is a picture of a few of the targets I shot at in 8" and 12" size.
They are very easy to see, much easier than a standard paper target.

Here are some videos shot with the GoPro HD camera, and shot at full 1080P HD.

http://vimeo.com/19887909



http://vimeo.com/19888101



http://vimeo.com/19888156



http://vimeo.com/19888192

 

[Ludedude]

As you now know, the Glock rail and Picatinny rails are not the same. Just buy a light for each gun this way it will be more likely to be there when you need it. While you're at it, ditch the laser on the rifle at least.

Enjoy the Glock. They make great pistols and are tougher than nails. A few small drops of oil and they'll run forever.

 

[Hill Bill E.]

Thanks Bill, it states right inside of the case to not use reloads in the Glock.

Yep, you will find that with every weapon you buy these days. They have to tell you that, to cover thier the legalities.

A smart person will not shoot reloads from an unknown source.

And most avid shooters advise to not shoot any handloads that you did not load.

Especially with hanguns, where lot of the cartridges were developed using black powder.

Take a .44 Magnum round, it is possible to fit three magnum powder charges in a single case, and still seat the bullet.

From the outside, you can't tell. But it would be very, very unsafe to do this.

Even a double charge could very well blow up a handgun.

It's a very precise science, that requires ones full attention.

That said, it can be fun, enjoyable and relaxing. And shooting quality handloads won't hurt any new weapon, for if they are done within the SAMMI guidelines, they are as safe as the factory produced ammunition.



Glad you are liking your new Glock! My wife picked up her new S&W BodyGuard .380 on Friday. She's exited to hit the range this week!

I like the .380, but it's to small for my hands.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Thanks Bill, it states right inside of the case to not use reloads in the Glock.

Corey, I believe you will find that EVERY manufacturer, without fail, recomends against shooting reloads somewhere in their owners manual.

They do that for liability reasons. There is nothing wrong with PROPERLY reloaded ammo, but they have no way to be sure the guy doing the reloading isn't putting TOO much powder in the reloads to "make them hotter". In this day and age, the idiot who overloaded his reloads is sure to sue them, claiming they should have WARNED him not to use reloads.

That said, you should be aware that Glocks have a particular problem with reloaded ammo with LEAD bullets. The factory barrels have polygonal rifling and they lead like crazy if you shoot lead bullets. The leading causes the pressure to rise on subsequent shots and it can hit dangerous levels, even causing blow ups!

There is no problem with reloads made with full metal jacket ball ammo. Aftermarket replacement barrels for Glocks are all cut-rifled and can handle lead bullet reloads with no problem.

Regards
John

 

[Corey]

Thanks Lude, just got done cleaning it.
Thought I would dread it, (AR15 is a PITA to clean, I need more practice on it) but cleaning the Glock was actually a nice experience while watching a show on the DVR.

I use the CLP cleaner for both the AR15 and the Glock, good stuff.
No need for a separate solvent and a separate oil.
My friend I shot with yesterday showed me the weekend before how to strip it down and we cleaned it at the same time since Glock had shot two rounds through it.

I had received the ProShot Competition kit last week from ProShot, same kit my friend has.
Very high quality.
I used the patch holder to clean the barrel out first with some CLP, then used the brush a bit since I had shot quite a few rounds through it.
Then more CLP on a clean patch until several patches later it came out clean, then put a little CLP on a fresh patch to leave some residue in the barrel, and did the rest of the gun.

The kit came with these jags too that look like a bullet head kind of.
Not sure if I need to really use those too, my friend does not.
I take it they are for pushing a patch through too?

The Glock comes apart and assembles again very easily.

Thanks Bill and John.
I really do not have the room here or time to dedicate to reloading.
It might be something I might get into some day though.

My friend shoots the whitebox Winchester 45 ACP 230 gr ball ammo.
I shot some of if yesterday, and that is all he shoots in both of his Glocks.
The cheapest place he has found the 45 ACP is for around $30 per 100 round box at Walmart.
He found it for the same price online last night for me, and I ordered up 500 rounds earlier today.
http://www.sgammo.com/product/winchester/500rd-45-auto-acp-winchester-230gr-fmj-usa45avp

It is a good all around round for target or home defense.
Not sure if I will spend the extra money for hollow points or not at this time for home/camping defense.