Great. I made notes of this and plan on researching before my approach!
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Iâm bummed out the NSSF has cancelled this years SHOT event due to pandemicâŠ
What companies do you order your amo for? Iâm looking for a long standing manufacturer with steady supply at a good price for my first gun. Thanks!
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Ammo is ammo - I stay away from foreign-made ammo - just donât have much faith in their quality and consistency. I always had success with Winchester and CCI - their âBlazerâ ammo with aluminum cases was developed for non-reloaders , and shooters on a budget - I never had problems with them, For people skeptical about aluminum, CCI has had a âBrass Blazerâ on the market. SAAMI - the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute - was set up to oversee standards and quality as one of their functions - thatâs why a 9mm cartridge will fire in guns chambered for it - and none others. SAAMI also has responsibility for recalls on ammo and firearms that present problems - I remember seeing recalls on Remington ammo and rifles published in gun magazines years ago. All I can say is keep on lookinâ and shoppinâ.
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Again, thank you Kurt! I have a lot of notes from you.
I just wish I could find a mentor and fire arm trainer near me. The closest is two hours away.
If you have any thought of central AZ trainers please let me know.
Thanks Kurt!!!
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Another note on the Baby Eagle III - in the photos, did you notice the small, offset, circular indentations at the rear of the slide and frame? These are for field-stripping to clean the gun. You cock it, align the marks, and reach around to pop out the slide-stop - the slide comes right off, and youâre in business. This is what I meant by no-tools takedown. Other makes and models are designed with levers, spring-loaded tabs, etc., for the same function. Did you also notice the big slide-stop? This is often a custom feature on some guns - like Glocks - that you have to buy as a custom accessory and have installed by a gunsmith, if you have a problem with the standard stop that came with the gun.
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Very good insight Kurt, thanks!
What do you recommend for a light, outside holding, cheaper ammo beginner gun that does not require you cocking the hammer back?
Thanks again! I hope your holiday season is going well.
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My personal opinion - look at the Walther CCP M2/380 - this is a variation of the CCP which first came out in 9mm, but is chambered for the smaller and cheaper .380 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol). It has a 3.5" barrel, an 8-round magazine, and weighs 20 oz. empty. Itâs a striker-fired DAO (Double Action Only) design - CCP stands for Concealed Carry Pistol. It also has a magazine disconnect - it wonât function without a magazine in it, and you have to use an empty magazine to field-strip the gun for cleaning.
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Another Walther to look at is the one I have now - The PK380 - if you change your mind about a hammer-fired gun. This is a DA/SA with a 3.6" barrel, and 8-round magazine. it requires a small wrench to turn a tab in the frame for takedown, the one feature I DONâT like about it. The design is totally ambidextrous - it has 2 safeties, and 2 magazine releases - it has an internal slide-stop that you have to âsling-shootâ - pull back slightly and release - with a magazine-disconnect. Only 1 mag comes with it - I insist on having at least 3 mags or speedloaders for any handgun I own - I bought 2 extra mags for it @ $36 each - if you drop and damage a mag, you still have 2. The CCP may only have 1 mag, so be prepared to buy 1 or 2 extras. My money situation has kept me off the range and from re-building my âusingâ collection - the 2 insulins I have to take I have to buy together - a 5-pack of pens for each is over $700, and I expect to take 2 more hits out-of-pocket until the $340 deductible on my drug plan is met in 2021 - after that, Iâll be back into hobby-shooting, full time.
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As far as self-defense ammo goes, I look for the heaviest bullet loads available - 90+ grains for the .380, and lean toward bullet expansion versus penetration. I also match the same bullet weights with full metal jacket//âhardballâ practice ammo to break in a new pistol. The 3 top expansion performers in the Lucky Gunner test I looked at were: Winchester Train & Defend 95-grain Jacketed Hollow Point - âŠ63" - Win. Supreme Elite 95 Bonded Bullet - .62" - and Federalâs Personal Defense 99 HST JHP - .59". The test gun was a Glock 42 with a 3.25": barrel, shot through 4 layers of denim into ballistic gel⊠A grain, by the way, is the weight of a match head. 437.5 =1 oz., for conversion. Grains are used for bullet weights, and powder weights in reloading.
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Martial Arts - check out the two videos by the late Master John Tsai on self-defense, made in the '90s. No-nonsense practical, effective techniques, Also look for books by Bruce Tegner - he taught actors like Steve McQueen and James Coburn how to stage realistic film-fights. If you ever have to use a knife-hand technique (karate âchopâ), always remember to strike with the HEEL edge of your hand, and not your fingers. I saw a security video of someone totally knocked out from this.
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Nice Kurt, the hardest part is finding local mentors! But videos are always good precursers to ones education. I will have to look into this. Thank you!
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Tip: Whatever you buy, read the ownerâs manual completely, and fill out the warranty card. The card may be postpaid, but mail it folded up in a sheet of paper in an envelope for security - the only people that have a âneed to knowâ that you own a firearm are just that. Discretion here is a âmustâ.
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Wow, Kurt⊠you have extended your time, education and support beyond anyone else I know. I want to thank you for all of these tips. I love the reminder to fill out warranty card and keep things âneed to know basisâ. Luckily I just have you all to talk to about my new pursuit and it has been hard to find mentors or locals to go shoot with. Thank you, I appreciate your time and education! 
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I like the CCP M2 9mm 8 mag, light. Most 9mm ammo seems to be around $14 for a 50 round? Is there something similar with cheaper ammo? Other than finding locally accessible and less expensive ammo I light the longer hand grip, light weight semi automatics- no hammers for me.
But, of course I have to hold one and find the one that fits me. Shooting ranges are all an hour away and I have maybe 3 hopefully new connections.
Is it safe to meet a member from this group unarmed to go shooting outside a range? Do they do background checks here?
Thanks!
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When you view videos on the CCP or other pistols, pay particular attention to how they are taken down for cleaning. Youâll go through background checks every time you buy a gun, and definitely when you apply for a carry permit. Some states have an instant check - for $5/more extra, you donât have to wait days or weeks to finalize your purchase. Fill out the paperwork carefully and completely. Thatâs all from frozen Ohio for now.
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Thanks Frozen Kurt!
Well I hope your happy with your decision to relocate to Ohio�
I will have to study property gun cleaning to be able to see what to watch for.
What USCCA online class would you suggest me doing now? Iâve done Level one just have to do active fire time with a member in order to get to Level 2.
Stay warm. Get some Nestle chocolate chip cookie doe to bake!
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I have no advice on online classes - after 30+ years as a hobby shooter, Iâm largely self-taught.
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Something I was not expecting was how jittery I got when I was finally on the range with my firearm and there were other Shooters nearby. The sound is deafening sometimes even with headgear on. Maybe renting a firearm and spending some time on the Range will help you get accustomed to holding firing but also with having others around you firing so you wonât be so jittery.
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You mentioned renting a firearm. Rent a firearm you like and one you maybe intending on purchasing and try to get accustomed to that firearm. Most ranges do rent firearms. Look into it. Hope this helps.
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Hope youâre appreciating the âdry coldâ out there - an Arizonan I met in college complained about having to layer-up here. As a beginner, I wanted you to look at and shoot as many different guns - all-steel, steel/alloy, and steel/polymer - as possible, with separate, discrete controls, to get the âfeelâ of them, and begin to build your handling skills, My philosophy has always been âshoot enough gunâ for any chosen caliber - thatâs why I recommended the Baby Eagle III as one pistol to really look at, with the models it offered, and I still do. My full-size all-steel Gen II in .40 shot great right out of the box - I wanted something as close to a 1911 as I could, and found it.
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