Comments on: Choosing a Survival Pistol: Applying the Five Principles

By: BamaPrepper

BamaPrepper — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:18:24 +0000

The .45 nor the .44 special would not be on my list as bear of moose rounds.Also,you can make the perfect shot w/ a pistol and in certain situations follow up shots may be needed.

By: BamaPrepper

BamaPrepper — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:13:06 +0000

You must have read a different article than I did.I read this:
“Get proper hits with all those smaller bullets and you will be effective.”
He also states using FMJ rounds arent as effective,but you seem to missed that too.It’s not a fact that a .45 stops “much better” than a 9mm or .40.

By: hunter480

hunter480 — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 22:10:32 +0000

Wow……he states that he knows the 9mm isn`t as good a stopping round as the .45, but he counters with, the 9mm carries more rounds? Unbelievable.

While it`s true that I`m a dyed-in-the-wool Glock guy, and a for-sure .45acp dude, it`s still asinine to tout yourself as some sort of survival expert, then tell the average guy that spraying more rounds is better than being under control with a much better stopping round.

After this, plus the silly advice on CQC shotguns, I don`t give this dude much credibility.

By: TRSTLSJASPDS

TRSTLSJASPDS — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 12:44:44 +0000

Nmgene, our military did have a problem with the slides cracking, but that problem was fixed long ago. There was a problem with the metal composition of the slides causing them to be weaker and crack or break in half in the thinner area of the slide where the locking block would slide into place. Anyone who has taken a beretta apart knows exactly where I am talking about. Beretta tried to fix the problem with making a thicker and heavier slide called the brigadier. Talk to anyone in the military who used one and they all hated them. Heavy as could be and wouldn’t fit properly in any molded holster due to their thickness. These came around the later 90′s and eventually went away around early 2000. Beretta was able to correct the flaw in the composition of the slides and the new M9/92FS slides are back to the original size and twice as strong as the beefier brigadier slides. I have personally shot well over 5,000 rds through an M9 in a week and never had a problem. The most common problem with the pistol now is locking blocks breaking, but this was due to a bad batch sent to the military and have mostly been replaced. I’ve never seen any other pistol hold up to the amount of abuse the M9 has taken over the years. As much as I like Glock pistols, I will gladly take a Beretta as a survival pistol any day of the week. It is the AK-47 of pistols.

By: nmgene

nmgene — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 20:20:10 +0000

The Berreta has always had a habit of breaking after so many rounds. Our military sent them back to the armory after so many rounds to have the slides replaced. I have a TZ 75 in 9mm, a Star PD and a sig sauer 220 both in 45acp. My right front pocket always has a Charter arms bulldog in 44 special. I always carry speed loaders and extra magazines just in case. I rarely carry the 9mm as it just doesnt have the power needed in Alaska to stop a grizz or a moose. The best gun to carry is the one you can use the best!!!! Make the first shot count and you wont need a second shot.

By: swagner59

swagner59 — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 17:36:59 +0000

Quite correct, and that’s why we are fortunate that there are so many pistol choices that would work in these circumstances. Above all, I believe that high capacity in whatever caliber you find works best for you is critical, and there are a lot of great Hi-cap .45′s now that work well right out of the box, such as the Springfield XD series.

Thanks for your comments

By: Realist 2011

Realist 2011 — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 01:16:01 +0000

The Beretta is a very reliable handgun however it is not for everyone. People with small hands have a very difficult time shooting it well. I am one of those people and I think it feels like I am holding a brick. The military took a one size fits all stance when they picked it. Since that time there are some units that use the Sig, Glock and 1911. As for caliber I think that any military or law enforcement makes sense, these would be the 9mm, 40 cal, or 45 cal cartridges. As for what is a better cartridge, well books could be filled with that argument. The best cartridge is whatever you can handle that is done by choosing a weapon that fits you.

By: obxned

obxned — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 21:21:20 +0000

I prefer my CZs. However, after it has been out in the field for a while and been used under the worst conditions, I suspect the KelTec PMR-30 may be the hot item. There is a lot to be said in favor of 30 rounds per magazine, and the teminal ballistics of the current self-defense ammo is impressive. The gun is also very light, so you could carry more loaded magazines.

By: swagner59

swagner59 — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 00:55:17 +0000

Glock of COURSE, is an excellent choice-and for LE is universal, although the .40 rightly or wrongly, is the number one choice of caliber among agencies. At my former agency, testing showed that the Glock 31, in .357 SIG caliber, would be our best choice, and it was. Great caliber-for awhile we were the only agency in the state to issue it-and I still have a couple of examples in .357, the 32 and 33 specifically, they wouldn’t be my primary survival pistol choice, unless I bought .40 cal barrels for them, which is a good solution.

By: jumper2325

jumper2325 — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 05:09:29 +0000

Thanks for the write up – m9 is a good argument, although I say the future is in plastics. My choice would be a Glock 19 for all around use – indestructable, accurate, light, concelable, and for my hand more comfortable than the full size. 9mm is probably the most universal ammo, and Glock the most universal pistol to include LEO (carrying model 17s, which magazines will work in the 19). Not the prettiest, nor comfortable, but the title is survival…