Category Archives: Handgun Tests

New Conceal Carry Pistol- Kimber Micro 9 Rapide – Update

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I have on occasion worn my pistols as conceal carry locally, but most are too bulky, too heavy for everyday conceal carry.  My big requirements; weight, reliability, safety, and trigger pull/design and accuracy were utmost in my mind. 

I looked at many small conceal carry pistols. Gotta have a safety lever, light in weight, yet sturdy as all get-out. I bought the USA Made Kimber Micro 9 Rapide in 9mm (7shot) pictured below with my computer mouse. It has a 3.15 inch barrel and weighs just under a pound empty. Nice!

It is basically a Micro 1911. It has an ambidextrous butterfly safety on each side. The clips have a finger hook for a firm grip. 

Below is my first 10 yard 115g UMC Remington groups right out of the box.

My right/left group was excellent. I moved the point-of-aim higher and a bit lower as they vertically string . Trigger pull was clean and guess to 6 or 7 pounds.

April 22,2024, below a 4 shot Winchester 147g Hollow Points at 10 yards. Love the night sights. Recoil with 147g JHP was manageable given such a small pocket pistol.

Unfortunately it only comes with one clip. What? Ok, I bought an extra clip. 

Disassembly/reassembly video

 

Basic cost, $909.00.

Yes, that’s a lot, but l think it is worth it. There are a dozen color versions of the Kimber Micro 9. 

So far, it filled all of my requirements and it wears well with a sticky™ pocket holster. There it is, Invisible, in my pocket. The sticky holster holds itself in my pocket when I draw. 

Be Safe Out There!

© Copyright 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My New Glocks for Home and Conceal Carry

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Below are my new Glocks, G19 Gen 5 in 9mm and G44 in .22LR.  I chose these Glocks because they are very reliable and essentially identical. The weight and caliber is different, but handling is the same and great for cross training.   

I purchased the .22LR – G44 at right for low recoil training for my wife. When she gets used to the .22, then we will train on the 9MM. Both pistols come with a lock, extra grips in medium and large. The 9mm comes with 3 clips and the .22 comes with two. 

I shot both Glocks (see the target below), just after purchase and shot CCI Mini-Mag .22’s and Remington 9mm FMJ ammo at 20 feet. If you look close, you can see the .22 and 9mm holes intermingled below the 10x ring. Not bad at all! My outdoor range was a sheet of ice to walk on, so I used just one target for both. 

I like the sights framed in white edging and can be seen clearly in darker shadows.

Glock OEM Adjustable Rear Sight SP05977 Gen 1-5Glock OEM Front Sight SP06956 Gen 1-5

The .22 pistol is lighter to handle. My wife is not an avid shooter at all, despite being married to  me for many decades. But now she is feeling fearful with large spikes in crime on TV and the need for her safety.

I already own a Kimber 1911 Pro Carry II for home protection, conceal carry. The size difference between my Kimber Pro Carry II in .45ACP  and the G19 Gen 5 in 9MM is very similar but the 45 has 8 shots and the G19 has 15 shots when fully loaded.

Weight-wise the difference between each gun when fully loaded is just 4.3 ounces, with the Kimber being a bit heavier.  The grip safety beavertail on the Kimber increases the length by an inch.

Which to carry depends on your abilities with each pistol and the kind of situations you believe to encounter. For a new shooter, as my wife is, training with a light recoiling .22 helps for confidence before using the 9mm. 

I will write more on these pistols in the near future. 

Good Shooting and Training!

© Copyright 2022

 

 

 

 

Sig Sauer P320: Conceal Carry or Home Defense

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I took the Sig Sauer Intermediate Handgun skills course with the Sig P320 and was impressed at the start with the trigger pull, I measured it at 7 lbs but very smooth.

It resets itself with a felt click by easing your finger pressure after the shot and now ready for a follow-up. I believe it is a dual purpose pistol at ease for conceal carry though not as small as some conceal carry and it is ideal for home defense.

I can only say that recoil with 115 grain bullets was so mild that it was never a thought that recoil was ever an issue.

The use of an expanding bullet is perhaps the best for self-defense. If I were to carry all the time as a citizen, then I would opt for a shorter frame like the Sig P320 subcompact which holds 12 rounds. But for general use and home defense the standard P320 would be better as the barrel and sight radius is a bit longer.  There are lots of pistols out there but this one has won the contract for the US Army making it a very tested product. I had difficulty reloading the new clips provided, common to all 9mm pistols of every make. They do need to be broken in, and loading to 10 or so instead of the 15 during break-in can make it easier on your thumbs. Better yet get a magazine loading tool.

https://www.amazon.com/Maglula-ltd-UpLULA-Magazine-Unloader/dp/B01MQTZVZY

I give the Sig P320 a big thumbs up and it is very cost effective! And it breaks down with a flip of a lever for easy cleaning.

As to whether the 45 ACP is better? That depends on its use and your comfort and skill. Folks have written books on it….

The 45ACP is heavier in general for conceal carry. I have a Kimber 1911 and like it very much but you must remember to cock the hammer if you have it down or to drop the safety lever. But I am used to that.

On the P320 there is no hammer as it is striker fired and there is not a safety lever. It is all in that great trigger design.

If you are going to do competitive shooting then the Sig P320 would be a great choice over the 45ACP.

Keep your firearms safe! Good Shooting!

 

 

To Shoot a Charging Bear with a S&W Model 69 in 44 Magnum?

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Have you practiced hitting  a 3 inch ball (the size of a bears brain) coming at you, undulating up and down at 20 miles an hour? I took some shots yesterday with the Smith & Wesson Model 69 Combat 44 magnum at just a  stationary target and I could only get one bullet, the first shot, in the kill zone out of 5 shots. See Video below.

But that was just initial practice. Serious practice with a moving target over time would be best. And you or I might reach the conclusion that we are not up for that task.

I saw a video where someone used a 1911 pistol in 45 ACP place more than one bullet in the brain kill zone however the 45 ACP is not Brown Bear medicine and would not likely penetrate the skull before the bear reached your body.

Brown bear experts suggest that a 12 gauge shotgun with slugs and 00 buckshot are best in brown bear country.

But on black bear here in New England the S&W Model 69 for general use on deer in regular gun season or bear is just fine say for an archery bear hunt where the bear is climbing the tree you are in and you want more protection than spray repellent.

So where does that leave us in our testing with the SW Model 69 Combat Magnum? I like the confidence I feel with a pistol in 44 Magnum on my hip and will share more on my carry of it in the deer woods this fall.

Note: during deer Muzzleloader or Bow season, you must have “license to carry permit with you” in addition to your muzzleloader/archery license or leave your pistol home.

Open Carry it during “regular”gun season if you like but if concealed under a jacket you need a “conceal carry permit”. When in doubt call NH F&G to get any questions answered before hitting the woods. Unless you have a conceal carry permit, you must unload your pistol while in a vehicle just like your rifle or shotgun. Bone up on pistol laws.

Be Safe! Good Shooting!

 

Testing the S&W Model 69 Combat Magnum in 44 Magnum for Bear Back-Up – Updated

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The key to any back up weapon, or any weapon for that matter, is to easily access it and shoot accurately.  No matter how powerful the cartridge and gun are, if you miss, or wound a bear that is charging such as a brown bear or grizzly or large black bear, you could soon be dead and likely dinner.

Enter the S&W Model 69 Combat  Magnum with a 2.75 inch barrel and Red embedded composite front sight.  This S&W Combat magnum shoots 5 rounds and has a very smooth double action and can be shot in single action as well. This week I shot 240 grain soft point in Remington 44 magnum and 300 grain hollow point at 8 yards and a few shots at 25 yards. Below is the 8 yard target. The first three shots are at 6 oclock in the center two bullets are from the 300 grain loads. The cluster to the right was double action with the 300 grain heads and but more recoil.

At 25 yards I fired a few rounds single action with 240 grain and 300 grain and hit a small metal plate each time. I really like this Model 69! The grip is adequate for the recoil but could be better. The straight back recoil allows me to get on target faster. The sights and barrel length are excellent for a back up side arm for bear or a closer shot at deer.

The size of a black bears brain is around 3 inches (2.54 cm/inch) front to back. Accordingly, I would suggest that you be able to place a bullet accurately there is imperative. From the front the nasal cavity just below and between the eyes is a good bet and from the side the skull forward below the ears and behind the eyes.

 

Image result for bear anatomy shot placement in brain

 

More later.

Good Shooting!

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