Why a light pistol?

nickorette

nickorette

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I see numerous pistol advertizements that state the one of it's benefits as being light. Not to mention numeous people that mention one of the things they like about a pistol is that it's light. Beyond conceal carrying for citizens of more gun friendly countries, I really see no advantage to a light pistol.

More felt recoil, more muzzle flip, less forgiving to shoot accurately, etc.
 
nickorette said:
I see numerous pistol advertizements that state the one of it's benefits as being light. Not to mention numeous people that mention one of the things they like about a pistol is that it's light. Beyond conceal carrying for citizens of more gun friendly countries, I really see no advantage to a light pistol.

More felt recoil, more muzzle flip, less forgiving to shoot accurately, etc.
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Yeah, I found when I shot several different handguns that I loved the feel of a 1911. A real gun is made of metal. My dad hated shooting a glock when we tried out some handguns as it was too light and absorbed none of the recoil.
 
If it is too light, you can attach weights to it. If it is too heavy, you will have to dremel chunks off, which looks bad.
Pistols are for carrying, not for shooting. If you want to shoot, get a rifle, it is far superior.
 
Lighter is more comfortable to carry, usually also smaller and easier to conceal. I know, I switched from the man's to the "ladies" pistol at work. No regrets and I shoot it just as well.
 
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i'd carry my 44 mag revolver all day if i could. man up and carry real steel. haha

speaking as a guy with no carrying experience.i personally think you either go with a full size gun that you could hit something with regardless of weight or have a feather weight backup pistols in your pocket. couple of ounces doesnt make a huge difference to me weight wise, but the bulkiness of the pistol really makes a difference in carrying. i have a norc 226. it doesnt weight alot more than a glock but the width of it (and glock) really bothers me. i'd take a slimmer ,heavier 1911 as a carry any day over a glock or a sig . as a pure self defence pistol(within 10 feet) any pocket size pistol is good enough. if you need a gun to chase after bad guys with, i'd say pick a gun that you are comfortable to shoot with regardless of weight. it's 2 different purpose of use and i dont see why you need light weight mid-full size guns that stuck in the middle .
 
i was issued the 45 m1911 gov model and never found it heavy- on the other hand if you extend your arm , put a HEAVY pistol( like a WALKER) INTO the picture, you soon see how much it strains the muscles in that arm- and try to hold zero- instead of being on target, your front sight begins to travel around in a circle and your "stationary "target begins to look like it's moving. this is due to arm strain - it's also the reason for lining up and firing asap rather than waiting all day to get that "perfect" sight picture- open flap, draw gun, safety off, sights line up, fire- all ONE SMOOTH MOVEMENT-the quicker it's done, the less you notice that 2 pounds or so at the end of the arm- however, you really begin to notice it when doing entire magazines at a time- besides, with a heavy gun, even with the belt done up, sonner or later,you get "rapper pants"
 
Learning on a light gun with a medium trigger will likely develop shooting skills that will lead to better groups with a heavy gun.

Boom, recoil and muzzle flip might be part of the good.
 
OK, so a precious few of us can carry them.... :D

I've shot some nice lighter plastic guns but in the end I decided that I'm a metal sort of guy. To me they just seem like they are more permanent and less toy like. Not to mention that I don't really like the looks of most of them. I know, I know. Please don't start quoting me the numbers. This is an artsy right brain decision and has nothing to do with the logical left side. That and I'm a hammer loving sort. Striker options need not apply to my gun safe.
 
billdick said:
It doesn't matter what a handgun weighs because we can't actually carry them anyway.
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You don't hit often but you hit hard,but that said with the advent of polymeirs and space age alum and thin strong stuff,steel guns are a thing of the past!

Remember the Nylon 66,the Henry,and most every pistol now made?

Hang onto your old steel guns they will bring big money,soon we will have some kind of super cool plastic steel stronger than steel with inserts made of other stronger than that kind of whatever and useing blasts of air to launch pellets of whatever!

We will be hunting elks with cryonic nerf darts,while Gatehouse is out slaughtering the herds with his PC spear!!!!

Bob:)
 
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D_ said:
Transitions are faster with a lighter pistol.
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You mean transition from one target to the next? Oh, ok, that must be why ALL IPSC shooters shoot Glocks, right? I get it! Thanks.

I actually know at least one person who actually transitioned from one target to the next, 3 in total, with a “heavy” 1911, and all 3 of the bad guys hit the floor before they could get a shot out. I don't know how much faster you need to transition.

I carried a Taurus PT99AF for a few years, and although sometimes it felt a little heavy, I don't think it was that bad. I did try a Glock for weight, but decided my Taurus was better for me, more comfortable to carry although it was a bit heavier, and quicker for me to hit multiple targets with.

In the end, the weight of the gun is pretty much a personal preference, some like light plastic; others would never be caught with anything other than strong steel in their hands. My dad, who just turned 77, still carries his 1911 every single day. Try; just try to convince him that it would be more comfortable and better for him to carry Tupperware in his belt. I’ll wish you all the luck in the world and would ask not to be there, so I don’t have to laugh my butt off when he tells you off.

By the way, I know shoot mainly a 1911, and the only reason I didn't carry one when I carried the Taurus is just because I wasn't allowed to. I wish we had the right to carry here; I'd be lugging that heavy thing everywhere. YMMV, that’s why we have choices.
 
geologist said:
Wrong. Please do a search on ATC on this forum.
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I've been trying searches for ATC for the last 15 minutes, without any success. Is there any other way I could find the posts about it? I'd like to learn more about ATC, maybe I could go somewhere else to read about it? Thanks.
 
Gun Lover said:
I've been trying searches for ATC for the last 15 minutes, without any success. Is there any other way I could find the posts about it? I'd like to learn more about ATC, maybe I could go somewhere else to read about it? Thanks.
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Make sure to hit the drop down box to go 24 months back. It resets every time you search. I don't know why the search is so crappy all of a sudden.
 
billdick said:
It doesn't matter what a handgun weighs because we can't actually carry them anyway.
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Lots of us on here DO carry at work.

As already mentioned by several... If you have to wear it for 16 hours a day, lighter is better. If you want to shoot it lots, more mass is better.

Bless those laws of physics!
 
Gun Lover said:
You mean transition from one target to the next? Oh, ok, that must be why ALL IPSC shooters shoot Glocks, right? I get it! Thanks.
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Well just pointing out something to a possibly new shooter that was looking for info. But anyway your welcome.

In my sig there is a vid that shows me firing a full size/full frame 1911 double stack. My transitions seem to be ok - not great. But if your or your seventy-seven old man can show me faster shooting - lets see it.
 
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