ArizonaShooting.ORG

Hello everyone!

New to the forum and also about to be a new gun owner.

I just got my CCW and am in the market for something to carry with me on occasion. I shot a P365 during the course and loved it! I'm a gun noob, so I know close to nothing about all the manufacturers. Is the P365 a safe bet to start my gun journey with? I’m a pretty big guy so I think I’d like to go for the X model (bigger grip). Any other honorable mentions out there? What about holster brands?


Looking forward to learning more about firearms here!

Cheers

bigdoinks wrote: ↑July 2nd, 2022, 11:13 am Hello everyone!

New to the forum and also about to be a new gun owner.

I just got my CCW and am in the market for something to carry with me on occasion. I shot a P365 during the course and loved it! I'm a gun noob, so I know close to nothing about all the manufacturers. Is the P365 a safe bet to start my gun journey with? I’m a pretty big guy so I think I’d like to go for the X model (bigger grip). Any other honorable mentions out there? What about holster brands?


Looking forward to learning more about firearms here!

Cheers

You realize we've been a constitutional carry state for 10+ years, and you could've carried regardless and just asked about the gun. Where did you move from?


Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

Welcome, Yes great gun choice, I carry a P365XL, and have been tempted by the shorter P365X. I found the circumference of the grip a bit smaller than I prefer so I added a Hogue slip on grip sleeve.

kenpoprofessor wrote: ↑July 2nd, 2022, 11:59 am

bigdoinks wrote: ↑July 2nd, 2022, 11:13 am Hello everyone!

New to the forum and also about to be a new gun owner.

I just got my CCW and am in the market for something to carry with me on occasion. I shot a P365 during the course and loved it! I'm a gun noob, so I know close to nothing about all the manufacturers. Is the P365 a safe bet to start my gun journey with? I’m a pretty big guy so I think I’d like to go for the X model (bigger grip). Any other honorable mentions out there? What about holster brands?


Looking forward to learning more about firearms here!

Cheers

You realize we've been a constitutional carry state for 10+ years, and you could've carried regardless and just asked about the gun. Where did you move from?


Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

I've been living in Europe for the last ten years and have just moved back a few months ago. I realize that we are a constitutional carry carry state, but I still wanted to learn how to properly handle a weapon and get some further education on them. I might be mistaken, but I think that having a CCW will also speed up the purchasing process when buying from an FFL.

Cheers!

Brlux wrote: ↑July 2nd, 2022, 12:26 pm Welcome, Yes great gun choice, I carry a P365XL, and have been tempted by the shorter P365X. I found the circumference of the grip a bit smaller than I prefer so I added a Hogue slip on grip sleeve.

Great! The 'X' version seems to be a little difficult to find here in the valley. I might need to make an online order.

bigdoinks wrote: ↑July 2nd, 2022, 12:48 pm

I've been living in Europe for the last ten years and have just moved back a few months ago. I realize that we are a constitutional carry carry state, but I still wanted to learn how to properly handle a weapon and get some further education on them. I might be mistaken, but I think that having a CCW will also speed up the purchasing process when buying from an FFL.

Cheers!

You military?? And yes, there is no NICS when you have a CCW, cash and carry. It also permits you to carry in other states as well that have reciprocity agreement with AZ.


Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

I would also suggest that give some thought to the "carry occasionally" statement. Personally I carry everyday. I would hate to have something come up and think "gee I should have been carrying today".

Odds are great you'll never need to worry about that but in my mind it's the same reason I have a fire extinguisher in my house. I hope I never need it but if I do I'll be real glad it's there.

SupportTheSecond wrote: ↑July 2nd, 2022, 5:33 pm I would also suggest that give some thought to the "carry occasionally" statement. Personally I carry everyday. I would hate to have something come up and think "gee I should have been carrying today".

Odds are great you'll never need to worry about that but in my mind it's the same reason I have a fire extinguisher in my house. I hope I never need it but if I do I'll be real glad it's there.

Exactly. This was my first thought when reading the OP's post. But, I suspect a lot of us applied the same thinking, when we first got our permits. I know that I did, initially. Until I had my first "Oh, crap...that was close. If that had been any worse...I'd have been wishing I'd decided to carry, today", moment...and started carrying everyday!

I like the Sig 365 but the grip is small for me. Along those lines, I prefer the S&W Shield Plus, just fits and shoots better for me.

Owning and carrying a firearm is a right, not a privilege and comes with a responsibility. Good for you asking questions and preparing yourself.

JM custom makes great carry holsters:

I have one of these for my Shield+

https://www.jmcustomkydex.com/p/AIWB-WC ... M2-0C.html

Most indoor ranges have guns you can rent and try as many as you like. It may cut down on getting one, finding faults the second or third mag with ergonomics , now you gotta sell that like new gun at less than you paid. Repeat until satisfied, or rent your top 3 choices and have fun shooting that day. At the very least fun and 1st choice may get purchased or not. Think most all charge you to much their range required, ammo used in rental arms.

Manitu wrote: ↑July 3rd, 2022, 12:38 am Most indoor ranges have guns you can rent and try as many as you like. It may cut down on getting one, finding faults the second or third mag with ergonomics , now you gotta sell that like new gun at less than you paid. Repeat until satisfied, or rent your top 3 choices and have fun shooting that day. At the very least fun and 1st choice may get purchased or not. Think most all charge you to much their range required, ammo used in rental arms.

If you are in a position to own just one new pistol, this is what you need to do. You don't want to pick one, then later find out it doesn't fit you all that well. If it's not comfortable, you won't shoot it well. And, likely carry it less.

Of the pistols I own, the one that fits me best is a Ruger P89. I'm very accurate with it. I like it so much I have 3 of them. Peeps b**** that it's heavy, but it is an all metal gun. Easy to control..but I don't carry it much because of the weight.

My second favorite is the Walther PPS-M2. A much smaller, lighter gun. I shoot it very well too. As does my chic. So, I have one for me, and one for her. This is the gun I carry the most. Small, light, and accurate. It has a few different mag options that give grip lengths.

One gun I bought and loved was the P320C. If felt good, and I shot it well, but it kinda seamed a bit chunky in my hand. Now, I don't have small hands, it's just the factory medium frame was too much. Swapped to a small frame, perfect. Similar to my S&W M&P. The M&P is slender for a double stack gun. Fits me well, and I shoot it well. This makes it the gun that leaves the house with me everyday...

Other things you may want to consider are the cost of accessories. How much is an extra mag? Are upgraded triggers available? Are the sights adjustable/replaceable?

Try, at the range as suggested, the shield plus. Infact even the M&P 2.o isnt too big but the Shield plus is small and you get 13+1 rounds. I carry an extra 13 round mag. They come with a 13 and 10 round mag which makes the grip a bit shorter. I think you will find it's one of the easier mini 9s to shoot.

M&P is what Glock would be if it was true perfection. Just messin with the Glock folks.

Crippledtrigger wrote: ↑July 3rd, 2022, 3:43 am Try, at the range as suggested, the shield plus. Infact even the M&P 2.o isnt too big but the Shield plus is small and you get 13+1 rounds. I carry an extra 13 round mag. They come with a 13 and 10 round mag which makes the grip a bit shorter. I think you will find it's one of the easier mini 9s to shoot.

M&P is what Glock would be if it was true perfection. Just messin with the Glock folks.

Add another to the Shield +, best trigger of all the tiny 9mms I finger banged before deciding, and all pretty similar in cost. Ruger, Hellcat, Sig, none of them had the same crisp feel and break as the Shield. I did like the Ruger over the other two. Mind you, I'm a Glockaholic, and I have two G43s I carried until I found the Shield.

Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

Agreed.
Shield plus has the nice upgraded flat trigger out of the box..

Whatever and however you carry, my only $0.02 is carry as often as you possibly can. Even around the house, in your vehicle, going for a walk/run/bike ride, doing yard work, etc... Quickest way to figure what works and what doesn't.
Example, I carry a G26 AIWB. How do I bend down to pick up an 80# sack of concrete off the ground (or in real life, heaven forbid, one of my kids unconscious) without pinching my d***? Probably something you'll never think about, til you try.