Keeping expensive, uncommon firearms for HD / SD?

[Sniper3142]

What is your life worth to you? On the other hand, a $3k gun isn't going to do anything a $450 Throwaway Glock won't.

Since we are talking about Defending Your Life, or the Life of Someone else like a Loved One...

Use the BEST tool you are familiar and properly trained with that offers the reliability and performance you may need for that situation.

[colossians323]

So I've got expensive tastes, and I'm fortunate to be able to accommodate them.

One of my EDC CCW guns is a Springfield Professional, and I've made my War Sport LVOA into a HD gun.

Both are ~$3,000.00 guns that aren't terribly easy to come by, especially the Professional.

What are your thoughts on using such nice firearms for HD / SD?

The obvious fear / worry being what if it gets taken by the cops in the aftermath of a SD shooting....

I've thought of swapping my Pro for, say, a G21 or something...but I shoot the Pro so damned well, and it's kinda like having a Ferrari but never, ever driving it for fear of chipping the paint, scratching it, etc.

Thoughts & opinions please!

The pro weighs a ton for ccw. Tried it for a second, a commander or smaller model is far more comfortable. Having said that, I would not hesitate to use either for HD

[audiophil2]

Not everybody is a whale living large like you. Some people may have had to saved and planned a long time to buy a $3000 gun. It also may be their only such gun. Personally I don't even really like the higher end 1911's although I could own a few if I wanted to.

I don't consider $3000 a lot of money nor do I consider it pocket change but I really doubt that most people would be endangering their life by choosing a $500-700 gun to defend themselves with over a $3000 one.

That's why I said price is relative. A Hipoint might be expensive to some people and it could take months to save up for one. OTH, a $3000 gun might be low end to some folks.

I honestly think the OP was humble bragging and it is why I subtly called him out. Who starts off a conversation saying they have expensive taste and are fortunate to accommodate those tastes? Then he knocks $500 guns as if they are below him. Finally, he re-emphasizes his personal wealth by comparing a Professional to a Ferrari. Terms like Ferrari and Rolex are more than just brands. They are status symbols of their respective categories. Some people saw the humble brag and called him on it and look how he responded. Like a typical braggart.

I don't care if a gun is $3000 or $300. If it works, use it. Since he acts like he can afford to lose it then why is he even asking for advice? Or is he not really asking for advice? Like I said, I know guys that actually use their guns as intended. While NFA guns are usually treated more carefully I have seen plenty of $5000+ Title I rifles run through the sand. A Professional is just a low production gun. It's nothing special but the OP acts as if it is. The gun was made for duty use so why ask if he should use it?

A local customer had a home invasion a few years ago. He jumped out of the shower and killed both of them with a WWII highpower stuffed with WWII ammo. It was his closest gun to him. He never mentioned hesitating to shoot because he might not get to keep the gun.

[CouchOperator]

This is a strange thread. Tons of people huffing and puffing about their wallets but saying they arent

[DrjonesUSA]

The gun is just a tool and you have some nice tools. Use them, simple as that.

When re qualifying recently, my 3 guns had to be inspected, inspector said "wow really nice guns man" Maybe he was just bored after seeing dozens of Shields and G-43's These are the three that I shoot very well and have confidence in so that's why I use them, they're the best tools I can afford for the job.

Yep, I get the same gawks & comments from instructors & students; as I said, I've got my Pro on my license, along with a full-rail TRP Operator and G30.

The guns stand out as 99% of the rest of the class uses Glocks, Shields, revolvers, etc...come to think of it, I'm not sure I've ever seen another 1911 in my classes...hmmm....

That and I shoot 245 or 250 out of 250...which isn't all that hard, but still....

[DrjonesUSA]

All things being equal, and you shoot the Springfield Pro better than your other guns, by all means, carry and rely upon the Pro for self-defense. That part is a drop in the bucket compared to all of the other expenses of a self-defense shoot (even a justified one).

At the risk of turning this into a 1911 vs. Plastique Fantastique argument, all things are not equal, and there are several factors that keep me from listing my TRP or my XSE Commander on my CCW. I shoot either one of them better than my Glock 30, thanks to that crisp single action trigger. They're heavier so the follow-up shots are easier to take, and I like the heft of the all-steel frame. But maybe I'm weak and/or I should follow the old adage "a carry gun is supposed to be comforting, not comfortable" but after a whole day of carrying one, my back and my hips were sore, and there is a rash on my skin where it contacts the holster (a Stealth Gear Ventcore - one of the most comfortable out there). This is before getting to the capacity and maintenance issues that are well-documented, and I won't get into that here.

I liked the idea of carrying a 1911 because it's so thin, packs a good punch, and it's a classic, but in actuality, it was more painful than I had thought. If you can do it comfortably, more power to you.

I'm a firearms collector as much as the next guy, and I enjoy owning a variety of guns, but there's several things that keep drawing me back to the basic $500 Glock for my self defense/CCW needs.

Good points about the weight & size, which is why my 2 full-size 1911s get carried off-body, 99.9% of the time.

As for the capacity... I'm not worried about it. Don't want to turn this thread in that direction, but I do feel that if you need more than 1-2 mags, you need a rifle and backup, not a pistol.

That being said, I do carry 8 spare mags for my Pro...yes, I'm nuts...I embrace it. With all the terrorism & stuff going on...aw, who knows...

[DrjonesUSA]

This is a strange thread. Tons of people huffing and puffing about their wallets but saying they arent

Exactly what I thought, which is why I didn't reply to any of those comments.

I truly didn't intend to be a show-off in any way whatsoever, but anytime you merely mention the name of an expensive firearm, some people get all worked up anyway...

[DrjonesUSA]

That's why I said price is relative. A Hipoint might be expensive to some people and it could take months to save up for one. OTH, a $3000 gun might be low end to some folks.

I honestly think the OP was humble bragging and it is why I subtly called him out. Who starts off a conversation saying they have expensive taste and are fortunate to accommodate those tastes? Then he knocks $500 guns as if they are below him. Finally, he re-emphasizes his personal wealth by comparing a Professional to a Ferrari. Terms like Ferrari and Rolex are more than just brands. They are status symbols of their respective categories. Some people saw the humble brag and called him on it and look how he responded. Like a typical braggart.

I don't care if a gun is $3000 or $300. If it works, use it. Since he acts like he can afford to lose it then why is he even asking for advice? Or is he not really asking for advice? Like I said, I know guys that actually use their guns as intended. While NFA guns are usually treated more carefully I have seen plenty of $5000+ Title I rifles run through the sand. A Professional is just a low production gun. It's nothing special but the OP acts as if it is. The gun was made for duty use so why ask if he should use it?

A local customer had a home invasion a few years ago. He jumped out of the shower and killed both of them with a WWII highpower stuffed with WWII ammo. It was his closest gun to him. He never mentioned hesitating to shoot because he might not get to keep the gun.

I really wasn't bragging, but thanks for putting words in my mouth.

And the third gun on my permit used to be a G30, now a G27...so no, Glocks are not beneath my royal self.

[SamsDX]

Good points about the weight & size, which is why my 2 full-size 1911s get carried off-body, 99.9% of the time.

As for the capacity... I'm not worried about it. Don't want to turn this thread in that direction, but I do feel that if you need more than 1-2 mags, you need a rifle and backup, not a pistol.

That being said, I do carry 8 spare mags for my Pro...yes, I'm nuts...I embrace it. With all the terrorism & stuff going on...aw, who knows...

I'd be too paranoid for off-body carry, especially for a $3,000 gun. I might carry my $500 (unsubsidized) mobile phone or my $600 P238 or P2000SK everywhere I go, but I don't make a regular habit out of carrying anything more expensive than that. Although I always try to keep an elevated sense of awareness around me that is part and parcel to carrying, I don't think I'd enjoy myself too much in whatever it is I was doing if I had to constantly think about where/how I'm going to secure my firearm.

I once had an HK45 as well as a Colt Commander XSE on my CCW, but I then thought better of it. If either of these had to be used in a defensive shoot, or if I lost them somehow, they'd be incredibly painful to replace because they're off roster. That is, the prices on these guns are so out of whack with the retail pricing in other states thanks to the interference by California, I would be reluctant to obtain an identical replacement.

Santa Barbara's (or was it Ventura?) policy of allowing only on-roster guns on the CCW license, as silly as it is, makes some sense. On-roster, easily replaceable, readily available guns are my choice. YMMV.

[Cokebottle]

This is a strange thread. Tons of people huffing and puffing about their wallets but saying they arent

Nahh... It would take me a couple of years to replace my Stainless Raptor, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it for SD.

As I said... whether it's a $150 or $5000 gun will be the least of your financial problems when the civil suit hits.

[stormvet]

This is a strange thread. Tons of people huffing and puffing about their wallets but saying they arent

Says the guy who started a thread about selling his two WC 1911s and how it didn't bother him to lose money on it.

[Barang]

Buy a duplicate for HD.

[CouchOperator]

Says the guy who started a thread about selling his two WC 1911s and how it didn't bother him to lose money on it.

Not the same thing

[FAS1]

I know a guy that in the early 90's owned a small gun shop that specialized in competition 1911's (38 super) that used his competition gun (probably worth 4-5K at the time) to kill a robber in his store. He was behind the counter and pulled his gun and dumped several rounds in the robber before he knew what happened.

The price of the gun was nothing compared to the rest of the crap he went through. Gang threats caused him to close his store and this wasn't the first time it was robbed. The family of the dead robber sued him for excessive force or something like that because he shot him several times instead of just once.

Greg eventually got his gun back and won the legal challenges. At the time he was very active in competition shooting and built all Ted Bonnet's guns. I think he still does, but from a shooting range he owns since he closed his store.

I guess I would not choose such an expensive gun to carry or have as a dedicated HD gun, but I would't hesitate if that was what I had near me at the time.

[GlockN'Roll]

I believe that the cost OR rarity of a firearm should not be a consideration in whether or not you designate it as a HD weapon.

Having it taken by the po po is something I refuse to allow to impact my decision.

For me....

it would be like buying that nice car (Ferrari?) and not driving it because you might get in a accident and "lose it".

I suspect you feel the same way too inside or you wouldn't be carrying the Pro. Own it and use your nice guns the way they were intended to be used.

For sport, for fun, for defense.

I agree 100%

However, we are not even talking about Ferrari levels of cost or irreplaceability.

I carried a very nice (for my budget) 1911 for years and kept in a an HD role as well.

I switched to a high-cap capable Glock for HD and progressively shrank my carry pistols down to aid in daily comfort and to reflect the 10 round mag limits.

Don't hesitate to enjoy your finer weapons out of imaginary fears (confiscation after self defense ) or general FUD...