Don't carry a gun you don't know.

[G.A. Heath]

A friend called and relayed an incident that happened to them recently. Their job requires them to carry their own handgun and they supply all their own equipment. Since they did not currently own a firearm they were carrying a loaner provided to them by a friend. The gun they were carrying is a full sized hard chromed M1911-A1 manufactured by some off brand manufacturer called Colt (hey I have to add a little humor).

So while working they are attacked by a large dog that had already attacked one other person so they draw their gun, point at the target, squeeze the trigger, and nothing happens. Shortly afterward the animal is captured by animal control and they have some , fortunately minor, injuries. After inspecting they weapon they found a device they were unfamiliar with above the left grip panel that seems to block the sear from moving...

I asked my friend "What if it had been an armed attacker instead of a DOG?" The response was "I think I am going to become familiar with this gun and get my own." They have now purchased their own gun and we have scheduled some range time tomorrow so they can become familiar with it, a 1911, and others I can scrounge up.

[flintknapper]

A friend called and relayed an incident that happened to them recently. Their job requires them to carry their own handgun and they supply all their own equipment. Since they did not currently own a firearm they were carrying a loaner provided to them by a friend. The gun they were carrying is a full sized hard chromed M1911-A1 manufactured by some off brand manufacturer called Colt (hey I have to add a little humor).

So while working they are attacked by a large dog that had already attacked one other person so they draw their gun, point at the target, squeeze the trigger, and nothing happens. Shortly afterward the animal is captured by animal control and they have some , fortunately minor, injuries. After inspecting they weapon they found a device they were unfamiliar with above the left grip panel that seems to block the sear from moving...
I asked my friend "What if it had been an armed attacker instead of a DOG?" The response was "I think I am going to become familiar with this gun and get my own." They have now purchased their own gun and we have scheduled some range time tomorrow so they can become familiar with it, a 1911, and others I can scrounge up.

Sometimes you’ll find them on the right side too.

Darn those pesky Thumb Safeties!

[G.A. Heath]

Yep you sure do, but the one my friend carries doesn't have it.

[tbranch]

It's rather dangerous to carry any weapon that you're not familiar with or have not fired. It's why we could only carry the weapons we had qualified with in the service.

Wasn't this an issue with the first CHL shooting in Texas?

Tom

[txinvestigator]

Wasn't this an issue with the first CHL shooting in Texas?

Tom

I don't think so. The victim in that attack fired a .40 pistol and killed his attacker.

[Greybeard]

Quote/Question: "Wasn't this an issue with the first CHL shooting in Texas?"

IIRC, there was an incident in that same time frame when jewlrey store owner could not release retention strap on his holster. In midst of struggle with armed robber, CHL wife came to the rescue with 5-holer.

[dukalmighty]

I carry a 1911 and when i shoot at the range between shot string of two or three shots i engage the safety and then have to disengage it on my next set that way it becomes second nature to take safety off.nothing worse than squeezing a trigger with all your strength and it won't budge,and that 1/2 second of uhoh can get you kllt

[G.A. Heath]

I have been around 1911s so long that when my finger goes into the trigger guard my thumb goes to disengage the safety w/o thinking about it, and when my finger comes out my thumb goes to engage the safety. This has become such an instinctive action I do it on EVERY gun I shoot regardless of it being a revolver, striker fired handgun, AR15, bolt action, lever gun, or shotgun. I will mention that some ROs will give you strange looks when notice your thumb trying to work a 1911 safety on a revolver or any gun that does not have a similar safety device in a similar location. In fact my range buddy (Who is buying his first 1911 this month) who noticed the weird looks thought it was so funny he started doing it on his Glocks for the amusement value.

[ELB]

I certainly would not deliberately carry a gun I was not familiar with, but it could be useful to make yourself as familiar with as many different types of handguns as is practical.

In John Farnam's handgun courses, he teaches gun handling methods designed to be applicable to as wide a range of handguns as possible. For example, always cycling the slide by pulling it back and letting it go, rather than using the slide release, since the slide release varies from gun-to-gun, and you won't always have the slide locked back when you need to cycle it.

He has a shooting drill in the course that he calls the "Bar Room Pickup" (not that he advocated going to the bar, armed or not). We all put our guns on table with a spare magazine. He goes down the line and introduces various malfunctions, e.g. stove pipes, puts dummy rounds in the primary magazine, that sort of thing. We line up a few paces back, and then at the whistle charge forward, grab the first handgun, and try to hit the target, um I think with three rounds or so, with a magazine change in there some place. Sometimes it will go off, sometimes not - you have to work thru the malfunction with an unfamiliar pistol (while moving of course) and get rounds on the target. We go thru this drill until everyone has fired and "un-malfunctioned" everyone else's pistol. It's pretty fun, actually, and after it was over with I realized I never noticed the difference in recoil or noise between any of the guns -- I was too busy doing the drills and hitting the target.

Again, you should be thoroughly familiar with your own gun, and have fired it enough to have confidence in it, but it also helps your confidence to know you can pick up about anything and get it working if possible.

elb

[02transam]

personally i think carrying a pistol you dont know is just about as effective as throwing it at the perp. one should always have range time on any piece they are carrying it seems like common sense to me. just my two cents

[45 4 life]

personally i think carrying a pistol you dont know is just about as effective as throwing it at the perp. one should always have range time on any piece they are carrying it seems like common sense to me. just my two cents

Before mine graduate to "available for carry" I go through a break in period and a minimum 150 rounds fired. No matter the caliber or manufacturer. That coupled with dry runs at home should get anyone familiar with the weapon. If for any reason I am not 100% comfortable with it I leave it at home. I would never carry a loaner without first going to the range and putting it through its paces.

[katipo]

personally i think carrying a pistol you dont know is just about as effective as throwing it at the perp. one should always have range time on any piece they are carrying it seems like common sense to me. just my two cents

Before mine graduate to "available for carry" I go through a break in period and a minimum 150 rounds fired. No matter the caliber or manufacturer. That coupled with dry runs at home should get anyone familiar with the weapon. If for any reason I am not 100% comfortable with it I leave it at home. I would never carry a loaner without first going to the range and putting it through its paces.

Most folks have their preference of handguns to carry. I would imagine that each has their own little quirks and proceedures to bring it into battery. The only way to be learn is routine practice at a range.

Worse possible occasion would be when the bad guy (or dog) comes at you and you pull that XD out with training mindset of an 1911 and the autopilot doesn't find the safeties fast enough. You might be in a bad way surviving learning on the flywhen the surprise factor is gone.

[dukalmighty]

One more thing as far as a loaner you have never fired ,aren't familiar with,during my chl class we had 2 guys ,1 guy had ruger p85 i believe the other guy had a german war relic .380,both weapons failed to fire p85 was purchased at a pawn shop and both firearms had broken firing pins.Nothing worse than hearing click when you need a bang

[flintknapper]

One more thing as far as a loaner you have never fired ,aren't familiar with,during my chl class we had 2 guys ,1 guy had ruger p85 i believe the other guy had a german war relic .380,both weapons failed to fire p85 was purchased at a pawn shop and both firearms had broken firing pins.Nothing worse than hearing click when you need a bang

True, but a close "runner up" is hearing a bang when it should have been a click!

[longtooth]

I was thinking ov the same thing sir & as usual you are a step or 2 ahead of me.