While I don’t own any firearms, I have no issues with people that choose to do so, legally. I also admit that I feel there are certain firearms that should not be legal to own by a private citizen, but as long as they are used responsibly, I won’t say anything.
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I have a Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard 380 6rd 2.75" Pistol on order. It has been shipped to a local gun shop. I also have a conceal carry permit request in progress.
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My firearms are only used for target/sport shooting and defense of my family and home. I used to hunt when I was younger, but not any longer.
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Thats a nice little ride! I like the .380 ACP - its a good round - today’s loads are very effective. So I’m in the process of ordering a Smith and Wesson M&P Bodyguard .38 Special +P - just put up the order, and its a little slow right now
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I have a Beretta APX that I carry on some rare occassions. I put some Ameriglo sights on it (orange dot around the tritium on the front sight), and it shoots very well.
But, I prefer DA/SA guns overall, compared to just normal striker fired models.
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Does the trigger design do something as it looks like two distinct pieces?
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Yes, many striker fired guns have something similar. It is considered a “safety” - but I don’t think it is much of one. Glock has something similar. S&W uses a hinge on their triggers. But, they all are more or less the same…
The photo of the Hellcat (up above) has something similar.
Essentially, the trigger won’t go back unless the extra piece gets pushed back first. It helps a little bit with accidental discharges. On striker fired guns - each trigger pull is the same, and they are light. In theory, such an extra piece helps prevent something from catching the trigger. In reality, I don’t think it does much. If something is going to pull the trigger back, it’s going to just pull that extra piece as well.
I like DA/SA guns, as the first shot is heavier. That, in essence, is your “safety.” You won’t accidentally fire the gun when you do not intend to, if the 1st shot is heavier, and a longer pull (like the 2 guns I posted in the very 1st post).
For range use, striker fired guns make it easier to compete and shoot small groups. But, for defensive purposes, I like a heavier 1st shot - like on a DA/SA gun. It’s been proven that when the adrenaline kicks in, your body tenses up. A lot of cops have shot themselves by accident when they get the “tunnel vision” of the “fight or flight” kicking in. A DA/SA gun is more forgiving.
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Guns are very strictly controlled here. No carry (open or concealed), side arms only for use in gun clubs and if you have them at home, you need a gun safe (inspected by the police, before you can get a permit) and you have to have a pyschiactric evaluation, before you can get a gun permit.
For hunting rifles and shotguns, you have to complete a course and take an exam (moving target shots + questions about the type of gun required for specific types of wild animals and how to deal with dead and wounded animals), only after that can you get a hunting license. You also need a separate permit for each gun and you have to show a reason for having that extra gun - it makes it hard for gun collectors to get a decent collection going.
I have never owned a gun or belonged to a gun club. I did some shooting in the the NTC in England (Nautical Training Corps - youth naval training group) with a British Military L1A1 SLR (modified for civilian use, restricted to single shot). I managed to get all shots on the target and most in the bullseye, I was 10 or 12 at the time.
At an outdoor camp, we had longbows, and, again I did pretty well in the couple of lessons we had in the week - I outscored our instructor.
But it never really appealed to me. I had the eye for shooting, but not the will to actually want to shoot.
In 2000, I was in Germany at a fairground and I took up the pellet rifle on a stand and fired. I could watch the trajectory of the pellet, compared to what I was aiming at and worked out it landed about 3" to the left and 1" above where I aimed. I walked away with a couple of nice cuddly toys for my then girlfriend.
In 2016, we had a Christmas party at work and we ended up at an old farm house and they set up different activities, one was crossbow shooting. I managed the 2nd highest score of the evening (first shot was in the outter bull, because I needed a test shot to get the aim worked out, the winner got lucky with his first shot, we both hit consistent bullseyes after that).
A friend of mine shoots at a local club and I’ve held is (unloaded) Beretta, when I visited him once. I don’t know why, I just didn’t feel comfortable having “something like that” in my hand. I quickly gave it back to him and made a few compliments, but I really didn’t feel well, holding it in my hand.
I know how they work, I know how to fire them, but I don’t want to hold one or have to fire one. So, I guess, I’m not going to be lining up to join the gun club any time soon.
Like @Mistershipwreck, I don’t want to get into a long and heated discussion about gun control. The US is how it is and here, in Germany, is how it is. I do think that having to absolve a psychological test and have regular check-ups (and I don’t know how frequent they are, 1 year, 5 years etc.) and having to absolve a test on gun use aren’t bad ideas, to me. If you are mentally unstable or you don’t know how to handle a gun sensibly, you probably shouldn’t be carrying one.
If you want to carry guns, there are places where you can and if you don’t there are places where you can’t. I’m glad we have a choice.
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I enjoy shooting. I have a couple of handguns. A cheap S&W .22 for plinking and a SA 40 XD(M) for target. I prefer my long guns though. I grew up in England shooting Lee Enfield .303s and I have a few of those now that I’m in the US. But my rifle of choice is my Bergera LRP in 6.5 Creedmoor. My local range is only 600 feet and it easily handles that. First rifle I’ve had shoot with a suppressor which adds to the fun.
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That is pretty cool. Nice!
I have had many rifles over the years. My favorite ones were the SCAR 16S that I previously owned, and the FN PS90 (I’ve owned 3 of those from 2006 thru last year). I have neck issues, and I can no longer shoot a rifle more than a couple of shots. So, unfortunately, I had to sell off my rifles. I sold the last one in 2019, because of that> And, I needed the money because of huge medical bills I have had in the last 2.5 years.
I am tempted to buy another every time I see something cool, but I know I cannot. I wouldn’t be able to put the time in to sight it in, let alone practice with it.
Here are some photos of those two…
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I’ve also owned a couple of AUGs over the years. As cool as they looked, I liked the SCAR 16S more, though…
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Nice collection! I’m a bit of an enthusiast, not quite to the extent you are. I’ve got a Beretta PX4, 9mm. The rotating barrel mechanism is really interesting, and the grip design is super comfortable for me.
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Yea, that’s not right to treat people that way,
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They are nice guns. How do you like it? Have you shot it a lot?
I have owned 3 fullsize PX4s over the years (one in 40 and two in 9mm). I don’t have them anymore, but I do still have a PX4 Compact model (my 4th PX4). Beretta is my favorite brand, as you can tell 
1/3 of all the guns I have owned in my lifetime have been Berettas,
As you can tell, I usually like rubber grips on my handguns. I hate the fullsize Hogue Handall. But, I use the Hoge Jr rubber grips. They only have 1 finger groove, and the palm swells are smaller.
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This used to be my computer wallpaper, many years ago. I had to go in and use Photoshop to remove all the little dust particles on the black to make it look right.
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It’s fantastic! I try and hit the range once a month (although that’s been harder lately) and put at least a hundred rounds through.
I spent a lot of time trying rental pistols before deciding on the PX4. Only other one I felt this comfortable with was H&K’s mk.23 but I wasn’t about to drop $1500 on that. Absolute biggest disappointment for me was Walther’s P99. Felt like a piece of tree bark in my hand and I couldn’t hit anything with it.
Did the PX4 in .40 feel significantly different?
Your 92 spiral pic is impressive! I can certainly tell you’re a Beretta fan 
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$1500 for a MK23 would be a steal! They are $2k or more. But, yea, they are huge.
I have small hands. The grip on it is too big for my hand. In fact. EVERY 45 ACP pistol that is NOT a 1911, I always end up selling because it is usually just too large for my hands to hold comfortably. I finally gave up buying any, because I’d always send up selling them…
Yes, the 40 cal round in the PX4 was a soft shooter. That is the ONLY 40 cal handgun I have ever owned. It is also the softest shooting 40 I have ever shot
Sorry you don’t like the Walther P99. Around 2006 or so, I had like 4 of them. For about a 3 year span, that model was my favorite gun. I later sold them and got into Beretta 92’s heavily. But, I picked up a P99 again about 2 years ago or so.
They are SUPER accurate. While it is not my favorite gun, my Walther P99 is my most accurate handgun I own.
The company has officially discontinued them now, which is too bad,
That’s about what I do too - once a month, 100 rounds
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Yea the HK at my local shop was probably more, don’t remember specifically, just remember multiple times more than the Beretta.
Oh I’m 100% sure it was my own inexperience rather than anything to do with the pistol’s accuracy. I’ll probably give it another try at some point now that I’ve got a couple thousand rounds under my belt.
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I used to shoot 200 rounds per trip, but now it’s 150 rounds per trip. After ammo prices jumped, it is too expensive. It’s still around $50 with the range fee and ammo cost for 150 rounds of 9mm.
Before the Iraqi war, a box (50 rounds) of 9mm was like $3.86 at the chain, Academy Sports. I remember that, because I’d go there all the time to buy ammo. I used to shoot a lot more back then as well.
I eventually got rid of my 45ACP guns because the ammo prices were just too high.
I will say that as I get older, I get fatigued faster while shooting. So, even if ammo was cheap again, I don’t think I’d do 200 rounds per trip anymore.
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