Cat among the pigeons time :)

[Beiruty]

I will give it a try:

Subcompact: easy to conceal, tough to control, novice shooter would miss after 10yards
.40 more power than needed, more recoil, less control, more miss.
Critical defense, good bullet but not the best. HST and Gold dots are still better.

Fight On!

[WTR]

Other than using the correct ammo, I guess I'm in deep doo doo. And I thought my rig worked like butta.

[jason812]

At least my subcompact .40 is not a XD, not loaded with Critical Defense, and is carried in a leather holster. It's not a Glock either so I'm confused whether I'm good to go or not...

I would not say I'm an uniformed gun owner. What does the author of this article think of the sub compact .45's?

Stay away from hybrid holsters. Stay away from Springfield XDs and subcompact .40 pistols of any brand. Drop the Hornady Critical Defense ammo if you carry a service caliber pistol. Your life will be greatly improved.

As someone who has a couple .40's and will buy another one or 2, I found this video from the great Colion Noir funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuiePszwaho

[Pawpaw]

I don't have a dog in that hunt, but the article seemed to be a little bit of good info buried in a highly opinionated piece.

[puma guy]

Other than using the correct ammo, I guess I'm in deep doo doo. And I thought my rig worked like butta.

Agree on the ammo and I pocket carry my Kahr PM40, so I can't comment on the holster choice. I have a leather IWB Hoffman for it, but I rarely use it any more. To the discussion: I agree a small .40 cal CCW is not for everyone and I wouldn't recommend one for a novice shooter. One would hope that the beginner would take the time to investigate firearms and ammunition performance before making choices, but I know in reality the choices usually are not informed ones. When I was selling guns many times the purchaser seemed to have already made up their mind no matter what I recommended after discussing the purpose for a weapon. I don't know if the author considers one uninformed by making one choice out the three he cited, but I hardly consider my self uninformed.
Edited: Corrected my Hoffman holster description. It's been so long since I used it I forgot it's IWB not OWB. Hey, I'm old.

[The Annoyed Man]

Nothing says “uninformed gun owner” more than carrying a subcompact .40 Glock or Springfied XD loaded with Hornady Critical Defense ammunition in an hybrid leather/kydex holster.

http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/d ... rig-part-3

Discuss :)

OK.

You're a trouble-maker.....that's what you are!

My impressions on his commentary: I agree with the author about the caliber. I have owned a compact .40 before - a HK USP Compact - and sold it. I didn't sell it because I didn't like the gun. I loved the gun. I sold it because I didn't like the caliber. If I had bought that USPc in either .45 or 9mm instead, I'd still own it today. My wife owned (still does) a Glock 19 at the time, roughly the same size pistol, and it was a LOT easier to shoot. I didn't really start getting used to .40 cal recoil until just before I sold the gun. It's not that the recoil is overwhelming......after all, I own and enjoy shooting a Model 29 .44 magnum, and I shoot it quite well. I also own a XDM-45 Compact 3.8, roughly the same size as the USPc and the G19, and I shoot that gun well too. It is the character of the .40 S&W recoil that makes it more difficult to shoot well. The 9mm is snappy too, but it shoots a much lighter bullet, so the perceived recoil impulse is smaller. The .40 is snappy, but shoots a heavier bullet. The .45 shoots a MUCH heavier bullet, but the velocities are also much lower, so it is more like a big "push" instead of a snap. The .40 falls into the the "unhappy middle". So I ditched mine, and I always counsel new shooters away from that caliber. It is, in my opinion, NOT a good caliber for people new to the shooting sports.

I disagree with the author about the XD/XDM platform. They are perfectly good pistols, and while I do personally carry Glocks and enjoy shooting them, the Springfields are fine guns, and I think the author simply has a bias. I generally will steer a new shooter toward the Glock platform, BUT..... the Glock ergonomics are not universally amenable to all shooters. For those shooters who really have to have the 1911 grip angle to get the ergonomics down, but also want a hammerless design with a polymer frame, the XD/XDM and the M&P series pistols are perfectly good alternatives. Although I no longer carry my XDM (or my XDS) pistol, it is because I decided that a 9mm with higher capacity makes more sense for me for daily carry. I standardized on Glock because my wife already owned one, and she is proficient with it. Otherwise, it made no difference to me. I'm an experienced enough shooter to be able to adapt to a different platform if I have to; but my wife not so much. So it was more important to me that she be able to adapt to my guns if she had to, than it was for me to have the perfect gun for me. But now, after having carried Glocks for a long enough time, they have become the perfect gun for me. I adapted to meet my self-imposed requirements, so now my EDC is a G19, and I also have a G43 which matches my wife's EDC (she also owns a G19, but doesn't carry it most of the time), and a G17 which either of us can manage.

Regarding holsters. Like most of us, I've invested a lot more into holsters than I ever wanted to. Among those purchases are a Comp-Tac MTAC, and a Alien Gear paddle holster with that spring-steel backing. I haven't used the MTAC in forever, simply because I almost never carry IWB anymore, and when I do, I carry in the appendix position with a holster my son made. And I don't use the Alien Gear holster most of the time because the construction feels cheap compared to some other holsters I have. It does seem true, like the author said, that the spring steel backing does cause the pressure against the gun to vary, which changes the amount of retention, and the amount of effort needed to draw it. It has become my "throw on" holster for the G19, for whenever I just need a quick holster to throw on to go down to the mailbox or to visit with a neighbor. But the rest of the time, I either use a Safariland 6378 for both my G19 and 17, or I use a Safariland Shadow® II Pancake-Style Holster for those guns. Both designs, the 6378 and the Shadow II have good retention. My complaint about the Shadow II is that reholstering is less safe because the holster mouth collapses a bit after the gun is drawn, and the problem of safely reholstering emerges, just as the author describes. So the 6378 has become my EDC holster, even though it is the best choice for concealment. And even though it is a paddle design, it seems at least as secure on my belt as any of my belt holsters. I don't know if that holster choice would be acceptable to the article's author or not, and frankly, I don't care.

It works for me.

But I otherwise agree with him about .40 being a less than optimal choice of caliber, especially for new shooters. I do note the military's recent interest in acquiring G19s, and a lot of people with a lot of inside experience in these matters think that it will eventually be adopted to replace the Beretta. We'll see. I think is is a good choice. I don't know if it is the best choice. Heck, I don't even know if there IS a "best" choice.

[Skiprr]

"If you like your .40 S&W, you can keep your .40 S&W."

I'll keep my comments to myself save to note that this is Greg Ellifritz's third installment in his #Don’tDigTheRig blog in a month. I'm quite certain that Greg is very much an expert in what he does...but the fact that he feels a blog is called for where he shoots down (pun intended) a seemingly wide variety of people's carry choices leads me to believe that there are probably only a handful of carry kit options he does agree with.

[twomillenium]

I can not tell if Greg Ellifritz is the original author of the recommended reading in the OP or if he cut and pasted from other articles. He definitely comes across as one of those folks who tend to think that if you don't agree with him then you are not so smart. He is probably one of those that if you do agree with him, then you better say it the way he says it or you are not so smart. It would not surprise me if Greg Ellifritz writes about how those who don't drive the same brand vehicle he does are not so smart and if they do it should have the same upgrades and color or they are not so smart.

He is dealing with what seems to be inexperienced owners and shooters but he seemingly paints all those who carry with a broad brush based on his limited experience or if he is as experienced as his bio claims then his writing falls under his limited understanding. To use words in his own article, "He doesn't know, what he doesn't know.".

I have carried 45acp, 40 S&W, 9mm and even 380 or 32 (did I type that outloud?). I enjoy carrying the 45, 40 or 9mm. Each have their Pros and Cons in comparison. Personally the Cons are not enough to mention, IF the shooter is proficient in each caliber. No one is naturally proficient. While a few are natural marksmen/women, proficiency does not come with mere practice but comes with the practicing of good habits. However, there are poor choices for holsters, but a holster is still a very personal choice as well. There are some who think that one must be able to draw and shoot under a second or they may as well not carry at all. Some carry in a way that if they need firearm protection at least it is available to them. It is just as important to be proficient with your style of carry as it is to be proficient with the caliber you carry.

The main thing is to practice, practice, practice and dry practice does not replace live practice, but it is better than no practice. Know your limitations as a shooter and then what others think should not matter.

[Jusme]

I can not tell if Greg Ellifritz is the original author of the recommended reading in the OP or if he cut and pasted from other articles. He definitely comes across as one of those folks who tend to think that if you don't agree with him then you are not so smart. He is probably one of those that if you do agree with him, then you better say it the way he says it or you are not so smart. It would not surprise me if Greg Ellifritz writes about how those who don't drive the same brand vehicle he does are not so smart and if they do it should have the same upgrades and color or they are not so smart.

He is dealing with what seems to be inexperienced owners and shooters but he seemingly paints all those who carry with a broad brush based on his limited experience or if he is as experienced as his bio claims then his writing falls under his limited understanding. To use words in his own article, "He doesn't know, what he doesn't know.".

I have carried 45acp, 40 S&W, 9mm and even 380 or 32 (did I type that outloud?). I enjoy carrying the 45, 40 or 9mm. Each have their Pros and Cons in comparison. Personally the Cons are not enough to mention, IF the shooter is proficient in each caliber. No one is naturally proficient. While a few are natural marksmen/women, proficiency does not come with mere practice but comes with the practicing of good habits. However, there are poor choices for holsters, but a holster is still a very personal choice as well. There are some who think that one must be able to draw and shoot under a second or they may as well not carry at all. Some carry in a way that if they need firearm protection at least it is available to them. It is just as important to be proficient with your style of carry as it is to be proficient with the caliber you carry.

The main thing is to practice, practice, practice and dry practice does not replace live practice, but it is better than no practice. Know your limitations as a shooter and then what others think should not matter.

What he said.
Trying to determine what works and doesn't work for someone else is a herculean task, and unless, you have personally, worked with or trained someone, you can't know those things. Everyone will have to decide for themselves, what works and doesn't work for them personally, not based on my opinion, or anyone else's. No two people have the exact same circumstances that they live with an a daily basis. If everyone had the exact same needs, there would only be one type of gun, one type of holster, and one type of ammunition. The author is entitled to his opinion, but it is just that, opinion. Because someone chooses a particular gun, ammo, or carry method, does not make them uniformed. In fact most of us will try many different configurations before deciding on which combination works best for us. To me, experience is the best teacher, and will provide much more informed decision making than someone offering an opinion when none was asked for. That is just "my" personal opinion.

[Soccerdad1995]

I usually carry one of the following (possibly more than one). I didn't see these mentioned in the article, so I hope I'm OK

Primary = 1911 (Full size, Commander, CCO, or Officer, depending on clothing type). All chambered in .45 ACP and loaded with 230 gr HST.

BUG = Sig P938 or S&W 360 PD. Loaded with 9mm 147gr HST, or .357 mag 158gr Gold Dot, respectively.

Bedside gun = Sig P226 X5, loaded with 9mm 147gr HST.

Car gun = CZ Shadow, or Sig P226 MK25, loaded with 147gr HST with the side door pocket full of loaded magazines.

My other guns hang out in the safe most days, but they do get to come out with me every once in a while....

[flechero]

I've been painted with a broad brush like his before.... I'm a white Christian male, gun owner and registered republican.

[RogueUSMC]

He is just a little bit over the top in my humble opinion...lol...see what I did there?

Anyway, The .40 cartridge is one I don't particularly like. TAM said it better...it isn't that it has more felt recoil, it's the TYPE of recoil. My FIL has the M&P subcompact in .40 and he loves it. I shoot it well but my wrist and hand complain after shooting a box of ammo. I can shoot my XDS in .45 all day long and not have my hand complaining like it does with the .40. I have moved to a 9mm platform being as my wife is licensed back-up now and shoots it better (may as well standardize cartridge.)

On the XD pistols...lol...this guy doesn't like them does he? I love my Springfields. That being said, I can see where the grip safety can be an issue with folks who do not grip them properly. Can that bite me in the butt in a pinch? maybe. I had a learning curve with my XDS. Once I got the muscle memory down, the grip safety activation issue disappeared. I moved to the 9mm 4" XDS from the 3.3" .45 (mainly because the holsters will cross over.) I like the single stacks when carrying IWB. To get the same size and capacity in a carry gun, you would have to get one of the 4" 1911s in 9mm and they have a higher price tag usually. It irritates me when someone talks down someone else's gun choice. Maybe their wallet made the choice. I'd rather have a Hi-point now than have to save up for a Kimber. If someone is carrying a JA9 or something like that, I ASSUME that's all they can afford and give them encouragement accordingly.

As for the hybrid holsters, this guy must not carry IWB much. A Supertuck is my primary. I don't see a better option if you are carrying IWB than a hybrid. There may be more comfortable options for the actual carrying of the pistol but with a hybrid, I don't have to open the holster to stick the pistol back in it. I don't carry in a holster out on my belt because it feels like the gun is flopping too much (it probably isn't but it just doesn't feel as tight and secure to my body like IWB does.) I will carry a little TCP in a pocket holster from time to time. and I sometimes (like now for instance) my XDS is outside my jeans inside the belt in a snap slide. It is very comfortable and secure but I have to use two hands to reholster.

His whole post was very arrogant. For person A to say a method, that works well for person B, is wrong is completely out of line in my opinion.

Just my two cents adjusted for inflation but probably only worth what you paid for it...

[Beiruty]

I usually carry one of the following (possibly more than one). I didn't see these mentioned in the article, so I hope I'm OK

Primary = 1911 (Full size, Commander, CCO, or Officer, depending on clothing type). All chambered in .45 ACP and loaded with 230 gr HST.

BUG = Sig P938 or S&W 360 PD. Loaded with 9mm 147gr HST, or .357 mag 158gr Gold Dot, respectively.

Bedside gun = Sig P226 X5, loaded with 9mm 147gr HST.

Car gun = CZ Shadow, or Sig P226 MK25, loaded with 147gr HST with the side door pocket full of loaded magazines.

My other guns hang out in the safe most days, but they do get to come out with me every once in a while....

You have a taste for nice guns. Is bedside gun for sale? If not and in case, post some photos.

[flechero]

this guy must not carry IWB much.

Clearly not... he's a uniformed LEO and an instructor. (from his bio and link)