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Had an interesting discussion with some fellow CHL guys yesterday.
We were blathering on about the qualities of SIG vs. Glock vs. S&W vs. Colt vs. Kimber vs. blah blah blah.
One was of the opinion that a CHL should carry a "throw down", "junk", or beater weapon. His reasoning was you WILL lose the weapon if involed in any kind of shooting(or stolen). The Police will confiscate your weapon and you'll never see it again line of thinking.
In his mind it didn't make sense to carry an expensive, valuble firearm. He was content to pack a beat up re-tread $100 pawn shop special. He, of course, had tested it and is very proficient with said weapon.
IMO it is an idea that has merit.

What say you?

As long as the carry weapon is reliable then it makes sense. Of course the odds are that he will never use it, and if he does use it it would be worth the money to still be alive. I carry my most expensive pistol, but it is also my smallest one.

The police would have to return your weapon after a Grand Jury failed to indict

Thats what I thought.
But how long would that take? Days? Weeks? Months?
Your $2000 Les Bear 1911 laying in some evidence locker would be a pile of rust by the time you got it back.

Moonpie wrote:One was of the opinion that a CHL should carry a "throw down", ...

I'm more concerned about protecting myself and my loved ones than what might happen to a $500 pistol. If the airbag in your car goes off, that's at least $500 to restore.

On a note of political correctness, a "throw down gun" is a weapon planted on a corpse to make a homicide look like self-defense. That is an abhorrent concept to law-abiding people.

- Jim

If I lose an expensive pistol AFTER successfully defending myself or a loved one from the threat of serious injury or death, then so be it. I'll save my pennies and buy another one just like it.

HighVelocity wrote:If I lose an expensive pistol AFTER successfully defending myself or a loved one from the threat of serious injury or death, then so be it. I'll save my pennies and buy another one just like it.

+1 and hang a picture of the gun on my loading room wall....always remembering that it served me well.

BTW- I know you pretty well......you already have a spare for whatever has to be retired

I'm a firm believer in redundant systems.

Moonpie wrote:Thats what I thought.
But how long would that take? Days? Weeks? Months?
Your $2000 Les Bear 1911 laying in some evidence locker would be a pile of rust by the time you got it back.

I think it'd be pretty unlikely that you'd get back a permanently damaged weapon.

That said, +1 to what Jim, HV, and JBirds have just said. The tool that may save my life is going to be chosen based on it's reliability, accuracy, and my comfort level with it. Economy is not one of my personal criteria in this particular decision.

I am more concerned with a functional, dependable, and quality weapon. If it saves a life no dollar amount is going to concern me. Plus if it was invloved in a self defense situation and was taken by the law....I would be concerned with other things.

As long as he can shoot well with it and it is reliable then I say carry it if it makes him feel better. I will carry my $500 guns and not ever think twice. Now, I don't buy or carry $1000+ CCW guns. I don't see the point though I won't slam anyone who chooses to. I can do what I need with the ones I have. It is about utility to me and not about fear of what might or might not happen.

HighVelocity wrote:If I lose an expensive pistol AFTER successfully defending myself or a loved one from the threat of serious injury or death, then so be it. I'll save my pennies and buy another one just like it.

Realistically, a CHL holder will probably never have to use his gun. If he does, it may be once in his lifetime. I spend almost as much in one year for auto insurance as the purchase price of my primary carry gun...and I've been paying auto insurance for a lotta years and never had to file a claim.

If the--maybe--one time in my life comes when I absolutely have use my gun to defend my life or the lives of others, the cost of the gun is the last thing I'm going to worry about. Its reliability, accuracy, and my skill with it, yes; but not its price tag.

IMHO, a CHL holder should put money in his gun, and even more money in professional, defensive training. He'll spend less in the long run than he does on car insurance. And as a MasterCard commercial might say, "You and your family surviving a potentially deadly attack: priceless."

Moonpie wrote:Had an interesting discussion with some fellow CHL guys yesterday.
We were blathering on about the qualities of SIG vs. Glock vs. S&W vs. Colt vs. Kimber vs. blah blah blah.
One was of the opinion that a CHL should carry a "throw down", "junk", or beater weapon. His reasoning was you WILL loose the weapon if involed in any kind of shooting(or stolen). The Police will confiscate your weapon and you'll never see it again line of thinking.
In his mind it didn't make sense to carry an expensive, valuble firearm. He was content to pack a beat up re-tread $100 pawn shop special. He, of course, had tested it and is very proficient with said weapon.
IMO it is an idea that has merit.

What say you?

My concern is not what a person pays for a weapon, but that the weapon chosen performs reliably and suits the needs of the person carrying it.

Price has nothing to do with reliability, good engineering and proper care of a weapon does!

When I see descriptive words such as "Junk, Throw down, Beater" it leads me to believe this gentleman may not be armed with something that holds much promise. However, if the firearm is of good quality, in good operating condition, but simply lacking aesthetic appeal....then he should be fine.

My "daily carry" was purchased new a dozen years ago for about $650.00 and has tens of thousands of rounds through it now, I trust it implicitly to work when I need it. At .15 cents a day......I consider it a pretty good deal.

If you aren't indicted, I feel certain you will get the gun back relatively quickly. If you are indicted, the cost of the gun is the least of your worries, financial and otherwise.

It should not matter what the weapon cost, as long as it goes bang when you want it to and does not when you dont.