The benefits of becoming "one" with your sidearm

[brownie]

Something I wrote on another forum 01-24-2007

I've purchased a new "potential" carry gun in the last few weeks. It's an XD45 service model [ 4 inch barrel and about the size of my 17 ]. I've put roughly 200 rds downrange with it the first time out, and another 300+ rds through it in the last week.

I shoot the damned thing well enough, and I've found myself carrying it when not working the gun shop once or twice, but leaving it home for my most favored G17 when going into the shop.

It dawned on me the other night that I have subconsciously not felt "one" enough with the XD45 to know I can shoot it as instinctively or as well as the G17, even though I can shoot it well enough for most to not notice any skills lacking if they watched me firing it.

That's been nagging me for the last few nights, really making me think about this, and I've come to some conclusions here. Keep in mind these are my own thoughts and do not reflect on anyone elses criteria or circumstances.

I've shot the G17 through tens of thousands of rds in the last years. In that time it has become "one" with my hand when I hold it, my hand knows how to take it from it's resting place automatically without any thought. It's auto-pilot to scoop it out and shoot the G17 now without ever worrying where the bullets will hit. They hit exactly where I'm looking and want them to go instinctively.

Not so with the new XD45. Sure, I can shoot the thing well, but not as much on auto-pilot as the gun I'm more familiar with, that's been in my hand longer than any other gun other than the 1911's I carried for almost 3 decades.

It seems I can pick up any 1911 and shoot it on auto-pilot through not just carrying it for so long and becoming familiar with it in that regard, but firing tens and tens of thousands of rds through that platform till the gun had become and is "one" with me without any conscious thought to it's operation. As well, all I have to do is look to where I want the bullets to go, and they seem to just go there with the 1911's.

So it has become the same where the feeling of being "one' with my G17's in the last few years is concerned. Though I haven't carried them anywhere near as long as I have the 1911 type pistols time wise, the G17's have sent tens of thousands of rds downrange over the years and specifically the last two have been very heavy on ammo expenditures through them in training and constantly carried for the most part over the same time frame.

So, this is where I'm at at the moment with my carrying situation. I refuse to leave the G17 home and carry the new XD45 daily because it has not been in my hand long enough and put enough rds downrange to be "one" and shot subconsciously from the draw stroke to rds where I'm looking.

I wonder how the members here feel about their own carry gun/s. Have you noticed you shoot one or another gun more proficiently with less conscious effort as I do with the 1911's and G17's?

Can you shoot your chosen weapon platform without that conscious thought process, or do you have to "think" about the draw, the trigger control, the grip, and where that gun needs to be either one handed or two to put multiples of rds on potential threats?

Are you willing to carry something you shoot less and maybe not as fast, or as well, or without really thinking about any of the above to put rds where you want them in lieu of another platform that you can say meets the above?

Do you own any gun that meets my own criteria of subconscious effort for carry at this point? If so, what gun/s is/are they and how many rds do you think it took for you to get to that feeling of "one" as I have with the 1911's or Glock 17?

When I wasn't one with the G17 quite yet, I still carried the 1911's until I knew I could shoot it as well and without that conscious thought process necessary when I'm not "one" with a handgun through familiarization of having it always with me and getting enough rds downrange to KNOW exactly what the gun and I are capable of together without having to think about what I'm doing.

I'd like to hear from members on this idea of being truly "one" with the gun they carry and if you feel it necessary to be as proficient as you can be, thereby cutting the odds further in your own favor should you ever have to pull it and use it under stress of a potential life and death encounter.

[sdmc530]

I think I understand what you are trying to say...and I do agree with you. I primarily carry two guns for the most part. I have my STI 1911 and a little baby Taurus .380. I know a Taurus but I like it because its small and fits in any pocket and gives the impression of a cell phone not a gun.

Anyway both of these guns I have shot so much I feel I know how it will run in any situation in any weather at any time. I know how it will react no matter what. I know its "personality". I have guns that I have not shot enough that I would carry because just the fact I don't know how it would act 100% of the time.

I think we do have a connection with our carry guns, if you don't and don't trust them 110% you might as well carry a rock and fairy dust.

Point being, practice, shoot, practice and you will be proficient and ready for any situation.

[brownie]

Good response and thoughts sir

[milkmanjoe]

I am no different than what you are saying, Brownie. G17's and 1911's that I feel are just part of me. And to top it off, I have at least a dozen G17's and no less that seventy 1911's, I will only carry certain ones of each model. You have seen a G17 that I had the grip reduction just for my hand. It is my favorite. And of all the 1911's I prefer a near 22 year old Springfield that I bought new. Even though I have ten like it, that particular one puts me at ease. In short, I think a primary SD pistol has to be "one" with me.

[NAMVET72]

Carry a 1985 Springer 1911 A1 totally Customized in a real gun fight with real GBers you wont have time to draw your BUG IMHO. That is why you get comfortable with a gun you know is completely RELIABLE.............

[pony up]

Thanks Brownie and guys. That is exactly what my situation was with the little Dan Wesson ECO. You know, the one I just traded for the Dan Wesson Guardian in 38 Super. I didn't know exactly how to describe my relationship with it but always talked about how instinctively it shot with the changes I made to it. I hope I did not make a mistake but time will tell. I haven't gotten the Guardian to the range yet and I am still working to get the comfort sweet spot with the Spec Ops9. It is learning my hand. With the double stack mag the feel is different still. Working in it. Once I shoot the Guardian, pictures and a report soon. Dennis

[brownie]

Welcome sir

[Rick McC.]

Well, you know how I can shoot my M&P's; they shoot wherever I'm looking (thanks in no small part to you).

I shoot my 1911's the same, but in todays political and societal climate; I've chosen to go with the firepower of a hi-cap pistol.

BTW; I shot "your" FNS-9 for the first time today at IDPA practice; and it rocks!

Take care, Brownie,

[brownie]

Originally Posted by Rick McC.

Well, you know how I can shoot my M&P's; they shoot wherever I'm looking (thanks in no small part to you).

I shoot my 1911's the same, but in todays political and societal climate; I've chosen to go with the firepower of a hi-cap pistol.

BTW; I shot "your" FNS-9 for the first time today at IDPA practice; and it rocks!

Take care, Brownie,

Welcome and glad you like it. Yes, you shoot your M+P's with subconscious competence

[Riverpigusmc]

pretty easy for me. All I carry are 1911's, except for a j frame BUG...and if I have to go to that, the world has turned to yellow catsh*t