[TACAV]

Hello everyone,

Nice to meet you all this is my first post.

Ive been doing some casual range shooting now for a couple of years, trying to go at least once a week, when the weather is good (outside range) or as often as possible.

Been shooting, an assortment of manufactorers and loads, 9mm, .38Special, .40 cal, and .357mag. Mostly S&W and GLOCK.

Ive been going to the range with my friends who happen to be in law enforcment, (I havnt been able to get my own permit yet as I have been moving around quite a bit lately, I am about to move from NY to NC.) I myself am currently looking for a job in law enforcement as well.

Anyways.

Due to the fact that you have to get interviewed and apply for each individual handgun permit in NC as well convince the sheriff why you need more than one permit, (unless I read the laws wrong) Ive been looking for a good all around multipurpose handgun, since Ill probably only have one handgun for a while. Concealed Carry might be a future consideration but its not high on my priority list.

I have kinda small hands, but I like the feel of both these guns and I shoot fairly well with them. Im not the greatest shot in the world (yet ^^) but Im getting fairly good.

Ive basically narrowed it down to the .40cal GLOCK 22
or the .38Sp/.357mag S&W Model 66 revolver with the 4" barrel.

I really like both of these firearms for a lot of reasons, and Ive shot them both many times so I have a good feel for them both. I cant decide which to get for my own though.

Both are also within my budget. ($400-$650 MSRP) And I feel that both these companies are worth the money spent vs weapon quality from my own expiriences.

I came here figuring some one here can give some helpful added insight.

Thanks!

 

[trapfreek]

Welcome I can't speak for the glock but I have a mod 66 357 with the 4" barrel. I like it and I have small hands also. I bought mine, used, for a little over $ 300.00 so I would try to get both if you have a $650 budget. Have you shot a 1911 lately? Thats what I went with, for my first semi.

 

[TACAV]

heh thanks for the reply,

Ive wanted too but Ive never gotten to fire a .45 automatic. One of my friends in the USMC is a big fan of Kimber. The only .45 Ive shot was an older model black powder revolver.

Does that .45 auto fit well with your small hands? Full sized or compact frame? Hows the recoil? Comparable somewhat to the .40 round?

 

[Habakkuk21]

WAIT A MINUTE!
You have to get a PERMIT and be INTERVIEWED to just BUY a handgun in NORTH CAROLINA?!?!?!?!
Not concealed carry, but just ownership?!?
That right there? That's messed up.
I mean, North Carolina is in the South and everything. What are they thinking?
No wonder so many people have moved to Georgia.

 

[ShooMac]

I may have good news for you, Yankee!
While it is true that you will need a permit to purchase a handgun in NC, and that each permit allows you to purchase one handgun, it is not that big a deal.

You apply for the permit with your home county's sheriff. There is no interview required in either of the two counties where I have lived, just a three day waiting period and a background check. The good news is you can request up to 10 (!) permits at a time, and they do not expire for several years.

Once you have a concealed carry permit, however, you will NOT need individual permits to purchase. Just flash your carry card and fill out the yellow sheet. There are a few extra steps to get the CC permit, like an 8-hour class. I believe that you will find NC light-years ahead of NY.

Any other NC'ers care to jump in? The laws vary (slightly) from county to county.

 

[ShooMac]

Oh, and unlike Geo-jah, we'alls gots running water and 'lectricicty!
Welcome to G&G and welcome (soon) to NC!

 

[gunssb]

In NC handgun purchases require a permit.

wow! no such thing even in Cali! You do need a Handgun Safety Certificate, but that's just $25 and some silly written test - don't have to go to the cops for that. Now, CCW, that's another story...

 

[Mandy]

:assult: :assult: :assult: :assult: :assult:
G22 is a good bet, larger ammo capacity being the best attribute.
This gun can be fitted with tons of aftermarket parts and accesories and all modifications can be done by the user and if you don't like something, just install the factory part and viola, you're done.
I can strip the whole gun in less than 3 mins and assemble it back allmost in the same amount of time, and I'm no gunsmith, just learn how to do it and it will get addictive.

I own and carry every day a G23, same cal as G22 but with a compact frame thus more easily conceilable. The compact frame is 0.5 inch smaller in each direction than the full frame, the subcompact frame is 0.5 inch smaller than the compact frame.
I personally find the subcompact frame to small and my pinky can't be rested in the grip, but it can be fixed with a Pierce extension.
Glock guns are very reliable and allmost maintenance free, after around 20K rnds fired with my G23, I won't change it for nothing else as my carry gun, I own a few more handguns, but my G23 is my favorite.

A SW revolver is very reliable gun, but the ammo capacity could be an issue.
If you can, get both, as every man should have at least 1 semiauto and 1 revolver.

Bottom line, anyway you choose, you can't go wrong as both are very reliable guns and reliability is in my opinion the #1 characteristic that should be addressed in a gun purchase.

Good luck and welcome to G&G.

:uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi:

 

[trapfreek]

I can handle my 45 great. The recoil is not bad at all, but Mandy is right if you are going for more capacity. My son -in-law has a glock 23. He's on the Louisville Metro police dept, and he is fighting with them now to carry it. They have some strange rules about what they can carry. I like the way the glock comes apart to clean, very easy.

 

[Mandy]

Magazines

:assult: :assult: :assult: :assult: :assult:
In Glock guns, you can use the full size mags in the compact and subcompact frames, the compact mags can be used in the subcompact frame also.

I'm planning on getting 2-15 rnds G22 hi cap mags for the dual mag holster as backup ammo and 1-13 rnd G23 hi cap mag to have it on the gun.

That way, I'll have 44 rnds at my disposal if the SHTF.

:uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi:

 

[troylaplante]

I would go for the Glock, personally.

Yup, you do need the permit to purchase in NC. BUT the waiting period is SEVEN days, not the three previously posted. If you have a concealed/carry permit, there is no need to have a purchase permit. Permits are generally $5 each, one permit per handgun. Only five maximum permits issued at a time. There is also a limit as to how many in a year. Get the CCW permit and there is no such limitation. Been there, done that with both methods in two counties. Also, the sheriff issued permit is only valid as long as your elected sheriff is in office. Thereafter, it is theoretically void.

CCW permits have to be renewed after five years. You have to take a class and qualify on a range first. Then get fingerprinted by the local sheriff. Then pay a $90 fee. Then, wait seven days. Then renew every five years.

 

[Uncle Red]

My first handgun was a .357. I really liked the fact that I could put 140 gr. .38spl. cookie cutters (full wadcutter target loads) for target shooting, 158gr. .357’s for defense, or 180gr. .357’s for hunting. As well as anything in the middle. The Smith mod 19/66 was designed to reduce the weight that an officer would have to carry; it was felt that the M27 was too heavy. However S&W went too far in making the lighter M19/66. As it turned out they would beat the gun to death with a steady diet of full power .357 loads. Most complaints were revolvers going out of time and getting excessively loose. So S&W went back to the drawing board and came out with the M586/686.

I am in no way trying to knock the M66. In fact when my brother was first hired at the PD where he works, his standard sidearm was a M66-3, which he still owns. To this day he still has hanging in his garage a custom framed B-27 silhouette target used the very last time he qualified with the M66 before the Dept transitioned to .40 cal Sigs. His score you ask? 296-32X out of a 300 pt. 60 rnd. course, and certified by the range officer.

My point however, is that if you intend to shoot a LOT of full power .357 loads, and you like the feel of the Smith you may want to consider the 686, instead of the 66. Personally, I would not feel like I would have to treat a M66 with kid gloves. Because I would be feeding it a moderate or mixed diet of ammo.

My personal favorite is the Ruger GP-100. Only because I like the feel of the grips and the sights better than the Smith. Whichever you end up getting, have fun and enjoy. You won’t be “under gunnedâ€￾. -UR

 

[TACAV]

wow thanks for the helpful replies everyone.

and Uncle Red, I was looking at that S&W 686 after I read your post. Looks pretty nice. Besides handling more .357 loads over time better, different grips, weighing 3 ounces more, and a full underlug is there any other difference preformance wise?

 

[Uncle Red]

Well, I have handled several 686’s, unfortunately I’ve not had a chance to shoot one. I have shot M10, M19, M65, M66-2, M66-3(Brothers gun), M27, M57? (.41 Mag), and M29/629. The only thing I can tell you with certainty is that at different times throughout S&W production over the last 20-30 years, there have been times that triggers/actions have been good, and times that they have been less that acceptable.

The father of a friend of mine bought the M65 that I shot, and out of the box the trigger felt like pullin a steel pick down an asphalt road. He took it to a gunsmith and had it reworked and then it felt great. The M66-3 that belongs to my brother and the .41 Mag both had triggers that felt as smooth as silk on glass right out of the box!

If’n I were to buy a Smith revolver I’d pay particularly close attention to the trigger. I must say that I did like the feel and balance of the 686 over the 66, as well as the looks of the 686. Either way I would more than likely replace the Smith factory wood stocks with a set of Hogue or Packy’s. But that is just my preference. If you’re still not sure, go to a gun show or a gun shop and just fondle. See what feels best. Step into a Weaver stance and see how it points. (***remember all the rules of safe gun handling***) And, of course, check that trigger in DA/SA to see how it feels. Hope I could help. If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Most everyone here is quite willing to jump in and help answer.

Before I forget, Welcome! Hope to see ya ‘round. -UR

 

[Gyrene]

TACAV - First, Welcome.

I think you have selected a couple of good first choices, and if you can get both, do so!

My personal feelings have always been against plastic guns, but that is for me, and I have no desire to own one. The Glock 22 has been a very serviceable handgun, and you will find it works well for whatever you do.

An oldtimer once told me, "If you have to defend yourself with a handgun, then use something that you can rely upon! The most foolproof handguns are revolvers!"

The S&W 66 is a very good .357 Magnum, but as has been stated, feed it .38's most of the time, and switch to .357 Magnums once in a while. I had a S&W 66, but had to sell it for money I needed, and haven't found another yet to replace it. I did get a S&W 686, and while it is stronger than the S&W 66, I don't feed it a steady diet of .357 Magnums either. For two reasons, .38's are cheaper whether you buy or load, and there is simply no reason to subject any .357 Magnum to the full load for practice, except once in a while. If you need to use it, you will never notice the difference between .357 Magnum and .38 rounds, because the adrenaline takes over under pressure.

I usually shoot .22 Rimfire (K-22 Masterpiece), .45 ACP (1911A1 Gold Cup) , 10mm (Delta Elite), .41 S&W Magnum, .44 S&W Magnum, and occasionally the .500 S&W, so the .357 Magnum is not overpowering to me. That is not to say the .357 Magnum is underpowered, IT ISN'T!

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