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Looks like no one answered your specific questions.

Not DA or SA per se, but a pre-loaded striker design (pre-loaded might not be the right term but it sounds better than "half cocked" ). It's been called a staple gun trigger. Once it's cocked it fires with a light, very short pull through kind of like a very short DA as you bring the striker back the last few millimeters to its release point. It can take a little getting used to.

No safety of any kind on a Glock except the "safe action" trigger which means you have to depress the little lever sticking out of the middle of the trigger before you can pull the trigger.

There have been accidental discharges with Glocks where some piece of clothing or something has caught in the trigger guard as the owner was holstering and fired the pistol.

They are uber reliable which as far as I can see is why they are so popular (I rarely use the term uber), they really do go bang every time. They have a blocky grip that not everybody likes but the Generation 4 models have replaceable backstraps to modify the grip somewhat, or you can just sandpaper the grip to suit.


Other striker fired models of similar size and reputation for reliability are the S&W M&P models, some of those come with a standard manual thumb safety, also Springfield Armory makes some very nice models that have extra features over the Glock like a cocking indicator. IMO they have a more nicely contoured grip than the Glock so one or both of these models may fit your hand better, especially the M&P. Both come in multiple sizes as well. I happen to have a Springfield XDm .45 ACP and it is a bit large for concealed carry but absolutely 100% reliable and just as accurate as it needs to be.

All of them are black and not exactly Italian fashion designer pistols but have a certain functional beauty if one appreciates those things.

Folks have their individual and much defended preferences for one of these three but any of them would serve you well in a hi-cap striker fired pistol, or a single stack smaller frame if that is what you want. Ruger and some other folks also make striker fired models but the aforementioned three are the only ones I've fired or looked at closely so can't comment on any others.



The other brand to look for which is kind of a personal favorite of mine are the Kahr models. These have a much longer DA feeling trigger pull but lots lighter than any DA revolver. They are single stack so only hold 6+1 or 7+1 in 9mm but are fairly small. The ones I've owned are incredibly accurate, even more accurate than several full size pistols of my experience. Actually they are far more accurate than they really need to be but they are also 100% reliable. Some folks report that their thumb accidentally drops the magazine when they fire one but I guess that's up to the way an individual holds it. They don't come with a manual safety either but that long DA pull makes them about as safe as any standard DA revolver. They sell high dollar models and economically priced "C" models - CWP, CMP etc. that are almost the same as the high dollar ones but with a pinned sight instead of dovetailed, standard instead of polygonal rifling and no fancy machining on the slide. IMO they are the much better buy over the "P" models unless a dovetailed front sight is a deal killer for you.


OR, you can go back to a traditional single stack, SA, thumb safety model like the 1911 in any of the 1001 different configurations they are made in today.

Lots of folks still like the 1911 design and especially the SA trigger pull, as do I, but having owned a few of those and a few of the new striker fired pistols I'll have to say the striker fired ones eat up more different kinds of ammo more reliably than any 1911 I've ever owned. "Ol Slabsides" (I never call it ol' slabslides) had its place and still does but for an efficient and reliable self-defense pistol the Glocks, M&P's, Springfields et al are the way to go in the early 21st Century.

Hope that helps some.

More: The .45 ACP has been putting dicks in the dirt for well over a century but placement is what kills and bullet performance has come a long way since a FMJ was the only choice. I have a hi-cap .45 as my bedside pistol but my carry guns are 9mm's loaded with the latest and greatest bonded hollow point ammo. Advantages are more rounds on board and lighter recoil for quicker repeat shots, as well as a smaller frame for easier concealability. 9mm practice ammo is dirt cheap and widely available.

Mostly I picked the gun that pointed the best for me. My one and only experience firing a handgun in an emergency situation taught me that it better be pointing where your wide open eyes are looking - i.e. you better hit the target where it hurts fast and first. To me that is the number one criteria for a SD handgun, most everything beyond that is discussion as is reflected in my signature line.



Also, a disclaimer. I'm no self defense ninja expert by a long shot, just another average guy who looked around for the best SD carry options in this day and age, and this and my first post are what a layman has found from gleaning the on-line wheat from the chaff and then trying and carrying several different models to see what worked best for me. Haven't shot anybody or shot at anybody (not human at least) and don't plan to so maybe someone who has will have radically different ides, but most of that "wheat" mentioned here comes from the guys who have.

Well, it's pretty much universally accepted by now that the Glock 19 is currently the standard defensive handgun by which everything else is judged. Not my preference, but not for any reason that should matter to you.

That's not to say that there aren't plenty of other options that work just as well.

Nice post Jim. thanks for your time.

So, with all of this newly imparted information, what you should do is go to a well stocked range that rents handguns and shoot a bunch of them and see what you like best.

I love my Glock 19, but I don't always want to carry a handgun that size. I recently bought a Ruger LCP which is about the same size as my I-phone with the pocket holster. It's not the pistol that the Glock is, but it carries with little effort.

Plastic, I'd go Glock or M&P. Metal, I like the CZ's.

Were you wearing your kilt?

No matter what you get spend the money on a good holster. If it's uncomfortable you won't carry it, no matter the make and model of the gun.

With that said I think the single stacks are great. I carry either the XDS 45 or Kahr P9. Whitehat Maxtuck for each. Also have a lcp and pocket holster for those quick trips to the convenience store.

Two excellent choices. For the Sig, their newer Short Reset Triggers are amazing, and not just in that they have a short reset. They're much better in all respects. Still, there's something to be said for the striker fired triggers as seen on the Glocks in terms of shot-to-shot consistency, first to last.

As for caliber, 9mm is the best compromise in terms of effectiveness, controllability, cost of practice, and magazine capacity.

Fugk no.

This America. And I am all American.



Dave

I'm surprised by the number of people that carry pistols the size of a G19/23 for EDC.

Especially in the warmer parts of the country.



Travis

I've been carrying a 9c (IWB) & the Colt 25 (pocket) all the time.

I'd love to have the luxury of just going pocket sometimes, but just can't bring myself to walk out the door without something 9mm or 38spc on hand.

im liking the G42, i know i know its a 380, but it shoots easier than the 43. At the ranges it would have to be used for, a 90 grain gold dot or a few of them would i think give me or my wife a fighting chance. shot placement trumps power and everyone is different as to how well they shoot a micro pistol...
laser could give you a quick point and shoot option if you dont have to fumble with turning on a laser...the only options there are the grip activiated ones by crimson trace or the holster activated ones from viridian...with viridian, when you draw the weapon the laser turns on instantly

green vs red...green much brighter in daylight and works at a farther range, problem is how far will you be shooting in CCW situation....plus green is so bright, the beam in lowlight can be traced back to the shooter, you can actually see the beam. Red lasers are not nearly as traceable

Not me. I've experimented with them from time to time over my 36 years of concealed carry, but have ultimately rejected them. I don't want to depend on electronics for my handgun's operation in the gravest extreme. Just get a good set of sights and train with them.

Sweet! I was just fondling one of those the other day at the gun store. Awesome trigger. Quite spendy, though.

Absolutely. Don't mess with anything else.

My Russel Athletic Omar the Tent maker Polo, blends well with my Sabago dockside boat shoes, spider king no show socks, Levi's 550 relaxed fit blue jean shorts and a G17 IWB. Its a bonus to have the 30 round magazine in your front pocket....

Fashion by Toby.

Yep.

Strictly a safety issue. The condition in which you carry it requires a higher degree of intention to shoot before a round will fire than with a Glock. This is a big comfort to some, but if that's not a concern, the Glock is somewhat better, strictly from a tactical perspective.