Topic: New member of the family

[762_XC]

My baby came home today....



Sorry for the crappy res (took it from my cell phone).

For those who can't read the slide and are wondering what it is: http://hk-usa.com/civilian_products/p2000_general.asp

[marstone]

Well, congrats to the new daddy.  Is it the 9 or .40?  I think I see a 40 on it, but can't truly tell.

But looks like a nice addition.

[762_XC]

It is indeed a .40. Though I plan shortly on getting a .357 SiG barrel to make it interchangeable.

[marstone]

alright, the .357 or the .40 are good defense rounds.  9 not so much.  Unless you hollowpoint it, it just punches neat holes.  (but then for a defense gun, why wouldn't it have hollow points).

Other question, did you get a good deal on it, or pay that high suggested price for it?

I myself have been looking at a couple of new 1911 versions out there in .45 or .50.   But have a nice 1911 style multi-caliber but it only have the .45 barrel.  Then my plinker, a colt .22.  Nice, handy, cheap to shoot.

[762_XC]

Well, you want to hollowpoint anything you're intending to use for defense, period. And more importantly you want to get it on target. A .380 in center of mass is more likely to stop someone than a .40 in the shoulder. A 9mm 115gr JHP is going to do way more than a .40 180gr FMJ. So many things factor in beyond just caliber. Like, how you react when the sh*t hits the fan.

That said, I went .40 because I knew there were some excellent .40 compacts out there, and if it's a little bit better, it's a little bit better (yes, I do intend to carry it). Still I wouldn't run down the 9mm too hard. Properly loaded it can be very reliable as a defense round. I almost went with a subcompact actually...but the three-finger grip is what put me off. If I don't like shooting it at the range I'm not going to shoot it...and a 180 grain .40 on a 3 finger grip and a 3 inch barrel is not going to be fun for me.

I paid about $100 less than MSRP. I shopped around on gunbroker.com, took my best price (on a new gun) to my local guy, and let him upcharge me a bit (basically he got to keep what I would have paid as a transfer fee for profit). To be nice he tossed in a Gold Membership at his range for a year.

If you are looking for a 1911 style now is a great time to do it. There are a sh*t ton of new models out this year for the centennial - some cheap, others 4 figures. Kimber is in the latter category for the most part, but they sure make beautiful handguns.