My two cents....

by Byron, Monday, August 17, 2015, 13:34 (3390 days ago) @ Murphy

I recently was privileged to attend a local gunslinger course designed to increase the efficacy of CCW holder in hitting a close range targets at speed. No shooting was done over 7 yards and most within 10'.

This class was based on the new FBI sidearm trained which addressed the fact that most shooting take place within conversational distances and where speed is of the essence.

http://www.handgunsmag.com/reviews/new-fbi-handgun-training/

18 shooters of all levels of proficiency and a wide range of pistols ranging from a Walther .22 to full size service weapons. About half were subcompact .380s and 9mms. I shot a P35 carried in a Sparks Summer special under a untucked polo shirt.

The fact that half the class had no business carrying a gun in public and were a danger to themselves and others is a topic for another conversation.

However, regarding the subject at hand. It was immediately apparent that the little guns were much much harder to hit with than a more conventional sized pistol even at these ranges. With the really little guns the difference was in my opinion unacceptable given the difficultly in hitting targets fast at close range even with a full size pistol. An example of this difficulty in hitting close and fast is quoted in the referenced article.

"In New York City, police who used their firearms in “Gunfights, Other Shootings vs Perpetrator, and Against Dogs,” hit their intended targets only 38 percent of the time at distances between zero and two yards—and just 17 percent of the time at three to seven yards. This data was gathered from 1994 to 2000."

Personally, it makes more sense to upgrade your holster and technique to allow better concealment of a more effective sidearm that going tiny because its easier to carry.

Byron