Ferrari Mailing List: H&K Lovers

[BRIGANDBAR (BRIGANDBAR]

Individual preferences for guns are about as varied as their preferences  for 
women, cars, etc., and equally as enthusiastic and prejudiced.;
 
I can only speak from more than 25 years as an ATF Special Agent, and  
longtime member of one of their Special Response Teams (no, not the one(s) at  
Waco). When we went over to pistols from revolvers, we went to SigSauer model  
226's in the ever popular 9mm caliber. Backup guns were S&W Mod. 640's for  
most 
of my career, though when I started we carried a lot of seized handguns  with 
agent preference being the driving force. ATF & many, if not most of  the 
Federal law enforcement agencies have progressed on to the SigSauer model  229 
to 
obtain the benefit of the improved ballistics of the .40S&W  caliber cartridge.
 
Now being retired, and less like to become involved in an armed conflict of  
any duration, and with new situational criteria (personal defense, not  
intentional law enforcement activities, thought I do sit in as Acting Police  
Chief 
in Woodburn, KY on occasion), I find that I just don't need 12+ rounds per  
magazine, nor do I want to be burdened with carrying a larger, heavier, and 
more 
 difficult to conceal firearm. My personal defense "carry" handguns are a  
Detonics Pocket 9 pistol (no longer in production in that Detonics found it  
difficult to maintain the quality of materials and construction at a 
competitive  
price) for a summer weapon as it is compact, uses a full 9mm cartridge rather 
 than a .380ACP thus easily carried inside the belt or in an ankle holser. It 
is  a stainless steel pistol and thus quite suitable for this purpose. My 
second  carry gun is a SigSauer model 239 SAS (DAK), which is the basic model 
239 
 specifically modified to be carried under a suit coat or jacket (rounded 
edges,  different hammer design, etc.) to meet the requirements of agents who 
dress that  way for most of their non-tactical business. Also not a "double 
stack" magazine,  but it is .40S&W caliber. Do I need the upgraded caliber, I 
guess 
I'll never  know until it is too late to change it anyway.
 
More comments on ammunition and long guns, and "submachine guns" later  on.
 
Dr. Steve