Carry vs full size pistol in CO?

[wdfwguy]

Assuming both have the same size grip, is there advantage to a full size pistol (5" M&P, P320f, G34) vs the shorter barrel version?

 

The optic would seem to negate the sight radius advantage.  Is there anything else that would sway you either way?

[lstange]

Longer and heavier barrel means less muzzle flip.

[OdinIII]

Longer barrel makes more PF. This could be important if you load for multiple guns and don’t want 2 loads.

[Hi-Power Jack]

14 hours ago, wdfwguy said:

 Is there anything else that would sway you either way?

 

Although I'd prefer the longer barrel (for reasons discussed above), I'd

settle on the shorter barrel if that's what I currently own - I'd give it a

serious try and see if I felt the short barrel was holding me back from

fame and fortune.     

[trevoro]

Seems to me that the only way to really know would be to shoot them back to back.  I know some really good shooters that prefer the G17 over the G34.  From personal experience, I do seem to shoot the G17 better than the G34...but that has never stopped me believing that I should shoot the G34 better than the G17.  Relative to big Sigs and small sigs in CO, I had a P320 that I shot a few matches in CO about a year ago. I didn't do well and sold it almost immediately.  I now have an X5 that I'm shooting in CO...I'm still not doing great.  I think familiarity with a dot is a much bigger factor than the balance of the gun for me at this point, and I think that is what it will come down to for most people - balance. Basically, shoot them back to back and see which one arrives and returns to target better for you.  Another thing I'd suggest thinking about before you decide is the recoil spring being right for you in each gun.  I think the wrong spring in a gun is a much bigger failing than the "wrong" slide length.