Single Port Comp

[Merlin Orr]

I have a 2011 widebody Commander for a carry gun. Looking at possibilities of a (very) short comp for a 9x23 chambering. I would like it to be a ~1" if possible. Is this something that will actually work for the 9X23 or an unnecessary lump on the end of the barrel?

Opinions?

[GentlemanJim]

It would work ok.

As a carry gun I have been warned by several LE type folks not to use a gun that has been customized in any way.

Hot shot defence lawyers will call it a gun made just to kill with and twist the facts against you.

Same with ammo....only factory ...or they will claim your ammo was made by you just for killing someone.

Strange world

Jim

[blue edge]

Very well said Jim +1

[xdrocker]

Same was told to me from the CWP instructor. Stock gun/factory ammo.

[Steve J]

Very well said Jim +1

+1 it's advisable to use the factory brand of ammo that the local LEOs carry.

[eerw]

no matter what you carry, how you train, or how you play..it will all be called into question in a shooting case..

a justified shoot is a justified shoot in a criminal case..a civil case is a whole nother thing..

don't you think the mere fact that you practice from hundreds of rounds to thousands of rounds will be called into question..that you shoot at humanoid targets, that you shoot courses based on scenarios, that you shoot a game called practical or defensive..

main thing is be is defensible..

yes..its a lot easier to defend if you use factory ammo, with a gun just like the local PD uses..but if you can't shoot that well..what good is it..if you are older..arthritic, a comped carry gun..( not you Merlin ) just might save the day..

anyway..

here's an example..

9x23 two port carry comp..it was about 1/8" longer than 5" with the second port..shot really well..easy enough for my niece to shoot well..carried it for about a year and half..then I went back to a .45

[eerw]

dang computers..can't trust em

Edited December 8, 2007 by eerw

[Merlin Orr]

no matter what you carry, how you train, or how you play..it will all be called into question in a shooting case..

a justified shoot is a justified shoot in a criminal case..a civil case is a whole nother thing..

don't you think the mere fact that you practice from hundreds of rounds to thousands of rounds will be called into question..that you shoot at humanoid targets, that you shoot courses based on scenarios, that you shoot a game called practical or defensive..

main thing is be is defensible..

yes..its a lot easier to defend if you use factory ammo, with a gun just like the local PD uses..but if you can't shoot that well..what good is it..if you are older..arthritic, a comped carry gun..( not you Merlin ) just might save the day..

anyway..

here's an example..

9x23 two port carry comp..it was about 1/8" longer than 5" with the second port..shot really well..easy enough for my niece to shoot well..carried it for about a year and half..then I went back to a .45

Very nice looking gun..... Built on a 5" gun or ...?

And yes...older and arthritic sounds about right... I do think about the possibility that it might come to a defensible position in criminal or civil court. Hopefully my NRA would help me a little with that - or is that a pipe dream?

[Pat Miles]

It would be interesting to shoot the single comp gun with various factory ammo and see what if any flame blows upward from the port. Might just ruin your night vision right away. But then you could have a carry gun for day time and another for night time.

[eerw]

interesting enough..

the muzzle flash is high and above the line of sight..different powders will light up the sky very diffferently..

so you pick one that works best..

some will argue that bits and pieces come out while firing from retention..while it is warm..it not that much more big a deal than shooting a 2" revolver from retention..

Merlin..yeah..gun was built using a 5" sliide..and cutting it back..5" recoil system in it..gun functions really smooth.

I think they are pretty cool..as I have a soft spot for short carry comps..

really like George's, and the ones built by Paul Leibenberg and Claudio Salassa

[dirtypool40]

what about a hybrid? That would get you more ports in the same length and no worries on leather.

[G-ManBart]

I have a 2011 widebody Commander for a carry gun. Looking at possibilities of a (very) short comp for a 9x23 chambering. I would like it to be a ~1" if possible. Is this something that will actually work for the 9X23 or an unnecessary lump on the end of the barrel?

Opinions?

I would be mildly concerned about carrying a customized gun, but if you think about it, there are some companies offering carry guns with comps....for example, Wilson sells the Carry Comp model. If it works on a .45 something similar ought to work even better on a 9x23.

I would be more worried about the blast effect and flash than anything else. Even with a single port comp shooting at full arm extension (not the most likely position) a 9x23 is going to blast your face pretty good and I'd be concerned about getting junk blown into my eyes at the wrong time. Most people aren't going to walk around all the time with wrap-around glasses on 24/7.

The absolute most important thing you can do as far as pre-planning a defensive shoot argument is to focus on articulating everything in the proper light. If you get asked about your custom gun a possible answer could be: "I put a lot of thought and effort into finding a gun that I am safe and proficient with so as to ensure my safety and that of those around me. The custom features of that gun are intended to make it easier to shoot accurately."

You can turn participation in organized shooting such as IDPA and USPSA into a positive as well. You take the carrying of a firearm so seriously that you spend a lot of time practicing and training under high pressure situations that give you the best chance of protecting yourself with the minimal amount of risk to innocent bystanders.

[eerw]

You can turn participation in organized shooting such as IDPA and USPSA into a positive as well. You take the carrying of a firearm so seriously that you spend a lot of time practicing and training under high pressure situations that give you the best chance of protecting yourself with the minimal amount of risk to innocent bystanders.

absolutely!!!! and that is your response..

Edited December 8, 2007 by eerw

[dirtypool40]

The absolute most important thing you can do as far as pre-planning a defensive shoot argument is to focus on articulating everything in the proper light. If you get asked about your custom gun a possible answer could be: "I put a lot of thought and effort into finding a gun that I am safe and proficient with so as to ensure my safety and that of those around me. The custom features of that gun are intended to make it easier to shoot accurately."

You can turn participation in organized shooting such as IDPA and USPSA into a positive as well. You take the carrying of a firearm so seriously that you spend a lot of time practicing and training under high pressure situations that give you the best chance of protecting yourself with the minimal amount of risk to innocent bystanders.

...and BINGO was his name-o.

Have answers that make sense. Just like non-gun people asking you "Oh my Gawd... could you really shoot someone?" You better ask yourself that question before you actually start to carry.

I carry this because it's what I can shoot the most accurately and fastest with SHOULD I BE FORCED TO.

I carry a .40 because....

I carry this load because....

I carry a 1911 style because....

I compete and have taken training because....

All the way down to why you have a Ti firing pin and heavy spring (same as the FBI guns to avoid the DANGEROUSLY BAD 80 series trigger issues, but still have a "drop safe" gun, for example)

Now that doesn't mean I would let some "shade tree" whittle on a carry gun, but taking something that's a marginal baseline and making it safer and easier to be effective with, only makes sense. If you don't see it out there, then having it built isn't a sin so long as it consists of defendable decisions. Picking your gun or mods based on a movie or video game or some "mall ninja's" advice is probably not smart.

just my two cents.

[Radical Precision Designs]

I get these questions every day. I have run out of suggestions.

It disgusts me that the 'good guy' saves him/herself from the bad aberrant, only to be victimized in Court by a so called " friend of the Court" in pursuit of the "truth". Whose truth ???

In my daily living I carry a handgun. It is part of my job and daily modus operandi. I have several choices as to what I may carry in any particular day. I no longer care to "premeditate" what will that be, instead preferring to grab whatever will suit my fancy for the day that is "practical" to use. You won't see me strapping on my Open race rig, but I could decide on putting my Limited gun or just throw on my Glock 23, or my favorite which is a Para 14/40 LDA in 10mm. In any case, I gave up having to be afraid of carrying a gun while being "politically correct". If I get involve in a justifyied incident (is there any other kind ??) where I am the victor, it behooves me to have been efficient to be there alive because of my choice of the day. I do not go out "looking" to get into trouble, nor am I sporting for an opportunity to demonstrate my prowess or training. It is very traumatic to be involved in such an incident, but I also refuse to be a victim without call.

Being that I am physically handicapped and can not run worth #@^! if my life depended on it, I have to stand my ground and be effective in remaining there. I will not act to hurt anyone, just to stop them from hurting me. This is my philosophy, and hopefully I can make it be understood for what it is.

Many production built firearms are commonly available to the public with convenient features such as "comping" which makes them more of an accepatable item as opposed to years ago.

[Kingman]

I think I might be more inclined to go with a hybrid barrel set up, maybe even a tribird instead of mounting a comp on a carry gun.

[Matt Cheely]

here's an example..

9x23 two port carry comp..it was about 1/8" longer than 5" with the second port..shot really well..easy enough for my niece to shoot well..carried it for about a year and half..then I went back to a .45

Now that is a sweet rig... Me likey

[revchuck]

Having fired a .357 Magnum with factory .357 Mag ammo from high retention - once - I would strongly advise against a comp on a carry gun. The 9x23 runs at least at the same pressure, and all that hot gas and pressure coming at your face and eyes would be pretty distracting, and possibly disabling. I really don't think that any benefits a comp might bring would outweigh the negatives.

[Merlin Orr]

I get these questions every day. I have run out of suggestions.

It disgusts me that the 'good guy' saves him/herself from the bad aberrant, only to be victimized in Court by a so called " friend of the Court" in pursuit of the "truth". Whose truth ???

In my daily living I carry a handgun. It is part of my job and daily modus operandi. I have several choices as to what I may carry in any particular day. I no longer care to "premeditate" what will that be, instead preferring to grab whatever will suit my fancy for the day that is "practical" to use. You won't see me strapping on my Open race rig, but I could decide on putting my Limited gun or just throw on my Glock 23, or my favorite which is a Para 14/40 LDA in 10mm. In any case, I gave up having to be afraid of carrying a gun while being "politically correct". If I get involve in a justifyied incident (is there any other kind ??) where I am the victor, it behooves me to have been efficient to be there alive because of my choice of the day. I do not go out "looking" to get into trouble, nor am I sporting for an opportunity to demonstrate my prowess or training. It is very traumatic to be involved in such an incident, but I also refuse to be a victim without call.

Being that I am physically handicapped and can not run worth #@^! if my life depended on it, I have to stand my ground and be effective in remaining there. I will not act to hurt anyone, just to stop them from hurting me. This is my philosophy, and hopefully I can make it be understood for what it is.

Many production built firearms are commonly available to the public with convenient features such as "comping" which makes them more of an accepatable item as opposed to years ago.

Excellent. Simply Excellent. Thanks.

(two paragraphs of disdainful rant about being sued for protecting myself, my family or someone being victimized deleted before posting)

[Flexmoney]

What do you get? What do you give up?

[shred]

What do you get? What do you give up?

as well as "in a close-in retention shooting situation, how much do you really care about night vision and/or muzzle blast?"

That said, there's a famous post long ago on the old IPSC e-mail list wherein a curious hybrid open shooter tied a chicken leg to the top of his slide just to see what would happen. Chicken salad for everyone!

[EZ Bagger]

I thought proof of training was required for most CCW's.

[Radical Precision Designs]

I thought proof of training was required for most CCW's.

Proof of training varies from State to State, as to the actual weapons, calibers and sometimes bullet shape. But it is all relative to the makeup of the local bureaucracy. In some States the training is limited to safety and familiarity with handguns in general, allowing more freedom to choose what you will carry. In other States or municipalities, where uniform statewide laws vary, you may be told what you may or may not carry. Years ago when I had my Store/Shop in New Jersey, it was very difficult to obtain a permit to carry in that State, and no "hollow point" ammo allowed. One of the requirements was yearly qualifying with the firearm/s you intended to carry, whether exposed of concealed. You had to report to the Police range with the firearms you intended to carry at one time or the other. If any gun was not listed, you couldn't carry it. That gave the local "Chief" or his instructor the ability to eliminate at will what you would carry. My local Chief was a "cool" guy, (and I had the "local" contract for servicing/maintaining their guns ) so I would bring all kind of stuff to qualify with. One year I brought in different guns to qualify: Browning HP, Colt Gold Cup, Colt Light Commander, Bren Ten, Thomas DA, S&W 629/8 3/8", S&W #60, Walther PPK, and then some more exotic stuff like my Gwynn Bushmaster pistol (.223), .308 cal. Silhouette pistol, and my Universal M-1 pistol. I qualified with all of them and they were dutyfully marked in my carry-approved "list". Of course, they didn't expect that I would exercise some of the options, especially whe they usually would steer people to carry something more "tame" like a .38 Special revolver or a 9mm pistol at maximum.

So, if you are in a more "understanding" State or Municipality, just make sure you ARE proficient with what you carry and aware of its limitations. I have built quite a few of these "V" ported and hybrid ported carry "mini" pistols that are being toted about today. I carry one myself sometimes when the mood suites me. I have trained with it, and am not concerned at all with its night shooting behaviour. Heck I shoot my 9 Major with 115 bullets loaded with 3n38 every Thursday NIGHT at our local USPSA matches, so I know what a skyward flame-thrower shooting gun is like, or is not. I have NOT been blinded yet. Of course I do not make it a habit to practice with it shooting from the hip.

[ken hebert]

It is..., but it's not exactly comprehensive. I assist a good friend of mine with the shooting portion of the handgun class, watching out for inexpierenced shooters and ensuring range safety. I've not seen anyone actually fail the shooting test, but some have been close. Lets put it another way: I can count the number of folks whom I've seen run through the class try to help me in a shooting situation on one hand and have four fingers left over.

Merlin, I'm glad you posted this, going back to the conversations we had while you were here. I was having a 9x23 commander built for me... but the builder let me down. It actually worked out better for me as the more the project came along the more I wanted a carry comp. I'm figuring it would be more like a shorty open gun with iron sights.

eerw: that is EXACTLY the kind of gun I'm talking about, full profile comp and all. If any one out there wants to reccomend me a smith for the project, feel free to p.m. me. I'm ready!

[eerw]

Ken..

George at EGW built this one..he was great to work with and talk to about this project..he made it perfect.