What's next?

The collection is already taking on a mind of its own, yearning to grow.

I have my .22 rifle (and my Mosquito, though it's already starting to gather dust in favor of the rifle), and I'm looking ahead to my next purchase. The rifle handles fun range time or plinking, and now I'm looking to something for protection. This will be a 9mm handgun, specifically a CZ P-07. In this piece I will explain why I'm going with a handgun and why specifically the CZ.

THE HANDGUN

Handguns/pistols (if there's an actual distinction I don't know it, so I use both terms interchangably) need little introduction and are common choices for self-defense or home defense. They are small; maneuverable; a full-size semi-auto with a stock magazine can hold as many as 18 rounds of ammunition; and they do the job. Rimfire handguns exist (my Mosquito is one) but any kind of serious defensive use of a handgun will use a centerfire cartridge. As mainstream semi-automatic handguns go, the main choices are 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. Handguns intended for CCW will fire these or perhaps .380. When you expand the search out to revolvers, you get cartridges like .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and .45 Long Colt. There are also handguns that fire more exotic cartridges like 10mm or 5.7.

Semi-automatic handguns can be divided based on how the gun activates the cartridge and initiates the chemical reaction that results in the bullet leaving the barrel. Many handguns (and all revolvers) have a hammer, mostly exposed but some carry models have it hidden (to avoid clothing snags). This is the thing that people always cock back in movies to emphasize their point. Cocking back the hammer may turn the trigger into a "single-action" rather than a "double action" - this means that less pressure is required to drop the hammer and have it strike the cartridge and fire the round. I believe this depends on the gun - some guns are double action only, some guns do not allow you to pull the hammer back, and some older revolvers require the hammer be pulled back before every shot. Semi-autos with hammers usually have external safeties as well as a "decocking" lever, which allows the user to put the hammer down without actually firing the gun.

Some types of semi-autos - Glocks and their imitators - have done away with the external hammer in favor of an internal "striker." These newer guns, possibly due to mechanical reasons stemming from this choice, often also do not have external safeties (i.e. a switch you click to turn the safety on and off). Glocks, for example, have a switch in the middle of the trigger, so when you pull the trigger and there's a round chambered it WILL fire. They compensate by building multiple internal safeties into the gun, to the point where you can drop it out of a moving car and it won't accidentally discharge. Smith & Wesson's M&P is similar (a hinged part of the trigger acts as the safety), and Springfield's XD has a pressure switch on the back of the handle that accomplishes the same thing.

The venerable revolver is still a popular choice as well. Far more mechanically simple than a semi-auto, a wheelgun is the best choice for reliability and ease of maintenance; it also allows for use of cartridges that have real stopping power. A .357 Magnum, for example, is not at all fun to shoot - it's one of those things that you feel all the way into your teeth when you shoot it, and if you stand behind someone shooting one you'll feel a shockwave on your face. That kind of firepower will end a threat in fewer shots than even a .45 ACP. Certain revolvers can also fire multiple cartridges - a .357 revolver will also be able to shoot the cheaper and much more fun to shoot .38 Special, owing to the similar dimensions of the cartridges and the mechanical simplicity of the gun.

9mm is, in my opinion, the best choice. Since I'm not interested in a revolver or any of the more exotic pistol cartridges, my choice is between 9mm, .40, and .45, and 9mm wins for a few reasons. Most important is cost - cheaper ammo means I'll practice more which means I'll be a better shot. Recoil is also more manageable than the bigger cartridges, which contributes to the "fun factor" of practicing and also means my wife will want to practice with me more, which is very important. Also I don't believe that I'm really sacrificing anything by going with 9mm - "stopping power," despite engendering hundreds of gigabytes' worth of internet arguments, doesn't change too much among the 3 major rounds. When you're dealing with one of these three - as opposed to .357 mag or one of the other big ones - the most important factor is shot placement if you're looking to immediately end a threat. And the only way to proper shot placement is practice, which is most affordable with a 9mm.

OK, so a 9mm handgun it is. Now what kind? 

This kind: the CZ P-07. http://www.cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-p07-duty/

I will break down the reasons I'm going with the CZ P-07, in no particular order.

1. Reliability/Reputation. CZ has been around for a while. They produce the CZ-75 (of which the P-07 is a more modern, polymer-framed variant with a redesigned trigger) and have been doing so for decades - this gun is one of the most heavily used firearms among police departments and armed forces around the world. CZs have a reputation for being well-built and those who own them swear by them.

2. Size/weight. The P-07 is a polymer-framed variant of the 75, which means it's lighter than its metal-framed progenitor. It is not so light, however, that the shooter is terribly bothered by recoil (I thought it was metal-framed when I first used it, as I felt way less recoil with it than with an M&P or Glock). This is doubly impressive when one considers the size of the gun - it is smaller than "full-size" guns like the Glock 17, yet my experience is that the recoil is less with the P-07 than the 17. This means it will do well as a carry gun if I decide to carry concealed, but not at the expense of being easy and fun to shoot at the range.

3. Aesthetics. It looks cool. I'm only human and having a cool-looking gun, while not the sole criterion, is nice. As a bonus, since the USA division of CZ (they're based in the Czech Republic) is in Kansas City, Kansas, the gun will say on its side "CZ-USA KANSAS CITY, KANSAS" which I think is kind of neat.

4. Cost. This gun retails for about $450. M&Ps go for about $550, and Glocks and Springfield XDs are usually above $600. While I would probably go for an HK if money was no object, that's not the world I live in at the moment. Cost isn't everything - otherwise I'd get a $200 Hi-Point - but the P-07 by all accounts appears to be an extremely well-built and reliable firearm for a terrific price.

One final note. I didn't decide on this gun just by watching YouTube videos and reading feature lists - I went to the range and shot it, a number of times. I also shot Glocks, XDs, M&Ps, HKs, and other CZ models. All the nifty features and advertising copy don't mean anything if the gun isn't a good fit for your hand, or if you can't work the slide, or if the sights just don't work with your eyes, etc. There's no substitute for actually putting some rounds through it. Rental guns might be dirty and poorly-kept and not represent the gun's potential, but actually shooting the gun is still essential before purchase. Be it at a range, borrowing your friend's, or seeking out an owner in your area on the internet, do everything you can to actually put the firearm in your hand and make some holes in paper with it.