Switching from Glock to Wheelgun for church protection team

[JMad]

I would consider a semi-auto mag fed pistol in a lower caliber cartridge such as a 9mm instead of a drastic switch from a .45 auto to a 38 wheel gun. there are also backplates and enhanced controls that can help the firearm operator get a better purchase on the slide to manipulate the firearm.

 

[cmshoot]

Work on hand and forearm strength, as well as technique.

Switch to a Glock 19, 45, or 17. Much easier to rack than a G30S, 16-18 rounds on tap with standard magazines, and you're already familiar with the manual of arms.

If one of those don't work for you, the S&W Equalizer would be my next recommendation in a semi-auto.

Plenty of good .357 Magnum wheelguns on the market, new and used. I'd go for at least a 3" barrel, as the added sight radius comes in handy for accuracy. A K- or L-frame S&W (13, 19, 65, 66, 581, 681, 586, 686), a Ruger Speed-Six/Security-Six/GP-100, or a similar gun from Colt would all work.

I'm curious if you would be fine with the heavier, longer trigger stroke of the revolver over the Glock that you're used to.

 

[sewerman68]

Good for him. No way that I'd be unarmed in uniform either.

Fair enough...but...a slung long gun in the hands of a deacon? A church is always going to be somewhat of a soft target. Our church's preference has been to arm the flock, not up-armor the shepherd.

When I first got divorced I dated someone who's parents were murdered in the Southerlin Springs church shooting in 2017 in Texas. She lived close enough to the church to hear the gunshots. Her Pa always carried a pistol but wouldn't take it to church. He was found covering his wife's body with his own.

 

[sewerman68]

Any gun is better than no gun. Try out some different options. I can hit a paper plate with a 3" j frame at 80 yards. My ex has bad arthritis in her hands and can shoot a .380 ez fairly well. I have a 63-5 that is insanely accurate. I don't care if its a .22 or a .32 or .50. The second you get shot your plans just changed drastically for the day.

 

[PazAttack86]

I use an EZ shield 380 for training new shooter for the reason that it is so easy to rack and manipulate that it is not intimidating. I have one you are more than welcome to try. The equalizer is the double stack version pretty much.

 

[PazAttack86]

lots of schools, and churches have security details from what I have seen when I have been in Honduras and Colombia. We secure banks here, fair to secure children and worshippers here imo.

 

[Klif]

I went to my LGS and they were very accommodating and let me try out most of the pistols in the case. I settled on a Ruger Security 9 with 15+1 rounds in 9mm. It racks easily enough but the magazine is a bit of work to load but I have ordered a mag loader (used my Glock loader to fill the mag). It handles well, comes on point easy enough and I can hit what I'm aiming at at 20 to 25 yards consistently. I have spare magazine and carry 2 15 rounds on my belt and they are much lighter than the 2 .45ACP 10 round mags I carried before. I'm happy with the change.

I am still looking for a .38 snub to use as a backup and will have to test out some holsters to see what works best for middle of my back (other team members are using ankle holster but I'm not impressed by that and if you cross your legs you flash everyone with a glimpse of your pistol.

Thanks for all the good advice and if you are a member of a church, it would be a good idea to approach an elder and ask them what their plan is in case of active shooter or nut case and if you might be interested in joining the team to help protect your friends and neighbors.

 

[SirBannedAlot]

I am sure someone already mentioned it, but if not, how about a Keltec PM30 in .22WMR? 30 rounds of soft recoiling 22 mag at close range is gonna ruin any perp's day, no?

Or, get a Chiappa Rhino. They fire from the bottom of the cylinder so the recoil comes straight back, it has almost no muzzle flip, so it just stays on target. You can rapid fire 6 rounds of .38+P out of it and it just stays on target and feels like you are shooting a .22... It's really weird how different the recoil is. The guns look funky, but man do they shoot well.

 

[yellowhammer]

I was team leader on a church team for several years. We trained year round and had to qual annually. We had law enforcement instructors. If you were on my team you would be allowed to carry whatever weapon you could qualify with, and whatever weapon you did well with in training, provided it met the criteria for allowed ammo. Our quals were timed, so you would have to be very comfortable with speed loaders.

 

[palmettomoon]

I recommend staying home or changing churches. If a church needs a "defense team". Pretty sure that's ****ed up.

I never give it a thought. Our church is a "gun free zone" and we have signs posted saying so. I doubt anyone would violate that rule.