I just got an email from a friend who is new to shooting handguns.  He had asked my advice for his first purchase, and I of course told him to get a Glock.  Only problem is I forgot he is left-handed.  He looked it over at the store, but ultimately decided on the Smith and Wesson M&P because of the ambidextrous controls.

He has been very satisfied with the pistol so far because it fits him which brings us to a great point.  Don’t conform yourself to any particular gun.  The gun needs fit you.  If you are buying from Smith, Glock or Springfield, you have nothing to worry about.  The quality is great, and the guns will simply run.  Don’t get caught up in the brand name.  We all have reasons why we like a particular gun, and at the end of the day that gives us confidence in our system.  Be confident in yours.

By the way, he is doing this right.  He has taken a CCW course and is getting some training.  I recommended that he shoot IDPA once in a while to gain the skills necessary to carry CCW.  Don’t just buy a gun and think you’ve got it all figured out.  Become proficient with it.

“Should I get night sights?” This question comes up often. Experts on both sides of the issue have some good points, so let me outline both positions and then offer some advice. Those who see the advantage of night sights will say that they help you place an accurate shot. This is a good point for low light situations, however if it is so dark that you need night sights you must decide if you can safely identify your target. If not, night sights won’t matter.

Another advantage is that you can pick up your weapon if you happen to drop it or if your house is dark. In the middle of the night you may not want to call timeout and turn on the lights. So they could help you get to your weapon faster. This may be one of the best advantages of night sights, but remember bad guys can also see things that glow in the dark.

The accurate shot debate will go on and on forever. It is true that the sights will allow you the opportunity to take a good first shot. After that, your night vision is blown and you will have to resort something else.

A good alternative to night sights is spending a day at the Tactical Shooting Academy. For the price of night sights and installation, you could take a class on point shooting. While this method of shooting has many detractors, TSA’s instructor wins in competitive shooting give it plenty of room to stand.

Now for the piece of advice. If you think you might be interested in having night sights, buy them factory installed on the gun. Why? Because you will save at least $50 if your gun happens to be a Glock. We are happy to put them your gun at a later date, but you will end up paying at least $50 more than if you bought one of our guns with night sights already installed.

So should you get them. It really boils down to a personal preference. I own guns with and without them, and feel comfortable carrying either way. If you can afford them they can be nice, but it really is a luxury item in our opinion.

Mossy Creek Custom has been a work in progress for many years.  It started with my first job dealing with guns.  I was fortunate enough to work for a great guy who was willing to take a chance on me.  From that point until now I have been blessed to work with some incredible individuals, all of whom have contributed to make Mossy Creek Custom what it is today.

What separates MCC from other shops is that we are interested in your success as a shooter, competitor, hunter or COP.  It’s not just about a sale.  Many times we will talk a customer out of sale because we know it won’t be good for him/her in the long run.  We want our clients to be well informed and comfortable with all of their purchases and completely satisfied with our gunsmithing.

Some of our services include, L/E contracts  for web gear, guns and knives.  We have a certified Glock armorer, an AR armorer, and a 1911 armorer ready to customize or repair your weapon.  We also do general gun repair, and because we believe in good relationships, if you have a problem we can’t fix, we know someone who can.

Good relationships make all the difference in the world.  We know most of our customers on a first name basis, and this helps tremendously when they have a problem.  They know they are going to get solid service from someone who cares about their hobby or profession, not someone who is interested in making a sale.  If you have any questions, shoot us an email; info@mossycreekcustom.com.  We would love to get to know you.

I am going to spend some more time with this thought later, but I want to ask the question, “How accurate do you need to be?” For some people this is the most important question they ask when they buy a new gun. If you are a competitive bullseye or benchrest shooter it is the difference between first and second place. For most of my readers, they say they want an accurate gun, but they really don’t know what they mean by that. I am always asked, “Is this gun accurate?” The answer is yes and no most of the time. How accurate do you think a Glock should be? Check out How Accurate Do You Need to Be? in the articles section.

By this time you have probably heard about Sig Sauer’s latest entry into the handgun market. If you have not, it is a customizable weapon that can have the grip thickness changed to fit each hand, and it can also be transformed from 9mm, 357 sig, 40 S&W and 45 ACP. Sig’s promotion centers around the 250′s versatility. They speak of using the same gun on different missions, and the various ways that it will impact the concealed weapons crowd, but one has to wonder how practical these features really are.

In most shops this gun will probably sell for a little under $650. This price point is not unreasonable, but it is almost $100 higher than the Glocks that seem to be a little more popular at this time. The interesting thing is that the caliber conversions will sell over $400. I wonder how many of our Law Enforcement contracts that use Sig products would actually spend that kind of money for a caliber conversion? Most of the departments that we deal with are not going to spend that kind of money for a caliber conversion.

Where I believe this gun and others like it that have the interchangeable backstraps can be valuable is for the differing hand sizes that are in every department. It goes back to what we believe for competitive shooters. Never alter the shooter to the gun. Always alter the gun to fit the shooter. In this respect I think the Sig brings something to the table that can be very useful for a family of shooters or a Law Enforcement Department.