What Gun For Concealed Carry??

[The Rooster]

I'm thinking about getting a handgun for concealed carry. I'm wondering what would be ideal for this?? What would be enough firepower, not too little, but still be controllable, and also the age old question of revolver or semi-auto?? I know today's autos are better than years past, but isn't a revolver still more dependable overall?? There's no way to jam a revolver.

I've fired several different types of handguns, but mostly .40 cal semi-auto. That caliber in particular I find to have too much recoil to fire accurately when target shooting, much less in a situation where I have to just react instead. The ones I fired were the Glock (not sure of model, had extended pinky rest on magazine), and the Smith & Wesson M&P. The Smith was great but had as much recoil as ever. I hated the Glock. Both were inaccurate in my hand but I did better with the Smith.

9mm is accurate in my hand. Also I have fired a .38 special as well, which I liked. That's about all the handgun experience I've had other than .22's.

I'm not a small guy, about 6'1" in height, and 275 pounds. You'd think I could handle most high calibers. I don't know if I need to stick with the lower calibers for accuracy I already have, or go with the higher calibers and learn to handle it.

I notice some guns I look at are heavier than others in the same caliber and style, 16 oz. up to 24 oz. and more. I figure too light and recoil is worse, but too heavy and it will be clumsy in my hand and harder to aim with. Any recommendations??

[Jim_M]

Hey Rooster,

Before you buy a gun, join a club or range. Shoot as many as you can as much as you can.

A defensive weapon must go bang every single time you squeeze the trigger. High capacity

magazines are cool and totally worthless if you forgot to rack the slide, or snick the safety or

fully seat the magazine. I have competed regularly with semi-autos for more than 30 years now.

My Glocks run like scalded cats but there is a curve involved with semi's that does not exist with

revo's. That is why I recommend a snub nose .38 or 357 revolver when people ask about concealable

defensive weapons that always go bang.

[00 mod]

Good points. But my carry is Glock 27

Jeff

[nick76]

From my experience the best gun you can use is one you are comfortable with. You should follow Jim's advice and shoot a few of them before you make your mind up. I went to a range where I could rent guns and shot 5 or 6 before I bought. I had a .40 Semi given to me by my father and I hated that gun. I ended up getting a Ruger SR9c. My wife also shot many guns and she was comfortable with the same weapon. I like ths fact that recoil is light, the gun is a little heavier than a sub compact, it comes with a 10 and 15 shot magazine. I am 6'2" and 225lbs. It feela good in my hand and the smaller magazine is great for conceal.

Again, it is a personal preference and more importantly, you will need to practice often. You can never practice too much when it comes to using a firearm.

[tstone]

I have a M&P 40c and a G23. I find myself carrying the M&P 99% of the time simply because I like it better. Find one you like and feel comfortable with, and that's what you should carry.

I will be buying a Shield in 9mm soon, wanting something smaller to carry.

[RyneB]

As stated above, use what you are comfortable with. I carry a .40 semi auto. When i dont want to wear a holster, i carry a S & W Bodyguard in a pocket. Its a small 5 shot revolver in the .38 +P round. It has a laser that came on it from the factory. It is a rough shooting gun and about as uncomfortable as you can get. But in time of panic, i wont care about how nice it is to shoot. I know guys who carry full size 1911s with a full magazine. Thats a little to large and heavy for me. A good holster is gonna help you with comfortability.

[slonezp]

Can't carry in IL but, I've been eteing the new Springfield XDS .45

[K_Mac]

I also recommend you try a few different handguns before making a decision. I ended up with the Ruger SR9c after trying a variety of others. It was the best fit for me, and comes at a very reasonable price.

I would also take a look at the Ruger SP101. In either 2.25" or 3" it is heavy enough to handle .38+P ammo fairly comfortably, with the option of .357 mag if you want to make a lot of fire, noise, and have some serious firepower.

For absolute deep concealment, I don't think there is a better pistol than the Ruger LCP for the money. It is only available in .380, and for some that is a deal breaker. Not me. A .380 that you can carry is far better than a 1911 that is locked up at home...

[Crestliner2008]

I'm a lot smaller than you are and carry a Ruger SP-101 in an IWB holster. Have been doing this for a lot of years, quite comfortably too. Best part is that I can shoot a wide variety of factory cartridges and reloads in this revolver. The full load .357's will have all the power you will ever need for just about any situation. Yet low power reloads make regular range work very comfortable and affordable.

I can tell you this, from shooting hundreds of reloads through this ss revolver, it's a tank! And no "ifs, ands or buts", when you pull the trigger, it will go BANG! Various custom grips are available as well, at reasonable prices, to fit most hands. Simple, reliable and effective. But then again, I'm an old school wheel gun kind of guy.

[The Rooster]

I really like the looks of that Ruger SP-101. Guns like that I think would probably be best for me. Thanks.

[RyneB]

Can't carry in IL but, I've been eteing the new Springfield XDS .45

You need to get it. A buddy of mine just got one and i put 100 rounds through it. Great gun.

[cheezylotus]

summer carry when you need a smaller piece to carry with light clothing i love my ruger lcp 380, hey shot placement is everything right?? but in the winter i carry my springfield xdm 9mm. 19 rounds should be enough ; )

[slonezp]

summer carry when you need a smaller piece to carry with light clothing i love my ruger lcp 380, hey shot placement is everything right?? but in the winter i carry my springfield xdm 9mm. 19 rounds should be enough ; )

Not a fan of the LCP put it packs quite a punch for such a little gun. I've got big hands. For me, it doesn't feel comfortable to shoot. I have a Bersa .380 which feels much more comfortable. The LCP serves its purpose as a "in a pinch" firearm

[bigbill]

I carried a 44mag for most of my ccw carry life. I just about been thru all the different calibers and handguns too in ccw carry. The ones i like now are the smaller CZ82 & CZ83 in 9mm makarov with there 12rd mags.plus there double action on the first shot and the S&W N frames with a 4" barrel in a magnum caliber. The S&W Model 58 in 41mag with a 4" barrel can be hidden neatly in an in the pants holster. While the CZ82/83 with the same type of holster is a tad lighter and smaller. I perfer the magnum caliber at night fishing from shore in the wilds. There are more bear sightings here lately too. The 41mag has more power than the 357mag and its more controllable than the 44mag yet the killing/stopping power is the same as the 44mag. I been ccw carrying since the early 70's and i'm new to the 41mag and i love it. For a larger caliber semi-auto pistol I perfer the 1911a1 in 45acp with a 5" barrel. The bottomline is do you have a local gun range that rents guns to try to see if youlike them?

I've seen new guys want a 500 S&W and the 44mag would scare them when they shot it. Some larger calibers do have some bark to them. If you never shot a handgun before than a small 22lr handgun would be the thing to start off with. Once you master the 22cal handgun then its time to move up to a 9mm or the caliber of your choice once your sure on what you want. Remember its practice, practice and more practice.

You can tune the semi auto pistols to your liking too. In the 9mm pistols I have gone up two sizes stronger with the recoil springs to tame down the recoil and handling. At the sametime it wilol cut down on the cycle timing and the over traveling of the slide. The auto will cycle faster and smoother. You can also polish the feed ramps and a tweek here and there will make the auto very reliable and dependable. Godbless; BigBill

BTW; You need to pick a handgun you feel comfortable with when you shoot it, it needs to fit in your hand and weight wise it need to feel good in the holster when its on your body too. Also before your purchase see what optional grips/stocks are available too.

Revolver or Semi-Auto handgun?

I have never had a problem with a revolver as far as dependability and reliability. Some auto pistols are more dependable than others. All my experience with the CZ 75's and 82/83 pistols all of them have been flawless right out of the box. The CZ75's are the choice of the russian spec ops. With the 1911's some can be finiky till you get the bugs out of them but if you have a problematic one most of the time its the extractor that needs tuning or the mag. But overall the 1911 can be made so its very reliable and dependable. With the 1911's I wouldn't carry it until i had 250rds to 500rds fired thru it of flawless operation only then i would put my life on the line with it.

[slonezp]

You need to get it. A buddy of mine just got one and i put 100 rounds through it. Great gun.

Cabelas in the area has a waiting list. Stopped in last week to see if I could check one out. Nope.

[Highhawk1948]

Keep it simple and get a 1 1/2 inch to 3 inch revolver in .38 special. Ruger, Smith/Wesson, good dependable guns. Don't want to get in a big discussion concerning jamming but revolvers will jam/lock up for several reasons. Have had it happen. Best thing to do in to keep it cleaned(revolvers are easy to keep), and use quality ammo. No problems.

[FD.]

Just picked up a Ruger SR9c after renting one at the range. After the first 5 rounds I was hooked. I have large hands and long fingers and it has been a struggle to find something comfortable and concealable.

[aavery2]

So many good guns out there, here are a few you might look at. If you want a pocket pistol, the Sig P238 .380 is great, 9MM- I like the Glock 19 Gen3, or if you want the serious knockdown power take a look at the Springfield XDS .45. There are many, many good choices, I like the Glock as when you pull the trigger it goes bang.

Guns are even more of a personal thing than fishing gear, it has to feel right to you.

[papajoe222]

Can't carry in IL but, I've been eteing the new Springfield XDS .45

Think positively and can't will have no place in your vocabulary. I've been carrying in the land of Lincoln for over 30 years. As long as you're looking, look at the Sig P239. It's only a 40 cal, but it's lines and size deserve some serious consideration.

To the question of what gun, there is a saying that goes something like; Any gun will do, if you will. Meaning your commitment to carry isn't based on what gun, but on your commitment to use it, without hesitation, if the situation arrises.

Look for something light and comfortable to carry and don't limit yourself to just one carry position. If you commit to carry, always carry and that dictates different holstering options for different types of attire. I prefer OTW, but during the summer, it isn't an option for me.

[slonezp]

Think positively and can't will have no place in your vocabulary. I've been carrying in the land of Lincoln for over 30 years. As long as you're looking, look at the Sig P239. It's only a 40 cal, but it's lines and size deserve some serious consideration.

To the question of what gun, there is a saying that goes something like; Any gun will do, if you will. Meaning your commitment to carry isn't based on what gun, but on your commitment to use it, without hesitation, if the situation arrises.

Look for something light and comfortable to carry and don't limit yourself to just one carry position. If you commit to carry, always carry and that dictates different holstering options for different types of attire. I prefer OTW, but during the summer, it isn't an option for me.

Let me rephrase. Can't legaly carry. The guy who used to live next door to me carried everywhere. Already have an XD.40 and a Bersa Thunder .380 The XDS looks like it's roughly the same size as the Bersa. Cabelas is out of stock and has a long waiting list for the XDS. I rarely actively look for new guns, just kind of buy them when I find one I like.The XDS is on my list along with a Henry lever action .45. Maybe an AR somewhere down the line.

[trueblue1970]

The past year i've carried a Ruger LC9. I like is so much I bought another for the mrs. Slim, shoots great, easy to conceal. (ret LE)

[Jim_M]

Mine.

Ruger LCR 38 special +P

Very light. Tucks away perfect.

Radical, ugly, super sweet little shooter.

Excellent trigger.

[nick76]

That LCR is a great little wheel gun. My buddy picked one up for his wife and brought her over to shoot at my place. She hated it, but loved my Ruger SR9c. I offered to buy it from him and he is still contemplating. Nice little gun though.

[Capt.Bob]

Till you are proficient, with any handgun, pulling one is a good way to end your life, get one and learn to use it. When you do get the the most powerfull one you can use 100% and is 100% reliable. I have been shooting handguns for over 50 years, I shoot about 3000 rounds a year and used to shoot a lot when I was younger. I prefer the tried and true 1911. I fully intend to take full control of a situation with the first shot if I ever have to pull it! My weapon of choice, DW Valor V-BOB completly reliable out of the box, and now that Dave Severns has finished it in his HH treatment and completed a tactical dehorn, I can accomplish that!

No weapon will save your life if you can't quickly and efficiently use it, if you can't do that pulling it on an armed assailant will probably get you killed!

[Silas]

Over the years, I've carried a number of pistols concealed:

 

The Sig 239 in .40 cal was mentioned.  What a great pistol and perfectly concealable and heavy enough to be able to shoot well.  I would imagine they are hard to find today. A rare gun.

 

The "best bang for the buck" was a Glock .23 in .40 cal.  Enough rounds to be confident with.  (Always carry an extra full magazine)  A Mitch Rosen ARG holster was the trick with this one.

 

The Colt Commander (but you have to be proficient with this one....not for beginners) The single action trigger allowed very precise shooting.  I liked to carry this for hostage situations.

 

The Para Ordnance P-12.....12 plus one in chamber .45.  One of the finest most accurate pistols I've shot.....unmodified.  Expensive, but similar in size to Colt Commander.  ParaOrdnance now comes with their proprietary trigger....a sort of "single-double action.....very fine indeed.  But very expensive.  The P-10 was smaller but more difficult to shoot, and not quite reliable enough for police work.

 

I have carried the S@W 642 in my pants pocket in a special holster made for the pocket.  But today, that would be a last resort pistol.....I'm not fond of the .38 stopping statistics. In fact we used it as a "back up" because it fit well in the front pants pocket and CAN be fired several times while IN the pocket!! Wouldn't try that with an auto.   But......your pants will catch fire!

 

The Glock Model 36, single stack .45 is an excellent choice since it is small enough to carry well, and big enough to handle well.  The Glock 27 is also excellent if you have smaller hands. 

 

   The old Kahr was also a nice concealed carry, although it was a tad heavy....and in 9mm.

 

A long time ago, I thought the Walther PPK in .380 was the "cat's meow!"  Now I feel that it was not a good enough "stopper."  James Bond may have had one, and this little sucker was super accurate.....but it had a long, hard trigger action, and would slice the top of your thumb is you didn't hold it right.  I'm sure James Bond didn't have those issues!  However, it DID conceal very well!