Who Carries Daily.....and What Do You Carry...and Why..?

[stk44]

On 8/20/2024 at 2:31 AM, Rockhopper said:

Many reasons. Probably the most important being quick sight acquisition in a high stress situation. This allows you to maintain threat  focus and acquire targets quickly and accurately by improving sight picture and removing sight alignment from the scenario. They also make it more intuitive for the human eye and brain to focus on the point of aim. Plus every round fired has a lawyer attached to it. I'll take the advantage of knowing my poa/poi more precisely than with traditional irons in a high stress situation. 

I agree with you even though I still do not have a dot on my EDC. Now that they are so small, it seems like a no brainer. I’m hoping to get one soon. 

[airshot]

I carry everywhere I legally can, at my age hand to hand combat is not a good idea.  My wife is rises billed so I need to help her and yes we have been stalked on a number of ocassions.  We don't go to places where crime is high, but when an old couple is spotted, they become easy targets.  So far, just reaching for my licensed firearm, has had the bad guys turn and run without firing a shot.  My choice to carry is my Makarov 9-18, great gun, never had a FF in the decades I have owned it. I might be getting up in age but still shoot and practice frequently.

[FishTax]

I ended up getting the shield plus performance center with a red dot site. Shot it without the site the first time, just with the fiber optics, and it's a tack driver. Love it. Going to site in the RDS this afternoon and see if I can get comfortable with it. If not I'll just sell that on eBay. 

[Rockhopper]

1 hour ago, FishTax said:

I ended up getting the shield plus performance center with a red dot site. Shot it without the site the first time, just with the fiber optics, and it's a tack driver. Love it. Going to site in the RDS this afternoon and see if I can get comfortable with it. If not I'll just sell that on eBay. 

If that is going to be your carry/home defense weapon, I would make sure to at least shoot it at night one or two times in the dark as well so you have an idea of what the muzzle flash is going to do.  Typically, you really do not want a compensated barrel at night in the dark for this purpose.  If someone breaks into your home at night and wakes you up, you are already going to be tired and fumbling around in the dark with your weapon while worried about the threat, and heaven forbid the situation necessitates you discharging your firearm, you may quickly find yourself with dark blindness from the muzzle flash shooting out of the comp.

 

I do not know specifically how bad/good it is with that particular weapon, but I do know it should have two small comp ports on the barrel from pictures I have seen online.  Better to be prepared than surprised when you find yourself not being able to see after firing one round in the pitch black because of the fireball shooting out of the comp ports.

[FishTax]

I shot it at dusk, dark enough where I couldn't see my targets well any more, and the flash didn't even register with me. I'm sure there are guns out there throwing a fireball but this isn't one of them. It's very manageable. 

Also, not currently my bedside gun until I get more comfortable. I've only put about 250 through it so far. 

 

[MonsterZero]

I carry an HK VP9SK as my daily. Sometimes in the woods I will carry my full size Beretta. The HK is obviously easier to hide, and does have more holster/accessory options, but I definitely shoot the Beretta better. Full size steel frame; go figure. I am not as young as I used to be and have a bad back, so a force multiplier makes sense, especially where my family is concerned. 100% in favor of optics and WMLs on weapons, too. At this point the benefits and quality are too high to try to justify not using them, for me.

[IYAOYAS]

Gen 4 Glock 19 is my daily carry. Sometimes during the summer is switch to a SnW shield if concealment could be an issue

[Swamp Girl]

I just bought a handgun, a Ruger 9mm that holds 15 rounds. I also bought a Browning lock box. I'm going to the range tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. I'll keep it under my bed. 

[GreenPig]

1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

I just bought a handgun, a Ruger 9mm that holds 15 rounds. I also bought a Browning lock box. I'm going to the range tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. I'll keep it under my bed. 

  A good IWB holster will allow you to have it right now if ever needed. Like those very early dark fishing trips. Very few criminals are deterred by the gun you have at home under the bed.

[BassKat]

Glock 9mm bc I don't get to the range as often as I should and my second/third shots were more accurate than with a 40. 

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, GreenPig said:

  A good IWB holster will allow you to have it right now if ever needed. Like those very early dark fishing trips. Very few criminals are deterred by the gun you have at home under the bed.

 

My main struggle in the woods is the weight of the gear I'm already carrying. Plus, I've lived years of my life in the woods and have never met a criminal. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

3 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

I just bought a handgun, a Ruger 9mm that holds 15 rounds. I also bought a Browning lock box. I'm going to the range tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. I'll keep it under my bed. 

This made me so happy reading it Katie!   

 

I hope you never have to use it defense of yourself and loves ones, but it makes me feel a lot better knowing you have one.    It's a small price for a huge amount insurance.  

 

Beyond that, shooting firearms is a metric ton of fun, and I can't wait to hear how you enjoy shooting your new Ruger.    A 9mm is like the goldilocks of handgun calibers, you did great.  

 

ETA:

 

For range shooting, don't plink with the expensive/self defense ammo.    Just use the cheapest stuff you can find at a reputable sporting good shop.   That way you can practice a lot more for the price.    

 

Then always keep a couple of mags loaded with Federal HST, it's the gold standard for self defense ammo, and police departments across the country use it.     FBI does as well IIrc.  

Buy Personal Defense HST 9mm Luger Ammo 124 | P9HST1S

 

 

[gim]

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

For range shooting, don't plink with the expensive/self defense ammo.   

LOL that would get soooo expensive quickly.

[MonsterZero]

5 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

I just bought a handgun, a Ruger 9mm that holds 15 rounds. I also bought a Browning lock box. I'm going to the range tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. I'll keep it under my bed. 

A gun is only as useful as the person holding it. It is vitally important to practice, practice, practice with it, until hitting your target is almost automatic. It is just as important to understand that that firearm is capable of, and may be used for, defending yourself with lethal force. That is not something that everyone can come to terms with.

 

I would also politely point out that under the bed is not a great choice of storage location. If possible, a drawer in your bedside table is best, a lockbox on top of that is not possible. Basically, you want access to it with the fewest number of steps and complications possible in an emergency.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 minute ago, gim said:

LOL that would get soooo expensive quickly.

Yeah that's why having a semi auto .308 sucks......with even the cheapest stuff, every time you hear bang it's a buck.

 

The days of buying cheap surplus ammo are over for the most part.   It costs more to feed an AK 7.62x39 than an AR with 5.56.  

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

For range shooting, don't plink with the expensive/self defense ammo.    Just use the cheapest stuff you can find at a reputable sporting good shop. 

 

The salesman told me to buy just that, a box of range ammo.

 

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Then always keep a couple of mags loaded with Federal HST, it's the gold standard for self defense ammo, and police departments across the country use it. 

 

I think I also bought that, if hollow points are Federal HST. And I bought an extra magazine too. 

 

2 minutes ago, MonsterZero said:

Basically, you want access to it with the fewest number of steps and complications possible in an emergency.

 

I can simply and quickly reach under the bed with zero steps. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Yeah you likely got some high quality SD ammo.

 

Most of the SD ammo is going to be bonded hollowpoint construction.

 

Basically, you want a bullet that expands about double in diameter upon making contact, and then able to penetrate 12-18".      Range ammo is typically FMJ(full metal jacket) and will simply penetrate.       Hollowpoint ammo is made to expand, but it will break apart quickly and thus not penetrate that 12-18" threshold.

That's why you want a bonded hollowpoint, where the bonded part just means the bullet construction is meant to never break apart just expand and continue to penetrate.  

 

This is all info that you don't really need, but the nerd in me likes to type it out 😁

 

Once you put about 500rds through a new handgun without any problems, you can consider it vetted for self defense usage.      

[Swamp Girl]

4 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

 

Once you put about 500rds through a new handgun without any problems, you can consider it vetted for self defense usage. 

 

Good to know that number, i.e. 500 rounds. I'll do just that, Alex. Thanks again. 

 

You have coached me on catching bass. You have coached me on shooting. If I have a plumbing problem, I'll be asking you about that too.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

25 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

Good to know that number, i.e. 500 rounds. I'll do just that, Alex. Thanks again. 

 

You have coached me on catching bass. You have coached me on shooting. If I have a plumbing problem, I'll be asking you about that too.

I'm thrilled to help out in any minor way.   I'm a huge fan of both you and guns......seeing the two of you come together has me grinning ear to ear 😁

 

You'll make a really great firearm owner, you don't half ass things and love the actual process of learning new things.    

 

Maine might be tricker than Alabama, but one of the best things to do when buying a handgun for the first time is attend a training class or two.   In one class you'll fire 500rds, and equally as important the instructor will get you squared away with what type of holster you need and explain the pros/cons of each type of holster design, and carry body locations.     

 

A course like this would be amazing.  Not sure how far Portland area is though

Concealed Carry Classes, firearm safety, basic and advanced skills - SRT Concepts

 

 

[gim]

5 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Maine might be tricker than Alabama, but one of the best things to do when buying a handgun for the first time is attend a training class or two.

It’s important to remember that we are a country of 50 states, and potentially 50 regulations. What’s legal in Alabama may not be in Maine. Minnesota requires a safety training course with field test marksmanship approval to obtain a permit to carry.

 

Just something to be aware of. I’m sure swamp girl is aware of what she needs to do.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

6 minutes ago, gim said:

It’s important to remember that we are a country of 50 states, and potentially 50 regulations. What’s legal in Alabama may not be in Maine. Minnesota requires a safety training course with field test marksmanship approval to obtain a permit to carry.

 

Just something to be aware of. I’m sure swamp girl is aware of what she needs to do.

Excellent point!   

 

Like Alabama though, Maine is a Constitutional Carry state.    Big kudos to Maine, wasn't expecting to see that when I just googled it.  

 

" Maine is a constitutional carry state, which means that anyone 21 or older who can legally possess a firearm is allowed to carry openly or concealed without a permit. However, the state does offer a concealed carry permit for reciprocity purposes."

[MediumMouthBass]

6 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

The days of buying cheap surplus ammo are over for the most part.   It costs more to feed an AK 7.62x39 than an AR with 5.56.  

I remember right when Tula steel cased changed from $200-300-then upwards of $500 per 1000 round case. (Everything else went to hell too though during those years)

 

6 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

Good to know that number, i.e. 500 rounds. I'll do just that, Alex. Thanks again. 

 

Before doing anything look up what a squib round is and what to do if you only hear a click.

These rounds were very uncommon, only really happened with hot loads from your neighborhood garage based "reloader". During and after Covid ammo quality skyrocketed, just in the wrong direction. Theres been many incidents of people getting injured and guns getting destroyed the past few years, not saying this to scare you but to make sure you know what to look for so it can be prevented if it happens.

[Functional]

Federal HST and Speer Gold Dot are my favorite. There is a guy on youtube who did extensive testing on a slew of hollow points to FBI standards. Tested in both long and short barrel guns. At this time I only carry Federal HST just because I can easily get it locally. Practice ammo I buy 500-1000 at a time when deals spring up or just when needed. Ammoseek.com makes life easy for hunting down ammo. 

 

Anyone have hands on with the new S&W Bodyguard 2.0? Briefly held one and have been thinking of picking one up as a really slim option for dressier/slimmer attire when I really need it.

 

EDIT: saw what a squib round does to a bolt gun in person. Was at a match where majority of people hand load their rounds and he must have short charged it or primer only but it only made it partially through the barrel. No one must have noticed the pressure blow out the pressure ports of the action and the next round peeled the barrel like a banana.