Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Concealed carry firearm

For a short trip (say to the grocery) in warm weather, I carry a S&W 642 in 38 Special. It is light, easy to conceal and effective enough. Warm weather clothing consists of Bermuda shorts and a Izod shirt; not much to conceal a larger gun. The 642 rides in a Kramer pocket holster.

For colder weather, I carry a S&W 1911 PD in 45 ACP.

I carry a Walther PPK .380 in a Safariland clip holster inside my pants in the small of my back, very easy to conceal. I also carry at times a Colt Detective Special .38 Spl and a full-size CZ-75 9mm. I'm looking seriously at a sub-compact Glock or Kahr .45 ACP for daily carry.

This discussion, while well intended will not get you very far in making an educated decision. You need to go and try out several, if not many guns to see what works for you. Then pair down your selection based on reviews /subject matter experts / comfort / cost etc.

Approach the problem from the correct angle and your results will be far more rich, not to mention far less costly.

You need to read Eremicus 2 post and let the message soak in. He is spot on

I would get a Springfield XDs in 45acp for you and let the wife shoot it and if its to much recoil get her a XDs in 9mm.... I really like mine in 45acp......

I carry a Sig 229 40 S&W. It's much like my duty 226 in heft and function. I have it in a Fobus holster and I always wear a belt even while wearing shorts. I buy loose shirts so it doesn't stick out much but don't care if someone catches a glimpse of the grip pushing my shirt out some. It's not like I'm not allowed to have it. If your legal who cares if your shirt reveals a little bit of it as long as it is "concealed" IMO. People carry so much crap on their waste now a days you can hardly tell a gun from an i phone. I do agree in the thought of practice with what you will carry and need when things go sideways. I have a S&W 640 357 mag as well. I don't shoot the baby 38 loads in it thinking thats how it will behave with full power loads. If you ever shot one of those little, light weight snubbies in 357 magnum you'll know. Think of "Men In Black" when Will Smith shot the "noisy cricket" Bout spot on for that rig.

I am looking at getting a concealed carry pistol as well and the Ruger LC9 is what I am going with when I get the money. I was thinking 380, but as a friend said "ammo is expensive and hard to find." I have to agree with that.

Dale

I have many of the mentioned pistols, but since I cannot have them in Japan, I won't express my preferences.

However, in recent discussions with a close friend in the US who is highly knowledgeable, he says he keeps handy a couple of the small Colt New Agent in .45 ACP, to which he's added Novak sights. He says the gutter sight like the old ASP is worthless at much more than arm's length. He also feels that Colt is making higher quality products today than in any time in its history, largely due to its CEO.

+1

I carry a Kahr CM9 in a Remora IWB holster on a daily basis; I forget that I'm carrying it. I've put over 500 rounds through it without any issues whatsoever; I'd take a hard look if I were you.

I have a couple friends who bought their wives Smith and Wesson Shield pistols in .380 and they love them. I shot one tonight and could only hold a 3" group at 10 yards. I shot a good 50 rounds through it and most groups were about so. I told my buddy he should have bought a Glock 19 instead. He hates Glocks. I have a 17, and I shot my friend's 19 before. I like Glocks. Every time you pull the trigger, it's the same. The guns are light, accurate and reliable. People will berate the polymer gun, but I've had mine 20+ years and it's fine. Like new I'd say. You also get 17 rounds whether you need them or not.

Bodyguard is the .380. Shield is the 9mm and 40.

i carry a ruger lcp in a pocket holster many days. the rest i carry a glock 36. wife doesn't carry anything but credit cards.

For the most part I carry a Smith M36 with a 3" barrel at the waist and a Ruger LCP in an ankle holster. While I've carried handguns in bigger calibers in the past I'm comfortable with my present choices. Magazine capacity and caliber really aren't the issue. Hitting what you're shooting at is. A larger caliber won't make up for a misplaced shot. Bottom line is to actually shoot a lot of handguns and carry what you're comfortable with. You have to be comfortable with it because unless you carry it 24/7 you're leaving yourself and your family at risk.

Another thought:

Get yourself a 22LR of the same action type as your carry gun and go shoot it a BUNCH and OFTEN.

You'll learn trigger controll and how to "hit" with the 22, Then transfer this to your carry gun.

End each range session shooting you carry gun.

Virgil B.

Very happy with my LC9. Trigger has a VERY long pull, but it's smooth and feel I can shoot it well. I have also shot the Shield quite a bit and it is very nice. Let your personal feel decide for you.

I have a bunch of carry pistols but carry my Glock 23 with Wolf Barre in 357 Sig the most

My MIL just bought the Ruger LC380.I want to take a look @ the LC9.The Walther in 380 also seemed nice.Didn't get to look at Walther in 9mm. What's your opinion on these two manufactures?

I have been packing concealed carry for many years now and have bought several guns to fill the need.
I still shoot them all but the ONLY one I still carry is a Smith & Wesson 360PD....yes it only has 5 shots but it shoots very well. I have given up on shooting 357's out of it and only shoot 38 +P loads.

the wife and i have shot & really like springfield xd's that belong to a friend. that said, we follow the wisdom of an old-school retired border patrol: "what happens if it goes 'click'?". k frame smith works real well (2" model 10).......

Be sure you shoot the lc9 before you buy it. Recoil is quite noticeable. I could control it, but it would take a lot of practice for me to say I was really comfortable with it.