Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Conceal carry?

Typical gold-badge cop. My former Captain used to say the same thing.

Entertaining like

"Let's see how fast I need to go to get this spider off the windshield"

or entertaining like,

"hey, I think I have crabs in my goatee"

There are still those who think there is a big difference between 9mm & .45 ACP...I'm still trying to figure out if there is any meaningful difference other than testosterone.

That said, I carry a .45 ACP but I do so because I like the gun, not because I feel the .45 really brings anything more meaningful to the table in modern defensive hollow point ammunition. You get a little more frontal diameter with the .45 ACP vs the 9mm which will give you better barrier penetration in 124+P or 147 standard pressure loadings.

I think it's WELL proven that any of the modern defensive cartridges will get the job done. It is also well established that most modern pistols are more than adequately reliable for concealed carry purposes.

So pick the gun you like in the cartridge you like.

ROR!

"Entertaining" as in like what happens you're sitting at the bar by the boat launch at a Wisconsin lake and a FISHTAB shows up with a brand-new Ford pickup with a brand-new 30-foot stern-drive on the trailer...

Yep.

It's also WELL proven that most people don't practice/train with their pistols enough to make any real difference in what pistol or ammo they carry.

How many shots for a trained officer Wilson?

George in SD, if you interpret that in the context of my entire post it makes more sense. I don't presume to make decisions for others but do try to apply critical thinking in my own decisions.

mike r

On-duty uniform LEO's aren't CCW private citizens.

Lubbockdave: The answer to your concealed carry question is... NEITHER!
Instead go with the Glock Model 22 in 40 S&W with high capacity magazine (15 rounds) and night sights!
I carried (and still do) this pistol professionally and privately for going on 25 years now.
Have as yet to find fault with this pistol/caliber for my many and varied uses.
Best of luck to you with whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I'll take 45 ACP anytime.

My first contact with a 45 ACP was almost sixty years ago. It was an old military 45 that I had to qualify with in the Navy. They were so loose from being fired so much that I don't believe you could hit the broad side of a barn with it even if you were standing inside the barn.

As a result over the years I've said you didn't have to hit your target with the 45. Just the sound of it going off and the bullet going by your ear was enough to kill a person. With that said I own both a full size and a compact 45.





I've also been known to carry the S&W "J" Frame pictured above.

U sir, owe me for one coffee-festooned keyboard...

This is so easy, I'll leave it to everyone's imagination, but all I can tell you is there was a huge onslaught of units emptying out the Navy's arsenal in Indianapolis of retired 1911s because the 9MM Beretta SUCKS as a stopper. That is why as much as I love my 1911s, I know carry either a Glock 21 or a 31 for the simple reason of more is better. The 9 has never impressed me, then again, I will defer to the experts here.

I love Commander size 1911 45's, and was perfectly content to carry them for years, but currently carry a Glock 19 9mm. With an upgraded trigger, Trijicon night sights, an extended slide release, and an upgraded solid steel recoil rod, I can consistently put more rounds on target, faster, than I ever could with one of my 1911's. I like it, and don't miss carrying a 1911 whatsoever.

Every time this conversation comes up (and it comes up a lot), the same tired old nonsense gets thrown around without any real evidence either way if it is accurate information gathered from anecdotal information or just good old boys discussing guns at the local bar.

In my opinion only, the .45 has been proven to have more effect on human flesh and stopping power given best hollow point bullets and decently lethal upper body penetration.

I've read enough anecdotal evidence to throw my opinion this direction and your milage may vary.

Also, I've read enough stories of CCW shooters emptying magazines of all sizes and not hitting squat except maybe the house down the street or their own car windshield, even with the perp within arms reach.

My point is that one WELL PLACED shot with a sufficiently large hollow point is enough deterrent to outweigh a hundred shots lobbed in utter fear and hoping to connect with something. In my opinion, of the currently (and historically) available rounds that are of carry size and capability, the .45 meets that criteria best of all of them with good hollow point rounds and sufficient practice to shoot instinctively.

Now, the other argument isn't necessarily how small you can go- IMHO, the .380 is marginal in a defense situation, but in this situation any gun is better than no gun- the argument is that too many carry too much gun that they simply couldn't shoot well in a defense situation no matter the opponent. Small, short barreled .44's of all flavor, snubbie's loaded with plus P or .357 Mag ammo, and other large and heavy weapons are best suited to movies and tiny actors who need a penis enlargement. Not only that, many of the larger framed pistols (including autos) are decidedly difficult to conceal and most people couldn't reload them quickly and efficiently enough to defend themselves between shots much less shoot well enough once reloaded.

Your milage may vary in this regard and I'm quite sure every one of you thinks you will kill every perp who dares to point a gun in your direction. However, evidence of past cases tends to disagree with this assessment. I don't overly estimate my abilities- I'm quite sure I will have the same fear induced trauma that all on here would have- including many LEO's I've talked to. However, for what it's worth, I will have a gun in my hand that fits me, shoots well, has proper ammo, and I know intimately and shoot instinctively, including reloading- of which I usually carry at least 2 additional mags on my carry chassis.

Bob

Apples oranges.

Military is restricted to ball. If I were restricted to ball, I would go with a 45 also. But as a carry weapon here, I and the OP have the option of using high quality self-defense ammo which negates a huge majority of the advantage the 45 would have over the 9mm.

I think I might carry one of my old ones.

Yeah...yeah...all them big ole' guns won't do a person any good if ain't in your pocket.

I will tell a story that changed my thoughts about always being armed. I've told it before, but it's worth repeating. Remember, this is from the perspective of a thirty year cop that spent 20 of it "under cover".

One Friday afternoon, as I headed out of town to go hunting, I stopped at a local gas station for fuel (and beer). Mind you, I live in a small town, in a different county from the urban blight I work in. The clerk recognized me as a regular customer and turned the pump on. I dug around in the bed of the truck, organizing things in the cooler etc., as the gas pumped. When I walked into the store to pay, she frantically screamed "Did you see those two guys who just ran out of here?!! They were robbing me! I told them you were a cop and they ran out!"

I hadn't seen shyyt...my back was to the door. I had a truck FULL of guns, but nothing in my old overalls.

That was about the happiest ending I can imagine that scenareo having, and from that day forward, I vowed to be armed at all times, if possible.

It's easy to be prepared when you think you need to be. All the time? Not so much. Whatever a person wants to carry...they need to CARRY. I don't care if it's to the mailbox...

Probably the largest handgun you can conceal in a Florida classroom.

Nice Webley. Is that a .38 S&W?

Absolutely.