#440227 - 02/24/05 05:45 AM
Concealed Carry Recommendation
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Member
Registered: 02/15/01
Posts: 50
Loc: Rockville, MD USA
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I'm building a home in a state that permits CCW. Now I have to choose one. Here are my considerations.
1. Ease of carry. Ain't no point of having one, if it's too big to want to carry. Like autos since they're flat.
2. Ease of pointing at short range. This will not be a target gun, just one to use in a personal emergency.
3. Not sure about caliber. Two or three small rounds at short range should do the job, so why pay the weight/recoil penaly for a big bore. For the same reason, don't see why I need a big magazine.
4. Want a nice gun. At my age, I've got the bucks, and see no reason not to carry a nice piece.
5. Gotta be reliable. If I need to use it, I will really need to use it.
6. Should be DA. Don't want to fuss with pulling back the hammer if I need it, nor do I like carrying a gun "cocked and locked."
7. Finally, what do you guys think about the old Mauser HSc? I had one of those years ago and kinda liked it. Might go back to it if there's nothing better on the market today.
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#440228 - 02/24/05 06:16 AM
Re: Concealed Carry Recommendation
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Campfire Outfitter
Registered: 08/01/02
Posts: 7981
Loc: Tri-Cities, Washington State
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Doc, You'll probably receive as many different opinions as you receive reply's. So I'll start with mine. Thought long and hard about it when I bought my handgun for concealed carry. Liked the idea of an auto but while there are a lot of excellent choices out there, nothing really floated my boat for carrying everyday. I finally decided on the S&W 642. Very light and surprising slim for a wheel-gun. It DAO since there is no exposed hammer and doesn't get hung up when carrying in my pocket (light enough to carry in my pocket!!). I also find it easy to bring to target.
Lately have looked at the little Makarov's (9x18) ... shot Boggy's and it was also easy to bring to target.
Good Luck!
_________________________
George
Associate Gypsy
Order of Sleepless Knights
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#440229 - 02/24/05 06:25 AM
Re: Concealed Carry Recommendation
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Campfire Regular
Registered: 02/08/04
Posts: 538
Loc: ERWIN, TN.
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My choice would be a RUGER P-345. Nice and slim, 8 in the mag and 1 in the tube. Light weight, accurate, dependable, not hard on the wallet. If I were to ever have to use a weapon in self defence, I would want to use one powerfull enough to put the attacker down for keeps with the first round in center mass and not have to worry about my second & third round hits.
Jusy two cents!
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#440231 - 02/24/05 06:46 AM
Re: Concealed Carry Recommendation
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Campfire Oracle
Registered: 04/21/04
Posts: 42491
Loc: NC
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S&W Hammerless (640, 642, 342) all the way! Easy to carry, plenty of firepower to fill your needs, accurate at close range (you can even get a factory set of laser grips, if that trips your trigger), and dead-on reliable. No guesswork, no misfeeds, no problems. Just point and shoot. Nothing to "remember," either, except, of course, to pull the trigger.
There are a bunch of really good shops in your area that you ought to be able to go handle a few and see what you think. If my guess is correct as to where you're headed, or if you're up for a short road trip, try Green Top Sporting Goods in Glen Allen, VA, or Dawsons or Shooter's Paradise in Woodbridge.
_________________________
It's hard not to be a menace to society, when half the population is happy on their knees.
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#440232 - 02/24/05 07:56 AM
Re: Concealed Carry Recommendation
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Campfire Outfitter
Registered: 01/29/01
Posts: 8170
Loc: Idaho, USA
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Quote:
...1. Ease of carry. Ain't no point of having one, if it's too big to want to carry. Like autos since they're flat.
2. Ease of pointing at short range. This will not be a target gun, just one to use in a personal emergency.
3. Not sure about caliber. Two or three small rounds at short range should do the job, so why pay the weight/recoil penaly for a big bore. For the same reason, don't see why I need a big magazine.
4. Want a nice gun. At my age, I've got the bucks, and see no reason not to carry a nice piece.
5. Gotta be reliable. If I need to use it, I will really need to use it.
6. Should be DA. Don't want to fuss with pulling back the hammer if I need it, nor do I like carrying a gun "cocked and locked."
See the threads "How do you guys carry" and "Decided on what and wehre to carry" - you might have to Search Handguns for my user name going back about two months.
I decided on a .32 ACP Kel-Tec which satisfies your requirements:
1 - REALLY meets that one. Teeny tiny little thing and weighs about 7-8 ounces fully loaded.
2 - Hands vary so YMMV, but mine points more naturally than most DA revolvers.
3 - 8 rounds all up, 7 in the mag and one in the chamber. Light, very controllable recoil. Jumps a wee bit but NOT at all harsh or snappy. To me the recoil is not nearly as bad as regular 158 grain .38 Specials in a 4", 35 ounce S&W Model 15.
4 - No, it looks like a little cheap POS, all polymer and matte black, but it has a sort of ugly deadliness all it's own, kind of like a black scorpion.
5 - So far, so good. The magazine makes all the difference in the world. One mag I have works flawlessly and the other is going back to Kel-Tec for a free replacement. FWIW - it only failed to feed on the very last round, so since you've already had your 7 shots it's kind of a moot point. With both magazines never, not a single one, failure to fire, extract or eject.
6 - DA only. At 6 pounds (IIRC, could be 7), the trigger is much lighter than my Ruger and S&W DA revolvers. No safety, no slide release, not even a rear sight to get in the way of a smooth draw. It does not have second strike capability, you have to pull the slide back about 1/4 to "set" the trigger, that is the only drawback, but using factory ammo I have never ever had a failure to fire. Haven't put any reloads through it yet so can't comment on that. But for defense you'd want good factory ammo anyway.
7 - The Mauser is a good pistol but IIRC is DA first shot and SA for the rest. Also twice as big and three times as heavy as the Kel-Tec.
I'm a handgun snob - only Kimber, S&W and Ruger for me, until now. Never would have considered this little polymer thing before, but now am totally sold on it and it is my constant companion.
_________________________
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery.
Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
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#440233 - 02/24/05 09:41 AM
Re: Concealed Carry Recommendation
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Campfire Outfitter
Registered: 08/28/03
Posts: 7695
Loc: Minnesota
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Doc, Since you like autos, check out the Kahr pistols. IMO, the best semi-auto going for concealed carry.
_________________________
Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense.
Robert Frost
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#440234 - 02/24/05 12:50 PM
Re: Concealed Carry Recommendation
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Member
Registered: 10/02/04
Posts: 39
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Doc,
FWIW, this is what I carry:
Most urban settings where I don't have a suitable cover: a dehorned S&W Model 60 (I'm an old guy) loaded with Federal 125-grain HydraShoks. When I use this, I am prepared to shoot for the eye sockets.
Suitable cover available: Kimber Ultra CDP II from the custom shop in--what else?--.45 ACP.
Percieved threat imminent: A full-size custom 1911 and at least two spare mags.
Out in the boondocks (God's Country, but where the devil may have his operatives): One of several .44 Special or .44 Magnum revolvers. I don't care who sees it here, they just better be impressed!
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#440236 - 02/24/05 01:41 PM
Re: Concealed Carry Recommendation
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Campfire Regular
Registered: 02/25/01
Posts: 1338
Loc: Rochester, N.H. USA
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Doc....if you have the bucks for a pretty gun go get the training first to go along with it. There are a lot of good training academies in the country and a good place to start the foundation is the NRA Basic Pistol Course followed by the Personal Protection in the Home Course. After those two courses you'll have the foundation to make a better informed decision as to what gun best suits your needs and can then go on to one of the better schools CC courses.
Just going and sticking a gun in your belt because it feels right without the knowlege, skills and attitude to go along with it is the makings of a disaster.....Bob
_________________________
<BR>
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