# Conceal carry



## Bubbas Boys

What does everyone carry daily. Finally getting my license that I have been putting off. Want a good carry pistol that will be comfy all day. I am not a big guy either. Any recommendations?


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

I have been carrying a LC9 for the last 5 years , that is a nice size , it really disappears in a IWB or with an light cover garment OWB , and in the right pockets you can even use a pocket holster and pocket carry.


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## Bubbas Boys

Great. Thanks. My brother in law is a huge Ruger fan......


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## In The Woods

There are a lot or very small 9mm handguns on the market for just this - concealed carry. I would suggest you go to your gun shop and handle all of them. To me there is a huge difference in how different handguns feel in my hands. Also remember - the smaller and lighter the handgun the more kick you will feel along with barrel lift.

Myself - I am a revolver fan and have a Ruger LCR in .38. A bit less potent than a 9mm but in an emergency up-close situation I feel confident enough with it. It's really not that much more bulky that a semi-auto.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

I have a co-worker whose wife tried my LC9 she liked it so much she went right out and bougth one , a year later the LC9s came out and she tried it and liked the shorter trigger pull with her arthritis , the LC9s-pro is the gun I wish they had out in 2011 but it wasn't 
I have another co-worker with the LCR they are both good guns.

It's my opinion that small CC revolvers if have they don't have shrouded or bobbed hammer , you shouldn't get in the habit of pulling back the hammer you don;t need to pull back a hammer in an emergency situation , if you have a hammer make sure that your doing your practice double action they way you will need to be shooting in a SD event.

running hammers single action are for taking game of opportunity , and bullseye shooting not SD


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## Texaspredatorhu

I carry a 1911 mainly because it is thinner than most 45s and double stack 9mm. The rugers are great. I have carried my USP, a glock 19, and a sig 229. What I am wearing will also dictate. If I'm on my property I will usually carry my glock 19 openly just because it has 15+1 and I personally don't care what happens to it in regards to dirt dropping and so on, it's also in a Yaqui holster. My wife carries a Taurus pt738 and a walther pk380. 

My personal advice when you decide on a pistol before you carry it daily take it out back or to a range and run 500 plus rounds through it and make sure you don't have maligunctions. Buy several boxes of the ammo you will carry with it and make sure they feed reliably, I know it's expensive but some pistols don't like massive hollow points and a ftf would suck when you need it. Best way to dodge that issue on a 1911 is have a ramped barrel. Good luck!


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

when I got my LC9 first thing I did was run 300 rounds through it with no malfunctions and a hundred of the rounds I was going to carry , actually I have never had a malfunction with the ruger ammo wise the chamber seems generous enough to feed it all from 115 fmj , my 124s all the way up to some 147 rangers I tried out.

my glock 17 had one failure on a reloaded round that was bulged funny , while my son was shooting it but other than one explainable bad round that glock is over 3K the other over 2K without any issue 

I carry the 17 some times , 17+1 and my speed and familiarity with it from running it regular in action pistol league 

I make my own Kydex holsters now so I make it however I want and they only cost me time and a few dollars in kydex and parts


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## Cabin Fever

My wife and I use the same ammo, .45acp. I carry mine in a magazine, she carries hers in a clip.

My carry weapon is a Kimber Ultra RCP (3" barrel). It has undergone the "melt" treatment by the Kimber gun shop, which means it has no sharp corners or edges. It is as smooth as a piece of polished slate. You'll notice it does not have the traditional front and rear sights. He has a trough or gutter sight lengthwise down the center of the slide. It took some getting use to, but I really like the sight.









My wife's carry weapon is a S&W 325PD AirLite. It weighs only 26 ounces which is very light considering that it is a full size N-frame revolver. She can load 6 rounds into her wheelgun faster than I can load a mag into my 1911.


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## flewism

I carry an S&W shield, wife carries an S&W Airweight.


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## hunter63

Ruger LCP .380 pocket......LCR .357 in the truck, may or may not have the NAA Mini .22 mag tucked somewhere....


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## GTX63

1911 once the cool weather comes around. Regardless of brand or style of gun, your holster will dictate whether it is comfortable or not.


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## Bearfootfarm

Pick a gun that fits your hand well first.

You can make most of them comfortable to carry with the right holster, and they are all "easy" to conceal with a little planning.

I like a Glock 23.


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## In The Woods

I only own 3 handguns but my favorite is my S&W M&P Pro full size 9mm. After trying many handguns this one is the most comfortable for me to hold and shoot with my nasty Arthritis. It is kind of a difficult one to conceal carry in the warmer months. When cooler I wear it on a belt holster with a flannel shirt not tucked in.

However it is always in the console of my truck. I rarely leave my truck when we go anywhere as I can't walk through the big stores any more.


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## Jolly

If you ain't got it, it does you no good. Ruger LCP.

It's what works for me, YMMV.


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## big rockpile

Jolly said:


> If you ain't got it, it does you no good. Ruger LCP.
> 
> It's what works for me, YMMV.


My wife has a little Ruger LCP .380 because most around her have .380,s

big rockpile


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## siberian

Ruger 380 is incredible. Can't see it in fairly snug jeans. I am also looking into a wheel gun with no Hammer. Sights, I don't care about, they aren't made for that use anyway


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## Chuck R.

I generally carry guns in "pairs" meaning I have a primary, which is preferably a compact (G19 sized) and a sub-compact for when I can't conceal the compact well enough. Currently the pairs are an HK P2000 LEM trigger in 357SIG and a Walther PPS in 9mm. For the sub compact s I prefer a 9mm.









The P2000 has both .40 and 357SIG barrels, I had it plated in Robar NP3 plus and the action reworked and reset shortend. Just shot it this weekend in a Dave Spaulding Vehicular Combatives class and the 357S with bonded bullets does well against auto glass.

My best advice would be don't sweat the caliber as long as you can shoot it well. Pick something you can afford to shoot and will practice with. I reload 357S for a few pennies more per round than I do 9mm. IF I was buying factory ammo I'd stick with 9mm. 

Chuck


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## Texaspredatorhu

Chuck R. said:


> I generally carry guns in "pairs" meaning I have a primary, which is preferably a compact (G19 sized) and a sub-compact for when I can't conceal the compact well enough. Currently the pairs are an HK P2000 LEM trigger in 357SIG and a Walther PPS in 9mm. For the sub compact s I prefer a 9mm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The P2000 has both .40 and 357SIG barrels, I had it plated in Robar NP3 plus and the action reworked and reset shortend. Just shot it this weekend in a Dave Spaulding Vehicular Combatives class and the 357S with bonded bullets does well against auto glass.
> 
> My best advice would be don't sweat the caliber as long as you can shoot it well. Pick something you can afford to shoot and will practice with. I reload 357S for a few pennies more per round than I do 9mm. IF I was buying factory ammo I'd stick with 9mm.
> 
> Chuck


I love HKs! They make my heart pitter patter! 357sig is also an awesome round, bought a 40 s and w sig years ago and they guy urged me to buy a 357 sig barrel with it, I shot he 40 first and the 357 second and never put the 40 barrel back in.


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## Chuck R.

Texaspredatorhu said:


> I love HKs! They make my heart pitter patter! 357sig is also an awesome round, bought a 40 s and w sig years ago and they guy urged me to buy a 357 sig barrel with it, *I shot the 40 first and the 357 second and never put the 40 barrel back in*.


Had to give you a "like" for that cause I plan on stealing it later......

I use the .40 barrel for classes and an occasional match when I might not get my 357S brass back. I've also got a SIG 226 with .40 and 357S barrels, the 357S really moves out in the longer barrels, easy to get 1400+ with the 125 grain bullets and the recoil is still manageable. Unfortunately (or fortunately cause it was easy to find during the ammo drought) it's pretty much a niche caliber.

Chuck


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## Texaspredatorhu

Chuck R. said:


> Had to give you a "like" for that cause I plan on stealing it later......
> 
> I use the .40 barrel for classes and an occasional match when I might not get my 357S brass back. I've also got a SIG 226 with .40 and 357S barrels, the 357S really moves out in the longer barrels, easy to get 1400+ with the 125 grain bullets and the recoil is still manageable. Unfortunately (or fortunately cause it was easy to find during the ammo drought) it's pretty much a niche caliber.
> 
> Chuck


Absolutely correct on it being a niche caliber. But like those who say only colt makes a 1911, it too has a cult following. Great round but brass is high and loaded ammo is high. I did however find a bunch of once fired a few years ago and instead of buying 250 cases like I intended I bought them out and bought 1500 cases, still have a bunch I haven't reloaded, maybe someday.


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## Fishindude

When I carry, it usually just a little P-22 Walther.


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## krackin

I don't stray too far and wide these days so generally my farm gun goes where I do. Just an old stainless Vaquero with warmed up .45 handloads. Fixed sights, front blade tapped over a tad then filed. Smoothed up some. Probably blow a heck of a hole through my pocketless chore coat while setting a hoodie on fire.


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## seagullplayer

I carry my LCP2 the most, (work week) fits right in my hip pocket with the supplied holster. I also have other holster options for it.

On the weekends I normally carry my S&W shield 9mm.


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## JawjaBoy

Out and about during warm weather I carry a S&W model 37 Airweight. Drops right in my pocket, is hardly noticeable and quick to get to. Once it cools down to long sleeve weather I usually carry my Dan Wesson 1911 in .45 worn under my jacket or untucked shirt. 

Around our place I've usually got my 4" Taurus .38 in an Uncle Mike's Sidekick holster until deer season comes in when it's replaced by my Ruger Bisley .44 Mag in an Uncle Mike's shoulder holster.


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## Darren

Sig Sauer P938


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## muleskinner2

The problem with carrying a .380 is if you shoot someone with it and they find out about it, they are going to be pissed.

I carry a Glock model 29.

Muleskinner1


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## hiddensprings

I carry a Smith & Wesson 9 mm now, but when I first started carrying, I used a revolver. I was more comfortable with a revolver simply because it was easier to load. The 9mm is easy to carry. 

You’ll get lots of opinions on what is the best gun, but really, go to a nice gun shop and see what YOU feel most comfortable with and what fits in your hand the best.


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## Bearfootfarm

muleskinner2 said:


> The problem with carrying a .380 is if you shoot someone with it and they find out about it, they are going to be pissed.


Actually that is what Jeff Cooper said about the .25 ACP, not a .380.


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## muleskinner2

Everybody is always looking for the magic gun that doesn't exist. The gun that doesn't weigh anything, doesn't take up any room, doesn't have any recoil, never fails when you need it, and can stop a charging cape buffalo.

If you want to pound nails into wood, you don't buy the smallest hammer you can find. You buy a hammer that is the right size for the job.

Decide what the job is first, then pick out the tool. If the job is to shoot beer cans, any .22 will do the job. Because if you miss the beer can it won't kill you. If the job is to stop people or aggressive animals, you need a tool that will get the job done most of the time with two or three shots. I say two or three shots because that is what it normally takes to stop a large aggressive critter.

The tool that does the stopping is not the gun. It is the bullet. Any modern firearm is reliable enough and accurate enough to do the job, if you do yours. But it is the bullet that gets out there and makes things happen. Gun fights don't happen on a range at midday with bright sunlight. It doesn't matter how well you can hit a piece of paper at twenty five yards. What will matter is how big of a hole you can put in that critter at five feet, in the dark with blood running down your face.

The good news is, we do not have to reinvent the wheel. It has all been done hundreds of times. The most one shot stops with a hand gun under all realistic conditions has been documented hundreds of times. It was done with a 125gr bullet traveling at 1000 to 1200 feet per second, with center mass hits. The gun was a .357 revolver with a four inch barrel. In a modern semi auto pistol, the .357 sig probably comes closest to filling this need.

There are many different companies that make guns in this caliber, so the choice of platform is up to you. Handel them all, shoot them if you can. Pick the one that feels right for you.

If the .357 sig isn't right for you, a good 9mm will get the job done about half of the time. A .45 will get the job done about 75 percent of the time. Remember I am talking about good center mass hits. Whatever you choose you must be able to shoot it well. This requires practice. I consider fifty rounds a week to be minimum to maintain fighting skill.

OK, you now have my opinion. Remember opinions are like a##holes, everybody has one and they all stink.

Muleskinner1


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

bullet and caliber and energy do not necessarily make 1 shot stops.

ILL state police made the 9mm look awesome on paper with the M39, it was accurate , it was relatively light and small it made a huge number of one shot stops. 

wait how did a 9mm make so many one shot stops , we all know it didn't later when a lot of other departments adopted it.

well the issued 9mm semi auto had a 2nd round jam issue , they weren't sure they were getting round 2 with the ammo they carried so they made #1 count as much as they could , they learned to take the extra 0.01 secinds to move from a on the target shot to a breaking the sternum shot and had more one shot stops.

data can be skewed , give a man a single shot gun and you will be amazed how infrequently he takes a second shot.

train a everyone to delivered controlled pairs and you may never have a one shot stop again.

no doubt the 125 gr bullet going 1400 fps is effective in causing trauma but if that is in an extremity 

shot placement is still king but more energy can help , until it starts to hurt recoil recovery , follow up and split times.


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## Chuck R.

IMHO ALL "stop" data is skewed and will continue to be so until they sort out a way to rule out psychological stops.

About the only decent video I've seen concerning calibers and "shootability" is one of Paul Harrells:






I'm not a huge Harrell fan, but he does do a decent job in comparing the accuracy and time "delta" between 9mm and .40 using a similar platform. At the 9.26 mark he does a decent drill comparing both time and accuracy.


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## Bearfootfarm

The local Sheriff's Dept ran the numbers on actual shootings by their officers over several years.

They found the perps were hit an average of 7 times and spent an average of 5 days in the hospital. Less than 10% of them died.

That was with 9mm's, and they switched to the 40 and 45.

That was the early to mid 90's so there have been big improvements in projectiles since then.

Shot placement still means more than the cartridge itself.

Just use common sense and practice as much as possible.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

watched that video , it basically proves it is heavily dependent on the projectile 

no handgun was ever a death ray.

shot placement is still huge.

the real question is if you can practice 1/3 less with 40 as you can with 9 on your training budget will that be enough.


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## Chuck R.

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> watched that video , it basically proves it is heavily dependent on the projectile
> 
> no handgun was ever a death ray.
> 
> shot placement is still huge.
> 
> the real question is if you can practice 1/3 less with 40 as you can with 9 on your training budget will that be enough.


I've never been a fan of Harrell's terminal ballistic stuff, what I was referring to was the "delta" between the 9mm & .40, in "shootability" which based on him as the shooter and equal platforms was pretty much moot. Few points in score and a few .10s of a second. I've yet to see any data that shows that increased splits played any role in a defensive shooting. Important for games, probably not so much in real life, kinda like talking about reset on gun forums. 

Even Harrell states the 9mm would be better for those that don't shoot much.

I generally take a couple defensive classes a year, shoot a couple matches a month, own my own range, reload to the tune of 20K in 9mm alone. With all that I'm still cognoscente of the fact that somewhere someone is using a gun to defend them selves without any formal training whatsoever and the rounds they bought with the gun.....

Here's a pretty good article that delves into why the cartridge you choose for SD probably won't matter:

https://gundigest.com/gear-ammo/ammunition/the-mystery-of-stopping-power


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## krackin

Good lawd knows it is infinitely harder to knock a predatory cement block off at 15' range than a crow at 200'.


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