Advice on Best Concealed Carry Handgun
Tea For One

Tea For One

New member
Just got my CC permit. Any advice from you folks on your recommendations on an ideal carrying pistol? I was thinking about a .357 or .38 SPL Airweight revolver or maybe a small Glock. Thoughts?

Thank you,

jonathan

Link Removed
 

Last edited by a moderator:
Jonathan,

Go to a range/gun shop where you can handle and possibly try out different models.... There is no one size fits all, you will like the way certain guns feel in your hand and the way they shoot. It's like trying on shoes... I love Glocks but that's just me:biggrin:
 
There are a lot of good choices out there. First you might want to settle on do you want to carry an auto or revolver. If it is a revolver then the smith and Wesson five shot hammerless air weights would be a good choice. If you want to go the auto route then as Glockster said go somewhere that you can try out as many kinds as you can. Then of course you will have to decide on what cal.
 
I will chime in here. Most ranges I have been to rent guns. Take advantage, shoot as many as you can. Go to gun shows, get as many different guns in your hand to find out what feels right. When you find a gun that feels good in your hand, see if you can rent a similar model and shoot it. Try out different calibres. I recommend going with the largest calibre you are comfortable with, if it is a .45, great, 9mm, fine. If all you can handle is a .22, a well placed .22 is much better than a miss with a .45. Find out what works for you.

Based on the question, I would also guess you are not very experienced with firearms (if you are, great!!), take more classes (even if we are experience, more training never hurts). Also, shoot often, until you do not have to think about what you are doing when you are shooting. I always say 100 repititions, your mind knows what you are doing, 1000, your body knows what you are doing, 10,000 your spirit knows what you are doing and the technique becomes useful!!

Good luck and enjoy!!!
 
Just remember that the smaller/lighter the gun the greater the recoil/flip in relation to the caliber. I've got a sweet little Kahr PM9. Smaller and lighter than a Walther PPK in .380 but chambered for a 9mm (major caliber). But... I had to get used to the recoil flip when fired. So... not only consider the largest caliber you can shoot accurately, but also the largest size gun you can conceal. I can shoot a Glock G19 better than my PM9 but that Glock is a b**ch to hide with only gym shorts and a tank top. :biggrin:

As always IMHO.
 
I use a Springfield XD 3" Sub Compact in .40. I like it a lot. I have heard a lot of good things about some of the glocks as well. I use a Sig Sauer at work, I love that as well. I just would not go with a cheap S&W, they are useless.
 
The best gun for CCW is the one you will have with you EVERY time you leave your house.
 
Glock 23 (Compact) or Glock 27 (subcompact). Both are extremely well balanced. My wife has no problem with the recoil of her G27 (.40).
 
jonathan said:
Just got my CC permit. Any advice from you folks on your recommendations on an ideal carrying pistol? I was thinking about a .357 or .38 SPL Airweight revolver or maybe a small Glock. Thoughts?

Thank you,

jonathan
Click to expand...

I have a S&W 340PD, hammerless 5 shot revolver chambered for .357 magnum. I always shoot .38spcl with it at the range and carry it with .357. Here's why.....if you have to use it to defend yourself, adrenaline will take over and you probably won't notice the" bite" or recoil anyway. The other thing you can count on with a revolver is that when you pull that trigger (full cycle), it will go bang. The other advantage of a hammerless revolver is that you can shoot it from within a coat pocket and it will fire and it will not jam....unlike a semi auto that depends on the cycle of its slide to fire a round. Something to consider. As you struggle with the myriad of holster choices, as we all do, take a look at Smartcarry SmartCarry - Concealed Gun Holsters I use mine all the time when Summer rolls around. Best of luck!
 
I'd like to second surfcc's opinion. All to often, people discount the good ole wheel gun in favor of newer, higher capacity autos. While I do, most of the time, carry an auto myself, my wife carries a revolver, which I helped her pick out - which means I trust her life to that gun - and that's not something I say lightly. The revolver has a proven track record, is chambered in one of the best "man stopping" calibers ever (.357 Magnum, which will also shoot .38 specials) and will Never EVER stovepipe, fail to feed, or some of the other mechanical malfunctions associated with autos. It does have a lesser capacity, but it's a rare thing to encounter a situation as a CCW'er where you'd need more than 5 or 6 shots (assuming you can place them well) anyhow.

Having said that, I'm not saying a revolver is the only game, far from it, as I said, I carry an auto myself. I just think you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you were to overlook the option of a revolver altogether. And buy the best gun you can afford, don't stake your life on a bargain gun unless that is all you can afford.
 
CCW suggestions

Jonathan,

I am going to chime in here with a different angle of recommendations. I think that if you shop round, you will find several autos as well as revolvers which shoot well and should fit your needs. What I would suggest is that you keep consideration of ammo source/supply in mind while making your choices. I know that in the area where I live (W. Georgia) .45 ACP and some 38 are difficult to come by; .40, on the other hand, seems relatively in abundance. Thus my .40 PT 140 has never gone hungry but the PT1911 .45 ACP had to be weaned off air to FMJ flavors then on to JHPs - but all much slower than his little brother where the .40s are abundant.:sarcastic:

Just food for thought. . .
 
daytonaredeye said:
Jonathan,

I am going to chime in here with a different angle of recommendations. I think that if you shop round, you will find several autos as well as revolvers which shoot well and should fit your needs. What I would suggest is that you keep consideration of ammo source/supply in mind while making your choices. I know that in the area where I live (W. Georgia) .45 ACP and some 38 are difficult to come by; .40, on the other hand, seems relatively in abundance. Thus my .40 PT 140 has never gone hungry but the PT1911 .45 ACP had to be weaned off air to FMJ flavors then on to JHPs - but all much slower than his little brother where the .40s are abundant.:sarcastic:

Just food for thought. . .
Click to expand...

Let me add...

Since my last post on this thread I have purchased a .40 S&W Glock G23 that I have really come to like. More concealable than I realized; even in gym shorts and tank top with a Smart Carry. The beauty is that you can change a barrel ($100 from Lone Wolf) and now it will shoot .357sig. Or, change a barrel and mag and now you can shoot 9mm. That's what I call versatile! That way you've got three choices of caliber in one gun.:laugh:

I'm not sure but this may also be an option with the G27 too.
 
WOLFHUNTER >>> That deserves a star sticker. So true! After that it's all about the right compromise/combination of caliber and comfort! Just my $.02. What do I know!????

Link RemovedLink Removed Link Removed
Link Removed


Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Ft. Walton Beach, FL
Posts: 1,365
Link Removed

Link Removed
The best gun for CCW is the one you will have with you EVERY time you leave your house.
__________________
Link Removed
"I have a very strict gun control policy: if there's a gun around, I want to be in control of it." Clint Eastwood
 
Last edited:
The other advantage of a hammerless revolver is that you can shoot it from within a coat pocket and it will fire and it will not jam....unlike a semi auto that depends on the cycle of its slide to fire a round.
Click to expand...

Slight amendment: If you need only one round, you can shoot the automatic from your pocket. When carrying with a round in the chamber, you need not action the slide to fire once.

Of course, I'd rarely want to shoot from the hip that way. The first shot is not necessarily the best shot. The first shot on target is the best shot.

As for which gun to carry, the simple answer is the one with which you feel the most comfortable. Do you like the sure-fire security of a wheel gun, or the higher capacity of an automatic? Do you want something small and easy to conceal or are you more comfortable with something bigger that won't kick as much?

The best gun is the one you take with you. If it's a "cool" gun but you never take it anywhere, it's no good.
 
johnsonabq said:
Let me add...

Since my last post on this thread I have purchased a .40 S&W Glock G23 that I have really come to like. More concealable than I realized; even in gym shorts and tank top with a Smart Carry. The beauty is that you can change a barrel ($100 from Lone Wolf) and now it will shoot .357sig. Or, change a barrel and mag and now you can shoot 9mm. That's what I call versatile! That way you've got three choices of caliber in one gun.:laugh:

I'm not sure but this may also be an option with the G27 too.
Click to expand...
Is that true? I knew you can go from 357 sig to 40 with just a barrel change, but I would have thought that there would be some difference in the breach face/ extractor claw between 357/40 and 9mm.

I have a G33 and already planned on getting a G27 barrel for it. If I can get a G26 barrel (and a couple mags) for it too, that will be a great way to deal with ammo availability.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Threads

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 123 (members: 0, guests: 123)

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
49,534
Messages
610,828
Members
74,975
Latest member
skylerzz

Share this page

Back
Top