Choosing a CCW. All opinions welcome.

[cc406]

I am a 21 year old college student in Montana. I have my concealed carry permit but no gun to conceal. I have a .44 S&W revolver and that is my only pistol. I am looking to purchase a concealed carry weapon but there are so many options and would appreciate to hear a few different opinions. For $1,000 or less what is the best all-around gun to purchase (assuming it fits) if I don't plan on buying another one any time soon? Thanks for the input.

 

[mdgilbreath]

I carry a Ruger Lc9 very comfortable iwb, owb, an even front pocket. I have holster for all ways mentioned above. That's my 2cent.

 

[bofh]

My recommended shopping list:

• 9mm Glock 19 Gen 4 semi-auto handgun, which already comes with 3 x 15-round magazines from the factory (~$600)
• XS Big Dot Sights to replace the factory Glock sights (~$85)
• NSR Tactical Leather Lined Concealment Fold Over Adjustable Retention (LLC-4) IWB holster (~$100). Note that NSR Tactical is in the process of moving and has temporarily suspended the production and ordering of the LLC-4 holster for 4 more weeks. The wait time for the holster after that could be 8-12 weeks.
• ALTERNATIVE - Alien Gear Cloak Tuck 3.0 IWB Holster (~$50)
• A good gun belt, such as Link Removed or SOE's Cobra Duty or EDC belts (~$90)
• Basic pistol cleaning kit (~$30)
• OPTIONAL - Link Removed (~$35)
• OPTIONAL - DeSantis Mag-Packer Mag Pouch (~23)
• 200 rounds of Link Removed (~$120)
• 1,000 rounds of Link Removed (~$226)
• A full-day defensive handgun training class, where you learn when and how to draw and shoot, and when and how not to (~$150)

Another recommended option is the S&W Shield 9mm with XS Big Dot Sights.

In any case, go to a gun range that rents guns and try them out.

 

[XD40scinNC]

A gun you;

• like
• can afford
• shoot well
• concealable

 

[Stengun]

Howdy,

What XD40 said!

If there's a gun range in your area that rents handguns try several different ones until you find one that feels right to you.

Everybody is different.

I have one friend that's 5' 7" 150lbs that carries a Glock 20 10mm with 2 17rd mags ( 15 +2 extensions), a bigass knfe, surefire flashlight, etc as his EDC setup.

Another friend that's 6' 4" 280lbs "claims" a Kel-Tec .380 is too heavy to carry and just weighs him down.

You have to decide for yourself.

Get a pistol that you like and can afford, buy a decent holster and belt. The belt doesn't have to be some 5.11 TACTICOOL setup or fancy name brand, just decent quality. I usually wear either a Dickie's or Wrangler belt that I buy from either ChinaMart or Academy Sports.

My EDC is a Glock 23 .40S&W carried in a Glock holster OWB @ 3:00. I've been carry OWB @ 3:00 for over 34 years and even though I've tried different methods it's the one that works for me.

I started out carrying a full size 1911 and 4" .357 Mag,, but for the last ten years my main carry is the G23.

Just my $.02 and your mileage may vary.

Paul

 

[bofh]

About that belt, it is not about price or name brand, but certain qualities. A more rigid belt distributes the weight of the gun over a significantly wider area around the body and keeps the gun and holster from flopping around, this dramatically increases carry comfort. Many department store leather belts are slightly rigid initially, but then quickly wear out. Purpose-build gun belts are typically double-layer leather belts or thick nylon belts that have additional material for stiffness.

What to Look for in a concealed carry gun belt

 

[steveksfc]

I agree with above. No one weapon is better or worse than another. It is all what you like and will be willing to carry. Definitely try out several and get your hands durty trying them out till you find the right one for you.

 

[cluznar]

Look at the Ruger LC380, Bersa BP9cc, Ruger LCR .22 mag. :dance3:

 

[Berto]

My S&W Shield 9 is solid and easily concealable. To echo what other posters have said: go to a range and try some weapons. The best weapon for you is not necessarily the best weapon for everyone. You can easily find a daily carry weapon for under $600: just make sure it's something that you, personally, are comfortable carrying and firing.

 

[Deanimator]

Pending the completion of an IWB holster for my 3 1/2" M1911, I'm currently carrying a 2nd Generation Glock 19.

While I prefer the .45acp, nobody not on fire is going to thank you for two 9x19mms to center of mass and one to the head.

It's an extremely simple firearm to operate with the caveat that, like the C programming language, it will do whatever stupid thing you TELL it to. If you tell C to overrun the limits of an array, it will. If you point a Glock at your foot and tell it to shoot you, by pulling the trigger, it will. If you adhere to the bare fundamentals of firearms safety, a Glock is no more dangerous to carry than anything else.