Best Conceal Carry

[GregVa]

I know this subject, has been beaten to death .. but whats your opinion on the best conceal carry pistol?

Lets limit it to .380 or 9 mm.

I am looking at the Ruger LC9, or smith and Wesson body guard.

I would like something small, but with 10 rounds or more if that's possible. Both of the above have smaller mags.

any advice?

btw the the .380s are almost too small for my liking. I figured I would keep it as a option since maybe some one makes one with a larger mag.

thanks

[Jakeiscrazy]

My advice, is find a range that rents and rent away. Most of them and reliable it comes down to comfort.

[ShotgunBlast]

I see a Glock 19 in your future. I carry the G23.

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[MarcSpaz]

The answer to your question is highly subjective. There really is no wrong or right answer.

Stick with major brands that have known reliability and go rent some guns to see what you like. Maybe ask some friends to try theirs.

[GeneFrenkle]

There are things to consider:

- type of carry you plan to do (iwb, owb, apdx, pocket, etc)
- weight of loaded gun
- when you'd wear it (all the time, only in neighborhood, while sitting, running, etc)
- cost, to include maint, replacement (if in a dgu, you might not get it back or if you do, rust city on a $2000+ gun)
- cost/availability of ammo
- likelihood of practice/range time
- comfort in hand
- ease of access to controls
- how it works with your natural point of aim
- sight visibility and willingness to "upgrade" if needed
- tile to reload and capacity
- level of desired bling, flashiness, unicorn stickers
- breakdown and cleaning requirements (harder to clean prolly will decrease probability of cleaning)
- accuracy/precision requirements (1 moa at 25 yards vs battle)
- ... many other criteria here...

So, yea, like Marc said, it's subjective. Just keep looking, take your time, and think through it. Also, people will have their biases and so will you. Watch out for fanboyisms and negativity, or at least be able to spot and acknowledge it. Use what you consider to be the valid componemts of the negativity and fanboyisms as part of your vetting criteria. You'll do fine.

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[dmharvey]

I agree with Jakeiscrazy...handle some different options and see what seems to fit your hands, and your needs, best. Generally speaking I really like the S&W M&P series pistols for the money but there is currently a ton of very solid options out there.

[GregVa]

Thanks for all the good points guys.

I have gone to a local range and tested the Ruger9 and S&W MP9.

Gene,
A lot of good points.

I def want to stay in the under $600, pref. under $400 range.

I am open to ideas on how to carry, and looking into it. I think IWB will be the best option.

Are the built in lasers worth it? They look cool, just want to see if any one has experience with them and how accurate they are.

thanks

[MarcSpaz]

I''l give you some real world examples of the kinds of mistakes that can be made when buying a carry gun, based on what I actually did.

I have to say, I like Ruger and Sig because the are American made. I prefer to keep our people working so I always buy domestic.

Originally I got the Ruger because I thought I wanted something small. The Ruger LC9 was what I went with. It fit in my pocket, had plenty of safeties and seemed smart. The problem was the damn turned out to be too small for my hands (even with the finger extension on the mag) and the trigger action was both long and stiff. This led to big, consistent inaccurate shooting, regardless of how much I practiced. Also, if I got jammed up and needed to use the weapon, I had to remember the safety was on so I could turn it off. Plus the weapon only carried 7 rounds.

I carry a full frame Sig in 40 S&W right now. I carry both inner and outer, concealed and open. I went with this gun because it fit my hands better, there are no manual safeties to have to remember, the trigger is very light even on double action, and it hold 12+1. Something else that was a big thing for me was the Navy Seals used the same model as well as the FBI before cutting over to the Glocks. This leads me to think there was some serious stress tests passed.

My screw-up there was my first Sig p226 had a beaver tail that tore my side up, regardless of the holster. So, I ended up buying yet another p226, but without the beaver tail.

The end result was, after about a year, I spent a ridiculous amount of money on holsters and accessories for guns I didn't keep and spent well over $2,700 looking for a single pistol that would do what I wanted to.

Bottom line is, I should have put way more time into finding out what I "really" wanted and making my selection. I could have saved myself a ton of cash and aggravation. So... just something to thing about.

[Rich]

Lot of good points. For me the bottom line is will it fit comfortably in a pocket. If it doesnt then it isnt for me. I realize that limits the options but if it isnt comfortable I will not carry it. That said I have two concealed carry handguns. A Taurus TCP 738 and a S&W 642. The TCP 738 is the first Taurus firearm I have ever owned and it has been absolutely perfect as far as reliability. Some are some arent. It is an easy fit in a pocket. The S&W is larger overall but has a slight power advantage with +P ammo. So I carry it depending on how I am dressed.

[Kreutz]

Under $400.00 limits you to Ruger, taurus, bersa, and kel-tec.

All are fine basic guns for daily carry and have nice slim profiles. I carry a Taurus pt709 slim myself. It goes bang where and when I want it to, not much else to expect from a carry pistol.

[scrubber3]

The best conceal carry gun is the one you'll have with you when you need it (that actually works). Lets consider a few things here.

1- how many rounds do you really need in a defensive only pistol?

2- how likely are you to continue to do basic maintenance on your CC pistol?

3- what is the one type of gun that will almost always go bang when you pull the trigger no matter what level of car or training has gone into it?


Bingo! A revolver! No one makes a better CC revolver than S&W.Llook at the 442 way offer. Hammer less externally, slim, lightweight, comfortable, very reliable, and the fit/finish are heads and shoulders above the rest.

Auto loaders are cool, but defensive shootings mostly happen while someone is already on top of you. Just check the drop safety an AL has on it... Not to motion it requires you to hold it properly to get it to cycle. This is where a revolver shines.

The 442 can be had a just a few dollars over $400. The ruger LCR is another good option, but usually a little more expensive.

[gunderwood]

Others have provided some great info, but here's my top ten (no order):

1. Buy a good quality gun that you can rely on. There is no such thing as perfect, but if you're stacking your life on it, buy quality. Quality can be difficult to ascertain, but here's my general price guidelines. Above $500 for most handguns and there is very little junk; differences and some options I don't care for, but hardly any that fails to reasonably function. Between $300 - $500 most of the handguns are quality designs and builds, but there are some exceptions. Below $300 is typically not worth the price of admission unless you really can not afford anything else. Something is better than nothing, but SD firearms below $300 are severely lacking IMHO. I realize breaking this down along purely price is controversial, but I stand behind it as one of the easiest ways to break the market down for newbies. Everyone is using similar materials and manufacturing methods, to build a quality piece can reasonably only get so cheap. Most mass produced items in a mature market are like this. E.g. cars.

2. If you can afford it, rent a lot of guns (best to find a place that will let you swap out as many during your rent as possible) and see what works for you. However, if you're new be careful of:

A. Choosing the first one(s) because it was your first and that's how handguns are "suppose to shoot."

B. Attributing any gain in knowledge and skill to a particular model you shot later in the cycle. If possible, shoot one of your earlier options so as to compare how you progressed.


3. HIGHLY recommend a 9mm because ammo is cheapest among the usual SD calibers and practice trumps all else. Ammo cost will greatly out weight the cost of the firearm if you practice. $500 for a Glock, $10k for the 50,000 9mm rounds it will take to wear it out (at least when Glock wants to sell another to LEAs; many have worked well past 100k and I've personally used them). This is true for any quality gun.

4. IWB is hard to draw from and typically the least comfortable unless you're pants were bought a size too large. However, it does make it easy to conceal. Personally I'd recommend a slim OWB holster first as it's the most versatile and comfortable. Remember, VA is legal OC so don't worry about it; just do a reasonable job. My current favorite is Raven Concealment Systems, although Crossbreed makes very nice stuff as well. Galco is a good option and easy to find.

5. HIGHLY recommend quality night sights (NS). My preference is for the Trijicon HD's, but they will likely break your budget. Factory NS are a good option too.

6. HIGHLY recommend a compact handgun. Full size is usually too large and subs are harder to shoot and have more limited capacity.

7. Typical load for CC is gun + 2 spare mags (3x total). Plan for this.

8. Get some tactical handgun training. Magpuls Dynamic Handgun is great if you can only afford video training. Learn shooting the right way the first time; there's a lot of junk around on the Internet. In person instruction can't be beat though, but make sure you get something useful and not a glorified target shooting course. Dryfire often.

9. Use Hollow Points. Use a modern design, don't fall for the Hydra-Shocks are great BS. Some of the best around (for now) are Speer Gold Dot's, Federal HST, and Winchester RangerT. Technology moves fast, anyone selling the same thing from the 90s is way behind the curve (looking at you HS). Buy online in boxes of 50 for huge savings. Make sure to practice with them.

10. Have fun, but take your training seriously. Shooting a gun is fun and don't remove that from your training. However, realize it's a perishable skill and take the time to get better. Tactical competitions are a great way to do this. E.g. IDPA.

[Chasbo00]

I think gunderwood got it right. My recommendation fits within his; it's just more narrowly focused.

Get a Glock 19 and learn how to use it well.

[gunderwood]

I think gunderwood got it right. My recommendation fits within his; it's just more narrowly focused.

Get a Glock 19 and learn how to use it well.

I'm a Glock CCer too. Cliff Notes, get a G19 G4.

[GregVa]

Thanks for all the good ideas.

I am leaning towards the ruger lc 9... But not sure.

I like the idea of revolvers. But would like some sort of safety since I have small children.

I am hoping to head to the range soon and will try a ruger, glock and sw again. Problem is I like them all

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[gunderwood]

I like the idea of revolvers. But would like some sort of safety since I have small children.

There is no safety in the world that is adequate for preventing a child from firing the gun. Only a proper gun safe or lock will perform adequately, but then the firearm will not be ready for immediate use.

Most handguns ship with a lock as standard now. Again, in that condition you won't be able to use the firearm immediately.

For handguns, unless the trigger is set very light (e.g. 1911...even then the designer didn't want all of them, the military required it anyways.) there is very little use for a safety IMHO. A quality holster protects the trigger and all good/modern designs will NOT fire unless the trigger is pulled (i.e. LE/Mil requirements for drop tests, etc. have practically designed out mechanical failures causing discharges. Not that it's impossible, but highly unlikely). IMO many of the safeties on the market are hard to properly and reliably disengage under stress. Proper gun handling (e.g. finger off trigger) is your only real safety.

No little mechanical lever can ever overcome the stupidity of the adult user or the curiosity/ignorance of a child.

[GregVa]

Yeah I hear what your saying on the issues of the safety. I always keep my guns locked in a safe when not in use.

Just considering a safety for when I carry if the kid gets it then its one more level of precaution. If one of my kids geta the gun without my permiasion rhen i have already failed .. So hopefully that will not happen. I look at that as a last line of defense from my kids. I have had the gun talk with both of them and told them to report a unfamiliar gun to a adult right away.

I took my older one to the range and he could barely pull the trigger on my .22 cal revolver.
He is 10.

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[NovaHunter]

There's alot of good advice here, and it's a very subjective answer. If you can go to a local range and rent the guns you are considering then that is definitely recommended.

I have 3 guns that I carry. First, is full sized Kimber 1911which I use mainly for open carry but I can conceal it pretty easily in the winter when wearing 2 layers or when wearing a suit. Second, is a Sig P229 which I use for open carry and semi-concealed carry on my hip. I also have a Condor EDC Bag that I carry daily now and I can fully conceal my P229 in the bag with no issues. I do take some crap for having a "man bag", but generally I think most other guys are just jealous I can have my gun, knife, multi-tool, flashlight, extra mags and other stuff on me at all time and my pants pockets are jammed packed with stuff . For places where I don't want to carry my bag and need something really small and easily concealable I have a S&W Airweight .38spl revolver.

Between these 3 guns I can pretty much cover any type of clothing or situation that I might be called upon to wear and still be able to carry comfortably.

One thing about the small semi-auto's like the LC9 is that, in my opinion, they are very hard to shoot accurately at the range and their small size means much more felt recoil. I had a XD Subcompact 40 and it was a much more concealable gun than my Sig P229, but I hated shooting it cause it was so light weight the recoil hurt my hand at the range. I made the decision i didn't want to carry a gun I couldn't enjoy practicing with so I now carry the Sig.

Choosing a concealed carry is about tradeoffs between size, weight, and shootability. There isn't a perfect answer, but choose what fits you best in the situations you expect to be carrying.

[GeneFrenkle]

>There is no safety in the world that is adequate for preventing a child from firing the gun. Only a proper gun safe or lock will perform adequately, but then the firearm will not be ready for immediate use.

+1 - Carrying while at home in a reasonable holster is a solution to multiple problems. You're always in positive control and know where it is and are able to respond quickly if needed.

FYI - If one needs gun locks, check out your local Sheriff Department. They should have a pile of them free for the taking as needed.

[arlington22201]

Glock 26 Gen4.

10 rounds of 9mm that fit nicely in my pocket.

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