Rotisiv Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Been reading all the posts can't decide what to buy for a carry any suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punkin Chunker Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Suggestions? Shoot as many as your friends will let you take to the range. Decide if you are going to shoot your carry gun on a regular basis, or just to keep some muscle memory fresh. It's not good to get a carry gun that you put off shooting because of the bite/recoil/whatever. Shoot enough with whatever ammo you decide to carry to be absolutely certain that whatever you get will work with the ammo you carry in it. Get a gun/holster combination that is comfortable to carry and that you have confidence in concealing. Discomfort will eventually lead to not carrying. Generally, lighter is more comfortable for carrying, and (especially in warmer/humid climates) poly has less maintenance demand than metal. So I wound up with a Walther PPS in 9mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuke8401 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 1. A gun that goes bang every time even if you never clean it; i.e. it's full of dust dirt and lint. 2. Smaller is better, specifically width. 3. Smaller is better, specifically weight. 4. Smaller is better, specifically easier to conceal. I think one of the single stack 9mm's would be a good choice. - 1911: too heavy - Full size M+P, Glock, SIG, etc. too hard to conceal unless you plan to wear a cover garment or carry “off-body”. - Any long barrel gun in an IWB holster will dig into your side/rump, no good. My carry guns: Shorts and t-shirt = KEl-tec PT3AT (380ACP 6+1) in the pocket Most other times = S&W CS-45 (3 1/4" barrel single stack .45, 6+1) IWB holster. Many reasons I carry this gun; .45 ACP, its goes bang every time, accurate enough for intended use, alum frame and SS slide/barrel which is very intimidating too see pointed at you as the big hole in the end really stands out. When doing an outdoor thing sometimes an M+P 9mm full size in a S&W fanny pack. With the Keltec I feel under gunned, but then it’s a last resort. With the CS-45 I feel ready for any self defense situation; most times I have a spare mag in my back pocket. With the M+P and 2 spare mags I feel ready for a zombie invasion. Bottom line if it's too big or heavy, you simply will not carry it. So if I were looking now I would be looking at slim 9mm guns. David E. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
See_Archie_Shoot Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 My favorite is a Kahr PM 9. Its nice to be able to just stick it in your front pocket if you dont feel like wearing a holster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirveyr Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Since this is posted in the Ruger sub-forum, I am assuming that you are looking for a Ruger recommendation... I really like my LCP (.380). It works out nicely when I need to carry in "areas that frown upon concealed carry." Not that I would do that, but it is VERY easy to deeply conceal...just sayin'. I had a student in my CPL class yesterday that used the SR9C and it performed quite well. Ruger makes a good product for the money. Let us know what you chose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I find the Ruger LCR to be very handy, it is like wearing nothing at all. Otherwise it is the Sig239, a bit heavy but ultra reliable like a revolver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaster113 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) Glocks are on my very short list of guns that I would consider for self defense. Personal carry gun is a Glock 23. 13+1 of .40 firepower in a relatively small, light and reasonably easy to conceal package. Ultra reliable though the trigger is nothing to get excited about. The 26/27 is a little too small for my big mitts. striker fired or DA/SA? another consideration. Most gun manufacturers make quality products nowadays, as others have posted try shooting/handling different pistols before making your choice. Edited March 4, 2012 by blaster113 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Decisions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aglifter Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 My father has an SR-9, which he likes. Very thin and light for the capacity - not a huge fan of the manual safety ( IMO, it should have been eliminated, or made the size of a 1911 safety). My personal opinion, first, get a good pocket gun, as it's what you will always carry (I have a Rohrbaugh). Second, get something that you will either shoot in competition, or something with the same operating system. I cannot adjust to different grip angles well, so I suggest either going all GLOCK, or non-GLOCK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckaroo45 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I'm in South Florida so carrying concealed is problematic. For smallest I carry my wifes' Taurus 738 w/ Crimson Trace and Federal Hydra-Shok HP's. My usual carry is a Ruger LC9 w/ Crimson Trace and Federal 9MM+P HP's. My Lightweight Colt Officers' Model 45 and Taurus PT-145 Pro print w/ a T shirt so I use only them in cross draw holsters while driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeMartens Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I hope that these hit soon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW9p-MRE4pE GA Blog and video Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I'm in the same predicament by living in a t-shirt and flip-flop climate. When I lived in a colder climate I carried either a Heinie built .45 Combat Commander or a Firestar M43 9mm (btw - great compact 9mm, but heavy as a brick), no problem with the right cloths. Now it's pretty much a pocket gun for me (keltec) cus nearly anything bigger doesn't work with a t-shirt and shorts. However, for the car a Safepacker holster from "the Wildneress" is a rig that is working really well for me. Easily accessible and doesn't scream >Hey! Look, I got a gun!<. I've even carried it like a camera case in public and never got a second glance. I would never have tried one except that I picked up a used Taurus 24/7 DAO dirt cheap and the Safepacker came with it as part of the deal. The Taurus actually turned out to be a surprisingly nice defense pistol - I like the DAO and thumb safety, it's like having a 12 shot S&W 625, but a heck of a lot lighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_Z Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 When I'm wearing a suit coat [Not very often] I have a Para carry that I carry. when I'm not wearing one I have a Ruger LCP that I carry with a really slick holster that looks like and prints like a wallet. I'm not too crazy about the caliber but it doesn't mater what I'm wearing. It stays concealed. Little old ladies in the mall suck up all the air around them if they see a gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotisiv Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 I'm in South Florida so carrying concealed is problematic. For smallest I carry my wifes' Taurus 738 w/ Crimson Trace and Federal Hydra-Shok HP's. My usual carry is a Ruger LC9 w/ Crimson Trace and Federal 9MM+P HP's. My Lightweight Colt Officers' Model 45 and Taurus PT-145 Pro print w/ a T shirt so I use only them in cross draw holsters while driving. Thanks everyone for the replies and suggestions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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