Conceled Carry .45

[Splat762]

Hey guys, dont' post much and I've been searching the forums and the net for a bit of inside info on this subject....

I just applied for my Washington CPL (a great story that I should post on why) so I'm waiting for that to come thru before I actually buy anything (dont' want to wait 5 days) so I have a bit of time to make a decision...

I've been looking at a .45 compact or even full size pistol or revolver for my conceled carry. I first started looking at the Tarus Judge for the .410 and .45 ability but once I saw the thing I knew it was NOT for conceled carry...it's HUGE!

So anyway, I've been looking at all other manufacturers....kinda lame I know but I want something that looks nice as well as functional, comfortable, concelable, etc....price range is about $400 to $700.

Ideas?

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[Onajoyride]

I carry a kahr pm45 and love it. I got mine with diamond mote and night sites. I have ran 4-500 rounds through it and zero missfires. Love it, only downside is 6 rounds max but the spare mag is small and fits in my pocket easily.

 

[Correctthought]

Hey guys, dont' post much and I've been searching the forums and the net for a bit of inside info on this subject....

.....

So anyway, I've been looking at all other manufacturers....kinda lame I know but I want something that looks nice as well as functional, comfortable, concelable, etc....price range is about $400 to $700.

Ideas?

Heya, I love my Kahr P45, and even smaller still, a Kahr PM45 which I plan to get in the future sometime. Its accurate, concealable (usually), and well made, but you have to put 200 rounds through to break it in.

Probably the best thing to do, is find a range or a buddy who has several .45's try them out and see which one suits you the best. Other faves are Glock G30, smaller 1911 variants, and so on. Find a fave of your own.

Also, I guess we're talking about a 45 ACP; since you mentioned a Judge, its in .45 LC (long colt); two different animals. BTW, don't know much about the .45 LC.

-CT

 

[spider]

Star pd, came with alloy frame in a 3.9inch barrel, extremely light weight 6+1 45acp, you can find them for under $450.
I concealed a 3" barrel 3" magnum cylinder judge, which I ended up just leaving in my armrest most of the time. Good call on not getting one.

 

[Onajoyride]

I forgot to mention if you plan on shooting for the fun of it the pm45 is not the best option as in not very fun to shoot lots of power in a small gun. If you just want a carry gun I like it but if you are limited to one gun and don't want sore hands after you shoot a bunch then buy a xd or med frame pistol. I am in Tigard and if you want to shoot it then shoot me a pm and we can cruise over to tri county.

 

[deen_ad]

Taurus PT-145, smaller than the HK .45 I used to have and has 10+1

Oh, yes, LESS than $400 too

 

[Member 5605]

Do you want an all metal or will a plastic gun work?

 

[Splat762]

Star pd, came with alloy frame in a 3.9inch barrel, extremely light weight 6+1 45acp, you can find them for under $450.
I concealed a 3" barrel 3" magnum cylinder judge, which I ended up just leaving in my armrest most of the time. Good call on not getting one.

Yeah Spider that Judge is a beast of a gun...don't know if the "Public Defender" version is smaller? Same cylinder I'm guessing on a smaller frame?

Dyjital I'm open to both poly and metal frames....I used to carry a SW Sigma .40 about ten years ago when I had my first CPL (I let it expire) and it wasn't too bad for a carry gun.

Has Kahr gotten better on quality? I remember when they used to be not so highly rated....I'm mainly a rifle guy, don't know much on handgun manufacturers execpt for the big guys, Colt, S&W, etc...

 

[spider]

Unless you like shooting, while holding a gun with 3 fingers then the public defender is a no go, Taurus is going to come out with a polymer frame, steel barrel insert judge, thatll cut the weight and bulk down, but ill keep my expectations low until i can handle one.

 

[Dan360]

For a 45 ACP Concealed Carry gun, I will always side with a 1911 frame of some sort. Its slim and easy to hide while still packing the 45 punch. There are some, especially used that will come in under $700. For general do-it-all, I prefer the 4 inch/4.25 inch guns. I prefer a bushing over a bull-barrel because I think it makes the gun a bit more lively in the hand and its easier to disassemble and requires no tools to disassemble unlike the bull-barreled versions. The Para Ordnance LTC retails for not much more than $700 and looks like a great candidate for a CCW gun. I like this gun because it has a bushing, alloy frame and an internal extractor (externals just don't give me confidence due to some bad personal experience). Cons of this pistol are that the finish doesn't seem to last long and its Made in Canada, not the USA.

I don't much get into the shorter barreled 45s because you have to start decreasing bullet weight to get meaningful velocity. Short barrels just don't seem to have the length to get the bullet going when using 200 or 230gr loads. This can lead to failure to expand and failure to penetrate. If going with a shorty, there are lighter loads meant for short 45s such as the 185gr loads. My preferred carry load is Speer Gold Dot 200gr JHP +P.

Glock and S&W have some good polymer frame choices in 45 ACP but start to get thick in the handle and clubby in the slide. I like the Glock 21, the full-size pistol. It is full-size though and might not be the best CCW choice.

 

[Splat762]

What about wheel guns? I know it's not .45 but something in a .357, .41 or .38 +P? Revolvers make good carry guns with stopping power and intimidation factor yes?

I do like 1911 frames but worry it might be too big for conceled carry? I really need to get to a store and start handling some of these instead of just looking at pictures on the internet...lol.

 

[Kimber Custom]

I've got a Kimber compact (4") in a hard chrome finish with laser grips. Single stack so not too wide or prone to printing. Enough weight to make it pleasant to shoot. 7+1 and a spare mag are more than I plan on ever needing. Lots of holster options available.

.22 conversion kit makes it economical to get trigger time on my daily carry.

I like to look at other guns but I can't really see myself carying anying else. It is certainly the perfect gun for me.

 

[swoop]

If you can make it to one of the gun shows in your area, you can wrap your hands around a bunch of handguns and get an idea about what your money will buy and what fits your hand. Should be able to find a nice second hand 1911 in your price range,or a new G-36, holster, and some ammo.

 

[Dan360]

What about wheel guns? I know it's not .45 but something in a .357, .41 or .38 +P? Revolvers make good carry guns with stopping power and intimidation factor yes?

I do like 1911 frames but worry it might be too big for conceled carry? I really need to get to a store and start handling some of these instead of just looking at pictures on the internet...lol.

If you are looking for concealability, full-size revolvers just don't cut it in my opinion unless you carry with a shoulder harness. They are thick through the cylinder and most full-size revolvers have hammer spurs that hook on things. The smaller revolvers such as the S&W J-Frame are great, but limit your capacity to 5 rounds and you'll have to get used to reloading. The J-Frame is small enough and can be made light enough to fit in the pocket of your cargo pants and still not print.

I find 1911s to be slimmer than almost all other 45 ACP pistols. They can also be made fairly short and you can choose grip lengths. Faster reloads with magazines vs. speedloaders. The magazines are also nice and slim. As long as you aren't carrying a full-size 5 inch GOVT model, you can actually have a pretty nice carry piece. Just read up on barrel length vs. Bullet weight in regards to performance and choose your load accordingly.

 

[NCW Ray]

Check out the S&W M&P line. I have the .40 Compact and love it. I might add too, they have adjustable grip sizes; small, medium and large. I've a Comp-Tac MTAC IWB holster on order for concealed carry, I'm hoping it is as comfortable as all the reviews I've read on it said it is.

 

[willseeker]

If you're sold on .45 acp, which has become my choice, then here's a few options. Commander length 1911, Colts XSE or Dan Wessons CBOB, pushing $1000 though and the CBOB is a bit heavy.

Lately I've been carrying a Kahr P45. great concealability and affordable at around $600 to $700.

Good luck on your search!


will

 

[greydog111]

Hey joyride. Thought we were going to test out the new ar platform last week.
45acp platform by nature is going to be larger than most concealed weapons. I suggest you find a way to "test drive a few before you buy". I am the proud owner of an xd compact 45acp. Total reliability but it requires a real commitment to carry it. Remember the words of Clint Smith. "A handgun is not comfortable, it is comforting". (paraphrased, not exact quote). Greydog.

 

[dobeman]

Taurus PT-145, smaller than the HK .45 I used to have and has 10+1

Oh, yes, LESS than $400 too

+1

 

[cyclesarge]

At the risk of turning your your thread into a "which round is best" thread.
As I understand it the .45ACP round was developed with a 5" barrel in mind. While a 4" barrel can give acceptable results, anything less can give too low of velocity to give proper expansion, without going to special ammunition. With this in mind, if you HAVE to have .45 look at 4" +barrels. If that is too big, go for a .40 or 9mm. I really like the .45ACP and have a 5" 1911. But for the reasons I mentioned above my CCW is a 3" barreled Kahr PM40 with 165gr hollow points (to maintain good velocity compared to 180gr.) Also be aware that the Judge is .45LC not .45ACP. Which has a lot less stopping power and accuracy in a short barrel, as it was developed with really long barrels in mind. Also with such a short barrel the .410 option is pretty worthless unless you are shooting mice, or the bad guy is 4' away or less.
Hope this helps.

 

[Splat762]

Thanks for all the input guys....I've lots of options out there now, I'm leaning towards a 1911 commander frame but haven't ruled out anything yet. All options are out there, it's fun shopping.