Narrowing down my concealed carry choices

[wavo]

It's funny, right before it was mentioned here I discovered the P-11 and PF9 and immediately thought "why would I go for a .380 when I can carry a 9mm!" I'll most likely get one of those as a smaller carry option.

I'm excited to go to the gun show and check all these things out. I know that I will end up getting a 2nd (bigger) carry gun. I need to narrow down that choice down now.

I'm looking at the Kahrs, XD9 sub compact, S&W M&P, and possibly a sub compact Glock. I will have to touch them all to get a good feel of what works with my hand.

There have been great suggestions here! I appreciate it all!

 

[Badshot]

Wow! I'm really surprised no one has suggested the GLOCK 19 and GLOCK 26. It seems a real no-brainer to me, same controls, same mags, great quality and reputation, somewhat reasonable price. If you want to go larger than the 19 try a 17.

 

[Drkside45]

I carry a g23 in my jacket pocket and in a don hume holster,feels excellent in your hand,not as boxy as most other glocks,of coarse very reliable,and its a 13+1 to boot, 40cal. ,did I mention its accurate.Put one in your hand and feeler up! and good luck! (not a taurus fan either) Doc.

 

[toddt36]

Agreed I love my Ruger LCP, only thing I carry anymore, tired of carrying my 45 around my ankle, now my little 380 in my pocket easily goes where ever I go.

 

[mortre]

If you like your 92fs, I would say put the few hundred dollars you are planning to buy a new gun for carry with, and put it towards a high quality belt and holster.

A good quality belt and holster with a full size gun is more comfortable to me than a little tiny gun with a cheap holster and flimsy belt. YMMV, but I can manage a 5" all steel light railed 1911 with out a problem, and I am not a large guy. Your 92FS may be a little wider than my 1911, but I carry OWB. You already know your 92fs, you know the controls, you are confident in it. That's more important than anything for a new CCW holder IMO.

 

[mortre]

I'm not advocating setting yourself up to carry something that you just won't carry all the time. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. Personally, I got rid of all my "little" guns. Just didn't like shooting them, so I didn't really like to carry them either. I ended up trading/selling off a Springfield loaded Micro-compact and a Smith & Wesson 442 because I just didn't like to shoot them.

With that said, a good belt and holster can be had for about $150. If you find your just not comfortable carrying the Beretta, you can always look into a smaller gun later. You've only really set yourself back the cost of the holster. If you buy a gun and realize you don't like it for what ever reason like I did, you have set yourself back quite a bit more.

 

[ZeroRing]

It's funny, right before it was mentioned here I discovered the P-11 and PF9 and immediately thought "why would I go for a .380 when I can carry a 9mm!" I'll most likely get one of those as a smaller carry option.

I'm excited to go to the gun show and check all these things out. I know that I will end up getting a 2nd (bigger) carry gun. I need to narrow down that choice down now.

I'm looking at the Kahrs, XD9 sub compact, S&W M&P, and possibly a sub compact Glock. I will have to touch them all to get a good feel of what works with my hand.

There have been great suggestions here! I appreciate it all!

So... what did you end up getting?? Or are you like me and still can't decide??

 

[orygun]

...and will hurt your hand every time you fire .45 through it :-(

.45 through a 5" steel 1911 - shoot it all day and love it.
.45 through a 3" aluminum 1911 - not so much.

Unless the gun is comfortable enough to go to the range and shoot a couple hundred rounds at a time, it's not worth carrying.

I don't agree about "hurting your hand". In this instance we're talking about a .45, not a magnum cartridge. But everyone has a different level of recoil tolerance so I suggest renting or borrowing if you're looking to try a new (to you) more powerful gun.

My first .45 was an Officer (3") with an aluminum frame and I shot the heck out of that. Twisted in the hand some, but to me was not at all painful. Recoil is still NOTHING like a snubbie .357.

I have a Dan Wesson CBOB (steel frame) and a Colt Commander Lightweight (aluminum frame). Both are Commander (4 1/4") sized guns. I'll shoot either one a bunch and to me I can't feel the difference when shooting, only when carrying. I'm not a big guy either, and these are the guns I carry. (Only one at a time, though)

+1 on carrying what you know. If you decide that you want to get a different gun to carry besides your Taurus, buy one that operates identically. Having all of the same controls in the same places is something that I know that I want. Don't want a brain fart at a bad moment, ya know?

 

[Drkside45]

I carry a g21sf and love it.I think a g23 is a great smaller type gun to carry too.Very carry freindly,gaurenteed to not let you down either.and...a good price.

 

[clearconscience]

I also have a Beretta 92FS and carried it for a year or so......I can't tell you how uncomfortable, large, and heavy that gun is. And I'm not a big dude anyway.
I had a G27 for a while but sold it. Because I was broke, nothing wrong with the pistol. I would check out a G26 or something, get the grip extensions. But the Kelt-tecs are cheap and good for a gut gun. You not using it for a 100 yard shoot out.

 

[buick455]

For ONE gun to carry year round I'd pick the P11 but do yourself a favor and get the houge handall jr. before you even bother to shoot it. You can get night sights for it but I would question if one could positivly identify a target at range requiring needing sights in total darkness. Identifiing a threat inside your home is somewhat easyier than in a dark alley way. I would say most of the time for self defence in total darkness at under 7yds you will be basically point shooting. unless of course the bad guy is in the light in you are hiding in a dark corner?

this of course is only my opinion

 

[DoktorT]

Let me ask those of you that carry a .380 caliber, do you feel that it's powerful enough? I know it's no .44 magnum, just haven't spent much time shooting it.

It was good enough for James Bond. I'm no expert with a handgun, but with my 380 I can give you a 1 foot pattern at culprit distance. Make it high tech hollow points and I think 7 rounds of 380 in about 2 seconds means certain trama. Give me 5 seconds and here comes 6 more.

A 17 oz Euro steel auto that will fit in the pocket and very easy to shoot and handle works for me.

 

[Rapid1]

I'll put in a recommendation for Kahr here. I carry a P9 but the CW9 is more affordable. I don't think you can do better for a concealable, and very shootable carry gun. 9mm in this size package is just about the sweet spot. as has been brought up already, don't get something you will hate shooting. it get's expensive trading out ccw's...trust me on that one.

and one other thing I will weigh in on...switching out ccw's with different controls, etc. is just gives you another detail to worry about when you probably don't need it. take it for what it's worth.

I carry mine in an MTAC IWB most of the time but it's still easily concealable OWB in an MR belt slide.

If you can manage to shoot a Kahr next to some of the other choices presented here, I bet you will pick the Kahr. in the Eug/Spfld area, you can go to Baron's Den and try most of the guns suggested here, side by side.

 

[chemist]

Since nobody else said it, I will: Glock 36. Slim as a 1911 but a heck of a lot lighter, and an amazingly friendly .45 shooter for its small size.

Oh, yeah, I'm a lefty too.

BTW, a lot of carry comfort depends on the holster, so don't scrimp. I carry daily IWB in a Comp-Tac MTAC, and it's worth every penny. Works tucked or untucked.

One other thing about accuracy: What's theoretically possible with a pocket rocket like a P3AT or LCP would not match up with how I'd perform under stress - the sight radius of those teensy guns is just too short for me.

 

[Jazen]

1 vote for Walther PPK in .380. Get JHPs and you will be fine.
Double action and hammer control.

 

[GED]

1 vote for Walther PPK in .380. Get JHPs and you will be fine.
Double action and hammer control.

here's my S&W PPK

View attachment 209839

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Of the guns the OP listed the only one I would trust my life to as a primary weapon would be the Kahr, and that's pushing it due to low capacity

In my world a Browning Hi Power Detective 9MM with 15 shot Mec Gar mags is my minimum

.380 is a backup caliber (2nd or 3rd CCW)

 

[Blitzkrieg]

It was good enough for James Bond. I'm no expert with a handgun, but with my 380 I can give you a 1 foot pattern at culprit distance. Make it high tech hollow points and I think 7 rounds of 380 in about 2 seconds means certain trama. Give me 5 seconds and here comes 6 more.

A 17 oz Euro steel auto that will fit in the pocket and very easy to shoot and handle works for me.

Pssst.. James Bond wasn't real, nor was the presentation of the .380's effectiveness in those books/movies

In the real world the 380 has about 2/3rds the stopping power of a good 9MM +P, according to the Marshall and Sanow study of actual shoots. The difference can be you taking return fire

 

[DoktorT]

Pssst.. James Bond wasn't real, nor was the presentation of the .380's effectiveness in those books/movies



In the real world the 380 has about 2/3rds the stopping power of a good 9MM +P, according to the Marshall and Sanow study of actual shoots. The difference can be you taking return fire

The James Bond novels were written by someone who spent many years in actual secret service duty. Sure, they were fantasy women and events, but based upon reality. And the .380 carry was one of the realities for most effective concealed carry for skilled personel.

Then again, no one makes a pocket 9mm that I am aware of, and as well none larger than a PPK type will fit anything smaller than a medium sized man's hand.

Someone skilled with a .380 will trump any caliber in the hands of the more typically semi-skilled with a 44 mag. Different strokes for different folks. If you are 6'2" and 225 lbs you can easily find a .40 or 10mm that will far outdo a 9mm. Lucky you. If however you are 5'8" and 135, just not a practical option.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

The James Bond novels were written by someone who spent many years in actual secret service duty. Sure, they were fantasy women and events, but based upon reality. And the .380 carry was one of the realities for most effective concealed carry for skilled personel.

Then again, no one makes a pocket 9mm that I am aware of, and as well none larger than a PPK type will fit anything smaller than a medium sized man's hand.

Someone skilled with a .380 will trump any caliber in the hands of the more typically semi-skilled with a 44 mag. Different strokes for different folks. If you are 6'2" and 225 lbs you can easily find a .40 or 10mm that will far outdo a 9mm. Lucky you. If however you are 5'8" and 135, just not a practical option.

Ummm...hello??? Rohrbaugh? 9mm and smaller than the PPK.

View attachment 209838