Turning 21 and looking to get my ccp

[Patrickstar26]

Turning 21 soon, and in todays world im going to immediately go to classes to get my conceal permit. Main question i have, however, is what gun and caliber i should get for my first ccw

Read More

 

[Member 53328]

How much time do you have behind handguns and different calibers?

I would suggest going to a range and trying multiple. It really comes down to personal preference. What works for me may not work for you. For example a carry a Glock 17 with a Surefire X300 weapon light (9mm).

There is much more that goes into concealed carry than simply a pistol and caliber. Holster, belt, clips, location on the body, IWB or OWB. It's all gunna be trial and error. Lots of money spent. It's a "journey."

Also your mentality and situational awareness is more important than any piece of gear you carry. Guns, knives, less lethal, etc. are all just tools. And like everything in life one tool is not ideal for every situation.

 

[Ducati_Meister]

I second 1775usmc, the journey of carry methods, holsters etc, becomes an interesting one and soon enough, you'll end up with a sock drawer with holsters and mags and maybe a few lights, knives etc.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Caliber minimum I wouldget personally is 9mm. No matter what you get, make sure it is a gun known to be 100% reliable (there are many of those to choose from).

How you carry it will largely determine size. Bigger guns are easier to shoot well than smaller guns but smaller guns are easier to carry. Some videos to get you started thinking about how you will carry it:

 

[ilikegunspdx]

The most useful videos you can watch imo

 

[Xaevian]

The most useful videos you can watch imo

Thay shirt isn't concealing anything.

 

[Joe13]

Don't shoot your eye out….

 

[L84Cabo]

Go to a range with a good rental counter and try out a bunch. You'll learn more about what you like than anything we can tell you. Plus it will be fun!

For caliber I would go with 9mm for the first. The recoil is more manageable and the rounds are cheaper. And that means you can afford to practice more which is critical when you're new.

Also, if you're planning on going with a compact/sup-compact...like a Shield or similar, make absolutely sure you rent and fire the exact gun you're thinking of getting BEFORE you buy it. Smaller guns can be downright unpleasant to shoot...even in 9mm. If you end up with a gun that is unpleasant/painful to shoot, you will be far less likely to practice with it.

 

[DirectDrive]

Good advice above ^^^
We can recommend carry pieces, but ultimately, you'll have to decide.
Your body type and hand size will also enter into it, somwwhat.
Go to a range that rents and try them out.
For summer carry, I'd say that a few of the contenders are :
G43
G43X
P365
P938
Hellcat
S&W Shield
PPS-M2

 

[ma96782]

Before going in public.....











Also, do you think that maybe a person wearing this is armed?





Aloha, Mark

 

[DeanMk]

Turning 21 soon, and in todays world im going to immediately go to classes to get my conceal permit. Main question i have, however, is what gun and caliber i should get for my first ccw

Congrats on your upcoming birthday.
Remember, on your 21st, every bar/tavern you go to, the first drink's free, so take a "Driver" and do some bar hoppin'!

As for your ccw question, hard to beat the tried & true .38 snubbie! yeah, buddy!

 

[drstrangelove]

P365. All else just compromises.

 

[Member 53328]

P365. All else just compromises.

I'd say a P365 is a compromise to a Glock 17. Haha.

 

[DirectDrive]

Order a Tom Collins to go with that .38 snubbie

 

[Camelfilter]

Tritac shouldn't be too hard for you to get to, regardless of where around Salem you live.

TriTac Shooting

TriTac Shooting Solutions - Indoor Shooting Range, Trainings, and Firearm Sales

tritacshooting.com

Posting such because they do have rentals. What they have? No idea, that's for you to look in to.

Also, if you are unfamiliar with handguns in general, they used to have classes. That's where we took our basics way back when. Recommend classes, though, if you are unfamiliar with handguns. Build upon properly learned skills, rather than starting your own bad habbits...

We took our Oregon & Utah combined CHL class from Jim Jacobe. In East Salem.

See https://www.jimjacobe.com/

Also recommend. Just be aware that such is primarily just a refresher safety course, then its more on the legal side. As well as proper form filling out & such. Not a firearms instruction course.

 

[bradsteen]

Congratulations, and happy birthday! Some recommendations for you:

1. Get training on the basics of firearms usage and concealed carry from a legitimate, reputable instructor - someone who does it for a living. Getting pointers from family and friends is great, but professional instruction is incredibly valuable for people new to concealed carry. I would get some classes in first before picking a gun because hands on experience really helps with the selection process.
2. Try as many guns as you can, and pick the biggest caliber you can shoot well and conceal on your person without too much difficulty. That will probably be a compact or subcompact pistol. .380 would be the minimum caliber most instructors recommend for self defense.
3. Recognize that everything about carrying a gun is a compromise. Every choice has benefits and drawbacks. Big guns are great to shoot and have decent ammo capacity but are hard to conceal. Small guns aren't fun to shoot and have less capacity, but are easy to conceal. Bigger bullets are better at putting down bad guys, but have more recoil, which makes follow-up shots harder and slower to hit accurately. There is no "best" - what works for others may not work for you, and vice versa. Do what works for you, don't try to force your choices on others, and recognize when someone is trying to force their choices on you.
4. Know that whatever you choose you'll probably want to change it out again in a year or two. As you get comfortable with concealed carry and get training, your preferences will change, and you'll want to get something different. Don't get disheartened by that - it's part of the process everyone goes through. Guns are tools, and every tool has a purpose. You'll probably end up with a handful of guns for different situations.
5. Continue your training beyond the basic courses. Especially look for opportunities to practice shooting while moving - in defensive gun usage movement is critical, and you don't get the opportunity to practice it at most ranges. As always, training should come from a reputable instructor. As your skills grow, consider participating in ASI, IDPA, or similar matches as additional ways to further that skillset.

 

[Member 53328]

Another thing I'll add is avoid cheap holsters/belts. Go with reputable companies. If you ever got any questions just ask here. You'll get a ton of opinions and options to look into.

 

[Joe13]

As far as holsters go, sometimes people are unloading a bunch for a certain gun here for cheap.

Might be worth keeping an eye out once you have a carry piece.

Also, something to look out for is that while ranges that rent handguns are a great option - pretty much every one require you to already have a gun or have someone with you that does.

 

[bradsteen]

Another thing I'll add is avoid cheap holsters/belts. Go with reputable companies. If you ever got any questions just ask here. You'll get a ton of opinions and options to look into.

+1. A holster needs to have the ability to retain the weapon. Avoid nylon or "Uncle Mike's" holsters like the plague. The trigger guard should be fully covered by a rigid material.

 

[Catfishmoon]

Turning 21 soon, and in todays world im going to immediately go to classes to get my conceal permit. Main question i have, however, is what gun and caliber i should get for my first ccw

If you don't already own one, I would buy a .22 pistol...
Not for concealed carry, but a couple of other reasons. You need to have your own firearm and take it with you to the gun range or many places will not allow you to rent one of their guns and I suggest you try to shoot a variety prior to deciding on your choice for concealed carry weapon...
.22 is simply fun and inexpensive to shoot and owning one just makes sense to most gun owners.