What I carry

[MichaelLindsey]

im a retired LEO from about 10 years ago. I still practice shooting on a weekly basis and help for free the training of new officers. Our dept. went to Glocks about 1987. It took me forever to like that gun. I now have 5 of them. Used to carry it off duty but wasn't practical for summer and shorts and T-shirt's. I got a SigSouer P938. After putting a lot of rounds down range with this gun I really liked it. Lightweight and easily concealed with a loose T-shirt and shorts. Liked it so much with a spare mag on me it's turned into my EDC year round. I'm getting old and lighter is better for me.

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[billdeserthills]

I keep on carrying my Kimber Ultra Ten II, it's a 3" 1911 with a double stack 10 round mag & it fits in my front pocket. I have carried it for years and I can't find anything bigger that will fit in my pocket, so I keep using the Kimber. It's also very accurate

 

[nammac]

I've carried for nearly 30 years now. I've carried Glocks and 1911's in the past, went with a 2" .38 for a while and a Kimber Micro 9 at one point as well...

For nearly the past year it's been an M&P Shield 45 in a Concealment Express kydex holster, with a couple of recharges.

The size and weight allow carry under a t-shirt without a problem. Accuracy is more than adequate and it just points naturally for me. Don't foresee changing anything at this point, just go with what works.

 

[ron]

I am a long time 1911 shooter and fan. That being said I am more comfortable carrying
a striker fired pistol instead of cocked and locked. I carry a 9 mm Shield with
the manual safety. Most people are not a fan of the manual safety but I feel a little
better stuffing in the holster with the safety on.

 

[MasterChief]

G26 for the past few years (7ish).....trying out the 9mm M&P Shield.....I like it so far

 

[Dungannon]

I carry a 9 mm Shield with the manual safety.

Same here. In a DeSantis SuperFly pocket holster.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I sure get that, "I'm older and I want lighter," thing!

SIG P290RS 9mm in a SHTF ITW holster. Two spare 8rnd magazines!

 

[Levetti]

I carry a Shield in 9mm because of the size and weight, but I'm seriously thinking about switching to a 1911. Carried my 1911 for a day while at the range and it was surprisingly comfortable and the weight didn't bother me as much as I thought it would.

 

[Colts4me]

My 25 auto is fine for neighborhood walks but out of town I would gun up some. Oregon really isn't that dangerous to live in, traveled all my life in Oregon and never needed a gun for defense. If I lived in portland I would carry all the time but the rest of the state is pretty good in my opinion.

 

[No_Regerts]

I've carried lots of different guns. 1911s, Glock 17/19/22/23/26/43, Sig P220, Sig P226, Sig P228, Sig P229, S&W M&P/M&P 2.0, S&W 637/642, and HK USP/USPc.

I've never been a fan of subcompact single stacks if they arent 45s. Mostly because the smaller caliber guns become too small for my liking. I'm a big fan of Sig. They aren't the lightest or easiest to conceal, but I respect them as a well made and accurate gun.

Having made the transition from DA/SA to striker fired guns at work, I've pretty much shifted my EDC to striker fired guns. Though I carry an M&P on duty, I'm definitely a Glock guy when it comes to polymer framed handguns. I'm a big fan of the G22 and am a believer in the G19. I'm now carrying my Gen5 G19.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

mainly, a shield 9mm for me

sometimes a different gun though

 

[albin25]

My choices are perhaps a reflection of me getting on in years, but 'tis what it 'tis.

Around the town and in the nightstand it's a Beretta 86 Cheetah. I like the size/fit, and my hand likes the light recoil, unlike most Berettas the safety is frame mounted. So it's similar in function to a 1911. The tip barrel makes clearing/chambering easy even when cocked'n'locked.

Around the yard and immediate neighborhood it's my thin/lite Browning 1911-22 Black Label.

I'm seriously thinking of retiring the Cheetah to just cushy nightstand duty 'cuz its getting kind of valuable and I don't want it to get any signs of wear. I want to get a Browning Black Label Pro 1911-380 to take it's place (it fits my hand perfectly) and I really do like the 1911-22 I already got. Not cheap, but the quality is there.

I tried a Sig 238 then a 938 but both really hurt my hand so I sold them. (the 938 holster fit my 1911-22 perfectly though, so I kept the holster)

 

[American123]

im a retired LEO from about 10 years ago. I still practice shooting on a weekly basis and help for free the training of new officers. Our dept. went to Glocks about 1987. It took me forever to like that gun. I now have 5 of them. Used to carry it off duty but wasn't practical for summer and shorts and T-shirt's. I got a SigSouer P938. After putting a lot of rounds down range with this gun I really liked it. Lightweight and easily concealed with a loose T-shirt and shorts. Liked it so much with a spare mag on me it's turned into my EDC year round. I'm getting old and lighter is better for me.

look into the safariland horizontal magazine holster. It makes carrying a spare mag on your belt a breeze and stays out of your way unless you want it. Order the one meant for a leatherman and then trip a small piece from the lip if you are running the extended mag. It is amazing. I will add a photo later to explain.

The 938 and extended mag is my '15 round small carry,' when not using the '35 round large carry' that I normally do.

 

[MilitantBEEMER]

LCPII every day in a sticky pocket holster. When I can carry OWB it is my Bersa Thunder in a nice custom leather holster. When hunting or scouting, either my Glock 19 or my 1911 OWB. Looking for realistic single stack 9mm to carry. Thinking about a shield with crimson trace??

 

[American123]

LCPII every day in a sticky pocket holster. When I can carry OWB it is my Bersa Thunder in a nice custom leather holster. When hunting or scouting, either my Glock 19 or my 1911 OWB. Looking for realistic single stack 9mm to carry. Thinking about a shield with crimson trace??

You'll have to think about what is important to you in features, for single stack I like safeties because it won't always be in a holster. I love my 938, but it didn't work for you (I do have rubber grips on mine though)

Sister has the LCP 9s pro or whatever version has the better trigger. She seems to love it. I've shot it, seems to do the job and not overly expensive.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Ruger LC9s with manual thumb safety. On days when I'm feeling traditional it's a Rem 1911 R1S Enhanced. That puts all the controls on both pistols in the same place.

 

[Tangent123123]

I've gone light as well and carry a 9mm shield performance center. I'm not skilled enough to really notice that much difference with the performance, but I like the look of it.

 

[MilitantBEEMER]

You'll have to think about what is important to you in features, for single stack I like safeties because it won't always be in a holster. I love my 938, but it didn't work for you (I do have rubber grips on mine though)

Sister has the LCP 9s pro or whatever version has the better trigger. She seems to love it. I've shot it, seems to do the job and not overly expensive.

I like the 938. If I could find one at a real good price I would consider it as well. The shield is appealing because I already have one, just have never carried

 

[nammac]

I like the 938. If I could find one at a real good price I would consider it as well. The shield is appealing because I already have one, just have never carried

Carry the Shield, you'll be a convert. Size, weight, capacity... S&W hit the nail on the head with the Shield line...

 

[American123]

I like the 938. If I could find one at a real good price I would consider it as well. The shield is appealing because I already have one, just have never carried

I guess I am confused because if you already own the shield and feel comfortable with the shield then I wouldn't reinvent the wheel and I would do some research to how you want to carry it and what you want to carry it in. This will largely depend on body shape, clothing preferences and desire for how concealed you want it to be.

When I am carrying a Glock 17 on the hip I conceal it with a XL T shirt, I'm more casual about it though, if I am not carrying somewhere I am legally prohibited to carry, I don't care if someone notices a small bulge, 99% of people aren't looking for that anyway. Otherwise I use the 938 and make sure no one is aware of it.

There are lots of holster options and lots of people who make holsters will make one for you. I am partial to kydex as opposed to nylon or leather, but each person may have a different preference. Often I find that being extremely specific with what you are looking for and what you need it to fulfill and what features it needs will help you avoid making the mistake of buying something you end up not wanting.

Prime example would be my friend who asked me for advice on a first pistol to shoot and carry. I told him to get something very small if he ever thought about carrying it because he wouldn't want to have to change his entire wardrobe to conceal a large one. Well he didn't listen and bought a G21, enjoyed shooting it, then learned that there was no way he could conceal it, then had to go buy another pistol that he could conceal. Not saying that having multiple guns is bad, but its an analogy for putting in a lot of thought in the beginning of what you need and what you need it to do can help you from buying things that won't serve those purposes.

youtube personality 'nutnfancy' calls it the "philosophy of use" its incredibly simple to comprehend, but dynamic in how it applies to any piece of gear.