[chetrogers]

In the near future i intend to get my ccw and was wodering if anyone could suggest something that i could carry underarm that is small and is .45acp.Thanks for any suggestions

[agony]

Consider a SIG P245, or one of the baby Glocks. Or the Glock 36.

Colt Commander maybe? Or the new LDA ParaOrdnance pistols.

[sm]

Many of us CCW a full 5" 1911 or Commander.

[10-Ring]

How small do you need? My first choice would be HK USPc 45, if you need smaller, I'd suggest the Glock 36.

[Majic]

Shy away from the short barrel 1911's (less than 4" models).

[Preacherman]

For shoulder holster use (which is what I presume you mean by "underarm") I strongly recommend the Para-Ordnance Companion, an Officers-model-size .45 with the LDA trigger. It's very slim and compact, and a delight to shoot once you get used to the trigger. It holds 7+1, and there's an even smaller model, the Para Carry, which holds 6+1 (but is a bit too small for comfort when firing, IMHO). They now have "Carry Safe" option which I haven't seen in the steel - for more details, see here (http://www.paraord.com/new/pages/carry.html).

[priv8ter]

Firestorm has a Mini-45 out that is small and mine has proven 100% reliable with all kinds of FMJ(Some issues with hollow points).

Your only issue may be finding a holster for it.

[denfoote]

...or the Glock 30!! :D

[Ian11]

For your requirements:

Another vote for the Glock 30

[tomr8368]

Another vote for the Firestorm mini .45. Its double action and been totally reliable so far.
Tom

[PCRCCW]

If you carry with a Vertical shoulder Rig...ANY 45 will do nicely...
If your carrying Horizontal again you can get away with anything less than a 5" barrel......this of course depends on how thick you are.......................

HK, Glock, most good 1911, CZ, Sig etc..........all are worthy of carry.

Shoot well

[1911Tuner]

Be aware that the average rookie will "make" your shoulder rig in
about two minutes. Concealed carry is better accomplished with
a good strong-side rig, and will be more comfortable to boot.

Luck to ya!
Tuner

[Daniel T]

Shy away from the short barrel 1911's (less than 4" models).

Why?

[fatboyclone]

here's another vote for the HK USP45 Compact. its a lot of gun in a small package, the only downfall would be the mag capacity of 7.

[Sean Smith]

Why?

Because they are, on average, less reliable.

Any moment now, somebody with one that works will make a post proving how they can confuse the specific with the general... :D

[1911Tuner]

Demise, Sean is right about the reliability with pistols with a shorter
barrel than 4 inches. I'll go a step further and say that 4.25 is the
lower limit.

The reason is that any machine is a compromise, and the farther that you
stray from original design parameters, the machine is further compromised.

The main issue is with the reduced slide mass and the increased recoil spring rate. Some of the little blasters hit the ground running, but most
are sensitive in the slide timing and speed. Get one that runs, and
when the time comes for a recoil spring change, it may result in a
can of worms. Seen it happen more than once. Vary the recoil spring
load a half-pound or a half a foot second of speed in the RTB cycle, and
it can go haywire. Even some Commanders can be a little finicky.
The 5-inch guns have a much wider margin for error in these areas.

Hope this answers the question. I can go into more detail if you need it.

Tuner

[Edward429451]

I think its a holster issue also. The 5" pistols almost look too big to comfortably carry, if you've never carried one or never found the right holster for you. Strong side IWB makes the 5" tube a non issue for comfort and concealment.

Another consideration is if you ever wind up needing it for SD. Larger pistols are a heck of a lot easier to shoot well with than the smaller ones. Its a trade off. You can have your comfort now, with a few ounces less of weight (but it may be harder to hit with it under stress if needed), or put up with the size & weight now, (for slightly more efficiency at the time that the ballon goes up, God forbid.) Of course there are a milion variables that determine the winner of a lethal encounter but a larger pistol might just be a deciding factor in your favor. Hopefully the BG has a Micro compact that day!:evil: <---------He'll get to meet that guy.

:D

[popeye]

A vote for S&W 457. I've had trouble finding holslers, but they seem to fit pretty well in Sig 229 holsters as slide width is close.

[Daniel T]

Hope this answers the question. I can go into more detail if you need it.

I was just curious, as my experience with smaller 1911-style pistols (Officer's, Defender, Ultra-Carry, etc.) has been superb. I'd never really heard of general problems with them. Hell, my 1991A1 Compact hasn't ever had a malfuntion, but I guess that'd be straying too far into the specific for Sean. :) I'll definitely keep those issues in mind when replacing the main recoil spring. Thanks.

[Poohgyrr]

For concealment, I personally don't care for shoulder carry, it's just too bulky for me & strongside is much easier. Otherwise, the Commanders are nice, and a reliable Officer's size works well too. I'd suggest trying a G30, these are much more accurate than I thought possible.

[Intune]

G36 in a Kramer t-shirt holster. None will know with a loose fitting shirt.

[Deepdiver]

You've got a lot of choices when it comes to concealable 45's - and you can spend a lot of money searching for the perfect CCW piece (the search can be a lot of fun, by the way :D ).

Here are some thoughts based on my search over the years:

1. Shoulder Holsters are not very practical for civilian CCW - too easily made

2. 1911 Platforms (my preference) conceal well due to flat profile, and are most comfortable in a high ride, strong side, pancake style holster. So 4" and 5" (gov't or full size) carry about the same in this manner. I have heard about feed problems with barrels less than 4", but I don't own one, so don;t know for certain.

3. Compact 45's (like the Glock 36 or S&W 457, and others) carry IWB real well.

What works for me for CCW:

SA Champion (see #2 above for carry method) when my attire permits.

If no jacket or long cover garment, S&W 457 IWB,

and if I can't even go IWB due to attire, I carry a Taurus 85 (snub nosed 38) in an ankle holster.

Have fun with your quest!!!!

[George Hill]

I remember seeing some 10 odd years ago a custom SIG P220 that was cut down to a compact size by a very skilled gunsmith. It was a total custom job. I never saw another like it.

I wonder if this could be done to the CZ-97... and how much that would cost.

[Sox]

Try the Colt Defender 3" barrel, 20oz., accurate, recoil tolerable, and super flat especially with ultra slim grips! I also liked the P245 more than the Glock 36, while the Glock is lighter, the Sig's recoil was more pleasant. Enjoy.

[gbelleh]

here's another vote for the HK USP45 Compact. its a lot of gun in a small package, the only downfall would be the mag capacity of 7.

The HK USP .45 Compact holds 8 rounds in the magazine; 9 rounds total. It would also be my first choice for carry if possible.

[Waste of Money]

My SIG 220 carries nicely IWB and with a little more effort in a horizontal rig. 1911 Tuner has it right though. Shoulder rigs can be made unless you wear a lined overshirt/jacket. This weapon has eaten every round it has ever been fed. :D

I just don't care for the velocity you get out of the sub-4" barrels with this round. Unless you carry ball or one of the light 185g JHP's in the pipe you run a risk of cocoons. Of course with this caliber, a .45" hole is nothing to sneeze at :uhoh:

[taoshooter]

I would suggest trying all the guns that have been recommended and then go and try a Wilson CQB in 4" (I personally like the all-black model but that's another track). Its small, not to bulky, and at least for me, fits like no other gun I've ever tried. Good luck with whatever you get!