best carry gun, opinions?

[jumbo72]

Hello all, i'm a new member who is looking for a good carry gun. I just sold a subcompact xd40 (3" barrell). I loved the gun, it was very reliable and small, but i hardly ever carried it on my person because it was a little too thick and slightly heavy. I'm 6'3" and 350 lbs, and have to wear kakhis for work, and i was constantly hitching up my pants, i could get it to stay put but i almost had to cut myself in half with the belt to keep it in place. I'm really digging the small 1911's (kimber ultra carry 2, springfield micro and emp, colt defender), but i've read lost of info about the sub 4" barrel 1911's being undependable. What are yall's opinions? If the grip is the same size, would i be better off going with a 4" barrel? Thoughts? Anyone have any of the above they'd like to sell? :)

[Ridgerunner665]

The XD's are blocky...For a CCW gun I'd stay away from any 1911's shorter than 4.25 inches. I carry a 1911 myself...but its a 4.25 inch barrel version on an officers frame...the perfect carry 1911 in my opinion...but not cheap (Baer Stinger)

Have you handled the Smith & Wesson M&P 40c?

[BMW2]

The guns I find myself carrying the most are my snub nose revolvers. Easy to carry and I have pocket, IWB and OWB holsters for them so I can carry regardless of dress. Some will argue they prefer to carry more gun but I feel comfortable with it. I'm a big guy also and I don't find IWB the most comfortable but an airweight snubbie is pretty comfy in a pocket or OWB.

[Johnny Dollar]

Glock 36,45 ACP,6+1 26 oz fully loaded 6.7" overall length,3 3/4 " barrel,1.12 width,readily concealable, carried in a Milt Sparks Versa Max II IWB holster,belt by Kramer 1 1/4" along with Sparks extra mag/case holding 6 rounds.
This rig will carry you through any situation,IMO.

www.glock.com
www.miltsparks.com
www.kramerleather.com
www.outback.com

The last to celebrate the new rig!:D

[geronimo509]

Carry a full size 1911. however, if you get a major name brand gun in a 3 inch barrel you should be fine. I've had an UC II for a while. After the intial break in and the throwing away of their cheap mag, now have wilsons, it has been flawless.

[Moccw]

I have 3" 1911's, I also have xd sc .40, The only guns I like to carrry are my J frame smtih and wessons, I work construction, and they are so comfortable compared to the others.
That is my opinion, look at the smith 442, 642, or m&p 340

[IMTHDUKE]

I hear 3" 1911s are not reliable, but never experienced it with the two I have, a Colt Defender and a Kimber Covert Ultra II, however, I carry this one because I don't have a concern about concealment when it's pocket carried.http://photos.gafana.com/photos/0706252090996500803961.share.jpg

[mr2guru]

J-frame

[skeptiq]

Kel Tec PF-9 / P11 are both easy to conceal 9mm's and seem to have a rather large following. I can't say anything else since I don't own one, but I am looking real hard at them.

[DeepSouth]

If you disliked the Subcompact XD the 1911's won't fit you either. They would be even heavier unless I am badly mistaken. Make sure you have a good holster, something like the Super Truck (http://www.crossbreedholsters.com/) which I love, that can make a HUGE difference in how conferable a CCW is. And as mentioned the S&W J Frame is always a good choice.

[Ed4032]

Kahr CW9

[Treo]

I've found that because of my body style I have a hard time keeping my pants up W/ a gun.
The solution I've found that works the best is to have a pair of suspenders on as well (think LBE)but I can get away W/ it because my dress style runs to untucked flannels, sweaters and jackets. YMMV

[Norinco982lover]

Hey Jumbo!
I met you on the XD forum:)

Welcome to THR! If you are looking at a lighter, thinner pistol...then take a look at the Keltec PF-9/P-11 (as suggested) or some of those Kahrs. They are paper thin but pretty decent little pistols. If you have a range nearby I would suggest going and shooting a few different ones and see how they feel. If the gun jams or has troubles don't take that as a reliability issue it's probably just bone dry and filthy inside.

The CZ Rami or Sig 226 are both nice littls pistols as well.

~Norinco

[MikePGS]

I've noticed to that the XD Sub's seem pretty thick. I know I sound like a broken record, but you should really check out the M&P compact (my standard answer these days). They fit the hand perfectly (for me at least).

[David E]

At 6' 3" and 350 lbs, you could carry ANYTHING you wanted to.

It may have been a belt or holster issue instead of a gun issue.

No reason to go to a .380.

The current crop of short 1911's work pretty well. My 4" Kimber and 3.5" Springfield are flawless thus far. The EMP I shot worked fine, also.

Other choices would be a Kahr in 9mm, .40 and even .45 acp.

All are slim and light.

.

[dmazur]

I carry a 1911 in Commander length barrel (4.25") in an OWB holster.

I was more concerned about day-long comfort than concealing it under a shirt, so I changed from IWB to OWB and wear a jacket or an untucked shirt.

With a stiff belt and a proper holster, the belt doesn't have to be snugged so tight it feels like it's cutting you in half. I find that wearing the holster at 5 o'clock works well for concealment, access, and not digging into my back when I'm seated.

It's true that the shorter-barrel pistols can have retention problems if the holster is depending on that barrel friction. I tried my wife's Officer's Model (which is a 3" barrel, I think) and it felt "top-heavy" in the same holster.

[lawboy]

I have a Kimber UCII stainless.
I carry it concealed daily.
Last week I ordered a second one.
It is a brilliant carry gun and very reliable.
I am not one to shoot a couple mags through a gun and declare it reliable. I have had this one four months and it has 1800 rounds through it and is on its second set of springs.
The gun feeds, fires, extracts and ejects as reliably as any other gun I have ever owned.
I have owned and own a lot of guns.
The accuracy is very good.
Fifty percent hits on a 12-inch swinger at 100 hards offhand unsupported with a sight picture that completed covers the target frame!
If you want a 3-inch 1911, buy one. They are no more unreliable than any other 1911.
They require more frequent spring changes. That is it.

Short barreled K frame revolvers are very good as well. I carried a 19 2.5-inch and still carry a 66 3-inch. Whatever you do, carry a gun you shoot regularly and well. The regularly and well are so very important and are not stressed enough. Carrying a gun you rarely shoot is negligence, in some cases criminally so.

[PcolaDawg]

I have two guns that I use mainly for conceal carry. A Kimber Ultra Crimson Carry II and a Smith & Wesson model 642 (with a Crimson Trace grip).

Of those two, I find that the 642 is the most concealable and the easiest to carry because it is so dang light. It's a gun that I can pocket carry and forget I even have it at times.

If you haven't checked out the 642, you owe it to yourself to do so. Put some .38 + P ammo in it and you are good to go. The downside is that it is a tougher gun to shoot than the Kimber, mainly because of the heavy trigger pull. But after practicing with it (a lot), I am now very confidant in my ability to hit what I'm aiming at with it, and even enjoy shooting it now.

Anyway, I love both of the above guns for CCW purposes.

[CDH]

I've noticed to that the XD Sub's seem pretty thick.

No more than any small Glock or other plastic pistol. I have an XD9SC and while it can make a good carry piece, it is not as trim as other pistols, including the Colt Commander that I used to carry quite often, but it's no fatter than the typical double stack plastic pistols made by anybody else.

I recently bought a Rohrbaugh R9S Stealth, however, and it's now become my main carry piece.
9mm in a package no bigger than a Ruger LCP (and hardly much heavier being that there is no plastic in it) has a lot going for it.
Pocket or IWB, the R9S is a joy to carry and I often forget I have it on me.

[RugerDoug]

I have two for CCW's......SW 442 J Frame, Glock 19

[usp9]

I have a bit of girth myself, and I go the suspenders route. I carry a rather blocky HK P2000sk in a Galco Concealable along with a Galco COPS belt. I wear a jacket or shirt over a tee shirt or polo shirt for cover.

If you feel you need a slimmer pistol, the Kahr line is a good place to start. Being a big guy you may want to look at the full gripped T9 or TP9 or even move up to the .45acp P45 or TP45.

[The_Shootist]

Glock 19 - there is no perfect gun for CCW, all of them have limitations. But if I had to pick only one for capacity/accuracy/decent stopping power/concealability and (Most of All) reliability, that would be it.

[brin747]

I carry a S&W 642 in a pocket holster. As others have said, it's so light you can forget it's there. I also like the absolutely simplicity of it.

[PMVARGO]

one that fits your hand and not to heavy

[Lee Lapin]

I can't say what would be perfect for you. Any carry gun is going to consist of a lot of compromises, some people weight caliber, some weight magazine capacity, etc. I settled on a S&W 642 and a speedloader, now working at just carrying a second 642 as there really isn't that much bulk/weight penalty in carrying the additional gun.

lpl

[FranklyTodd]

For me:

HK P2000SK

S&W M&P340CT

[searcher451]

The best carry gun in the world is the one that works best for you: It fits your hand, it's comfortable, you understand the mechanics, you fire it accurately, you trust it, etc. For me, it's a Walther PPK/S. But who knows what it going to be for you? Only you can make that determination.

[testosterone]

Along the lines of the last post.

There is a saying among strength and conditioning coaches regarding the best time of day that you should train. The answer is not "first thing in the morning before you, or after you eat, or midday with a nap following, or before dinner with an after workout meal or anything else"

The answer to the question, what is "best", is "The time you will show up on a consistent basis and actually train!"

Likewise I think, with a carry piece. The best gun is the one you will be comfortable enough to have on you *all the time*.

Rule 1, right?

Have a gun, any gun.

This may be more than 1 gun, carried differently in different situations.

This disobey another rule, which is to carry the same gun in the same place all the time, but contradicts rule 1, but few are perfect.

My answer is, as above, the best carry gun for you is the one you will actually carry all the time.

-T

[jon_in_wv]

You should really consider a better holster instead of a different gun. Try a Raven Phantom holster and you might be suprised what a difference it makes. The holster is very thin. It will feel like a whole different weapon on your hip.

[Dr. Fresh]

If you like thin, the new Walther PPS is pretty nice. A buddy of mine got one in 9mm (.40 is available) and it functioned great for the 50 or so rounds we put through it and was comfy to shoot.

[PAPACHUCK]

I carry a G19 OWB under an un-tucked shirt and/or a Kel-Tec P11 in my front pocket.

No one ever notices, even with both guns on me.


Get a good quality belt, and a foward cant, belt-slide holster and wear it at 2:30 or 4:30(whichever you prefer) if you're RH, opposite if LH. Choose a mid-sized, quality gun you shoot well in a service caliber and use quality HP's that YOUR gun likes.

Find a small back-up you like and get a pocket holster for those pants that have larger pockets.

[Kelvins13]

I'll throw either a PM9 or LCP in my pocket if going around the corner while walking the dog. If out for the day I'll IWB a G-19, which sometimes I forget is even there.

[mrt949]

The best you are comfortabe with .size does matter.

[egumpher]

My favorite carries are exclusively either a Colt New Agent .45 or Walther PPS 9mm. The Walter is slightly lighter and more concealable but the New Agent packs more oomph.
I have put 2000+ through the PPS and only 400+ thought the New Agent so far......neither have ever had any problems......the PPS is slightly easier to carry but I like the confidence of the .45........buy both so you have the choice....both are surprisingly accurate.... outside of 10yards it's hard to claim self defense so they are both equally accurate...for single stacks the 1911 is king...



Rgds
Eric

[wtfd661]

Love carrying my Kimber Tactical Ultra II, its an aluminum frame so not heavy, great size for me, it has the magwell which makes the grip a 1/4" longer than the other ultra's but thats perfect for my large mitts. It will print a little easier, but I carry it in a Milt Sparks IWB #1 Heritage at the 3 oclock position. With the 3" barrel it doesn't press into my leg when sitting like a longer barrel would. As far as 3" barrel reliability issue goes I haven't had a problem in the 3 yrs I've owned it, 100% out of the box with zero issues. I'm 6'01" and 300 lbs so I feel your pain with the pant hitching thing, but a quality holster belt combo does make all the difference in the world. Good luck to you.

[LKB3rd]

I had an xd9sc that I sold too. Too small in my hand, and I didn't feel like it carried any better than my xd45compact.
I carry the xd45c, or a detective special. I just picked up a 2 3/4 inch Ruger security six, but I only have a cheap Uncle Mike's holster for it currently, So the jury is still out on how that works for carrying. I'll also add a +1 to getting a good holster, and a good belt for whatever you get. They both make a huge difference.

[LKB3rd]

woops double tap, sorry

[Mello]

Treo
I've found that because of my body style I have a hard time keeping my pants up W/ a gun.
The solution I've found that works the best is to have a pair of suspenders on as well (think LBE)but I can get away W/ it because my dress style runs to untucked flannels, sweaters and jackets. YMMV

Jumbo72,

As Treo and a few others have posted from personal experience, trying suspenders would open your options to carrying more handguns.

With your stated body size, the size and weight of most full sized handguns is not the issue. The issue is more the shape of your body and how to stabilized your pants.

I'm 5'10" and 190 pounds and carry a 1911 in a Bruce Nelson IWB summer special holster. I could do so with more comfort if I lost a couple of inches off of my waist though.

[hawk45]

I like to be able to get my full hand on the grip of whatever I am carrying. Right now I am carrying a full size 1911. Now I say that because I now have a Sparks VMII for it and find it to be VERY comfortable. Pick whatever feels good in your hand and you shoot well with then spend the $$ and wait for a high quality holster and belt. Comfort is key and a full size gun in a high quality holster/belt will feel just as good if not better than a micro compact in a POS holster.

[mongo4567]

Alot of what you can carry comfortably depends on your belt and holster. I really like the hybrid holsters, esp the Comp-Tac IWB holsters. I'm 5'11" and can comfortably carry a full size 1911 IWB and it doesn't pattern.

[Shytheed Dumas]

For me it has come down to this: Thinner first, then lighter, then narrower, then shorter. But all of those considerations follow reliability as the first and foremost.

My choice after going through a number of different handguns is the Kahr PM9, but I have no problem carrying my S&W 38-642 or Taurus 85 hammerless for that matter if the mood suits me.

[S&Wfan]

Hi,

I've had a Kimber Ultra CDP (3" barrel, nightsights, meltdown (no-snag) treatment) . . . which is designed purely as a CCW weapon, since it came out about ten years ago.

Like all 1911-derivative handguns, they are super flat and easy to conceal too. Mine has ALWAYS been reliable and it is also accurate. It is a great carry gun and, as you can see in the attached photo . . . it has been carried a lot! I'm a huge fan of any serious caliber that starts with the number "4" too!

Truly, I can trust my life to this wonderful weapon, and have! . . .
http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/363/363373/folders/277718/2216541bianchi105.jpg

That being said . . .

My favorite CCW handgun is the one that I just checked again to see if it was there . . . (and it still IS) . . . a gun you won't notice, and neither will anyone else in the crowd. Yep . . . the kind of gun that won't make you have to cinch up your pants every few minutes . . .

A HUMBLE S&W Airweight snubbie in .38spl. Weight . . . about 15 oz.!

If you end up being an active handgunner, sooner or later you'll have an aluminum-framed S&W J-frame "Airweight" in your front pocket holster . . . for a great carry gun is one you don't ever mind having on you!!!

http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/363/363373/folders/282194/2328567IMG0121e.jpg

T.

[Sarge55]

S&W Scandium 340PD J Frame (.357) snubbie in an Uncle Mikes pocket holster. Nice....................