[mesinge2]

I have a chance to get either a used parkerized Springfield .45ACP GI Micro Combat for $499.00

108923

or a new Ruger LCR for $480.00


108924

I want to primarly carry it in a pocket or one of those built-in shirt holsters.

I have always wanted a 3" 1911; my only concern is the GI hammer getting caught on my pocket or shirt while drawing the weapon. Other than these concerns I would prefer the 1911.

And a few questions about the Micro Compact:

I have heard of bad things about the 3" 1911. What are the chances of it being a jam-o-matic?

Also, the little plastic piece that snaps onto the guide rod for disassembly is missing.

Is there a way to strip the pistol without it?

If not, where could I get a replacement?

[mesinge2]

P.S. If I get the Springfield, are these the correct magazines

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=609040

[makarovnik]

Looks like an Officer's Model. If you carry it cocked & locked there is not much chance of the hammer getting caught. The rat tail however might.

You might consider the new Taurus PT709 Slim in 9mm. Not much bigger than a Kel-Tec P3AT but a lot more powerful and more rounds than the Officer's Model and no exposed hammer to worry about.

[dairycreek]

My personal experience with the "snubby" 45 ACP pistols has been that they can be really unreliable. The ones that I have shot have been finicky and generally unreliable and, because of that, I would be hesitant to adopt one as my concealed carry weapon of choice.

I have only shot the Ruger LCR and like it a lot. At 13.5 oz it is really light but the polymer "frame" that Ruger uses seems to reduce felt recoil significantly. Of the two choices the OP offered I would opt for the reliability of the Ruger revolver.

[Shytheed Dumas]

I went with the LCR because single action auto seems about the least suited option there is for pocket carry, with a hammerless revolver being among the best. Me, I carry a Kahr PM9 in my pocket most days, and it's perfect.

[jc650]

My Smith MP 340 is my favorite carry piece. It compares weight and size wise to the LCR thats why I voted for that one. Imo the lightest and smallest gun your comfortable with is the one to carry. I like 1911's but I know I wouldnt carry any size 1911 as much as the 340 or my LCP.

[MCgunner]

I'd have voted LCR between 'em, but I really think the subcompact, pocket sized 9s are the best pocket carries extant. They offer horsepower, firepower, accuracy, light weight, and compactness. Even my double stack KT P11 is more compact than the LCR and carries over twice the ammo which are nearly twice the energy in +P form,about 270ft lbs vs 410.

Nothing wrong with a .38 snub, though. They've been doin' it for a long time. I have one, not an LCR, but I'm content with one in my pocket. I just think the advent of the SC 9 is a good thing for CCW carriers and my favorite.

[DeepSouth]

I looked hard at the Springfield GI Micro and probably would have bought one but I couldn't find one for sale ANYWHERE. I prefer auto's to revolvers for daily carry so I would go with the Springer over the LCR.

With that said I wouldn't get either one, I bought a KAHR PM45 and haven't looked back and I'd do the same again.

[easyg]

Between those choices I would get the Ruger.
But I also caution that the Ruger has not been out for that long and so it still hasn't really got much of a track record.

You can probably find a lightly used S&W Airweight snub-nose revolver for about the same price range, or a new Taurus snub-nose revolver.


Good luck,
Easy

[skoro]

I want to primarly carry it in a pocket or one of those built-in shirt holsters.

I pocket carry almost exclusively. I have a small officer size 1911, but not Springfield. It's WAY too large and heavy for that purpose. And while I haven't picked up an LCR, I do have a S&W 642 and it's very well suited for pocket carry.

So, if you're really thinking of pocket carry, go with the revolver in a good pocket holster.

[MICHAEL T]

If you want a Compact 1911 then move to a Colt Defender or a New Agent Their lighter and will make a better carry pistol. Kimber also makes a good Compact
But none of these are real pocket pistols .Their better off IWB
As for the springer if you carry cocked and locked hammer spur not a problem. Weight will be the problem
As for small 1911 being unreliable I have a Detonics , Defender , New Agent and 2 Colt Officers Guess I am just lucky all have been reliable and all get carry time.
Only unreliable compact I have ever had was a Para Ord it was a 1 shot pistol

[miket]

Kahr PM9. :cool:

[KAK]

Kahr PM9. Or Glock 26, 27, 33. :cool:

[mesinge2]

I want a new concealed carry because my Taurus model 85 just got sent back to Taurus for the third time.

Anyways, skoro mentioned the 642, what is your opinion on a used 649, the bodyguard style?

[Average Joe]

9mm CZ , either the Rami, or the PCR

[mesinge2]

Average Joe, the CZ P-07 DUTY caught my eye. Is it had to swap out the decocker for the safety lever?

[gbran]

My little ones.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/gbran/100_0145.jpg

[ByAnyMeans]

Personally I think if you want to pocket carry you get the LCR. I go with the P3AT (LCP) but either way they are ideal for pocket carry. Slip it in a Desantis pocket holster and you good to go.

[chieftain]

I am working with a Springfield EMF.

Small, light, thin, reliable, and very accurate. I have shot the last couple of IDPA's with the EMP and preformed very well.

Under stand my primary CCW is still a Springfield Professional.

I like it.

Fred

[Glockman17366]

I voted for the LCR.
The Springfield will probably be too heavy for pants pocket carry and both will probably be too heavy for shirt holsters.
If you want a nice firearm for carrying in the pants pocket or shirt holster, look at a Ruger LCP.

[OldMac]

I really like the Springfield but for CCW the LCR is the one you will use most often comfortably. I carry the LCP and a Smith 638. Sometimes you can't tell you even have them.

[Quoheleth]

I have both an officer Rock Island that's my casual carry and a LCR that's my daily go-to-work and run-to-the-store carry. Like both; wouldn't sell either. But if I could only have one, it would be the LCR - it'll go anywhere discreetly in my pocket.

Check Gunbroker. I got my LCR from there for just over $400 shipped (Kentucky Gun Company), plus transfer on my end.

Q

[cerberus65]

My pocket carry choice is usually a Ruger LCP. Some folks can carry bigger things in their pockets but not me. I couldn't pocket carry it but I wouldn't mind having one of those Springfield 3" 1911s. Not really interested in a plastic revolver, though.

[snooperman]

Go with the Ruger LCR as you have options for pocket carry and it will always be with you. Plus, you can not beat the reliability of a revolver. I still carry my old Colt detective IWB now for more than 25 years and see no reason to change even though I have many more large caliber handguns that are a real pain to carry all day. I shot the LCR that a friend just bought 3 months ago and was quite impressed with it. It is light enough that I could be convinced to put my old Colt away and go pocket carry with it.

[Upstate Gun Man]

what do you recomend for a pocket holster for the
ruger LCR?

[snooperman]

They are reasonably priced too, and come in different sizes. Also , Mika holsters are custom made for you and are more expensive as well. I have one of those and one uncle mikes and for the money, I would go with uncle Mikes. Both are made of lightweight synthetic material, which is ideal for pocket carry and have a sticky material so that when you draw the gun it stays in the pocket. The leather ones are too heavy , in my opinion for the pocket.

[Eightball]

My two carry choices:
http://imgcash4.imageshack.us/Himg53/scaled.php?server=53&filename=img2584.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=480

The fullsize 1911's accurate, easy to shoot, and has fed all but 1 round I've put through it in the hundreds through the pipe (and that round was an "operator error" :o ). Every 3" I've run across or heard of from someone who actually owns one has had a host of reliability problems, and there's always the issue of ammo feeding, cycling reliably, mag problems, etc. It's just not a trade I'm willing to make.

The S&W 638 is similar enough to the LCR. IMO, my S&W has a much better trigger, and the Tyler-T allows me to get my pinky in on the grip. The Barami Hip-Grip allows it to be a pocket gun or an IWB--whichever works better (and allows it to easily be a weakside gun when the 1911's riding on me). As a bonus, ammo choice doesn't matter--it WILL work. For pocket carry, there's no substitute for a good shrouded/concealed-hammer snub-nose, IMO.

[Quoheleth]

I've got a Blackhawk for pocket carry. It's all I could find locally, @ $12 or so. I'm not real keen on it - the corner where the barrel does not ride is rolling over which is helping the holstered gun lose it's discreetness.

Q

[miket]

I'm not real keen on it - the corner where the barrel does not ride is rolling over which is helping the holstered gun lose it's discreetness.

Lots of people have that problem with leather holsters, including me. I do one of two things. I sew a "pouch" of ripped up T-shirt material to the area between the end of the barrel and the end of the grip. Under the trigger area on the outward facing side of the holster. Breaks up the outline. Not pretty, but who cares...it works. I've also hot glued (or gorilla glue/shoe goo) a piece of stiff plastic report folder cover to the outward facing side to stiffen the entire thing up. Works well, too, especially if you pre-heat and mold the plastic in a gentle curve to match your thigh. Let it cool so it holds its shape before gluing...

[Onward Allusion]

+1 on the P11. Carry one 17 round mag as backup.

MCgunner (http://www.thehighroad.org/member.php?u=22716) - I'd have voted LCR between 'em, but I really think the subcompact, pocket sized 9s are the best pocket carries extant. They offer horsepower, firepower, accuracy, light weight, and compactness. Even my double stack KT P11 is more compact than the LCR and carries over twice the ammo which are nearly twice the energy in +P form,about 270ft lbs vs 410.

[mesinge2]

Look's like I am going to have a new LCR next week.

Thanks, everyone.

[Girodin]

THe LCR is a great little gun but $480 is too high a price. I paid $380 for mine.

[mesinge2]

Really? I saw the LCR's MSRP as over $500.00


Is it lower now?

[orionengnr]

I like the Springer, and that's a good price (my GF has one) but a steel frame 1911 is not a pocket pistol. It is small but it is not light (~33 oz empty). I own several alloy framed 3" 1911s and they are a very capable carry pistol, but are borderline too heavy (~24 oz empty) for pocket carry. My Kahr P45 is a good bit lighter (~18 oz empty) but still the same size; I can pocket carry it but it is damn near too big. IWB? Perfect.

Now if you want something smaller and just as light as the LCR, with more rounds of a more powerful cartridge, I'm talking Kahr PM9. Much better trigger and faster reloads too. A true pocket pistol.

If you want mega-small and mega-light, the Ruger LCP is a great choice, but I view the .380 as marginally effective. The .38 is somewhat better, and the 9mm +p+ a good bit more powerful.

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO no one can answer this question for you. Buy what feels best in your hand and a handgun you can shoot well. I prefer revolvers but there's nothing wrong with a quality semi-auto either.

[mesinge2]

A few questions about the springer:

I have heard of bad things about the 3" 1911. What are the chances of it being a jam-o-matic?

Also, the little plastic piece that snaps onto the guide rod for disassembly is missing.

Is there a way to strip the pistol without it?

If not, where could I get a replacement?