CCW: Can't Decide

Status
Not open for further replies.
I

idunit

Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2010
Messages
20

Hey folks. New to The High Road and just trying to get a feel. I am looking for a new carry gun. I need to narrow down the list of possibles. Looking at the Ruger LCP, Ruger LCR, Kel-Tec P32, and a compact Springfield XD or XDm. To me bigger caliber isn't always better. I need something for the summer shorts. Any suggestions from the above list or other input. I will not be spending over $600 so no need to mention anything above that price. Thanks in advance. (Right now I have a Walther PK380 for a CCW, but it is too new for me to trust. No problems of anykind, but to new if that makes sense.)

Rob
 
You will find a lot of people like me who like the Ruger lcp a lot and would highly recommend it. There will also be plenty of people along to bash it too.

Good luck, weigh your options, and make an educated decision.

Also Welcome to THR!
 
Thanks okespe04. I am probably beating a dead horse with this topic. Sorry bout that. What about a Taurus PT145? Anyone have any experience with one of these. I am kinda fond of .380 and .45 acp calibers.
 
For summer shorts? On your list the LCP and LCR would work out nicely, with the LCP being lighter. I carry a S&W 642 and like it a lot. I am going to pick up a Taurus TCP for the heck of it and see how it does for a small .380. The KT P3AT would be another choice. All would come in at well under six bills. Oh, and one more...the Sig P238. I paid $409 for mine.
 
Never owned or handled a sig, heck don't know if I have ever seen anything other than the mosquito. Are they that good. Hear only positives about them.
 
The Sig P238 is basically the reincarnation of the Colt Mustang. It has 1911 goodness in pocket pistol form (for the most part).
 
Don't know anything about the Sig 380's but if they shoot as good and are as accurate as my 229 you won't go worng.
 
How hard is it to find .380 ammo where you guys are at cause I haven't seen a single box for sale around here in months and today's the first time I've seen 9mm ammo at my local store.
 
.380 isn't to hard to find here in East Tennesse. the local Gander Mountain seems to have it everytime I go there(Once a month), Wally World seems to have some every other week or so, and two of the three gunshops around always have it.($30 a box for 50 though), the other gunshop you have to be on a list but I have never paid over $18 for 50 there.
 
.380 is still difficult to find. When I want it I have to put in an order at my LGS and a couple of weeks later it's in. It's never on the shelf.
 
I've not seen a box of .380 hollowpoints on a gun shop shelf in at least two years. One of the last boxes of FMJ I saw was a 100 round count winchester whitebox at a gun show for $80 :what: :barf: .

Despite this, .380 chambered guns are flying off the shelves where I live. And yet .380 is almost non existent. Methinks there is more than one person in my area packing an empty .380, betting their encounter will be one of those 90% or so where no shots are fired :uhoh: . Probably a majority haven't fired enough carry ammo, or any ammo, to verify reliability, which is particularly critical in pocket autos IMO.

To the OP,

IMO, ammo availability is a consideration, especially if you can't acquire enough to test in your chosen gun. If ammo of all types is still hard to come by in your area, a revolver like the LCR might have an edge. You still need to test your carry ammo for reliability, but it won't be necessary to fire hundreds of rounds to do so. Two or three cylinder fulls should be enough.
 
I'll recommend the Ruger LCR with laser sight grips. It's about 600 bucks, is very light, has a fantastic trigger and is proving to be a great weapon. I've got an S&W 642 and I can carry it in most situations.

If you HAVE to wear it in Bermuda shorts, then the LCP or Kel-tec might be your best bet but if you want to enjoy shooting your gun, you might want something a bit more substantial. 380's are generally not easy to shoot for fun.
 
My two pocket guns are the Ruger LCR and Taurus 738.

The LCR has proven itself with many range trips and - right now - is exclusive in pocket duty. For IWB it shares time with a officer 1911 --- definitely not a pocket gun.

The Taurus is new to me with 7 rounds through it. To me, it's better ergonomically than the LCP or KelTec. It is SLIGHTLY larger in every dimension, but we're talking 1-2 tenths of an inch.

Some guys here can carry a field howitzer in their pocket with no one noticing. For me, even the bulge of the LCR is noticable, but not discernable to be GUN. Yet, for those occassions where bulge = bad, I got the 738. It's also a shade lighter than the LCR and there are times when ounces really count.

Q
 
.380 hollowpoints seem easier to get than fmj. the store I use either has gold dots, critical defense, or golden sabres. I have shot a box of gold dots and critical defense through that pk380. also about 850 rounds of various fmj. no hiccups of anykind. I just don't feel comfortable carrying it
 
Walther PPS in a Crossbreed SuperTuck.

That's my Knoxville summer carry method. I'm tall and lanky and that thing still disappears with the greatest of ease, plus I get the comfort of 9mm.

You seem to already like Walthers, so I'd check out the PPS. Coal Creek has one right now for a decent price. Unfortunately, they don't have one in their rental case or you could try before you buy, but I'm sure if you were to ask around to the fellow THR PPS owners you'd hear nothing but praise.
 
yeah I like walthers. haven't been to coal creek in a year or two. hope their prices are a little better than last time. local store could out do em by an average of $100
 
Well, if not, there's always Bud's, GunBroker, GunsAmerica etc... If you're down with the whole internet purchase concept...

I think it was listed in the $600 range, which is not bad at all.
 
If you're willing to put up with a little more weight and to purchase pants/shorts with large enough pockets, consider a Kahr PM9. It is larger than the little Ruger and Kel-Tec pistols but is less bulky than the revolver and far less bulky than the Springfield, which is really more of a compact belt gun than a pocket gun.
 
I would NEVER willingly carry a .32acp handgun for self-defense.

I'm dubious about the .380acp.

Of the firearms that were mentioned, the best combination of stopping power and ease of carry is probably going to be the Ruger LCR. Some people who have them say that the lack of mass makes them unpleasant to shoot with serious defense loads.

I regularly carry a S&W Model 36 on five mile walks around town. I carry in a Desantis pocket holster in the front pocket of my hiking shorts. It's comfortable and unobtrusive. I use the Federal 158gr. +P "FBI" load. With decent grips, that load is not punishing to shoot.

If it were me, I'd look for a good used S&W Model 36, Centennial or Bodyguard. Cosmetic appearance is irrelevant so long as mechanical condition is in order.
 
I like the Ruger LCR with +P 38 special as a minimum...

and it is light enough to carry in a pocket during the summer as well. Remember, bring enough gun.
 
If you can live with a .380, then an LCP. Otherwise the LCR or 442/642 are the way to go. All in the appropriate pocket holster, of course, like the Nemesis. Anything bigger probably won't work in shorts. The Kel-Tec in 9mm is intriguing, but I haven't been able to actually handle one yet. Haven't seen one of the new Sig .380s either.
 
All of the above and buy some more options, too. You can never have too many carry options. Mine go from small, tiny to IWB/OWB only. I would suggest the first be something like the LCP. That will give you a gun you can almost always carry with almost adequate power for self defense. Then, you might think about a subcompact 9 after that, or a belt carry compact of some kind, caliber and design of choice.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top