Looking for open carry gun suggestions...

Howdy y’all! I’m new to this forum but certainly not new to guns. Even so, I recognize that I don’t know everything about all guns so I’m looking for a little advice.

I’d like to buy a new open carry gun for when I’m teaching CCW and pistol safety classes. I have been carrying either the XDM (5.25” bbl) or the Canik TP9 SFx but I’d like to carry something with a little more gravitas. I’ve been wanting a full sized pistol that I can suppress and figured that if I could kill both of those birds with one good sized rock then my wife would be happier (spending less on guns and more on her, LOL!). My budget is $700 and I’m thinking .45ACP but would listen to arguments for the 9mm.

This is what I’ve been looking at: ultimately I’d love to get an HK but they seem to be out of my budget’s reach. Walther’s PPQ looks good, as does the Sig Sauer line of tacticals (also a bit high $). I like the FNX 45 as well but have no experience with FN.

The features it should have is a threaded barrel, appropriately tall sights for a can, a manual safety and be a full sized weapon as I’ll never need it for CC.

Any thoughts?

ATLDave said:

I don't understand. Exactly what are you teaching? Just general gun safety, handling, and marksmanship? That doesn't seem to place any particular requirements on the gun, except that you be able to shoot it reasonably well if you're going to demonstrate actual shooting and expect to have credibility.

If you're teaching concealed carry specifically, why wouldn't you want to demonstrate concealed carry? Concealed carry generally requires some kind of garment clearing component to drawing the gun, and that is an easy place for people to either foul up their draw or do unsafe things. Or is this class just some sort of state-mandated/dictated-curriculum thing where there's really not any technique component?

If you're just looking for a full-sized duty-type gun that can work with a suppressor, that's cool.

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This gun would not be for teaching CC, it would be to wear at the range while I’m teaching CC. I teach the students about how to conceal, how to clear and draw and various other aspects while in the classroom. I want to open carry at the range because the RSO doesn’t like CC at his range. This gun would be for safety purposes (I’m always dubious of people I don’t know at the range) and to demonstrate that yes, you can actually hit the target at thirty feet with a decent gun.

The tactical features (threaded bbl and high sights) would be for the alternative use of having something to suppress when shooting by myself or for the rare occasions that I get to teach the class at someone’s home range, which sometimes happens. It would be nice to be able to demonstrate some aspects of shooting without the impedance of hearing protection.

So yes, I’m also looking for a duty sized gun that I can suppress to further justify my purchase to the boss (wife).

Trunk Monkey said:

If it's for open carry get a High Point

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Oh no, no!! My vast collection of High Points are all safe queens. How can you shoot such a work of art?

Kleanbore said:

How would that work?

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It’s not for teaching CC, per se, it’s to carry at the range while I teach the class. The RSO does not like CC on his range.

I’ve been looking at the CZ P09 because of the price though it lacks the gravitas/reputation I’d like to have for this certain weapon. The Walther is next in affordability and it has a bit more rep. I’m afraid that the HK, FN or Sig I really want are going to be out of my price range. I might have to just buy what the heck I want and deal with the aftermath later. As a wise person once said, “It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission”.

BSA1 said:

Beretta 92FS.

You can easily get a new Beretta 92FS, extra magazines, holster, mag holder for under $700.00. The exposed hammer should calm down a nervous nellie range officer.

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I have a Taurus PT92AF which has been one of my favorite handguns since I bought it back in 1981. I’ve shot it so much that I’ve had to replace the barrel. I should have gotten a threaded one then and put on some high sites. But I didn’t know I would want one back then, or that it was even an option. I was only eighteen after all.

ATLDave said:

I wouldn't worry about "gravitas." All kinds of people have all kinds of views as to what guns are "impressive" or "serious" or "favored by real experts." There's literally nothing you can buy that will impress everyone. I'd focus on getting a high-quality gun that you can shoot well. Newer shooters - the kinds of people taking basic safety or CC classes - are impressed by people who can shoot well.

And so are the rest of us. Get a gun you can shoot well.

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I agree to a very large extent, but this is intended to be part of the uniform. I have about 85 handguns, most are collectible (Colt PPs, Lugers, war era 1911s) and are not suitable for this kind of work. Most of the rest of them are mid grade handguns of the XDm, Glock, Canik class. Good guns that I shoot well (I shoot almost all of my guns well, except for the snubbys) but they lack the stature I’m looking for. I know it sounds trite and vacuous but to many of the folks I teach image is everything. Besides, as I’ve said, having more than one reason to get it makes it easier to justify to the powers that be (the wife).

Or I could go another route and buy something like https://palmettostatearmory.com/fn-fns-9-longslide-9mm-17rd-5-pistol-w-night-sights-66717.html and add my own sights and a threaded bbl. $400 plus a new bbl ($200) and sights shouldn’t be more than $150

I like that a lot. It’s cheap enough that I might just get it anyway at some point. In fact I freaking love the 1911, it’s why I have 18 of them (in many variants)! I carry an officers model everyday and I wouldn’t leave home without it. Still, I have an Armscor but it lacks the snooty factor I’m looking for.

ATLDave said:

Seems like that's the real set of criteria. I can't think of a reason anyone's recommendation of a particular gun would change based on the class use. You're likely to get better/more useful feedback if you pose the question that way. I'd also leave out the phrase "open carry," because most people take that to imply/mean carrying a gun in public in an open manner (which is a very wormy can to open).

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That’s a good point. I’ll try the NFA forum and pose the questions differently.

bdickens said:

What's wrong with using one of the 85 handguns you already have?

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I suppose it’s possible you didn’t read ANY of the posts I wrote excepting that one sentence, so I’ll reiterate...

Most of the guns I own are either old collector type guns or middling grade guns. I’d like to get something that is higher grade, more along the lines of an HK, FN or similar. I’ve been using an XDm when I want a .45 and a Canik when I prefer a 9mm.