recomend an auto for CCW

Sig P228 or P239 perhaps? The P239 can be had in 9/40/357. On the polymer side in a .45 I love the USP .45 compact. Nothing really wrong with Cocked'N Locked carry, I'm just not much of a 1911 guy personally. As far as small 9mm's go, I've found the G26 real hard to beat. One option for you might be the new Kahr .45. It's slim, concealable and has a consistant trigger pull.

If you prefer the 1911 already

I'd say get some training to become comfortable with condition 1 (cocked and locked) carry. 1911 specific training will teach you how the pistol functions and ease your mind as to mechanical reliability and safety.

Are you sure that your friends hole in the kitchen floor is due to the gun, and not the operator? I've heard of one slam-fire from a 1911 a long time ago, but other than that I think you are literally millions of times more likely to have an "accidental" discharge due to negligence/carelessness, rather than due to a "mechanical failure".

Have you seen the new XD-45 ACP? For me the XDs 'point' very much like a 1911 does, and has the grip safety.

Cocked & Locked As Option #1

Greeting's All-

If it were me, I'd stick with the 1911 platform by learning the basics. And
that is remembering to "keep your booger picker OFF the boom switch".
With that said, how 'bout a Kimber .45 ACP Stainless Ultra Carry II?

I didn't want to be the first to say it.

I've heard of hammer follow on 1911's, but that's a problem that should be caught during the daily functional check, not by putting a round through the kitchen. I admit to being extremely prejuduced when it comes to handguns, but methinks you might want to chalk that hole up to operator error and buy a good 1911. As far as good 1911's for less than an arm and leg, Springfield is making some nice pistols in the milspec and loaded, I've heard good things lately about the new RIA's and I own two Charles Daly's that are reliable. One, however, refuses to feed H.P.'s so is a range queen. The other is my carry gun. A little higher up the pay scale, Kimber is moving back to internal extractors, so reliability should be good on the new pistols. Nighthawk, Ed Brown, Rock River and the like crank out some excellent pistols also, but the cost is comensurate with the hand fitting and attention to detail that they put into making a working gun that also looks good.

I agree with the others... if you like the 1911 (I sure do), why not just go with that? They are superb, reliable, easy to carry and a dream to shoot. No other semi-auto pistol compares to it. For your purposes I would choose a bobtailed Colt Commander. See my comments in this thread:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=176015

Go with either a glock 26 or similar sized/different caliber version, a SW990L, or a Sig P239. I prefer the feel of the Sig but I do not like a heavy carry gun and the sigs are pretty heavy. The gun I carry now is a S&W 990L (x-mas gift from the woman.. ). It almost feels like a heavy single action trigger as there is no slack in the trigger. I like it much better than the glock and it is light and conceals nicely with a kramer IWB #3. In .40 S&W you have 9 rounds at your disposal.

Matt

Para Ordnance LDA Single Stack CCW

http://www.paraord.com/product/product.html?id=35

1911
no worry about cocked and locked
single stack for concealability
4.25" barrel for adequate velocity and accuracy
Ballparks in around 7 bills new, but if you look hard and live right you should find one for less

If you like the 1911 and redundant safties, why not buy one of the Sieries 80 Colts? The thumb safety on any 1911 positively blocks the action (I trust it), The grip safety blocks the trigger (I partially trust it), and the firing pin safety blocks the firing pin unless the trigger is pressed (I trust it).

I trust this combination of mechanical safeties as much as (or more than) I trust de-cocked autos with a round in the chamber or any fully loaded revolver.

another vote for the glock 26. Fairly small, 12 rounds (if you use the +1 pierce extension, as i do), VERY controllable and accurate.

Had a Glock 26 for 8 years - but never did well w/ the trigger. FInally got rid of it a few months ago - Got a compact Walther P99 with the AS trigger - it is DA/SA, but the SA is so sweet. And the DA is not that heavy.

They are no longer importing them w/ that trigger style, so be sure to get an A/S and not the newer QA trigger

It has a tennifer finish, similiar to the Glock. So, it is durable.

Were I to decide to go with a 9mm for carry, it'd come down to one of only two choices:
1. SIG P-228 (my personal favorite 9)
2. CZ-75 Compact, PCR or PO1. Advantages to each of the three.
No others.

CZ75 Compact in either 9mm or 40, SA/DA, but for the 1911 in you, can be carried cocked and locked, one of the very few DA autos that can be. Best bang for the buck.

I carry a CZ75 SP-01 and CCW a Ruger 2" SP101. I just don't like autos for CCW. Learning to carry C&L is a breeze. Just takes a bit of practice.

The Sig 239 is one of the best I've come across.

+1 for the Sig P239 I carry the 40S&W and love it. I have had other guns and this one is much easier to conceal because of the short barrel and the single stack magazine. My suggestion would be to go to a range and rent a sig to see what the trigger is like. Sig actually does a nice job with there DA/SA triggers.

Good Luck

My two cents it to get a DA gun. The Sig, whatever quality DA. The first shot is fired from condition two like a revolver, the rest single action. I much prefer DA or DAO for carry.

Some of the CZs, and I don't know anything but the original CZ75, can be carried either condition one or DA hammer down. If and when you would ever wanna carry SA condition one (I never did like it) you'd have the option with the CZ.

Personally, I like my compact DAO 9 for carry. My DA guns are fine, too, but they're a little big and I don't often carry 'em. The only time I've ever carried a condition one gun was in a thumb break holster with the strap in front of the hammer, just in case. The 1911s I had were not series 70 with no firing pin block, which made me even more paranoid of 'em.

I'm partial to my HK P7M8 riding in Sparks leather; I recommend both.

Get what fits you, not something you have to have worked on or something you have to compromise in any way. If a 1911 fits you and you can hit well with it, do it. Learn the particular weapon inside and out in detail. Take it apart and closely examine it often. Get to know where the wear is and what is normal. Shoot the whee out of it. Get with people who really know their way around your personal choice and learn all you can. After all, it may be the last tool in your hands keeping you from meeting the Almighty.

Sorry for the off-topic, but does anyone make a DAO or DA/SA M1911 clone?
I just can't bring myself to feel comfortable with a "Cocked and Locked" weapon in my holster.

Nervous and wussy? Maybe, but there it is... Yes, I know my grandfathers both carried M1911A1s this way from one end of the Europe to the other, and that millions of other shooters since then have done it... But... ... ...

You may also want to take a look at the new Kahr P-45. I bought one a couple of months ago, and it has been great. No failures at all, and the accuracy is very good for a short barrel 45. I was a bit concerned about the recoil of such a light weight 45, but after putting a bunch of rounds through it, I find it to be quite manageable. It is small, light weight, and very easy to conceal. The trigger is very smooth and light with little stacking. The pull length is a bit long, but with some practice you will learn to adapt. This is just my .02 worth.

MGRII

Thain said:

Sorry for the off-topic, but does anyone make a DAO or DA/SA M1911 clone?
I just can't bring myself to feel comfortable with a "Cocked and Locked" weapon in my holster.

Nervous and wussy? Maybe, but there it is... Yes, I know my grandfathers both carried M1911A1s this way from one end of the Europe to the other, and that millions of other shooters since then have done it... But... ... ...

Click to expand...

But..... what? Not arguing but I really don't understand people's fascination/fear of the 1911 carried in the condition it was designed for.

The 1911 is the most carried autoloading handgun of all time, it's got a several decade headstart on Glock for sure, plus soldiers for decades on top of that. How many stories do you hear of the safety being clicked off and somehow shooting the wearer?

Popularity of the platform is going UP if anything, with LE agencies around the country moving back to the thing.

Do you have any MORE ND stories about 1911's because they were carried in Condition 1 than any other handgun?

Recently I finally found a 1911 holster that is just right for me, and I've begun carrying mine again after years with the Sig 239. I'd forgotten how thin and comfy that thing is.

The Sig is in the safe.

If for whatever reason the 1911 just doesn't do it, then I'd recommend a SIG over any funky DA/SA 1911 thing.