Your Concealed Carry Gun?

How long did it take?

I don't like to CCW my Glock19, it's my wife's night time gun, no manual safety with a crimson trace. I've been shooting a DA/SA manual safety type gun for 20 yrs, so it's what I know and love. the P7 is just thin, solid, accurate with a great trigger and the unique grip safety make it near impossible to ND (if plaxico was carrying one of these and not a glock he never would have shot himself, so says me).


IWB: HK P30s in .40 s&w in condition one, in a crossbreed supertuck deluxe in horse-hide holster with tact-thumb cut




OWB: HK P30s in .40 s&w in condition one, with TLR weaponlight mounted in a Raven Concealment Kydex holster

((this shows a glock in the RCS but you get the idea))


Under the shoulder: HK P30s with or without weaponlight in a 5.11 shirt (the neoprene one)


Pocket: HK P7 in 9mm

I think it's safe to say most permit holders spend years searching for The One. I've certainly gone through a few the past ten years.

Ironically my favorite, a CZ P01, was something I tried out eight years ago and passed on. CZ made a mag baseplate change that made all the difference. Go figure.

RCS...simply the BEST!

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((this shows a glock in the RCS but you get the idea))


One of the best holsters out there. I can easily conceal my G19 under just a regular t-shirt, with no difficulty, and I am only 5'7 and and athletic 165lbs. I don't know what kind of black magic they use...but I approve!

FMFdoc:

agreed. Great countours and bombproof. I have an RCS for OWB carry for all of them:

HK p30s
G19
P7
USP

if they made one for my STI 2011 double stack, i'd have one for it too (I went with Bladetech for that one). RCS: worth the wait and the cost.

For IWB the crossbreed is very comfortable and stable, check them out.

It varies.

Summer carry is either G19, Ruger Security Six or 442.

Winter Carry is a VBOB.

Sometimes a Hi Power.

Rather than emphasize the specific make and model(s) that I landed on, I'd like to talk about the philosophical change that I came to.

When I first started to carry, I went straight to a single stack 9. I assumed that anything bigger than the PF-9 was too big to conceal, so I skipped straight to the flat sub category to start my search. I tried the LC9 and PF-9. I hated each of them.

Eventually, I had an epiphany: those single stack subs are simply harder to be effective with, and less capable than a cut down duty compact. With a little experimentation, I realized that I could carry up to a Glock 19/23 in light clothing.

That changed everything. I no longer own anything smaller than my Ruger SR9c, and I have zero interest in buying any more single stack subs.



I recommend starting big, and easing your way down in size. Carry the biggest pistol that you can carry every day.

Several guns and holsters.

Shoot your friends guns, rent range guns if possible.

It will be much cheaper!

Colt Combat Commander S/S in a Milt Sparks Summer Special. Any 1911 that has all the controls in the same place will do for me. Nothing to "re-learn" been doing this for over 50 years, and it will be the most "Gone To" gun in the next 50 years.

I have carried several 1911s,Beretta 92s,S&W 5906 and full size M&Ps both in 9mm and 45 acp.But I am now carrying a Sig Sauer MK25 P226 and I can tell you that its going to be my EDC for a long while to come.I like full size pistols and don't have a problem concealing them or carrying them.I don't have much use for the compacts or sub compacts.

Only 1911 s

Started with a sub compact 9 for a couple years. Then a coworker introduced me ro far better carry methods and i upgraded to a full size, G17. Six months or so latter I cought rhe 1911 bug. Year later I decided on G21, extra rounds in a nice big .45 that I can still conceal and shoot well. To me it's a compromise between the former g17 and 1911. Still have the sub compact for when I don't feel like dressing around the brick.

This one will be a bit of an oddball for most of you...

My favorite carry pistol is a Beretta 92f (not fs) Centurion. 4.3 inch barrel with a full size slide. 20 round Mec-Gar magazine, currently loaded with "Asym" 124gr, +P, bonded JHP, low-flash/FBI protocol ammo.

I am in agreement with BILLG...I like to carry full size pistols.

This one will be a bit of an oddball for most of you...
20 round Mec-Gar magazine,

Click to expand...

Im guessing thats Open carry?

Ive carried a FS and A1 concealed on occasion. Currently a Type M has been seeing a little more rotation with my LW Commander. However, I would have a hard time concealing that extra length of a 20rd.

I guess I should say I started with a S&W 645, moved to a Star 9mm then stopped carrying for about 10yrs, when I picked it carrying again it was with a full size 1911.. As others stated I prefer full sized pistols or slightly compact versions.

When I received my Type M, my FFL was writing the info down and said that aint no compact. LOL

It took me a few years, but the environment can change and you can modify your criteria. I moved from a high crime area to a low crime area and my needs changed.

The only gun that I couldn't adjust to though was an N frame revolver; it printed no matter what I did. Printing was always low on my list of concerns, but it still bugged me.

I haven't had trouble carrying any other gun. You just need to be willing to work on it.

Carry what you can carry safely and can be effective with. Be wary of the man who thinks he can recommend a carry gun or a wife.

im fortunate enough to carry off duty what ever i want....

that said i carry my duty gun (g17) off duty because im comfortable with the platform, it meets all my needs (perceived or real) and if God forbid i have to use it id rather "their"gun sit in evidence than mine.

i do on occasion carry other guns instead of or in addition to the g17, but this is the one im generally with.

I chose the 1911 due to familiarity and ease of use. Then I just set about finding a way to make it work for me CCW'ing.

I'd say plan on having 2 guns for concealed carry. Have a good, reliable, pocket gun such as a LCP or S&W 642, and have a good belt gun such as a Glock 19, XDM 45 compact, etc... Caliber and weapon is a very personal choice and the area you live in can sway your opinions. I used to be happy with a 7shot 1911, but with more gangs around where I live, I usually carry a 9+1 45 or a 13+1 9mm.
I usually use the pocket pistol for trips to the mail box, taking out trash, going on a 1st date(they say to use protection), etc...and don't feel like holstering up.
Biggest lesson I learned was to buy a good belt and good holster, and you can conceal most handguns with ease.

Second try here. First was a Springfield XD Service in .40. I liked it, and wanted to like it even more, but I shot it very poorly (realized later it was likely my fault, not the gun). At any rate, I ended up selling it and buying a Glock 19 a while later. I shoot it very well - significantly better than any other pistol I've ever fired. Its been my EDC for close to a year now, and while I really like it, I'm either going to need to change my wardrobe this summer, or buy a LCR for pocket carry during Arizona's blistering summer heat.

First in 1973 was a Ruger 45 colt 4 5/8"
2nd was a custom 1911
3rd was h&k p7 (1980's bottom mag release)
4th is now a Sig p220 2 two tone.

How long? I got my first handgun in 1967 so when I got my first license a few years after that it was a matter of which one; not how long. I've never obsessed over a carry piece. Just used whichever one was most appropriate for the season, clothing, holsters at the time, what struck my fancy and etc.

Glock 19, 21, 26 (depending on dress). All Gen 4. Also going to be adding a 32, 29, or 30 to that list. They're all on my list to own, so it's just going to be a 'which one first' type of thing. Now that I reload, the options really open up for me, because now I can afford to shoot the .45's, 10's, and .357 sig's.

SA XDs .45, it's a .45 the same size as most pocket 9mm's and melts away under my wardrobe with a Galco iwb holster. Holds 5+1 and a very manageable recoil...actually it felt better recoil wise than the small Keltec 9mm I shot. Small gun+big bullet doesn't make it the most enjoyable to shoot but it wasn't designed to be a range shooter.

Depending on dress a Beretta M85FS, CZ-75D PCR or HK P7.

I don't think there is a one to be had. Depending on your dress, a larger side carry may be desired,or in lighter dress a smaller frame pistol with a pocket liner holster may be needed for proper concealment. I like the Ruger LCP 380,similar to Kel-Tec p3at, for when I'm in nicer dress as it fits well in either my back pocket or inside my light dress jacket inner pocket. When I'm in thicker clothing I prefer inside the waist mid frame sr9c in a cross bread holster. Mid frames fit me very comfortably with ease of concealment,but that is subject to body size.
I am comfortable with both of these guns and shoot well with them but you'll need to do a search for you'r own preference in what your comfortable with and can shoot with. Whatever you are already familiar and comfortable shooting with will be your best option. From LCPs to full frames, and LCRs to Larger frame revolvers," not to large", there is a huge market of holsters for nearly every design that makes carrying them very comfortable and easily concealed. But like I say depending on dress I think you'll want two in the end for different dress options. If you have a good local police and tactical store a lot of them, or at least the one I'm familiar with, will let you bring in your handgun and test fit different holsters.

I started out mainly carrying revolvers, like a Charter Arms Undercover and various S&W J frames. Finally fixed on a S&W Model 49, and have been using some sort of variant of that design (Model 649 and Model 638), for a number of years now.

To keep this autoloader related I also began carrying a Colt Mustang and liked it so much I bought a SIG P-238 to supplement it in the rotation, along with a KelTec P3AT, from time to time.