CCW

[shiftyer1]

Ok I got to thinkin today at work while I was looking at a little keltec .380, Why do folks not chose the smallest acceptable caliber (.380, .9mm, .38 etc) carry weapon as a primary carry gun? Don't get me wrong if you can conceal a s & w .500 by all means go for it but why the choice for a larger frame when smaller guns are available?

I'm not talking about the guys that _____________ because thats what they have. Yes mag. capacity is a consideration but I feel 6 -9 rounds are realisticly enough for a self defense situation, if you can hit what you aim at and don't have 8 guys determined to harm or kill you in an action movie setting.

Wouldn't smaller be much more convienient and/or concealable than larger guns and have acceptable accuracy and reliability?

I also recently tried a sig p229 iwb on side and realized how OBVIOUS it was while I was wearing a semi baggy shirt. Which also caused my train of thought.

So whats the reason to carry bigger when smaller will do the job just fine? And I mean size NOT caliber.

 

[lions]

Aren't you from Texas? Isn't everything bigger in Texas? Case closed!

 

[flrfh213]

i carry a bersa thunder 380 or rossi 357 (38+P) snub in ss, i feel this is enough fire power in the event that i need it (i hope i never need it but......) if i need more than that, the good lord had a reason and i hope if it ever comes to it i am not the only armed person (good guy) there...

 

[TheProf]

The smaller frame guns tend to have more reliability problems than bigger frame guns ...all things being equal. There's less margin for parts malfunctioning.

 

[G19x]

So are you asking why people carry large .45 or why people carry a large 9mm?

If the latter I can put my thoughts on it.
On a hot summer day with a athletic cut good looking t-shirt and jeans on my G19 and two spares wont be noticed. A big problem with people thinking they are printing is because you know there is a gun there, so when you look in the mirror all you see is gun. With time that will change.
Now as far as the higher capacity.

If I ever had to engage in a fight for my life with a gun I would want to be able to put the most rounds down range before having to reload.
there was a write up on another site that highlighted the importance of this fact. Even though "most" fights end way before the need to reload I'm not sacrificing anything to carry 15 rounds in my hands.
Plus like the Denny's robbery last week we see that these fellows someitmes work in groups.
Now drawing down on 4 people isn't a good idea unless it becomes clear they don't instead to let people walk out of there, then its you or them, and again more rounds between reloads the better.

Plus a larger grip + better sight picture means more accuracy. I'd want to give myself a good chance of killing someone at distance should the need arise in a mall / public setting. If not kill then atleast up set their plan.
Unlikely scenarios but they all have happened in the past year in very different places.
Now of course a rifle would be a hell of a lot better, but since all i have is my pistol I can at least do something rather then have whatever my 5 rounds snubby can do.


Even if all this doesnt seem vary likely its not like you have to give up a lot if anything to carry a double stack pistol. I also have a 26 for certain days.

 

[shiftyer1]

Nope everything is not bigger in Texas. I'm a transplant and the deer here are just small, weight wise. But to me meat is more important then rack.

500 rounds with no problems aside from choosing ammo is required.

 

[shiftyer1]

G19x

The imagined printing was not imagined.

 

[ezypikns]

I alternate between...

a 5" 1911 and a Sig P239 in 9mm. I shoot OK with both. The Sig is smaller and a little lighter, but believe it or not, the 1911 is just as easy to conceal. For one thing it's got a very slim profile.
As far as the .45 being a "larger" caliber, that's undeniable, but the recoil from a 1911 has never seemed to have the snap that other calibers give you. It's more of a push.

 

[G19x]

Then change your dress. Whats your height weight? AIWB is a great solution and an awesome place to draw from if you're not to fat.
Really isn't a reason not to be able to conceal and moderate sized handgun.

 

[Cpt. America]

Got 2 Keltecs. My "winter" carry is a P-11 9mm and my summer carry is a P32 .32 acp. I also carry a kershaw vapor 2 or my new Benchmade Infidel OTF knife.

 

[2RCO]

Summer carry is a P3AT for me. Winter is a good ole 1911. Springfield Micro Loaded for those days I wan't something a bit lighter. Kimber Stainless for those days I feel like carrying a brick.

 

[Kind of Blued]

People carry bigger guns for the same reason that they carry a gun in the first place; to stop a deadly threat.

A big gun is easier to grip, easier to shoot accurately, has better terminal ballistics, holds more ammunition, and makes for a better club if it comes to that.

All of these things give an individual an advantage should they have to stop a deadly threat.

 

[hso]

have acceptable accuracy and reliability

You've alluded to the answer right there.

Smaller/lighter guns may not have the accuracy or reliability of a slightly larger gun (then there's the caliber issue you've already pointed out). A concealment gun has to go "BANG" every time or it doesn't matter how easy it is to carry. You also have to be able to hit with it at the close ranges for self defense. A small gun that is "too small" is harder to make those hits and making accurate hits with a smaller gun is even more critical due to smaller caliber and the fewer number of rounds available.

All that said, I carry a p3at almost all the time because it is easily carried almost anywhere without notice and the small size doesn't represent a handling problem because I have small hands. That doesn't mean I don't carry a compact 9 or 45 in an IWB, but the p3at is always there.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Concealment vs Control

I have spent a bit of time and effort trying to determine what I would carry.

My first thought was that I'd like something like a P3AT or a PF9. Maybe even a Rohrbaugh R9 or a Beretta Tomcat or a Seecamp. Very flat, very compact.

I tried them in my hand at various stores, and came to the disappointing conclusion that, because of a bum knuckle, I couldn't adequately manage a really small grip. That let out all the micro guns.

I went the other way, looking at the CZ P01, the Taurus PT911, and similar pistols. I actually picked up a PT911. It's a nice pistol, but a pain to conceal.

I needed something big enough to grip properly (with my duff knuckle) but small enough the conceal without a major wardrobe revision and chronic pain.

It turns out that the Kahr P9 accomplishes all that.

It shoots the full-sized 9mm cartridge, its grip is long enough that I can hold it properly and shoot reasonable groups, and it's slim and flat enough to carry without bizarre contortions.

I could have gotten the Kel-Tec P11 and used the mag extender, and it's likely I'll get one in the future, but the Kahr was going for a good price, night sights and all, so I grabbed it.

So, in simple terms:

1) I can't shoot the tiny guns well.

2) I can't conceal the standard compacts well.

3) I can shoot and conceal the sub-compact Kahr P9 and others of that same form factor.

 

[ar10]

I carry a sub-compact 40SW, most of the time but I also carry a BUG 38 special as well. IMO there's absolutely nothing wrong with what someone decides to carry as long as they're comfortable with it.
What is interesting is when I work the range women generally come with a single gun and practice with it. Males however come to the range with two or more guns. Guess who the better shots are.
One thing we have here are separate bays, away from the general public bays for training and weekend competitions. If they're not being used shooters can go to one of them and practice their drawing and shooting w/o distractions. I personally like the .38 snubby and practice with it at 5 and 10'.

 

[Griz44]

I carry an officer sized 1911 Colt Defender. Easy to conceal, accurate, and carries a good punch. 45 ammo in all types of defense rounds is readily available plus I load my own XTP self defense rounds. I am a large guy, and carry in the small of the back inside waistband. Very comfortable and secure.