Concealed Carry Preference

[Sneaky Potato]

Today I shot a friend's Taurus small frame 357 that he uses for concealed carry. He got me interested in maybe finding a gun to carry, but I absolutely hated his little hammerless revolver. The trigger pull was absolutely terrible, and required a lot of effort on my part to the get the trigger back to what felt like my elbow. 38's were okay on recoil, but 357s just about blew my arm off because the revolver weighs less than my wallet. I just can't imagine using that thing in a hostile situation, especially with a trigger pull like that.

What guns do you prefer to conceal carry, and how do you carry them?

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If you want a good trigger give the new S&W Bodyguard 38 a try. It comes with an integral laser and the trigger pull is excellent. If you would rather a Ruger give the LCP a look see...

There are other S&W Airweight and Airlite J frame revolvers too.

I carry a S&W Model 442 daily.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

99% of the time, I carry a revolver. Generally, it will be a Ruger SP101 for belt/holster carry and a Colt Agent/Cobra for pocket carry.

 

[SEE IT LIKE A NATIVE]

My current carry gun is a Glock 30 sf in .45 acp , prior to that I carried a Ruger Speed Six in .357 mag . There is no sense in putting up with a trigger that is that bad !(the Taurus ) I tried the trigger on a couple of Ruger LCRs and S&W snubs and they were excellent ! I haven't shot one yet ,but I am told that the felt recoil is less with the polymer framed rugers than the metal framed guns of similar weight ! I would lean towards the .38 only Ruger as it is a few ounces lighter than its 357 brother . Kevin

ps i carry in an inside the waistband holster on my strong side !

 

[2wheels]

Yeah, .357s in a snubbie never struck me as something I'd like to try.

I like my 1911s most days, the single action trigger on a good 1911 is a whole different world when compared to the (I'm assuming from your description) crappy double action trigger on a Taurus revolver.

If you're specifically into wheelguns and not interested in autoloaders, I'd be willing to bet a S&W or Ruger will have a better trigger right out of the box. My S&W 442 (snub nose .38) that I pocket carry does have a somewhat long and heavy trigger, but it's very smooth. Shooting double action guns, especially tiny ones does take a bit of practice.

 

[Old Fuff]

What sort of a everyday threat level do you face? In my case even though I live near the Arizona/Mexican border my usual lifestyle doesn't normally place me in great danger. For every day carry I now usually pack a small .38 Special snubby in a side pants pocket, which represents "enough but not too much."

When circumstances suggest greater risk (which is seldom) I switch to a heavier/larger gun chambered in .44 Special or .45 ACP or .45 Colt. If carried on my person (rather then my automobile) it will be in an inside-waistband holster; either inside the pants, or between the pants and belt. If you do this be sure to get a quality belt.

Trigger pulls on "pocketable" subbies tend to be heavy, and out-of-the-box are rough. Dry firing will smooth out most of the roughness - but be sure to load the chambers with snap-caps. If you can, step up to a S&W K-frame and you will generally find the trigger pull to be much better, and as previously suggested if you haven't yet bought a gun, look into Smith & Wesson's new Bodyguard .38 Special and Ruger's LCR - both of which feature better trigger designs.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

I carry a P220 Sig 90% of the time. The other 10% I carry a 1911. I would rely on the 1911 all of the time but really am too picky on its finish. I have both IWB & OWB holsters for the Sig, but strictly stick to OWB carry for the Officers 1911.

 

[easyg]

I used to carry a Glock 26 (a fine carry pistol), but these days I carry a Ruger SR9c.



But if you prefer revolvers, then give the Ruger LCR a try.
It has the best double-action trigger of any revolver that I have ever shot.

 

[skt239]

I carry one and love the trigger. I've had a few over the years and they took some time getting used. I think it takes about 1,000 dry fires to get the trigger to start breaking in. If you can't get warm up to it (many people can't) take the other forum members advice and look into the LCR. They have the lightest small revolver trigger I've ever felt. Also, from what I read, the start out that way and stay the same, so no breaking the trigger in. I personally do not like the trigger but I've only dry fired one. I'd really like to get some live fire with the LCR as everything feels right but the trigger. Good luck on your quest.

 

[bannockburn]

In a revolver I favor the S&W Model 638 using an IWB holster. For something a little bit smaller and lighter I go with a KelTec P3AT in a pocket holster.

 

[Skribs]

Potato, the easier the gun is to carry, the less you'll get out of it...either it will have increased recoil due to the small size, or it will have reduced power to compensate. On the ammo FAQ on another site they say that out of a snubbie there isn't much velocity gain using .357 over .38, so I pretty much just use .38s in my SP101.

As to carry, a revolver is going to have a long, hard trigger pull in double action mode. That is the "safety". DAO pistols will have a similar "safety" mechanism, but it's usually smaller and lighter. I don't know if a different revolver would feel better for you.

I find that for concealement, revolvers print less than duty pistols due to their smaller grips and much smaller butt, but a pocket semi-auto will be easier to hide. If you get a solid DA revolver like a SP101 or a 6-shot ruger/smith the .357 magnum is a lot easier to handle.

I have a Ruger SP101 and LCP, and a Springfield Xdm compact. I'd say 70% of the time I carry the LCP, 30% the XDm. The revolver honestly just sits in a drawer.

 

[Sneaky Potato]

Potato, the easier the gun is to carry, the less you'll get out of it...either it will have increased recoil due to the small size, or it will have reduced power to compensate. On the ammo FAQ on another site they say that out of a snubbie there isn't much velocity gain using .357 over .38, so I pretty much just use .38s in my SP101.

As to carry, a revolver is going to have a long, hard trigger pull in double action mode. That is the "safety". DAO pistols will have a similar "safety" mechanism, but it's usually smaller and lighter. I don't know if a different revolver would feel better for you.

I find that for concealement, revolvers print less than duty pistols due to their smaller grips and much smaller butt, but a pocket semi-auto will be easier to hide. If you get a solid DA revolver like a SP101 or a 6-shot ruger/smith the .357 magnum is a lot easier to handle.

I have a Ruger SP101 and LCP, and a Springfield Xdm compact. I'd say 70% of the time I carry the LCP, 30% the XDm. The revolver honestly just sits in a drawer.

Very helpful. I'd always wondered why so many DA revolvers have such a heavy trigger pull. I'd probably prefer something that would allow me to pull the hammer back. I don't like the hammerless look or feel. Is there a reason that they're hammerless other than for looks or simplicity?

To everyone one else, thanks for the quick replies. I'm finding that I'm still up in the air as to whether I want a revolver or something else. I like how compact revolvers are, but I wouldn't mind trying something else a little more solid. My father used to carry a small Colt New Agent, or some Colt model similar to this. I shot it many times and I always liked the feel of it. Small, but solid.

 

[mljdeckard]

Honestly, the reason I don't carry a revolver is that the idea of practicing that DA pull enough to really be proficient makes me sad. When I shoot revolvers, I like to shoot SA. I have shot J-frames and the LCR, and I can do it, but I don't feel like REALLY running them through the ringer.

 

[2wheels]

Very helpful. I'd always wondered why so many DA revolvers have such a heavy trigger pull. I'd probably prefer something that would allow me to pull the hammer back. I don't like the hammerless look or feel. Is there a reason that they're hammerless other than for looks or simplicity?

To everyone one else, thanks for the quick replies. I'm finding that I'm still up in the air as to whether I want a revolver or something else. I like how compact revolvers are, but I wouldn't mind trying something else a little more solid. My father used to carry a small Colt New Agent, or some Colt model similar to this. I shot it many times and I always liked the feel of it. Small, but solid.

They offer hammerless/shrouded hammer revolvers for a couple reasons.

First, single action isn't how you'll be shooting the gun in a self defense situation. Yeah it's easier to shoot SA at the range, but if you choose a DA revolver for self defense you really should learn to shoot it in double action mode.

And eliminating the hammer eliminates the possibility of it snagging on clothing during the draw, especially from a pocket.

 

[hardluk1]

Go to a indoor range to get some help froma RO to help you pick a size and type for you. BUT different revolvers have different pull weights . Older models ,like well use tend to also be smoother and a bit lighter. Take your time.

OH I carried a taurus 85ss revolver for 20 years. 4 1/2b DA pull weight. You also don't want to use a SA trigger pull on a revolver for CC or a SA pistol for a newbe.

 

[MCgunner]

The trigger pull was absolutely terrible, and required a lot of effort on my part to the get the trigger back to what felt like my elbow. 38's were okay on recoil, but 357s just about blew my arm off because the revolver weighs less than my wallet. I just can't imagine using that thing in a hostile situation, especially with a trigger pull like that.

I'm guessing you are a newbie to DA shooting? My Tauri have good to fantastic DA triggers. My little M85SSUL is the best out of the box DA trigger I've ever felt on any DA gun of any maker. BUT, I have not yet pulled the trigger on a LCR. It's miles better than any out of the box S&W J frame I've tried, though.

Anyway, if you buy any DA revolver for defense, sounds like you're going to need instruction and practice. I much prefer DA in a revolver OR auto, preferably DAO, for pocket carry. I DO NOT like Glock's "Safe Action", would go Springfield Armory with that sort of trigger and get the redundant grip safety. I have been there, done that with 1911 single actions. As I prefer DA revolvers and have carries, I prefer my autos to also use a DA pull at least for the first shot.

My most often carried gun is a Kel Tec P11. I can shoot 8" plates all day at 25 yards with the gun. It'll group 3.5" at 25 yards for me. You probably couldn't hit the side of a barn with it from inside the barn, though, if you can't handle the DA of a revolver. The Kel Tec is smoother than many DA revolvers, 10 lbs, but VERY long. I like that, myself, for safety and I'm well practiced with it. No external safeties needed, just like a revolver, just draw and pull the long trigger. It's 14 ounces and has a bit of rock and roll with +P stuff, but not as severe as a light weight .357 revolver and without all the muzzle blast and flash, though it's NOT insignificant, it's just not much worse than a hot .38 Special load. the KT has a much longer trigger and a good bit heavier than my Taurus 85, but it's very smooth and predictable and therefore easy for me to shoot. The Taurus is very smooth and light, though.

 

[KenW.]

As a cop, I am qualified to carry a Springfield XD40 subcompact off duty. But when it is hot here in the desert, I often drop an unauthorized Bond 410/45Colt derringer in my pocket if I go to the local 7-11 for a cup of coffee.

 

[Sgt_R]

Any pistol is a compromise; I would prefer to carry a rifle. However, as that's highly impractical (not to mention illegal in many places), I have settled on the Glock 26.

R

 

[Sneaky Potato]

Yeah, .357s in a snubbie never struck me as something I'd like to try.

I like my 1911s most days, the single action trigger on a good 1911 is a whole different world when compared to the (I'm assuming from your description) crappy double action trigger on a Taurus revolver.

If you're specifically into wheelguns and not interested in autoloaders, I'd be willing to bet a S&W or Ruger will have a better trigger right out of the box. My S&W 442 (snub nose .38) that I pocket carry does have a somewhat long and heavy trigger, but it's very smooth. Shooting double action guns, especially tiny ones does take a bit of practice.

How do you like your colt new agent?

 

[Rexster]

I will not voluntarily fire a lightweight small-frame revolver with .357 Mag ammo! An SP101 is the lightest weapon I will fire with Magnums, and I do like the little beasts. While I do not like gritty trigger pulls, mine are quite smooth, and the long DA revolver trigger stroke is fine with me. I carry one or more SP101 revolvers virtually all the time, regardless of what else I am also carrying.

I like medium- and medium-large-frame revolvers, too. My S&W Model 19-5, 4", is a joy to carry. When I want to carry a stainless steel weapon, or anticipate firing many rounds, I favor a GP100. Autos are fine; I factor a high-end 1911 pistol, and own a Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special.

I like my personally-owned duty pistol, a SIG P229R DAK, though its recoil dynamics, due to the high bore axis, plus the fast-accelerating mandated .40 duty cartridge, are not kind to my ailing wrist. I no longer like training with this pistol, and am awaiting a new policy to be signed by my chief that will allow 9mm as an alternative duty cartridge. Being so near retirement, I am going the cheaper route, and have put a gently-treated pre-owned
Glock G17 on lay-away.

To be clear, my TRS 1911 does not hurt my wrist. It is all-steel, fires the gentler .45 ACP, and fits me better. Life is good!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I carry a full-size M1911 (currently a Kimber Classic) in a tuckable holster of my own design. Occasionally I carry a Colt Detective Special in a similar holster.

 

[2wheels]

How do you like your colt new agent?

I like it a lot, though it doesn't get nearly as much holster time as my EMP.

 

[Jesse 8]

My EDC is a Glock 30 carried at the appendix position. I occasionally carry my Sp101 as a BUG on my weak side 7 o clock. Getting off more rounds, fast, is easier with the shorter, lighter trigger pull of the Glock. Plus I like how fast I can increase my capacity to 13+1 with a spare G21 magazine. My recommendation for you. Get the gun that you will actually CARRY a high percentage of the time, caliber, capacity, revolver vs semi, etc...are all secondary to having your gun on you.

Shot placement is King, penetration is Queen, but a wide wound channel is the Ace in the hole.

 

[788Ham]

Sneaky,

I got an 3.06" SP 101 about 4 months ago, had an action job done on it, $60 OTD, now only shoot DA with it, smooth as glass. It does take some practice, but thats what I wanted with the DA.

 

[FMF Doc]

As you are already familiar with revolvers, I would suggest the Ruger SP101, probably the 3" barrel version in .357mag. It is small enough to easily carry on a belt with a good holster, and large enough to shoot well, even full-housed 357s. Whatever you end up choosing, do yourself the service of shooting as many options as you can before you put your money into it.