DA/SA conceal .40 or 9mm ??

[tjvaughn]

i currently own a stoeger cougar 9mm, which i enjoy, its a great pistol for range shooting and such, never had a problem with it that wasn't my own fault.

but i just got my CPL or CCW or whatever the abreviation is, my conceal carried permit... and i picked up a IWB holster for my cougar, and unfortunately the cougar is too bulky to conceal carry for my frame...

i am looking for a 9mm or .40 DA/SA semi auto that is slim in profile and such which would make for a simple conceal carry weapon. i would prefer a full size grip instead of the chopped off subcompact style...

i was hoping some folk on here might be able to point me in the direction of some good pistols...?

any advice is appreciated.

 

[Nushif]

I solved that problem by wearing an open overshirt and using an OWB holster. 8)

Before you get a new, gun, think about your options of concealing what you have. If I can carry a 92D Brigadier in an OWB holster ... I'm sure you can find a good one to suit you, too. 8)

Now if you're *looking* to buy a new gun with concealment in mind ... I have slowly grown to be a rabid Kahr fan. For what I like to think are good reasons.

 

[braceyourself07]

+1 for the Kahr... though it's double action only. Reallllllly long trigger pull, but I like it that way. I have a Kahr PM9, a buddy carries a Kahr PM40, and another friend has a Kahr PM45. A little something for everyone. You can also use the 7 round magazine with the grip extension so it's not that subcompact grip that you said you want to avoid.

If you want thin, I've seen/held a Taurus 709 Slim but must disclaim that I've never fired or carried one.


Mike

 

[Shipwreck]

I use a COmptac Pro Undercover holster (replaced by the Comptac Infidel now), and I can conceal a Beretta 92FS IWB. I can only do it at the 3 o'clock position, but I'm not a big guy (6'1" and 180 lbs). It's not hard at all.

What holster did you buy?

 

[tjvaughn]

it is just a 20$ leather IWB holster i got on ebay... i was trying to wear my cougar which is as wide as the m9, where i usually wore my pistol on my hip, perhaps if i shifted it around to 11 or 2 oclock vice right over my hip... my gripe was that it was painfully obvious that i was carrying, because i don't wear long shirts of jackets, so it was obvious i had something in my pants. i almost always am wearing a jacket over my tshirt though, perhaps a should type holster would be a good solution... how comfortable are those?

 

[18DAI]

Try a S&W 3913. Slim, easily concealed, reliable and accurate.

Finest single stack 9mm CCW pistol made, for me.

 

[SteelManCM]

I have a Taurus PT709 Slim that is my EDC. I love it. I wear it IWB with my shirt tucked in. I have it in a Kholster. Can't even tell it's there. I am currently breaking in a PT740 Slim to be my EDC with the 709 as a backup in case the 740 needs time off for maintenance. Same exact gun, other than the barrel and mags, of course. The 740 is a little heavier when loaded, but that's expected. Same holster and all though.

 

[hirundo82]

it is just a 20$ leather IWB holster i got on ebay... i was trying to wear my cougar which is as wide as the m9, where i usually wore my pistol on my hip, perhaps if i shifted it around to 11 or 2 oclock vice right over my hip... my gripe was that it was painfully obvious that i was carrying, because i don't wear long shirts of jackets, so it was obvious i had something in my pants. i almost always am wearing a jacket over my tshirt though, perhaps a should type holster would be a good solution... how comfortable are those?

Unless you're willing to settle for pocket carry or one of the deep concealment methods like SmartCarry, concealed carry requires some adaptations in dress for most people. this mostly involves buying longer, somewhat baggy shirts.

A good holster helps a lot in concealment. A good belt is even more important--eg something from the Beltman or another belt specifically designed as a gun belt (thick belts not designed as gun belts are not as good for this purpose).

The position of the holster is also important. Wearing the holster at 3 o'clock (or 9 o'clock for southpaws), right over the point of your hip, is probably the worst place on your belt for concealment. It takes some experimentation, but by moving the gun forward and backward you should be able to find a spot where the gun can fit into a curve of your body--it is different for each person, but somewhere from 3:30 to 5:00 is common.

Also, don't worry about a slight bulge. You may think that you are printing badly because you know what it is, but most people aren't looking for a gun and will ignore it (it is amazing what people will miss). Just do your best to conceal and try to not be self-conscious about carrying (impossible at first, but it gets better with practice).

 

[southern man]

40 or the 9

i carry a berretta 9000s 40 and a s&w model 60 357magnum both conceal pretty good although i like the smith better it carries better to me im thinking about getting a 9 undecided wether i want springfield armory o the glock 17 both are nice any advice would be apreciated

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

The Cougar does seem to be a little wide in the slide area. The CZ PCR, P-01 or P-06
and the S&W 3913 or 4013 are somewhat slimmer.

 

[AJChenMPH]

As was already said, your choice is pretty much a S&W 3913 if you want to: (1) stay in single-stack 9mm, (2) go traditional DA/SA, and (3) have a full grip. Maybe a S&W 4013 or 4040PD if you want to step up to .40. (FWIW, I usually have a 3913 on my hip these days...)