Ever come full circle with your CCW?

[easyg]

Nope!

My very first CCW was a Glock 22.
Never again.
It was a great shooter, but just way too big and heavy for everyday concealed carry.
Alas, I was inexperienced...

 

[Al-jim19]

Sort of...

My first pistol was a shield 9mm. Carried it for a couple years and decided I wanted something with a rail that held more rounds. Got an SR45 that I carried for a summer and ditched. Went back to the shield and bought a G19 not long after that. Now I go through phases of carrying the G19 when I’m feeling robust and the shield when I’m lazy.

I need a new shield holster though so that’s prevented me from carrying it more.

 

[Trey Veston]

Sort of...

My first pistol was a shield 9mm.

I really, really wished S&W could have fixed my Shield PC 9mm. I liked the sights, the ergonomics, and it was a naturally pointing pistol for me. Great little carry gun.

But the barrel was flawed; had an actual "hump" on top of it...



Argued with them over the phone and they agreed to take it back. After two months, they sent me one with a barrel that had two nicks in the crown...



Gave up on them for the last couple of years. Hope the M&P40 compact is up to normal S&W standards.

 

[Zendude]

I hate to admit it, but it happens to me. I often go back to my first concealed carry setup - a Charter Arms Undercover in a Galco KingTuk.

 

[herrwalther]

I really, really wished S&W could have fixed my Shield PC 9mm. I liked the sights, the ergonomics, and it was a naturally pointing pistol for me. Great little carry gun.

We have "black listed" makers in my house. Conversations can go like this Wife: "Hey I like this gun. What is it?" "That is...a S&W/Kel-tec..." and I get interrupted with something synonymous with No.

Not a full circle. More like a map of a drunken ape around an amusement park. I still have the first firearm I ever carried concealed. Just cleaned it last night and its holster to carry for the "colder" months. Thought pocket guns were stupid. Now I have one. Thought mini revolvers were stupid. And I miss having one.

 

[Drail]

I started carrying in 1986 with a Charter .44. Then I got a S&W 696. I'm still carrying .44 snubs today. They just work.

 

[JR24]

I started carrying in 1986 with a Charter .44. Then I got a S&W 696. I'm still carrying .44 snubs today. They just work.

Mind if I ask what load you carry in them?

 

[Drail]

It is a handload, only because I won't trust ANY factory ammo for reliability reasons. My handload for many years has been a hard cast 215 gr. flat nosed SWC over 7.0 gr. Unique which gets me about 835 fps. avg. I could push it faster but from a 3 in. bbl. 835 fps. is good enough. I have also used the Speer Gold Dot 200 gr. JHP bullet and it seems to give very reliable expansion (at least in water) at only 800 fps. It always goes through three 1 gal. water jugs and stops in the 4th, perfectly expanded. .44 Spl. ballistics are very close to the .45 ACP which is the main reason I like it so much. I have always been a fan of DA revolvers but I have never really been a fan of the .357 mag. Too much flash and bang for me. My load fired from the S&W 696 just feels like a big soft push. I can shoot it all day long. I have shot a lot of pin and steel matches with the 696 and everybody laughs until they see how well it takes pins off the table. If you are limited to factory loads the best load out there IMO is the Speer 200 gr. Gold Dot Blazer load. That is a great bullet design and the Speer load will clock about 825 fps. from a 3 in. bbl.

 

[mdauben]

My first CC gun was a Glock 17. I sometimes worked in some rough neighborhoods and did not feel comfortable going unarmed. It served me well for a number of years. Sure it was a bit big, but back then (1980s) everyone was talking about carrying full size 1911s, so at least the Glock was lighter!

My second CC gun was a Glock 21. A bit bigger than the G17 but I was going through a "forty-five-phase" and felt under-gunned with my old G17. Required a bit more work to conceal, and really wasn't too comfortable IWB so I usually carried it OWB. I love shooting this gun, though, so I got very good with it.

I finally decided the G21 was just too big to be carrying every day, so I ended up switching to a G36! I still wanted the comfort of the 45 ACP, but the smaller package was easy to conceal in an IWB holster. Love this gun and carried it for several years.

Just recently, I decided that I didn't really need the big 45 to feel safe, so I decided to switch to a single stack 9mm. The Ruger LC9s has been riding my hip for a while now and it's a great gun. I'm just a little uncomfortable with the safety (none of my other carry guns had one, and I'm worried I'll forget in a high stress situation) and the magazine disconnect (I know I could disable it, but I generally avoid modifying my carry guns, except for sights).

My next purchase will probably be a Glock 43. Nice and compact like the Ruger, but without the features I don't like. I'll probably be picking one up this weekend!

 

[JR24]

It is a handload, only because I won't trust ANY factory ammo for reliability reasons. My handload for many years has been a hard cast 215 gr. flat nosed SWC over 7.0 gr. Unique which gets me about 835 fps. avg. I could push it faster but from a 3 in. bbl. 835 fps. is good enough. I have also used the Speer Gold Dot 200 gr. JHP bullet and it seems to give very reliable expansion (at least in water) at only 800 fps. It always goes through three 1 gal. water jugs and stops in the 4th, perfectly expanded. .44 Spl. ballistics are very close to the .45 ACP which is the main reason I like it so much. I have always been a fan of DA revolvers but I have never really been a fan of the .357 mag. Too much flash and bang for me. My load fired from the S&W 696 just feels like a big soft push. I can shoot it all day long. I have shot a lot of pin and steel matches with the 696 and everybody laughs until they see how well it takes pins off the table. If you are limited to factory loads the best load out there IMO is the Speer 200 gr. Gold Dot Blazer load. That is a great bullet design and the Speer load will clock about 825 fps. from a 3 in. bbl.

Thanks!

 

[Drail]

You're so welcome!

 

[the Black Spot]

Sorta like BobWright, .44 snub, now i am up a notch to .45 snub. But in between there have been a .357 snub and an xds .40(but not for long).

 

[Trey Veston]

Picked up the M&P40c today and stopped by a gravel pit on the way home for an impromptu quick range session.

I forgot how much I enjoyed shooting these pistols. Better trigger than my Glocks, wonderfully accurate, and 100% reliable out of the box. I did a few 5-shot groups at 7yds and they averaged just over an inch. Backed up to 20yds and shot the last three rounds off-hand and managed a very respectable 1 5/8" group.

Ordered a new Don Hume IWB leather holster last week to replace the one I included in the sale of my old pistol and it arrived today as well.

Now I am back to where I started 11 years ago...

 

[Drail]

"better trigger than my Glocks..." You really need to get out more........ I have cheap staple guns with better triggers than any Glock.

 

[Hasaf]

My first dedicated CCW gun was my Colt 380 Government Model. I tried a Glock for a while and never really liked it. I did a bit t it to get it to be the best it could be for me; but I just never liked it. I tried the Walther PK380, but again, I just never really liked it. I am now back to a Kimber Micro 380, which is just a copy of the Government Model design.

My next attempt at finding the perfect CCW, for me, will be the Browning 1911-380. I Like that it adds the grip safety and the slightly bigger size.

 

[bikerdoc]

I'm old.
I get great pleasure from picking my gun of day.
3 are pretty much in the rotation, 1911, 9 mm CZ 75 compact, or a SS 357 Smith 649.

 

[Trey Veston]

"better trigger than my Glocks..." You really need to get out more........ I have cheap staple guns with better triggers than any Glock.

You need to shoot more striker-fired polymer pistols...

The frustrating thing about Glocks (and I've owned a bunch and currently compete in GSSF matches with a G35) is that you never know what kind of trigger you're going to get. My G29 was a crisp 4lbs out of the box and is the best Glock trigger I've ever had.

My G19 and G35 both came with gritty and heavy triggers. The Glock armorer opined that my G35 trigger was the worst he'd ever seen from the factory and was around 10lbs and gritty with inconsistent break.

Since it is my match gun, I have to use all Glock parts to be legal for Stock class. I've tried 3-4 different trigger assemblies and connectors and did the infamous $.25 trigger job. It's better and down to around 5lbs, but still not as good as the G29 or any other pistol I own...

 

[Pheasant Plucker]

I began my CCW with a J frame mod 36, 50 yrs later I still own it. I've gone thru Browning Hi powers as a CCW and a host of other revolver and pistols. I carried a S&W 637 for the light weight, the 686 for a while. now I carry the S&W 386 N/G. It is a larger frame than the original Mod 36. heavier and holds 7 rounds instead of the 5. It is a .357 but I still use .38 although +p+. So you could say I've come full circle with a few improvements.

 

[Zerodefect]

I'd have to go back to a fullsize 1911.

Although, as my skill grows, carrying larger and larger pistols becomes more practical. So it's possible. But I'd rather carry a Glock 41 for a fullsize .45.

There's also the slow realization that not all criminals are fools with Sigma's, and that I'm not going to fair well against any decent shooter, with just my pathetic Kahr p380 or my j frame.

 

[Labguy47]

In short no, my experience was way different starting with a S&W full size model 10, then 642, Keltec 380, FNP-9, and now a LC9s

 

[sugarmaker]

Have done this with many things. Life changes over time, work environment, home location, amount of free time, nearest place to shoot, finances, activities all change. Also physical abilities change. This affects what firearms work best in whatever stage of life we are at. Plus it gives excuses to experiment and keep finding what works best, sometimes something from the past fills that bill for a while.

 

[alfsauve]

I started with a COLT 1911, which I already had purchase for target shooting and "just to have" (foolish youth). Quickly realized it just was too big for my work situation and it wasn't doing me any good off-body at the office.

Switched to PPK/s. Loved that little gun (actually wore the first one out and bought a second one).

Decided I wanted more firepower and after trying several ended up with a Shield 9mm.

BUT: for really less than ideal concealment clothing I have an LCP in .380.
And for working around the house, since we do have predators and in the fall bucks roaming around, I carry a S&W 60 w/ .357 loads.

So did I come back to the 1911? No. And don't think I will. Too many other choices.


<off topic>
Along that line, I was talking with a holster maker recently and we were remembering how 30+ years ago there weren't many options in IWB. Back then I bought a left-handed clip-on holster and used it as right-handed IWB.

 

[crestoncowboy]

I have
I bought a glock 27 (my first glock) as my first true carry gun in 04. I have bought, tried, and still have most medium (I call a subcompact 27 a medium size) and full size handguns. I have big hands and hate the pocket size guns so I have never carried one much. I've carried others for a month or two at a time but I still carry that 27.
As far as Glock triggers, I put a 3.5 lb glock disconnector in all mine. Of my roughly 10 glocks all have mediocre triggers no better or worse than my other striker fired guns. Maybe luck idk. The people who shoot da/sa and complain about glock triggers are the ones I can't figure out. It doesn't get more inconsistent than that. I have numerous sig beretta and hk autos and smith (even PC guns) and ruger double action revolvers and I feel like the da pull is far worse than any glock ive fired. the SA is obvoiusly no comparison though and I just use them SA 99%of the time. The only triggers ive found in 100s maybe even over 1k pistols I've fired that I'd call unservicable to actually use were a 1st gen m&p (inconsistent heavy and jumpy with a mile long reset) and a small taurus I have that i can't remember the model of (901 or 999 maybe? Was on sale at dunham's for 150 bucks... impulse buy) but it has to be 20 lbs pull after it's all stacked up with 1/4 inch take up and 3/4 inch travel. And a co2 pelletgun ive had 30 years that favors a smith 1006.

 

[WestTexShooter]

I've come pretty well full circle in carrying. This an early rig, a S&W Model 442 .38 Special, Galco holster:

View attachment 806759

Then went to this, S&W Model 586 .357 Magnum, Bianchi holster:

View attachment 806760

Then, Model 19 S&W, .357 Magnum, Don Hume Holster:

View attachment 806761

Ruger .44 Special, Bob Mernickle hoster:

View attachment 806762


Gaining in age and wisdom, now a Ruger .45 Colt, Doc Barranti holster:

View attachment 806763

View attachment 806764



Bob Wright

Sir I have nothing to offer except a never ending salute.

 

[OneFreeTexan]

Almost 30 yrs ago I started with a 38 Spl revolver, and have carried one ever since....While i practice with it at least three times a week, and alway have, I have never had to draw it at work.. Situational awareness,......
I was hired to keep my employer safe, not to get into gunfights.!