First Concealed Carry Weapon

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bdiesch

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Hey y'all. My brother recommended this site to me, to field some questions, so here goes. I am fixing to buy my first handgun, to carry with a concealed carry license. I am in the military, so money IS an issue. I want to weigh ease of carry against stopping power, and get a decent handgun for a good price. I have been checking prices on www.gunbroker.com, here is what I have found so far...
1. Semi-auto... cheap, smaller, more rounds (but if you need more then two, you need help anyways). Here is what I am looking at...
Llama Mini Max (9mm or 45 ACP, I haven’t decided yet)
Witness 9mm
Springfield X9 (I think that’s the nomenclature) Subcompact 9mm

2. Revolvers... the advantage-there are less moving parts. I can load it and carry it and not have to worry about maintenance. That’s really the only plus as far as I can tell. The springs don’t stay tensed, so nothing to wear....

I will most likely be carrying the weapon on a hip holster (inside the pants), so size IS an issue.... shoulder holster doesn’t seem feasible, I don’t always wear an open shirt or a jacket. Yes/no?

Thoughts? Recommendations? I don’t mind saying I don’t really know a lot on this subject, so I am open to all suggestions.... Hit me back tonight, I am on watch until 2 am, and I would love to purchase before the week is out.
 
Welcome aboard.

Good to have another military man here. Quite a few of us here as well.

Some questions need answering before we can suggest a handgun for CCW.

How experienced with hanguns are you?

Been shooting for a while?

Any experience with semi-auto handguns?

The easiest weapon to get would be a revolver. Though a revolver is tough for IWB carry (but can be done) it is a good choice for a new shooter. Easy to use and reliable as all heck.

Semi-auto's are for the most part reliable but can be finicky at times. Some need tuning while others are great out of the box. Springs will wear and parts break. So you need to get to know your semi pretty good.

Semi's are slimmer thus easier to IWB carry.

Of the three semi's you mentioned I would go in this order;
1. Springfield XD
2. Witness 9MM
3. Llama

You said money might be an issue. Take a look at Bersa, CZ, Makarov and Taurus for semi's that are not overly expensive. CZ is a very reliable pistol and great for CCW.

Shop around. Go to alot of gunshops and shows and fondle, discuss and work as many actions on semi's as you can to see which one fits you best.

Dont forget to look at the revolvers as well. A small revolver in a .357 mag can be a handful for a new shooter and you could learn some bad habits real quick. If you do get a .357, shoot alot of .38's out of it til you get used to it.

Hope this helps. Enjoy.
 
I grew up in a house full of guns. I also carried a 9mm Beretta for two years as a MA (Military Police) in the Navy. I was a member of the SORT (Special Operations Response Team.. like SWAT, but not as deadly haha), I feel very comfortable with handguns, especially the Beretta. That’s why I am leaning towards a semi-auto.

If you recommend a revolver because it’s best for new shooters, no need.

LOL The Springfield is about 3 times the price of the others, figures you would say that! Why that above the Llama?
 
I'd look past the Llama. It doesn't really have a good reputation as a handgun brand.

My thoughts are similar to LennyJoe's...

1) SA XD-9
2) Witness
3) Llama

The witness I've heard pretty good things about, but of those three, only the Springfield is a well respected brand that offers quality products.

If you can, also take a look at the Glock line. go to www.glocktalk.com and check their classifieds section. Glocks aren't usually all that expensive, and being used it'll be cheaper. Also, Glocks do work. thats for sure.

For the Glock package, I'd look into a Glock 23. Lightweight, relatively slim, and packs .40 S&W goodness. It also has a lightrail to mount a tac light on it if needed. IMO the Glock compacts are perfect sizes... almost perfection :eek:

There's also the Glock 30, the .45 ACP compact. No lightrail available but it is a very well recommended carry weapon also.

Anyways, good luck. I gotta cut this short and go back to studying. ;)
 
Another soldier on the board, great to have you.

I too, would stay away from Llama, and personally would be wary of the Witness. Oftentimes in firearms you get what you pay for. There's a reason Springfield, Colt, Glock, Beretta, Sig, HK, etc have the big name reputations that they do.

I would be confident in the brands LennyJoe recommends, and at Kel-Tec to that list. In addition, do a price check on a used pistol from a bigger name. It's possible to find a used Glock 19 around the sub $400.00 level. Great semi-auto, reliable, 15 rounds, easy to strip and clean, easy to conceal according to your plan.

Check the classifieds of your local paper as well, occasionally good deals can be found there.

Good luck.
 
I hate to say money matters but... well I am still on active duty. Hell, if I wanted I could qualify for food stamps, and I have been with the company (on active duty) for 8 yrs. So the witnessis being recomended above the others.. good to know....

Where can I go for information about state concealed carry laws, and self defense laws?
 
The Witness, built by Tanfoglio of Italy, is an ecellent pistol - I have had 6 - and capable of everything you need, plus more. The downsides are the fact that it is steel frame, if weight is an issue, and customer service from EAA is spotty.
Tanfoglio is a well respected company, making guns when Gaston Glock was in diapers, and is widely used around the world
I also agree with the design the Witness came from, the excellent CZ 75, especially it's newest version, the CZ75 PO1, which is my carry pistol now. Outstanding handgun.
 
Llama quality is very spotty, not a good buy at any price.

Be willing to spend money on a quality IWB (Inside the waistband) holster, and a sturdy belt that precisely fits the holster loops for carry.
 
A quality holster and belt is a very sound investment and I'll put in another vote for checking on CZs. The XD is a good gun but a bit thick and the Witness is a good value, as long as it's good right out of the box.

If you go with a Witness try to find a dealer who will exchange it for you if you have trouble. An FFL who gets their Witnesses through Davidson's gets thier lifetime warranty and that should save you a lot of grief with EAA should something be wrong with it.

Hope that helps.
 
Just my $0.02

Why spend $400 on a used glock 19 when you can get a new XD9 (and Springfield Armory's warranty) for the same price? I'm not bashing glocks, I just prefer the XD.

I find no trouble concealing the 4" XD40 IWB, which is ever-so-slightly larger than the XD9.

My cousin had a Llama .45 that had NOTHING but issues. I don't think he ever got through a magazine without a jam or failure of some kind. I know everyone can cite an example of a failure with every time of gun, but that's my experience, so there.... :neener:
 
Hey, Psyopspec, you called him a soldier! Them's fightin' words! :D

It's great to have another SAILOR on the board!

BDiesch,
Seriously, regardless of the branch of service, it's great to have you here. (sez an ex sailor)

Your question about concealed carry laws might be best answered at www.packing.org (at least, for a start) That should also give you links to the various state laws.

Where's the Vinson home port these days? Bremerton? I *think* Washington is a fairly gun-friendly state, but I don't know for sure, esp. since I was LANTFLT, and got off active duty 2 months after the Vinson was commissioned ;-)

Good luck!
 
Defensive shooting

As a Police Firearms Instructor I trained officers to shoot at 7 and 25 yard distances which was standard across the country. I learned that accuracy dropped for officers carrying short grip pistols where the little finger dangled especially on the further range.

As a Pistol Grip Company which was given to me I learned that the mainstay of the business was providing officers with grips designed for their whole hand for them to fire better. The first weapon needing a better grip was the Colt Diamond Back with a frame shortened to save steel in WW2 and next the Smith Chief's special from 1950 and I carried that pistol off duty until I exchanged it for the Stainless steel Smith model 60 carried in an inside belt holster above my right rear pocket.

An inside belt holster is ideal for a CCW weapon as an ankle holster is awkward to run with and pockets need a smaller pistol to fit in pockets reducing their accessibility when sitting or in a fight rolling around.

What has worked for me and my students was an inside belt holster with a pistol that can have grips for all the fingers and there are threads on this list of the phenominal accuracy at longer distances obtained with some short barreled pistols.

Check with some of your local Police officers as to what works for them or ask Steve Camp or Blues Bear moderators of THR.
 
If you want inexpensive and reliable.

No frills try a Kel Tec P11 in 9MM. About $250 at gun shows. Very reliable, and lite weight. More expensive is Kahr Arms P9 but a better overall firearm.
 
I'll second that P11.....

I've owned 3 different Kel-Tec pistols: the P11, P32, and currently the P-3AT. The P11 is uniformly flat and only approx 1" wide. It weighs less than 20 oz stoked with 11 rouds of 9mm ammo. It is made by Kel-Tec and carries a lifetime warranty. The P11 is made for one simple purpose: close quarter self-defense. You can pick one up for $250 or less and it is a dream to carry IWB comfortably. It also can be bought with a belt clip attached to the slider which negates the need for a holster. You can browse the Kel-Tec website at: http://www.kel-tec.com/
 
Self defense guns...

like tires on a race car - don't skimp...

Since you're in the service, how about a Beretta? Big, but unless you're under 4' tall, you should be able to conceal it w/o incident.

Advantages - easy access to parts, armorer's manual etc. Reliable to a fault, good high quality firearm.

disadvantages - a little more than you may have initially thought* $$$, full size gun.

See www.gunbroker.com - I checked - no less than 4 specimens under $500, one ( actually a 92G model - decocker only ) under $400.

If cost is a driving factor, look for a .357 magnum revolver ? you can shoot cheap .38's for practice, and work up to magnums. I like the Ruger & S&W revolvers, and a few Taurii ...

Remember this - non 'name brand' guns are more difficult to get accessories for like a holster, mag pouch, grips etc. Of the models YOU mentioned, I would look hard at the XD9 - the full size.

You will be able to carry concealed IWB with a good holster & belt - about $50 / $40 respectively (ball park numbers).

Really, it's going to be difficult to find one gun to do it all. I've been searching for 15 years... Still buying guns... ;) Sometimes, you need something smaller than what you 1st thought would be ok. Sometimes you find the smaller gun you don't shoot as well with. I have several in the rotation, revolvers, semis, big bore, magnums, 9's... All of them are great.

But don't forget a good .22. They're much cheaper to work out bad habits on than any of the centerfire guns...

HTH
 
Where can I go for information about state concealed carry laws, and self defense laws?
Click to expand...

www.packing.org

You can view firearm law summaries by state, find out deadly force laws, and gain a plethora of other information on CC weapon laws all over the union.

Do let us know how everything turns out. It would take more than one case to do it, but I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong about low-cost 'off brand' firearms.
 
You can get .357 revolvers, in a carry length, light weight and all with a 7 round capacity. it isn't that much lower than some of the concealable autos....plus a more powerful bullet.

One thing about revolvers. Ammo can make a big difference. If a primer is sticking out to far it can keep the cylinder from spinning, thus jamming up the gun. Autos dont have to worry about that. They just grab it and feed it and move on....also a cylinder can get out of time on cheap revolvers.....also a very bad thing.....unless you are getting attacked from more than one angle....then throwing lead ain't so bad :D
 
Sky – Yes, were still in Bremerton WA (home of the famous Bremelo’s LOLOL)

Paul – The salesman at a local store (ex-Navy Gunners Mate) also highly recommended a mag extension. I didn’t know it would affect shooting though, I assumed it was for comfort.

Havegun – I will look for a Kel Tec, but I am in the liberal Pac Norwest, there is VERY few gun shows here. I have heard of ONE in the 4 years I have been here

What about a good 9mm round? Obviously I want stopping power, but I want to minimize if not eliminate over-penetration. Thoughts?
 
I would look for a used Glock 9mm. I suggest Golddot 9mm hollow points. I prefer 147gr JHP's, but 124+p Golddots are great too.







Good Luck,

Don
 
used Beretta 92 or maybe a Cougar 9mm Type L.
holster wear means your carry gun won't be pretty for long anyway so might as well get one already broken in.
 
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