Have you actually IWB carried a XD subcompact vs a small Glock? (personal reflection)

[GJgo]

This is a bit of a reflection on the guns that I have had that served for carry / defensive purposes. I figure it's on my mind so I'll write it, and if I get feedback, hey great.

Started with a Ruger P90. Good to learn with. Took my CCW class with it. Way to bulky to CCW with however. The frame got sloppy after a thousand rounds or so. Sold it.

Got a .357 AirLite snubby. Carried awesome. Hurt like hell. Way worse than a .500 mag with full house 400gr rounds. The recoil, in addition to making me want to sit the gun down on the ground to shake my hand off, would not only dislodge the rounds (we're talking with full house stuff here) but also recoil so hard that the hammer would rebound back into a half cocked position, locking up the gun. No bueno. It ran fine with Gold Dot 135gr rounds though.. Traded in (along with a .41 mag AirLite- kind of a love / hate thing there) on a PC .460 mag with a 14" barrel. (Not much of a CCW gun!) (Sold it too- it was a FTF POS.)

Got an XD sub-compact 9mm. Super fun to shoot. Reliable. As everyone says, I Liked the ergonomics vs. the Glock at the gun counter. However, the thing was near impossible to comfortably CCW in the waistband! Despite the size, the thing printed and jabbed me uncomfortably any time I walked or sat down. (I'm 6'2", 220). Bah. Sold it.

Got a short barrel Ruger SP101 in .357. Kick ass revolver. No problems whatsoever. Not the most accurate, though.. Sold it. Why? In the long run, just too heavy for how few rounds it held.

Got a Glock 23. Dead nuts reliable. Carried way easier than the XD, despite the larger size. Not perfect, but much better. It was comfortable in the waist band and just printed a little. Had to be adjusted a bit when I sat down.(BTW, I think the ergonomics-of-the-grip thing is a bit of a b.s. excuse- if you practice with the gun and learn it then it is not an issue. Just my $0.02.) Shot it with .40 and wth .357 Sig with the G32 barrel I got with it. The Sig rounds hit the metal gong harder. They were snappier, but no more muzzle jump when you pay attention. Good gun.

Got a S&W .44 mag with a magna port barrel. I can CCW it just fine as long as I don't have to sit down! It's my back woods buddy.. Awesome gun. It gets the attention of all the tree huggers on the trail!

Traded the 23 in on a Glock 30. What can I say, I love .45ACP! Despite the extra thickness, it carries easier than the 23. It prints less for me because the grip doesn't stick out (down) as far. It is just as comfortable in the waist band as the 23- which is where the XD9 failed. I can sit down easier with less repositioning of the weapon compared to the 23. Long car rides with it IWB are more comfortable than the 23. I can't quantify it, but it is what it is.. It recoils LESS than the 23, with less muzzle flip and faster follow up shots. Imagine my pleasant suprise! So far, this is my favorite concealed carry gun.

Lately I've been thinking about what's next! It will likely be either a G26 or a Airweight .38+p. Probably the former, maybe both. I want something that my SO is comfortable with, so while I pick the finalists I suppose it is out of my hands..

Why Glock? I don't know, I just really like them. Every one I have shot was good. They are accurate enough. The barrel is super easy to clean. They are rugged, and, they are RELIABLE. Every time I start researching other brands, I always turn up bad reviews on function or reliability. Not to mention, the "good brands" all cost more. What are the bad things I hear about Glock? "Sorry, I just don't like them." Doesn't sound like much of a reason to me..

Why a S&W Airweight? Well, I'm over .357 J frames. I'd love a 7 shot .357 medium frame, but that's not real convenient for CCW. Everyoe knows the other reasons that you'd pick a revolver.. I think that Gold Dot 135gr .38 +p rounds would get the job done. Are they as hot as 9mm? Nope. Are they hot enough to save your ass? History says yes, if you do your part. Plus, the SO thinks that revolvers are sexier, and, it would carry better in her purse than a G26 that you'd have to pull out and rack the slide- if a situation went that far.

I guess that's why they call it a "collection".

 

[R&J]

Great read!

--Ray

 

[GJgo]

Thanks

So I spent the entire day today IWB carrying my G30. Ok, yeah, it is a little more bulky than what I'd like when you're going to, say, sit down for a meal.. And, it is definitely more comfortable just tucked in the waist band (with nothing chambered!) than in my Bianchi IWB holster. There really are no pokey corners on it at all. It's a little akward though to go digging for it when it slides down a leg!

While I was out I stopped by the "Hook and Bullet". (or so I affectionately call it) I held a G26 again as well as the J frame snubs. The SO was there and told me she preferred the Glock to the revolvers, both aesthetically and having the experience of shooting them both before. Answers that question!

I had a conversation with an older fellow that works there, and whom I respect his opinion. He sold me that Scandium .41 mag, and as I recall we had the same conversation at that time. Basically to paraphrase, while the AirLites and Airweights are awesome to carry, they're not made to shoot a lot. They get loose when you do. This is something that I since have experienced with both of the ones that I have owned.. With that in mind, he (again) showed me his all time favorite S&W revolver- it is the Model 60 wth the 3" barrel and rear adjustable sights. While still a J frame, it has enough barrel to make .357 rounds reasonably comfortable and still maintain some velocity. It has an adjustable rear sight which the 2 1/8" version does not. I compared it to a SP101 and found what I already really knew, that the trigger on the Smith blows it away (no pun intended!). It is, really, a hard gun to ignore.. I suppose in all reality the only choice would be between the Model 60 with the 2 1/8" short barrel, or the 3" not so short barrel. Oh, and they had a unit with the enclosed hammer, but then you lose that sweet SA trigger!

 

[GJgo]

Some other thoughts. I used to think that I didn't like guns that I couldn't get my whole hand on. Then, I realized what I don't like even more is when the grip prints through my shirt. After all, the first C is for concealed.. Hence I'm over all that- give me my pistols small. Besides, those little things have all shot accurately for me. (Specifically J frames and baby Glocks.)

Oh yeah I almost forgot- I had a Walther P22 for a while. Not much for protection, but a hoot to shoot! It did however take about 1000 rounds to get it broken in enough to be really reliable on the cycling, and it was picky on what it liked.

People seem to like Kahrs. Seems logical, they are compact pistols in good SD calibers. (I would consider a 9mm / .38+p a minimum personally.) So, I handled a few at the gun store. Are you serious? The slides all feel like the grooves that the slide runs down aren't finished yet! No wonder they need all kinds of rounds just to break them in. No thanks.

 

[Mot45acp]

My EDC is a G30 in a Bianchi minimalist holster. I carry 2 G21 mags for spares.

The only downside to the holster is it took many days of stretching with wax paper to get it to fit right.

 

[massglockman]

well for the most part my edc is a glock 27 love that gun i carry it like 10-12 hrs daily and its never a prob but i also got the p3at jic. I just think its location location lo cation that affects comfort if u just take some time adjust it mostly will help the comfort issue to a minimum. just thought it might help

 

[GJgo]

I have a G21 mag as well in addition to the 2 mags that came with the G30. The former will easily take all 13 rounds, while getting that 10th round in either of the G30 mags can be a real pain sometimes..

I'm sure that body shape causes a lot of little differences. Maybe I should just keep shopping for a better holster.. Or just cut mine up

 

[Prince Yamato]

I was the same way. I recently switched from a Taurus 605 (.357 mag snubnose) to a Glock 26. The Glock is more comfortable due to the rounded edges. It also carries twice the bullets. I'd say stick with Glocks.

 

[Byron Quick]

I'm on the other side. I shoot my Glock 29 and my Glock 20 better than just about any handgun I own. The Glock 29 is utterly reliable. I bought the Glock 20 used and an armorer needs to tweak it some.

Neither is a candidate for concealed carry as it feels as if a brick was on my waist. I use quality holsters with a quality belt. Still doesn't matter. My EDC is a Springfield Loaded 1911 .45 ACP. I can forget it's there.

 

[DHart]

Oh man do I love my G30.... My first Glock was a 29, followed by a 19, then a 23, finally a 30. I like the 29 the least simply because it's just a bit too brutish for my shooting enjoyment and I think .45 is easily as good for defense against 2-legged vermin. The 19 is truly awesome, but 9mm just doesn't inspire me nearly as much as .40 or .45. So the 23 came next. For a while I thought my G23 was IT! But something about that beefy 30 in .45, in spite of holding three rounds less, has really won me over from my 23. Lately, I'm liking the 30 the most. Fun and comfortable to shoot, reliable, very accurate, decent capacity, nice feel in the hand.... I'm looking for a holster for my 30 now myself... I want the thinnest, leanest holster I can find for appendix carry. Comp-Tac, HighNoonHolsters, Dob Hume (and others) have some very suitable looking candidates... still kickin it around. Sure do LOVE my G30.

 

[GJgo]

Yeah, a little brickish I suppose is a good way to put it. You know, I have never tried to carry a 1911, so I don't have any experience there. I know they are thinner. I have read in a few places that the small ones don't feed as reliably. Anyone know of one that does, and is small enough to disappear IWB? (Other than the one vote above for the SPFLD)

 

[BsChoy]

I carry a G21 in the winter months but, as soon as funds allow a G30 will be added....the 45 is a lower pressure round which results in the less snappy more pushy recoil...and since I reload for it it makes sense. I just wish Glock would make the 45 acp's in their line the same price as the 9's and 40's. Oh well price hasn't stopped me in the past!

 

[Byron Quick]

I've carried full size 1911's for years. They disappear IWB. In the summer, I use a silk shirt as a cover garment.

I tried a Colt Officer's Model once thinking the smaller size would aid in concealment. It does but not as much as you would think. I can manipulate the full size 1911's more easily than the compact ones.

People feel that concealed handguns are much more noticeable than they are in fact.

Good friend of mine is 5'6" and weighs a 140 lbs if he's been eating a lot. He can carry a S&W N frame 4" under a T shirt and it disappears

 

[Katana8869]

I have a a SP-101 and a S&W 640 J-frame. I like them both, but I always return to the Glock 26 as my small gun of choice. The nice thing about the Glock is that it is just as accurate and easy to handle as my Glock 19. In fact there is nothing that my Glock 19 does, that my Glock 26 can't do just as well.

The Glock 26 in it's standard configuration holds twice as much ammo as a 5 shot subby with the ability to multiply it's payload by simply using full-sized magazines from either the Glock 19 or 17. It reloads faster, shoots better and is totally reliable. All this comes is a package that has almost the same dimensions as the SP-101 with a lighter weight.

I love the classic design and feel of a good revolver and I think every gun collection deserves a good snubby, but the G26 will do it all and do it very, very well.

 

[DHart]

Funny thing about the G30... as I've spent more time handling it, dry firing it, holding it a LOT... I've come to feel that it is really comfortable in my hand. And now my once favorite "feel" (the 1911) now feels a little too skinny!!! If one's hands are of reasonable size, one can become very comfortable with the brickish feel of the G30. And the broad backstrap helps spread out the recoil pressure to a larger area of the palm... reducing the sharpness of the felt recoil. Great gun, the G30! Eleven rounds of .45 on tap in a compact, reliable, accurate package.

 

[strat81]

Don't forget to use an appropriate holster.

 

[GJgo]

Thanks fellas.

So the G30 IWB or a G26 on the ankle.. Who can argue with that!

Oh yeah. I just came across that Springfield 1911 Loaded in black stainless- saw one in the store. OMG that is a sexy pistol.. Damn.

 

[GJgo]

I have, btw, shot a full size XD in .40 owned by one friend, and the full size XD .45 owned by another. The .40 shot nice. The .45 (at least this one) never grouped really well. Neither would be much for carry, just thought I'd throw out the observation..

 

[GJgo]

After doing quite a bit of net research on the SA Loaded vs. the S&W 1911 PD, and handling them both, I think I might have to pick up a fine specimen of the latter. Full size- I like the feel and the sight radius a lot better than the Officer's model. Anyone have one of those? I've heard nothing but good reviews!

 

[biggiesmalls]

i print a lot with my xd sc too. still have the gun because it shoots great, but switched over to a kahr.

 

[DHart]

OK... IWB carry of a Glock 30... piece of cake. Eleven rounds of soft-shooting .45 acp. Very comfortable to carry with a Mr. Softy and really quick to produce, as well. Short enough that I can sit in a chair or car without it digging into the groin. Increeeeeeedible piece! With this set-up, there's no reason I can find to not carry a semi-high cap .45 acp. The G30 (along with the G19 and G23) is one of Glock's total home-runs, in my view.

 

[03Shadowbob]

My G36 is the most comfortable IWB gun I have ever carried. Not sure why since it is larger than some I have owned but it just is.

 

[Snubster]

GJgo, I've been through the same thing as you. I've gone bigger and smaller, semi-autos to revolvers, back and forth. The one thing I've learned is that anything is concealable if you dress around the gun and have a good holster and belt.

 

[markmc753]

XD40sc in a Highnoon Supertuck is comfortable for me. Conceals well -- Im 6'3 190

 

[skinewmexico]

I carry my XD9SC all the time, in a Crossbreed Supertuck IWB. Most comfortable holster I've ever owned. Don't have to leave my shirt-tail out either.