How did you choose your "carry gun"?

[s&w 24]

first I was trying to minimize with 44 special and 44 mag and I sellected one 44 general perpouse gun and 2 44 specials for CCW. The problem with 44 special is lack of factory HP ammo you only have a few choices and if they don't work for you your screwed.

After trouble with 44 special and a few realy bad arm injurys I switched to
9X19. I found a SIG 225 and that was that.

 

[BullfrogKen]

My first "carry gun" was decided for me. The armorer said "here's your weapons card, sign it."

After a few years of using either a .40 S&W Sig 229 or a S&W 649, I got turned onto the 1911 by a friend I blame for completely corrupting me. Back then I chose the Sig because I was persuaded by gun magazines it was the "$h!+", and I got both 40 S&W and 357 Sig barrels because I wanted the more powerful calibers. The 649, because I wanted a small snub revolver, and again, got the most powerful offering, the .357 magnum. Yet, I rarely used the 357 Sig or the .357 magnum in them.


Now, after I got corrupted, I chose the 1911 merely for its platform. And I got deeper and deeper into the pit. 5" .45 ACP at first; it was the natural choice. My plan was, after I cut my teeth on it, got used to it, and figured it out, I'd get something custom, built just right for me. And I did.

So, now I mostly carry a 9x23 LW Commander. I'll occasionally leave the 9mm barrel in it from time to time after a study day, and carry it that way out to dinner or wherever right after practice. Or, I'll carry a mirror image .45 ACP LW Commander when I'm lazy and haven't cleaned the 9x23 gun yet.

I got a Colt Cobra early this year, and carry that on rare occasions when I'm too ill from my disease for the weight of a Commander and spare mag. I had wanted an alloy Colt snub revolver for a couple years, and finally found one for the right price, in the right condition. Weight and comfort for me is everything after my diagnosis.


If its not a 1911, I don't have much of an interest nowadays. Luckily, one can get a 1911 in almost any caliber. So, the package drives my decision.

 

[MrTwigg]

First carry gun was based on price. S&W.40VE *BIG MISTAKE* Horrible trigger, genuine Jam-O-Matic too. Got rid of it within a month. I know there are some fans of this gun out there but this particular gun did not work for me. At all.

Next up was a Glock 22. Much better ! I'm keeping this one.

 

[ChefJeff1]

sp101 what else can I say.

 

[JSM]

My first was a S&W 9mm (don’t remember the model), but didn’t like it. Sold it and went without one for a while. I used to work with Steve Fuller of the Fuller index fame (for those of you that may remember his research about 10 years ago). He loved the .40 S&W and convinced me it was the right choice. I still think he is right, but may go up a notch to the .45 acp in the future. I then bought a HK USP Compact. Not a bad pistol, but doesn’t conceal as well as I would like it to. I decided that I wanted to start shooting IDPA and after research decided that the G22 was a better choice, concealed as well as the HK (with a IWB holster), and has a longer barrel/slide. I shoot better with it and there are more available accessories than I will ever use. I carry the Glock with me everyday. The HK is relagated to 357 Sig range duty. Lately I’ve been drawn to the .45 acp. I bought a SA 1911 and love it. I don’t have enough rounds through it to feel comfortable, but I see a change a in my future.

 

[Bobo]

I first decided HOW I wanted to carry.

Then I picked the gun that had the best compromise between reliability, caliber, capacity, weight, accuracy, and cost (in that order) that I could comfortably carry, and efficiently and effectively use.
__________________________

I wanted to carry the same way at all times, concealed, 24/7.

Made the right choice first time out!!...
Kel-Tec P-3AT with ArmaLaser and two spare mags. in a SmartCarry holster.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I picked the P7PSP due to the safety of the design. It came in a 9mm and that was good enough for me.

 

[Pax Jordana]

Free trumps all!

When I turned 21, I had to forego a few trips to starbucks because I wanted an Uncle Mike's IWB and a box of Hydra-Shoks to go with my CCW and granddad's J-Frame. From there, I got a p11 because I wanted an auto and more than 5 rounds at a clip (or, at a magazine?). I also have a paddle holster for my full size 1911.


What I'm wearing really dictates my CCW right now -- The J-frame fits under a T-shirt, the p11 fits under a loose t-shirt or an oxford (polos also fit this archetype) and the 1911 has to be worn under a light jacket. Usually I default to the heaviest caliber feasible to cart around given my current inventory of guns and holsters.

 

[Glamdring]

Before my state bacame Shall Issue I had what I thought would be good set of guns. P32, P11, & Ruger Security Six 4".

Once I got a CCW, I found that while VERY easy to carry the P32 just wouldn't index realiable for me when drawing from pocket holster, and the caliber left something to be desired.

The P11 worked, but had a very bad trigger.

The Security Six never felt right, poor gun fit for me. And couldn't find anygrips that really helped.

I changed my 24/7 gun from P32 to airwt J frame 38+P and have been VERY happpy with that.

Got a Dan Wesson 10mm 1911 and am not so happy with that, it needs to go back to the factory already.

Will be getting a S&W 327 (20 oz 8 shot 357 N frame snubby) very soon, have put close to a hundred rounds thru a rental one, and it works VERY good for me. I can shoot it about as good as my buddy S&W24 can shoot his SIG 9mm.

Plan to get an AR-15 next year. That will get weapon light, be main Home defense weapon with 12 gauge pump & CCW handguns in reserve.

For me once I had a permit, ease of use became main factor. With cheap practice ammo another big consideration. Currently I only shoot about 500-800 rounds of ammo thru my CCW handguns, trying to get that up to 1500-2000, with 1000 or so thru the home defense longgun.

Skill matters a lot more than caliber or gun. 38 special and 223 practice ammo are very cheap. Premimum carry loads are reasonably priced also.

 

[nero45acp]

My two primary criteria are reliability and concealability. That's why I carry a S&W J-frame.



nero

 

[psyopspec]

My choices have been the result of trial and error. One has to start somewhere, so after a first gun it's easier to identify what one needs - different caliber, different grips, trigger pull, et al. I've been fairly steady in keeping consistent with the guns I carry for a while now, but if a pistol caught my eye and I thought it might be better for carry, these are the criteria I'd look at:

-Reputation/Caliber. If it's a Bryco, it's automatically out. Has to be 9mm or above too.

-Natural Point. Does it fit my hand?

-(If I buy it) Reliability. I need 500 trouble free rounds of jacketed ammo and about 50 of my carry load.

 

[denfoote]

One of the gun rag writers said "small and light is good".
I tend to agree with him.
Hence, my carry guns are P3AT, P32, PPK/S, MK9, G26, G36 (it's kinda on the big side for me), Pistolet Makarova, and the Taurus M85SSUL.
Caliber selection is based on size and weight.

 

[MCgunner]

I picked other.

My criteria was:

1) Must be as small as possible, preferred pocket sized.

2) Must be chambered for a service caliber

3) Light is right.

4) No safe actions or single actions. Must be DA or DAO for added safety for pocket carry.

Actually, about the time CCW became legal in Texas, I read an article on the Kel Tec P11 and had to have one. I have not regretted that decision in the least. It is the PERfect carry weapon for me. What I didn't count on was its accuracy. I did like it's capacity, also. And, it's +P capable. The only other small nines at the time were the G26 and the Kahr K9, neither of which were Pocketable, bigger, heavier guns.

Since I got the P11, other possible choices have come along from Kahr, Rohrbaugh (expensive), Taurus, etc, even recently the new Kel Tec PF9. However, the P11 still has advantages to me and is still near perfection for me and my needs. I don't feel the need to switch, though I did add a Taurus M85UL shortly after getting the P11 just as a revolver option and I like that gun, too. I may buy a PF9, but I'm not rushing to my gun shop to find out when the first one will be there.

The gun fitting my hand is of no real importance. I will fit the gun. All it takes is a little practice. You don't practice? I do want a 100 percent reliable gun before I will carry. That's easy with a revolver, but I put some rounds through the P11 first, couple hundred +P carry loads once I'd worked that out. It has been reliable for five figures worth of firing over the last 10 years. I shoot DA well and the trigger is quite smooth if a little long. I don't see it as a problem. It is lighter and smoother than my Smith M10, just a lot longer, but that length of pull makes it very safe to carry.

 

[farscott]

My choice is "Other" but here was the decision tree:

1) Starting at the age of 22, I was young and dumb. Went with the US Military sidearm. Found it was too big for my hands. Sold it.

2) Liked the 9x19 so got a Glock 17. Hated the trigger. Sold it.

3) Liked the 9x19 so got a S&W 3913. Could not shoot it worth a darn. Sold it.

4) Found out about the 1911. Bought a Colt Combat Elite in .45 ACP. Loved the way it carried and shot. Tore the rear sights off of it, not once, but twice. Sold it. (See a pattern?)

5) Liked the 1911 and 9x19, so got a Series '70 Colt in 9x19. Would not function worth a darn. Made a HUGE mistake and (yup, here it comes) sold it. Worst gun move ever.

6) Tried a G26, still hated the trigger. Sold it.

7) Got a Colt 1991 in .45 ACP at the age of 30 and learned to shoot it. After several thousand rounds through it, got it customized. Still one of my primary carry guns.

8) Have a slew of custom 1911s in .45 ACP and 9x19 that I carry. I think my wife told me I have more than one for every day of the week. Will NOT sell any of them. Now all of my centerfire autoloaders are 1911s.

 

[Socrates]

Hi
I look at how I can carry it, and then what's the biggest caliber I can get in that platform. I use Thunderwear, since our city hasn't issued a CCW in 28 years.

The lightest, most powerful, and concealable gun I could find was a 360 PD, but, with stock grips, Plus P was the most I could shoot out of it. Custom grips, and it works with .357, at self-defense range.

Beretta Jetfire for a pocket gun, and, fun shooter.

S

 

[bearmgc]

First thing was, what can I afford? It was a FEG .380. It served me well. Then as I started to make a little more money, I could save up for something else. Then it was trial and error, but still alotta fun looking and carrying. I wasn't familiar with many calibers, so I stuck with 38 and 9mm in small packages, which served me well. Then I tried larger calibers, 40 and 45. Now I use different calibers in carry able platforms that I like. Colt Defender, SP101, Taurus 38 in UL which I like better than the SW mod 36 that I had for awhile. My newest fascination is with an HK compact in .357sig. I also have a P99 40SW and CPO SIG 229 40SW, both fun to shoot and accurate, but the 229 is a bedroom gun right now, cause its a might big for carry. I get to practice alot with the different calibers, but that's what its all about, shooting and getting good at it.

 

[PaulBk]

Tried everything from .22 to .45 and made my choice.

-PB

 

[jamz]

Carry guns choose me, not the other way around. Every so often a gun will hook into my brain, and I can't stop thinking about it until I own it, and it gets carried for 6 months or a year until another gun has it's way with me.

I done 5" 1911, P22, Sig P239, G19 (but not much). I've done j-frames and 3" 1911s in the last 6 months, very often at the same time, then just J-frames alone lately, and I seem to be sticking with that for now. My latest J-frame/mindhook gun is only a week old.

 

[Legionnaire]

Did a lot of reading. Selected the .40S&W, then looked for a platform. My first was a S&W 4013.

 

[CPshooter]

I think nailgun hit it right on... he said it fits HIM.

Those are exactly the things i think about when i choose a CCW. In my case, being a relatively new hangun shooter/carrier, i still havent found the right one, but i am definitely trading my Glock27 away for something a little more "high end." I am thinking a SIG p239 at the moment.

In general i think about the gun, then the caliber since most brands offer their guns with all the popular cartridges right now.

For the gun i first choose auto over wheelgun. Then the size is a concern... i carried a Kahr PM9(really small) for a little, but I didn't really have a thing for the gun and the extra small size didnt matter to me. The Glock 27 w/ pearce+1 grip extension i have now is about the idea size i'd prefer to carry. Enough to feel like i have a real weapon in my hand, but not so big that it is a burden on my day to day activity. I am also a quality/performance nut, and to be quite honest a Glock doesnt cut it. The uncomfortable and bulky ergonomics of the Glock grip/trigger make shooting it kind fo painful compared to lets say my Springfield XD40 service model. So ergonomics, gun pointability, and the nature of how the gun acts upon recoil are VERY important to me, because if a time ever came where you needed to actually aim to hit your enemy who also happens to be armed with a gun, it would be best to have something that gives you the edge over that robber or felon.

Trigger action, feel, and weight is also important to me. I love single action triggers probably the same as anyone else who's fired a 1911. But carrying cocked and locked just isn't my thing, so I am a fan of any double/single action setup. First shot is double so its safer to carry and still allows you to pop off a round, then if you have the need or time to take a second or third shot that requires more accuracy you have a crisp single action trigger at your fingertips.

Caliber matters alot, however i havent had any real life experience for me to prefer one over the other for any particular reason. 9mm is much more controllable and has quicker shot to shot recovery, but isnt credited with that much stopping power. I've looked at ballistics charts of both .357SIG and .40SW and both seem to be very and almost equally(by perception only) powered stoppers. Most of the .357s have more muzzle energy than the average .40 and travel faster, but .40s have a nice combination of a little more weight and still respectable speeds. 45s are like slugs which make me "feel" safer, but after reading some charts they dont seem as effective as ripping through somebody and actually tearing up organ tissue. As for capacity, anything that has 7 rounds or more is plenty for me, so i prefer a single stack weapon since it is more easily concealed and also more comfortable to me.

So basically i analyze EVERY little thing and every possibility or situation that can arise that would actually cause you to use a CCW. The possibilities are endless since this world can be a messed up place sometimes.. so i go for every little advantage or edge i can from ergonomics to peformance to what i straight up prefer. I think everybody has their own preferences and priorities and it is a good thing that we do have so many choices so we can choose what would suit us best. For me it's a p239.. i think:banghead: We'll see once i buy one and give it some serious range and carry time.

 

[Joe Demko]

Chose the cartridge first: .40S&W because a lot of reading indicated good real world performance.
Carried a full-size HK USP .40 as a duty pistol for a while and decided commonality of ammo in the CCW piece would be desirable.
Looked around and shot a few different compact .40's.
Settled on the CZ RAMI because I liked the size, accuracy, and ergonomics.

 

[kludge]

I'm like Joe, I picked the .40S&W then chose my first handgun, a S&W 411.

After 12 (13?) years and ~1,000 rounds I didn't like the amount of wear I had on the 411 (factory ammo or 180gr JFP/5.3gr Bullseye or 155gr XTP/5.9gr Bullseye - not max loads!) and so I started looking and liking the Springfield XD. So now I have an XD.

On the other hand I could have changed my vote... since the time before I bought my first .40 I wanted a Ruger Security/Service Six. This year I finally got one. I don't know whether I wanted it for the .357 or the gun.

 

[SSN Vet]

economy came into play

Even the illustrius .45 ACP has zero knock down power if I can't hit the target.

Practice, practice, practice......equals......$$$

@ $0.12/round, 9mm offers affordable practice....which means I can practice more, which means I can hit the target.

Chosing 9mm also opened up the door for lots of affordable and concealable pistols.

And it seems that there is a pretty strong consensus that 9mm an acceptable self-defense caliber.

I certainly don't want to be hit with one.

If I ever join the ranks of the well to do, with lot's of disposable income, I'll have more options.

 

[Big Calhoun]

I don't know that I have a set methodology for picking a CCW.

I mean, basically, I shoot .40 SW and .45 ACP. I am satisfied that both rounds are effective and have a wide variety of firearms in various sizes that could use either. So, the next step for me is usually finding out what's available in the caliber I'm looking at. If I can, I'll try to go to the gun store or gun shows so that I can handle the various models that I'm interested in. As soon as I find one that has the right fit, it comes downs to features (controls) and price.

 

[GEM]

In no order as I weight them equally:

A. Power (>= 38 SPL)
B. Ergonomics and Shootability
C. Carry Issues - dependent on dress and climate

Purchase = A + B +C + A xB + Ax c + B x C + A x B x C

So my carry varies between J frames, PM9 and a G19.

There are some NAA minis as Bugs.