Just turned 21 and facing a dilemma

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I carry an XD9 (same size as the 40) in Texas. During the summer I wear shorts and a t-shirt. During the winter, I wear jeans and a t-shirt. It's concealable. I do wear it inside the waistband. OWB is too bulky. Also, I have to say that IWB, it would probably be easier to conceal the 4 inch XD rather than the subcompact that I have. The grip likes to angle out because it is heavy.

I'm saving my dollars for a Springfield EMP to replace my XD, but I can tell you that the XD is very concealable.
 
I was in your shoes on my 21st birthday too. I'd shot all kinds of stuff and had friends with many many guns that I'd shot...it was my turn to pick one up. I went to the gun shop 1 month before my birthday and played with everything they had in the case before I found a VERY used Sig 226 with 3 high capacity mags (during the 'ban') for $450 cash. I told the owner about my delimma and he took $50 down payment and put the gun in the back on lay-a-way for me. I took the day of my birthday off of work, went to the bank and withdrew the rest of the $$$, then stopped by gun shop and got the gun (he actually put a bow on it and discounted sales tax amount so it was exactly $450, nice guy) by 9:30 I was buying ammo at walmart (they didn't even card me, nice!), by 10am I was at the range firing my first 100 rds through a bone-dry Sig 226. Didn't hurt it, shot another few thousand through it before selling it a few years later in original condition....used so much it looked like crap but still fired each magazine from start to finish. Darned nice gun.

As to your particular delimma.... see if you can't get your XD for the price you want! I got my 9mm XD for $450 brand new.... I've learned a lot about who to buy from since buying that used old sig226. ALWAYS shop around especially on guns....and remember the nice old guy who runs out of his shed in the back yard will be your cheapest bet, and the guy behind the counter at gander mountain has a markup to pay for the A/C, his salary and the elk heads on the walls.

Also a good solid note that I should make. If I could do it over again, I would keep every single piece of brass! Don't throw that stuff out, it's valuable to a reloader like you wouldn't believe. If I would have kept all the once-fired Winchester White box brass I'd have hundreds of dollars worth of ebay-able brass.
 
I would recommend getting the S&W 340PD with some .357 mag loads. It's the smoothest shooting gun I have ever had also very small and light.
 
The Keltec is a GREAT ccw gun, but it is horrible to shoot and no fun. I shoot mine just enough to keep it as reliable carry. A few magazies every 6 months..Its no target gun. I put 150 rounds through it when I bought it, found it reliable enough, did the "fluff and buff",, shot 20 more Corbons - and practically needed a bandage for my hand. just no fun.
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I do not see the problem with the P3AT recoil. I feel it is very fun to shoot and truly enjoy it at the range as with a tad bit of serious practice its accuracy is superior to that of many full sized pistols. The ONLY thing I do not like about shooting the P3AT at the range is that I dont get to do it as much as I would like (every friggin day) :D
 
If you're on a tight budget, get what you can afford - you have many years ahead of you to buy your dream gun(s) :).


I would have no problem trusting a P3AT if I needed it.

1. I like the P3AT as a CCW but find it rather abrasive to shoot lots of rounds through due to the recoil and the overall "Fit and feel". Does the fact that its not a great target gun make it a bad CCW choice?
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Not necessarily. You won't be engaging anyone from many yards away, and probably not hitting bullseyes in rapid fire, but it will definitely hit the target assuming you have practiced with it.


2. If I buy the Kel-Tec now it delays my XD purchase, is it better to get a it now and wait or by the XD first but not right now and then hopefully pick up the Kel-tec later?
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A gun in hand is better than a gun left at home, or at the gun shop in this case.


3. Is the XD a concealable weapon? I like the gun a lot but am worried about how to best conceal that without a cover garment like a sport coat or other jacket. (Do Hawaiian style shirts provide enough cover)
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With the proper attire, the XD is perfectly concealable. A button-down shirt (like the Hawaiian shirts you mention) and good IWB holster will do the job just fine.
 
well as expected I got adivce saying go with the Kel-tec, others saying go with the XD and some saying go with something else. Also according to this thread the XD is either a pain to conceal or a perfectly fine CCW choice.

Thats pretty much what I expected from a internet forum, but I think I am going to keep looking for a while. Also the big portland gunshow is the weekend of the 27th so maybe I will my decision before then and get my gun their.
 
As far as the XD concealment is concerned, it's really very hard for anybody to give you a specific valid answer. It's really all about you and your body type, clothing choices, etc. I recommended the bersa to you based on price, ease of carry and range gun viability, but I normally carry a full size 1911 and I have no problem with it.
 
You could conceal-carry an MP5k under a Hawaiian shirt.

Hawaiian shirts have patterns that break up what might be unseemly bulges with a solid-color shirt. Urban camoflauge, you might say.

Good holster is important, of course. You might want to go with the Kel-Tec first. Once you get comfortable with CC'ing a gun - and know how you'd like to conceal it - move up to a larger size. You can still slip that P3AT in your pocket when you're toting an XD.
 
Luckily for you, both the Kel-Tec and the XD are commonly available guns, in current production, with which no one seems to have a strong emotional attachment. So, if those two really will be your first guns (in one order or the other), I think you can be confident of finding the other, no matter which one you buy first.

timothy
 
I'm going to second the CZ-82 idea

They are currently available from AIM Surplus for $209 plus shipping (which must be overnight del.) - $242 or so out the door. With a $25 transfer fee, that's 267 plus tax I guess.

Of course, you could get a C&R license and skip the transfer fee and local sales tax and have this shipped to your door. They are $30 from uncle sugar (BATF). If you qualify for a carry permit, you qualify for a C&R.

Here's a link to AIM's page with the CZ-82: http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Czech_CZ-82_9x18_Pistol.html

This pistol is chambered for 9x18 Makarov and holds 12 rounds - is a little more "feisty" than a .380 and practice ammo is abundant (online) and pretty cheap. There are several great defense loadings available too - Hornady XTP, Corbon powrball and Glasier safty slugs. The pistol is all milled steel - is very similar to the Russian Makarov in design - only improved. It's also ambidexterous and friendly to southpaws.

Here's a link to a guy in Arkansas that makes a good IWB holster for the CZ-82: http://redstormholsters.com/Site/Home.html

Now, if you get the C&R license, that opens up a whole world of other options - most at very reasonable prices - especially since you buy direct. Another example would be the Star BM 9mm NATO - is a small, 1911 type single stack pistol - all steel construction and accurate. You pretty much have to shop on gunbroker to find them. Many, many other options...

Just a thought. Wish somebody had put me onto the C&R license earlier on in my gun nut career :D
 
How about a Makarov? Small enough to carry, large enough to have good "shootability," reliable, an excellent balance of the requirements of a carry gun. If you go for a Bulgarian gun, not expensive. The XD is a great gun, which I know from observation when I attended FAS. I carry a Steyr S9, which IIRC is about the same size as athe XD Compact. (Have you considered a Steyr?) The Kel-Tec is tiny and concealable, but not all that useful if it's the only handgun you own.
 
I carry a HK USP compact quite often IWB. It's thicker than the XD and is about the same length as the XD 4" service model (XD may be a tad longer).
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On the other hand, I bought the H&K USP45C for CC and never carry it anymore. It's been reassigned to HD due to being too big to conceal the way I would like. Of the 2 you mention, I would opt for the KelTec. My P32 has become my everything gun. It is always with me as primary or BUG. If you are sold on the XD, I would suggest you try a 9, as was already stated. Cheaper to shoot, less recoil, good reputation. Did I mention cheap?:D My Glock 26 is one of my primaries, the other is a Kimber .45 Ultra CDP. But as long as you're going to get the KT anyway, why not make it the first? It will surely be the most comfortable carry you will get.
 
The P3AT conceals and carries so well due to the size and low weight that I can't imagine trying to do without mine. I carry it with a belt clip, which works really well for me.

New P3ATs often have sharpish edges from the moulding process. Sand them off the grip area and the trigger, and you may find it a lot more fun to shoot. Mine gets lots of use at the range, and even my daughters think it is a fun gun to shoot.
 
If you go the KelTec route and find it a bit harsh. A Hogue handall grip is a good inexpensive alternative to make it more pleasant. Although concealment of hogue grips is notably "sticky." I would suggest a PF9 personally because 9mm is cheap and a minimum caliber in my opinion, but I'm over 6', so recoil is not much of a bother. My wife found the Hogue handall made it more pleasant to shoot her Taurus PT111 Mil Pro.

BTW, I see you are in the Portland area. I would be more than happy to meet you at the Brown's camp outdoor public range and let you try some of my pistols. I have 3 that fit the CCW role (2 different Taurus MilPros and an S&W CS40 semi-auto, all 3" bbl pistols) and a FS Witness 10mm that's good for raising eyebrows. CCW calibers are 9mm, 40S&W and .45ACP.

Bring a box of ammo for each and you'd be more than welcome to plink away and see if they influence your decision. I have plenty of 9mm on hand, but 40and 45 stock is slim by comparison.

My ccw preference is the 45. The recoil is more of a rolling impact than the snap impact with the 9mm or the 40. I also have two good holsters of differing styles (HBE and UGB) and an Uncle Mike's or two so you can try that fit on also.

If your interested, just PM me and we'll hack out the meet details. I've haven't been shooting for a week or two and need an excuse to go plinking again.

jeepmor
 
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