Looking to Buy New Handgun...good for ccw too...

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87YJFL

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Hey all,
I'm relatively new to handguns and have been doing lots of research. I'm basically looking to spend around $500 and the piece needs to fit the following criteria.

Something reliable, dependable, relatively easy to conceal for ccw here in FL.

I'm specifically looking into autoloaders and have heard some good things about the Springfield armory XD40 and the Taurus 24/7 .40 cal.

What handguns would you guys reccomend for FL hot weather, reliability, and good for ccw?

Thanks a lot in advance. Great Forum here :cool:
 
If you are really serious about carrying it in Florida's heat, IMHO nothing will beat a Kahr PM40 or a small J-frame revolver. My 11.5 oz S&W SC360 Scandium .357 is under a lb fully loaded with 158 gr Hydrashoks. Its easy to cary but a real load to shoot, but since its one gun I carry a lot more than I shoot thats OK. The PM40 is a pussycat by comparision. Might have to expand your price range a bit for these two, but if you are really going to carry it, price should be the last concern.

For the price the Taurus Millenium Pro is hard to beat.

--wally.
 
I'll second the Kahr line of guns and also ecourage you to look at the Taurus Millenium Pro. I'd stay away from the non-pro Tauris, but I've heard a lot of good about the Pros. I wouldn't get anything bigger than a G23 and if you can find one a Steyr S9 could be a good option as well.
 
If you want a .40 S&W subcompact, there are lots of options. Glock 27, Springfield XD40 subcompact, CZ RAMI, and the Kahr P40/PM40 all spring to mind, though there are many others. All will probably do the job.
 
I have a Taurus PT145 Millenium Pro and so far it's very easy to carry. The 10+1 capacity in .45ACP should be more than enough for any defensive situations.

The hot Floida climate and maybe the humidity would make a stainless handgun my choice but if you wear very light clothing, I would think that a small gun would be easier to conceal. A J-frame Smith in .38 Special or the Taurus model 85 Ultra-lite (rated for .38 Spl +P) http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?model=85CHULT&category=Revolver could be a good alternative on those really hot and muggy days.
 
When making your decision, remember that being in FL means a lot of heat, sweat, and humidity, possibly even a salt water mist, if you live by the water. You will want a gun that is (more or less) impervious to the elements.

Are you stuck on the .40? If so, I recommend the following:

Compact pistols:
Glock 23
HK USP Compact
SIG P239

Subcompact pistols:
Glock 27
Kahr K40*

*The K40 is all steel, rather than the polymer frame. I find that the steel frame absorbs recoil. I have a Kahr E9 (same as K9) and don't feel it is too heavy to carry. It's actually lighter than my Glock 19.

I don't recommend the XD-40 or XD-9 in any of its variants. My buddy let me use his XD-9 Subcompact for a while and it is considerably harder to conceal than my Glock 33 in the same place, mostly due to its big, clunky slide. (I carry at 4:00 position IWB and sometimes on my left ankle when I can't carry IWB.)
In addition, his XD is rusty. Nothing we've tried is able to get the rust off the finish. This happened after a 2-day camping trip. On the last day before going home, the slide was covered in fine rust. Some of the rust is too deep to remove without refinishing the whole slide. From what I understand, Springfield has fixed the rust problem, but who's to say you don't end up buying one of the older ones without knowing? Other than this rust stuff, the XD works perfectly and hasn't jammed once.

----------
If you are not stuck on the .40 S&W, why not get a good 9mm? I have plenty of pistols in all major defense calibers and I usually end up using the 9mm for CCW. I find the faster follow-up shots and lower recoil is more important than the lower weight bullet. The whole 9mm vs. .40 thing is crazy and I won't get that started. You should remember than there are tons of folks who carry .32s and .380s everyday and you don't see them complaining about energy, bullet size, etc.

If you're willing to go 9mm, I suggest the following:

Compact pistols:
Glock 19
HK USP Compact
SIG P239

Subcompact pistols:
Glock 26
Kahr K9
Kahr E9
 
I don't own a Glock, because I hate the look of them - but I think that's what you've described! Try one and see if you like it.

If the "compact" size is small enough for your carry needs, consider getting compact rather than subcompact, because it'll be more comfortable to shoot. I think it's important to do a LOT of practice if you can (and formal training if you can afford it).
 
I live in South Florida and here's what I've tried...full size 1911: way too big and I just can't/won't carry cocked and locked; XD40 service: too big to carry comfortably but I loved the grip safety and the striker trigger was great; Taurus 85 revolver: nice little gun but too light with 38 speical and only five shots...plus, if I'm gonna carry something as wide at a revolver I'll make it a beefy auto loader. After looking at the Kahrs, which I won't buy because of price and a personal issue I have with the ownership, I came across the Taurus Millennium Pro, PT-140 which is a 40S&W, 10+1, double action long smooth trigger pull which I really like for ccw, and manual thumb safety. Its a real small package and fits everything I was looking for in a dedicated ccw piece for down south. It seems to me one of the most important things for ccw in hot humid climes is a good holster with a sweat shield. I've polled Millennium Pro owners (and make sure its the "Pro" because the earlier non "Pro" models had a pretty crappy trigger) and those that have the Pro's have nothing but praise for them...BTW you can get a NIB Pt-140 for less than 300 shipped.
 
S&W 3913 - great, underrated carry gun. Accurate, reliable, and easy to conceal.
 
357SIG gives you some good advice. The HK HE finish is very tough and resistant not only to scratches, but humidity as well.
 
RoyG
Does that mean you carry with a empty chamber???
Click to expand...

Yeah, I did and felt stupid and ill prepared. I wanted to see how a full size felt to carry but like I said I just couldn't carry it cocked and locked. I only carried the 1911 once and went back to my XD which I carry with one in the pipe. I know from experience what an accidental discharge feels like...it was during an ipsc shoot so it was about as safe an AD as you can have...but it was very sobering, and ended my day for the safety violation. If you shoot in competition you have either have had an AD or you will have. With that in mind, and with my AD experience, I have decided, for me, I won't carry a single action firearm cocked and locked.
 
The XD's are great!.
But...I would choose the SIG 229 in .40S&W.
Reliability is its middle name, it holds 12+1, has a decocker for safe handling, and shoots really good for me.
 
I love my CZ100 in 9mm, save you some money to! I carry concealed everyday its light & with its double action only, very safe.
 
87YJFL,

Now that you have all of these great recommendations.

Do some research on the various guns mentioned.

Pick the 4 or 5 that you feel most likely to meet your needs.

Go to a range and rent each.

Run a box of shells through each.

You should also try the same platform in different calibers. I carry a .45 (Ruger P90, yes it's big), because I find the recoil from the .40's I fired to be snappier and the recoil from the .45 to be more of a push. This let's me get back on target faster. I am not trying to start a caliber war, there is no 1 best caliber for every situation.

Buy the one that fits your hand and you shoot the best.

This seems excessive, I know, but it is the only way you will end up owning the best gun for you.

There will be trade offs in comfort versus security. You may have to start wearing Hawiain shirts in the summer instead of T shirts, I did. I now have quite a collection. You may want to try one of the "crotch holsters" I can't remember the brand name. My point is that you will give up some degree of physical comfort to gain an equal or greater sense of security.

By the way, trying the various guns is fun as well as educational. If it isn't fun or at least comfortable to shoot, you won't practice enough to use it effectively if, God forbid, you ever need to.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

DM
 
Hey, if you live anywhere near Knight Shooting Sports on Hwy. 19 in Clearwater, you should head over & test out a few of their rentals. I had a chance to shoot there last year while I was on vacation, and this is a first-class indoor pistol range.
 
If it's Florida, make sure you get something with a finish that'll withstand lots of acidic sweat and salty moisture. Make sure the slide is stainless steel, with a good finish. Bluing won't hold too well.
 
If you're dead set on a .40 caliber compact autoloader for target shooting and CCW, check out the used options. Used XD-40 subcompacts, Glock 27s, and to a lesser degree Kahr PM40s and .40 caliber CZ Ramis are extremely common, and most can be had at your price point or cheaper. Finding a similar gun in 9mm is less easy.

My theory on that is many people find they don't like shooting .40 caliber through a small autoloader, so much so that they sell the guns at a loss. Owners fo subcompact 9mms, however, are much happier and keep their guns.

I have two carry guns--a Taurus 605C and a newly purchased Glock 26. But the Glock is a familiar item to me. I've borrowed one and used it for shooting in a centerfire pistol league. You'd think that a subcompact gun would hinder my score, but I scored my highest ever score with a borrowed G26.

I suggest giving 9mm some serious consideration. There's a reason all those used .40 calibers are on the market. Any of the guns suggested would be fine, depending on your preference. I voted my preference with my money.
 
Knight's Shooting Sports is a great range, but they can't seem to leave their prices alone. It is now almost $20 per hour and I flat out refuse to pay that! A better alternative is Shooting Sports on Dale Mabry Hwy. in Tampa. They only charge ~$10 and you stay as long as you want. The also rent pistols.
 
Unless you feel uncomfortable carrying a smaller caliber, consider a SIG P232SL. It's "only" a .380 Auto, but it's solid stainless to resist corrosion, light at about 20 oz or so, short, thin and snagless for good CCW, and a hell of a lot of fun to shoot.

The gun shoots hotter 380 +P rounds very well, and although these are on the lower end of what most folks would carry size wize, I find that the gun points so well that I can get rounds on target much faster than any other gun in my safe, and that's certainly worth something. Very, very accurate - and the low bore axis makes for quick followup shots. Not to mention top notch quality.

Tucked in a high noon closing argument holster, the gun completely conceals with only a T-Shirt.
 
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