Need a new concealed carry gun.

[TannerLane]

I am in the market for a new concealed carry gun. I am debating between a Kahr MK40 elite and some type of compact 1911. I am not a large person. 5'10 155 lbs. I need something I can keep concealed round the clock. Budget is no more than $700. Any input or recommendations would be awesome!

Thanks in advance

 

[Glockman17366]

Since your post reads "new carry gun", what are you carrying now?

How do you want to carry (OWB, IWB, pocket)?

 

[snooperman]

concealed around the clock?

You may want to consider the Ruger LCP 380 pocket type handgun which will be easy to conceal at all times and all manner of dress "around the clock".

 

[NMGonzo]

What platform are you familiar with?

 

[owlhoot]

I have an MK40 and love it. However, it is too heavy for pocket carry. So you are looking at either IWB or OWB carry. It conceals well in most applications. For a .40 cal. it is about as good as it gets. I wouldn't pay the extra money for the elite version, but to each his own. I've had mine for several years. It has been totally reliable, very accurate, and it has a great trigger plus night sights. What's not to like?

Having said all that, if concealability is more important than power, you might look at the tiny Kahr .380. Or you might check the PM series which is light enough for pocket carry.

 

[TannerLane]

Still carryin the P30. Love it but its a big boy. Something smaller would be more comfortable. I have carried a walther, s&w 59 series.

 

[TannerLane]

usually carry IWB or OWB at about the 4 o clock position with a jacket

 

[DasFriek]

If i had to carry 24/7 in either IWB or OWB it would be with my Walther PPS 9.
Kahr PM9 would be a good one also being lighter and smaller.

When i think of carrying that much i prefer the smallest and lightest.

 

[Glockman17366]

I know what you mean about wanting an easier carrying gun.

I have an LCP...super nice little pocket pistol. Also, consider a lightweight .38 snubby in your pocket. Pocket carry is about as easy as it can get. With the proper ammunition, your self defense will be assured (as long as you do your part).
My snubbies are Taurus 85 Multi-Alloy (about 14 oz empty) and an 851 Titanium with a shrouded hammer. The shrouded hammer is an easier draw and is easier on the clothing. The 851 weighs about 16 oz empty.

I am not a proponent of .357 Magnum snubbies. Some guys like 'em, but I think they suck to shoot.

Just remember these little guns aren't target pistols.

 

[Red Rover]

I have carried several J frame 38s in pocket, S & W 3913 and Glocks (23 and 27) IWB and OWB. My favorite set up right now is the .45 acp single stack Glock 36 in a Raven Concealment Phantom OWB. The grip is nice and thin, it is relatively light, and the Phantom keeps it very close to the body, even though it is OWB. Yes, it only has a 6 round mag and it won't take Glock double stack mags. I carry one extra mag. If 13 rounds of 45 acp won't get it done then I made the wrong choice. I carry it all day and hardly notice it.

The Glock 30 with a double stack mag is prefered by some for the extra capacity, but I prefer the slim, single stack.

 

[TannerLane]

Smith & Wesson

What about going with a S&W 637? Comfortable to carry and made in America... I've looked at some options from Taurus but generally don't differ from things made outside of the US (besides Germany). It would be my first revolver but seems more economical and kind of more appealing to me than say the Kahr MK40 or PM40

 

[SalchaketJoe]

Another LCP fan here. Can conceal it in a pair of boxers. If you should find yourself out in boxers.

Have carried a Glock 23, Glock 36, Springer Ultra Comapact, Ruger SP101. Liked them all but when its 100 degrees out and I am in shorts and a T, the LCP wins. When I run, LCP. A .380 LCP in hand beats a S&W M29 .44 Mag in the house.

 

[mlaustin]

Try out a single stack gun like a 1911 - I'm a big taller/bigger than you, but my (limited, since I cannot carry in my home state) experience is that a 1911 with a 5-inch barrel was actually more comfortable on me than a Glock 19, which is considerably wider. If you take some basic steps and use the right ammo for carrying, the 1911 design is as reliable as any plastic gun - http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/tech/PDW_mods.htm has a good guide to getting your 1911 to shoot reliably enough for defensive carry (which to me means EVERY TIME you pull the trigger).

And if you're leaning towards a Glock, I'd suggest you check out and try to get a chance to shoot a Springfield xD - I personally think that it has all the good things the Glock has plus a lot of extras (better grip, 1911 style thumb web safety, cocking indicator, and most people are more accurate with it).

Try different holsters before you judge a gun as being good or not for carry - this is an unbelievably subjective thing, but it can make all the difference.

 

[Lar1911]

I have a full size 1911 and a micro compact 1911. I carry the full size the majority of the time.

The advantage of a full size and micro in the same gun is they feel the same when you go from one to another.

The 45 is a great round. But in the micro compact it kicks. I shoot it alot to make sure I can hit what I shoot at.

I own a Glock 22, Ruger SR9, small 2 inch 357, a Dan Wesson in 357 and 44, and a bersa in 380.

there are different times each gun is the right choice. I actually dont like the Glock, I bought it because I got a great deal on it. I like the ruger and would have no problems carrying it. With todays news bullets the 9mm is not a bad round.

Dress for what you carry. You can carry a full size 1911 everywhere IWB.

 

[jad0110]

What about going with a S&W 637? Comfortable to carry and made in America... I've looked at some options from Taurus but generally don't differ from things made outside of the US (besides Germany). It would be my first revolver but seems more economical and kind of more appealing to me than say the Kahr MK40 or PM40

You mentioned that you carry IWB or OWB. Would you do the same with the 637, or would you pocket carry it?

If pocket carrying, I'd recommend bobbing the hammer to avoid snags. Or, just go with the 638 (shrouded hammer) or 642 (enclosed hammer), or their blued equivalents, the 38 and 442 (the 37 is a blued 637). The rounded back strap of the enclosed and shrouded hammer guns makes drawing them from a pocket very easy.

If you are going to carry IWB, you may as well go with an all-steel gun for great recoil dampening, like S&W Model 60 in .38 or .357 or Ruger's SP101.

It is nice to have a pocket gun though. It makes a great BUG, or when you are in a hurry to get out the door or you're just tooling around the house, it's nice to just drop it in a pocket holster and go. I personnally find the S&W 642 the easiest gun to shoot that is pocketable. But that's just me, I typically don't shoot small autos well at all, though I do okay with my dad's Kahr K9.

If you've got a friend that'll let you take a J Frame for a spin before you buy, I'd recommend that; J frames are either loved or hated. YMMV.


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As for the 1911, when I carry IWB barrel length is not a big concern; width is. Like Lar1911, I carry a full-sized steel 1911 without any problems. I went with the 5" 1911, because on generally/on average, they are more reliable than sub-commander sized-guns (4.25" barrel).

 

[pogo2]

A vote for the Kahr

If concealment is the most important thing, I'd go with the Kahr MK40. The Kahr is much smaller, especially in the grip, than a 1911 with 3 inch barrel.

I have a Kahr MK9 (same size as the MK40) and a Colt Defender. The photo below shows them next to one another, along with a Sig P239. The Kahr, although small with "2 finger" grip, is easy to shoot because it has a great trigger and good sights. It conceals easily IWB in a tuckable holster, like the Comp-Tac "2 o'clock" appendix carry holster I use.

 

[warwagon]

If you like the 1911 platform, but want something smaller, you might like a Detonics. The combat master is a fine handgun, that mimics the 1911 controls,but is much smaller. It's not a pocket gun (weighing around 40 oz.), but it is highly concealable.