Opinions on CCW pistol for me

[speedydave]

I'm not wanting to get into a which caliber is better, I know there are several threads on that already.

I currently have a Sig 229 in .40 S&W. I love the gun but I think it's a little too big to carry. It's going to primarily be my home pistol.

I am thinking I should get a more compact pistol to carry, like a Glock 27, Sig 232 (.380 acp), Walther, etc.

My question is, should I buy another .40 compact or get a different caliber to carry.

My choices that I would consider are 9mm, 40 S&W, 45 Auto.

PRO's
45: I have always wanted a 45

40: I already have one and like the idea of only dealing with one caliber

9mm: I have a few rounds left from a previous gun and they are cheap, and generally hold more rounds

Con's
45: lower capacity, adding another caliber to my collection

40: none?

9mm: again just another caliber

What do you guys think?

 

[Ala Dan]

Hey dave My Friend-

The SIGARMS P229 .40 S&W can easily be concealed, with the proper
holster. Don't go cheap~! My suggestion is save money, and find a design
that you like, and fits well. Then, have a custom leather holster maker
build what you want. I have had great success in this endeavor while
dealing with the fine folks at Kirkpatrick Leather of Laredo, Texas.
They are a custom leather manufactuer, and will build to whatever your
needs are~!

 

[Wayne G.]

Dan, kudos to you! Awesome recommendation!
I reiterate what Dan says. A quality holster and belt are as important as the pistol! The best holster I own took about 6 months to get and was over $100--and worth every bit of the time and money. It hides a P220 Carry nicely!

 

[jwxspoon]

Can't go wrong with a Crossbreed IWB holster either. Most comfortable holster I have ever owned.

Despite my large collection, for carry I keep going back to one of my 3 kel-Tecs (P3AT .380, P11 9mm, PF9 9mm) or my CZ 2075 RAMI in .40

I love carrying a lot of the other weapons but they're just not comfortable over the course of a long day.

jw

 

[The Bushmaster]

Besides Ala Dan's suggestion. Another excellent holster manufaturer is www.kramerleather.com

 

[speedydave]

Good info guys, thanks for the recommendation Dan.

I guess I need to fess up and admit my main reason for not wanting to carry the Sig is I intend to keep it in pristine condition. Holster wear and general wear and tear are big concerns for me with the Sig. Don't get me wrong, I shoot it and enjoy it, and I'm not worried about the gun holding up, I just want to keep it looking "pretty".

That is the reason I was leaning more toward the utilitarian Glock to carry. With the polymer I don't think it will show much wear and tear, but it wouldn't really matter if it did.

I think the Kel-tec is a possible choice, I have seen several LEO's buy them for a back up. That says something.

 

[SDG]

Well, in that case, get two Sigs. Carry one and keep the other one pretty.

 

[Black Adder LXX]

My buddy has the Glock 40 cal subcompact (don't know the #) and it's great.
I have the M&P compact and love it. It's about the same size. Both are reliable, a good value and available in 9mm or 40cal.

 

[DFW1911]

Dan, Thanks for the intro to Kirkpatrick Leather - I checked out their site and will be buying something soon

Dave, Two of my CCW weapons are Glocks, models 22 and 33. I have no complaints with either of them. If I can conceal a G22 you can conceal a Sig 229

RE: a .380, I'm not a fan of them for CCW. They're great for concealment but I prefer something with a bit more punch.

Hope that helps.

Take care,
DFW1911

 

[Lonestar49]

If you must..

...

Smaller, thinner, in either 45cal or 9mm, both in 3"


Ls


Colt Defender 45 with 7+1.. your left

Springfield EMP 9mm with 9+1.. your right

 

[md7]

i ccw a G23 and a SW 642.(air weight .38 snubby) i have no trouble out of either. the G23 has shown no wear what so ever, and it has been my truck gun for 4 years and my ccw for the better part of the past year.

i agree with DFW on the .380. it is less than ideal for ME. i know shot placement trumps caliber, but i prefer to have good shot placement and a more powerful caliber. you can have both if you practice.

 

[speedydave]

Nice guns Lonestar, but I would prefer an ugly tough gun to carry, I would hate to tear up a nice piece.

You know what I mean?

 

[takhtakaal]

Funny, my CCW for the longest time was a SIG P229 in .357 SIG. It's got character. My opinion is, if you want something to look at, buy airsoft -- it's cheaper. I do know how you feel, but firearms sitting in boxes do nothing for me. Down deep, we're either shooters or collectors.

See if you can find yourself an unremarkable P220 trade-in from CDNN, give it some decent leather, both the holster and the belt, and scratch your .45 ACP jones. I have no issues whatsoever hiding a P229 under polo shirts, and I'm not a twig.

 

[Lonestar49]

Quote: Nice guns Lonestar, but I would prefer an ugly tough gun to carry, I would hate to tear up a nice piece.

You know what I mean?
------------
...

Yes and no, lol

As all my guns are "working guns" and if they get scratched, or show any wear marks, that's their duty.. lol

But, I don't use any leather IWB holsters for CCW, rather, a very unpopular (in this tough crowd) inexpensive IWB clip-on Uncle Mikes, which leave no wear marks.

Also, if you can find a nice used one is the Sig P228 9mm, single-stack mag, thin grips, one of, if not, the most accurate, well-balanced Sig 9mm's out there.. They come in all black, for the most part.

Let us know what ya wind up with..


Ls

 

[takhtakaal]

Also, if you can find a nice used one is the Sig P228 9mm, single-stack mag, thin grips, one of, if not, the most accurate, well-balanced Sig 9mm's out there.. They come in all black, for the most part.

You mean the P225?

 

[speedydave]

I didn't say I won't shoot or enjoy the Sig, and i would even carry once in a while probably, i just prefer it to be the home nightstand gun.

I do prefer a double action with a hammer, and/or a safety. That is my only apprehension with glocks. No safety and No hammer.

 

[Will Learn]

You should get a S&W 638 or 642(.38 special) and carry it in your front pocket. I have a 229 in .40 and carried it for a week before I bought my little snubbie. I carry it in a don hume pocket holster and barely notice it's there. I do carry the 229 in a fobus paddle holster under my coat walking at night this time of year.

 

[DFW1911]

Dave,

You may want to consider a Ruger auto of some kind. They're tough, reliable, have the features you want and don't cost an arm and a leg.

check them out: http://www.ruger-firearms.com/ They have a painfully slow server so bear with it while the pages load.

Thanks,
DFW1911

 

[crebralfix]

speedydave,

If you use your "pretty" SIG to shoot someone, you're going to lose it at least temporarily. Some states just take it, claim they'll return it, and you'll never see it again. Others actually will return it, but it may not be in good condition.

Next, you really do need to become good with your *fighting* weapons. This means frequent dry fire and drawing practice, as well as live fire. The gun is going to get beat up in the course of manipulation drills---working the slide off your shoe, spare mag, corner of a table, or your belt tends to cause dings.

I second the idea that you get a second P229. Not only is all your gear compatible, you have a spare gun in case the first goes down. It does happen...it happened to my with my first SIG and I was without a weapon for a month. You may want to get a used P229 since they cost less and have a factory warantee. Plus, it'll already have a few dings.

Is a SIG P229 even collectable? Why even bother? If you want to collect SIGs, then consider getting a P210 or an early model P series gun. Either way, "making" money in the used gun market is pretty tough.

 

[Harvster]

You've received a lot of good suggestions but it really comes down to personal preference. It's kinda like buying underwear. We can all say what we wear or what we think you should wear, but you have to test them out to find the right fit.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

While the difference in overall height and length is not great, the S&W 3913 (and similar models) is quite a bit slimmer than the SIG. The 908 is less finely finished (but less expensive) and would be less heartbreaking if it got marked up a little. There is also the SIG P239, about the same size.