people are to overly obsessed with the size and wieght of guns today.

[smalls]

You see, this is why there are thousands of different kinds of guns. Everyone can pick and choose what suits them best. Kinda the same as cars.

 

[Maple_City_Woodsman]

I think there is a range of optimum.

If a piece is too low weight it can be a real problem to shoot well, and exacerbate recoil. If a piece is too heavy, it becomes burdensome to carry for extended periods (all day).

Size i think is less of an issue, provided that stays within an acceptable spectrum as well.

Look at it this way: If you could have a 6 shot N frame snubby that weighs the same as a conventional steel 5 shot J frame, and still conceal it, then why on earth would you not avail yourself of that? The bigger gun will shoot better, handle more powerful cartridges, and still carry just as well on the belt.

I have two handguns that fall into the extra low weight category - a S&W 310 night Guard, and a FN 5.7; they are both large frame guns, but they carry very well because of their low weight (heavy use of alloys and polymer). They also shoot better than my compact guns, because they have full sights, and you can actually get a good grip on them.

 

[Safetychain]

I'm retired now and live only to enjoy myself and growing family now. I can count the days in a year on my fingers and probably most of my toes that I wear anything beyond shorts and a tee shirt. Then there are a lot of days, summer and winter, that it is a bathing suit an a tee shirt. I would prefer a full sized 1911 because of how it fits my hand and how well I shoot it as well as its capability. But, I cannot carry that 1911 concealed in my relaxed lifestyle. My little TCP has a lot of limitations that I would rather not have to think about, but I can carry it in my shorts pocket and it is better than not carrying at all. Hey, you do what you have to do. And unless the "concealed means concealed" restrictions are lessened, I do what I have to do.

 

[Ignition Override]

Off the top of my head, two coworkers carry Makarovs and another has a thin 380 in his back pocket.

They live in two adjoining concealed-carry states. Can only think of one buddy who has a larger type, which is a .45.
He seems to always wear a loose, Panamanian shirt when he is in town drving around.
The other guys can wear clothes which blend in.

Maybe my perspective is wrong ('clothes which blend in'), and am willing to learn. My only guns are rifles, but one day many more of us will Need a handgun.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

To the OP, what gun do you carry on a daily basis and how does it work out for you? What style of dress do you most often wear when you carry? What kind of activities are you doing?

Different people seem to find that different choices work out better for particular needs. Since the first rule seems to be "have a gun", if someone finds they carry more often and conveniently with a lighter gun, I find it hard to begrudge their choice.

 

[makarovnik]

I agree. I like some size to hold on to and some weight to keep recoil down for better followup shots. I also like metal over plastic for the most part.

 

[killchain]

To clarify, if I want to use a pistol for defense or competition, by all means I like all-steel and some size and weight to it.

But when I need to hide it... different story.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I hate it when people think a gun has to be less than 10 ounces and fit in the palm of thier hand to be considered for carry/ pd use.

There is definitely a point of diminishing returns.

 

[ball3006]

You can always tell the guys that......do not have a CHL..........or..........have a brand new CHL. They want the biggest and baddest and largest caliber handgun they think they can carry concealled. Right. Then reality kicks in.

The worst complainers are the rifle guys. They will take a 1000 dollar prestine milsurp and whack the stock off to make it light and handy. If you thinks 2 ounces of wood make such a difference, you have more serious problems that a so called "light" rifle will correct. Get off the couch and join a gym and live longer............ chris3

 

[HDCamel]

An average person's body weight will fluctuate over the course of a single day more than the weight of most handguns. Steel or not. Size is far more important than weight for CC.

Of course, I open carry, so neither is really an issue for me.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

To the OP, what gun do you carry on a daily basis and how does it work out for you? What style of dress do you most often wear when you carry? What kind of activities are you doing?

Different people seem to find that different choices work out better for particular needs. Since the first rule seems to be "have a gun", if someone finds they carry more often and conveniently with a lighter gun, I find it hard to begrudge their choice.

Hes 15, he doesn't have experiance with CC. Quite frankly I don't understand why the OP is talking the way he is, he doesn't have experiance with CC yet talks about weight being nothing. Sure its only a handgun but the more you walk around, the heavier it gets.

 

[gym]

It's the profile, and design, more than the weight. Carrying a heavier 1911, rathr than a kighter bkocky S&W cs 45, has much to do with comfort as the weight does.

 

[mdauben]

Way overly obsessed. I hate it when people think a gun has to be less than 10 ounces and fit in the palm of thier hand to be considered for carry/ pd use.

I think ultralight subcompacts definetly have a place in CCW, but they are certainly not the be-all-end-all. I find my Glock 19 in an IWB holster just fine for most occasions, and if I am wearing heavy clothing that can conceal it I'll even wear my Glock 21 in a OWB holster.

On swealtering summer days when I'm down to nothing but a pair of shorts and a single t-shirt, a small, pocketable gun is just the ticket, though.

 

[dannyr3_8]

I prefer light, up to a point, but I'm old and beat up.

amen old and beat up too

 

[Ignition Override]

ball3006: Well-spoken, about the people who ruin the character of a milsurp rifle.

This is unrelated to handguns, but a guy critiqued this practice of permanent alteration about two weeks ago at "Surplusrifle", and a moderator jumped all over him using gigantic letters to call him a "JACKWAD".

All I said was that "Some of you guys need a good night's sleep", to avoid any clear, direct critique of that moderator (a retired Navy guy).
He then blocked me from even accessing the thread (maybe he felt ashamed?), and I was very disappointed by the moderator's rude behavior, which was totally uncalled for. I've never seen any moderator react in such a manner .

Had to get that out of my system.

 

[Viper]

I suppose I'm one of them. I prefer light weight for carry. Right now the heaviest pistol of my fourteen is a lightweight Loaded FS SA 1911 at 30 ozs. Nine of these fourteen are 45's, three are 40's, and two are 9mm.

 

[Hunterdad]

God for bid if someone wants to use a gun that suits their wants and needs.....how dare they!

 

[Mike1234567]

This is unrelated to handguns, but a guy critiqued this practice of permanent alteration about two weeks ago at "Surplusrifle", and a moderator jumped all over him using gigantic letters to call him a "JACKWAD".

All I said was that "Some of you guys need a good night's sleep", to avoid any clear, direct critique of that moderator (a retired Navy guy).
He then blocked me from even accessing the thread (maybe he felt ashamed?), and I was very disappointed by the moderator's rude behavior, which was totally uncalled for. I've never seen any moderator react in such a manner.

Things like that happen all the time on some of those OTHER forums. TG we have sane/reasonable Mods on THR.

I don't obsess over size and weight as long as it's within reason. I can't go on long hikes anymore anyway.

 

[TenMillimaster]

Weight and size aren't everything, but they are something... I would hardly consider something gigantic and bulky (desert eagle, SW500 etc.) a practical carry piece... especially when for just another pound you'd almost be carrying an ultralight AR15.

 

[Breakmyfootoff]

People have been concealing guns of moderate weight for hundreds of years before polymer came along and now its considered to impractical to be considered.

Just because something was done a certain way for a long time doesn't mean we should keep doing it that way. As time progresses, new and better ways of doing things are developed. Communication and travel are two good examples, just because people used courier pigeons and covered wagons for hundreds of years doesnt mean they're better than airplanes and cars . New gun designs allow people to carry equal or better firepower than the guns of yesterday in a lighter smaller package, whats not to like about that?

 

[oldfool]

I dunno, but feels like some here maybe missed the 10 ounces mentioned in OP
It was not implied that OP thought everyone ought CCW carry a Ruger Redhawk or 454 Casull...
Just that there is some very obvious point of diminishing returns on weight savings for convenience sake.. why all the angst over that ?

my LCP has it's place, but it is a pretty limited space
I wear/shoot a 23 oz same caliber better, and my pants haven't yet fallen off me because of it, and I don't even use a belt most of the time
casual shorts, no belt, no suspenders, and a loose t-shirt works fine with 20-26 oz IWB clip holster, believe it not
(but I only been wearing same/similar weight size handguns auto/revolver whatever in CCW for a few decades though, maybe I am still just too young and inexperienced, could be)

for some, a LCR in 357 mag just is too insanely heavy for a magnum caliber, but with just a little bit of patience, maybe they will cut the LCR weight in half and chamber it in 44 mag.. be patient

 

[camar]

We in the gun culture have become too recoil and weight sensitive. We like 9mm and we like light guns. We have become a bunch of p...ys. I have carried my Ruger Blackhawk 44 Mag., 7/1/4 in. bb., .45 Government, .357 Mag. 6" bbl, and 4" hvy. bbl. 38 Spl. with no problem. I practice with all of them and carry all of them with confidence.

I just get used to the weight and discomfort and keep trucking on. So what is the problem with the weight? Get used to it and keep trucking on.

 

[DNS]

I have trouble enough keeping up my pants without two pounds of firearm pushing them back down.

My 6.5 ounce pocket carry is perfect for me and is always on my person.

 

[JohnBiltz]

Personally, I'm fairly lazy and like my little comforts. I wear comfortable clothes and like oversize upholstered furniture and air conditioning. Now I've lived out of a rucksack and once slept in a hole in the ground for 30 days and went 59 days without bathing. I didn't complain about it but it sucked. I don't live to carry a gun, I carry a gun to prolong living. Life is short, live well.

 

[Sav .250]

To each his/her own............ Not everbody likes a "cannon" on their hip!