Sergei Mosin
Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2011
- Messages
- 1,918
I have carried a variety of handguns since I first started carrying several years ago. Most of them have been large service-type pistols - most notably the 1911 and P229. Lately I have found myself foregoing the big guns in favor of a Ruger LCR. But I want to get back to carrying something more capable.
I initially chose the 1911 because it's easy for me to conceal - it carries IWB quite nicely and if an all-steel 5-inch model is a little long and heavy, well, I could always get an alloy-framed Commander - and I liked the idea of a bigger cartridge. At the time I wasn't too concerned about capacity. I also liked the idea of a manual safety.
However, as time went on I began to favor a gun with higher capacity and without a safety. This was in part because of an incident in which I drew my 1911 and thought I would have to shoot two highly aggressive dogs. Fortunately they were driven away by other actions and I didn't have to shoot. Afterwards I realized that I had not swiped off the safety - whether I had forgotten or not yet made the conscious decision to shoot, I've never been sure. I realize that this is a training issue, but I've forgotten to take the dang thing off on a square range when I did want to shoot. While I've never had any doubt in my ability to shoot the 1911 rapidly and accurately, it shook my confidence in the utility of a safety. And faced with multiple opponents, even canines, the statistics are not in favor of the 1911. I'm reasonably certain I could have neutralized one of the dogs. I'm not sure about the second.
So that drove me toward a different weapon, one holding more rounds and without a manual safety. I still wanted a larger cartridge, so I eventually settled on a P229R DAK in .40 S&W. It's a fine gun; I like the trigger system and even if I'm still not a huge fan of the .40 cartridge - I can get more hits faster with 9mm or even a doublestack .45 - my performance is acceptable. However, the thing is hard to carry. It's too fat. If I can't get comfortable carrying it in a Milt Sparks VM2, I don't know if I'll ever be comfortable carrying it IWB. (I'm open to other IWB suggestions.) And it's too long to carry OWB around here in summer (which is T-shirt weather.)
Meanwhile, I've been carrying my LCR on and off. Lightweight, disappears in a pocket, excellent for deep concealment, great trigger, I shoot it well...but only five shots. It's all well and good to bring a gun, but it's important to bring enough gun, too.
All that being said, I'm looking for a new carry gun. I'm OK with 9mm, but nothing smaller. I want at least 10 rounds, preferably more. I don't want a manual safety. I want to carry it OWB under a T-shirt, although I could be convinced to try IWB again if the slide is thin enough. What do you recommend?
I initially chose the 1911 because it's easy for me to conceal - it carries IWB quite nicely and if an all-steel 5-inch model is a little long and heavy, well, I could always get an alloy-framed Commander - and I liked the idea of a bigger cartridge. At the time I wasn't too concerned about capacity. I also liked the idea of a manual safety.
However, as time went on I began to favor a gun with higher capacity and without a safety. This was in part because of an incident in which I drew my 1911 and thought I would have to shoot two highly aggressive dogs. Fortunately they were driven away by other actions and I didn't have to shoot. Afterwards I realized that I had not swiped off the safety - whether I had forgotten or not yet made the conscious decision to shoot, I've never been sure. I realize that this is a training issue, but I've forgotten to take the dang thing off on a square range when I did want to shoot. While I've never had any doubt in my ability to shoot the 1911 rapidly and accurately, it shook my confidence in the utility of a safety. And faced with multiple opponents, even canines, the statistics are not in favor of the 1911. I'm reasonably certain I could have neutralized one of the dogs. I'm not sure about the second.
So that drove me toward a different weapon, one holding more rounds and without a manual safety. I still wanted a larger cartridge, so I eventually settled on a P229R DAK in .40 S&W. It's a fine gun; I like the trigger system and even if I'm still not a huge fan of the .40 cartridge - I can get more hits faster with 9mm or even a doublestack .45 - my performance is acceptable. However, the thing is hard to carry. It's too fat. If I can't get comfortable carrying it in a Milt Sparks VM2, I don't know if I'll ever be comfortable carrying it IWB. (I'm open to other IWB suggestions.) And it's too long to carry OWB around here in summer (which is T-shirt weather.)
Meanwhile, I've been carrying my LCR on and off. Lightweight, disappears in a pocket, excellent for deep concealment, great trigger, I shoot it well...but only five shots. It's all well and good to bring a gun, but it's important to bring enough gun, too.
All that being said, I'm looking for a new carry gun. I'm OK with 9mm, but nothing smaller. I want at least 10 rounds, preferably more. I don't want a manual safety. I want to carry it OWB under a T-shirt, although I could be convinced to try IWB again if the slide is thin enough. What do you recommend?