What to carry concealed?

[art sr.]

I'm trying to decide what gun I want to carry. My permit should be here any day now. I mailed my application to Utah 40 days ago. I would like something with stopping power maybe 45ACP in a frame small enough to carry comfortably. Any thoughts out there about Taurus mellinum pro?. Any advise is welcome. Thanks

 

[3KillerBs]

There are a ton of different factors to consider. Some of them include:

What fits in your hand?

Where on your body can you conceal and how large a gun can you conceal there?

How often do you intend to train with your gun?

Are you more familiar with semi-autos or revolvers? Which do you prefer?

Is cost a consideration when choosing a caliber?

Is cost a consideration when choosing the gun itself?

How strong are you? Weight of the gun, weight of the ammo in it, and weight of the reload are all considerations.
Are you mechanically inclined so that you will enjoy working with a gun that wants a lot of cleaning, lubrication, and general maintenance or would you prefer something that can take some neglect/abuse?

What is your lifestyle? What sort of environment do you work in? Will your gun need to stand up against any particular harsh conditions?

Evaluating this and other factors led my DH to choose and S&W M&P 9mm and to decide that a compact of the same gun would be useful for hot weather and led me to choose a Taurus 85 .38special revolver.

Unless you're under some sort of immediate threat of violence, there are few drawbacks to taking the time to do your research and think things through thoroughly.

 

[Solo Flyer]

art sr you have opened the floodgates!
My recommendation,knowing nothing about you ,is for stopping power in small frame:
Semi-Auto :Either the Glock 27 ,40 S&W 10 rounds or the Glock 30 or 36 ,45ACP,
10 and 7 respectively.
Revolver:Either the S&W 340PD .357 Magnum 5 rounds or the Ruger SP101 .357 Magnum 5 rounds.
All these guns weigh less than 30 oz. loaded.

 

[DWARREN123]

I like my Glocks, G23/G27, both are easy to carry concealed. The G27 is very easy to conceal and comfortable in a IWB cross draw.

 

[armedandsafe]

Ease of carry and concealability are the last things you should consider when buying a gun for self defense. Not the least important and not to be ignored, but pretty far down on the list.

The first consideration I teach is fireability for the person. The gun should fit the person in grip size, reach, balance, and recoil. Pull and fire should be on target at 7 yards and, preferably, at 10 yards. Work on changing the grips and the hold until this is accomplished.

The second consideration is "likeability" of the gun. If the person doesn't like it, it won't get carried. Sheer size of the gun weighs in here, as a 6 pound gun on the hip of a 90 pound person is not going to work. I wiegh a scant 150 and I carry a P85 or a Dan Wesson. I've been carrying for over 50 years and I still notice the weight at times (usually after cutting, carrying and stacking a cord of wood in an afternoon.)

Ease of carry and concealability are important and some consideration must be made for style of dress. I make my own vests and wear one at all times. They have fishing sinkers sewn into the lower hem to cut down on wind-blown exposure of the piece and hang square all around my hips. I use pretty materials and they are dressy enough that they are ignored.

3killerBs hit it well.

Pops

 

[jad0110]

First off, welcome to THR! You are going to like it here.

Also, I second 3KillerBs' post. Additionally, what kind of budget do you have, if you don't mind us asking?

Third, don't get too hung up on caliber when it comes to stopping power. Shot placement and penetration are far more important factors. In that regard, most medium and large bore pistol rounds should work fine, IMHO. So it's best to try a few different guns and select the one that will get carried most often that you can shoot accurately. Ammo cost is also a consideration that many overlook. Kinda like buying a sports car without checking tire and insurance prices. 45ACP has gotten fairly expensive (pricey enough that I reload it), but 9mm, .40 S&W and 38 Special to a lesser extent are still relatively cheap.

As I side note, I have shot the Taurus PT745. For me, it did not work at all. Could barely hit the paper at 5 yards . I just couldn't get a comfortable grip. Snub nose 38s work better for me personally. What works for you may be completely different though.

As I said, rent or borrow and shoot as many as you are able to, and handle even more. Often times just handling one you can rule makes and models out pretty quickly if it just doesn't feel right at all to you.

 

[AK103K]

The easiest answer is....what you shoot the best. Everything else is secondary.

You can carry pretty much anything up to a Desert Eagle if you dress right and have the proper attitude. Your "normal" full sized pistols are really very easy to carry and hide. If you cant, its because you dont want to, not because you cant.

Dont hinder yourself by thinking you have to carry something small, or smaller, that is usually harder to shoot well with. Find what you shoot most comfortably, naturally, and accurately with, and you'll have your gun. You'll figure out how to carry and hide it.

 

[presspuller]

Go with what you like.
If the gun is too heavy, too large, grips don't fit your hands right, you simply don't like shooting the thing, or whatever the reason, then you are more likely to leave it at home and what good is it gonna do you there?
To me size and weight, or the lack of it matters, a lot. I carry a 9mm, 10+1 rounds that weights 1 1/4 pounds.
Go with what you feel comfortable with.

 

[basicblur]

Any thoughts out there about Taurus mellinum pro?.

I like everything about it, except the fact that I can’t hit squat with it!
Actually, I’ve only had it at the range once and ran out of time before I could do much troubleshooting-I’m hoping it’s just a case of the sights being way, way, WAY off.
It’s one of my favorite guns AFA size, feel, features, recoil etc but until I figure out the accuracy problem it’s outta the CC rotation (current CCW is XD40SC).

Haff to do your own research AFA quality etc. I was a little leery ‘bout buying the Millenium Pro as I’m not real sure about Taurus quality, but I liked everything about it so much I took the plunge.
BTW…mine is a second generation-guess you’d want to make sure you get a third generation if you buy?

 

[pps]

For me, I carry in an area that stays above 100deg most of the summer and I wear business casual to work. My clients are in some pretty nasty areas. I carry a j-frame in the pocket (sometimes one in each front pocket), a speedloader or two and fugetaboutit.

I occasionally carry iwb with my ruger service 6 and in the winter (both days of it) I carry my 627 on a shoulder rig. I have carried the 627 in my briefcase, but I prefer to keep ccw on my person.

What works for me, may not work well for you.

 

[doc2rn]

I like the single stack Sigs and the new EMP would be a close second. Carry as much gun as you can given your circumstances.

 

[stew38]

a gun

the bigger the better

 

[GunNut]

OWB or IWB: Glock 19/23/32, 26/27/33, 30 or 36.

Pocket: S&W J-Frame, Kahr PM9 or Kel-tec PF9

 

[skoro]

"Comfortable carry" can mean a lot of things. To me, it means something I can put in my pocket and carry around unconcerned about its weight or size. I carry a small J-frame S&W .38 spl revolver, because here in Texas, we get a LOT of hot weather for 6 months out of every year. I don't want to put on an extra shirt/jacket to act as a cover for a gun in a shoulder or belt holster. The heat would kill me deader than any bad guy would.

If wearing an extra layer isn't a problem for you, then even a full-size revolver or 1911 is in the picture.

 

[38 Super Auto]

The Ruger SP-101 is a reasonable carry rig. It's a five shot .357 revolver. I would suggest a hogue grip. I traded my Firestar 9mm in on a used model. It's got plenty of power and shoots well for a snubby. You can go with 38 special if it's too much.

For semi-auto carry, I'd go with a DA with decocker (for safety)

You have to be comfortable shooting your carry rig and should practice with it regularly

 

[btg3]

Can you afford 2 or 3 handguns? If not, before you buy, is there any CC handgun that you could carry for a few weeks just to get a feel for it -- physically and mentally? This will narrow your selection a bit.

Of course, if you've got the fever and just gotta get a gun, most any will do.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Re: what to carry

As you said, lots of stopping power in the 45.

However, plenty enough stopping power in lots of other things as well. Ammunition advancements in the last, oh, 10 - 15 years have really leveled the playing field in that regard.

45, 40, 9mm, 380, 38, 10mm, 357, 22 magnum ... ANY gun will do, so long as YOU will do.

Revolver or Semi-auto? Revolver is stone simple, but the semi may well be easier to carry and likely have a larger round capacity. 5 rounds in a nice S&W J frame ... but 10-12 in a Glock 26. Will you ever need the other 7? I dunno. If you do you are likely having a -very- bad day (and running out of ammo isn't going to make it any better!).

My personal experience (FWIW) ... started with a Glock 26. Really hot down here in SC in the summer, so I added a NAA BlackWidow in 22 Magnum for a "summer" pocket carry. (if the 22mag slug doesn't get 'em on the first shot, they will be deaf/blind from the blast/flash for my 2nd shot)

For in the house/car, added a Taurus Judge. Something for close range, turn near misses into hits (shot pattern), not much carry to prevent collateral damage to the neighbors or the kid in the playground 1/4 mile away if I have to fire from my car (Which would likely be at an UP angle. If I miss with the Glock, that slug has to go somewhere.).

Bottom line. Buy what is comfortable for YOU. Buy what YOU can fire accurately. Buy what YOU can handle safely. Buy what YOU can afford to shoot with often enough to keep your skills up (to that end, I have a .22lr conversion for the Glock).

And last but not least, once you have the CCW, carry ALWAYS. There are no "safe places" any more.

No warranty expressed or implied. Your mileage may vary. Void in all 50 states and PR. Any resemblance to any person or event (living or dead) is a damn shame, and I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

[bwavec]

1) What can you shoot comfortably and reliably put rounds on target with ?

2) What can you easily conceal (without having to play with and adjust) ?

Answer those questions.....and you will have your answer.

 

[MCgunner]

In autos, there are more compact 40s than 45s. .40 is a good "stopper". Nothing wrong with my .357 revolver, though. I carry either a 9mm or a .38 in a pocket most every day. I'll only carry IWB if I'm going to the big city.

 

[1/7GRUNT]

If your permit is on its way what did you qualify with? Did you like that weapon?
I have a S&W 442 and love it. No complaints from me about 38+P. See if you could rent one at the range, i think you will like it too

 

[mtngunr]

Carry the largest handgun of largest caliber you can tolerate shooting or packing....the larger guns will be much better in increasing/maintaining skill, and packing will get more comfortable with time....at first, you'll feel like you're carrying a fridge with a neon sign with arrows pointing to it, but this will pass...plan on a commitment to clothing changes for carry to work....I'm 5'10"/150lbs/32" waist and carry guns such as M1917 S&W .45ACPs, 1911's, SAA 5.5"bbls, and have toted Redhawks, Old Army's, big Vaqueros with 7.5"bbls....I also have smaller guns such as a Seecamp-clone .32, Browning Baby, S&W 34 .22LR snubbie, but the 1911 gets carried more than any of them....you'll end up with several carry guns, no doubt.

 

[mhinagoya]

Buy the gun that feels 'right' in your hand, chambered in the cartridge you want to use when defending your wife and children.
Then, buy a good holster and a good gun belt.
Once you have all that stuff gathered up, accept the fact that you will have to dress around the gun.

Some manufacturers' reputations are better than others, but eventually, reliability and accuracy will come down to the gun itself. If it isn't absolutely reliable, take it to a gunsmith and pay him to make it reliable. Very few guns aren't acceptably accurate at 21 feet or less (statistically the most likely distance for a confrontation). So, accuracy is usually not a legitimate issue in a carry gun. Multipurpose guns or target guns are a different story.

Shoot your gun till you can hit with it, then practice on a regular basis. Frequent dry firing is recommended to practice trigger control and familiarity.

These are the basics. I can't in good conscience recommend a particular brand, type, or cartridge. I do admit to being a 'big bullet' fan, but those aren't for everyone (including my wife).

Carry guns aren't status symbols and they aren't fashion accessories. Think of them as a 'parachute' or an emergency life saving device and spend your money accordingly.

Bill.

 

[Archer1945]

I have a Walther PPK, Springfield XD9SC, XD45C Service and XD45C Tactical, all of which I have and do CCW with. To those I will be adding two S&W Mountain guns in 45 Colt which I will also acquire holsters for so I can CCW with them. Basically you can carry anything you want and can find a holster for.

 

[art sr.]

I want to thank everyone who gave me advice on what to carry concealed. After reading everybodys advice and opions, I believe I have extraced the basic meaning of carrying a handgun for personal protection and that is to carry the most distuctive firepower I can handle. When I am forced to protect my life and the lives of my wife and children I don't want to be caught with a tool that won't do the job. I am 6' 4" and 280 lbs. I will carry a 45ACP large frame pistol. Now I must choose the brand I believe will provide the quality, reliability and dependability i will need.

THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!!

 

[crabkiller]

just my $.02 Im around your size and I carry a XD-45 compact w/ 4" barrel.
The ten round mag keeps it small enough to fit my kidney area in a Galco summer comfort IWB holster comfortably while driving,walking etc. without anyone even noticing im carrying. Pop in the 13 round extended mag for a full size grip and you are good to go for plinking or anytime concealment is not an issue.I still like to practice in compact mode ( 10 rounder) just to keep my muscle memory sharp for carry. Have fun shopping!