Who carries the Ruger P345 or LW Commander concealed?

[Commander Crusty]

I'm looking for a concealed carry handgun. I would feel well armed with the Ruger P345 as I carried the similar S&W 645 for 15 years. Now that I've moved to a warmer climate, I wonder if the slightly lighter and smaller Ruger is reasonable as a CCW in the Carolina heat.

I would especially like to hear from anyone of you who actually carries (or used to carry) a 345, a similar sized LW Commander or other mid-sized, mid-weight pistol (such as the Beretta PX4 or High Power). In YOUR experience, is this size gun too big or heavy for warm weather carry?

Thank you.

PS
I am also considering a 5 shot revolver, the Kahr K9 or an XD Compact.

 

[usp_fan]

I carry a SIG P220 on a regular basis. This is essentially a Commander sized pistol with an alloy frame. In the right holster it is not hard to conceal with the appropriate attire. I've carried it with just shorts and a T-Shirt for outerwear and felt fine about my concealment.

I use a Comp-Tac MTAC holster for this pistol. It is very adjustable and I find it comfortable.

 

[alde]

I have carried a Ruger P345 in a Blade Tech IWB holser with jeans and a tee shirt. No problem at all. I have since traded it because I wanted a 1911 but it was a good pistol. I now carry the full size 1911 IWB. With a good belt and holster it works great.

 

[AK103K]

Your going to be the only one to tell you whether or not its to big or to heavy. Everyone has their own ideas about this, and they may not jive with yours. It seems these days, that many people are very size and weight conscious, and place that above anything else. I think its a mistake, but thats me. I would carry what I shoot the best with and go from there.

I always carried mostly full size handguns, and used to mainly carry a Combat Commander, as well as Government Models and a few others, and now mainly carry a SIG P229. I work outside, year round (it gets as warm here as it does in the south) and never had any troubles. All I usually wear as a cover garment in the summer is an untucked oxford type shirt.

Size really has little to do with anything if you really want to carry what you want to carry. Its just a matter of doing what it takes to do what you want. Its not hard to do, you just need to adapt to it.

 

[markallen]

I carry mine most days at work when I can leave my shirt tail out.
I carry in a Kirkpatrick Hidden Defense holster.
I don't notice the weight so much, but then I'm six foot, 300lbs.
I pocket carry my sp101.
And I carry a Ruger Alaskan .44Mag, concealed.
My point is, you are the only one who will know if you can tolerate it or not.
My P345 carries very well in the Kirkpatrick. Even though the pistol is not that heavy this holster spreads it out well. And it carries low in my waistband, which I and my Dunlap prefer.

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[MICHAEL T]

I carry a LTW commander at times But with good holster and belt my Dan Wesson carries just as easy . I also carry a Defender It conceals a little better in summer All will work

 

[Archie]

I carry a LW Commander in .45 ACP when the fit takes me. I tend to wear grown up clothes with jackets and such, but it can go under a loose shirt at need.

One needs a decent belt and holster. Jogging shorts just won't work.

 

[dmazur]

I carry a steel Commander concealed. Winter and summer.

The trick, for me at least, is to wear untucked shirts. This was a major departure for me, as I was raised to believe that was just plain sloppy.

Times have changed, and an untucked shirt isn't a fashion faux pas. Compared with some of the stuff that appears to be considered "acceptable", an untucked shirt isn't even on the radar.

Longer jackets for winter provide the same concealment, rather than "bomber" jacket length, in latitudes where jackets are a requirement.

 

[JDGray]

For me the P345 was too big for comfort. Heres the P345 next to the much smaller G19, and my current carry gun, Kimber UCII next to the larger G23. You'll have to just pick one and try Its hard to beat an officer size 1911, with a set of thin grips for carry comfort

 

[Dave T]

I carried alloy frame Commanders for nearly 20 years, as an off-duty weapon, while working plain clothes (detective) and then as an instructor in the academy. Carried one a few more years after I retired. Most all this was in Milt Spark's version of classic Summer Special with a light cover garment, i.e. vest, camp shirt or Hawaiian shirt.

After cracking the frame on my third Commander (I always shot what I carried) I switched to Glocks...but that is a whole different story.

Dave

 

[Mikhail Weiss]

I carried a Ruger P90 IWB for many, many years in jeans and t-shirt. Part of the time I used a crummy belt and a cheap-o Uncle Mike's flabby clip-on IWB before switching to a proper gun belt and a Blade Tech IWB. No one ever noticed. Concealing in such fashion seemed to depend much, much more on where you carry than how you dress. I can only imagine that the P345 would prove just as easy to carry and, in addition, the finish wouldn't wear off the grip after being sweat upon for eight hours a day over the course of a few years.

So is the P345 too big for warm weather carry? Based upon the aforementioned experience, I don't think so. Others may differ.

 

[Tacbandit]

I carry a Kimber Pro, about the same size/weight I suppose, in the same type climate...
No problems at all....Good luck...!!!

 

[Commander Crusty]

Original Poster Here:

I went to a large gun store in The City. They didn't have a new Ruger P345 in stock and wanted too much for the one used one they had on hand. I let the salesman talk me into a S&W M&P 45 with night sights and a thumb safety. Heading to the range, I scolded myself for my weak willed foolishness in buying the new fangled S&W that was probably going to turn out to be a piece of junk.

Well, the M&P worked PERFECTLY and didn't hurt my hands at all--the Ruger P345 hurt my hand a little when I shot a rental gun. Compared to my big S&W 645, the new M&P carries 2 more rounds and weights 10 ounces less. The M&P is larger, but weights 3 ounces less than the ParaOrdnance LDA Blackwatch Companion I used to carry (the Para is pretty much the same size as JDGray's Kimber).

I have a custom holster on order but have already been carrying the M&P 45 in a generic fit pancake holster. Comfortable. Concealable. The Smith and Ruger pistols are about the same size and weight. Thank you all for your encouragement to carry a full sized handgun again.

 

[weisse52]

Good luck with that new pistol!

Along with that custom holster make sure to get a quality gun belt. They work together to make your gun comfortable.