Carrying

I realize this has been discussed before so forgive me,
What are folks favorite hand gun to carry for self defense and protection?
Recently did a bunch of question asking at a gun shop. There seemed to be a split of folks between carrying something small and easily concealed and carrying something with a better chance at stopping some drug craze fool or other bad guy.
Also, what type of holster is preferred by folks?

Just curious.
Leaning toward a .45 or a .38
Thanks or reading and answering my questions.

Thanks
Mac

I carry a S&W Shield in .45 ACP.

i look like i'm carrying an 8 month baby,does that count.

I carry a CZ P07. 9mm, 15+1 capacity, in a Black Arch Holsters "Protos-M".

most of the time i have an 870 slug gun with buckshot in it on or in the machine i'm in on the farm.

I carry a S&W 642 38+P revolver, it a snub nose. Double action only no hammer.

Thanks guys. PCR2, you may need to back off the pizza and ice cream! LOL

I carry a Keltec P11 in 9mm. At the time I bought it I could have had any handgun I wanted and spent many days at gun shows and in shops picking up guns to see how they fit. This is the one that truly fit my hand the best which I believe is one of the most important aspects of choosing a carry pistol. Some may scoff at the Keltec but I can shoot it well and have had no issues with it at all. I am very confident it will work but truly hope I never have to use it.

I recently bought my wife a Ruger LCR in .22 Mag. Very nice little revolver. She chose that after many days hefting pistols to see what fit her hand best. The .22 Mag does not have a lot of recoil so she is not afraid to shoot it at all.

Moosetrot

I carry a S&W Bodyguard 380 in a Desantis Pocket Shot holster every time I leave the house. It looks like a fat wallet in my back pocket and is easy to get too if needed.

Get what your comfortable carrying and concealing.
With ammo being available in various types like hydrashock hp's etc...stopping power is a more equal playing field these days.

I carry a Shield .45 I'm thin so at times it prints. I'm going to look into 9 mm's soon. I didn't take my ccw course with a revolver so I can't ccw one. I really like Canik's but it's a large frame.

I loved my Sticky holster but once my gun became unholstered during a confrontation I hated it. Now I use a locally made kydex holster.

My main concealed carry is a Springfield XDS .45

My wife carries a Sig P238 .380

We both carry IWB with high noon holsters

Same here I like a paddle holster easy on and off just remember if it's not easy and comfortable you will be leaving it home in the future! Leather breaths a bit better then plastic will.

Easier to show than to tell. Relentless Tactical IWB holster.

Usually a shield in .40 though I keep thinking I should trade it in for a 9mm for the extra capacity. Studies show the difference in stopping effect between 9, 40, 45 to be statistically non existent. What matters is shot placement and number of hits. The average number of hits to stop an attacker is also statistically equal between the calibers. My favorite holster for that gun is a crossbreed supertuck.

I don't know if this counts, I don't have a carry permit here but had one in NY, all I ever carry is a 22 pistol or revolver I like the performance of the Tauras TX and its lite holds 16 no holster it fits in my back pocket, I have others for uninvited company!

One or the other, but usually the 45

I have a couple 1911's a Kimber and a Springfield Armory. They are both 45's with a 4" barrel and the 1911 style just fits my hand well.
They are a pain for me to carry concealed, too heavy and as much as I love them I find it uncomfortable so therefore do not use them much as such.
In the colder months with a jacket they ride good with a pancake Shado holster though. My wife bought me a Sig 938 in 9mm last year and it is a fine weapon.
I figure that on a daily basis I will not get into more trouble than 8 rounds of 9mm cant handle and it is a joy to carry. I carry it in an Outback iwb holster.
Zim

Just remember your training is more important that your gear. Practice, practice,and practice some more. Your dry-fire practice should be like 10x your live fire practice. Remember if you're going to shoot someone, most likey it won't be with two hands standing square to the target, taking all the needed to line up sights and ensure proper grip. Those things along with accuracy matter, for sure, but in the moment it'll all be over before you can even think of those things. You won't rise to the occasion, you'll fall to your training. Practice shooting offhand, unconventional shooting positions, reloading, racking the slide, clearing malfunctions, your draw, using cover/concealment, moving, situational awareness etc etc. The best gun,belt, and holster in the world won't do you a bit of good if you can't draw it smoothly and quickly and then put shots on the target without getting shot yourself.

All of this!!

S&W model 36 3in. barrel bianchi top break holster

After 42 years of trying this and that I have settled on this: SW STUBBY IN GALCO LEATHER POCKET HOLSTER. Goes in one front pants pocket keys and pocketknife in other.

Thank you every one for sharing your thoughts on weapons and on practicing etc.
Much appreciated.
Mac

I carry a Bersa Thunder 380 combat

It's light & fits nicely in my tiny hand

X3
Also be careful with training videos online. There's a lot of bad ones. One good one on Facebook I follow is knockoutlights https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=114008039194217&ref=content_filter

Incorporate snap caps into your training. snap caps are great for dry fire but when mixed with live fire it shines + it helps you out on shot anticipation malfunctions etc....

One thing to think about is being on the toilet in public restrooms. How you conceal with your pants down is upto you. You need to figure out what's best for you without revealing you have a gun to the person's in the other stalls. Don't use the shelf in the stall to place your gun you might forget it. Practice the stall drills at home.

If you are serious about training, get the best hands on professional guidance available.

What good is it to practice if you are doing something wrong ?

https://www.gunsite.com/

One thing to think about is being on the toilet in public restrooms. How you conceal with your pants down is upto you. You need to figure out what's best for you without revealing you have a gun to the person's in the other stalls. Don't use the shelf in the stall to place your gun you might forget it. Practice the stall drills at home. [/quote]

I've heard if you carry it up your butt nobody will see it when you drop your pants. I prefer to open carry of course. But I do drill on the toilet all the time. Just in case I ever need to shoot somebody while I'm on the can

White, I would like to take their class, looks outstanding. Is that one a days drive or so from you?

Zim

I wish !! That's about a 5-6 hour plane ride from me but I have taken two of their classes and it was well worth it. A life-changing experience

Ruger LCP or a glock 26. During the summer the ruger comes out more than the glock. The ruger is either in a pocket holster or on my ankle. The glock is on a owb holster.

I would love to take instruction from a class act like that.
I don't understand everything I don't know.
Did a training class here with a guy and it sure did open my eyes a bit.

Zim

If you have the chance, don't pass it up. Start with the 250 Defensive pistol.

I've heard if you carry it up your butt nobody will see it when you drop your pants. I prefer to open carry of course. But I do drill on the toilet all the time. Just in case I ever need to shoot somebody while I'm on the can[/quote]

I heard that's how Californians carry their gun
Awesome. Yup you never know when it's going to hit the fan

That really IS a valid concern. Where do you stash your piece ?? I usually try to wedge it into the paper hanger but failing that I have stuck it in a coat pocket while coat is hanging on the door.

A urinal presents an entirely different set of problems. Are you wearring pants with a zipper or button fly ? This is, IMO, one of the best arguments against MOB carry. If you needed a better argument against it than safety.

White, what's MOB carry? When the toilet calls I won't drop the pants all the way in public.

Middle of back

yes middle of back

My thought is the gun you will carry is far better than the one you leave in your truck because it is not comfortable to keep on you. For that reason I carry a ruger LCP 380 in a DeSantis holster. If I have on a pair of pants I have that gun on me. It carries fine in a pair of gym shorts, and I don't even realize I have it on a pair of shorts/pants with a belt on. I wear my shirts tucked in so with this setup I'm always carrying with quick access. Of course I'd rather have a 45 in a bad situation but that's not always feasible.

Thanks white and DelawareRob

I know a guy that got robbed while using the toilet in a public restroom. He was sitting on the throne dropping a deuce and a gun comes over the top of the stall and the guy says give me your wallet. He gave him the wallet there wasn't much choice, and it's easier than getting shot. Not much cover to hide behind in a toilet stall.

I disagree. no one can see OVER that door to see what you are doing or where you are !! Shoot right through that stall door ! That's where the 45 ACP shines

Adam, likely a dumb question but are you saying you need to qualify with a specific weapon for a permit? That makes no sense to me, but neither do a bunch of other things that folks seem to read into the 2nd. Amendment.

You'd probably shoot and hit the guy but you've got an awful good chance of getting shot yourself if that guy pulls the trigger. Seems to me it's a lot easier to give the guy your wallet and not get shot. Look at his shoes and remember them and call the cops and point the guy out. To each his own though, it's your own life you're risking. Not a lot of room to hide in a 2 foot wide stall.

Some states are like that . Gotta qualify with the weapon that is listed on your license. Crazy !!

Glock 43x. IWB holster.

About the last thing I will do in my life will be to look at a guys shoes so I can describe them to a policeman.
Likely will be a little set to before that.

Zim

LOL I'll take that chance !! Been shot twice before ~ I doubt they'll get me over the Stall door !!

I've heard of that being true for some LEO agencies.

So, if you qualify (I hate that word) with your 1911 and then decide to carry your Smith and Wesson 617 while trapping you would be in violation?

Zim

I don't think so. I believe that if you qualify with a more complex weapon you will be fine dropping down to a revolver,

BUT.........that is just my opinion

Exactly !

There a couple of larger gun shops that offer some type of training for concealed carry but I have not researched it much.

Thanks for all the great informative responses.

White17: LOL I'll take that chance !! Been shot twice before ~ I doubt they'll get me over the Stall door !!

Good Lord White, did you get shot while serving in a war or as a citizen? Glad you made it. Alaska must be even rougher than I thought, and it seems pretty rough to me from what I have heard and read.

Mac

Yeah it was in Vietnam........but I was a citizen then too

I have two carry pistols now

1 - KelTec P3AT - pocket sized .380 ACP with a little pocket clip like would be on the side of a pocket knife. The entire gun fits inside waistband and only the little pocket clip goes outside the waistband. A belt covers all but the tip of the pocket clip. So, I can carry this IWB with a dress shirt tucked in and it is completely concealed yet easy to draw. I hate shooting this little gun and don't think I could accurate hit anything further than about 6' away. But the little thing is so easy to carry and conceal that this is what I have with me most of the time.

2. CZ 75D PCR - compact 9mm double stack - 16 round capacity. I can carry this IWB but will usually carry it outside waistband when I have an un-tucked shirt or coat/jacket on. I'd much rather have this gun with me if there's trouble but it's not easy to conceal in dress clothes - so it doesn't come along as often. I mainly carry it OWB when I'm outdoors or wearing casual clothes. This is a good looking gun and a pleasure to own and shoot. I much prefer this over the striker fired guns.

Springfield XDS .45 16 rounds, shooting twice is silly.

depends on the state some the make model and sn# of your 5 guns you can carry are on your permit I have heard of this for CA. north CA where you can actually get a permit.

most states I have heard of like TX if you qualify with an auto you can use a auto or a revolver but if you qualify with a revolver you can only carry a revolver. TX may have changed this now but that was how it was in the past a few other states have the same type of qualification.


WIs with no live fire and WI hunters ed is very easy to get a CCL. my wife has one just encase I leave a gun in the truck and she drives it. cheap insurance and if she ever decides she wants to carry she can but she chooses not to.

Zim, not a dumb question at all. Yes there's caliber specific weapon specific qualifications. Here you can carry for any caliber and under in the platform you did the course with. You can qualify with both revolver and semi automatic during the course and no additional fee.
Examples: I qualified with a semi automatic. 45 which allows me to carry any caliber in semi automatic. I've seen people qualify with 9mm semi automatic 9mm so they can carry 9mm and under in semi automatic. I often help my buddy with his ccw class on range day & I have even offered his students to qualify with my .45 so they can carry any caliber, but some refuse.

A guy in my ccw class offered me to use his snubnose rhino .357 but I didn't think I would want to carry a revolver now I regret it but still can add it in the future with an additional fee.

It's dumb that there's caliber and platform restrictions (sort of) and we can only ccw 1 pistol at a time outside of the vehicle and that ccw gun must be in compliance of which your license is valid for. If I decided to ccw a revolver I could be charged with unlawful possession of a gun.
Here's the backside of my license

Good to see another CZ fan! I love my P07. If I'm not mistaken, the PCR is NOT a polymer pistol, correct?
I'm with you on the striker fired guns, I don't own one and don't really care to. I started on revolvers, so the exposed hammer sa/da is what I prefer. With a decocker, not a manual safety. If you are in the market for a good iwb holster for it, I HIGHLY recommend the Protos-m from Black Arch holsters. Notice in the last picture how the kydex wraps around the entire trigger guard. This makes it safer, better retention (that won't loosen up over time) and makes for easier/faster reholstering. It is extremely comfortable to wear, has breathability and is very well made.

@Adam M you and your friend could keep a 45 with bullseye loads , very light and a 45 revolver and have everyone qualify with the light target loads and have an everything license. charge just for ammunition.

Thanks. This past week I had to wear a few suits for my uncle's funeral services and realized I needed a smaller pistol because carrying a shield 45 iwb with a dress shirt is a pain. With temps around 100° the jacket had to come off. So it was either show my gun to everyone or figure something else out. I'll look into the keltec.
Wearing a suit and carrying in fall- early spring isn't bad since the temps are much cooler and the jacket can stay on but in the dead of summer is another story.

Here's another one.

CZ P01 - it has an aluminum frame so it is lighter than the steel framed pistols. It is rated by NATO to be very reliable. 9mm ' hold 14- it's a little smaller than a full sized pistol. It comes in double action with a de-cocker. I just sent mine off for some custom work and will have it back in august.

Right now I am carrying a CZ SP01 Shadow- the first one. It's big and heavy like a colt 1911 but it holds 18 rounds and it more reliable than my .45. I can carry it cocked and locked like the 1911 but more often just carry it half cocked so I have to pull the trigger all the way

I wear a tactical ''t'' shirt for church that has a holster under each arm. It's spandex and it works great under a regular shirt & tie. I greet people at the front door and shadow our Pastor. No one ever even knows it is there. I am going to have to rip my shirt open like super man though if I need it fast. It's comfortable but on hot days like recently my pistol will be all wet by noon.

At work I have a half leather half kydex holster that goes inside my waste band. It's kind of like the one in the post above but mine has more leather between me and the pistol. It's comfortable. It's fast. I wear it the most when it is cool or cold out because it is easy to hide.

I carry a cheap soft bog master shoulder holster for trapping. I can wear one hear legally all the time since i have the license here.and it makes my pistol ride right under my arm so I can draw it while I am exiting the vehicle. It has a snap that snaps over the hammer on my S&W .22. Sometimes I don't snap it right and it falls out - I have to do a better job of that.

Make sure you get a pistol that works ever time all the time. Check them out. Kriss make a good one too.

Both of the CZ's I carry are super shooters. Both of them have had trigger work to make the triggers shorter after the first shot. This makes you able to shoot very fast and very accurate.

Something you may want to do is sign up for some courses on pistol training with guys who teach drills. Drills made me way faster and better and I don't need to think about it because my body ( muscle memory ) just does it when it needs to now. Good luck!

There's a lot of ground between a .38 and a .45, with some excellent choices in there.

Thanks for all the help and information.
Mac

Adam:
Here's a link to the belt clip that can be added to the little KelTec pistols:
https://www.keltecweapons.com/product/p3at-belt-clip/

This is the most comfortable and convenient way of carrying a small pistol while wearing dress clothes that I have found. I guess there are some other options to secure a pistol inside your shirt but that makes for a more difficult draw.

I wish the website showed a picture of the belt clip installed on the pistol. It mounts on the very rear tip of the frame, so when the clip slides over the waistband of your pants, the entire gun is inside your pants. Then your belt covers up most of the clip that is outside the trousers.

do you carry a round in the chamber with that belt clip?

I know a guy who carried a glock like that with the slide clip but he used one of these https://www.amazon.com/Glock-Models-Kydex-Trigger-Guard/dp/B073SCZHYS
to cover the trigger guard so that he could carry round in chamber safely.

the glock belt clip with minimalist trigger guard cover if you don't carry Israeli style aka condition 3. rounds in mag none in chamber then you need to cover the trigger guard for safety.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8q38DN4R3k

Kart29, thanks if I get a keltec I'll order that too. Come to think of it they make those belt clips for various gun makes and models. I saw them at Sportsman's a few months back and was skeptical about them. But seeing you like them and they shine in dress clothes makes me more comfortable with getting one. If and when I get back to work (health insurance and employee benefits) I'll probably have to wear one, since I'll be in dress clothes.

Thanks GCP that should also work with dress clothes

if you look at the Ruger LCP you will see some definite similarities to the Keltec P3AT

if you take them apart you will see even more

the LCP is hugely popular for carry and there are tons of holsters and accessories for it as well as a lot of people who have great reliability with them. as well as Ruger customer service and easy to get magazines.

see what fits your hand the best in carry guns everything is fractions of an inch and an ounce it is amazing how one gun feels better than another and the actual difference is less than a 1/4 inch

if you can the LC9 is just a touch larger holds 7+1 of 9mm and keeps your practice cost down with the more common ammo.

my go to easy to carry gun is the LC9 , I run it in a pocket holster, IWB and OWB depending but pocket the most. just because it is so easy

the LC9 is reasonably easy to shoot for it's small size but the pinki rest magazine floor plate makes a huge difference on those small guns and even slightly bigger ones.

the make a P3AT pinki extension mag floor plate also.

I found on the clock I ran a G17 faster than a G19 running the same stage on the clock with both guns makes sense more grip faster recoil recovery but adding the pinki extension floor plate to the G19 gave me the purchase to run nearly identical to the 17 yet still be easier to conceal.

an 1/8 or 1/4 second a round adds up or a 1/2 second to adjust your grip because your slipping 3 or 4 times a stage. not running real life self defense regularly and hopefully never all I have is running stages on the clock to be both fast and accurate running them as I would be carrying walking down the street.

I have the pinky rests for all of my Kel-Tec P11 magazines. Really does make a difference.

Moosetrot

I carry a Sig P938 9mm. Also a Ruger GP100 3570 3" occassionally. A CZ 75, 75 compact, etc is likely next.
I have conceal carry permits for WI and MN, which covers me in most, but not all states.

I carry either a Glock model 21 or a Glock model 30 on me at all times. Both chambered in 45 ACP