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recommendations for my first concealed carry


Snakejaw_Joe

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So I got my concealed carry permit a year ago, was excited to shop around, and then before I could buy anything the April feeding frenzy happened. I didn't really feel like fighting the crowds...  I do that for cowboy guns but thats about it. Things have kind of calmed down now (except for those dang primers) so I'm dipping my toes in to see what I can find.

 

I'm 5'9" 180lb so unfortunately my 5.5" uberti won't conceal too well :lol:

 

Looking for something small, semi auto, $500 range... 

 

Also what do you all prefer, waistband, shoulder holster, boot holster? I'm assuming the size of gun depends on that as well.

 

Broad brushstrokes, I know, but I just need a place to start.

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The S&W 380 cal Bodyguard is an easily concealable pistol.  Pretty easy to use a pocket holster and put it in a pocket.  Haven't checked prices in a while but should be close to your budget.

Note, it's NOT a long range shooter.

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My suggestion is going to be a little different.  Go to the range and try a couple of guns that you are interested in.  It may cost you a little now, but that's better than purchasing something that won't work for you in the long run. 

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Bottom line - no one pistol or one holster is going to work well for one person in all situations.

 

As far as where to carry on your body, not only does it depend on the season but also on the way you normally dress.

 

Ankle holsters are great for deep concealment but I wouldn't want to carry there all the time.  Think about the pants you wear (how tight are the legs and how long is the hem) and what kind of boots/shoes you wear (how high will the holster ride above the top of your footwear and will it fit around your calf at that point).  What do you normally do with your legs/feet when you sit down?  Will you be flashing your ankle holster?

 

Shoulder holsters are ok for me if I'm going to be behind the wheel of a car for extended periods of time.  Again, how do you normally dress?  Will a vest or jacket conceal the gun without printing?

 

SOB (small of back) holsters suck for me.  If you have to do a lot of sitting, it could get painful and will not be readily accessible while sitting on it.

 

OWB (outside the waistband) holsters are by far the most comfortable but difficult to conceal for me.  Again, what do you normally wear?

 

IWB (inside the waistband) holsters are the easiest to conceal for me.  Whether strongside or cross-draw appendix carry or the 4 o'clock position.  Again, what do you normally wear?

 

Small is subjective and I believe a person can choose something too small.  Sure, it will conceal well.  But, how accurately can you shoot it?

 

What is your definition of small?  I don't care for the trigger on the S&W Bodyguard 380 or the Ruger LCP.  I don't know what the street prices are but if you're looking at a semi-automatic I usually recommend either a Glock (G23 or G26) or Smith & Wesson Shield.  For a revolver I don't think you can go wrong with a S&W J-frame.

 

 

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What do you shoot well?  Out of what you shoot well, what can you hide?

 

Carry that one.

 

Guns ain't magic talismans.  Their mere presence isn't going to save you in a self defense situation.  You've gotta be able to make hits because you will be held accountable for every round that goes down range.  If you can't shoot and make hits with it, then how easy it is to hide or carry is a moot point.

 

Sounds like you need to hook up with your local CAS friends or rent some guns at a range and see what works for you and what doesn't.

 

As for where and how to carry it, that's even more personal than CAS guns.  Unless you sit a lot, ankle rigs are as close being unarmed as you can get and still have a gun on your person.  Think about it, the gun can't get any further from your hand unless you shoved it under your foot in your shoe.  When seated or laying down, it's reasonably easy to get to.  Standing, however, is a whole different story.  You either take a knee- which cuts mobility AND can draw attention to yourself- or hop on one leg- which makes mobility next to impossible, screws up you balance AND will draw attention to you- to draw from one.  Leave them for the cop shows, folks that need a deep backup or sit a lot.

 

I carry as much gun as I can hide with out my dress drawing attention to me.  Over the last 30 years, that's been everything from a 5" N-Frame Smith to a 2 shot .32acp derringer and a whole lot inbetween.  

 

Personally, I stick with strongside either inside the waistband (IWB) or outside the waistband (OWB) based on what I can wear for cover garments and not stand out.  On those occasions where I can't hide a belt rig of some sort, it goes into my strong side front pocket.

 

 

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Knew I could rely on y'all for good feedback. Thanks for all the insight.

 

Sounds like for me, the waistbands and pockets are going to be the best bet. I tend to wear more 'fitting' clothing so my ankles are out and its never cold enough to wear jackets down here. I'm good at a quick-shot at 15 yards with a variety of pistols, but you're all right, it will depend on the caliber and mechanics of the gun itself.

 

Going to hop over to the indoor range near work sometime this week and try a few out. 

 

The S&W 380 bodyguard looks like it would fit the ticket, hopefully they have one I can try. The glocks might be the more practical choice though, fit and feeling will tell all.

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Several good suggestions have already been made.  I would emphasize not buying anything until you have held it and preferably shot it.  There are numerous quality options within your budget.  Continue your research regarding caliber which leads to several options and many opinions.  Ideally, locate a gun shop that has an indoor range where they would allow you to shoot the guns you are considering.  A knowledgeable gun shop sales representative would be helpful.  The larger their inventory, the better.  My most recent acquisition is the Sig Sauer P365, 9mm, 10+1..  This is not an endorsement.  It is what works for me.  Be patient and objectively evaluate.  Good Luck.

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I carry a Glock 43. Carried a 27 for years, but was shopping for my wife and just fell in love with the 43, much slimmer and lighter. Downside is the factory mag only holds 6. Now there's the 43 X or XL and the Sig P365 Drifter mentioned. My son bought one of them and it's a dandy. Would love to have one but don't want to spend the $$$. One of the main things I like about my 43 is it's a SHOOTER!  First time I shot it got skeered. No bullet holes I could see, thought I was missing the paper. Walked down to the target and there was this nifty little group about the size of a silver dollar in the middle of the bull.

me rikey.png

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Okay, a lot of the basics have been covered here. The smaller the gun, the easier to conceal and the more likely you are to carry it. A larger gun at home is useless. I carried a Glock 23 for decades on the job, great gun but not a really good concealment gun for the new carrier, same goes for Commander sized 1911s. Look at single stack guns, the new Hellcat and Sig 365 being exceptions to this as they are only about 1" wide as well. IWB and pocket are the most common carry methods, pocket being extremely handy when you are around groups where someone is an antigun nut. It is invisible, so it doesn't cause a problem. A holster made from thick leather like the Bianchi Pistol Pocket is much more comfortable than a kydex holster for IWB carry. Try them out and don't be afraid to ask other shooters to try out holsters, we all end up with a box of them anyway.

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FWIW-- I carry a Ruger LCP .380 in my front pocket in a "Sticky" holster. Not a great spot for quick draw, but in the areas I usually in habit it is unlikely I would need fast access. I like the holster as it stays in my pocket when I pull the pistol and is ambidextrous. It can be inside the waist band as well as pockets and is comfortable. If I have , which is rare to go to the big city I will carry my Officer's model Colt in an outside the pants holster with a jacket. The .380 is like an American Express card--I never leave home without it.  Have never needed it yet, hope I never will.

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1 hour ago, Snakejaw_Joe said:

Knew I could rely on y'all for good feedback. Thanks for all the insight.

 

Sounds like for me, the waistbands and pockets are going to be the best bet. I tend to wear more 'fitting' clothing so my ankles are out and its never cold enough to wear jackets down here. I'm good at a quick-shot at 15 yards with a variety of pistols, but you're all right, it will depend on the caliber and mechanics of the gun itself.

 

Going to hop over to the indoor range near work sometime this week and try a few out. 

 

The S&W 380 bodyguard looks like it would fit the ticket, hopefully they have one I can try. The glocks might be the more practical choice though, fit and feeling will tell all.

You may not be able to wear a jacket, but how about a Hawaiian shirt?  I spend a fair amount of time on the Gulf Coast and I've found I can easily conceal my Colt Commander under one of those.

 

With regard to your OP.  You've gotten good advice and it sounds like you're taking it!   When you try those guns out this week. I suggest you consider a few things other than the obvious how it fits your hand and how you like the trigger.   

 

I've found that how the front sights present matters a lot to me.  When I'm presenting I want the sights to naturally come up and catch my eye.  That has a lot to do with how you hold the gun, but also, how the grip fits your hand and presentation style.

 

I don't think tack driver accuracy has any real value in a self defense handgun.  If the threat is far enough away to require shooting into an inch at 25 yards, then there are probably lots of options other than shooting someone.   For that reason I also have the biggest front sight I could buy on my Colt.

 

I carry the Colt most of the time, but I do sometimes carry a S&W J frame in 38 special.

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13 minutes ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

You may not be able to wear a jacket, but how about a Hawaiian shirt?  I spend a fair amount of time on the Gulf Coast and I've found I can easily conceal my Colt Commander under one of those.

 

With regard to your OP.  You've gotten good advice and it sounds like you're taking it!   When you try those guns out this week. I suggest you consider a few things other than the obvious how it fits your hand and how you like the trigger.   

 

I've found that how the front sights present matters a lot to me.  When I'm presenting I want the sights to naturally come up and catch my eye.  That has a lot to do with how you hold the gun, but also, how the grip fits your hand and presentation style.

 

I don't think tack driver accuracy has any real value in a self defense handgun.  If the threat is far enough away to require shooting into an inch at 25 yards, then there are probably lots of options other than shooting someone.   For that reason I also have the biggest front sight I could buy on my Colt.

 

I carry the Colt most of the time, but I do sometimes carry a S&W J frame in 38 special.

 

 

Morgan.jpg

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When I was younger I was 5' 10" 185 pounds and carried carried a 5 1/2" Colt SAA concealed for twenty years.  It didn't show much and I even carried it under a tee shirt.  I generally carried it inside my waistband  at my right kidney.  Almost never carried it in a holster, just tucked in my waist band with a stiff belt.

 

Now there are people who will tell you that is a stupid way to carry a gun and it won't work.  It worked just fine for twenty years.  I never dropped it, never had to fish it out of out pants leg when it slipped (because it never slipped), and I could get it out as fast or faster than I could from a holster of any kind.

 

The only issue I ever had was carrying five loaded rounds and having to reload "on the clock" when I shot it dry.  With all the practice I could get in I could never get that reload fast enough.  Thank God I never had to.

 

Now my physique had changed and that isn't practical anymore, but I carry a 1911 in a Ted Blocker holster on my hip.  I can do that in Arizona.

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Howdy,

Consider a pistol is just a way to make the bad guy duck long enuf

for you to git to a real weapon.

Have the real weapon fairly close of course.

 

As for a recommendation consider the walther ppk handed to 007 by the armor.

Today a lighter gun would be much more available. 

At this moment of course, all are hard to get.

No matter what you pick you may have misgivings.  

Best

CR

 

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I like the Ruger LCP II for pocket carry. I have S&W Shields for waist carry, though they are not the rage carry guns like the Hellcat or P365. On the other hand, finding popular guns of any kind on the shelves might be tough.

 

I did buy a Hellcat, but have not shot it yet. Came with 2 13 round mags and a laser. It's supposed to be a bit snappy, but accurate. I can vouch for the Shields 9mm & .45 as being soft shooting and comfortable in the hand.

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Starting out, you'll find they don't make guns or carry systems concealable enough.  You will feel like the guy who farted during meditation time at a prayer meeting.  Everybody is looking.

Get something small (no, smaller than that), like a KelTec P-32 or a Beretta 21A.  Carry it all the time.  Get comfortable.  Go bigger as able or needed.

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do you reload?  do you already have a caliber set up?  you might consider something in your SASS caliber if so.  reloading components are going to be hard to come by for a while, loaded ammo probably as well.  Charter arms makes a bunch of different revolvers in common SASS calibers like 44 special, 327, 357 etc.  I personally carry the new CA Pro V, 3 in barrel 6 shot capacity full power .357 magnum in a package that only weighs 28 Oz loaded.  A barami Hip Grip ($10 on ebay) and a good belt and a T-shirt are all that are required to carry concealed.  if you work somewhere that makes you take it off before coming in, you'll appreciate not having to figure out the holster every time you go in and out of the workplace.  The gun, hipgrip, belt and T-shirt should run you less than $400.  that leaves $100 for a new press, or a hollowpoint mold, or 5 large pizzas.

 

this is just another option vs what's been shared up above.  Nothing wrong with a revolver for civilian carry if it fits your needs.  Nice thing about starting out, most guns retain their value pretty well, so if you get something you don't like you can trade around until you find something you do like. 

 

caveat, the ProV is a new model just came out last year. I've been having timing issues with it.  sent it back once and getting ready to send back again, but shipping and repair are completely free.  I'll be carrying my 1858 or 1860 cap and ball revolvers while the charter is in the shop because, is gun.

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Would give you some advice from my experience - but I see people are trying to give you real and serious answers.................carry on.

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1 hour ago, Joke 'um said:

Starting out, you'll find they don't make guns or carry systems concealable enough.  You will feel like the guy who farted during meditation time at a prayer meeting.  Everybody is looking.

Get something small (no, smaller than that), like a KelTec P-32 or a Beretta 21A.  Carry it all the time.  Get comfortable.  Go bigger as able or needed.

 

The whole point of carrying a gun is to save your life in the event someone is physically trying to kill you or to inflict grievous bodily injury. While the tiny "mouseguns" have their place, they are the absolute last guns you want to be trying to save yourself with. It might feel weird to carry a larger firearm at first, but you soon get used to it and you'll learn that other people are not paying you the slightest bit of attention. Save the peashooters for when you're at the beach and wearing nothing but swimming trunks.

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Smith 38 special snub nose. You can practice with cowboy loads, then put in fine shot for snakes or hot defense loads. They don’t jam and are easy for the ladies and facing a  cylinder of hollow points in a pissed off ladies hand will sure make me run

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I wear some kind of sport coat almost daily year around.  Most of the time I have a S&W Model 60 .38 Special in an Uncle Mike’s pocket holster in my coat pocket. It fits in my pants pocket if I don’t wear a coat.  Sometimes my backup is under the coat on my hip: a CZ 2075 RAMI 9mm in a DeSantis holster.  14 in the magazine plus one in the chamber.  You can see they are about the same size.  The CZ has never malfunctioned with anything I feed it.  If you want a semiautomatic, look at CZ.
 

C6464D6E-221E-491D-A61A-43AC45B27E2E.thumb.jpeg.646045f093d3149dacb68e363fda3ebc.jpeg

 

 

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Advice I found true and useful:

1. Decide what caliber is acceptable to you - for me that is 9mm or better, some like the .380 though.

2. Research the guns available and in your budget.

3. Think how you plan to carry and does that work with your job and lifestyle and the guns in the calibers you are considering.

4. Shoot before you buy, so try out the gun at a range or with a friend first.

5. When you narrow down your choice shoot the finalists again if you can.

6. If you have a friend who carries and they have extra holsters ask to borrow some and try wearing them for a day.

7. Get extra magazines, at least 4 total.

8. Once you buy a gun and magazine, practice your draw and presentation with the gun unloaded a few hundreds of times.

9. Practice and find a place if possible where you can do so from the holster. Get a timer and work on draw times and first and follow up shots

10. Do malfunction drills, get dummy cartridges and practice failure to feed, etc..... Load up mags ahead of time and mix them up or have a friend load them so you won't be ready for it. Also can help you to detect flinching.

11. If you're carrying in the waistband get pants 2 to 4 inches bigger than you regular size waist.

12. Get a good quality stiff belt - it will make a huge difference.

 

What I was told to expect that I found true:

1. You will end up making changes to what you intially planned.

2. You will have a drawer full of holsters after awhile.

3. At first you will feel self conscious, but if you carry everyday it will soon feel normal.

4. Get a good flashlight to carry you'll be glad you did. 

 

What I carry and why:

 

I have three that I have carried daily over the last decade or so - a Kimber Combat Carry 1911 with night sights, a stock Glock 19, and now a Glock 43x with night sights. I carry iwb, it's not as comfortable as owb but it virtually eliminates printing since I wear a shirt over a tshirt. 

 

The primary thing though is get in the habit of carrying everyday and practice. 

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I've had a carry permit since 1980.  I started by carrying my 70 series Colt Government model for a year or two.  It was way too heavy and hard to conceal.  I switched to a snub-nose S&W model 66.  It was a little better, but still on the heavy side.  I picked up S&W model 49, but, in an in the waist band holster, it was soaking wet by the end of the day.  I traded it for a 649 SS and I still own that gun and carry it occasionally.

 

Today I carry a Glock 26 with a Glock 19 magazine in my front pocket (I use a saf-T-block trigger block and a good pocket holster) and a Beretta .380 Pico in a back pocket wallet holster.  Why yes, I am a touch paranoid in my old age.  Arthritic knees have inhibited me flight impulse so I've beefed up my fight option.  Let's not even get started as to carry knives or other things that might hide in vehicles :D  

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Some good advice above. 

 

Here's mine....

 

S&W Shield in 9mm or 40 with 3 extra mags and a holster of your choosing but not a ankle or boot holster. Unless you plan on wearing a coat around all summer and sweating your ass off, a shoulder holster is out also. That pretty much limits your choice of holster but still plenty of choices. Some folks don't realize the heat and humidity in Florida from May to October is oppressive at best, so carrying a large frame pistol while wearing minimal clothing makes difficult to conceal. No matter what you purchase, make sure you clean, lube and prevent surface rust/internal corrosion on a regular basis.

 

Above all, purchase the newest edition of the book Florida Firearms   Law, Use and Ownership by Jon H. Gutmacher Esq. 

Read it cover to cover and then read it again. Keep in mind that just because you have a gun doesn't mean you have to use it if other options are readily available. If you are forced to use it, be prepared for a possibly long and costly defense to keep your freedom.

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  • 1 month later...

Not one to leave a thread unfinished so here's my final choice! Of all the ones I tried, I settled on the sig P365. The standard was a bit small for my hands, but with the 12rd mag it fits perfectly and is best of both worlds. The XL was a bit too big in my IWB, and I really did not like any if the glocks I shot. They all felt top heavy. The sig just feels so balanced and 'right' for me.

 

The only issue... Im not as good with a semi auto as I remember :lol: it makes me wish I had my SAA in hand. So I am not carrying until I feel I have the recoil controlled.

 

I had the kickback issue with all of the handguns I tried, so the decider for me was hand fit, intuitive aiming and concealment.

 

Also, boy howdy 9mm ammo is CHEAP compared to my 44-40s. Casting and reloading my 44-40 with BP I get down to about 20c a round plus time investment. I bought 50 9mm target rounds for 16$ out the door.

 

 

20210303_095952.jpg

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I love my Sigs, several around in the herd.

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Can only tell you what I carry. And I carry all the time except on school grounds. (work for the local ISD}

Have 3 that I carry at different times.

Glock 43X or Sig 938 are the main two. I prefer the pancake type holsters OWB. 

Have a good IWB but very seldom use it.

 

Also carry at times a Sig 238. Carry it when I need to use a pocket carry. 

Fits in the pocket of my jeans in a pocket holster and is comfortable. 

 

I only like leather holsters. Which all of mine are except for the IWB. 

 

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