Anyone dropped down in caliber?

There are a million posts about people who have upgrader to larger rounds. After reading something online, I'm curious to know if anyone here has gone to a smaller caliber, and why (capacity, ease of concealment, ammo availability etc.). Thanks.

EDIT: I'm talking dropped down with your EDC, not do you carry something smaller on occasion.

My normal carry is a 1911 in .45. But sometimes when for some reason I can't conceal that, or feel too lazy too, I opt for a S&W 638 in .38spl carried in the pocket. .38/.380 is the smallest pistol round I would feel comfortable having as a primary carry weapon though.

Over summer months I carry a .32 ACP pistol, a surplus FEG. It has an aluminum/titanium alloy frame is light weight, and slips into a pocket easily, but has s long enough barrel to get what theere is out of the small .32 and still allow for visible sights. I carry an extra mag in the left pocket. I carry only S&B hardball ammo - it has great penetration and reliability, and is much hotter than US loadings. It has proven to be a very accurate and reliable pistol.

mark

Yes I did.
Twenty some odd years ago I started out with a Glock G19 (9MM)
Over the years I've owned .40s and .45s , but after all that time
I came back to the 9mm because I just shoot it better and now
the I have a CCL it makes more sense because they make a lot more guns in 9MM that CC better.:smile:

I grew up with the 45 ACP, and still like to carry it. I have a Colt Commander. However, I also have a 1903 Colt in .32 ACP, which I carry mostly. It is comfortable, smaller and easier to carry concealed. It still shoots very well.

My "war dept"(wife) did. She used to carry a 638 but has opted to pack a nice .32 S&W that I picked up a while back. Noy a bad choice I dont believe--she can shoot the lights out with that little gun.

I did insist that she only carry it with some near mag loadings tho.

I've always carried a Gov't sized 1911, but am currently thinking of stepping down to a G19 or M&P9 for increased capacity and lighter weight.

G30 then a Taurus 605 then a Para P16 10mm then a RIA 1911 then a G26 then back to the G30 then finally a 10mm 1911. No matter how far you go, there you are.

Gone down in caliber for carry specifically? Maybe I had for a while. Thing is....I used to carry my G27 all the time (sub-compact 40S&W) until I got a G19 a couple years ago (9mm compact). When the G19 started working so well for me, and I could conceal it well in a variety of ways, I pretty much went for it unless deep concealment was required. I went and traded my G22 full size 40cal for a G23 last month, and now I'm back up to par with carrying a 40 again. What am I carrying today you ask? The G19 9mm. Why? Not sure exactly. Can't be the two extra rounds capacity.

When I first started carrying in 1988, I used a LW Commander in .45 that I'd built in 1975.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...ommanderRT.jpg

I never had a problem with it, but after going through several other guns, 1911s, BHPs, Witnesses and a couple of revolvers, I finally settled on a Glock 19 with a spare G17+2 mag, a P3AT, a couple of knives, a light and earplugs for those damn loud movie trailers.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...background.jpg

The fact is, I can shoot the G19 faster and with better accuracy than anything else I own. With good ammo (I carry 9PBLE) it's as effective as any normal handgun.

Mnay folks that enter the world of CC and log onto internet forums fall into the belief that you aren't protected if your carry round doesn't start with a Four. Or if it isn't a 45acp it isn't a gun. Many end up carrying a gun that is simply to large for their physical ability to control. It doesn't take long before you realize to one gun and holster combination is ideal for every occassion, so we end up trying different guns, holsters and of course ammo. After doing this for a number of years most of us end up with a "winter" combo, a "Summer " combo, and one for deep concealment. The combination will change for everyone, what is right for me is totaly wrong for the next guy. I myself carry a G23 ( 40 cal), but also use a 9mm Sig P228, in the summer and as a back up I usually have my 380 NAA Guardian, but also have a nice P232SL that is sweeeeeet to carry and of course my S&W 649 (.357) gets a lot of carry time in my right front pocket. So you see I am all over the place when it comes to rounds used? But then you have those die hards that refuse to carry anything but a 45acp. In the end you need to do your own homework and find what works for you, and you alone. Forget what everyone else is carrying, because they probably won't be there when the you know what hits the spinning blade. This process can takes months or even years, but enjoy the trip, there is a lot to be learned along the way. Oh and don't believe everything you read on a forum, but I will say this is the best one I have found.

NCH

Like some others, I started carrying with a full-frame 1911 in .45 auto. For a while, the guns got smaller (but still 1911 as the standard) while the caliber remained. After years of carrying, I've recently stepped down to .40 and find accuracy during training drills has improved. My primary carry is now the XD-M in .40 and I have great confidence in the gun and the round.

On the other hand, I have used .380 and .25 auto for a BUG. And while I have many friends that ONLY carry in 9mm, I found myself wishing for something more substantial. Perhaps that is a 'mind over matter' situation, but I just didn't feel as confident with those smaller tools. Whatever you carry, most instructors insist that cooler heads prevail, and calm confidence promotes a chilly noggin.

Finally, the aces I've had the pleasure of training with can usually plunk rounds into the cranial-ocular cavity with 9mm at will...so size really doesn't matter. Right?

My EDC is a .45 acp. I sometimes carry a .40 sw.

I carried my XD40c for quite awhile as my EDC, but then picked up an XD9sc for a song. I did a bunch of research about caliber effectiveness and decided that with the newer SD rounds that a 9 was as effective as a .40, and the 9sc is quite a bit more concealable. So I carry the 9 now.

I use what ever gun fits the dress code for concealment (usually 2 guns). I try to stay with .45 as my main carry but to switch to 9mm or .40 on occasion. My BUGs are .38, .357, 9mm, .380, .32 and even a lowly .22 in certain situations. Primary 1911's , G30. BUG PPS, P3AT