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What's more Important to you

4K views 53 replies 50 participants last post by  Glock40Texan 
#1 ·
What's more Important to you comfort? Or Your protection. Ive been reading a lot about carrying your pistol in comfort. What is more Important to you. For me to carry a full size Auto (which is what I am better at hitting the target with ) sometimes i sacrifice comfort for protecting my self and family. What is more important to you? Think about it and post your opinions I would like to know.
 
#2 ·
I try to find a happy medium with my carry pistols. I used to carry my G23, but switched to the CW9 for the comfort factor. I not only dropped down in round count, but ballistically too. I don't feel under gunned by doing so because I do carry a BUG too. I do find that the old adage is true for the most part, and I tend to agree with it. IMO, folks should chose a weapon that is comfortable to carry in a reasonable defense caliber, or chances are higher that you'll opt to leave it at home from time to time, and then it's no good to ya if needed.
 
#24 ·
These are pretty much my thoughts as well. I have many "service" size/caliber guns, but most of them are hard to conceal when your wardrobe can't always be oversized, untucked shirts and tac vests. In very warm weather, (I'm talking shorts/t shirt weather), I cannot conceal a duty gun. I am however ALWAYS armed. Most of the time, I'll have a Walther PPK .380 or occasionally, a Beretta Tomcat in .32. Recently, I've been thinking about a Walther PPS 9 mm. They are very thin and reasonably sized for everyday carry.

I applaud those that can carry full siz, duty guns 24/7 concealed. I've tried and they are just not comfortable or feasible for me. especially when the weather gets to be 90 and humid.
 
#6 ·
Good question, I carry for comforting not comfort.
So I carry the largest frame pistol I can conceal, Glock 23.
Sure I can carry and conceal a Desert Eagle, but in South Florida
That's just not an option.
But the most important thing is to get some training
and be proficient with the firearm you choose to carry.

Just my .02 worth of advice.
 
#7 ·
My SIG P226 is the pistol that I'm most accurate with. However, I carry my 2 J-Frames because I can conceal them when wearing just about anything.

I tried wearing my SIG P226 in my house, once. It felt like I had a phone book attached to my side. I wouldn't be able to get into my car's driver seat. I wonder if the driver seats in police cars are different. They must be. They have many more things on their belts.

Anyway, personal and family protection are most important. However, my 2 J-Frames are just fine for me. If I need my SIG P226, I'll have to use my Tommy's Gunpack.
 
#15 ·
I tried wearing my SIG P226 in my house, once. It felt like I had a phone book attached to my side. I wouldn't be able to get into my car's driver seat. I wonder if the driver seats in police cars are different. They must be. They have many more things on their belts.
I can assure you that the seats in the Crown Vic that I drive is no different than the "civilian" version on the road. The seat do tend to have "impressions" from other officers so the seats do break in quickly since the cars are running constantly, 24/7/365.

For me comfort is familiarity. Since we use the S&W MP40 as our duty guns I decided to move to the S&W MP40C as my off-duty and BUG while on duty, but carrying the compact is a little easier than the full size.

Comfort in wearing a gun...I wear one all the time so its UNCOMFORTABLE if I don't have a gun. Its like I'm missing a body part! :blink:

I'm sure a much smaller gun would be easier and more comfortable but for me it would be uncomfortable or un-natural.

Shark
 
#8 ·
This is where frame of mind and you personal comfort with concealing really comes into play. After many carry for a while, they realize that sheep notice VERY little and you can carry much larger than you first realized.

One of the biggest things in good concealment is clothing...you MUST get clothing that fits properly for concealment...this leaves out skin tight jeans and the belly shirts!
 
#20 ·
This is where frame of mind and you personal comfort with concealing really comes into play. After many carry for a while, they realize that sheep notice VERY little and you can carry much larger than you first realized.
Exactly. I recently carried my Glock G30 in a C-TAC to an outdoor event which attracted a couple hundred thousand people. Walking around, sitting, dancing, talking to people for 6-8 hours a day for a weekend, nobody noticed, and in that crowd, if someone had noticed they probably would have freaked out. This was while wearing a t-shirt and jeans most of the time, adding a sweatshirt when it cooled down in the evening.

A good holster and a good belt do help to keep the gun tight and out of sight though.
 
#9 ·
I beleive that one can have both.:yup:

I have purchased many different guns and holsters, and over time; I have been able to find that combination which provides me with the protections of a dependable firearm...worn without much more notice than that a wallet or watch.:ticking:

I sometimes find the cell phone in my pocket as that 'extra lump', but certainly not uncomfortable...my gun is the same way.:yup:

Experimentation and time should, IMHO, provide the carrier with the added protection that a firearm can bring without much more discomfort than any other item that we all carry...a ring of keys, a wallet, a watch, pens, etc. :image035:

One has to find the right gun, a quality holster, and that 'SPOT' where the right rig can just become another part of the body.:comeandgetsome:
 
#18 ·
I beleive that one can have both.:yup:

I have purchased many different guns and holsters, and over time; I have been able to find that combination which provides me with the protections of a dependable firearm...worn without much more notice than that a wallet or watch.:ticking:

One has to find the right gun, a quality holster, and that 'SPOT' where the right rig can just become another part of the body.:comeandgetsome:
+1 Couldn't have said it any better
 
#11 ·
That's why I like the small wheelguns. Small and easy to carry. I shoot them well, plus the 158gr. hydrashocks hit like a freight train. What's not to like?
 
#12 ·
My only compromise is switching to my G27 for summer carry since it conceals a little better under a light shirt. Even then, my spare mag is a G22 with a higher capacity. For winter carry (7-8 months in Idaho) I carry the G23 and occasionally the G22. I don't feel I am under gunned with the G27 but I do shoot my G23 and G22 a little better.
 
#13 ·
I plan to slowly accrue a collection of all different kinds of pistols, pocket autos, subcompacts, snubnose revolvers, compacts, and full sized firearms. That way I'll be able to choose based on what I feel like that particular day and what I'm wearing. The one I'll buy first though, will probably be a small 380 or 9mm, cause that'll be the easiest to carry.
 
#16 ·
What's more Important to you comfort? Or Your protection.
Meaning, will I accept failure and inability to protect so long as I'm comfortable? :confused:

That's like allowing my home to merely have the semblance of four walls and a roof, despite being untrue, though it looks stylish from curb-side.

Absolutely not. That's insane and defeats the primary goal.

Actually, like some others I don't feel it's an either-or proposition. It need not be. I won't ever be unprotected, or be incapable of defending. But that takes knowing one's goals, criteria, and then proper equipment selection. It takes time and diligence to find the "right" combination.

History has it that B. Franklin had some salient thoughts on the matter, more or less.

I ensure the two goals coexist. I select my equipment carefully. I choose clothing that accommodates my equipment selection and mode of carry. I acquire quality holster gear that allows for comfortable, reliable carry with my specific clothing and style. So far, at least, I have been able to accommodate most of the goals I set out to achieve, while carrying. Perhaps that's somewhat lucky. Well, good for me.

Unknown if everyone can end up making the decisions that result in achieving both these goals, and more. YMMV.

Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Indeed. :yup:
 
#17 ·
I carry the largest caliber handgun that is comfortable for me.

That would be my G23.

But recently, I've been carrying my Sig P239. It's more comfortable and my shot placement is better.

I love my Sig.
 
#19 ·
Even though I have a couple around for BUG duty, small guns are not very comforting to me. As retsupt99 said, it's the combination of pistol and carry gear that makes it doable. Taking the time and money to find the right combo pays off in the long run. You can have a reasonable amount of comfort and still carry a substantial pistol.
I've come to prefer medium size pistols like the G19, G30 or 4-4 1/4" 1911s because of the way they conceal on my frame and because they handle very similar to the full size versions. The only "subs" that come close would be the Glock, XD and M&P versions and similar chopped fullsize guns.
 
#23 ·
It's not an either/or problem for me.

I carry the full size PX4 Storm in 9mm or the Stoeger Cougar in .40. Even in the summer time with just a t-shirt on, I can carry either gun with a Blade-Tech OWB paddle holster with very little printing and as stated earlier, people who don't carry don't notice the slight bulge.

I also have a High Noon IWB tuckable holster and when I use that I can tuck a t-shirt in and the gun completely disappears!

Both holsters are very comfortable and great ways to carry a full size gun which I feel is a better option for me.
 
#25 ·
I've been carrying a full size 1911 for 5 months. Through the Arizona summer, no less. I figure, with a good holster and belt combo, anybody can carry anything. The only thing I've changed to my wardrobe is that I've added an a-shirt, undershirt so the holster doesn't rub my bare skin. After the summer temps break 105° F, it's all the same. HOT. An undershirt under my t-shirt doesn't make any difference between 108° and 118°. So, why handicap oneself? If a person spends $500 to $1000 on a good pistol, spend $100 to $200 more on a good belt and holster and, viola! you can conceal anything without giving up any comfort.

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#26 ·
.22lr

I learned a good lesson this summer.

Much of the time when I work around the farm I carry a Beretta 21A .22lr in a pocket holster.
I had the occasion to use it on an 80+lb Boxer. It did the job, but my S&W 36 .38 special would have done better.
 
#27 ·
I seldom carry a larger handgun, regardless of whether I am just kicking around the farm open carry or going somewhere concealed. Comfort while carrying is part of it, but ease of draw is the main reason. It is a lot easier for me to draw a 2 1/4 in J frame than a 4 in GP to shoot a rat while cutting hay. I figure the same would hold true in a self defense situation. Just my prefrence.
 
#28 ·
Ive been reading a lot about carrying your pistol in comfort.
If your carry gun is uncomfortable, you're much more likely to not carry it at all. So... carry a gun that is comfortable. Any gun, even a small relatively weak caliber gun, is better than no gun at all.

I've found a very happy medium between size and stopping power. My Kel-Tec PF-9... very small and light, yet reasonably powerful (chambered in 9mm).
 
#37 ·
I agree with you. I carry a full sized beretta 92fs I only started this thread to see what everybody else felt about it. It can be 100 degrees and i will still wear my leather vest hot as all get out but I still have my pistol.
 
#30 ·
Truthfully? It's a balance, and everyone finds their own balance point. Nobody actually believes that the protection aspect is 100% of the equation -- if we did, we'd all be wearing trenchcoats and carrying 12 gauge shotguns or full auto submachine guns or maybe we'd just commit ourselves to dragging around a trailer with a cannon mounted on it. And nobody who is serious about self defense thinks comfort is 100% of the equation. If we did, we wouldn't be carrying at all, because socially and physically, carrying a pistol is usually an uncomfortable proposition.

So somewhere in between the two extremes is a balance point. For me, I don't mind the gun being as uncomfortable and restricting as wearing a good pair of shoes that fits comfortably. No matter how nice the shoes, you still feel more comfortable when you kick 'em off at the end of the day. At the same time, a bad pair of shoes hurts from the moment you put them on in the morning, and wearing them becomes intolerable long before the sun sets. So pick your firearm and your holster like you pick your shoes: before taking them home, make sure they really fit you!

That's why it's worthwhile to invest the money in good gear such as a solid, non-floppy belt; a secure holster which fits; a firearm small enough and light enough not to demand constant attention; cover clothing which slides easily over the firearm and does not twist or bind. All of these things increase comfort and increase the chance that you'll wear the gun all day rather than leaving it behind for comfort's sake.

Druther see someone comfortably and consistently carrying a smaller gun, rather than opting for a hand-cannon that ends up staying in the safe (or worse, getting pulled off the belt and left lying on the coffee table) half the time.

pax
 
#31 ·
Like Pax and others have said, You have to find YOUR balance point. Mine lies more toward the protection side than the comfort side. But what I did was change my definition of comfortable. Now it includes all the nuances of my concealed carry lifestyle. So now in my head...I do have the best of both worlds and don't have to stress over not being really comfortable.
 
#36 ·
Like Pax and others have said, You have to find YOUR balance point. Mine lies more toward the protection side than the comfort side.
Balance is a very subjective and personal thing. :yup:

The awful thing is: nobody can find it for you. That's why many of us end up with drawers full of old, extra holsters we've gone through, ones that weren't quite right; and why we often have a number of belts, some of which weren't quite firm enough, or curved to the body enough; and why we hunt around to find the right length/drape of shirt or jacket, "give" in the slacks, and so on.

For me, much depends on the clothing, the "cut" of them, and placement of the rig. Done right, at the right spot with the right combination of clothing and gear, even a ~1.5" thick CZ P-01 is comfortable and almost disappears on the hip (in terms of my feeling its presence).
 
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