Newbie.I need help deciding on a ccg

[soonerboyz]

I am getting my permit shortly and I am researching what gun to carry by coming to this forum and using internet info. I am pretty much Confused as to the calibers , size and etc. I want to carry the smaller weapon without sacrificing the relioability and power . I would appreciate any suggestions as I have looked on the net at Kimber Ultra, Springfield, H-K, Sig , and many others. Trying to pick between 4 or 5 guns. Thanks.

Fellas to give a little more info to help, I am wearing shirt and slacks to work and evenings jeans and t or shirt. Summer ? down the road.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[1911packer]

Go to a range that rents guns and shoot a few. Get the largest caliber that you can shoot accurately and consistently. Get the longest barrel that you can carry and conceal. Get a good holster. Remember, it will be on your person a lot.

There are many manufacturers that make quality, dependable firearms.

[Ghettokracker71]

Shoot a bunch. Think about how you can honestly carry it (Outer waist band. Inner waist ban. Shoulder. ankle. Smartcarry,etc.) and your frame size relative to what type of weapon(caliber,action) you want to carry.

Some popular concealed carry firearms I reccomend would be...

-Kel-tec p3at (little tiny guy, I have one and LOVE it,great for deep conceal or backup)

-Kahr Pm9

-Glock (any really,lol.)

-Springfield XD (I have the .40cal subcompact wich is a 3" barrel,also love it.)

-Kimber (smaller series 1911s)

-Snubby Smith&wesson or taurus revolver

goto some gun shops,hold some guys,go rent a bunch of guns. I don't neccesarily agree with carry the largest caliber you can shoot,b/c you have to know your target,and what is beyond it.

If you miss (dont!) your target,whats the roudn going to hit?

On a larger round,are you going to overpenetrade your target? (shoot in self defense,and the round exits the target and hits ____ behind target,not good!)

[Echo_Four]

You're wanting everything with no compromise, and that doesn't happen. The smallest guns are the easiest to carry. However, you give up something in terms of power. Larger calibers require a larger gun.

Reliability should be the number one concern. Make sure you select a gun that will go bang every time you tell it to. Other than that, it is up to you to make the selections. I personally have settled on 9mm Sigs.

[1911packer]

I don't neccesarily agree with carry the largest caliber you can shoot,b/c you have to know your target,and what is beyond it.

If you miss (dont!) your target,whats the roudn going to hit?

On a larger round,are you going to overpenetrade your target? (shoot in self defense,and the round exits the target and hits ____ behind target,not good!)

Shoot ACCURATELY. If you miss with a .22 or with a .357, you could hit a bystander with the same result either way. Carry as much as you can control.

Overpenetration can be a concern for most any caliber. Hollow points can help.

[Ghettokracker71]

Shoot ACCURATELY. If you miss with a .22 or with a .357, you could hit a bystander with the same result either way. Carry as much as you can control.

Overpenetration can be a concern for most any caliber. Hollow points can help.

When I say "shoot" I mean accurately,otherwise its not really 'shooting' at all,its "spray and pray" just really slowly

good luck to the OP,and let us know what you find/see when you goto the gun shop

[havegunjoe]

I carry a Kahr Arms P9 in 9MM. It is designed to be a carry gun, light, compact and slim design. If you want less expensive there is the Kel Tec P11. You are going to carry this gun a long, long time, maybe your entire life and with any luck never have to use it. If it isn't comfortable to carry you will leave it at home where it will do you no good if you do need it. Try several types and brands until you find one that you like. Then be prepared to buy something else later because after you carry it for awhile you find it isn't what you wanted to begin with. That's just the way things go.

[pogo2]

I want to carry the smaller weapon without sacrificing reliability and power . I would appreciate any suggestions as I have looked on the net at Kimber Ultra, Springfield, H-K, Sig , and many others.

You have given us a couple of clues when you say "smaller weapon" with good reliability and power. But there are a lot of choices that probably fit these criteria, and you haven't told us how you would carry or how much you will spend.

So I am going to arbitrarily narrow it down by assuming you want a semiauto gun for belt carry with 8 rounds or more in the magazine. And I will assume you want a 9mm, which is a good caliber to start with from a recoil and cost standpoint, yet offering good stopping power with the right ammo. So here are three 9mm compact guns that are known for reliability and which have lots of fans on this website:

Sig P239 DAK (double action only)



H&K P2000sk



Smith & Wesson M&P Compact

[dom]

Also depends on your circumstances. I'm still waiting for my plastic, so maybe no grounds for giving good advice yet, but I've been thinking alot while waiting for the permit to come.

On my daily routine, I'm in generally really safe/low crime areas, and will need to be "deep cover" for work. For these cases I think the my Kahr PM-9 will be the go to gun. This may not make the biggest hole, but I can put the whole clip on target fast and accurate if needed.

Other times, when travelling, or going to areas where there is a higher proability of being a target, I plan to step up to either my Colt Commander, or the .357mag k frame. Second shots on either of these is much slower for me than with the PM-9, but that's hopefully offset by the harder hitting round...

Different threat levels, different tools...

[ppkheat]

Lots of good advice here. CCW's are such a personal issue and everyone's needs are so versatile, sometimes its difficult to get a definitive answer. You can bet that there are folks here who are successful at carrying all the guns mentioned and more.
My primary ccw is a Glock 27, it works for me, but may not work for others......and that's okay. My son has a full size SA 1911 and he carries it w/o any problems. I sometimes cc a Colt Defender, which is pretty small. Search the forums, and lots of shopping around, will help narrow down what you'd like, cc, and shoot best.....you're on the right track.

[skippythenurse]

By no means am I telling what to carry. But rather just giving you an idea of what you are capable of carrying.
I carry a SIG P229, some consider it to be a bit too big and clunky. But like what others have said, shoot with what you're 100% comfortable with. Why choose a handgun that will make you "pray" that it won't jam or "pray" that it will actually hit the target. I have tried GLOCK, Taurus, Smith&Wesson, Kahr and none of them fit me like my trusty SIG. Personally, if I would recommend a handgun, either any GLOCK for their simplicity and high reliability or SIG P239 or its slightly bigger brother the P229 because I love SIG's; there, I said it.

Here it is concealed.


Surprise, there it is!

[rj112275]

i'll repeat the best advice... go to the range, spend the time, money and ammo on the front end. i'm going through this process with my wife right now, to find her a gun that she can shoot and carry.

[Tenacious1]

I am surprised that nobody posted anything about training. The advice here about your choice of weapon is sound.

Most ranges have information about instructors that will come to your range and give you a couple of lessons. You seem new to guns and shooting. You need some basic safety training. An instructor will also be able to size you up. We here do not know how big your hands are, your strength, size, etc.

It is most important for you and all around you that you be safe and proficient with your weapon.

After that, I recommend a "hammerless" snub nosed revolver (3" barrel)in .357. You can practice with .38 and the rounds are relatively cheap. It is a simple machine with few moving parts. It is reliable. It is easy to clean and maintain. It is a great starter pistol. Best of all it is small and easy to conceal. Once you get comfortable with it, .357 magnums are pretty powerfull loads.

A snub nose revolver is not sexy. It isn't even that "fun" to shoot. But if your looking for a life saver, starter gun that you can carry just about anywhere, then I recommend it.

[Jaystekan]

I see everyone is throwing out the big names when it come to a first time ccw. Why not try a not so main-stream brand. My first ccw gun was a bersa thunder .380. I was learning to carry and wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for in a concealed carry gun. I decided that for less than half the price of a Sig or a good S&W I could get an excellent gun with a great reputation. .380 rounds aren't as expensive as 40's, not as cheap as 9mm though, and packed a decent amount of punch as long as placement was good. Bersa has a great reputation and a sort of cult following out there. I love my Bersa, in fact I liked it so much I now have 2 variations of the same model. Trying out a bunch of guns is ideal, but renting gets expensive, and some places don't offer a large selection of rentals. Bersa's are solid, accurate, well made, inexpensive, easily concealed guns. I will never part with mine.
Just a suggestion.

[7mm Gumbo]

Government Model 1911A1 in carbon steel. Nothing fancy and works every time, and by the way there is nothing wrong with 230gr FMJ ammo in the old war horse. If money is tight then get a used S&W model 10 with a 4" barrel, another great American fighting pistol. Either way you will be well armed.