First, Welcome from Arizona.Now for the weapon I say a 1911 a Les Bear. For you it might be some thing different.Go to a range and shoot different types. Good luck.:wave::tumbleweed:/B]
If there was, it would be the only gun on the market. Get out there and try a whole bunch of them. Decide on your carry method. Read a bunch of books on the topic, etc.
BTW, my EDC is my HK P7. Why anyone would carry anything other than that is beyond me. :rofl:
very personal decision, you asked and you will hoepfully get a multitude of answers, there are two popular threads one which covers what many are carrying and the other with how... check them out too! Welcome many here here are much more knowledgable than I. My EDC (every day carry) is a KT (kel tec) PF9 IWB (inside the waistband) and a p32 in the pocket. I thought you had to have a small and light gun to conceal... in the pocket yes but in the waistband, not so much I have carried a Walther type 380 and Ruger p89 and after some range, dry practice and target time my new 1911 may get a lot more cary time!
As others have said its personal decision.
I put in this phrase "Do you let your mother pick your underwear?"
I prefer Sig P220 .45, but sometimes carry a Taurus PT-22 .22.
To each his own.
For an EDC gun you will always have to live with compromise between a gun you shoot well and one that conceals well. For me I chose the Glock 23. It sort of the ultimate compromise. It's the same size as a 9mm but more powerful and has more capacity than the 45 ACP.
I really do think a 357 sig would be great as well. Same size gun and it's like getting a 9mm mag in the process.
Of course get a gun you shoot well should be the first priorty. You can always dress around a 1911 45 ACP if that's what you like. Actually they conceal pretty good too, with the right holster and belt.
We can't pick a CCW for you, therre are too many good designs and too many good reasons to carry them all. I'd suggest setting a minimum price for yourself, make a good guess at how exactly you'll carry, and hit a range with rentals to try out a bunch. You might find one of the "Annual" type gun magazines a handy resource. They have a catalog of sorts in the back where you can compare features, sizes, magazine capacity, etc. Take the prices with a grain of salt, though.
Ditto to the posters above recommending renting at a shooting range, I've rented over 10 different guns and out of those I would only buy 2 or 3. Hand size, recoil sensitivity, accuracy, sight style, etc. all come into play differently for each person. My daily carry is a Sig Sauer 226 .40 carried IWB, when summer comes and tee shirts go on I switch to a Bersa .380 either IWB or pocket carry. It's really a very personal thing, what can 'ya shoot good and what can you conceal? Kahr makes some nice small semi-autos although they are pricey.
Welcome to our forum. You will find that this forum has a wealth of useful information on gun issues. One topic you won't find is the "perfect" gun for you. That's a personal decision you have to make on your own. There is no formula for deciding which handgun will work for you. It will be through "trial & error" starting at your local gun store. Start there!
As others have said, you have to decide what type of handgun you want, revolver/semi-automatic, what caliber, etc. That will take you some time to make that decision.
Another thing to consider is the amount of experience your have had with handguns. Some individuals if they have a limited amount of experience prefer the simplicity of a revolver. In the event of a bad catridge, all that is required to chamber a new catridge is pulling the trigger again. This is not the case when you are firing a "semi-automatic" handgun. It may involve clearing a "jam" or "stove pipe" where you have to pull the slide back to chamber the next round in the magazine. Not everyone should carry semi-automatics for this reason.
You should be making a trip to your local gun store and looking for a handgun that you are comfortable with based upon your experience with handguns.
I hope that this helps you decide which handgun is best suited for your needs. This is a very personal decision.
In my case, I carry the Glock 26 to the left of this message. It works very well for my needs.
If you get 100 people to answer your question, you'll likely get close to 100 different opinions. Everyone has their personal favorites and I respect each one's opinion. I've come to the conclusion that you find a gun that has adequate stopping power, you like it, it carry's well, shoots well, it's fun to shoot and you train a lot.....and then practice that training. Also I'd pick my first gun as one I could get ammo for.
Thankfully, I have a few choices for carry. Ask me today what my favorite carry is and I'd say Glock 30. Next week I might say Ruger SP101.
To a certain extent, I carry what I can wear comfortably on any particular day. Each gun for some reason seems to carry differently depending on what I am wearing.
One thing is certain, my Ruger LCP is always with me because of its miniscule size and weight.
As others have said, read as much as you can then go rent a few guns. If ranges near you don't rent guns; just to gun shops and fondle as many as you can, but don't fall in to the trap of being swayed by know it all sales people.
Like everyone said "no perfect gun", go to range and rent different guns or maybe some friends have guns they would let you try. I would decide if I wanted a revolver or pistol, set a price range and go from there. As for my self Glock 30 or Taurus PT145 and soom to be a new 1911:image035: anyway good luck, welcome and let us know how the search goes.
I prefer the Sig P229R in 9mm with night sights and a DA/SA trigger. I would recommend shooting a few different guns until you find the gun you are most comfortable with.
For me, it's the Kimber SIS or the Wilson Professional, for the guy next door, it's a Glock.
Go to the gun store and hold some 1911's (though most will feel similar), an M&P, some Sigs, Glocks, HKs, etc. Pick the three that fit your hand and feel the very best, then shoot them and take it from there.
Remember to throw them in a holster too and see how it feels to conceal them.
At this point, PT145 :smile: front right pocket, Or CZ 52 :smile: IWB about 3:30. Past choices: Makarov :smile:, PA63 :smile:, Skyy CPX-1 :frown:.
All have their merits, including the CPX-1
*Makarovs are getting more expensive.
*PA 63 can still be had for under $200
**CZ 52 can still be had for under $200 but is not a good choice for a first carry gun!
CPX-1 <$300
PT145 <$400
* 9X18 (Makarov) has a reputation for being hard to find but is more plentifull than 380 acp at this point.
** 7.62X25 (Tokarev) In most locations you will need to buy both 9X18 and 7.62X25 on-line, unless you live near a Cabalas.
In my case, I started carrying what I had, when I got my permit. Both makarov and PA63 carried well in my pocket. But I convinced my self that I needed a modern gun for edc. So I rented Kaltecs and others looking for the right carry gun. The CPX-1 was an impulse buy at a gunshow. Brutal recoil, left the web of my thumb bruised and bloody. I traded it in on the PT145 and I’m very happy with it. Conceals well in my pocket and is 10+1 45 acp, so no lack of muscle!
Considering looking at Glocks due to reputation. Also been drooling over a Kimber ultra carry II.
Like every one else said it’s very dependant on you. The search is fun, but can be expensive.
I guess some of you have never experienced the world of
:image035:
My choice is the HK P2000sk. The reasons are; reliability, high quality, accuracy, reliability, great ergonomics, ease of maintenance and reliability. Nothing fancy...just guns that work.
Rather than ask "what is the best gun" you'd be better off deciding your criteria, and then narrowing your choices down. Rent the guns that meet your criteria, and then decide.
Some suggestions for criteria:
Reliability (#1 criteria, the order of the rest is up to you)
Concealability (size, weight)
Ammo capacity
"Power" of ammo fired
Price
Availability of accessories (Lasers, holsters, spare magazines)
Availability of the ammo the gun fires
Controllability (can you make repeated shots quickly?)
Ease, speed of reload
Warranty support
Ease of takedown and cleaning
Compatibility between primary and backup (same ammo and/or magazines?)
Note I did not include "accuracy" because most handguns are more accurate than the person shooting them.
I also did not include "how nice does the gun look" because, to me, a gun is a tool. I know appearance is very important to some. Not to me - if you're involved in a shooting, your gun will likely be in police evidence for quite some time.
Hope this helps some. Welcome aboard!
PS - My choice is below - Glock 26. I also have a Glock 19.
I did this and when it came time to purchase my wife said, "you have done the reasearch and you know how much we can spend". I read professional reviews for weeks, I read personal reviews also (i value these more) and I read about ballistics and ammo available. I checked forums of particular guns, glock talk, 1911's, kel tec users group, etc... I knew what $ I had to spend and where I go, the "normal dangers" also my normal mode of dress. I have shot a variety of guns and have had some good folks train me to shoot who have combat experience and train others for a living. I wrote down on a sheet of paper what I like most about certain guns and certain calibers like the list above. Then I examined my local options and found the guns, yep plural that fit my needs... shoot all you can, go shooting with friends and shoot some of their pistols, most don;'t mind and in fact it is a compliment and fun to allow to see if they like waht you shoot. for instance the glock cahambered for 10mm was the first glock i ever shot and I did not like it, later i shot a g19 for 9mm and loved it and i shot 10mm on a 1911 platform and liked it... sometimes it is the combination of you, the particualr gun and the round... have fun choosing... you'll probably wind up with more than you can carry anyway...
I would go shoot all that i could and then choose. I like my glock 23. Nice size. Nice stopping power. Nice capacity. Dependable. Simple. Safe. Accurate. Priced right. Its not pretty. You dont have to worry about banging it up with EDC. Tons of accessories. Tons of holsters. Chicks dig them.J/K Etc. Etc.
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