Recommended Guns

[jafreaka]

I'm sure there have been previous threads on this subject but what gun does any of you recommend carrying.

I've been told the Ruger LCP is a good gun and Taurus has an equivalent thats good.
Both of the two that I'm speaking of are 380 caliber.

Should I be looking for something a little bigger?

What are you thoughts and suggestions? I do prefer something small and light.

Thanks!

[KinnyLee]

Practice and shoot the largest caliber you can afford and shoot accurately.

Ruger has their LCP
Taurus has their Millenium Pro
Keltec has their p3at
S&W has their Bodyguard
There are others out there I'm sure I did not mention but others can chime in.

[RECIT]

Do you want to pocket carry or get a belt holster? The recommendation will vary depending on your answer. Do you have any handgun experience on what features or styles you like or don't like?

[A-R]

I'm sure there have been previous threads on this subject but what gun does any of you recommend carrying.

I've been told the Ruger LCP is a good gun and Taurus has an equivalent thats good.
Both of the two that I'm speaking of are 380 caliber.

Should I be looking for something a little bigger?

What are you thoughts and suggestions? I do prefer something small and light.

Thanks!

Welcome to the forum. Many here - myself included - would be happy to chat with you about your question and offer suggestions, but it would be most helpful to include more information. Choosing a firearm is a very personal decision involving a lot of important variables, not the least of which is your own person skill and experience; but also how/when you plan to carry, your own size/age/strength/hand size/hip size etc. Financial considerations not only of the gun itself, but holster(s) - yes plural - extra magazines/speedloaders, ammo (both for self defense and practice).

I own a Ruger LCP and it is a fine weapon for its intended use - deep deep deep concealment and/or backup gun use. Very rarely do I carry it as my primary weapon, and when I do it is only because I "have to" based on the type of clothing I must wear for a particular event. I probably only carry the gun 10 days a year or less. But when I need it, it is a great option to have.

But I'm not you. Depending on your own personal situation a Ruger LCP could be your EDC (every day carry).

Rugers in general and the LCP in particular are well-designed and reliable firearms. They are not the "best" guns available, IMHO. But they are very good and I don't hesitate to use/carry the Rugers I own.

But that's about as much info as I can share until we know more about you and your situation. Perhaps start with why you are considering an LCP (or similar) and not some other weapon?

[doc540]

yep, details will help

budget

purpose (full time carry, part time carry, home/business/car/pocket?)

prior experience

Best advice I never took: SHOOT BEFORE YOU BUY

[phrogg]

Best advice I never took: SHOOT BEFORE YOU BUY

Yep, find some guns that meet some of the other needs you have and then find somewhere you can either rent said guns or find one of us that owns one that will meet you at the range to shoot it. I'm always happy to do that for someone.

For me, my EDC is my Kahr CW45. But some days (like today) I'll be carrying a fullsize XDm .45. I'm not a big fan of the .380 and I don't carry them on a regular basis. Now with some glazers I might go ahead and have a .380 as a BUG or deep concealment gun. But I prefer to carry something in a .45. The Kahr is a great option for that...which is why I have one as my EDC.

[terryg]

Let me take a crack at it. Look for one that:

Shoots .45 caliber
Holds 21 rounds
Kicks like a .32
and conceals like an LCP

Just kidding. As others have said - there are soo many variables. I think many of us end up with 2 or 3 that are carried depending upon the circumstances of the moment.

[Commander Cody]

If it does not start with a 4....

[CainA]

Black is my first choice, followed by Stainless.

-Cain

[dalto]

How much shooting experience do you have? Where do you need to conceal it?

Tiny guns like the Ruger LCP are not easy to shoot. Even in .380 they have quite a lot of kick.

If you can, I would recommend carrying a gun you can comfortably get your entire hand on.

I can comfortably carry my Glock 19 in an Inside the Waistband(IWB) holster. I know many people who carry far bigger guns than I do that way.

[jafreaka]

Thanks guys.

The only other handgun I currently own is a Springfield XD 9mm. It definitely to big for me to carry and conceal.
I'm a novice when it comes to guns both rifle and hand. Therefore, features and styles I wouldn't know alot about.
I don't plan on carrying everday day.

Considering the LCP basically because I've heard good things about it. Also, heard good things about the Taurus Slim????
That's why I'm on this forum. I don't know alot about handguns and I'm looking for advice from experienced users.

I'm 5'9", 180 lbs, strong for my size, avg./med. hand and hip size.

Features I'm looking for:

Caliber: Big enough to pack a decent punch (although this can be based on the grain and powder, right?)

Size/Weight: Probably pocket size or something just slightly bigger. I'm not opposed to a gun that will need to be carried in a holster (inside pants, lower back, leg, side of pants as long as its easy to conceal) although I don't want something big and bulky (like I said I already have an XD 9mm). I eventually plan on purchasing additional handguns but for my first purchase I do want something thats going to be easy to conceal.

Safety: I do prefer something with a safety although I've noticed this is hard to find with smaller guns. So not to important. I don't plan on carrying loaded until I'm comfortable with carrying.

Cost: Preferably under $350 although cost is somewhat flexible. I'm willing to spend a little $$ for something nice.

Why are most people not a fan of the 380? It would easily qualify as a gun that would "STOP" someone right?

Thanks all for your help and bear with me, as I said I'm somewhat of a novice when it comes to guns.

[Excaliber]

Thanks guys.

The only other handgun I currently own is a Springfield XD 9mm. It definitely to big for me to carry and conceal.
I'm a novice when it comes to guns both rifle and hand. Therefore, features and styles I wouldn't know alot about.
I don't plan on carrying everday day.

Considering the LCP basically because I've heard good things about it. Also, heard good things about the Taurus Slim????
That's why I'm on this forum. I don't know alot about handguns and I'm looking for advice from experienced users.

I'm 5'9", 180 lbs, strong for my size, avg./med. hand and hip size.

Features I'm looking for:

Caliber: Big enough to pack a decent punch (although this can be based on the grain and powder, right?)

Size/Weight: Probably pocket size or something just slightly bigger. I'm not opposed to a gun that will need to be carried in a holster (inside pants, lower back, leg, side of pants as long as its easy to conceal) although I don't want something big and bulky (like I said I already have an XD 9mm). I eventually plan on purchasing additional handguns but for my first purchase I do want something thats going to be easy to conceal.

Safety: I do prefer something with a safety although I've noticed this is hard to find with smaller guns. So not to important. I don't plan on carrying loaded until I'm comfortable with carrying.

Cost: Preferably under $350 although cost is somewhat flexible. I'm willing to spend a little $$ for something nice.

Why are most people not a fan of the 380? It would easily qualify as a gun that would "STOP" someone right?

Thanks all for your help and bear with me, as I said I'm somewhat of a novice when it comes to guns.

I'll take a stab at trying to provide some useful information on a very complex topic without writing a book with the caveat that the information won't be complete and others here will help fill in the gaps.

No handgun round can be counted upon to stop someone with one shot. It just doesn't carry that much energy. That being said, bigger is better when caliber is concerned because larger rounds are more likely to produce incapacitation of someone doing something so terrible that he must be stopped right now more quickly than smaller ones.

Law enforcement officers don't carry 9mm, .40, and .45ACP guns because the weight is good for their exercise regimen. Those calibers have been proven over many years to be acceptable fight stoppers when the shooter does his part with good shot placement. You may have noticed that you've never seen a uniformed LEO with a .380 in his holster. The reason for that is he knows he can't trust his life to a projectile that small and underpowered. You shouldn't either.

Although our members will provide you with a long list of many suitable guns they're happy with, here's my suggestion for the newbie cheat sheet version of first gun shopping: If you're looking for a semiauto, any Glock, Smith & Wesson M&P or Springfield XD / XDM in 9mm, .40, or .45 that fits your hand and your concealment needs is a good choice. These and the more expensive Sigs are the ones most often seen in law enforcement holsters, and are all rugged and proven reliable. You can't pick a bad gun out of the many models on that list, and you'll have plenty to choose from without a lot of confusion.

Doc540's advice on "shoot before you buy" (e.g., rent or try a friend's gun) is a true bit of wisdom. Skipping this step leads to much expensive regret.

Your price target of $350 is going to be a challenge, but you should be able to come close to it in the used gun market with the 3 brands above. Their guns are rugged and frequently available used but in good shape. There's a lot to be said for going this route if you're on a tight budget, because you'll need to spend around another $100 or so on a good gun belt and holster, and more on ammunition to become proficient with your new gear.

[terryg]

I'll take a stab at trying to provide some useful information on a very complex topic without writing a book with the caveat that the information won't be complete and others here will help fill in the gaps.

No handgun round can be counted upon to stop someone with one shot. It just doesn't carry that much energy. That being said, bigger is better when caliber is concerned because larger rounds are more likely to produce incapacitation of someone doing something so terrible that he must be stopped right now more quickly than smaller ones.

Law enforcement officers don't carry 9mm, .40, and .45ACP guns because the weight is good for their exercise regimen. Those calibers have been proven over many years to be acceptable fight stoppers when the shooter does his part with good shot placement. You may have noticed that you've never seen a uniformed LEO with a .380 in his holster. The reason for that is he knows he can't trust his life to a projectile that small and underpowered. You shouldn't either.

Although our members will provide you with a long list of many suitable guns they're happy with, here's my suggestion for the newbie cheat sheet version of first gun shopping: If you're looking for a semiauto, any Glock, Smith & Wesson M&P or Springfield XD / XDM in 9mm, .40, or .45 that fits your hand and your concealment needs is a good choice. These and the more expensive Sigs are the ones most often seen in law enforcement holsters, and are all rugged and proven reliable. You can't pick a bad gun out of the many models on that list, and you'll have plenty to choose from without a lot of confusion.

Doc540's advice on "shoot before you buy" (e.g., rent or try a friend's gun) is a true bit of wisdom. Skipping this step leads to much expensive regret.

Your price target of $350 is going to be a challenge, but you should be able to come close to it in the used gun market with the 3 brands above. Their guns are rugged and frequently available used but in good shape. There's a lot to be said for going this route if you're on a tight budget, because you'll need to spend around another $100 or so on a good gun belt and holster, and more on ammunition to become proficient with your new gear.

What Excaliber said.

But I will also add the Ruger SR9(c) and SR40 to the list. Ruger doesn't have the reputation that Glock, S&W, and Springfield have in semiauto's. But this series from Ruger has gotten a ton of favorable reviews and I got my SR9c new for $380 which is close to your target price range.

[jamisjockey]

5" 1911 .45ACP 'cause thats what I carry!

Seriously, though. Carry what ever you can shoot well and conceal. I've carried a 1911 and I've carried a kel-tec.

[dalto]

There is no reason why you cannot carry an XD 9mm. I know several people that do.

A good IWB will easily conceal that gun.