striker55 wrote:I have a 1911 but how do you conceal it here in TX, shorts and t-shirt? That's why I'm leaning towards my 380, smaller to conceal.
That's the way I do it (shorts & a t-shirt, I mean).
I use canvas cargo shorts (like the 511s or any decent hiking shorts) with a belt from thebeltman.net and an Answer from Tucker Gunleather. I put that on & wear a t-shirt one size larger than normal over it untucked.
+1 same exact setup if I am just running errands. Sometimes I include a button down shirt (YES SOMETIMES HAWAIIAN ) over a tucked t-shirt. Comfortable and nobody knows it's there despite my festive apparell.
S.S.G.
"A champion doesn’t become a champion in the ring. He is merely recognized in the ring.The ‘becoming’ happens during his daily routine." Joe Louis
Until I see myself in the mirror, then I think real loud...HYPOCRITE!
But don't blame me blame the wife...She buys this stuff...
She's hip to the whole idea...She thinks I got MagnumPitis or something...
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stevie_d_64 wrote:I see HAWAIIAN...And it makes me scream GUN!
Until I see myself in the mirror, then I think real loud...HYPOCRITE!
But don't blame me blame the wife...She buys this stuff...
She's hip to the whole idea...She thinks I got MagnumPitis or something...
My other half converted me to Hawaiian's & sandals 6 or 7 years ago, right before our first cruise. They are so comfortable I decided what the heck. Now it just makes things easier with folks who know me. It wasn't like I just decided to start wearing them they day I got my CHL and everyone now asks me, "Hey are you packing". (JK)
S.S.G.
"A champion doesn’t become a champion in the ring. He is merely recognized in the ring.The ‘becoming’ happens during his daily routine." Joe Louis
I sometimes carry an FEG PA-63, which is a Walther PPK clone and almost identical in weight, size, and shape and operation to the Bersa Thunder .380. It's chambered in 9mm Makarov, a slightly longer, wider, and hotter round.
In answer to your question, I carry with a round chambered and a full magazine behind it and the safety on.
As with the Thunder, it is DA/SA. I'd have no qualms about carrying mine hammer-down and safety off as someone else mentioned above - there's no way that DA trigger can be accidentally pulled. The stock DA pull on the PA-63 is said to be in the range of 19-25 pounds, and I don't believe that to be an exaggeration. About half of the people I take shooting for the first time are unable to shoot it in DA because they lack the strength to pull the trigger completely. I've trained with mine drawing from safety on, so there's no reason for me to change the way I carry. From what I've read the Thunder has a DA pull of about 7 pounds (though pretty long), so the situation may be different for you. I also don't know how much resistance the safety is, but I believe the general consensus is that having a round chambered, hammer down, and safety on is the norm. Lots of practice drawing should make disengaging the safety a non-issue.
Carrying without a round in the chamber makes your gun useless in so many situations where a quick draw and fire or single-handed operation is required. You're also reducing the amount of ammo you are carrying by one in an already limited gun.
If you are concerned about carrying with a round chambered, I would recommend some range time to get more familiar with the operation of your gun. Remember, it's not going to "go off". Modern firearms don't do that. The only reason it's going to fire is if you pull the trigger.
If I were staying with John Farnam's nomenclature, the Bersa is a "trigger-cocking autoloader with two-stage manual decocking."
The lever on the slide isn't a safety; it's a decocking lever. Same with the S&W 3919 I own.
The proper carry condition is with a round in the chamber and the decocking lever "up". This is no different than any DAO firearm.
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and at 1/4 cock [ keep's the hammer off the firing pin ]
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I'm better at retirement than anything I have ever tried. Me
Young People pratice to get better, Old folk's pratice to keep from getting WORSE. Me
) over a tucked t-shirt. Comfortable and nobody knows it's there despite my festive apparell.
