Best gun for Concealed Carry????

[ktusc]

I currently have a bertetta .40 with no safety and I am considering getting something else. Considering all the different situations one could end up with, what do you think would be the best gun for concealed carry?

MT

P.S. I can use this as an excuse for another gun. Afterall, by birthday is tomorrow! LOL

[txinvestigator]

I currently have a bertetta .40 with no safety and I am considering getting something else. Considering all the different situations one could end up with, what do you think would be the best gun for concealed carry?

MT

P.S. I can use this as an excuse for another gun. Afterall, by birthday is tomorrow! LOL

You will get as many different answers as there are people who answer this thread.

It is strictly a subjective answer. The best one is the one you carry. If you spend $1k on a fancy Kimber and leave it at home, I would say the $200 police surplus 30 year old revolver that someone actually carries is the best of those two guns.

I suggest you find a range that rents guns, go talk to the people there and try as many as you can. Narrow your choices down, then come back here and we can give you the pros and cons of your finalists.

One note of caution, gun store people can be full of it, and will often steer you to THEIR favorite gun rather than what might be best for you. Take what they say with a grain of salt, come back here and clarify anything they told you.

BTW, Happy Birthday.

[ktusc]

Thank you! I have heard many differents discussions/ arguments over what is the best handgun. I do realize its subjective and I will do as you recommend and shoot different calibers/ makes. I guess its possible to conceal just about any handgun?

Am I right to be weary of carrying something with no safety?

[txinvestigator]

Thank you! I have heard many differents discussions/ arguments over what is the best handgun. I do realize its subjective and I will do as you recommend and shoot different calibers/ makes. I guess its possible to conceal just about any handgun?

When I was a cop I carried a S&W revolver on duty for the first 7 years, and a Beretta 92 after that. I carried a S&W model 60 revolver off duty.

Since then I have carried Beretta .380s, HK .40sm Beretta 96, Wakther PPK/S, and now I carry a full sized 1911.

Am I right to be weary of carrying something with no safety?

WIth a good holster and proper carrying I would not worry about that.

[TX Rancher]

Am I right to be weary of carrying something with no safety?

By no safety I assume you're talking about no manually operated safety such as on the 1911 style weapons...

I personally feel that any weapon manufactured by the well known names is safe enough for concealed carry...for example I have no problems carrying my Glocks and my wife has a Kahr that she's been working with lately.

We both also carry 1911 platforms, which of course have the manual safety.

If there's a manual safety, I use it...it not, I don't feel unsafe, but I am a little more careful about re-holstering to be sure I don't get clothing inside the trigger guard.

You'll probably hear from folks that beleive no manual safety = unsafe carry. Listen to what they have to say, and then make your own judgement.

[Tim the Teacher]

My wife and I tried a half dozen guns in the rental counter before making our decisions. It was worth the money spent.

[GeoJAP]

There are many answers to this question, as others have said. Having said that, however, Sig Sauers will never, ever do you wrong. I have owned many handguns: Ruger, Taurus and Smith & Wesson revolvers, Springfield XD's, Colt 1911's, a Makarov, Glocks, Browning Hi-Power, etc. Many would be great carry options. But I have not found anything that is better than a Sig Sauer pistol.

I currently use a Sig 239 in .357 SIG and also a Ruger SP-101 in .357 Mag for my carry tools.

[kwf2006]

Glock 29 - 10mm

1. Major power
2. Capacity
3. Small in size
4. Reliable
5. Go get one!

[PhilR.]

Well, I can't state what is the "best gun for concealed carry" (since there isn't one), but I can mention a few that I think are pretty darn good. Two small auto's I've owned and that have run 100% since their initial purchase are the Glock 26 and the Sig Sauer P230. Few pistols out there combine size, reliability, ease of maintenance, build quality, firepower and price like the Glock. The P230 I used to own also ran 100%, but when you consider price, size, and caliber, the Glock still wins. There are also a great number of fine weapons from Sig and H&K, but you will spend a lot more for them, and they won't run any more reliably than a Glock. If money is less of a concern, then check out the H&K P2000.

I also have a Walther P99 which has also run 100% for close to 1k rounds. While it is larger than what I would prefer for CC, the compact version P99C would make a great choice. There are also compact versions of the Springfield XD's and the S&W M&P9, and although I've not used them, I have read some good reports about them.

The hammerless aluminum or scandium S&W revolvers might also be a "best" for some people. They would be the most reliable overall, and would also require less maintenance than would an auto. One just has to decide if five shots before reloading is enough.

hth,
PhilR.

[Sangiovese]

That's kind of like asking, "What's the best flavor ice cream?"

Plenty of good advice so far in the thread. I highly recommend testing several different guns via rentals if at all possible in your area.

I'll throw in a personal plug for the gun that will be my carry weapon when the plastic arrives... Springfield XD45 compact. Conceals pretty easily, reliable, makes big holes, and hits where I point it.

That's what I came up with as the best gun for ME... but it might not work at all for you. Only way to be sure is to try one.

Good luck. Finding the weapon that fits your needs perfectly can be frustrating at times.. but once you find it - it'll all be worthwhile.

[Diode]

I currently use a Sig 239 in .357 SIG and also a Ruger SP-101 in .357 Mag for my carry tools.

Always interesting to see someone I don't know end up with a common view. Makes me think I get it right sometimes. Depending on mood and what I am wearing I carry my Sig P220 Carry, Kimber Compact or my Sp-101. I have Tucker Leather for all 3. I really considered the 239 in .357 but never came across a deal for one.

jim'

[Charles L. Cotton]

Happy Birthday! We are going to set up a bay at the TexasCHLforum Day at PSC on Sept. 29 to let people try various different pistols. It's on the schedule as "Battlefield Pickups." You might find that helpful, but if you're looking for a birthday present, that would sure be a belated present!

Chas.

[RPBrown]

All good advice. The best gun for you to carry is the one that you feel comfortable with and can shoot well.

If you make it to forum day, take advantage of the bay that you can test other peoples weapon.

If you can't make it, try to set up a day of shooting in your area with others from here. Most wouldn't mind letting you try their weapons and most would enjoy another reason to go to the range. Meeting members FTF is always fun as well.

Just my .02

[ktusc]

Thanks everyone for the advice/ opinions and for your birthday wishes. This is all good advice and will be considered in my next purchase.

For others: I found this article that has a lot of similar advice plus a little more.

http://www.kc3.com/self_defense/selection.htm

Michael

[fm2]

I currently have a bertetta .40 with no safety and I am considering getting something else. Considering all the different situations one could end up with, what do you think would be the best gun for concealed carry?MT

If you like your Beretta, and it is working well for you, then take a pistol class. It will be a good confidence builder for your "no safety" concerns.

If you are looking for more hardware, a G27, Kahr P40 or a S&W 642 would be a good addition.