New pistol for carry

[ezbtr]

Need small, my 22 Beretta is a great gun, just a bit small caliber wise, 45 damn heavy, saw my buddies S&W MP 9mm, I like it, last one I got was for comfort/larger H&K, comments?

 

[southkogs]

My 9mm is a 4" barrel. A little bulky, but not bad to carry. BUT, what I did pick up and I really like for a carry gun is a Ruger LCP. It's a .380, fits very nicely in a pocket. Real comfortable to wear.

 

[dwco5051]

Let's put carry weapons in the same context as a boating question.

I ned a tow vehicle to haul my new 26' cruiser but my garage that I have to keep it is only 12 feet deep. What would you recommend.?

Stopping power with a .380 requires +P loads but most of the smaller pistols can't handle it. That being said concealment depends on what you are going to wear at the time. Even an inside the belt holster doesn't work well if you leave the house every day in shorts and a tee shirt. Every thing is a trade off. There are some subcompacts that have the power but are a handfull to shoot and uncomfortable to pratice with. My first backup gun back in the last century was a mod 37 S&W airweight but the alloy frame meant no hot loads so it became my wife's purse gun for many years now.

One of my boys has a S&W M&P and the other one has a LCP. Both are nice guns, easy to shoot and reliable and I would be comfortable with either one if I were to replace my steel frame Mod 36 S&W. I am partial to a wheel gun knoing it will go bang every time I pull the trigger even though I own a few 380s and 9s pistols.

 

[gm280]

I have a Colt Pocket Nine. Only thing about that is, Colt no longer manufactures that pistol anymore. But it is small and handles 9mm ammo without issues. And I bought it used a long time ago now and Colt stopped production after only 5000 made. Colt now refuses to make any such pistol for the general public anymore. I use it with a Sneaky Pete Holster and it is very easy to conceal with most any attire. The small holster is square in design and looks like a phone case and not a pistol holster. And since I reload every shell I shoot, with the exception of 22's, I can tailor the ammo for what I want... Works for me!

 

[southkogs]

I am partial to a wheel gun knoing it will go bang every time I pull the trigger even though I own a few 380s and 9s pistols.

I haven't ever owned a revolver. But I've shot a bunch of 'em. There are a couple Colts, SWs, and Rugers that I've really liked. Lately, I've shot a .38 and a .45 that were great shooting guns. So, now I've got a half-a-bug for an old style six shooter.

Let's put carry weapons in the same context as a boating question.

Good point too. The whole reason I carry my LCP is that I found in summer clothing in TN and in work attire I had a hard time hiding my 9mm effectively. So, I wasn't carrying as much. The LCP doesn't have the hitting power, of the 9mm for sure. But it's with me!

 

[Harritwo]

I started out with the Ruger LCP .380 and it is a nice gun. I wound up with a deal I couldnt refuse and got a Diamondback 9MM. It is slightly longer grip than the Ruger and otherwise is easy to conceal. The only draw back to the Diamondback, when you are shooting target ammo, you absolutely have to have quality ammo. It doesnt like the cheap stuff. My carry ammo is hollowpoints and I generally shoot the Federal. It likes that.

 

[gm280]

I haven't ever owned a revolver. But I've shot a bunch of 'em. There are a couple Colts, SWs, and Rugers that I've really liked. Lately, I've shot a .38 and a .45 that were great shooting guns. So, now I've got a half-a-bug for an old style six shooter.


Good point too. The whole reason I carry my LCP is that I found in summer clothing in TN and in work attire I had a hard time hiding my 9mm effectively. So, I wasn't carrying as much. The LCP doesn't have the hitting power, of the 9mm for sure. But it's with me!

Fact is, ANYTHING is light-years better then nothing! I always have a gun in the SUV...always. However, unless I am in an area of questionable circumstances, I don't carry like I really should. And that is when you will probably need it. I really need to carry everywhere. No one knows where problems will crop up!

Every person in our extended family are licensed to carry. We are pro gun AND self protection people, and not ashamed to say it...

Back when I was still working, I introduced everyone in my Software/ Computer Programming office/lab to guns. That was a lot of people too. And everyone, without exception, loved them and started purchasing guns for themselves and spouses. Some even joined our local gun club and became very good at the Silhouette target matches as well. So I did my part...

I found that usually people that hate guns, have never ever really shot any. Once you present them with common sense guns, like starting out with 22's and moving up from there, they have a totally different opinion about them. And they really enjoy target shooting a lot. JMHO

 

[southkogs]

I tell ya' : If my Ruger Mark IV didn't have a 7" barrel, that is the gun I'd carry. I shot competitively with that gun and a High Standard I have as well. They're .22s, but man can I get right where I want with it!

My daughter's 1911 Colt is a burly .45, but it actually conceals rather well for a bigger guy like me. Not so much in shorts and a T-shirt, but daily business wear it doesn't do bad.

 

[gm280]

I have a few 1911's. The last one I purchased was a New Springfield Armory 1911 from their custom gun shop. There isn't anything that custom 45 doesn't have. And the price proves that as well. But it is so enjoyable to shoot.

I also own a hand-me-down father-in-law 1911. And amazingly that 45 shoots remarkably well. My FIL used to own a gun shop decades ago. He has since passed. And when my wife and I were first married, to make money we molded bullets for the local police department. And that is how I got started molding, and reloading. My wife was into guns way before I found her. So she has a lot of her own guns that she picked out and owns as well.

I never heard of anyone not liking a 1911 once they fired one...

 

[ezbtr]

My 9mm is a 4" barrel. A little bulky, but not bad to carry. BUT, what I did pick up and I really like for a carry gun is a Ruger LCP. It's a .380, fits very nicely in a pocket. Real comfortable to wear.

I know 380 is decent, but want a bit more punch and affordable/available ammo, Ruger, Glock and S&W do make nice autos, and I do have to say my H&K is the best quality I've seen(tied w/ Colt) - I want to stay w/ an auto for capacity's sake

 

[southkogs]

Ruger has the LC9 which is my gun in 9mm. Haven't shot it, but it's size is comparable. Simple double action auto.

 

[gm280]

Bottom line is, any pistol you have IS the right one, if you seriously need one! These days I see a lot more open carry then ever before. But I like to keep that little secret to myself and family and not publish the fact that I/we do carry. JMHO

 

[Sprig]

If you like wheel guns (I do) Taurus makes a sweet 22 magnum , 9 shot. 22 magnum hollow points will do serious damage. Besides 22 mags are just fun to shoot.

 

[sphelps]

I’ve never owned a gun . Not against them in any way just never got around to getting one .. My 4 older brothers go to the range and shoot quite frequently.. I may join them one day .. My wife is a little funny about them so I haven’t really pushed the subject ..

 

[alldodge]

wheel gun

That's funny at least to me, I'm old, must be hip

Maybe something along the line of twice barrel shoot gun or automatic carobine

 

[Sprig]

That's funny at least to me, I'm old, must be hip

Maybe something along the line of twice barrel shoot gun or automatic carobine

A wheel gun refers to a revolver. It’s called that because it has a cylinder that revolves like a wheel. Been called that as long as I can remember and I’m 70.

 

[dwco5051]

That's funny at least to me, I'm old, must be hip

Maybe something along the line of twice barrel shoot gun or automatic carobine

I don't really know when I first heard "wheel gun" used to describe a revolver. Samuel Colt claimed he got the idea of a revolver while at sea, inspired by the capstan, or windlass, which had a ratchet and pawl mechanism which gave him the idea for his revolver designs This was misquoted many times over the years that it was the ships wheel he watched. Thus the name wheel gun and a nautical tie in for this forum.

 

[alldodge]

Really a wheel gun is a revolver, I would have never figured that one out, Thanks you guys are the best

Next thing ya know I'm going to lean the difference between a pistol and a revolver

 

[southkogs]

... I'm going to learn the difference between a pistol and a revolver

The eternal debate

The two competing arguments (as I've heard ... and I hijack Heinzs' topic) is that a revolver is a subset of the pistol world (semi-autos, derringers, revolvers, etc), or that a revolver is a handgun with multiple rotating chambers and that a pistol has an integrated chamber that is stationary.

 

[redneck joe]

I don't carry, not opposed to it at all just don't. With my drinking habits there are three things i don't do

drive
shoot
i forgot the last one.


All our 'kids' carry, and both my neighbors do, i keep loaded bedside so i figure i we are covered the majority of the time.