Concealed carry question

triathloncoach · Mar 20, 2011

I'm trying to decide what to carry. I have more choices than I should from 380 to 45.

Why do you carry? Do you think you are going to be in a gun fight at 25 yards? Do you think if someone pulls a gun out and points it at your chest you are going to get yours out before you are shot? At that point you should just put up your hands. And I'm not talking about defending against a home invasion.

I live in the South (now) formally in NJ where no one is allowed to carry. So this is new for me. I'm not going to wear layers of clothes so how do I conceal my Glock 17, full size 1911, 4" Ruger 100 or Beretta 96? And how important is a big caliber? I have a little 380 auto and a taurus millenium 40 that would be easier to carry. I wear shorts.

If someone has a gun leveled at me up close the fight is over. If they have no gun a few 380 hornady hollow points thru their T shirt should make them my bitch. As you can tell, I'm leaning toward my kel tech 3AT. I wouldn't even feel it while carrying.

matttx · Mar 20, 2011

summer time i carry a kahr pm9
winter xd9

Slidingblues · Mar 20, 2011

I prefer small of the back carry in warmer weather. Either an actual SOB holster or an Uncle Mike's in the waist band holster. For me that is the easiest place for me to conceal a gun.

If I am carrying I will have a short sleeve button up shirt on. Usually it will be a little heavier fabric so it is harder to print. I may have it on over a t-shirt and leave it unbuttoned or button it. Either way it is not tucked it in.

I carry a Glock 23 or a Kimber Combat Carry.

strongrhino · Mar 20, 2011

Most confrontations occur around 5ft distance. I carry Kel-Tec .380 on ankle. In shorts inside waist with clip installed on pistol. 9mm Glock in car and Mossberg pisol grip shotgun by bed. But when I have been in scuffle and the guy is not armed I ask politely for a moment to remove my pisol and give it to my girl. I never pull it. Insurance measure. Protect my girls.

Ashop · Mar 21, 2011

strongrhino said:
Most confrontations occur around 5ft distance. I carry Kel-Tec .380 on ankle. In shorts inside waist with clip installed on pistol. 9mm Glock in car and Mossberg pisol grip shotgun by bed. But when I have been in scuffle and the guy is not armed I ask politely for a moment to remove my pisol and give it to my girl. I never pull it. Insurance measure. Protect my girls.

Sounds like you are fully prepared my friend!

Dens228 · Mar 21, 2011

Springfield 45 compact whenever possible, if my clothing won't allow it a .380 pocket pistol.

Something to remember is that most of the time no caliber is going to immediately stop an attack if you hit center mass. Many people have kept on shooting after taking a lethal hit. So for me a bigger caliber that will smash through bone preferably the spine at the base of the neck and make them physically unable to continue the threat is the best way to save yourself. It's not like the movies where they take a hit to the chest and fall over dead.

If they have a gun pointed at me and want my wallet it's theirs. I'm not foolish enough to think I can draw, fire, and drop a person before they get me. My wallet isn't worth it. Now, if I felt they were going to kill me or someone else either way, different story and we're probably both taking hits.

Just the reality..

kingdawg98 · Mar 21, 2011

guns are great when they're drawn or when you're sneaking up on someone or when the person you're gonna shoot doesn't notice.

For protection, i'd rather carry a knife. If they want my money that bad they can have it.

Check this out. 21 ft rule when it comes to drawing your gun how much longer when it's concealed.

YouTube - Too close - dont underestimate the knife

Gunsmith · Mar 21, 2011

I carry a glock 21 mostly unless lighter clothes are called for then I carry glock 23. I carry both in SOB.

The 9mm with good ammo is plenty gun to have in a gunfight providing you can shoot it , that's a point few people like to hear , doesent matter how big your gun is if you can't hit with it then it may as well be unloaded.

When you draw and fire it should be automatic to fire two rounds to the chest then follow up with one to the head "failure drill" this way the perp is hit with twice the energy as the single round almost at the same time at least standing him up or causing a pause then the last shot to the nose is an anchor.

What gets more people carrying in trouble is when the draw and don't intend to pull the trigger , trying to bluff sombody is a very very foolish thing to do ! Also people who donot train in proper weapon retention and handeling end up on the losing end of the fight because their gun was taken , it's important to have some sort of formal training before you just go off carrying a gun and I'm not talking about some bullshit CCW class that some flunky is teaching I'm talking about a weekend class where your gonna shoot 1000 rounds from and in realistic situations

strongman_d · Mar 21, 2011

I live in COLORADO and the house just passed a Constitutional Carry so no more CCW classes I personally have a MP in car and carry sometimes a HK compact

BigSwervin · Mar 21, 2011

I carry a kel tec pf9. Its small, light and the 9mm is a good in between round. If im wearing my shoulder holster, gotta have my desert eagle 44mag! lol

bhulkman · Mar 21, 2011

i carry a 9mm warthog, not a bad little piece, i can conceal it pretty well. I used to carry my glock 9 compact, but the warthog is a little smaller.

never had to pull it, and hope i never do, with all the freakn laws in my state, even if it was self defense, I would be the one getting sued or locked up for either pulling it or shooting off a round.

Skip · Mar 21, 2011

matttx said:
summer time i carry a kahr pm9
winter xd9

The Kahr PM9 is my carry gun, as well. I have a crossbreed holster so that I can even tuck in my shirts if I want to. It is more important for me to not be made than it is to carry big firepower. I always carry an extra clip, anyway. If I can't hit you with 6 and have to reload, I deserve to die.

Skip

Dens228 · Mar 21, 2011

Skip said:
The Kahr PM9 is my carry gun, as well. I have a crossbreed holster so that I can even tuck in my shirts if I want to. It is more important for me to not be made than it is to carry big firepower. I always carry an extra clip, anyway. If I can't hit you with 6 and have to reload, I deserve to die.

Skip

How do you like the Crossbreed? I was thinking about getting one.
Comfortable?

norm1220 · Mar 21, 2011

Dens228 said:
How do you like the Crossbreed? I was thinking about getting one.
Comfortable?

I carry my Warthawg .45 in a Crossbreed Supertuck almost everyday. It's by far the most comfortable holster I have ever had.

As far as calibers go, the rule of thumb is to go with the largest caliber you can both shoot and carry effectively. Here in the frozen northland a round must make it thru lots of layers of clothing before it gets a chance to do any damage, and the average fat-ass around here has several inches of thick blubber underneath all those clothes.

Don't count on a 380 being a fight stopper with anything less than a head shot. Still a 380 is better than a pointy stick and a pointy stick is better than empty hands....

matttx · Mar 21, 2011

i have a crossbreed for my xd9 and i love it..very comfortable but its also the only holster i have use with my xd9.

cooter08 · Mar 21, 2011

.45 Kimber crimson trace ultra carry II for me. Love it! .357 S&W for home defense along with Glock 9 and the ol' 12 guage when it's....lets fuck shit up time.

PRIDE · Mar 21, 2011

kingdawg98 said:
guns are great when they're drawn or when you're sneaking up on someone or when the person you're gonna shoot doesn't notice.

For protection, i'd rather carry a knife. If they want my money that bad they can have it.

Check this out. 21 ft rule when it comes to drawing your gun how much longer when it's concealed.

YouTube - Too close - dont underestimate the knife

I agree. If you know how to use a knife, it's much more effective, imo

FordTurboDiesel · Mar 21, 2011

KelTec 9mm ..Hydrashocks. Small. Lightweight. Inexpensive. Full capacity mag. Handles plus P's.

Most confrontations are very close. I don't think it's fair for anyone to say what they would or wouldn't do considering all cases will differ. Your not going to carry for a long range confrontation. Thats good in the movies but not real life.