Conceal carry anyone?

Concrete Helmet

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I've always said the same things in regards to buying a handgun (whether semi-auto or wheel) for CC, because the reality is that all the top names are "good enough" for their stock products, so...
  1. Don't listen to "experts"... especially military/former military, LEO, and gun shop guys. It doesn't mean squat.
  2. Do your research online, talk to people, whatever... and get your mental list of what you think you want.
  3. Go to gun shops, get the "experts" to lay your list on the counter. Go to multiple gun shops and do this for everything on your list.
  4. Pick each one up with proper grip and find the one that feels the best in YOUR hands. Don't worry about the weight. You are picking it up unloaded and the balance will change completely when loaded and only make what feels the best, better. Oh, and IGNORE the "expert" watching you do this.
  5. Bring each one up to what you feel is your natural firing position, then open your eyes to see which one has the best sight alignment. Again, ignore the "expert" watching you do this.
  6. Narrow your list down to the top 2 with best combo of the feel in your hand and best natural sight alignment.
  7. Buy one of those.
  8. Buy 300 rounds of crap ammo. Burn it through the one you bought... aiming not necessary, may even cause you to second guess your purchase. Cheap ammo does not typically group well, period. You aren't worried about accuracy here, you are effectively "polishing" your action and feed ramp if semi-auto. Just a note, when I'm burning bulk ammo for practice, when finished, I will shoot one magazine with my defensive load (see below) just to remember how accurate it actually is.
  9. Buy a box each of 3-5 different good defense loads.
  10. Shoot them from a bench and see which one your weapon eats the best. You are interested in the best GROUPING here, not which is closest to the bullseye. You can adjust/replace your sights (even fixed, non-adjustable ones) to bring that group to the center.
  11. Get training, shoot a lot.
@GatorFL I have no problem with the 642. It's a simple, highly proven, frame and it does its job as well as anything. My bigger point was that while it may be perfect for YOU and YOUR purposes, each individual should find what is best for THEM and THEIR purposes. Sorry if I came across as an ass, it wasn't my intent (well, maybe a little! ;) ).
That's great stuff DG. Now if I could just find 200-300 rounds of ammo...
 

Detroitgator

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That's great stuff DG. Now if I could just find 200-300 rounds of ammo...

Just got off the phone with the owner of Wolf/SSI to get 4,000 rds of .40SW FMJ for a customer... Black Hills got me the 4,000 of JHP to go with it yesterday.

Got a fax quote... yes, a fukkin FAX! ...from Ukraine this morning for 50 laster guided "Kombat" ATGMs...

I know guys, it's what I do... ;)
 

Gator By Marriage

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Now I've just got to break it to the Donkey that I bought a Sig:law: this should be fun and probably worth another 10-12 pages..... :lol2:
I carried a Sig (a P226, a P228, and then a P229) for many, many, years. They were great guns and the ones with which I always felt the most comfortable. The P-226 (the only one of those I personally owned) is a big frame though and not an ideal weapon for concealed carry.
 
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Detroitgator

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I carried a Sig (a P226, a P228, and then a P229) for many, many, years. They were great guns and the ones with which I always felt the most comfortable. The P-226 (the only one of those I personally owned) is a big frame though and not an ideal weapon for concealed carry.
Yeah, I've mentioned it many times, and I keep it for nostalgia more than anything, but I carried a P228 overseas for several years. Utterly indestructible and reliable, but too fat a grip for my tiny trump hands. :(
 

Gator By Marriage

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Yeah, I've mentioned it many times, and I keep it for nostalgia more than anything, but I carried a P228 overseas for several years. Utterly indestructible and reliable, but too fat a grip for my tiny trump hands. :(
For those of us manly men with big hands (and big feet) that's not a problem.
Of course you know what they say about men with big hands and big feet, right? Yep; big shoes, big gloves.
 

ThreatMatrix

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Wish I had looked this over before making another impulse purchase this morning....oh well I was actually shocked that there was over a half dozen compact sized handguns available...I've been looking at a lot of different CC sized pistols for me and my wife the last couple of month's and I really liked the feel of the P365XL compared with similar guns so I bought one. While I was there another customer mentioned he was buying the S&W MP EZ for his wife...After checking out his gun I think I found one for my wife too.
The biggest concern is working the slide and feeding the mag as my wife has pretty bad arthritis and not the strongest hands. It seems pretty easy and functional even for someone with weaker hands. The biggest problem for me is these sized guns are really small in my catchers mitt sized hands and just don't feel "right". The Sig was about as good as I could get feelwise….

I have a Shield 2.0 9mm. My female friend went looking for a gun and ended up with the EZ for exactly that reason. It was easy to rack the slide. We have had a problem with it stove piping however. Doesn't matter if she shoots or I so limp wristing isn't an issue. Interested if you've run into that problem.Online they claim the gun needs to be broken in with about 500 rounds.

The Shield is as good a carry weapon as any other. I sit here with one on my hip as I type. Barely notice it.
I've shot all types of ammo through mine a - maybe 1000 rounds - and don't recall any issues. That's why I carry it.

I've found that online ammo takes a week or two. And the chain gun stores are sold out. However if you go to a local gun & pawn shop they seem to have the stuff in stockpiles. 380 is a little harder to find. We drive up to a place in Deland because they seem to have an unending supply.

For defensive rounds I prefer Hornady Critical Defense FTX. The FTX round has a more rounded bullet nose and is less likely to jam on a feed ramp. Other defense rounds have jammed my other guns so I stick with FTX.
 

Detroitgator

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I have a Shield 2.0 9mm. My female friend went looking for a gun and ended up with the EZ for exactly that reason. It was easy to rack the slide. We have had a problem with it stove piping however. Doesn't matter if she shoots or I so limp wristing isn't an issue. Interested if you've run into that problem.Online they claim the gun needs to be broken in with about 500 rounds.

The Shield is as good a carry weapon as any other. I sit here with one on my hip as I type. Barely notice it.
I've shot all types of ammo through mine a - maybe 1000 rounds - and don't recall any issues. That's why I carry it.

I've found that online ammo takes a week or two. And the chain gun stores are sold out. However if you go to a local gun & pawn shop they seem to have the stuff in stockpiles. 380 is a little harder to find. We drive up to a place in Deland because they seem to have an unending supply.

For defensive rounds I prefer Hornady Critical Defense FTX. The FTX round has a more rounded bullet nose and is less likely to jam on a feed ramp. Other defense rounds have jammed my other guns so I stick with FTX.
I think the EZ suffers the same problem the Kimber Solo's did... weak magazine springs, and magazine has too much "play" in the well. Getting them to swap out your OEM magazines will probably not fix this. You might want to try to find a GOOD aftermarket magazine that claims to fix the KNOWN problem with the EZ.
 

Concrete Helmet

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I have a Shield 2.0 9mm. My female friend went looking for a gun and ended up with the EZ for exactly that reason. It was easy to rack the slide. We have had a problem with it stove piping however. Doesn't matter if she shoots or I so limp wristing isn't an issue. Interested if you've run into that problem.Online they claim the gun needs to be broken in with about 500 rounds.

The Shield is as good a carry weapon as any other. I sit here with one on my hip as I type. Barely notice it.
I've shot all types of ammo through mine a - maybe 1000 rounds - and don't recall any issues. That's why I carry it.

I've found that online ammo takes a week or two. And the chain gun stores are sold out. However if you go to a local gun & pawn shop they seem to have the stuff in stockpiles. 380 is a little harder to find. We drive up to a place in Deland because they seem to have an unending supply.

For defensive rounds I prefer Hornady Critical Defense FTX. The FTX round has a more rounded bullet nose and is less likely to jam on a feed ramp. Other defense rounds have jammed my other guns so I stick with FTX.
Thanks for sharing that info. From everything I've seen most people say these compact sized pistols really need 500 plus rounds through them before hitting optimal operation but I wouldn't have a clue yet. Others seem to think they just don't like certain kinds of ammo but to me it seems that recoil with such a short barrel could be an inherent problem allowing the slide to return all the way to the firing position. This seems to be the biggest issue on the internet regarding the Sig that I bought.....being the son of a machinist/engineer I'd be likely to say it's in the tolerances of production but I'm only logical after 4 or 5 beers.....
 

Detroitgator

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That thing has a crazy track in flight.
Optically guided missiles do, but they finish on the dot! Biggest mistake wire guided (like our TOW) gunners would make was trying to steer the "crazy" missile rather than just hold reticle steady on the target and let the missile do its thing.
 

jeeping8r

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I have a 40 shield and a 9mm Taurus G2. Both use same holster but G2 holds more as it's a double stack, And for same reason sticks out further. My full size Ruger 9 is too big for me to CC without a coat.
Wife has a P3AT, She loves it and (so far) has eaten anything she's put through it. But she no like my shield, Too much recoil for her.
She just picked up a SA (single action) .22 revolver for plinking and snakes in her chicken coop
 

Albert

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Picking up a Sig 365 SAS tomorrow. One of my close friends is a tactical instructor, took me through his workout using his a few weeks back. Plenty to love about it.
 

Swamp Donkey

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Picking up a Sig 365 SAS tomorrow. One of my close friends is a tactical instructor, took me through his workout using his a few weeks back. Plenty to love about it.
There is plenty to love with a 365. but why did you pick the version they somehow figured out a way to sell with zero sights?

I wondered who bought those things.
 

Swamp Donkey

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, each individual should find what is best for THEM and THEIR purposes. Sorry if I came across as an ass, it wasn't my intent (well, maybe a little! ;) ).
what's wrong with being an ass?

most people don't realize how much they give up by getting a micro gun.

I too have a stick-it-in-my-pocket gun, a teensy Glock, but the reality is the only time I carry it's when I'm being lazy. usually something like and mowing the lawn and I have to run quickly to get gas.

I'm probably going to sell it to force myself not to be lazy.

like every other gun owner of the planet I've had a few five shot revolvers. I got rid of it for the same reason that most agencies have gotten rid of theirs, it was state-of-the-art in the 1890s.

if you're going to carry a gun you have to dress for the gun. Generally that means untucked shirts -- preferably ones that are meant to be untucked so it doesn't look stupid-- and probably one or even two sizes larger than what currently seems to be the style. Yes, that means you have to give up your little sister's schmedium shirts.

Now here's the next part, I'm probably a little slow because I didn't figure this out at first. once you dress for the gun you can carry something the size of a Glock 19 (or any similar compact) as easily as you can carry a glock 26 (or similar).

it is true that you most likely will never ever need a firearm. I get it. However, I promise you this, if you do, you're going to wish you weren't going out a Glock 43 or a 5-shot peashooter instead of a Glock 19 (or similar).

I had a friend, an assistant us attorney, come back from a concealed carry course where the so-called expert told everyone to get 22 magnum revolvers.

the truth is probably 70% of the soldiers, 99% of the sailors and maybe 90% of cops don't have a clue about guns. they usually know very little more than what they have stuffed in their holster

it's not hard to get your self-declared an instructor or an expert in some people's minds.

if you're going to carry a 5 shot revolver I would have very least make sure you're carrying reloads. so many do not and practice practice practice.
 
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GatorFL

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what's wrong with being an ass?

most people don't realize how much they give up by getting a micro gun.

I too have a stick-it-in-my-pocket gun, a teensy Glock, but the reality is the only time I carry it's when I'm being lazy. usually something like and mowing the lawn and I have to run quickly to get gas.

I'm probably going to sell it to force myself not to be lazy.

if you're going to carry a gun you have to dress for the gun. Generally that means untucked shirts -- preferably ones that are meant to be untucked so it doesn't look stupid-- and probably one or even two sizes larger than what currently seems to be the style. Yes, that means you have to give up your little sister's schmedium shirts.

Now here's the next part, I'm probably a little slow because I didn't figure this out at first. once you dress for the gun you can carry something the size of a Glock 19 (or any similar compact) as easily as you can carry a glock 26 (or similar).

it is true that you most likely will never ever need a firearm. I get it. However, I promise you this, if you do, you're going to wish you weren't going out a Glock 43 or a 5-shot peashooter instead of a Glock 19 (or similar).

I had a friend, an assistant us attorney, come back from a concealed carry course where the so-called expert told everyone to get 22 magnum revolvers.

the truth is probably 70% of the soldiers, 99% of the sailors and maybe 90% of cops don't have a clue about guns. they usually know very little more than what they have stuffed in their holster

it's not hard to get your self-declared an instructor or an expert in some people's minds.

if you're going to carry a 5 shot revolver I would have very least make sure you're carrying reloads. so many do not and practice practice practice.
Most people don't need a CCW. And those that do have a CCW use them at extremely close range, so 5 shots is more than enough ammo. :rolleyes:
 

Albert

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Aug 22, 2014
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There is plenty to love with a 365. but why did you pick the version they somehow figured out a way to sell with zero sights?

I wondered who bought those things.
The bullseye holographic rear style works with my eyesight in low light conditions. The last thing I’m gonna want to reach for is my reading glasses in that situation, and over the last 2 years my eyesight has changed dramatically (hello late 40’s) I was really skeptical at first but it quickly became very natural me, and my course results vs my Glock and SW shield (which I hate for a lot of reasons) were markedly better in low light, which is the most likely scenario. My instructor did not recommend it specifically, just that he had one and liked it. At the end of the day I want something I’m confident with, period. I bow hunt ALOT, and this feels similar to my eye.
 

Detroitgator

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what's wrong with being an ass?

most people don't realize how much they give up by getting a micro gun.

I too have a stick-it-in-my-pocket gun, a teensy Glock, but the reality is the only time I carry it's when I'm being lazy. usually something like and mowing the lawn and I have to run quickly to get gas.

I'm probably going to sell it to force myself not to be lazy.

like every other gun owner of the planet I've had a few five shot revolvers. I got rid of it for the same reason that most agencies have gotten rid of theirs, it was state-of-the-art in the 1890s.

if you're going to carry a gun you have to dress for the gun. Generally that means untucked shirts -- preferably ones that are meant to be untucked so it doesn't look stupid-- and probably one or even two sizes larger than what currently seems to be the style. Yes, that means you have to give up your little sister's schmedium shirts.

Now here's the next part, I'm probably a little slow because I didn't figure this out at first. once you dress for the gun you can carry something the size of a Glock 19 (or any similar compact) as easily as you can carry a glock 26 (or similar).

it is true that you most likely will never ever need a firearm. I get it. However, I promise you this, if you do, you're going to wish you weren't going out a Glock 43 or a 5-shot peashooter instead of a Glock 19 (or similar).

I had a friend, an assistant us attorney, come back from a concealed carry course where the so-called expert told everyone to get 22 magnum revolvers.

the truth is probably 70% of the soldiers, 99% of the sailors and maybe 90% of cops don't have a clue about guns. they usually know very little more than what they have stuffed in their holster

it's not hard to get your self-declared an instructor or an expert in some people's minds.

if you're going to carry a 5 shot revolver I would have very least make sure you're carrying reloads. so many do not and practice practice practice.
I have a pocket .380 for the 6 times per year I have to wear a suit, the rest of the time, no matter what I'm wearing, its the Glock 19 sized daily carry.
 

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