What's your go-to Concealed Carry weapon?

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I (and my wife) recently went through about 10 different 9mm guns (S&W M&P Shield, EZ Shield, Taurus, Glock 17/19/19X, Sig P365, Beretta, Canik, Ruger, etc) at the range trying to find one for my wife. If you like the S&W Shield, take a look at their "EZ" line. They have a 9mm and a .380 and they both shoot really well and are incredibly easy to rack the slide and load the magazine. Great concealed carry size and shoot really well (little muzzle rise), the only downside is that it's single stack and has relatively lower capacity to many competitors (8 round mag). ...

ok, I'll look at the EZ line. btw, for me in massachusetts, a 8 round mag is not a limiting factor... we don't get to use standard capacity mags.

:mad:
 
Check out the UPLULA. Makes it much easier.

Yeah I read about a few of those speed loaders, including the Uplula. Definitely big time savers, especially if you are loading from an ammo box. There's a few that work well with boxed ammo trays as well, but it was still finnicky with the P365 mags. The Uplula worked well regardless of which magazine type was used.

ok, I'll look at the EZ line. btw, for me in massachusetts, a 8 round mag is not a limiting factor... we don't get to use standard capacity mags.

:mad:

I wouldn't shy away from the .380 stuff either, as the modern .380 rounds are very similar in ballistics to the 9mm at typical self defense distances. It was almost comical how easy to shoot that S&W .380 EZ was, with essentially zero felt recoil or muzzle rise. Very light weight as well (not that the 9mm version was much heavier).
 
on topic: I haven't figure it out yet (hoping to get restrictions removed the next time I renew my LTC)... I'm leaning toward a S&W 9mm Shield... but I kind of like the S&W 686+ I have...


I also like my 686+ but it’s too big for concealed carry. I have Crimson Trace laser grips on mine and it’s my bedside gun.
 
Springfield Hellcat in "size nine" for FL summers. I'm a vet of one conflict with USMC and one with the Army. A town cop in between. Two shootings as a cop where I didn't fire a shot. I carry a 1911 in cold weather in a under arm shoulder holster. Holdover from my Army experience in the cockpit. I like shoulder holsters
Stats show the average shoot out is two rounds in two seconds at a two-foot range. Also believe that the last one to run out of ammo wins.
One of the pilots that I knew carried a big old dirty harry revolver in his flight bag, even when clearing customs. They don't check flight bags.
 
I very rarely carry, I don't frequent places where I feel it's necessary, but when I do it's a Firestar in .40S&W. Dang thing is heavy, though. I'd like to get something in .380 or .32, then maybe I'd carry it more, or maybe a .38 revolver like my wife's.
May I recommend A Bursa Thunder CC in .380. It sure looks like a direct copy of the Walther PPK by the Argentinas at a fraction of the price. And its 8 rds.
 
Springfield Hellcat in "size nine" for FL summers. I'm a vet of one conflict with USMC and one with the Army. A town cop in between. Two shootings as a cop where I didn't fire a shot. I carry a 1911 in cold weather in a under arm shoulder holster. Holdover from my Army experience in the cockpit. I like shoulder holsters
Stats show the average shoot out is two rounds in two seconds at a two-foot range. Also believe that the last one to run out of ammo wins.
One of the pilots that I knew carried a big old dirty harry revolver in his flight bag, even when clearing customs. They don't check flight bags.

In California we are limited to ten rounds. I mean, I can spring for full capacity magazines offline, but, in a typical home defense situation, if you can't rectify the problem within ten rounds, you probably have bigger problems.

No I don't agree with that BS, and I would rather have options, but again, if I am in that kind of situation where ten rounds won't cut it, I probably have bigger problems than a pistol will resolve.
 
For home defense.... go ahead, make her day... not ours but darn close

German-Shepherd850.jpg
 
What is this “registration” you speak of? :)

The boating accident, of course.

That begs the question. Let's say I had a friend, and the majority of his firearms were purchased in the state of California in the early 80's, and they never left the state of California when they were purchased.

Are they "registered?" Are they "legal?" I doubt if any records from back then made it to "the system." Anyone knowledgeable on this?

I'm not asking what you think is reasonable. I want to know, if you actually know.
 
Long guns may not be in the system but all pistolays will be unless purchased from a private party which was legal at one time but I can't remember the cut off date.
 
The boating accident, of course.

That begs the question. Let's say I had a friend, and the majority of his firearms were purchased in the state of California in the early 80's, and they never left the state of California when they were purchased.

Are they "registered?" Are they "legal?" I doubt if any records from back then made it to "the system." Anyone knowledgeable on this?

I'm not asking what you think is reasonable. I want to know, if you actually know.
If he purchased them from a dealer in the 80's, then the purchases are recorded on form 4473s and in the dealers' bound books. If the dealers are not longer in business, those would have been turned over to the ATF, and then yes, those records are "in the system." If the dealers are still in business, then they should still have those records. If they were bought from individuals and not dealers, then there may be no records at all.
 
If he purchased them from a dealer in the 80's, then the purchases are recorded on form 4473s and in the dealers' bound books. If the dealers are not longer in business, those would have been turned over to the ATF, and then yes, those records are "in the system." If the dealers are still in business, then they should still have those records. If they were bought from individuals and not dealers, then there may be no records at all.

Interesting.
 
If he purchased them from a dealer in the 80's, then the purchases are recorded on form 4473s and in the dealers' bound books. If the dealers are not longer in business, those would have been turned over to the ATF, and then yes, those records are "in the system." If the dealers are still in business, then they should still have those records. If they were bought from individuals and not dealers, then there may be no records at all.


Is that unique to the PRK? Under federal law, a dealer is only required to retain the 4473s for 20 years, so records from the 80s may have been destroyed by now.
 
After years living in NJ and then Europe, I'm living in a very pro-gun state that is Constitutional Carry.

Looking at getting a nice CCW. Went to the range yesterday and shot with a few different options. I liked the S&W M&P Shield Plus and the Walther PPS. Did not like the Glock 43X.

What are you guys and gals out there carrying?

Going back to the original question: What did you decide on ?

In addition to the ones you mention I would try the Springfield XDs and the small plastic Sigs.
 
To the OP, I'm very fond of the Sig P238. It's the most comfortable little .380 I've ever shot. As much as I love 9mm, I refuse to dress around a gun, which means I have to carry a small one. Every small 9 I've fired is snappy and painful to shoot, meaning I wouldn't practice with it.
 
Going back to the original question: What did you decide on ?

In addition to the ones you mention I would try the Springfield XDs and the small plastic Sigs.
I ended up going with the S&W M&P Shield Plus. Felt good in the hand and shot really nicely.
 
I just used my CC weapon a few days ago. I was out West dogging, walking through long grass and a 4’ snake surprised me at my feet. It did hiss but didn’t rattle. I couldn’t get to my snake shot in time so I used my 38 +p regular slug load. I hit him in the neck on the 1st shot, all it took.

One of the guys along kept commenting on the ‘great shot’, yeah, luck was there also. The gun was my J-Frame 340PD, a 357 but I only shoot 38’s in it.

Anyway, I switch around for the occasion, I do have a few favorites though.
 
Is that unique to the PRK? Under federal law, a dealer is only required to retain the 4473s for 20 years, so records from the 80s may have been destroyed by now.
Good point. The 4473s and bound book records are only required to be kept for a minimum of 20 years so if the dealer is still in business or was 20 years after the purchase, the records may have been destroyed.
 
To the OP, I'm very fond of the Sig P238. It's the most comfortable little .380 I've ever shot. As much as I love 9mm, I refuse to dress around a gun, which means I have to carry a small one. Every small 9 I've fired is snappy and painful to shoot, meaning I wouldn't practice with it.

I’m a small(ish) dude 5’9 175 and I don’t have any issues concealing my p365xl. It’s a great little pistol.
 
AR-10. Concealed is way over rated. Go full Rambo.

We got stupid in this state ... they recently decided that open carry is allowed, if you have a concealed carry permit. :rofl:
 
We got stupid in this state ... they recently decided that open carry is allowed, if you have a concealed carry permit. :rofl:

Not sure of your state, but that’s the case in Georgia. In Tennessee, no permit is required for open or concealed.

That said, it’s still pretty rare to see open carry by civilians. It always strikes me as a bit odd, but the folks with a gun on their hip are generally not the ones you need to worry about.
 
I ended up going with the S&W M&P Shield Plus. Felt good in the hand and shot really nicely.

Great choice. That's what it is made for. Also common enough that you can replace it ever so often when the round count gets high enough that things wear out.
 
Not sure of your state, but that’s the case in Georgia. In Tennessee, no permit is required for open or concealed.

That said, it’s still pretty rare to see open carry by civilians. It always strikes me as a bit odd, but the folks with a gun on their hip are generally not the ones you need to worry about.


Open carry is still illegal in Florida and it seems a little dumb to me. I have no great need to carry openly, but the option might be nice on occasion (like while hiking or horseback riding or attending a wedding). The requirement to conceal has no bearing on who is carrying, much less on the use of a firearm. In practical terms, it prohibits a person from removing a jacket or tucking in a shirt while armed. What’s the point?

But, we have lots of legislators who are owned by the tourism industry, and there’s fear that tourists who see someone wearing a 9mm will be frightened away.

Personally I think that’s BS. There were the same fears before Florida legalized CCW statewide back in the 80s, and those fears proved completely unfounded.

Besides, I’d like to be able justify a nice BBQ gun and a fancy leather holster. :)
 
I just used my CC weapon a few days ago. I was out West dogging, walking through long grass and a 4’ snake surprised me at my feet. It did hiss but didn’t rattle. I couldn’t get to my snake shot in time so I used my 38 +p regular slug load. I hit him in the neck on the 1st shot, all it took….

Why though?
 
Not sure of your state, but that’s the case in Georgia. In Tennessee, no permit is required for open or concealed.

That said, it’s still pretty rare to see open carry by civilians. It always strikes me as a bit odd, but the folks with a gun on their hip are generally not the ones you need to worry about.

I'm in Carolina and if I had a nice 9mm I wouldn't open carry. I wouldn't want anyone at anytime to know if I was armed. If it was absolutely needed then it would be seen & heard but until then nobody ever needs to know. Half Fast did mention some reasons why a person might open carry and "weddings" is my favorite. LOL
 
I'm in Carolina and if I had a nice 9mm I wouldn't open carry. I wouldn't want anyone at anytime to know if I was armed. If it was absolutely needed then it would be seen & heard but until then nobody ever needs to know. Half Fast did mention some reasons why a person might open carry and "weddings" is my favorite. LOL
In effect what it means -- at least where I live -- is that if you're carrying concealed, then it HAS to be COMPLETELY concealed at all times. If your shirt or jacket rides up or whatever... if anyone can see any part of the weapon... it's not concealed, and you're in violation.

The flip side is, it's legal to have a loaded firearm (other than a shotgun) in your car if it's not concealed. That means if ANY part is visible, you're legal. Not that it will keep you from getting the full treatment after getting pulled over for whatever reason.
 
In effect what it means -- at least where I live -- is that if you're carrying concealed, then it HAS to be COMPLETELY concealed at all times. If your shirt or jacket rides up or whatever... if anyone can see any part of the weapon... it's not concealed, and you're in violation.

We're being told now that with the open carry law passed (as long as you have a CWP), if you are carrying concealed and your clothing "prints" or the firearm is revealed in anyway there is no violation. You can also wear it openly. Not that same as Constitutional Carry as some states have passed as we must have a permit.

I'm not against anyone having the right to a firearm (felons and crazies not included) but it does seems that training is a great idea. Not everyone had a parent that could train them not to be stupid with a deadly weapon.
 
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