Describe your carry gun "evolution".

[mini14jac]

-How about this format: the gun, followed by the reason it didn't work out?-

I started with a Jennings J22.
Hey, I was young and stupid.
At least I'm not young anymore.

Then, Jennings .380, too big.

Then a NAA .22. Too small.

Later, I got a KelTec P11. Big for my taste, reliability problems.

Tried a S&W Sigma 9C. (Just like the Sigma .380, only a little larger.) Not accurate, hokey takedown.

Glock .26. Brick.
NAA Guardian .32. Heavy, not reliable.

Somewhere in there, another KelTec. (I'm a slow learner. )

Taurus Ultralight .38., no fun at the range.

KelTec P32. Still got it, it's a keeper. Need bigger caliber though.

Kahr MK9. Accurate, fun to shoot, but too heavy.

Kahr PM9. As of now, this is as close to the "ideal" carry gun as you can get.

(Of course I have been seen fondling commander-sized 1911s at my dealer. )

I think that is all of them, but there has been a lot of water under the bridge.


(Man, I'm going to miss this place. )

 

[ThePerfectOne]

in belgium, we're not allowed to carry a gun outside your house or the range altough I've bought myself a brand new uncle mike's hulster with integrated magazine pouch and belt clip for my (also brand new) glock 17 3rd generation. gives me 34 shots in a few seconds if needed (we don't have that ridiculous federal ban on high cap mags here, you can't even buy 10 round mags for the glock here in belgium )

 

[stellarpod]

Started with a Glock 27. Great gun, but too thick...

Bought a Kahr Arms P9. Perfect fit, but reliability problems. Sent it back, now it works great. Nonetheless, still looking for a bit more firepower...

Started carrying my Kimber Compact CDP. Great weapon, great caliber, but a little big depending upon how I'm dressed that day.

Now, I've bought a Kahr Arms K40 Covert and it's the perfect balance between firepower and concealability for me. I couldn't be happier!

Of course I still carry the other guys every now and then just to keep them warm.

stellarpod

 

[clown714]

started with a charter arms bulldog(still carry on occasion)

LW commando

glock 27,sold that POS

back to commando

now kimber ultra

and all that took only 17yrs

clown

 

[theberettaman]

Started with a Beretta 92FS,worked fine but found a 92 First Series with frame mounted safety.Loved the C&L feature but was wearing the finish on this classic so I transitioned to a Beretta Cougar 9mm.Carried it untill I got the Cougar 8045.Thought about carrying it but it's one of the Cat-Pac's with the ash blue frame and didn't want to screw it up with wear.So I decided to go with the 92 Custom Carry with 15rd mags and the adapter.It worked fine untill I bought a 92 Compact-l type M,8 rounder but didn't feel I had enough firepower to hang in a firefight long enough.(yeah right)Now I've setteled down with a 92FS Vertec with an EII barrel,skeletonized hammer,92D hammer spring,extended mag release,LTT level 2 trigger job,custom Farrar grips w finger groove insert and fifteen round mags with the compact baseplates with the pinky "swoosh".

On quick trips to the git-n-split I'll stick the EG Mak into the waistband mex-style.

 

[Onslaught]

Started my search in December of 1991...

Taurus PT100 in an Uncle Mike's shoulder holster - (too much Miami Vice?) Too big, heavy, and uncomfortable.
Glock 27 - Too thick.
Walther PPK/S - really liked this one. Hammer bite finally caused me to sell it.
AMT45 Backup - Complete POS. Worst pistol purchase I ever made.
Taurus 85UL - Worked well. Not crazy about revolvers.
Kahr MK40 - Excellent pistol, just a bit heavy.
Kahr P9 - Complete POS. Almost as bad as the AMT.
Kel-Tec P32 - Not enough caliber.
Kahr P40 - Worked perfectly for about 500 rounds and starting having problems.
Kahr K40 - Never actually carried or fired it, I was mad at Kahr so I sold it. Should probably have kept it.
Walther P99 - I learned about proper belt and holster around the time of the P40, and it's really payed off in bigger and CCW's still being comfortable. Still use it for "big CCW".
Kel-Tec P11 - Felt cheap.
S&W 642 - As much as I don't like revolvers, this one's a perfect pocket pistol for me. It's a keeper.

So now, I have a Walther P99 for big ccw, a S&W 642 for small/backup CCW. I am keeping an eye out for a small/medium CCW semi-auto... Maybe another K40, or a S&W CS40 if I can find one once I have the $$$.

 

[mini14jac]

Gee, clown714, I hadn't thought about it, until you mentioned the time element.
It took about 23 yrs for me.

Like I said, slow learner.

 

[Shake]

BIG > Smaller > small



Shake

 

[MikeJ]

S&W model 36 Chief's Special 3" barrel - wanted shorter barrel and lighter weight.

S&W model 37 Airweight - not rated for +P and has a beautiful nickel finish, now retired from service and brought out to admire.

NAA mini revolver - way underpowered and I couldn't hit anything with it anyway.

KelTec P11 - wanted 10 rounds of 9mm but didn't enjoy practicing with it. No problems, just wasn't for me.

KelTec P32 - felt too much like a toy gun.

NAA Guardian .32 - like it a lot but would like a larger caliber. My deep concealment gun when I can't carry anything bigger.

S&W 640 .357 Centennial - has become my favorite when I am dressed casually (untucked shirt) or wearing an outer garment.

I am anxiously awaiting the introduction of the Rohrbaugh 9mm as a possible pocket gun. If not that I may step up to the Guardian .380.

 

[fed168]

Where do we start?
BHP after I got my CWL. Moved states and jobs after that, and went through guns like underwear:
Glock 27
SW 4566
SW 442/642
SW 457
SW 4506
Sig 228, the most current.

 

[eotp]

I am still fairly new to this and I mainly carry at night or when traveling, especially to nearby larger cities. In other words, I am very blessed to live in a small city with very rare daytime problems and so, if I am in my hometown, I only carry at night.

I have been rotating between 4 guns.

For truly pocket carry and for sheer ease and quickness in getting it at any moment, the S&W 642 with +p .38 is what I carry.

If traveling with any type jacket, I most often have carried a Glock 22 in a Fobus paddle holster.

I sometimes carried a Sig P229 this summer,

and I just started trying to carry a Wilson Combat CQB Compact for winter carry when people have more clothes on.

All of the above have night sites except the S&W revolver.

 

[warhammer357]

My first carry gun was a six inch model 629. That was kind of large, so I replaced it with an early Smith model 645. I replaced that with a Beretta 92, then a Glock 17, then full size 1911s.... then I finally caved and bought a mouse gun the Colt Magnum carry. Nowadays I carry mostly lightweights, like the MC or a Cheif. Occassionally I carry a .45 auto either commander size or full size.

 

[RickB]

Star PD
Detonics Combat Master
Custom M1991A1
If I'm wearing pants that will support a belt holster, it's the Colt. If I need alternate carry, it's the CM.

 

[HS/LD]

Started with a Browning Hi Power in the service, carried that a lot.

Moved to the good old US of A.

Bought a H&K USP Compact in .40

Have been carriying that for the last 4 years now. Summer, winter T-shirt or coat. IWB Galco or Mexican.

Comfortable, RELIABLE, accurate.

(I have considered a 1911 several times... but, like I said the HK is RELIABLE)

HS/LD

 

[Pappy John]

Colt officers ACP......nice size, but heavy

Kimber Combat Carry ........Slightly bigger,but much lighter....still in rotation for when I get "that feeling"

Beretta Tomcat.........C'mon now...a .32? Fiocci ammo pretty much wiped it out anyway...cracked slide

Walther PPKS.......Heavy for its size...and it bit me...and the safety was backerds

S&W 642......Nirvana.....everyday...allday...and almost forget its there

 

[MJRW]

Started with Sigma 380. Not reliable enough, not enough punch, nor was it comfortable to shoot to merit carrying it based on its size. Then Baby Eagle compact .40. Still carry it IWB in Bladetech holster at about 3:30 with spare mag on left at about 5:00. Equal time spent with 4" GP-100 in Bianchi pancake holster at 3:00. Now looking for snub .38 or .357. Almost bought a 60LS but price wasn't quite right. Considering Kahr .40 as well.

 

[NJ3]

I started with a Glock 23, too big. I sold it but still wish I had kept it.

I bought a Glock 27, good size and weight but too thick. Under a jacket it was fine.

I then bought a like new nickel S&W M38-2. This is my primary carry gun. I like the size and weight but I would hate to ruin it too.

I recently bought a Kahr PM9. I have fired a little more than 200 rds in it so I'm not 100% confidant in it yet.

 

[Kermit]

Let's see, my first carry gun was my P7M8. It was my 2nd handgun I ever bought. After a while, I wanted to see if there was something lighter, smaller, easier to carry. I progressed through a S&W mod 60, a Beretta Jetfire, a Glock 23 & 36 and a HK USPc 9.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I started with an M1911, which I often carried "Mexican carry." My first tour in Viet Nam ('66-'67) I carried a Colt M357 with a 6-inch barrel -- but that's a bit large. Later, on division staff, I sometimes carried a Colt Cobra. I also obtained a Colt Python, 2 1/2" barrel (but that's another story.)

I went back to the M1911 when I returned to the States, and carried an M1911 as a Company Commander my second tour.

Since then, it's been one M1911 or another. Currently, it's a Kimber Classic.

Now, holsters are something else. I tried many different ones over the years, and finally designed my own.

Go to http://paul.desertskyone.com/gunstuff.html and look for "instructions for making Vern's holster" about 2/3s of the way down the page.

 

[4V50 Gary]

In Chronological order...

Ruger Security Six (6") - all I had in my younger days.
Browning Hi-Power - perferred semi autos.
S&W M60 - Browning didn't like Department bullets
Walther PPK/s - bought it used and wanted something flatter.
S&W M638 - bought that used and it was lighter. So, it was either the Walther or the M638, depending on the circumstances.

Of course, the Sig P220 was always brought along when problems were anticipated and the little guns left behind.