Recomend a CCW/SD handgun?

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RedneckFur

New member
Sometime in the near future I plan to get my CCW permit. In NC, youre required to take a traning course first... So it would be best to get the gun I'd prefer to CCW first, so i can pratice with it.

For some background... I'm most familar with revolvers. I've shot them all my life, and I'm comfortable with them. I've gave some consideration to Ruger's SP101 Line, in either .357mag or .38 Special. I dont know what barrel length would be easiest to cary, and if a shorter barrel would have negative effect on the round. I'm not familair with Taurus or S&W's handguns, but I'd consider any of them.

I'd consider any well recomended handgun, but for me the two most important critera are reliability and affordability. No Kimber's please. Thats well out of my price range. I'd like to stay in the ballpark of $500, or under, if possible.

I'm not opposed to auto's, but i know little about them. If i were to get an auto, I think i would go with something in 9mm.

I know next to nothing about methods for carying concealed, what types of holsters to use, etc.

I do know that it has to be reasonably comfortable to cary, otherwise it would eventually start getting left behind in the car.
 
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Mosin44az

New member
You have to think a bit about how you want to carry it.

In Arizona, it's so hot in the summer you're wearing shorts and a shortsleeve shirt almost all the time. Something that can be pocket-carried is best, I have a Smith Model 638 Airweight .38 special.

Have you fired a lightweight snub revolver? If so, did you like it? If it's tolerable, that would be a good choice for you.

A short-barrel SP 101 is also good, but it's heavy so you would need to carry it on the belt or in a fanny pack. On the belt you would have to be able to conceal it somehow, I am thinking NC summers might be too hot for that. If a fanny pack I would get one in a non-threatening color (Uncle Mike's has these) and maybe even sew a sports logo on it to "camoflage" it better.
 
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azsixshooter

New member
You can't go wrong with an SP101! Might be the next gun I buy too. I'll definitely get the .357 Mag, but depending on how I shoot on average with it I might just load it with the .38 Spl. FBI loads.

Currently, I carry my XD9 loaded with 17 Federal HSTs. Awesome rounds. I'm in AZ and I usually just wear shorts and an oversized tee-shirt with a short sleeve button-up shirt over it left open. Nice and loose, conceals well and not too hot for summer carry. I also have a little 21A Bobcat, little .22LR pocket auto. I only carry that once in a while, though, like if I'm just stepping out for the mail or something. I normally keep my sidearm in the safest place I can all the time though...in her holster on my side.

Ever since my friend's sister and husband got home-invaded I carry pretty religiously, even at home.

I'd say look at the Springfield EMP, but I think that's out of most of our price ranges, at least for the time-being. Looks like a really great carry piece though.
 
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Magnum Wheel Man

New member
while I love Ruger revolvers, they are pretty typically over built... whle that is a great feature in a hunting or target shooting gun, it usually translates into heavy, which is not a great feature in a carry gun...

... IMO, the GP's & SP's are great guns, but too heavy for me to want to carry daily... so I chose 2 S&W's... one an air weight J frame in 6 shot 32 H&R magnum, & the other an air weight K frame in 5 shot 44 special...

... while ( as you can likely tell by my forum name ) I like revolvers... a good auto can typically be conceiled just as easy or easier than the little revolvers, because of thier flatter profile... keep in mind though, that the extra capacity also means extra weight, with a double stack auto mag loaded, often weighing more trhan the gun it's going into...
 
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rantingredneck

New member
I've got no problem with wheelguns, but I prefer autos, so I don't really have any CCW revolver recommendations for you.

As far as CCW auto recommendations go, I'd take a good look at the Ruger P345 if I were you. I just got mine last week and have never been happier with a carry gun. I don't like little short barrels with little grips that are hard to hang on to so the subcompacts just aren't for me. For a BUG, fine, but not for a primary carry gun.

The 345 is slim enough to be concealed while still retaining a full length barrel and grip frame. Shorts and untucked shirt conceals it well either IWB or OWB. Bianchi Minimalist holster is the most comfortable rig i've found so far.

EDITED TO ADD:

Forgot to mention the best part, Price: About $400.00.
 
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rantingredneck

New member
BTW, in case you didn't know, you don't have to qualify with the actual gun you plan to carry in NC. Some states I understand do that, but ours doesn't. So if you've got a gun you shoot well already you can take the course with that one and then get a better gun for carry later on.
 
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Magnum Wheel Man

New member
Good Point...

RANTING... I was also going to mention that... some states have different requirements...

most will allow you to carry a revolver if you qualify with an auto, but some states will not allow you to carry an auto if you qualified with a revolver...

... for those states, I recommend qualifying with the auto ( to allow the most in flexibility )... fortunately MN ( & appearently your state if RANTING is correct ) are not one of those
 
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rantingredneck

New member
At present you have to qualify with a handgun, period. Can even be a .22 target pistol if you choose to. Then you can carry any handgun for CCW. At some point it wouldn't surprise me if the law was changed but presently that is the way it is.
 
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Tanzer

New member
If you go with a wheelgun, consider the spur on the hammer. some are spurless, a great idea if you want to carry it in your pocket. There are variuos spur types, and each has its own benefits/drawbacks. If you're talking SD, you're talking about your life. I understand that some guns are expensive, and that big price tags don't always equal better guns, but don't be too tight on the budget when choosing a possible life-saver.
 
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Socrates

Moderator
Glock.
the 9mm Sub comes in at 18 oz. The 40 version, G27, at about 20 oz.

Similar to a revolver, very cheap, and easy to find, and not an arm and a leg, stuck in a police evidence locker if you have to use it.

I carry a 360PD, with bobbed hammer, and, a bigger grip, nylon by Hogue, sanded down, so I can carry it. Still, not a real good pocket gun.

You can take the G 27, buy a good, but inexpensive 357 Sig barrel, and, have a 20 oz gun with 357 magnum specs, 125 grain bullets at 1350, or more, if you like.

The entire glock barrel conversions, giving you multiple calibers in the same gun is a wonderful concept, and, only DWesson gives you that sort of thing in revolvers.

22 Conversions are also avaliable, for a reasonable price.

I'm looking at either a G30 for 45 Super, or a G29 for 10mm. Both are about 23 oz, and, provide power that can't be found in most revolvers at that weight.

Dr. S
 
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workingstiff

New member
It's simple

I'm suprised no one has mentioned the good ole S&W 642 or 442 by name. Can be had for about $350 NIB around here (Florida). It weighs 15oz empty, and fits real nice in the front pocket of just about any pants or shorts.

If you've been a revolver guy all your life, this is a natural. They are DAO, have a stout trigger pull, are snappy to fire and should not be considered as something that will be comfortable to put 100's of rounds through at every range visit. But for SD and concealed carry they are hard to beat. Try different types of SD ammo until you get one that kicks the way you like and hits where you want and you'll be good to go.

There's a reason they are S&W's top selling revolver.
 
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Socrates

Moderator
Workingstiff has a point. Also, the Magnum titaniums are a waste of money. They come with rubber grips that catch on your clothes. You have to replace the grips, and, if fired with magnum loads, you need extra long grips to hold on, unless you have very small, strong hands.

Finally, remember that the new Smiths come with 'auto locks'. Mine locked up after very few rounds, and, a lot of dry firing on snap caps. Smith pulled it, but, he was surprised S&W would put such a piece of junk in their revolvers. However, since it's owned by the company that designs, and makes the POJ, it's not much of a shock.
Dr. S.
 
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ok41

New member
Workingstiff hit it on the head. The 642 is easy to carry, the kind of sd piece you forget that you have in a pocket. Bottom feeders are great, fast, accurate, fun to shoot and heavy. That's why I carry s&w's best selling revolver.
 
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