My CCW arrived today

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CCW

Get the best, Smith Model 638. Light, very concealable, can shoot either single (accuracy) or double. I went through several CCW's until I settled on the 638. Can carry in pocket, OWB holster, IWB holster, shirt pocket with flap
(my favorite) or on gold chain hung around neck. Stainless and aluminum. Get the best to start with and eliminate the hassle of buying 3 or 4 guns.
 
Get a handgun that you can keep concealed, carry all day, one that allows you to hit what you want, as fast as you need, under any conditions, and one which has a caliber and capacity you can live with. Every person is unique. Only you can make that decision for yourself.

Buy good quality carry equipment, be it holster, belt, or other mode of carry to complement your choice.
 
I'd recommend against rotating carry pieces. Beware the man with one gun, and all that.
 
Like RyanM, rotating carry guns doesn't make sense to me, at least unless they operate identically. In a high-stress chaotic self-defense situation I wouldn't count on remembering if this is the gun with the manual safety or whatever.

As far as a positive recommendation, I carry a hammer(spur)less DAO Ruger SP101 in .357. I used to carry a 1911, which has 3 things you can manipulate on the gun: a trigger, an exposed hammer, and a manual safety. I decided that was two things too many for my simple mind.
 
I'm gonna go W/ what others are suggesting. Get a gun that suits YOU (W/in reason you're gonna have a little difficulty finding a concealable holster for a .50 Desert Eagle). In the interests of simplicity I DO NOT "rotate" my carry piece & I always carry it the same way. I don't want to have to stop & think if I ever need it.
This is what works for ME: CZ75B , IWB right behind the hip , the nice thing about the CZ is that it gives me the option of condition one carry or DA ( less to think about just pull ,point & shoot) but again I only carry ONE GUN, ONE WAY (DA) YMMV
 
Just saw the title of the thread and wanted to say congrats.

I've carried a G27 OWB, a 5 inch XD.45 OWB, and a 4in 1911 IWB at different times. I like the 1911 best for comfort and caliber. I carry a spare mag. IWB as well with this rig.

Have fun shopping and stay safe!
 
before you listen to advice of anybody on this thread giving a shout out for their favorite concealment piece.... you need to mention what your needs are.

Do you have to wear your shirt tucked in? Do you wear a suit? Do you wear a belt that is either sturdy enough for a holster, or wouldn't mind getting a belt that is (ie: if you have to wear a thin, narrow, dress-belt... that's important to know). Are you thin or heavy, because if you're particularly heavy, IWB carry gets very uncomfortable fast.

Do you have a concealment method in mind? IWB, OWB, pocket, shoulder, what do you want?

Are you looking for a small gun or a full sized gun? Something inbetween? Is weight a serious concern? How big are your hands?

The easiest way to buy a gun that you will sell very quickly and take a hit on, is to buy without really knowing what you need or want. I'll bet if you want, somebody else on THR from Jacksonville will be willing to help you out a little bit when it comes to picking stuff. You would do well to take their advice over the advice of the people in the LGS. Sometimes LGS folks are great, sometimes they don't know what they're talking about.

Just as important as knowing what you want in the gun is knowing what you want for a holster. Many of us bought several holsters before finding one we liked and ended up with a box of unused holsters. It is somewhat inevitable, but figuring out what you want and what fits your needs will help you to at least avoid some of the pointless spending most of us went through. If you're lucky, patient, and prudent, you'll avoid it all.

It's not just a matter of, "I want a somewhat compact gun that I can carry OWB in a holster."

somewhat compact varies from person to person. Do you want a safety? If so, how many? Grip safety? Trigger safety? Do you want a standard hammer, or is striker fired ok? Revolver or semi-auto (bear in mind there are advantages and disadvantages to both). Do the materials matter? Steel, aluminum, hybrid alloy? Lots and lots of options here.

As for carry, OWB has lots of options. there's the standard type (I don't know what the official name is to be honest), there's cross-draw, and even then there's additional options. Paddle or belt loops? Polymer or leather? Do you want the entire gun covered or are you ok with only part of it covered. Bear in mind, here in Florida, you want to be sure you're concealing properly because accidental flashing can get you in trouble if you're unlucky enough. I'd imagine in Jacksonville that isn't as much of a problem, but it's still a consideration.

I'm not trying to scare you away from making a purchase here. The only reason I bring this up is because I too got a permit before I knew much about firearms. I still don't really know that much to be honest. Because of the fact that I knew very little, I sold the first 5 guns I bought. The last of which got sold yesterday. I also have a bunch of holsters I don't use. Now, I have a bunch of Glocks that I rotate through, and a Smith 642 as well. As for my holster, I use a couple Galco Combat Masters in different sizes for my Glocks, and a Galco horsehide pocket holster for my Smith 642. That's what works for me. I also have IWB holsters and other OWB holsters. It's crucial though that you know that this is only what worked for me. You may be entirely different with entirely different needs.

Give us an idea of what you're looking for or what parameters you're working within and we will be able to really give you some good info without just pointing out what we personally use.

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me or reply to this thread.

ETA: Congrats btw. You've taken a major step towards taking your safety into your own hands. While this is a huge responsibility, it has massive rewards. Be sure to check out this site: http://www.floridafirearmslaw.com . There is a book sold there. Get a copy of it if you haven't already. Unfortunately, Gutmacher hasn't updated it since 2006, but it's still pretty accurate. That book is your best friend. Memorize it from cover to cover. Check that site, specifically the Book Updates section of that site to be updated on things that are no longer accurate. Best of luck to you, and hopefully we can help you get settled into the world of CCW.
 
+1 for glock 23 thats what i use. My wife has tuarus 850 cia it is pretty nice for the price and very conceable.
 
WELCOME to the club! i have to agree with the other folks though, carry ONE gun, get VERY used to it and the way it works. if your life depends on it, you wont have time to fumble around. the taurus i carry is the gun i always carry, unless it is down for A THOROUGH cleaning and i unexpectedly HAVE to go out, then i grab my wifes taurus (same gun, different caliber). BUT DO THIS. find a gun that is small enough to be concealed well in hot weather. find one that fits you well. and shoot it often. caliber is less important (to a certain extent) than being able to handle and shoot well. shot placement is more important that 50 pounds of energy. but, NOTHING UNDER A .380!
 
G23, G26, G27.
I carry a Sig P225 (have two now) and a compact 1911. The 1911 is quite a handfull to shoot straight after the first shot, the P225 is a tack pusher!

Good luck
-bix
 
Just to let you know what i'm about to say i have said it before. Because this question has been asked a lot i keep this in microsoft word now.

Well you being the shooter are about to make an important decision. Before i give you my advice I just want to tell you that you definatly don't want to get the firearm that you can get the best deal on. You want to get the firearm that you can trust your life to.

That being said it depends on what you're looking for. If you're looking for something like a medium sized auto i would reccomend sig sauer pistols. Personally i keep a Sig p226 in my truck. Sig Sauer pistols are reliable, accurate, and they're torture tested. Used ones are usually fine because they're very good guns. Also if you have a problem (which you shouldn't) sig sauer is good about repairing or getting you a new firearm. Some other brands that in my opinion are OK (but reliable) are glocks, rugers, colt, kimber, and HK.

If you're looking for a revolver i'd have to say to go with a smith and wesson or a ruger. Smith and wesson makes a fine revolver (their autos are sometimes questionable though) and they're very reliable. You can get a .357 snubbie which is my choice for a ccw. I'd stay away from .357 airweight series though. You can also get 4" 5" 6" and even 8" barrels on pretty much all calibers from S&W. If you're looking for something small that you can put in a pocket holster and forget it's there an S&W snubbie i would say is the gun for you.

Other things you want to consider in a firearm is how it feels in your hands. All of the brands i listed after i told you about sigs are good reliable weapons. It's up to you to find which one is right for you. All of their websites are easy to navigate through and are very informative. I suggest browsing their websites.

Next, you're going to look for a holster. Same rule applies for a holster, don't skimp out and get something real cheap. You want your holster to last and to conceal your firearm well. If You want to get a medium sized auto DeSantis and Galco are brands you should consider. The draw should be nice and smooth and it should keep the firearm in a position where it's not hard to get to.

If you go with a .357 snubbie (or any other snubbie) my concealed carry method is a pocket holster. Leather is the best material in my opinion for a holster.

Good luck and have fun shooting.
 
smith 642... double action only can be a better thing in court and your shootin will be close in. Coffee cans at 25 yards shake in fear when the 642 comes out ;) There is a thread here on the 642... did I say I like mine :D

I also have a few I rotate. The 642- a keltec and NAA .22lr

I am wantin to go a bit bigger lately and have been carrying my glock 17 a bit. I want a glock 19 or 26 one of these days. I am not gun poor but it is taking me a while to figure what I want n need. I find holsters and belts to be the bigger part of the carry equation. With the proper setup even the bigger guns carry fairly easy.

Look around listen and learn. Likely yu will choose a mix n match of what is suggested- there is no one magic combo for all although many will suffice.
 
I never rotate my carry gun. Always the same gun. Always the same manual of arms, always the same performance, always the same feel. If I can't wear it for some reason, I go without.
 
Terry,

I'm not sure I understand the logic. You feel you have better odds of surviving an incident without a gun than you do with a gun you may not be 100% familiar with?
 
Hey, I just got onto the forums, but figured I would give you an idea about what I think is comfortable for a 6'1 175 guy. I carry my Sig Sauer p229 in a Versa Max2 IWB holster. At about a 4 o clock position I can conceal it very well. Also, If I wear a jacket, a Galco Paddle Holster makes it more comfortable since it is OWB. Thats my personal preferrance, and yours may be different. Fortunately at this point in life I am not required to carry while having a tucked in shirt, so loose fitting polos and t-shirts are my choice.
 
Platform first, then caliber.

I've determined, through trial and error, that the 1911 platform works best for me. And I've no problem with the 45 ACP, so that's what I carry.

My wife's chosen platform is a double action revolver. Preferred cartridge is .38 Special. She figured that out after firing my pistols, claiming my 4" S&W 586 for her own.

My step-son likes a DA/SA semi-auto, and is comfortable with the 9mm. He found that out the same way his mom did, by firing my guns, and the guns of some of his friends. He chose a Ruger P89.

Moral of the story is to play with as many different platforms, makers, and models as possible to learn what's best for you and your needs.
 
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