3 Modern CCW Classics For Discerning Newbies Who Want To Get Right Down To It...

[Doug S]

The weather is breaking and I’m in the mind to do some shooting this week (I have the week off). It has me thinking, that in my opinion, in this day of “Nano’s”, “Shields”, “LCP’s, “XD” (models x 10), etc., etc., that there are three modern classics that would serve anyone well who is interested in getting into CCW. These three are not the all time best in every category one might consider, but they all three have demonstrated attributes that would serve any discerning person well. Primarily these attributes are reliability, durability, and concealability. Not to mention all 3 are in about the base price range for acquiring such a combination of attributes. These are all well tested, and have proven themselves over time. You might find superior arms in any one of the above named categories, but you'd be hard pressed to find guns that are a better combination of these attributes than any one of these three…Glock 26, Ruger SP101, S&W 642 Centennial. If you are a newbie and want to forego the learning curve, these are a safe bet. There you have it…may 2cents, and it’s worth every nickel you paid for it For many who've already been through the process, I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir.

 

[Claude Clay]

If you are a newbie and what to forego the learning curve...

wile in concept i agree, in practice one first needs to learn to operate and have mastered the, call it, beginners tool; eg training wheels on a bike before the light-weight racer.

i've taught many and most can move from trainer to compact to sub-compact within 2 sessions.. 1 in 5 can do it in the same day. they tend to have a strong sports background with higher than average strength and coordination.
its my belief that they can 'muscle' their way to early competence and finesse will follow with practice.

you nailed it with the choice of guns though i'd be loath to put the keys a Corvett in the hands of someone still learning on mom's Corolla.

 

[Doug S]

Claude Clay, No argument from me for what you've written (although maybe I'm weird in that I'd take a Honda or a Toyota over a Chevy any day). Not to mention, I guess the learning process is part of the fun.

 

[David E]

I will never understand the appeal of a heavy 5-shot revolver for CCW.

I submit these 3 as modern CCW classics:

1) Glock 26

2) 642

3) Kahr P-9

 

[Doug S]

I will never understand the appeal of a heavy 5-shot revolver for CCW.

"Shootability" (and hopefully durability) IMO, in practice, which in turn benefits a person in becoming proficient with their CCW (especially if they stay away from the contemporary gun forum "collection" mindset of "if you could choose ONLY 25 handguns...", and instead decide (as so many have throughout the years) to select one gun to get them through their entire lifetime).

Not disputing you, just sharing another thought.

 

[SwampWolf]

You'd have to spend some time looking for one and, once found, have to pony up a little more jingle than you would for, say, a Smith Model 642, but I would recommend one of these two relatively light-weight, six-shot, snub-nosed revolvers chambered in .38 Special: either a S&W Model 12 or the slightly smaller and lighter Colt Cobra/Agent.

 

[David E]

"Shootability" (and hopefully durability) IMO, in practice, which in turn benefits a person in becoming proficient with their CCW (especially if they stay away from the contemporary gun forum "collection" mindset of "if you could choose ONLY 25 handguns...", and instead decide (as so many have throughout the years) to select one gun to get them through their entire lifetime).

Not disputing you, just sharing another thought.

It's hard to promote the SP-101 as "shootable" when it has a heavy DA pull and short barrel. It's heavy, so it kicks less, so there's that.

But for the weight and size of that gun, there are other, more shootable guns that hold more ammo, easier to carry, faster to reload, etc.

Not knocking the gun itself, just it being extolled as a great CCW piece, much less being presented as a "Modern Classic."

 

[Doug S]

Not knocking the gun itself, just it being extolled as a great CCW piece, much less being presented as a "Modern Classic."

Well, you are certainly entitled to your opinion, although I'm sure there are many numbers of SP101 owners and fans out there that would beg to differ with you; but then that wasn't the purpose of my original post. "To each his own", and like I originally said, none of the firearms I suggest as modern classics are perfect in any single sense of the word, but all three do possess certain combined features that make any one of them a pretty safe bet for individuals just looking for a single piece of CCW equipment that they will maintain and use for a lifetime (without it becoming a part of a "hobby"). I think this is hard to dispute, regardless of one's personal views on the weight or trigger pull of the SP, which by the way, I have two of, and at least IMO both have decent trigger pulls. Good day to you, and as I said I'm not looking to turn this into a debate thread. If you need, I'll give you the last word.

 

[Hometeached1]

I would suggest:
Glock 19
S&W 640 pro (only because the Colt Magnum carry not being offered by Colt anymore.)
S&W Shield 9mm

I think these three would cover most CCW needs well. Granted that's just my opinion and worth what you paid for it.

 

[rswartsell]

As is everyone else (entitled to their opinions). As a matter of fact your post is really nothing more than your own personal opinion. The assumption that if you are

a newbie and want to forego the learning curve,

one can simply take your opinion and run with then becomes suspect.

Skipping steps in the mastery of hangunning, especially for personal defense is in my opinion a fools errand. There can be good value derived from the free expression of your experience and the opinions gained, but the transfer of this knowledge and divining what is a right choice for any individual can't be done via internet posts.

 

[David E]

As is everyone else (entitled to their opinions). As a matter of fact your post is really nothing more than your own personal opinion. The assumption that if you are one can simply take your opinion and run with then becomes suspect.

Skipping steps in the mastery of hangunning, especially for personal defense is in my opinion a fools errand. There can be good value derived from the free expression of your experience and the opinions gained, but the transfer of this knowledge and divining what is a right choice for any individual can't be done via internet posts.

I agree that skipping essential steps in mastering a handgun is a foolish thing to do.

But I'm taking the OP to basically mean "buy one gun and be done" for CCW purposes, which does have merit. Still, I see little reason to include two 5-shot revolvers, one heavy, one light, in naming the Top Three Modern CCW Classics.

An easy to carry LCP doesn't lend itself well to learning the basics of shooting, so that would be a poor "Only/First gun choice" for CCW. Likewise, an all steel 5" 1911 is great fun to shoot, but most will find it too big and heavy for daily CCW.

So what to buy that'll be easy to learn to shoot AND that you will want to carry later?

The SP-101 is heavy for its size, so it is easier/more fun to shoot than the lighter 642, but the lighter 642 is much easier to carry than the weighty Ruger. And you can always learn and practice with target wadcutters in the 642.

The G-26 is easy to shoot (G-19 is even easier) and both of those are eminently carryable, tho the 26 is somewhat easier.

My suggested Kahr P-9 is also easy to shoot and it's downright seductive to carry.

In the long term, you'll carry something more often if it's simply easier to carry.

Rule #1: Have a Gun

 

[Plan2Live]

A chunky double stack semi and two 5 shot revolvers lets you skip 2nd and 3rd base and go straight to home? Well you are entitled to your opinion.

 

[rswartsell]

Hand guns are to begin with a sort of compromise. How much compromise can one achieve and still be effective will of course depend upon the individual.

Guns are tools and tools by their nature are diverse to suit many applications. If you are successful in finding the one tool that is universal to all of your applications I congratulate you. For the rest of us the closest we will ever come to a single purchase solution to being a "newbie" and aiming for concealed carry would be something like a 4" Smith and Wesson Model 10.

You can learn excellent handgun habits, it's powerful enough to be deadly and is indeed concealable. Just not as easily as the sub compacts suggested. My experience leads to the conclusion that it is far better beginner advice to start here. A big part of the benefits of experience will be knowing where to place your compromises and IMHO the ideal beginner/CCW piece does not exist. YMMV

The idea that in 1 or 2 training sessions you can have a beginner on paper (or in the black) with a dedicated purpose concealed carry piece and then call it good underestimates the challenge of becoming a proficient handgunner, much less ready for concealed carry. There is clearly more than one use to be achived if it is your goal to become the said proficient handgunner. Selecting the most specialized and compromise limited platform (the easily concealable) to do them all is once again IMHO a poor decision.

If however your goal is to "get legal" achieve the minimum requirements and "get in the game" I suggest that re-evaluating this "mind-set" may be advisable. I have seen any number of inexperienced people flocking to classes with a brand new purchase of one of these classic CCW choices and the results are never optimal. Becoming a competent concealed carry shooter without first becoming a competent shooter just isn't in the cards and becoming a concealed carrier with no interest in becoming a competent shooter could be described as irresponsible. Again, those are my opinions.

 

[Doug S]

rswartsell said,

As is everyone else (entitled to their opinions). As a matter of fact your post is really nothing more than your own personal opinion. The assumption that if you are
Quote:
a newbie and want to forego the learning curve,

one can simply take your opinion and run with then becomes suspect.

Skipping steps in the mastery of hangunning, especially for personal defense is in my opinion a fools errand. There can be good value derived from the free expression of your experience and the opinions gained, but the transfer of this knowledge and divining what is a right choice for any individual can't be done via internet posts.

Yes, and never did I propose that it was anything but my opinion, and yes, agreed, people must decide their "right choice", but no, I never said anything of the sort, concerning "skipping steps of the mastery of handgunning". Can't imagine how one reads and takes my simple comments above so far out of context, but then internet forums seem rife with examples of this kind of behavior. For the record, my comments in this thread were never about training, or skipping the necessary steps of handgunning ownership. Of course not. That should be a given and is commonsense. My comments were simply and solely about the selection of a CCW firearm, and I suggested 3 specific firearms that I think are quite good (to maybe help some individual beginning the process of looking for a CCW firearm). I gave my reasons above for suggesting the three I did, and my comments were meant to insinuate nothing more, or nothing less than what I wrote above.


David E said,

I agree that skipping essential steps in mastering a handgun is a foolish thing to do.

But I'm taking the OP to basically mean "buy one gun and be done" for CCW purposes, which does have merit. Still, I see little reason to include two 5-shot revolvers, one heavy, one light, in naming the Top Three Modern CCW Classics.

An easy to carry LCP doesn't lend itself well to learning the basics of shooting, so that would be a poor "Only/First gun choice" for CCW. Likewise, an all steel 5" 1911 is great fun to shoot, but most will find it too big and heavy for daily CCW.

So what to buy that'll be easy to learn to shoot AND that you will want to carry later?

The SP-101 is heavy for its size, so it is easier/more fun to shoot than the lighter 642, but the lighter 642 is much easier to carry than the weighty Ruger. And you can always learn and practice with target wadcutters in the 642.

The G-26 is easy to shoot (G-19 is even easier) and both of those are eminently carryable, tho the 26 is somewhat easier.

My suggested Kahr P-9 is also easy to shoot and it's downright seductive to carry.

In the long term, you'll carry something more often if it's simply easier to carry.

Rule #1: Have a Gun

Thank you, David E, I appreciate that you didn't read more into my comments than were there. Your viewpoint about the 5 shot revolvers are relevant to the discussion, and I don't disagree that any of the 3 guns I suggested are not perfect in all regards (especially the two 5 shots in the "firepower", handling characteristics you've mentioned). Also to clarify again, I'm not trying to say that the 3 firearms I mention above are "The top 3", just that they would make the list of modern classics IMO.

Thanks to any and all for playing along, and suggesting those CCW firearms that they think make the list. As for any future debaters, or those who like to condescend, no thanks.

 

[rswartsell]

Doug S,

It was not my intent to condescend, and if the tone of my posts have upset you I sincerely apologize. On my mind are the many and diverse people that view these threads, and in the current climate the number of them that may be new to shooting. The opinions I have gathered from experience seem important to me to include in such a discussion for the reasons stated. It was clumsy and incorrect of me to state them is such a way that seemed to imply you are in any way irresponsible or ill intended. We may disagree on some things or not, but it is certainly not my opinion that you are either.

It has been stated in the thread that the fruits of your experience are indeed worthy and valuable here, I second that and apologize for any unfortunate inferences my socially inept screed put forward.

Mea Culpa

 

[Doug S]

Doug S,

It was not my intent to condescend, and if the tone of my posts have upset you I sincerely apologize. On my mind are the many and diverse people that view these threads, and in the current climate the number of them that may be new to shooting. The opinions I have gathered from experience seem important to me to include in such a discussion for the reasons stated. It was clumsy and incorrect of me to state them is such a way that seemed to imply you are in any way irresponsible or ill intended. We may disagree on some things or not, but it is certainly not my opinion that you are either.

It has been stated in the thread that the fruits of you experience are indeed worthy and valuable here, I second that and apologize for any unfortunate inferences my socially inept screed put forward.

Mea Culpa

rswartsell, I sincerely appreciate that, and likewise I apologize to you if I came on strong in my response. I understand why you said what you said. Thanks for contributing.

 

[rswartsell]

Thank you for your tolerance of a sometimes grumpy old fart.

Having gotten my "public service message" off my chest, when it came time for me to select a CCW piece I found preference for the 6 shot steel frame Colt Detective Special, also a classic. I selected the most recent iteration with a shrouded ejector rod and Colt's blessing for limited +P. It bears the downside of more difficult to find parts and service for breakage, but I don't see that as likely in my lifetime with my usage. I also have interest in exploring the brand new Remington R51 and have an order in, Lord only knows when it will be filled.

 

[huntsman]

Glock 26, Ruger SP101, S&W 642 Centennial.

If this is all one needs for CCW then why does the Nano, Shield and LCP exist?

I think some have judged those "classics" and found them wanting.

 

[TestPilot]

Unless it is a snubby or no gun situation, I cannot recommend a snubby to a "newbie" with a good consciense.

 

[md2lgyk]

If this is all one needs for CCW then why does the Nano, Shield and LCP exist?

I think some have judged those "classics" and found them wanting.

Perhaps, but the whole trend these days seems to be "newer is better." Can't be truly protected or happy without this week's latest wondergun.

Handguns magazine had a recent article on one such, some version of the XD (or maybe XS?). The author touted it as the the Holy Grail in his years-long search for the "perfect" CCW - just the right combination of weight, size, power, blah, blah, blah. Well guess what? For comparison, I dug out my 15-year-old Taurus PT-111. It was one of my off-duty guns when I was an LEO, and I still carry it occasionally. It's of the same materials, smaller in every dimension, and holds three more rounds than the author's Grail gun. Sure sounds better to me.

Not saying the XD/XS isn't a fine piece, just that it's really nothing new or particularly innovative or marvelous.

 

[mavracer]

Also to clarify again, I'm not trying to say that the 3 firearms I mention above are "The top 3", just that they would make the list of modern classics IMO.

Really by being specific you make it far to difficult to agree.
Why a 642 why not a 637 or a 442 or a 640, why no LCR?
IMHO it would be easier to just say the classes to wich you reall only have two.
Snub revolver and compact 9mm, for the discussion of any nube picking one and go train scenario there are still numerous guns that fit the bill.
There are lots of good compact/sub-compact 9mms that will suit people as well or better than a Glock.

 

[huntsman]

Perhaps, but the whole trend these days seems to be "newer is better." Can't be truly protected or happy without this week's latest wondergun.

yeah I won't deny the power of advertizing and it's effect on the desire to acquire new things, could newbies be swept up in the excitement of the hunt and chase? yeah but that's no reason to narrow the field.

IMHO it's not necessarily the platform that will cause buyers remorse instead unrealized expectations are because they based their decisions on unrealistic and flawed assessments.

 

[ATLDave]

The Glock's place on the list makes me shake my head. Why in the world would a newbie be well-served by a gun with no deactivation switch and a relatively light and short trigger as their first carry piece?

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

Well, opinions of gun choices aside, I'm also going to say 1. Glock 26 2. Colt DS and 3. Ruger DAO

Laura

 

[David E]

Unless it is a snubby or no gun situation, I cannot recommend a snubby to a "newbie" with a good consciense.

That may well be the case more often than not.

Folks like you and me take a lot of this stuff for granted. Why? Because we like this kind of stuff! We could discuss the merits of this caliber or that, compare that gun to this all day and never repeat ourselves.

But a lot if people want something for protection, but they don't want to involve themselves more than necessary in the gun world. They are not cops, agents, soldiers, Recon Rangers, competitive shooters, security guards, vigilantes or insatiable students of the gun. They just want something simple for personal defense.

For those people, a lightweight .38 Snubnose has a lot going for it.