Carry weight thresholds...

[pendentive]

What are the upper and lower weight thresholds (in ounces) for carry guns?

For example:

1 - what weight range is considered "standard" for a concealed carry gun?

2 - at what weight does a carry gun become "lightweight"

3 - at what weight does a carry gun become "heavy"


Not looking for extremes (ie Desert Eagle vs. derringer)


Just interested mostly in the threshold weights...as in...when a gun gets down to a certain weight (__oz), it is considered "lightweight"....and when it gets up to a certain weight (__oz), it is considered "heavy".




Not So Fine Print = every person's different - some fat, some skinny....some tall, some short...some strong, some weak....no universal numbers exist....size does matter (plastic vs steel - same size, diff weight), yaddah, yaddah, yaddah.....there, it's been said now....nobody has to "go there". Just please answer the 3 questions above.



Thanks!

Dan

 

[jfh]

This is for non-belt carry, BTW, not for traditionally-holstered guns.

My S&W340 with a CT 405 laser grip, loaded with with 135-gr. 38+P rounds and in a Mika pocket holster, weighs 18.2 oz. That means the rounds and holster weigh about 5 oz. This means a similar package in a 442 / 642 weighs about 20 oz.

A Kel-Tec P3AT c/w two magazines (13 rounds) in a pocket holster weighs 15.2 oz.

I carry that 340 or 442 package daily, and don't notice it in a front pocket carry. So, that's a lightweight package--call it anything under 20 oz.

A heavyweight package would be one that is more than 20 oz--although you could arguably add a category for the packages that would run from about 20 to 30 oz. This would include my SS j-frame loaded and holstered similarly.

Anything over 32 oz. is heavyweight, IMO. In times past I've carried anything from an SP-101 (28+5 oz) to a EAA medium-frame (ca. 36 oz), to a 1911 (ca. 50 oz) in an SOB holster--and those got heavy.

Jim H.

 

[dhoomonyou]

This is PURELY up to the carrier.

what is the trade off you want for caliber to weight to defensive capablity.?

IMO I agree with JFH in that anything over 2 lbs is going to drag you down as the day goes on.

 

[popbang]

My carry gun weighs in at 39 ounces. it comes down to what you are willing to carry around. I don't get tired of a heavier gun, but some others will.

 

[steelyblue]

I weigh in at 200lbs in shape and go up to 230 when I'm in junk food mode. I think any weight of gun would be in range for me. I would carry a full size 1911, if I could get my Kimber bobtailed.

 

[peacemaker45]

I would consider the following to be a reasonable breakdown. I'm going from memory of manufacturer's listed empty weights, so I may have gotten something misplaced.

Ultralight: Sub 15 oz. Examples that come to mind would be the little kel-tecs, alloy and scandium j-frames, that sort of thing.

Lightweight: 16-25 oz. A lot of the double stack compact polymer guns and the really compact steel ones fall into this range.

Medium: 26-35 oz. Here's where you find your steel k-frames, lightweight commanders, polymer framed service pistols, all sorts of things.

Heavy: 36-45 oz. This would be the full sized, all steel 1911. big bore steel revolvers, like the Anaconda, model 27, 29 smith, that sort of thing. Big guns, but with a good belt and good holster, pretty livable.

Superheavy 46 oz plus. These tend to be hunting handguns, the big rugers, raging bulls, x-frame smiths, and desert eagles. I'm sure someone out there thinks that CCWing one is a good idea. I'm not entirely sure who that would be, but there's gotta be someone.

~~~Mat

 

[wuchak]

The 2 1/4" SP101 is only 25 oz, not 28. It's only 2 oz more than the comparable stainless j-frame Smith but Ruger puts those extra 2 oz of steel in all the right places. I pocket carry mine occasionally. After about 5 minutes you don't notice the weight, but the P-3AT is much better as a pocket gun. I like the SP101 in a Galco Fletch holster at 3:15. Loaded it's about 27 1/2 oz and is not noticeable at all on the belt.

 

[DawgFvr]

Weight and the perception of weight is relevant to the perceiver...wouldn't you say? I mean...while in the Army, my Kevlar helmet, alone, weighed in at 11 pounds. If your neck muscles are not up to snuff...at day's end, you might consider that heavy. Considering the weight of the ammo you carry in your LBE, rucksack, etc., the helmet is considered nothing...and after a while, you do not even notice it. Same with carry. Personally, I like carrying the Ruger GP100...I even joined a gym to get into "revolver" shape. If I have to pull a weapon in a threat situtation, the last thing I want to worry about is the "comfort carry level". If I had my druthers, I'd carry a rifle everywhere I went.

 

[Ala Dan]

Ultralight: 12 oz. Scandium frame Smith & Wesson Revolvers

Airweight: 14 oz. Colt ( old model Agent .38), or 15 oz. Smith
Revolvers ( model 37, 442/642)

Standard Weight: 19 oz. Smith Revolvers model 36, (old model 60 .38)

However, even 25 oz semi-auto's such as the Kimber Ultra's are not
uncomfortable~!

A 34 oz. Smith model 19 in a revolver is just about topps for me, as far
as duty weapons go; while a 38 oz. 1911 carried IWB/OWB is not all
that bad.

 

[BlindJustice]

I think this is up to so many variables as to an individual's size
cllimate/clothing dictated ptions, personal preference as to caliber
availability in something deemed carry acceptable it's a nonsensical
question in terms of what somebody else might do.

YcarryMV

 

[3rdpig]

I've got 4 regular carry guns, here's what they weigh fully loaded. My classification are based on boxing weights, found here.

Bantam weight - S&W 38 bodyguard - 16.6 oz
Light weight - Glock 26 - 27 oz
Medium weight - Glock 29 - 35 oz
Light heavy weight - Glock 20 - 41 oz

 

[Autolycus]

This is purely subjective as others have stated.

For me a Sig 228 is heavyweight while my P2000 is lightweight.

 

[Moonclip]

I've open carried a 6" .45cal N frame S&W for long periods of time, like 12 hours. wasn't too bad but it felt nice to take it off. I'm fairly large though.

 

[CrawdaddyJim]

Like other have said. It is dependent on how you carry the weapon. Up to about 30 lbs. for the average person. 60 lbs. for a in shape soldier.

My duty belt weighs 14 lbs loaded. (not a LEO just like the concept).

 

[Markbo]

Not to put too fine a point on it and all but do you mean carry as in duty guns or concealed carry guns?

 

[mavracer]

under 20 oz is good for pocket carry.although I do carry my amt backup 45 occasionally it's 24 oz empty and is noticably heavy.IWB 28-30 oz is good heavier is well heavy.

 

[Clipper]

I pocket carry and won't carry anything that loads out over 20oz. Recently went from a P3AT to a PF-9. I'll probably stick with it until KT decides to make a P4T5...

 

[DAdams]

Weights Preference

Revolver
I carry a M&P 340 with CT 405s in a Mika round cut. SGD 135gr. I will carry a 642 with CTs if necessary, that would be the top end in weight for me in a pocket carry.

SA
If I really want to lighten up then I go with the Seecamp .380 at about 14 ounces loaded with 95gr SGD and in a Desantis Nemesis.
Up to the Kahr PM 9 in a Desantis, high end.

 

[Lonestar49]

Perfect

Quote: Medium: 26-35 oz. Here's where you find your steel k-frames, lightweight commanders, polymer framed service pistols, all sorts of things.
-----------
...

+1


Ls

 

[pendentive]

Great responses - thanks!



Let's take it a step further and say, what's the carry min/max for the following:


1 - pocket carry
2 - ankle carry
3 - belt carry
4 - shoulder holster carry
5 - gear bag/briefcase (one you will be carrying with you all day...not a BOB)


What are reasonable weight thresholds for each?

 

[Geronimo45]

1 - pocket carry

Length seems to matter here, for me, anyhow. The Beretta 21A is teriffic in this role. Hides easy, doesn't dig into the leg, doesn't bother walking, doesn't cause pants to sag.

2 - ankle carry
3 - belt carry

Can't really say on those. Very little experience, but ankle carry will take some getting used to. Tried it with a knife once (saw The Longest Day too many times), it got to be pesky, always felt like I was limping like a cripple. Belt carry seemed painful for me.

4 - shoulder holster carry

Depends on your rig's position - horizontal, vertical, or other. I find that it's no problem hauling a S&W 4" all-steel K-frame around for several hours in my... 'other' holster. It's vertical, but turned around 180 degrees with the muzzle pointing in the general direction of Cassiopeia (just in front of the arm). Conceals very well, but my particular rig would likely work much better with an autoloader with a 4" barrel. For the record, I'm non-military and weigh in just south of 150 lbs, around 5'9. No muscleman. Bigger and stronger people than myself have issues with balanced shoulder rigs with wide straps. Me, belt carry gives me a pain. The straps on my rig are about as big as a dime, and I can haul it for hours.
I don't think it takes brawn to use a shoulder rig... just a high tolerance of pain.

5 - gear bag/briefcase (one you will be carrying with you all day...not a BOB)

Have done this. A 1911 added no noticeable weight to the laptop bag, so I'd feel safe going pretty big in that role. As big as you've got.

 

[1911 guy]

I'm gonna be different.

I don't care what it weighs. I shoot a 1911 rather well and find no problem concealing it, so I made the decision to carry it. Then I got a belt and holster to support it. We're carrying guns made of metal, not powder puffs.

The truly heavy guns are too big to be concealed anyway, so "too heavy" is a moot point if you're looking for a CCW.

 

[Rexster]

I have worn an all-steel Colt Government Model all day without a problem, when using a double-thickness 1-3/4" wide Davis belt, and a Galco Avenger vertical OWB-type holster. How Comfortable? Well, I would sometimes nudge the gun with my arm to make sure it was still there. So, "light" weight is a relative term. I have had handguns which weighed less, but were carried in a different holster, and/or on a single-thickness belt, which were not so comfortable after just a few hours.

 

[pendentive]

again, great info.



I wonder, though...does anybody ankle-carry a 1911? (rhetorical question) So, surely there must be bounds/limits.