Carry What is Right For You

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"Bottom line for me is a carry gun has to be reliable, durable, and accurate. Lightweight (comfortable to carry), ergonomic design, and readily concealable are also factors I consider when selecting a CCW."

I'm with Bannockburn on this one.

For me, 90% of the time it's a 38 snub when I can carry it and a micro 380 when I can't. (The other 10% involve unusual clothing, weather, situations, or all of the above.) Looking back, I haven't changed much. I started to carry occasionally about 30 years ago. In those days it was a 38 snub or the smallest 380 I had. Over the decades the exact identity of the 38 and the 380 have changed, but the basic ideas haven't.

I have never been able to warm up to .38 snubbies or micro .380 (or 9mms). I dont shoot them as well as I expect and find them, frankly, unpleasant to practice with.

The Glock 26, Ruger SR9c, or I'm sure similar small double stacks are where I draw the line of comfort and shootability.

Though I prefer a bigger gun, and with a good belt a 1911 commander is easy and comfortable to carry for me. My Sig 226 SAO carries nice in the winter too.

Considering my first carry gun was a 1911, I guess full circle is a thing.
 
Well, only 16 more years for Hi-Powers. Hold your fingers crossed, guys for this youngster to make it to the end of Mr. Humphrey's test... :)
 
I think bannockburn has got it correct as well as a few of the other posters. Practice is the key. Being able to hit what you shoot at with the first AND follow up shots if needed is way more important that a particular brand of caliber. A hit with a .22 is way more effective than a miss with a 44 mag. One thing I have started doing and I plan to continue ALOT now that the weather is getting better is to spend time practicing with my weak hand. I am extremely accurate with a two handed stance as well as a one handed as long as it is with my right hand. When I shoot left handed, my left hand is so weak compared to my right, it is actually funny watching me shoot weak handed. My goal is by the end of the summer is to be at least 75% as accurate weak handed as I am with my strong hand. Since Christmas I have put in a spring squeezer type thing in my truck that I use all the time riding down the road. I can tell a huge difference already. I also need to start using a dumbbell to strengthen my left arm. It looks like I might be facing Rotator Cuff Surgery sometime this year and I don't want to be totally useless if the only way I can shoot a firearm is with my weak hand.
 
Like I said, if it's been around for a hundred years, fought on every continent except Antarctica, and performed with satisfaction, I consider it thoroughly tested.

WoW! That's certainly a commitment to your ideals and I certainly commend you for it.

I take a bit different approach...if a particular gun which has a young life but is widely accepted by a broad range of users and has received testimonial after testimonial to its capabilities...that's good enough for me to want to try it. If it lives up to those expectations, fits comfortably in my hand, conceals well...then I'm all in.

When I bought my SP101 I compared it side by side with the LCR. Both of them met my criteria. I opted for the SP101 because of the longer age and lengthy list of testimonials on its capabilities. To this day it is by far my favorite to shoot...but it doesn't pocket carry well (bulk and weight).

So, I opted for my second choice...an LCR357 as my primary EDC. When I first shot it, I knew I had made the right decision. Though it doesn't absorb recoil as well as my SP101, it does one thing far superior. For whatever reason I can shoot the LCR as accurate with my weak hand as I can with the strong one. As a matter of fact it feels more comfortable in my weak hand. Go figure! I can shoot my SP101 and my Security Six in my weak hand, but not as near accurate...and they feel awkward in the off hand. I'm going to go with design and weight as the reasons why.

Those reasons alone, in my book, and probably the fact that I'll be long dead before the end of a trial... far out weigh the lengthy time trial criteria.
 
I have never been able to warm up to .38 snubbies or micro .380 (or 9mms). I don't shoot them as well as I expect and find them, frankly, unpleasant to practice with.

Just like not all 38s are snubbies, not all 380s are micro. The Smith & Wesson M&P EZ, the Walther PK380, and the Browning 1911-380 are all larger frame pistols (not necessarily large, but larger).
 
So, I bought a used Kahr CW45 I came across at the LGS.

That gun was an abysmal disappointment at the range (though I'll try a little more and see if I can make it work, even if not for carry.
What happened with the Kahr? Did it not function properly, or was the recoil too snappy? That model is a bit of a handful, but with the right grip it's manageable. If it's a function issue, it's most likely fixable.
 
I agree w/those that consider whatever you're comfortable with is best. The secret to success in a life or death situation is readiness. If an armed criminal draws first & your weapon is still in its holster what you are carrying will not work for you regardless of what it is. I don't CC often but I have on rare occasions when I thought there was potential for trouble. The biggest mistake lies in relying too much on the fact that you are armed instead of being extra aware of your surroundings & anticipating instead of reacting. If I'm ready for a fight I know that I can defend myself with any of my sidearms whether it's a revolver, pistol, whatever. But if I get caught off guard by an armed criminal the best handgun in the world in my pocket or in its holster will not save me.
 
John_R writes:

What happened with the Kahr? Did it not function properly, or was the recoil too snappy? That model is a bit of a handful, but with the right grip it's manageable. If it's a function issue, it's most likely fixable.

I didn't find it snappy at all. I actually thought it would be more so than it was. Maybe being used to a Kel-Tec PF9 worked for me.

No, I just had at least two or three failures to go fully into battery with each magazine. I don't think even the first mag-full (six rounds) went through without one. Each malfunction was the result of a cartridge entering the chamber properly aligned, but not fully seating. I had no other types of malfunctions. The gun had been cleaned prior, and was pre-owned when I bought it. It's possible the issue lay with the ammunition, as I had only one kind with me that day, but no other .45 caliber guns on hand with which to try it.

I just haven't gotten around to messing with it since. Strangely, I had three other "new-to-me" guns that day that also had issues (and one was a revolver!) Up until then, I'd never had an issue with a used gun, though I have to admit I have dozens of guns bought used that have not made it to the range.
 
As one of those who are challenged by smaller hands my search for handguns that fit me has resulted in many guns bought and sold, mostly at a loss. This took place over a period of many years. Some hung around for a while as I tried to adapt to them, others were quickly sent down the road. I was growing frustrated at the wasted money until I began looking at it as "renting" the guns for a trial period. That made it more palatable to me.

Thomas- I'm on the same page, smaller hands and all. Your experiences and thoughts mirror my own.
 
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