357WheelGun
Member
I've been carrying my M&P .40 during the winter, but now that summer's upon us I'm finding that it's difficult to conceal without a jacket. I'm looking for recommendations for a summer CCW option.
Info on me:
- 6'-0", 155 lbs, not all that easy to conceal a larger firearm.
- Generally wear jeans and a tucked in T-shirt in the summer. Very occasionally I'll wear an open button-up shirt over the T-shirt, I concede that I may have to make an overshirt more common if I want to carry in the summer.
I'm considering:
- Bersa 380: Small, light, good reputation, less expensive, .380.
- Sig P232: Small, light, stellar reputation, but more expensive and still .380.
- CZ-82: Damn near impossible to break, stellar reputation for reliability, no worry about putting wear on the gun, heavier and larger than the above two, 9x18 can be hard to find though.
- CZ RAMI: 9mm, very well regarded, double-stack magazine makes the gun wider and harder to conceal.
- Kahr P9: 9mm, very well-regarded, thin single-stack magazine, lighter, maybe too light. I have problems with the M&P sub-compacts and getting a good grip, unsure about the Kahr because of that, it's also the most expensive.
- Snubnose Revolver: .38 special means I already have ammo in this caliber, they fit my hands well, I can shoot them well, but the cylinder may make printing a problem, and with +P they tend to jump a little more than I like.
Of all of them, I think I like the Sig the most, though the Bersa fit my hands nicely as well. I love the RAMI too, but I think it may be a little wide for summer carry. Because I don't get a good grip on the subcompact 9mm M&P, I'm not sold on subcompact polymer guns, just because they don't seem to weigh enough for me to be confident with them. I'm fine with a snubbie revolver, but I'm thinking that the barrel would make it uncomfortable to carry and more difficult to conceal.
Advice? Comments? Am I thinking too much?
Info on me:
- 6'-0", 155 lbs, not all that easy to conceal a larger firearm.
- Generally wear jeans and a tucked in T-shirt in the summer. Very occasionally I'll wear an open button-up shirt over the T-shirt, I concede that I may have to make an overshirt more common if I want to carry in the summer.
I'm considering:
- Bersa 380: Small, light, good reputation, less expensive, .380.
- Sig P232: Small, light, stellar reputation, but more expensive and still .380.
- CZ-82: Damn near impossible to break, stellar reputation for reliability, no worry about putting wear on the gun, heavier and larger than the above two, 9x18 can be hard to find though.
- CZ RAMI: 9mm, very well regarded, double-stack magazine makes the gun wider and harder to conceal.
- Kahr P9: 9mm, very well-regarded, thin single-stack magazine, lighter, maybe too light. I have problems with the M&P sub-compacts and getting a good grip, unsure about the Kahr because of that, it's also the most expensive.
- Snubnose Revolver: .38 special means I already have ammo in this caliber, they fit my hands well, I can shoot them well, but the cylinder may make printing a problem, and with +P they tend to jump a little more than I like.
Of all of them, I think I like the Sig the most, though the Bersa fit my hands nicely as well. I love the RAMI too, but I think it may be a little wide for summer carry. Because I don't get a good grip on the subcompact 9mm M&P, I'm not sold on subcompact polymer guns, just because they don't seem to weigh enough for me to be confident with them. I'm fine with a snubbie revolver, but I'm thinking that the barrel would make it uncomfortable to carry and more difficult to conceal.
Advice? Comments? Am I thinking too much?
(No cognitive dissonance just yet.) 
