Why all the craze of single stacks ?

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Back problems. I carried double stack 9's for years, but went to single stacks when I developed back problems a whie ago. I now pocket carry a P365XL or P365, depending on how deep my pockets are, so I guess I'm back to a double stack.
 
I’m just going to throw this out there.

Young people are often thinner than older folks. Certainly not always. They also run warmer than older people.

Both of those factors lead to younger people wearing lighter and tighter fitting clothing. Having the smallest gun possible is easier to conceal if you don’t want to wear an untucked loose fitting shirt. So single stack small guns make sense for that reason.

As a middle aged, recently younger, guy I can vouch for these reasons.

I still carry a single stack in summer. Double stack in winter months.

I also enjoy full sized single stacks because they’re fun, and I dig 1911s and older steel constructed designs.

Most polymer double stacks just do nothing for me.
 
I turned 21 a few years before the "Clinton Ban" where AK's , AR's , and magazines over 10 rds were banned from 1994 to 2004. So I have seen first hand how bad things can get as far as that goes. I just cant see why these younger people are all into the new craze or fad of single stacks. I have my 1911 which is a single stack by design and a small LCP in 380 but that's for days when I go to the store with running shorts on and quickly go back home. But regularly I carry double stack 9mm and 45acp. When the Clinton ban was going on , a regular old Glock 17 rd magazine would sell for around $95 from person to person. It just seems weird how these younger people are all tied up in the single stack world and all. A double stack Glock 17,19 or any 9mm or 45acp isnt that much fatter but you sure have more ammo. Ok , I will stop my "old people" type talk and see what you guys think.

I'm with you on that. I turned 21 in 1996.
However, I find myself pocket carrying my Ruger LC9S Pro more than anything else of late. It just disappears in my pocket with a spare mag. While I only carry the gun plus a spare mag. The mags are so small I could see carrying 3 extra mags bringing my total capacity up to 28rds. I'm sure Glock 43 or Sig P365 would probably be a better gun to carry but the Ruger does the job for such an ugly gun.
 
I’m just going to throw this out there.

Young people are often thinner than older folks. Certainly not always. They also run warmer than older people.

Both of those factors lead to younger people wearing lighter and tighter fitting clothing. Having the smallest gun possible is easier to conceal if you don’t want to wear an untucked loose fitting shirt. So single stack small guns make sense for that reason.

As a middle aged, recently younger, guy I can vouch for these reasons.

I still carry a single stack in summer. Double stack in winter months.

I also enjoy full sized single stacks because they’re fun, and I dig 1911s and older steel constructed designs.

Most polymer double stacks just do nothing for me.

This makes sense and is descriptive of what I do. I carry a Kahr when I’m wearing t shirts or polos, a double stack CZ when wearing a sweatshirt or jacket.
 
I CCW IWB either a Walther PPS with the 7 round magazine or my Gen 2 Glock 19. For me the Walther being slimmer/lighter is best for all day carry to the point I almost forget it is there and it does conceal a little but better than my Glock 19. CCW with my Glock 19 is fairly comfortable too but after 5 or so hours I notice it more especially if I am on my feet most of the time. Being retired I spend most of my time close to home at places I am very familiar with and for those times I almost always CCW my Walther PPS unless I am going to be out after dark. When I venture out farther from home into less familiar areas I usually CCW my Glock 19. It is good to have choices and for me it is not one or the other as I choose both as I am sure millions others do also. If the slimmer/smaller/lighter pistols mean more people CCW these days, I take that as a good thing.
 
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So you are lamenting this thread going caliber war while simultaneously trying to stoke one with the same post?

So you are just trying to provoke one?
Whatever the heck that means? Most single stacks are 9mm so figure it out.
doesn't really matter to me what other people do
 
I lean to single stacks because:
The little ones are more concealable. My usual pants pocket will accept a Glock 43 or a Ruger LC9s.
The big ones are more shootable. Like to like comparison, I am slightly but discernably more accurate with a 1911 than a 2011. The high cap saves me enough time on reloads to make up for the wider shots at free state USPSA. But I would not shoot a widebody with a plugged magazine if I were in a restrictive jurisdiction.
 
I have been wondering the same thing. I have a few single stacks, but only use them if really worried about printing which is rare. Hypothetically speaking if I were to accidentally miss a no guns sign. I feel the double stacks conceal just fine under a shirt and I’d much rather have twice the ammo. Of course if we’re in a commie run mag limited state I may just go with a single stack though, but I’d probably move first.
 
I can relate, been carrying concealed since 1992.
Its not hard to conceal a Glock 19 (23) and I carry either that (23) AIWB or a Glock 35 strong side.
If I was under a 10 round limit, God forbid, then a Glock 43X or Shield would have more appeal, designed for 10 rounds or less.
 
I just cant see why these younger people are all into the new craze or fad of single stacks. I have my 1911 which is a single stack by design and a small LCP in 380 but that's for days when I go to the store with running shorts on and quickly go back home.

Color me confused... You state you cannot see why, yet do the same thing.
Not all of us are headed to the OK Corral or hanging out in unsavory places. You have just as much a chance of running into something "quickly running to the store" than your other day to day activities.
 
I have my 1911 which is a single stack by design and a small LCP in 380 but that's for days when I go to the store with running shorts on and quickly go back home.

That is already more single stack than I carry. And I like single stacks. I can slip on my AIWB holster for my slim 9 and be out the door faster than getting my full size holster for a double stack. I also carry a spare magazine with both firearms, regardless of size.
 
I was totally unaware of any “single stack craze”. Then again I don’t pay attention to things like that. I can’t name a single song that’s on the current charts, I have no idea what new movies are playing at the theater. I don’t think I can name a current TV show.
Everyone should shoot and or Carry what they’re comfortable with. Many people want to carry the smallest or slimmest gun possible and that’s fine. Other people of similar size have no problem concealing larger guns. I have a few of each and have no problem concealing any of them.

Just thought of two, antiques roadshow and Shark Tank if that’s still on.
 
Why all the craze of single stacks ?

I turned 21 a few years before the "Clinton Ban" where AK's , AR's , and magazines over 10 rds were banned from 1994 to 2004. So I have seen first hand how bad things can get as far as that goes. I just cant see why these younger people are all into the new craze or fad of single stacks. I have my 1911 which is a single stack by design and a small LCP in 380 but that's for days when I go to the store with running shorts on and quickly go back home. But regularly I carry double stack 9mm and 45acp. When the Clinton ban was going on , a regular old Glock 17 rd magazine would sell for around $95 from person to person. It just seems weird how these younger people are all tied up in the single stack world and all. A double stack Glock 17,19 or any 9mm or 45acp isnt that much fatter but you sure have more ammo. Ok , I will stop my "old people" type talk and see what you guys think.

Well OP, if you're pushing 50 you probably weren't old enough to have been owning and shooting guns when revolvers, M39's, P38's, 1911's (and Spanish clones) and other single stacks were still quite popular for concealed carry, even though the M59 and Hi-Power were around and in use. The thicker grip frames necessitated by the double stack mags made concealment a bit less comfortable for many folks, and the whole "high capacity" craze hadn't yet caught the eye of the average gun owner/user. Hell, many new pistols only came with one magazine.

Even after the double stack/higher capacity mags were really catching on, not everyone who had to carry a duty weapon all day/night for work necessarily wanted to carry it on their own time. That's why the 5 or 6 shot snub revolvers, Walther PPK's, Commanders and other single stacks still proved popular among cops for off-duty carry, and for much the same reasons the somewhat thinner gripped pistols were popular among private owners/carriers.

Sure, younger guys new to the "I can carry a gun" mentality still often liked to carry the biggest handguns they could get, and the growing popularity of the double stack mag pistols fed right into it.

Fast-forward to today, with so many more states having adopted Shall Issue for CCW licenses and more licenseless carry than were the case in the 60's-early 80's, and once the thrill of carrying a thick and/or long handgun is gone, it's not uncommon for many average folks to look for something a little more manageable (convenient) in their regular daily activities.

Small 5-shot revolvers and slim single stack pistols are once again being "rediscovered" as being an attractive compromise between being unarmed or having to carry around a full-size handgun.

The common rebuttal heard against carrying larger and heavier guns, meaning "You just need a better quality holster", is true to a certain extent. If you've been using a less well designed and crafted holster, going to a better one might better balance and distribute the weight on your hip. That might help some folks, but still not fully satisfy the concerns of others. After all, it's still not going to "shrink" the thickness or length of the grip frame, nor "shrink" the length of the slide. These things can matter, depending on the length of someone's torso, the type of sitting they do (chairs, cars) and the type of garments they prefer, or are required, to wear for work or leisure.

Bottom line? The smaller, slimmer and lighter single stack 9's, .40's & .45's are finding buyers among both older and younger shooters, as well as well as among both private owners, and employed owners who want to be armed on their own time with something less unwieldy than what they may carry for 8-16+hrs each shift.

The gun companies have found very fertile ground in the market place for these smaller handguns.

There's a reason for that.
 
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Well OP, if you're pushing 50 you probably weren't old enough to have been owning and shooting guns when revolvers, M39's, P38's, 1911's (and Spanish clones) and other single stacks were still quite popular for concealed carry, even though the M59 and Hi-Power were around and in use. The thicker grip frames necessitated by the double stack mags made concealment a bit less comfortable for many folks, and the whole "high capacity" craze hadn't yet caught the eye of the average gun owner/user. Hell, many new pistols only came with one magazine.

Even after the double stack/higher capacity mags were really catching on, not everyone who had to carry a duty weapon all day/night for work necessarily wanted to carry it on their own time. That's why the 5 or 6 shot snub revolvers, Walther PPK's, Commanders and other single stacks still proved popular among cops for off-duty carry, and for much the same reasons the somewhat thinner gripped pistols were popular among private owners/carriers.

Sure, younger guys new to the "I can carry a gun" mentality still often liked to carry the biggest handguns they could get, and the growing popularity of the double stack mag pistols fed right into it.

Fast-forward to today, with so many more states having adopted Shall Issue for CCW licenses and more licenseless carry than were the case in the 60's-early 80's, and once the thrill of carrying a thick and/or long handgun is gone, it's not uncommon for many average folks to look for something a little more manageable (convenient) in their regular daily activities.

Small 5-shot revolvers and slim single stack pistols are once again being "rediscovered" as being an attractive compromise between being unarmed or having to carry around a full-size handgun.

The common rebuttal heard against carrying larger and heavier guns, meaning "You just need a better quality holster", is true to an extent. if you're been using a less well designed and crafted holster, going to a better one might better balance and distribute the weight on your hip. That might help some folks, but still not fully satisfy the concerns of others. After all, it's still not going to "shrink" the thickness or length of the grip frame, nor "shrink" the length of the slide. These things can matter, depending on the length of someone's torso, the type of sitting they do (chairs, cars) and the type of garments they prefer, or are required, to wear for work or leisure.

Bottom line? The smaller, slimmer and lighter single stack 9's, .40's & .45's are finding buyers among both older and younger shooters, as well as well as among both private owners, and employed owners who want to be armed on their own time with something less unwieldy than what they may carry for 8-16+hrs each shift.

The gun companies have found very fertile ground in the market place for these smaller handguns.

There's a reason for that.
Very well stated, and is exactly how I feel. I started late in the carry game. I started out with a full sized double stack that I never carried because of it's weight and not bring very concealable at all. I tried double stack subcompacts as well, but had the same problem. Fast forward a several years later and after trying just about every size handgun, style of hoster, and carry position, I've settled on single stacks and jframes.

No matter how much someone tries to convince me that I can, with my size frame, body type, and style of dress, I know that I can not conceal a double stack unless I have a jacket on. Even that's not optimal because once I get to my destination, I'll have no other choice but to keep my jacket on the entire time...
 
Fact: the vast majority of people who CCW will never use their weapon in defensive situation. So, we are going to quite a bit of inconvenience daily to CCW for, in most cases, no reason. Heck, most police won’t even use their weapon in service. So, a 8rd single stack holds 8 more rnds than most people will ever need.

Also, this is one of the most nonsensical threads I’ve ever seen on here.
 
Most single stacks are 9mm so figure it out.

Not quite in my experience. I'm old and so forgetful but I think the Colt 1911 was a single stack and most of my 380s are single stack and all but one of my 32acps are single stack and the one exception there is over a century old. Most 25acp and 22s I've owned were single stack. Less than half of my 9mm are single stack.
 
I am not a cop, not in the military, and don't do drive by shootings and do not believe in spray and shoot.Do not need a lot of rounds. In my area, which I have monitored for a decade, it is very rare to see a civilian use more than two shots. Certainly not much more. I spend more time at the range on drawing and hitting center mass in as short of time as possible. Lol, the guy that gets off the first shot at the close ranges of the average gun fight usually wins. And the bad guys usually have the advantage. The fastest draw with be with the guy with a gun in his hand.
 

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It just seems weird how these younger people are all tied up in the single stack world and all
Because I'm 71 and don't know a lot of "younger people," I couldn't say why they prefer single stack pistols, if indeed they do. However, I can definitely say why my wife, who is almost as old as I am, prefers single stack pistols for everyday carry - my wife is a slim, 5'1" tall woman with small hands. Not only is a single stack easier for her to conceal, she has a hard time getting her short fingers around the grip of my Sig M11-A1. She can shoot it, but it even looks awkward when she does.
On the other "hand" (mine) my wife's little Smith 380 Shield feels awkward to me because its grip is too small around. I'm 5'11, 200lbs, and have large hands.
BTW, most of the time I don't have a problem concealing my Sig M11-A1 under a loose fitting shirt or a vest - or a coat in the winter of course. When I first got it, I noticed the weight difference compared to the "Airweight" .38 snubby I used to carry. But after a while, I got used to it.:)
 
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