EDC Handgun

[HEAVY]

hey, guys.

been a member for a while but this is the first thread i've started. here goes:

where i live you are required to get a Permit To Carry for each firearm you want to carry concealed.

the permits are quite costly, the price of a new snubbie if i calculate right, and they are valid for only 1 year.

which dictates that i make a choice on which handgun to carry all year long in every situation, whatever i'm wearing.

one gun to rule them all.

which one then?

glock 19 9mm vs. taurus model 85 38spcl +P vs. steyr sa1 9mm

your thoughts please.

thanks.

[Malcontent]

Welcome to EDCF!

How much exposure have you had to firearms? This will make a difference on the recommendation.

[HEAVY]

Welcome to EDCF!

How much exposure have you had to firearms? This will make a difference on the recommendation.



thanks for the welcome.

i'm quite proficient with handguns.

been shooting handguns for at least 15 years.

posted the question hoping to discover something new for your collective experiences.

thanks.

[0dBm]

I have carried concealed in public (legally) for a very long time and fired many firearms for many more.

I get asked this question quite frequently.

My responses have varied for many reasons.

I usually start with why a firearm is needed.

If the need can be determined, I will follow with my suggestions.

If the reason seems frivolous, I stop.

Providing suggestions, whatever the topic, on a public forum on the internet is risky.

Since you mention a "Pernmit to Carry," I'll offer my recommendation.

You also mention two handgun types that I have become quite familiar: the Glock and the snubbie.

After you have fired each of them (200 rounds minimum), carry each of them in the holster type that you are most comfortable for as long as you can stand it in the comfort of your home while doing everything that you are accustomed to doing on any given day. This will largely deternmine your ultimate choice.

There are two schools of thought regarding concealed carry:

1. Choose the firearm system (firearm, ammunition, carry rig that includes the holster, gunbelt, spare ammunition carrier, and other peripherals) and build/design your wardrobe around it.
For the majority of people, this may not be economically practical except for a select few truly dedicated individuals that have the resources and the reason for doing so.

2. Build the firearm system around your wardrobe.
For most of us average citizens fortunate enough to live in a state with legislators pragmatic enough to see the benefit of the "Right to Keep and Bear Arms," this is the logical choice.

Carry a firearm system that you can comfortably carry for many hours, while keeping it concealed so that others will not see it, and still have it readily available and quickly accessible for defense of life and limb should you become unfortunate enough to be in a situation that the firearm is acutally deployed.

Make sure you seek the services of a practicing, licensed, legal professional regarding the ramifications of carrying a firearm in public.

[Jim101]

Kel-Tec .32 or .380.........I carry the .32 with Silvertips, easy to hide and light. I have the clip and use the BladeKeeper on my waistband....

Jim

[VWTim]

I don't think you can go wrong with either pistol you have. It just comes down to what you can and will carry more often. For me I'd go towards the .38 as I pocket carry at school/work. But if you're in and enviroment where you can belt carry regularly the G19 might be the ticket. Also depends on what you're comfortable with more and more proficcient with.

[gadgetjunky]

Well, not to be a smartarse, but of the three I would pick none of the above. I have carried and handgun concealed basically every day for over a decade in a pretty hot climate, normally dressed office casual during the day. If I could only have one gun to carry on my permit it would probably be some sort of S&W j-frame Airweight. I know that no matter what I am wearing, even dress slack and shirt, no coat, nice shirt tucked into a pair of shorts, bathing suit (yes, I did carry it to the beach in Florida full of FMJ ammo the last two summers when they were having a lot of shark attacks :D) , ANYTHING other than my boxers I can conceal this pistol, it always goes bang and it hits reasonably hard with the right ammo. Nothing wrong with the Taurus 85, but I find steel snubbies a bit heavy to conceal in dress pants pockets without reinforcing/replacing the pocket.

95% of the time I carry either a S&W 642 or a Glock 26. Except for pocket carry I can carry the 26 anywhere that I can the 642, and it gives me twice the rounds and faster reloads. I don't know your body size, or how you generally dress, but I would suggest that you research belly band holsters (I use one made by DeSantis), the Kramer Confidant undershirt holster and a any and all pocket and tuckable holsters that you can find. If you are a big guy you might find that you can carry your Glock 19 easily in a belly band tucked in under a shirt.

I hope this helps.
Danny

[VWTim]

Slightly OT, but I've never really understood the use of belly bands, with the exception of certain limited dress requirements. Same with smart carry. Just seems too hard and long to draw and no way of reholstering easily.

But, YMMV...,

[gadgetjunky]

Belly bands are MUCH easier to use than Smart Carry (IMHO). I do not use if if I don't have to. Pretty much I only use it when I have to have a dress shirt tucked in and cannot get away with even the slight bulge in my pocket from the 642/pocket holster, or when I want/need to carry more gun than a j-frame and can't wear my shirt untucked. I have carried a Glock 19 and a S&W 13 3 inch in it before under dress clothes before easily. They are not a every day carry holster for most people, but they do have a niche.

You pretty much have to practice a two-handed draw if you want to get the gun fast. Carried appendix position it is scary fast with a little practice (I had to draw one night about 11 years ago and witnesses said that the gun just appeared in my hand like magic). Crossdraw works well from some people, esp. if you wear a button up shirt and can reach through the buttons instead of untucking the shirt. You can walk around with a dress shirt tucked in, tie on, one button of your shirt undone and get to the gun very fast with a little practice.

Reholstering, IMHO, is overhyped and often the mantra of gear junkies hawking one model of concealed carry holster over another (this comment is not directed at you personally, just my observation in general). A nice stiff holster that is rigidly mounted and consistently positioned is crucial for very high speed draws,CQB drills, law enforcement weapon retention, etc, but is just apples and oranges compaired to DEEP concealment carry. This context is times when you simply can't use those sorts of holsters for whatever reason. The belly band or Confidant allow you to stay with a larger handgun and avoid dropping to a tiny .22 mini-revolver or .25 auto.

I am not on patrol, doing investigations, or anything like that, so I normally the only time my pistol comes out of the belly band is at home at night when I take it off. I don't use guns to intimidate people, so if I have to pull it things have gone very bad and I am about to shoot somebody. At that point in the equation, I can drop the gun back into my pocket or shove it into my waistband after I get my self out of the immediate danger.

[0dBm]

Slightly OT, but I've never really understood the use of belly bands, with the exception of certain limited dress requirements. Same with smart carry. Just seems too hard and long to draw and no way of reholstering easily.

But, YMMV...,


Further OT.

I have extensively used the Horseshoe Leather Belly Band holster, the Smart Carry, and the Thunderwear. These holster types are for very specific applications where extreme concealment is desired when wearing the minimum amount of clothing.

With these stipulations, draw time and reholstering is significantly increased. One must know the limitations of any setup. This is no exception.

The greater the specialization of the holster type, the greater the compromises and, invariably, the experience of each individual.

I have worn many belly band holsters and none has provided me the comfort, however minimal, as the Horseshoe product.

I find the Smart Carry/Thunderwear product easier to wear because a) I find it more comfortable for the firearm to sit below the waistband vice having it AND the strap inside the waistband, and b) I can adjust the firearm easier when below the waistband when sitting.

[mels]

hey, guys.

been a member for a while but this is the first thread i've started. here goes:

where i live you are required to get a Permit To Carry for each firearm you want to carry concealed.

the permits are quite costly, the price of a new snubbie if i calculate right, and they are valid for only 1 year.
which dictates that i make a choice on which handgun to carry all year long in every situation, whatever i'm wearing.

one gun to rule them all.

which one then?

glock 19 9mm vs. taurus model 85 38spcl +P vs. steyr sa1 9mm

your thoughts please.

thanks.





www.seecamp.com

Without question, arguably the worlds finest pocket gun. And there is absolutely no disputing pocket carry is the best option with respect to your "all year long in every situation, whatever I'm wearing" requirement.

Go pocket. Go Seecamp.

[gearloose]

I've carried both the Glock and the Taurus. he Glock is too bulky to conceal most of the year(I live in the south)
The Taurus is more concealable but nearly as heavy as the Glock. The Steyr pistols are excellent but they have had
real problems finding a reliable distributor in US, this could mean that service could be an issue.
Go with the Taurus for summer carry and the Glock for fall/winter carry or if you regularly find yourself
needing that much ammo.Wait a year to see if the new Steyr distributor makes good.

[rusty edge]

I purchased my Glock 23 for carry, but find that even though it is a "compact" gun it is heavy and uncomfortable to conceal. I am not a big guy though (5'8" 165lbs) so maybe it works with larger people. I think a pocket gun like the Kel-Tec or Seecamp would be awsome. When I walk through parking lots at night etc, I usually walk with my thumb in my pocket right over my waved Delica. I looks like I'm just casually walking and is very non-threatening, but I can deploy my knife extremely fast if I am attacked. I started thinking that if I was walking through said dark parking lot I could casually have my hand in my poket over a pocket pistol. You would be prepared to draw lightning fast with your hand already on the firearm, but to anybody else you would look like a guy casually walking with his hands in his pockets. I know the caliber is small, but the advantage in how quickly you could draw the firearm compared to my glock 23 in a IWB holster would really start to make up for that. Heck, I am the kind of naturally paranoid person to keep my larger .40 G23 in my back AND a Kel-Tec .380 in my pocket.

[VWTim]

FWIW, at least for me, even starting with my hand on my Keltec in the pocket. The draw times is about the same is drawing from an IWB rig. What's good tho, is it's a more casual draw that doesn't look like you're going for a gun. I finally got a holster for my new Kahr PM9. Man that thing dissapears IWB. Granted I'm a big guy 6'1" 260, but I can hide it under a fairly fitting button up shirt. And even a Tee shirt.

[Lee1959]

Heavy, is there a reason you did not choose some .357 instead of a .38 special. A .357 gives you a lot more flexiblity if you are only going ot have one handgun. If you went with a 3 inch .357 it would conceal fairly well, and be able to still be used for hiking, and hunting applications. You could use any .38 special load, or .357 magnum load, a lot of flexiblity for finding factory ammuniton over the counter anywhere.

[Buffalohump]

I have owned the following handguns over the years:

CZ 75b
Smith and Wesson Model 19 .357 magnum
Glock 22
Colt 1911 Government model Series 70 (my current piece - I can only have one now, by law)
Heckler and Koch P7
Smith and Wesson Model 26 .44 Magnum

All of these are heavy, steel firearms, excluding the Glock, which is no lightweight either. If I were to choose an EDC pistol right now, I would go with the Glock 19, or a Heckler and Koch USP compact in .45 ACP (the Glock 30 is an option, if you like .45 ACP, which I do).

Why? The smaller and lighter the piece, the better chances you will have it on you when the brown stuff hits. However, it you still want to fight back effectively, you want something in a decent caliber. Hence 9mm or .45 ACP. (I'm not a fan of 40 S&W).

As I understand it, capacity is no longer an issue due to Gvt restrictions (max 10 rounds, no?), but obviously, you want the most rounds possible. I also think semi-autos are easier to carry and conceal than revolvers.

I think the Glock is an awesome weapon, accurate and reliable to a remarkable degree. The H&K is also superb, a little more sophisticated than the Glock (and pricier, naturally). Hell, go with the Glock. I once developed a problem with a part on my 22 and I super glued it back together. I carried on shooting it without any problems right up until new firearm laws in my country forced me to let the piece go.

If I had the choice over again, I would go Glock 19 or 30 without even thinking about it. Although that USP compact is a lovely pistol... boy, you guys don't know how lucky you are...

[AirForceShooter]

CCW is expensive and only for 1 year?
Where do you live??

AFS

[HEAVY]

thanks everyone for your thoughts.

btw, i live in the Philippines.

[jmm1974]

in north carolina usa 1 permit covers the owner for any handgun, and is valid for 4 years for only $90.

[perado]

Nobody has mentioned the Glock G36. From the side it is the same as a G30, which means, with the magazine extention, it's the same a the G19 and it's similars. What the 36 has going for it is that it's a single stack, thusly much narrower, even narrower than the 26s. And it's .45ACP.

[TKC]

HEAVY: The guns that you mentioned, are those ones you currently own? Or are those guns you are looking to buy? If you own them already, which one are you most proficient with? THAT should be the gun that you should carry. If you don't own them, I would suggest you look at some of the other guns that have been mentioned!! And I agree with MELS about the Seecamp!! I would also ask that you consider Kahr Arms line of guns.

[hannism]

hey, guys.

been a member for a while but this is the first thread i've started. here goes:

where i live you are required to get a Permit To Carry for each firearm you want to carry concealed.

the permits are quite costly, the price of a new snubbie if i calculate right, and they are valid for only 1 year.

which dictates that i make a choice on which handgun to carry all year long in every situation, whatever i'm wearing.

one gun to rule them all.

which one then?

glock 19 9mm vs. taurus model 85 38spcl +P vs. steyr sa1 9mm

your thoughts please.

thanks.





I own both the Glock 19 and the Taurus 85. I will say this. The Glock 19 is my overall favorite pistol. It's reliable, accurate and comfortable to shoot.

However, for CCW, I carry my Taurus 85. I use an IWB holster, and it's great. The Taurus is a little heavy, but even with a T-Shirt on, no one can tell I'm carrying it. I trust my Taurus 85 with my life.

I have no experience in shooting the Steyr, so I have no comment on it.

[grimm_kaosboy]

Going on the base question and the fact that you live in a hot, humid climate I'm going to say the glock. I live in florida and have a full sized glock in 10mm and 40 s&w. I have 2 barrels for the .40 to convert it to either .357sig or 9mm.
The corrison resistance, think sweat, of the glock is outstanding as its reliability and durability. It "should" be readily concealable with a loose hawaiian or barber shop type shirt over a t-shirt which IIRC is a faily popular look over there. I know it is here, esp the barber shop type shirts with all the cuban immigrants around tampa and miami.
All are good guns, all can do the job if you do yours. Bottom line, when it all comes down to it is YOU have to carry it. YOU are the one who may need it to protect yourself. What is the most comfortable one will dictate directly on your greater chance of actually strapping it on vs. the one you shoot best will have the greatest odds in your favor if things go badly.
I'll second the trial of carrying it on you at home for a while to see what one feels the best for the longest and with your current mode(s) of dress. That one will probably be the best bet for you. If you are not as a good of a shot with that firearm versus the others, go to a range and practice, practice, practice.
Best wishes and best of luck.

[JN01]

My suggestion is the Glock 26 with some G-19 magazines for spares. The shorter butt will allow you to use carry methods that won't work with the G19, but you can still use the high capacity mags for methods where butt lenth isn't as critical.

I usually carry a G26 in a Don Hume H715 holster inside the waistband in the appendix (1:00) position. I find it much easier to conceal, more comfortable, and quicker to draw than other methods (assuming that you wear a loose untucked shirt and don't have a large stomach to get in the way).