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Concealed Carry Discussion General discussion regarding CCW/LTC in California |
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#1
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Fellow CCW'rs, school me on sub compacts.
decided that my 1911 was to bulky and heavy to carry. Need recommendations for a sub-compact to carry. Do's, dont's and which ones to avoid. First thoughts are a Ruger LC9. thx.
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Head Pooper Scooper at the Dirty Dog Ranch |
#2
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I found that I too wanted something a little smaller & lighter, for the warm months. After a lot of thought, I decided on a 9mm. looked around and ended up purchasing a Kahr P9. It's a compact, not a sub-compact, and tucks away very nicely! I can carry it with shorts and a t-shirt or tank top and no printing. It took a bit to get used to the double action trigger, but it is smooth, crisp, and consistant. Very happy with my purchase!
If cost is a major issue, they do offer a lower cost CW9. Here is the info for the P9. http://www.kahr.com/Pistols/Kahr-P9-w-Night-Sights.asp * Black polymer frame, matte stainless slide with tritium night sights Caliber: 9mm Capacity: 7+1 Operation: Trigger cocking DAO; lock breech; "Browning - type" recoil lug; passive striker block; no magazine disconnect Barrel: 3.565", polygonal rifling; 1 - 10 right-hand twist Length O/A: 5.8" Height: 4.5" Slide Width: .90" Weight: Pistol 15 ounces, Magazine 1.9 ounces Grips: Textured polymer Sights: Drift adjustable, tritium night sights Finish: Black polymer frame, matte stainless steel slide Magazines: 2 - 7 rd, Stainless |
#6
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I have the LC9 and like it. It's right in the middle of the other 2 on my permit - LCP and Glock 27
I mostly carry the LCP, and rarely carry the G27 If I wore a belt it would be the LC9 most of the time.
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My house, garages, and business protected by ADT alarms. Just putting it out there.. |
#7
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I went with two Kahr CW-9s (wife and I)---small (but not TOO small), lightweight, slim, stainless slide (sweat resistant), smooth DAO trigger (you may find this trigger takes some getting used to, but remember, this is a self-defense piece, not a target/plinking gun)---both run 100% and shoot right to point of aim with most ammo---I can recommend them...
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#8
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Step one:what kind of belt are you using?If you bought it at Wal-Mart or Men's Warehouse,there's the culprit right there.
Order a proper gun belt from Galco,Bulldog,or Milt Sparks to name a few and you'll be right as rain.You can carry a Desert Eagle Magnum as long as your belt is up to the task.
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The more prohibitions you have, the less virtuous people will be. The more subsidies you have, the less self reliant people will be. -Lao-Tzu, Tau Te Ching. 479 BCE The 1911 may have been in wars for 100 years, but Masetro Bartolomeo Beretta was arming the world 400 years before John Browning was ever a wet dream. Last edited by SilverTauron; 09-07-2013 at 10:40 AM.. |
#9
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I have in the past carried a Glock 30 which was too thick, a M&P 40C, then a Kahr PM9 and currently a Walther PPS which is my overall favorite. All four have been excellent but the only ones I carry nowadays is the Kahr and the Walther because they are thin and very easy to carry. My advise is to get a subcompact that is compact enough for you to always carry. For me the slim line subc's are my favorites. I don't have to wear special clothes to carry like I would with any compact based off service auto's. One of the biggest mistakes I have seen amongst my friends is they try carrying a handgun that is too big to comfortably carry everyday.
Last edited by StuckInTheP.R.O.Ca; 09-07-2013 at 11:00 AM.. |
#10
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Skip the kimber ultras first off. Unreliable.
Look at the kahr p and c series. P series has a better barrel and sights and also machining on slide appearances. G26 is about the upper limit for year round concealability for me and the kahr lineup is much better due to thinness. A g30, glock 26 or bigger is not likely to be your summer carry gun. A great option is the xds 9mm, same capacity and size as a p9 but it weighs more. |
#11
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Look no further that the S&W 442/642. It is my daily carry in a De saints Nemesis holster in the front, back or jacket pocket.
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#12
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My EDC is a XD40 Sub Compact with a White Hat Holster's IWB and I don't even feel it anymore. The reason I went with White Hat Holster's is that you can change out the Kydex depending on your model. My XD40 and XD45 fit the same kydex, and if I want to carry my 1911, takes two minutes to change it out.
I would shot some different weapons then decide.
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"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" [Matt 28:19] |
#15
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Great info, please keep it coming!
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Head Pooper Scooper at the Dirty Dog Ranch Last edited by TBS-POPS; 09-07-2013 at 12:08 PM.. |
#16
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LC9 works better for me, but I really liked carrying the 642 in my jacket pocket in the winter. I would frequently have that around my business as well as the LCP IWB I recommend the 642 style revolvers to anyone, but they are noticably heavier and bulkier than the LCP, and maybe slightly bulkier than the LC9. I feel the revolver IS more reliable in the lint environment, etc.
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My house, garages, and business protected by ADT alarms. Just putting it out there.. |
#17
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#18
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I have been using the lc9 for two years. I bought a belt at police uniform store, two inch usa leather, with a crossbreed breed microtuk single clip it has been wonderful and easy. Im 5 11 180 lbs. I also have a j frame 642, but it is wider then my lc9 and only carry it when on short trips in a desantis superfly pocket holster.
I have a ruger p95dc with 15 round magazine s but carrying on person ccw double stacks is too thick and it really is the car pistol only. I removed the mag disconnect. I carry one extra magazine in a custom kydex clip on I made. |
#19
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By far my old 539 was the easiest gun to hide.Sold it because I couldnt find a holster easily,which is the biggest drawback to the piece. Option 2: Bersa .380 or Walther PPK. Lets face it if you want an easily concealed gun,it's gotta be small.That means the bullet it launches has to be smaller too-it's just physics.Plenty of bad guys are in the ground from .380 rounds ,and plenty of jailhouse carrerists have .45 ACP holes in them and are none the worse off for it.So ,with the "stopping power" shibboleth set aside id strongly consider those options.
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The more prohibitions you have, the less virtuous people will be. The more subsidies you have, the less self reliant people will be. -Lao-Tzu, Tau Te Ching. 479 BCE The 1911 may have been in wars for 100 years, but Masetro Bartolomeo Beretta was arming the world 400 years before John Browning was ever a wet dream. |
#22
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As a "professional" I carried a .380 Walther PPK since 1969.
Yeah, .380 isn't as good as .40 (or the rest) but it hides well, is light and I CARRY it. The gun you carry beats the one you leave at home (or in the car.) And with good shot placement, it works.
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"If we make enough laws, we can all be criminals." Walnut media for bright brass http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=621214 |
#23
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As far as the gun goes, weight (less is better), slimness through the slide and grip (slimmer is better), and the length of the grip (shorter is better) are all keys for IWB carry.
As others has said as well, get a good holster and belt. The holster is kind of obvious, but too many people overlook the belt. It's doesn't need to be anything spectacular, but it should be stiff to where you can't twist it over on itself and it should fit the loops in your holster to a T. Anything from Galco or any of the other major gun leather manufacturers will work. Just stay away from the JC Penny / large mall type stuff. My current IWB rig is a Kahr CW9 in a CompTac Infidel holster with a basic Galco belt that I picked up locally. The back end of the CW9's grip does print a little bit due to it's length when wearing a T shirt but it's not too bad -- I've yet to get any strange stares at the local grocery store or Target. |
#25
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Subcompact is, to me a subjective term, but one I tend to see as the smallest version of a pistol that comes in more than one size, i.e.; Glock 17, 19 and 26.
And a lot depends on what you consider an acceptable weapon to stake your life on. There are those who will confidently carry a small .380, and others who believe anything under 9MM is a mistake. I have no wish to enter into that debate here, but if you are looking for something both capable and more easily concealable than your 1911, with a better weight factor, I'd recommend you look at the HK P2000 SK. I think the P2000 SK is probably the best subcompact pistol available, and it's what I carry other when I don't carry my 1911. |
#26
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Not true. I carry an ultra carry 45 and she runs flawless. Just have to break them in.
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#27
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I have a P938, and I love mine! Here it is, in my hand, and also compared to my Coonan .357 Mag 1911-styled pistol:
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#28
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For a holster gun I carry either a Colt Officers (very heavy), or my Ruger SR9c. But I have the same issue as you. I have to wear suspenders or my pants slide down. For summer, I find that I carry mostly my LC9 in a front pocket holster. It's trigger sucks, but I practiced a lot and can do pretty good with it. It's flat and small and is a 9mm. There are some pretty effective 9mm rounds made now. It's the one I end up carrying most often. I still like a .45, but better a 9mm than carrying nothing at all.
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This year will go down in history.... Don't want to offend anybody |
#29
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I have had several different ultras. Some were reliable and others were TOTALLY unreliable. Make sure the particular one you have is. That being said, I have yet to pull a brand new Glock out of the box and have any problem with it and I have a bunch of them. Not trying to start yet another 1911 vs Glock debate, but there are probably a lot of good reasons why 70% of LEO and Military world wide use them. And you don't have to mess with a manual safety. Are you willing to bet your life and/or that of your family on your ability to make sure that you take the safety off when under very high stress? Yes you can and should train for that, but are you willing to bet on it. I know that when I pull the trigger on my Glock, it goes bang. And that would probably be the case with most of the other striker fired pistols too.
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#30
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I've tried a couple of options for sub-compacts over the years. The Smith 642 has been the best for me - light, powerful, super dependable. Yes its only 5 rounds with slower reload (I carry bianchi speed strip for 6 shooter and load five with gap between 2 and 3 - makes it pretty darn easy/ fast). I use Hornady 135 grain +P HP designed for snubnose... for low light I do like Crimson trace, a likely very effective combo. BTW Like the Glocks but too darn fat, like Khar 9mm almost as much as the 642.
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'I own the guns I own because I acknowledge mankind's shortcomings instead of pretending like they don't exist. There are evil men in this world and there just may be a time when I need to do the unthinkable to protect me or my family,' Joshua Boston "One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics, is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." Plato |
#31
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I used to carry a Glock 27 (subcompact) and then I came to my senses and went to a Glock 23 (compact). I will carry a Ruger LCP under extremely limited circumstances.
The first thing you need to decide is what your purpose is for carrying in the first place. If it is anything beyond only protecting yourself (i.e. take down an active shooter or intervene in an armed robbery) you should consider staying with a midsize gun instead of a subcompact. Go out on the range and try some timed accuracy standards and you will see how limited the subcompact guns and the pocket 380's really are. |
#32
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I just picked up a Sig P290RS that I like, its DAO like the Kahrs, but with an exposed hammer. It also weighs a few more ounces than the Kahr CW9, but I really like how it handles.
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#34
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I have on my ccw a S@W 442, a Kahr P9 and have never carried the Kahr. Most people around here 'both male and female" start out with a larger semi auto then after a period of time get a j frame size revolver or a sub compact auto.
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California's politicians and unionized government employees are a crime gang that makes the Mexican drug cartels look like a Girl Scout Troop in comparison. |
#35
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I like 1911's and have a few of them. My carry piece is a Colt Officers ACP. Not the lightest out there, but the controls are identical to the full size models. In a stressful situation, the last thing you want to be thinking about is which way to flip a thumb safety or a long double action trigger pull.
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AL CGF Contributor NRA Golden Eagle Being north of 70 has definite advantages: I was able to do all my stupid stuff before video cameras, smartphones, utube, and the internet. |
#36
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I carry a Glock 26 or a Ruger LC9. Love the glock and I shoot it well but with the Ruger I cannot shoot it well at all and don't really care for it, my hands are just too big.
I only have the LC9 listed on my license because it is on my wifes licens and we list the same guns. That way when we carry in the diaper bag both of us can be in control of the bag at any time. |
#38
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One of my good friends bought the Kimber Ultra Carry CDP and the gun would jam on every mag. He even took it to the gunsmith to have it throat and polished again, which improved the reliability. Don't get me wrong, I like 1911's and Kimbers and have owned several of them over the years. My winter carry is my Kimber Gold Combat, which feeds and functions flawlessly. However, myself, Dad, and friend now carry Glocks 99% of the time. |
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