Uncertain on Carry Option

[All41AJ]

I've been hunting for many years now and have decided to carry a few months back. Uncertain as to what I should carry and how to do so. 38 special revolver seems like a good option. Don't have to worry about a revolver jamming , but a Ruger LCP .380 is smaller and seems easier to carry. Any recommendations on what to carry and how to carry it?

 

[THard6]

hunting and carrying?
i don't get what you're really asking.
i would buy a 38 before i buy a .380, but i'd buy a .357 before i buy a 38..
and i'd probably carry it in a holster..

 

[All41AJ]

I was saying that I have hunted for quite a while so I'm familiar with handling firearms. I'm now starting to carry at all times (at least when possible) so I was seeing what people thought would be good options. There are many types of handguns and many styles of holsters too so I'm assuming it may depend on preference.

 

[KW730]

It's really all personal opinion. Everyone will urge you to go with the largest caliber you can comfortably carry. If that's .38 or .380 then so be it. I would suggest going to a range that allows you to rent many different guns and find one you like and shoot well.

 

[melensdad]

When I don't carry a 1911 in 45acp (which is most of the time) then I carry a Ruger 380 pocket pistol in a pocket holster.

 

[netsecurity]

I'd go with 9mm, since its ammo is actually cheaper than .380 right now, but even .380 over a revolver. Revolvers only excel at long range shooting and magnum cartridges IMO, and for long range shooting/hunting a long gun is what I use. The revolver is thicker because of the cylinder,which is usually solid steel, since it is like one massive six slot chamber, making it heavy. But the main reason I'd take almost any pistol over a revolver is not because of superior ccw size and weight, but because of superior loading. The magazine is the best technology for rapid reloads. While reloading a revolver often isn't considered a problem for defense, since six shots are better than none, it IS a problem at the range. I like to practice A LOT, especially with the gun that could save my life, and that means reloading a lot. I usually buy four or more magazines and load them all up before going to the range, then use a speed loader to refill them.

Magazines are a must! Even if the mag only holds six rounds, it s superior to a revolver in that you can have several mags on hand. I think that sums up my opinion pretty well.

Oh, PS, Ruger LCP is crap to shoot. Way too light for .380 recoil. It is about the worst range gun possible. Good as a backup to your ccw, not as a main ccw. I carry a M&P9C, but M&P Shield is also popular. In .380 the Walther PPK should be good, but again, 9mm is the way to go for ammo cost and availability. Any .380 that is much smaller than a 9mm seems to have so much recoil that it is not practical to shoot IMO, so 9mm deserves strong consideration, and if you stick with .380 do a lot of research or test fire before buying (or you're likely to be unhappy with it).

 

[actaeon277]

You need to try weapons out, see what "fits" you.
Check if there are any INGO Meet & Shoots in your area. Or look into starting one. In Northwest IN, we have a GREAT set of Meet & Shoots.

You could chat with guys (and girls) here and maybe meet with them somewhere.
There are hundreds of different pistols for a reason. Because SOMEONE likes it. Hard for us to tell you what you like.

 

[All41AJ]

All, thanks for the comments. Been trying out different handguns to see what I like. Interested in any tips or ideas that work for you.

 

[netsecurity]

All, thanks for the comments. Been trying out different handguns to see what I like. Interested in any tips or ideas that work for you.

What works best for me is clearly a compact version of a full size 9mm gun. I recommend you start with M&P9C, Glock 19, Springfield XDSC, or similar. Rent and shoot one of those, then use that as your baseline to compare anything smaller. What you'll probably find is that anything smaller is less accurate, and painful to shoot, even in .380 (strange as it seems). But the compact 9mm's shoot pretty much like the full size, which means you can put hundreds of rounds down range on each trip.

 

[Hosted]

A lot depends on how you want to carry it and how big you are in my opinion. I'm a tall and skinny guy and started carrying a 9mm sub compact but it always felt uncomfortable and a little to wide for me. I now carry an 380 in a pocket holster and am completely happy with it. Yeah there isn't as much power there, but it beats my other gun sitting in my safe.

 

[KW730]

I carry a Glock 19 IWB as my EDC. I use a Kel-Tec P3AT for times I need deep concealment.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

To be quite frank, your question is very similar to "what's the best car for me?" Without knowing you and your needs, your budget, your size, etc. its very tough to make a decent recommendation. There are so many options, and there's so many options within the options.

In some very broad generalities:

Most people find belt carry to be the best option. Usually strong side slightly in front of or slightly behind the hip. There are many other options, appendix carry, crossdraw, small of back, etc. They all have strengths and weaknesses, but for general purposes let's start with strong side slightly behind the hip. There are a multitude of non-belt carry options as well, such as pocket carry, ankle holsters, shoulder holsters, fanny packs (yeah, I know), undershirt holsters, etc. etc.

Now you have to decide if you want to open carry or concealed carry. The majority go with concealed carry. Open carry is simpler, but many folks believe there is a tactical advantage to surprise or they don't want to be bothered with the prejudices of others. Let's assume you'll start concealed. Do you want inside the waistband (IWB) or outside the waist band (OWB). Inside is much easier to conceal and dress around, but depending on the size of your pistol and your build and clothing choice, may be uncomfortable.

Now, for me I prefer a 1911 over any other option but my current employer disagrees. I carry a Sig P220 in an outside the waist band "pancake" style holster. I simultaneously pocket carry a .38 revolver as a backup.

Here's what I recommend:
See what fits you. You can learn to shoot any pistol well, but some are harder than others. For me, Glock is harder to shoot well because the grip angle isn't natural for me to quickly point to target. Grip angle is important and often overlooked.

Size of grip, style of sights, trigger feel, etc. etc. It is all very personal. Try as many guns as you can....then buy a quality 1911.

 

[flhultra]

I agree choose the gun you trust and are confortable with, no mater how big it is , if you are going to carry you will find a way to make it work for you.

 

[KellyinAvon]

Test drive (I mean shoot) a few. Are you driving? Walking? Standing? I like the Blackhawk Serpa holsters and own a lot of shirts that are 2 sizes too big. I picked up a Glock 26 the other day, much better in a car than my Glock 19, but 5 fewer rounds. Weight isn't an issue with either. If I ever need my CC weapon I'd prefer my 1911C 45 ACP, but weight (as in it'll try to pull your pants down) must be considered, along with concealability.

 

[TheNewGuy]

I started out with a sigma series 9mm by S&W......very nice starter gun.....but try what works for you.....

 

[EOD Guy]

To each their own, I like the LCP in a wallet holster. It removes the "gun print" and looks like a wallet in your pocket...would suprise anyone trying to mug you.

 

[All41AJ]

To each their own, I like the LCP in a wallet holster. It removes the "gun print" and looks like a wallet in your pocket...would suprise anyone trying to mug you.

I like the look of this wallet holster. I know many that have had a pocket holster and it ends up wearing a mark on the jeans and you can tell what it is. This is a good alternative.

Thanks

 

[Concerned Citizen]

So you say you are going to carry every day, so the first question is, do you HAVE TO conceal to keep boss/customers from knowing? If you have to, then you need to either go with something IWB, pocket carry, or ankle carry. That way you will be armed, but not obviuos. Down side; not easy access when the crap hits the fan.

My EDC is an FNP-9, w/16 round mag. Full size semi-auto. For work, I usually need to CC, because I deal with customers on a regular basis, and I generaly don't know how they would react, so I CC IWB at 6:00 with a Crossbread SuperTuck. There are 3 people in my office besides me, and in the last two years, only my secretary has "outed" me. I did have one customer out me that I am building a house for, but he owns more guns than I do, so I suspected he would probably spot the belt clips on my SuperTuck eventually.

When I am out of the office and don't have sales calls to make, I generally OC at 3:00 with a Serpa.

Before I got serious about carrying, I started carrying with a Ruger SP-101, 357 Mag 5 shot revolver, with an Uncle Mikes IWB leather holster. It is a small frame revolver (since the cylinder only holds 5), so easier to conceal, but the 357Mag has better stopping power than a 38 or 380.

Now the 101 is just a BUG, but I usually don't carry both. With the right gear, it's easy to conceal a full size weapon.