Concealed Carry Choices

[Brad69]

Ok I have been asked numerous times by friends and neighbors. What kind of handgun should I get For CC.
They assume that being retired from the Army I am a CC expert. I carried and qualified with the.45 and the M9. In 24 years I drew my pistol twice one time I was not armed with anything else the other was to look into a tunnel.
I have received some very high speed training and shot so much at times I was sick of it (thanks taxpayers).
Here is how I recommend a handgun

1. Do you shoot?
The answer is usually I shot a weapon once as a kid or I hunt once in awhile.

2. How often do you plan on practice or take a class?
The answer is I don't know or not much.

My standard recommendation is a.22 revolver! Yes no knockdown power which is a myth by the way. If they are not going to put the effort to train on on a regular basis my logic is to keep it simple. Auto pistols are harder to operate do not like to be limp wristed. Recoil and blast can be intimidating to the novice and can induce flinching that is hard to retrain. I helped a lady that had bought a G43 that jammed at least once on every magazine. I could fire it all day long with no malfunctioning. She did not have the strength in her wrists and hands to allow it to function correctly. I let her shoot my S&W shield which she could shoot with no malfunctions. I have seen some awful choices for CC the Judge .410/45 is a popular one that is not for the timid. One poor woman was terrified of that thing closed her eyes and jerked the trigger. She was a good shot with its replacement a PT111 nice pistol with light recoil.
I carry a Sig 250c, S&W shield, Glock17, and occasionally a nickel S&W M19.
So let's hear your ideas on my advice?

 

[chezuki]

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Sounds like you're on to the recommendation I hear most--try out several guns to see which you shoot the best. Find a friend that has a decent sample he or she will let you try or find a range that will let you rent some.

 

[Light]

I've been recommending the Shield 9mm to most everyone I know. It's just all around a good compact reliable gun. My only qualm with it is the slide stop.
To guys that already shoot, I recommend a Glock 26 or Glock 19. As long as they are alright with the ergonomics, they're just reliable guns.
Revolvers do still work, and if someone feels more comfortable with a Revolver, so be it. Better to carry than not at all, but a semi-auto adds more capacity and easier reloads.

I personally don't agree with the people to always want to shove revolvers into the hands of women. If they are actually interested in carrying, take the time to show them how to properly work an entire gun. If you force a revolver on them, they aren't "stupid", you are lazy.

I don't really recommend .22 handguns either. I'm one of those people that feel it needs to be center-fire at minimum.

 

[Brad69]

That's the kinda feedback I need. Here is the logic I have on the .22 I actually recommend the .22 mag in the Taurus 941 or the Ruger lcp. It's not only a women thing it's the I really am not gonna train much thing man or woman. Low recoil limited blast lets them have more confidence and have more of a chance of hitting something. I do think that a few hits from a .22 mag will stop most situations just as well as a .32 or .380. I see auto pistols for people like us that put the time in to be able to use it in stressful situation. Being serious it comes down to muscle memory to operate a pistol. That takes continuously training with what ever pistol. So how is more simple bad for a non gun person.

 

[actaeon277]

I tell people, they need to try different guns. I can explain different options, but I can not recommend a gun any more than I can recommend a car to someone that's never driven.

 

[looney2ns]

The answer is always "the one you shoot the best and are comfortable with".

And nothing with the word Taurus or Hi-point on it.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I don't recommend rimfire for self defense unless arthritis or the like simply makes anything else impossible. Rimfire is not as reliable as center fire ammo. Terminal ballistics are extremely poor, especially from handgun length barrels.

While a rim fire revolver is perfect for practice, a .38 is a significant step up if your life is on the line. Recoil from .38 wadcutters is minimal through a steel revolver, and you retain the option of running .38+P for carry if recoil is not an issue. At least with Ruger, you'll also find that center fire revolvers have better triggers.

Barring physical ailments, I would not recommend dropping below .38 in a revolver or .380 (and preferably 9mm) in a semi-auto.

 

[Light]

I second BBI.

I've seen gel tests with .380 and although it's better than nothing and reliable, I would recommend 9mm over it.

 

[Doublehelix]

I personally don't agree with the people to always want to shove revolvers into the hands of women. If they are actually interested in carrying, take the time to show them how to properly work an entire gun. If you force a revolver on them, they aren't "stupid", you are lazy.

I hear what you are saying, however it is not always up to me to train everyone that asks me about a handgun. Like the OP, I get asked a lot (as I am sure a lot of us around are), and I prefer to recommend a 9 mm to most, or for some of the really diminutive folks, a .380, but only if I really feel there is no other choice. But either way, I wouldn't call myself lazy because I cannot take the time to train each and every request. I do take the time to train my family well, and a few friends that have acquired new handguns, but I do not have the time nor the desire to work with each and every person that asks for my advice on a handgun.

My favorite response is: "Here are some that I have tried that I think would work well in your situation, but you will need to go down the range and rent a few and try them out." (Similar advice that others seem to give.) The problem with this advice is that if they have no clue about guns, they are not going to able to do this safely, plus the intimidation factor of walking into a LGS and renting a gun or two when you have no experience is too high of a barrier. You end up with people that either 1) Do nothing or 2) Buy a gun that is not the best fit for them. The other option that comes up way too often is that they ask me to go in with them and help them. Sometimes I can, sometimes I cannot.

So how do we, as responsible gun owners, handle these requests without becoming a resource for free demo'ing and training for everyone that asks?

 

[Excalibur]

There are a couple classes that are all about learning the basics of the gun before you even go to the range. See if the local ranges have classes that teaches you how to shoot a gun.

I don't recommend people guns immediately based on looks. You'd be surprised how much gun a person can or cannot handle regardless of body size or supposed strength. Also, don't instantly insult a woman by saying they can't shoot anything bigger than a .22 or they are not smart enough for anything than a revolver either. I hear that a lot. I'd also encourage beginner to try all types of guns and see what fits them the best and encourage them to train and practice until they know what type of shooter they all. Most people don't start off loving certain guns or appreciate certain things about guns. That takes time and patience and a lot of range time.

 

[Brad69]

Well guys I don't train or recommend to everyone that asks. Yes of course I would like to see the non weapon crowd go to the range and put in some time and try out different pistols. Yes I do believe 9mm/.38 special is the minimum the even a person with rudimentary training should use. What I am talking about are CCW holders that may shoot once and think they are safe. I think a condition of a CCW permit should be a basic course flame on. Oh by the way I got the chance to spend 3 fun filled years as a involuntary Drill Sergeant I was not GIT certified. I got really good at telling which ones were stupid at 25 feet or as soon as they opened their mouth. Same with civilians but most them think the mere presence of a weapon will ensure their safety. The serious bad actors out there will take that pistol in put in their fourth point of contact.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Yes I do believe 9mm/.38 special is the minimum the even a person with rudimentary training should use. What I am talking about are CCW holders that may shoot once and think they are safe.

If they are only shooting once, who cares about the pretty minimal recoil difference between a .22 and a .38? A 4" revolver with rubber grips running standard pressure .38 is extremely low recoil. I'm with you on recommending a revolver for people who won't/can't learn about their weapon. Administrative handling is easier, they are less likely to shoot themselves or someone else accidentally, and revolvers are more tolerant of neglect. You just lose me on rim fire. I've seen literally hundreds of people shot, and in terms of both physical and psychological stops the .22 sucks compared to any of the center fire offerings. Add in the fact more rim fire cartridges fail to fire vs center fire and it's a easy choice to step up to the .38 regardless of training level.

 

[seagullplayer]

My mom asked me to clean her handguns last week. I didn't know she had any! She has always been able to shoot a long gun and hunted
squirrel with my dad when I was a kid. She knows her way around a shotgun. I do clean her 12 gauge now and again.

Anyway she has a missed up hand from an work place industrial accident years ago. I really don't think she could operate a slide.
She had two pistols a S&W 38 revolver, really nice older gun and a Beretta 25 with the flip up barrel.

She likes the little Beretta 950, once you load the barrel and slide the clip in you are ready to shoot. You don't have to rack the slide.
It sure is easy to carry. I can see why it has a following.

 

[Ibuytumuch]

The Kahr CT380 might be a good choice. Kahr's have the 300 round break in period though, so hopefully it will force them to shoot. It was one of my top runners when I first started looking.