Conceal and Carry Suggestion?

[Jessica Carlson]

Glad to hear the XD can withstand a little torture. The XD was the pistol I liked most the first 2-3 times I went looking for a CCW mostly because it was comfortable to hold, wasn't overly heavy, and had a trigger pull I could manage. However, not one person I know owns one and that threw me a little even though I was told they were "really nice guns". In subsiquent trips looking for a CCW I found the M&P and P290 to have similar attributes but I still have not fired any of them. Guess I need to find a range and rent a few :)

I have been shooting since I was a five-year old kid on an Indiana farm, which makes it an unbleievable, to me, 65 years of age. I have spent a total of almost 30 years in police and security work, and have held CCW permits in Arizona and Washington state. After firing numerous handguns over the years, I came across an article on the Springfield XD line. I rented one at a range and put a couple of hundred rounds through it. I finally settled on the XD 40, even though I really want the XD(M) 40. I don't consider it a 'snappy' pistol. the articel was written by a writer who bouight two XDs and put them through the famopus Glock torture test, and they passed with flying colrs. I have never had a FTF and only had two misfires, due to bad rounds.

[Farmhood]

With all due respect.... your husband should NOT be picking the gun YOU carry. I took my wife to the gun store and she held any gun she liked. I went to look at shotguns while she shopped. I offered input ONLY when she asked for it. A gun is a very personal choice and what is right for one person might not feel right to another.

One gun store clerk put it like this "picking a gun for someone to carry is like trying to pick the person they should date or marry."

Your husband might be able to offer input about quality issues, but it has to be your decision!

Can't phrase it better than above. Yo need to go and try as many as needed to find the right fit for you. As FYI my wife absolutely fell in love with M&P 9c, try it on for size. Good luck and have fun deciding!

You know this is right!
Although my wife didn't shoot as many guns, she did settle on my Ruger SR9c, oh well this does afford me the opportunity to look at the Warthawg 45acp :D

[GunClasses.Net]

My advice would be to make sure you not only hold it, but actually shoot it. Take it for a test drive. Make sure all the controls are where you want them, that it handles correctly for you, etc. Just sitting in the car on the lot doesn't tell you whether you will really want to drive it.

The Ruger LCP for example fits a lot of small hands, disappears into a pocket, and delivers a .380ACP bullet (not my FIRST choice, but it can work!). As great as it feels standing at the gun counter, some at the range are uncomfortable with the recoil. Its slim line that is its advantage for concealment is a narrow wedge driven into the hand, and its extremely light weight which is its advantage for carry makes for a real snap in the wrist (plus, the small grip which is great for concealment means most people can't get the pinky finger on it and that also means the perceived recoil is greater).

Bottom line... beyond simple fit to your hand, you have to find the right balance between concealment and controllability and power of: potency, size, and weight. Keep in mind that a gun you don't like to shoot may not get practiced with enough to stay proficient.

That said, my wife tried the LCP and after two shots set it down, saying "Ouch, that hurt; why would I want to do that?"; then took my XD and, after two magazines, said "This, I can do"...

Like others in this forum, I LOVE the XD, myself. Great trigger on it - er, FANTASTIC trigger on it; powerful, but controllable; VERY accurate; small in the sub-compact size...

[CDR_Glock]

Best bet is to go to a store that rents guns. try different models and calibers.

Most recommendations are to go with 38+P or 9 mm and up. Trigger control is key and double action revolvers may or may not work. Lighter is not necessarily better since recoil handling is affected in light guns.

With that being said, the SIg P938 and P238 are excellent carry guns.

[Jessica Carlson]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I took my CCW class last saturday and I'm off to the Sheriff's office tomorrow to finish applying. Time to hit the range and see what I can find :)

[GunClasses.Net]

Jessica, please let this forum know how that goes! :) Enjoy the process.


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[RJ_Whitlock]

I carry a fullsize M&P 9 and I love it, I suggest looking at the M&P9c. With the compact, it will accept fullsize magazines, and the make a grip extension to make it more comfortable.

[Jessica Carlson]

Thanks for the suggestion!

I carry a fullsize M&P 9 and I love it, I suggest looking at the M&P9c. With the compact, it will accept fullsize magazines, and the make a grip extension to make it more comfortable.

[wolf_fire]

Ask yourself this question... would he listen to you if you were adamant that he carry a specific type of handgun?

Carrying is an extremely personal choice and what to carry is based upon many personal factors. Some include: how am I carrying... concealed or open, does the grip fit my hand, does this firearm balance nicely in my hand, can I handle the recoil, etc.

Do not let anyone (including a spouse) tell you what handgun to carry, because if you do end up carrying the one that he picks out for you and you end up not liking it, you will not carry it.

Go out to the gun shop, try as many in your hand as you can. If possible, shoot some of them and see how they operate in your hand. Only then can you really make an informed decision on what to carry.

My wife carries now because she picked out her firearm. I never would have picked the one she did, and she wouldn't have carried the one I would have picked for her Funny thing is, we got a second of the same type she picked out because I loved it so much as a back up gun.

[creatism]

With all due respect.... your husband should NOT be picking the gun YOU carry. I took my wife to the gun store and she held any gun she liked. I went to look at shotguns while she shopped. I offered input ONLY when she asked for it. A gun is a very personal choice and what is right for one person might not feel right to another.

One gun store clerk put it like this "picking a gun for someone to carry is like trying to pick the person they should date or marry."

Your husband might be able to offer input about quality issues, but it has to be your decision!

What he said in spades, unless you are Leo, no one should tell you what gun YOU carry.