I’ve carried a Rossi .38 5-shot snub for the last couple of years now everywhere I’ve gone. As to your dilemma, go with what a Freeper above me said - figure out which one is comfortable for you. Some people swear by Glocks, but there’s always been something about them I don’t care for, and it’s hard to put my finger on exactly what. But if you love it, go with it. The next sidearm I want is a Kimber 1911 of some variety.
Whatever you choose to carry, it must be:
1. 100% reliable, it must fire every time.
2. It must be lethal. Carrying .22’s and .380’s is woefully optimistic. .38 Special and 9mm Parabellum are the minimum.
3. It must be concealable. Steer clear of the fat butt 40 round supermag Service weapons and look for something slim.
Beware of the carry expert with big ideas and no experience.
Guns that are good for concealed carry are usually not much fun to shoot.
A lot depends on your body size and the way you typically dress.
I think the consensus is that a gun you are comfortable with and that you will carry, is the most important criteria, but I would always complement a cc with an appropriate knife.
This is because a gun and a knife are indeed complementary, and for optimal self defense you need both.
The third side of the triangle is situational awareness, because a lot of situations are either “sneak up behind you”, “quick and in your face”, or “not sure if I should act or just stand here”.
For this I remember the desert rule: that people have died of thirst in the desert with a full canteen of water they saved.
Well, you seem to be wanting a few things rolled into one. Keep in mind that guns are tools, each meant for a specific job. Does that mean you can’t find one that satisfies two desires? No, but gain one feature and you will most likely sacrifice a little on another.
There are too many variables to what gun you should buy. Price, body size, strength, habits, temperament, how you want to use it - all of them could be factors.
But I can tell you things I’ve learned about selecting a gun.
First of all, never let anyone tell you that a gun is too much for you or that you’ll be in danger if you have a certain model. We all drive 2000 lb machines in traffic every day, making coordinated decisions each second. A gun is simple. Point and click. If you can learn not to smash into traffic or avoid driving off a cliff, you can learn to work any gun. Just treat it like what it is - a deadly weapon - at all times.
Go to a gun store with a big inventory and handle a lot of pistols. Then go back and handle them all again. You will know which ones feel right in your hand. Don’t compromise on this no matter how pretty a gun is.
You can read a million things about any gun, good and bad. People are opinionated, and will not always be truthful with you, even if they don’t know it. When you find a gun you think you want to buy, research it thoroughly on the internet, giving more weight to the opinions of those who actually use and test the gun. I bought a CZ-97B and loved it until I found out that it was fickle about ammo. Now it sits in the closet.
This is the WORST thing that can happen. Once you feel a gun is unreliable, it will become a paperweight. I can’t tell you how to avoid that - even pricey, normally reliable guns can have eccentricities - but don’t sweat it too much. Just do one thing: find a deal. Guns keep their value. As long as you don’t overpay, you can always get your money back. Don’t just walk into the first gun shop and say, “I’d like to buy this gun.” Be patient. Shop around. Use sites like GunsAmerica and Gunbroker to get an idea of what you should be paying. Then deal. It’s like buying a car. Most good gun stores will work with you. Gun shows are even better. Those guys have invested in a weekend to sell guns. If it comes down to Sunday afternoon and they’re looking to make one more sale before they pack up, you might get a heck of a deal.
Oh, and if you want the PERFECT gun, look for a Kimber SIS Pro .45 ACP. I just bought one, and it’s the best gun ever! haha.
Rule #1 - gun beats no gun
Rule #2 - shot placement beats big bullets
Rule #3 - he who shoots first, normally shoots last
Rule #4 - the more you practice the less you bleed
Corollary #1 - the gun that gets left home because it is:
too heavy
uncomfortable
not concealable
... is the same as no gun (see rule #1)
Corollary #2 - a .22 that hits beats a .44 mag that misses. Don’t buy a gun that you can’t shoot back to back shots accurately
Corollary #3 - The best gun in the world wont do you any good if you cant get it out of the holster and into the fight.
Corollary #4 - Use the range to improve your skills with accuracy, clearing jams and malfunctions, post fight checks (look left and right, check behind you, ask if everyone is alright). At home AND WITH DUMMY AMMO, practice draws and speed drills.
Check out the Star PD http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=301124801
Or the 44 Bulldog http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=300972346
Both are pretty concealable but pack plenty of punch.
I looked and tried for a long time and ended up with:
- medimum size carry: Glock 19 with SuperTuck holster http://crossbreedholsters.com/SuperTuckDeluxe/tabid/90/List/0/ProductID/1/CategoryID/1/Level/1/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName
- small size carry: Kahr CM9 is fine (cheaper version of PM9) with MiniTuck holster http://crossbreedholsters.com/MiniTuck/tabid/91/List/0/ProductID/6/CategoryID/1/Level/1/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName
Must get a gun you will carry. Unless you live in a dangerous environment, 7 shots of 9mm is fine, lightweight, and you can carry it almost everywhere wearing almost anything. Got my PM9 on now and it’s my most used of five carry guns. Glock 19 with heavier clothing.
Both guns are fun to shoot. 9mm is a great bullet for self-defense (get the extra power +P or +P+).
CrossBreed holsters (listed above) are extremely comfortable for in the waistband (10% discount for NRA, military, police, etc.)
If you don’t shoot regularly, there’s a lot to be said for a double action revolver in 38 Special or 357 Magnum.
Although it’s pricey, I was introduced to the Kimber Ultra Raptor II in stainless. It’s a sweet compact .45 that fits very nicely in a IWB holster and tucks cleanly out of sight. It’s capable of sub 3” groups at 25 yards and is capable of handling a wide variety of ammo. You could pick up pair of Glocks for the price of one of these but I have to tell you once it’s in your hands you won’t want to put it down. The trigger pull is crisp and clean at about 4lbs. The tritium night sights are excellent in low light conditions. The frame is lightweight aluminum with a stainless steel slide. Empty it weighs around 25oz. This one got my vote for best carry piece.
I’d recommend being open to buying several guns. For a house gun, better with a submachine gun or big pistol for maneuvering.. ..or shotgun and rifle but muzzle blast and loudness and size are difficult dealing with in halls, tight spaces. But if defending a castle, property from approaching zombies these are good. Or you could travel with these guns.
Feel out different pieces and rent some guns at a range to shoot. Different calibers, different sizes.
Affordable light small reliable choices for carry would be a Taurus or Charter Arms snubbie, or Bersa Thunder .380.
However, now 9mm is available in these sizes like the Smith and Wesson single stack Shield, or a Kahr PM9, or Kel-Tec PF9, etc which are more powerful.
Also, weigh carrying for comfort vs. carrying for worst case scenario. Better to have it and not need it, etc so the saying goes. Because a small gun is not some powerful totem that will ward off evil. All handguns are anemic and a smaller pistol even more limiting.
Toting a snubbie for example limits you to what the gun can do. The advantage is it can make body contact with a perp and the gun will fire. Which makes it a nice backup piece or secondary. However what if you need to make a shot from some distance with accuracy while moving?
Or people who have 7 measly rounds on them. Well, if you present the gun to a criminal, he may run away. Or if you fire a loud shot one may run away. But what if 5 perps aren’t impressed? Will 7 rounds hold you on a dark night miles from home? And the odds are you will face numerous attackers, not one.
Check up videos online of real shoot-outs. People getting hit with all kinds of calibers and lots of times the criminals aren’t falling down, they are hit and run away. You’ll need to shoot them into the ground. That means lots of ammo.
The number one issue should be reliability so Glock, Heckler and Koch, SIG Sauer P series, Beretta, Walther, Springfield Armory XD’s or revolvers.
Also with many of these you can have 30 plus round happy sticks in the car for suppressive fire.
I personally don’t go anywhere without minimum 2 blades fixed/folding, a handgun, and at least 75 rounds on person/vehicle. Not to mention Celox, battlefield dressing, gauze, rubber gloves, flashlights, etc. Of course this area can be a freaking war zone.