Thoughts on Carrying Large Semi-Autos

[Silversmok3]

Ive seen several quality handguns sold as 'compact' or 'ccw carry' guns. Understand Im not critiquing the use of smaller guns for carry, but im asking why many people prefer a smaller or 'compact' gun to carry versus a 'full size' weapon.

I ask because ive carried my 4506 comfortably in an IWB holster for about a month now without unreasonable discomfort.I even pulled off carrying it in a business casual attire in the same holster and tucking the shirt around it for a job interview surprisingly.. Yes, I have a small waist, but im just wondering if i am a concealed carry anomaly in carrying a full size weapon versus a 'compact' gun, or is the short-barreled 'CCW friendly' gun a marketing gimmick, no offense.

Related to this topic, if a youtube video I saw earlier is accurate, someone out there is carrying a .50 AE Desert Eagle for concealed carry.

 

[williamlayton]

I have carried--for year--a weapon of full size--just stuck in the waist band without a scabbard.
Blessings

 

[jppezz23]

I carry an SD40 or my 357 ruger 4 inch revolver.

 

[Dowmace]

I carry my sigma 9mm usually.

 

[MSgt G]

Les Baer SRP Commanche in .45 acp OR a Smith and Wesson M&P 9 compact WITH a Smith and Wesson M&P 340.

 

[computeruser]

I would suspect that comfort and convenience would be the primary motivators for carrying a compact - smaller in size, lighter in weight - along with concerns about the need for the weapon to stay very concealed versus just sorta concealed. Lots of folks simply aren't big enough in the right places and small enough in the right places to pull off making a full-size gun invisible, and if invisible is a requirement, then full-size is out for them. This would include folks carrying in workplaces or social circles where carry is frowned upon or forbidden, or in NPEs. And we need to be honest here, there IS a difference between covering a gun with an untucked shirt or sportcoat or sweater, and making that gun invisible throughout a range of movement in the presence of spectators.

Additionally, there is a balance in carry between concealment and accessibility, and sometimes this balance favors a smaller piece that doesn't require as much effort to conceal because it can then be accessed quicker, as opposed to a larger piece that requires tucking a shirt, wearing extra layers, etc., in order to achieve the desired level of concealment.

Ultimately the gun you choose to wear is rather like the clothes you choose to wear - pick something that fits you and is suitable for the occasion, and if that means you're not wearing the exact same thing as the next guy, so be it.

 

[Bill_inBouse]

I think one must also take into account the weather. Here as the weather warms up the clothes come off and smaller is definitely better for concealing. Winter carry a Colt .45, Summer time is a LCP in the front pocket.

 

[427mach1]

I carry my 4013TSW (3.5" barrel) but have carried my Ruger KP944 (4.2" barrel, full-size .40 caliber) as well as my M&P 9mm (also full-size). It does depend on the weather and what you are wearing. Winter time with the "layered" look allows better concealment for larger weapons for most people.

In most areas, self-defense will occur at short range so the improved accuracy of a long barrel isn't necessary. Also, it would be hard to legally defend a long range self-defense.

The best advice is to carry a gun that is concealable and that you are comfortable, confident, and competent with. It sounds like you have already found this firearm, so there is no reason for you to change, unless you are just looking for an excuse to buy another gun and that is never discouraged here!

 

[CatnPhx]

I live in Phoenix ... it's warm/hot most of the year so my rotation consists of:

• M&P 9c (w/ Crossbreed Supertuck IWB)
• S&W .357 Model 640-1 (w/ Galco KingTuk IWB)
• Kahr CW9 (w/ Kholster Crescent IWB)

It works for me and it gives me options based on weather, activity, mood, clothing, etc...

 

[RufusG]

I answered mix and match. To me "compact" is a 6946. That's the smallest gun I'll carry. I really don't care to go below a 3.5" barrel on a 9mm.

 

[rockopr]

I practice with and carry a similar gun,in my case a G22,when i go to the range i put a conversion barrell and shot 9MM,then i swap to the .40 and shot a couple of boxes.I use a CompTac minotaur and sometimes i have to touch it to feel it there.I am going to alternate it with a 686 in 4" soon wich is going to be my carry weapon when hunting season begins here.
But then again,what suits you best and what's more comfortable for you will do serve the purpose for what you want.Do practice a lot and know your weapon.Now i'm practicing IPSC in a concealed manner to see what my strenghts are and what i need to develop.
Also recently bought me an M&P Pro in .40 ,it is slimmer than the Glock and i love how it feels and shoots.As soon as i get the 9MM barrel i will use it to practice as well and eventually if it feels good and stands my test i will use it for concealed carry.If it survives 4000 rounds without a hiccup and no cleaning it is a swap for the glock,so far no failures in 2000 rounds

 

[OFT II]

I usually carry a Colt LW Commander in a Don Hume IWB holster. My other carry pieces are a model 12 with a 4" barrel or a 66 with a 2 3/4" barrel. Occasionally, usually in winter I may have a full size 1911 or Hi Power. The Commander gets the most use.

 

[seagill]

I don't feel my S&W 908 is a "marketing gimmick", no offense taken.

 

[Old cop]

I'm retired now over 14 years and my environment is relatively safe. As such my daily carry is either a J frame or my old Colt Cobra.

 

[jtpur]

Ive seen several quality handguns sold as 'compact' or 'ccw carry' guns. Understand Im not critiquing the use of smaller guns for carry, but im asking why many people prefer a smaller or 'compact' gun to carry versus a 'full size' weapon.

I ask because ive carried my 4506 comfortably in an IWB holster for about a month now without unreasonable discomfort.I even pulled off carrying it in a business casual attire in the same holster and tucking the shirt around it for a job interview surprisingly.. Yes, I have a small waist, but im just wondering if i am a concealed carry anomaly in carrying a full size weapon versus a 'compact' gun, or is the short-barreled 'CCW friendly' gun a marketing gimmick, no offense.

Related to this topic, if a youtube video I saw earlier is accurate, someone out there is carrying a .50 AE Desert Eagle for concealed carry.

I carry mostly smaller pocket guns because I just do not feel comfortable carrying larger ones. I have concealed a full seize 9mm a Model 19 4" barrell, model 12's, 36's walther ppk, sig (cant remember the model but it was a monster) and my keltec.......I carry the kel the most cause it fits so well in my pocket and is easy to get too.....I dont trust it 100% and prefer my model 36......but I dont like carrying in my waist band....its too uncomfortable for me and I dont like holsters that I have to cover with a floppy shirt...so for me its a matter of comfort, style and carrying so that at least I feel armed and able to defend myself if need be...In my opinion too many people opt for large guns and dont carry... for those who like to carry large.....more power to you........Im glad you feel comfortable...carry should make you comfortable not feel comfortable as in being dressed comfortably......just my two cents worth...so what do I do, carry for comfortable dress....contradiction I know but thats just me.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I carried a .45 ACP Government Model (Stainless) IWB in a Summer Special for quite a few years, until I got a job whose normal dress didn't allow for that. After about five years of mostly off-body and occasionally ankle carry (of revolvers), I had kind of gotten out of the habit of handling a .45 Auto, and felt very comfortable with my revolvers, so when the job ended, I kept on carrying revolvers, mostly. Pretty much started using OWB, sometimes pocket.

I still have no problem carrying a slab-sided gun, but I feel that my revolvers are adequate for what is likely to come along (most likely nothing, distant second an aggressive dog). I live in a pretty peaceful area.

 

[cjw3]

Ive seen several quality handguns sold as 'compact' or 'ccw carry' guns. Understand Im not critiquing the use of smaller guns for carry, but im asking why many people prefer a smaller or 'compact' gun to carry versus a 'full size' weapon.

I ask because ive carried my 4506 comfortably in an IWB holster for about a month now without unreasonable discomfort.I even pulled off carrying it in a business casual attire in the same holster and tucking the shirt around it for a job interview surprisingly.. Yes, I have a small waist, but im just wondering if i am a concealed carry anomaly in carrying a full size weapon versus a 'compact' gun, or is the short-barreled 'CCW friendly' gun a marketing gimmick, no offense.

Related to this topic, if a youtube video I saw earlier is accurate, someone out there is carrying a .50 AE Desert Eagle for concealed carry.

I looked at a 4506 just the other day....that is a BIG gun.

My hat is off to you for carrying one IWB.

After looking at it, I wondered if I would even want to tote that around in a duty belt. I've always heard that they are tough as a tank and excellent shooters.

For CC away from the house, I carry a Model 60 .38 Special about 98% of the time. The other 2% it is a Glock Model 27. Both of these are in pocket holsters of one kind or another, however I also have ClipDraw's on both of them and occasionally use these.

 

[Dave Nash]

Ive seen several quality handguns sold as 'compact' or 'ccw carry' guns. Understand Im not critiquing the use of smaller guns for carry, but im asking why many people prefer a smaller or 'compact' gun to carry versus a 'full size' weapon.

I ask because ive carried my 4506 comfortably in an IWB holster for about a month now without unreasonable discomfort.I even pulled off carrying it in a business casual attire in the same holster and tucking the shirt around it for a job interview surprisingly.. Yes, I have a small waist, but im just wondering if i am a concealed carry anomaly in carrying a full size weapon versus a 'compact' gun, or is the short-barreled 'CCW friendly' gun a marketing gimmick, no offense.

Related to this topic, if a youtube video I saw earlier is accurate, someone out there is carrying a .50 AE Desert Eagle for concealed carry.

“Silversmok3”:

You are certainly not an anomaly. The 4506 like the 1911 is a relatively flat gun that can be easily tucked down into the waistband without a great deal of discomfort to the wearer or distortion of the body’s natural sight lines, which, if disturbed, might serve to give things away to even a casual observer.

Fact is, if you are male and wearing the gun in a typical behind-the-strong-side-hip position, it is quite often the bulk of a reholsterable IWB model and not the gun itself that can cause a problem of waistline bulging and pant surfaces distorting enough to become a “tell” for others to pick up on. Note that the more common collapsible, soft-bodied designs are not as prone to creating this effect but they can have problems of their own.

So with such large guns being relatively concealable in this manner, and overlooking for a moment, the fact that some people have physical shapes that will not allow them to carry this way and who must go to something either shorter-barreled or littler overall, the reasons that many people gravitate to “a smaller or ‘compact’ gun to carry” usually stem from matters of convenience and not because of the undue influence of a marketing gimmick.

Even with the increased interest in “tuckable” IWB holsters, one still needs to be able to cover the exposed gun butt on large frame pistols carried in the manner. This limits the types and styles of clothing one can wear and some people simply don’t have the luxury of always being able to dress in something that falls within the guidelines that such a carry method dictates.

Then there is the fact that the gun, while flat, a desirable characteristic in any carried firearm – let alone a big one, is still heavy and over time, many people grow tired of lugging the extra weight around. Granted, a good holster and belt combination as well as pants that fit properly when the gun is installed on them can go a long way to minimize the clumsiness and “sagging” sensation such weight can create. But for some people, no matter how good their carry gear might be, it just gets tiresome and they move on to something else in the way of a firearm.

Note also that what I have described here so far, is a combination of physical and psychological matters. There are also pure physical issues (a hip structure where the gun is either uncomfortable or even outright painful to wear in the manner that you are employing; a hip-to-waist relationship where the gun just can’t be dropped into the waistline; etc.) and there are also strictly psychological issues (where people just believe that a gun so large cannot be carried effectively in this manner and no matter how much they try – if they try – they will never get used to it).

So as a result of any of these things, some people, still wanting to tote around a full size service auto like yours, might then have to entertain something other than an IWB holster (of any kind). But whether they choose a Strong Side, in-front-or-behind-the-hip model or a CrossBody on-the-belt or under-the-arm holster, they still have the weight and now an even greater issue with covering garments to contend with.

For all of those reasons and more, it can just become easier to find a smaller (and still flat) gun to slip into the waistline or carry in a pocket or on an ankle; especially if it weighs significantly less as well taking up a smaller space on the body. And the use of pocket and ankle holsters also opens the door to conveniently carrying small (short barreled, round butted and generally 5-shot) revolvers made from all kinds of lightweight materials that in some cases, seem to weigh about as much as the shoe one might be wearing on the leg that holds the holstered weapon.

These are but a few of the reasons that people carry smaller guns concealed. Hope they help you to understand why some folks move in that direction while many carry just like you do.

 

[russp1]

I wouldn't call the compact carry idea a marketing gimmick. After a lot of reading and trying out a number of guns, the wife and I went with airweight J frames (442/642). There are a number of threads on this forum that ask the question of what do you carry most and the answer is usually a compact, often a revolver. While sometimes a full size will work as someone's CCW gun, a J frame or pocket auto always will.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I voted both.

I carry two guns always.

In cooler weather were it's easier to dress around a full size gun and a smaller gun in a jacket pocket or pants pocket.

Warmer weather I carry two smaller guns. Sometimes IWB and sometimes in both front pants pockets.