Carry guns

[dubhelix]

EDC

I like my K and L frame wheelguns just fine, but I most often find myself with a Stainless J frame, Model 640 no dash.

 

[smithman 10]

Carry guns - Keeping it real simple here

Here's what I carry. I've shown the first photo several times before. A Model 60 with bobbed hammer, 2" Model 15 and a 3" Model 65. Plus a 2" Model 64 I just found.

They are all steel guns. That makes them a lot more comfortable to practice with.

The Model 60 is not as lightweight as an airweight but still okay for front pocket carry.

Main thing is I'll never have to think about the manual of arms if I ever have to use one of these revolvers. Plus the wife knows the drill too.

 

[cjtraining]

My BUG/OD/SD

Love those Bodyguards

 

[loknload]

My first carry piece was a Md#37. Over the years I have carried various others and I always come back to the revolver.
My current carry sidearms, S&W 36, Glock 27 and a .380 LCP.
The Smith usualy goes first and is always ready. The Glock 27 is my favorite auto to carry and the .380 is when nothing else fits.

Regards,
LnL

 

[JDW250]

Here are my 3 primary carry pieces. My BG380 was my primary carry piece until I fell in love with stainless .357 revolvers. Since then, I've thought about selling the BG380. But that little thing is great when I need to carry super light. My 66-5 is my favorite shooter of the 3, but I don't yet have the right holster for it. Maybe I'll have to get myself something nice for Christmas. So my 60-9 is now my primary carry piece. I have it mated with a Remora no clip IWB and love it. I also have a Remora for my BG380 and I am impressed with both.

 

[chp]

Glock 26, J Frames and Spydercos. Everyday.

 

[haywood]

I like my Snub Revolvers Best for carry. I carry Two at all times plus reloads for both, pepper spray, flashlight, multi tool, cell phone, wallet money clip, and keys. The Snubs I rotate as Carry Guns are 617 Taurus, Sp101 Ruger, LCR357 Ruger, 442 S&W, and Bobbed 37 S&W. I have a Glock 26 but I like the Revolvers better.

 

[GatorFarmer]

GP 100s are a heavy gun, for those that don't shoot Rugers, they are like a sturdy L frame 686. For the .357 mag - when actually using magnum ammo, that's a good thing. Makes them a lot more controllable and they'll run on full power ammo that would eventually kill a K frame.

But... A Model 65 3" RB might eliminate the need to have two guns in the carry rotation. It splits the difference. A decent used one shouldn't run much more to replace than a new Ruger, might be less, I haven't priced Rugers lately.

The older Six Series Rugers would also split the difference. Used to run about 350 to 400 for a used snub one, that may have gone up, may have gone down. Still will last a long while, maybe forever with full power ammo. And they are a bit more compact than the GP and seem to balance better (and hold one more round than the SPs). I had a snub one for a while. It was loud, but fairly controllable. It would also fit, if memory serves, in holsters meant for 3" K frames.

 

[oldafsp]

I love the 638 Bodyguard. I had a 49 in nickle many years ago and regret selling it to a friend.

As far as accuracy. Practice makes perfect...

I do this once a month drill. It pays off.

 

[Marshal Tom]

I carried many 1911's almost exclusively for about 35 years as an UnderSheriff and Chief of Police. I still love my 1911's but now that I am retired from LE I find myself carrying a J frame all the time out of convenience and portability. I currently carry an M&P 340 with speed stripes and a speedloader but worry that I should be carrying something with more rounds etc. I feel that at this point in my life I will probably get into something up close and personal and that my 340 with SB Gold Dots in .38 will most likely take care of the problem. Still evaluating carry issues. I am thinking of an LCP for summer carry but would rather have something with more zip than a .380.

Tom

 

[MTKTM]

I've had a CCW permit since the late '70s and have carried everything from a Series 70 Gold Cup on the large end, to a Seecamp 32 on the small. At present my primary carry guns are a 340PD, a Springfield Armory EMP in 9mm, and the aforementioned Seecamp which is when I'm really wanting to go light.

I recently acquired a 2.5" S&W Model 19, nickel finish, and would love to carry that as my winter carry gun, but it's in such excellent condition that I worry about damaging the finish. Any suggestions for a good holster, and also for caring for a nickel finish? I have owned a lot of guns in my lifetime, but this is the first nickel one.

 

[Helderberg]

I change between a LC9 Ruger and a 380 S&W Bodyguard. Both have the same controls, lock back after last round, same placement of mag eject, safety if I choose to use it, same long trigger. I personally prefer the long trigger on both of these for personal defense. I like not having to worry about a flinch or a finger sliding off the frame, pulling the trigger and shooting the gun. Personal preference that I believe is equal to my abilities.
Be safe, Frank.

 

[Pete99004]

I was struggling with buying a M60 in .357 vs a M442 in .38 spl. for carry and for my wife to shoot earlier this week. After reading many posts - I went in to my LGS and took a hard look at both of them side by side and the Ruger LCR in .357 - I was so impressed with the way the Ruger fit my hand, the trigger pull while dry firing and the 17oz. weight (and the fact it was $60 less than the M60) that I bought the Ruger!

Brought it home, cleaned it and took it out to the barn range - wow am I pleased with this gun. It took .38 spl. like it was firing .22LR - .38+P was not much different and the .357 Mag rounds were very manageable. Shooting 3" target circles at 30' in rapid fire mode and my groups were all rounds inside the 3" diameter - that is as well as I shoot my 4003 which I feel I handle very well.

Ruger is on to something here with this little revolver - the trigger pull is very smooth right out of the box and feels like a lighter pull than my 686+. The recoil is very manageable and for a revolver this small I'm really impressed. Put all that with the price point and even though it's not a Smith - Ruger is going to sell a few of these in the .357 model.

Pete

 

[khiggins498]

I carry my 4566 in a DeSantis Cozy Partner IWB. Yes, it's a somewhat heavy gun, but it's lighter than my duty belt at work and the holster keeps it sucked in to my side so the weight isn't that noticeable. I like having a full size .45 and the recoil on the 4566 is very mild. Works for me. YMMV.

 

[18DAI]

I have more guns than I need..... but not as many as I want.

Out of them all there are three that are carried the most. 3913, 2.5" 66-2 and my 640-1. Simply very good at what they were designed to do.

My sentimental all time favorite is my retired 3" 66-4. Went into alot of very bad places looking for worse people. I love that revolver most. Regards 18DAI

 

[oldman45]

I have more guns than I need..... but not as many as I want.

Out of them all there are three that are carried the most. 3913, 2.5" 66-2 and my 640-1. Simply very good at what they were designed to do.

My sentimental all time favorite is my retired 3" 66-4. Went into alot of very bad places looking for worse people. I love that revolver most. Regards 18DAI

There cannot be too many arguments made against the Model 66. It is more of a no fail gun than any I know. All mine are 4 inch but I wish I had a three inch. If I were not carrying a 1911, I would be carrying a 66. For years, many police depts used the 66 without a problem. The officers were happy with them and many kept their duty guns when a change was made.

 

[off road]

I bought the Ruger!

I love everything about the Ruger, except that it is a bit bulky for pocket carry....and pocket carry is what revolvers in this class are all about! The grip is large, and for some reason they put a rather bulbous trigger guard on it. I will be sticking with the ultralight J-frames myself.

 

[off road]

This morning I flipped through one of the handgun magazines while grocery shopping. There was a writeup of about a half dozen sub-compact autos. I skipped all the fluff and went right to the end, considering the end is where you always find a word or two about reliability.

I don't know what models they tested....but I have numerous baby Glocks (Gen 2.5 and 3), that have never had a single failure of any kind, while digesting thousands of rounds over the past 20 years! Still, I'll back it up with one of the ultralight J-frames.

 

[BobR1]

I have a problem. I have several guns that are carryable, so I carry them all.
For bumming around in the woods my 64 HB 4" is pretty well my go to companion. In the Summer it will be loaded with a couple shotshells and 4 semi wadcutters when in the woods. In cooler no snake weather it will probably be loaded with HP ammo. This is also my primary Defensive Pistol Match gun. I did the trigger work on it. I took it to see Ron Power and had him chamfer the chambers, and add ball loc to it, plus going over everything. I think I can safely say it is in better than new mechanical condition. I have a Lobo Enhanced Pancake for it. Ron is retired, but he has been my revolver smith for over 20 years, and he still works on my stuff.

I carry my 638 quite a bit also. Bone stock. I have a Lobo Model 1 Pancake for it. This is also my Pocket Carry gun. When I need to carry small, this is my go to gun. I shoot it in matches in BUG Division.

I have a 310 Night Guard. That is a 2.75" bbl N frame Air Weight in 10mm. It has a 24/7 XS Tritium front sight with plenty of white to see in the day time. The back sight is a Cylinder & Slide Extreme Duty. I put a set of S&W Finger Groove, checkered compact grips on it. They do sting the hand a little more than the factory Pachmayr Compac's that came on it. I am carrying it in my Lobo Model 1 for my 3" 625 until Ray gets my new Enhanced Pancake done for it. I carry this one a lot.

I carry a 625-3 in 3" also. It is a Power Custom Combat, done by Ron a long time ago. When Ron built it he told me it was the first 625 he had worked on with perfect cylinder alignment on all 6 holes. I have a set of Finger Groove S&W combats on it. I carry it in a Lobo Model 1 Pancake.

Next would probably be my 1911 Colt XSE Stainless 5". It is not a Wilson Combat, but it has a lot of Wilson Combat parts on it. It did have Nite Eyes on it. After they went out, I swapped the sight out for a Dawson Fiber Optic front, and a Charger rear. Wilson Combat flat mainspring housing with built on mag chute that has been blended to the mag opening. Grips are Davidson Starburst in 2-Tone Black & Gray. The grip safety is a Wilson Combat that has the speed bump.
Factory mags are new in the box on the shelf. I have around a dozen total magazines either 47D's or Power Mags for it. My holsters are a Rafter S Avenger in Black Shark with matching double mag pouch, and 4 single mag pouches. I also have a couple matching Cuff cases, peper spray cases, etc.
I also have a Caldwell Gunleather IWB for it.

Next would be my 610 No Dash 4". Some of you have perked up already, they did not make a No Dash 4". This was my first Power Custom Combat revolver. I had Ron shorten it to 4" from a 5". Very nice old gun. I have had it a long time. I have a Lobo Enhanced Pancake on order for it. I have been carrying it in a Rafter S Avenger for a revolver in Black Shark.

I also carry my 4" 617 some. This is my practice gun for matches. I got it in a 6 shot version on purpose so the round count was the same as most of my other revolvers. I shoot it in Rim Fire Division in our Club Defensive Pistol matches. Great gun, and cheap to shoot a lot.

Last is my least carried gun at this time. A full size Springfield XDm in 40 S&W. It was my police uniform carry gun a short while before I retired. I have a security holster on my gunbelt, and a Serpa for it. It is bone stock except the TFO Sights. I am planning on getting some leather for it this Winter to get it into my carry rotation. I figure a Lobo Avenger, and probably a second Lobo IWB in horse hide.

I have one left a Power Custom Combat 686 in a 4". This is the wifes house gun. It has also been to Clark for conversion to Moon Clips. It has a Kramer OWB holster for ladies. I also have a Bianchi Pancake with thumb break for it, and an old open top Safariland holster. I have had this gun for over 20 years, and I have never fired a 357 round in it that I recall.
I have let several lady shooters try this gun and holster over the years. Everyone who has ever shot it loved it.

Some would be uncomfortable carrying and shooting so many different handguns. I have no issues doing it at all. I shoot a pistol match every month except November (Deer Season). I will shoot from 2 to as many a 5 of the guns above on match day depending on the turn out. As I work every match, I am on the range all day, so I can normally fit in shooting my own guns early or late.

I live in Rural Missouri, and I am retired. This is what I would call a condition Green area. Very Low Threat Level. I Concealed Carry as pretty much a serious hobby of mine. If one only carried a small easy to conceal gun it would be no challenge at all. Now getting the bugs out of carrying bigger guns makes life interesting. Then add in Range Time using the equipment you carry. Carrying different reloaders. Trying out different gear, and clothing. I am having fun with this, and learning more every day.

Bob

 

[hotmerc]

I am from Wi. I will wait for the rush to die down before getting my CCW. I will be carrying a S&W 3913LS or a Colt DS. I will ask at Shooters Supply the next time i"m there for the cost of there training class.