Am I a mutant?Carrying full size handguns....

[amazingflapjack]

The confidence factor...

2 days ago I went to the range, and while there, fired the 2 small carry revolvers that I pack most of the time. The smallest is a Charter "on duty" 38+P that weighs only 12 ozs unloaded, the other is a Charter Bull Dog 44 spl that weighs 21 ozs unloaded. They are good dependable guns. I have had the 44 for over 20 years, and carried it much of that time. But I hadn't shot either one for a while, choosing to shoot guns I am more proficient with, have more confidence with, and enjoy more, and I guess that's the point for me. I just do not shoot them well enough to feel well armed with them. The 38 is my cut the grass, around the house gun, usually in the pocket of shorts, so it'll probably keep that duty station, but both of them are in need of a lighter load than they now carry. I use the same ammo in them that I load for my other, larger guns, and it just ain't gettin' it for me. I like the Bulldog, but a moderate load will make me better with it, along with more practice. I have other choices; several, and as one poster said, the holster is key in my view. I have a 4506 no dash that I got a Disantis IWB adjustable rig for, and it rides well, because it balances on the belt in a appendix carry, and is easy to deploy and conceal, and if I can't get comfortable with the Bull Dog, it will be my "go to town" gun.

 

[Nakanokalronin]

I've never liked carrying FS firearms. The closest one is a FS 1911 only because of it's slim profile. The thing is, even though everyone claims barrel size dosn't matter IWB, it is a problem when the muzzle smacks the seat bottom of every chair I sit down in and makes the back of the gun dig up and in.

It's also about printing and carrying everyday without dramatically altering your clothes or what sizes you buy. If your used to wear BDU/Cargo pants all the time with giant re-enforced pockets, I'm sure you can pocket carry a S&W 500. If your pants are baggy in the waist or don't mind buying pants a size or two bigger making you look a little odd, I'm sure that double barreled 1911 will fit in there just fine.

I want the slide to be thin for comfort and the grip to be single stack and slim for printing and concealment. Shooting with only 2 fingers on the grip is quite easy and allows even easier concealment with that short grip. It's all preference but that's my story. I know the saying is "Carrying a gun is suppose to be comforting, not comfortable." but let's be realistic here. If it's uncomfortable you'll either not carry (as much) or go down in gun size. I use proper quality belts and holsters BTW.

Biggest gun I'll carry IWB all day every day is an Officer sized 1911. If I'm carrying OWB and openly, barrel/grip length and width dosn't matter.

 

[M19-5]

I am 6' and 185 lbs and carry a P14.45 in a Milt Sparks VMII and Sparks belt at about the 2:30 position.

Usually I forget it is there.

It is all about a good fitting holster and belt combination IMHO, ymmv.

Clarence

 

[BigDaddy7972]

To all you guys that carry a 5 shot j frame as a primary weapon, stop it. Please. You are setting yourself up for disaster. Think about it I'm a policeman in a major city. We don't recover many hi points or junk guns anymore. We recover quality weapons. Now, try to envision this scenario. You the wife and kids are out for a family drive one nice Sunday. The car breaks down. You are stranded on the side of the road and a car full of thugs pull up. Your wife or daughter is looking pretty good right now. They decide they want to do terrible things and to accomplish this they pull out gun. One gun at a minimum. A G19 perhaps. You think "ok, I've gt my 642". See where I'm goin? You are already at a disadvantage before this situation even begins with your little 5shot. A severe disadvantage.Why carry a small 5 or 6 shot revolver when you can carry a 3953, a 3913 or something similar? They are all easy to carry and with an extra mag you are at least leveling the playing field. Don't handicap yourself before you even step out of the door. This isn't 1970 where all the bad guys had bad guns or 5 shot revolvers. They all have for the most part high capacity autos. So should you.

 

[Horace & Daniel]

I must be weird. I don't mind carrying my gubment 1911 all day, even in the oppressive heat of Oklahoma's neverending summers. I'll even carry a full-size Glock 31. No problemo.

But, I also like to carry my 1971-vintage Model 38 j-frame, for a change of pace. And, I certainly wouldn't shy away from a Shield, Sig P938, Springfield XDs or Kimber Solo.

I just like handguns. What can I say?

 

[Big Mike]

4043 and 4044 here in an IWB FIST Kydex holster. Yeah, it's kinda big, gets heavier when it's hotter out, but there is something comforting...

 

[Badkarma 1]

For what it's worth, most folks start out carrying the little guns as they believe that everybody and their brother in law are looking for a gun in them and if said people spot a bulge they'll hail the nearest flatfoot screaming;"OFFICER, THAT PERSON HAS A GUN!!"
In actuality most others aren't looking and probably don't care unless their the bad guy, who is probably packing "heat" as well.
I usually have either a SW99 in .40, or an HK P30, or a S&W 5946 on me when I'm out in the yard doing stuff. My little model 60 is on back-up duty like it should be.
One doesn't plan to attend a gunfight, but one should be ready if it comes. And while 5 shots of .38+P or .357 Mag will do against a thug armed with a bat or a knife(given that you've recognized the threat ahead of time!), but if your put upon by the baddies that we read about in the paper or see on TV you WILL be wanting a bigger pistol with lots of shots!
Remember it's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it! Dale

 

[Cruiser RN]

I do not think you are strange carrying a full size gun.I am more a revolver guy and spent years carrying a 4 in Peacekeeper 357 Magnum without thinking twice about it.What is more to the point is that you can comfortably carry any size gun provided that you have a good gun belt and a good quality holster.I have always thought if you can't handle a defensive situation with 5 or 6 rounds of 38+P ammunition and a tactical reload you don't need a Semi-Auto YOU NEED A SWAT TEAM......Mike

 

[kbm6893]

To all you guys that carry a 5 shot j frame as a primary weapon, stop it. Please. You are setting yourself up for disaster. Think about it I'm a policeman in a major city. We don't recover many hi points or junk guns anymore. We recover quality weapons. Now, try to envision this scenario. You the wife and kids are out for a family drive one nice Sunday. The car breaks down. You are stranded on the side of the road and a car full of thugs pull up. Your wife or daughter is looking pretty good right now. They decide they want to do terrible things and to accomplish this they pull out gun. One gun at a minimum. A G19 perhaps. You think "ok, I've gt my 642". See where I'm goin? You are already at a disadvantage before this situation even begins with your little 5shot. A severe disadvantage.Why carry a small 5 or 6 shot revolver when you can carry a 3953, a 3913 or something similar? They are all easy to carry and with an extra mag you are at least leveling the playing field. Don't handicap yourself before you even step out of the door. This isn't 1970 where all the bad guys had bad guns or 5 shot revolvers. They all have for the most part high capacity autos. So should you.

I'm retired NYPD and I gotta disagree with you. Your scenario is extremely far-fetched, but IF it even did happen, those thugs are gonna head for the hills once the shots ring out. Fire a .38 at them and watch them scatter like roaches when the lights come on. And I don;t think anybody other than Navy SEALS are gonna have the presense of mind to cooly shoot it out and reload when necessary. For me, I carry either a Ruger LC9 with 7 rounds or a S&W 3913 with 8. No extra mags. My pockets are to full of **** as it is.

 

[AKAOV1MAN]

Some of the mentions of ammmo capacity bring back memories. My first issued weapon was a pencil barrel M10 RB, .38 Special. Courtesy of our favorite uncle. I got to carry it in a shoulder holster that had 18 cartridge loops sewed to the forward strap. 24 rounds of FMJ 130 gr. After my career as an airborne jeep driver I became a big city cop. Packed a Python, but the extra ammo was restricted to 6 extra rounds in the old dump pouch-of course it was the 158 gr RN ammo that drifted along at about 750-800 FPS. Got smart quick and started packing a lighter revolver-a very familiar M10 pencil barrel RB.
As time went on and I became a detective I started with a Browning HP carried in addition to a .38 Special snub. Shortly thereafter (and now) I carry the BHP, at least one extra mag and a 940 on duty; and the BHP otherwise. It is interesting to think that I carry 18 rounds in the BHP, 50% more than I used to pack as a rookie on a foot post. Now I see young cops burdened with an unbeliveable amount of gear, including usually a box of ammo, and about 10 pounds of other stuff. The BHP seems lightweight by comparison. I am begining to like a NG 325 I have been training with for a time, big bullets, fast reloads and leight weight. Thinking about it...........

 

[smithnframe]

I normally carry a compact 1911 in 45 acp, in the winter here in Texas I carry a full size 1911. I have been carrying a recently acquired Taurus 357 snubby lately too.

 

[Fat Old Guy]

When I was young and had a waistline I could carry a 1911 in an IWB holster without a problem. I also carried a 6" Dan Wesson in shoulder holsters. Now I have more padding and it doesn't work so well.

 

[BigDaddy7972]

I'm retired NYPD and I gotta disagree with you. Your scenario is extremely far-fetched, but IF it even did happen, those thugs are gonna head for the hills once the shots ring out. Fire a .38 at them and watch them scatter like roaches when the lights come on. And I don;t think anybody other than Navy SEALS are gonna have the presense of mind to cooly shoot it out and reload when necessary. For me, I carry either a Ruger LC9 with 7 rounds or a S&W 3913 with 8. No extra mags. My pockets are to full of **** as it is.

An LC9 is fine. I carry a 3953. But if you think my senario is really far fetched, consider the story of that young couple down south a few years ago. Christian/Channon IIRC. Forgive me if I have their names wrong. A horribe rape murder. Or the incident in a Lane Byrant store in Tinley Park Illinois a few years back. Five women made to lie down right next to each other and then shot in the head. I'm not advocating carrying multiple guns and a few extra mags for each gun. But if you think you are well armed with your J frame, you are kidding yourself, especially when a LC9, a 3913, a 3953 or a Sig 239 are available and so easy to carry. And if you don't think the average guy is cool enough to reload under fire, don't you think that makes carrying a higher capacity gun other than a J frame all the more important? Why handicap yourself with the ASSUMPTION that those thugs are gona flee once the shooting starts? What if they don't?

Respectfully, I don' think my scenario is extremely far fetched at all. I think it's quite possible. It's already happened.

 

[inspcalahan]

I've carried full size 1911s, Sig 226's and 228's, Commanders, Glocks and a scattering of N frames as primary ccw over the years. Those are most often followed up with a J frame or small .380 stuffed in a pocket or on the ankle as well.

I get carrying the small gun thing. When I'm somewhere insanely hot (Phoenix/etc) in the summers, it's often a small auto or J frame stuffed in the waistband. Ankle holsters just don't work out well with shorts for some reason

As to the caliber and capacity debate. While I've faltered at times based on complacency, I'm a strong advocate of carrying the biggest round you can, with the most rounds you can.

I have a hard time listening to the "if he hasn't stopped after my **#s of rounds, then he's a zombie/etc" statements. Having used my firearms against threats on a few occasions, as well as dealing with hundreds of people that have been shot, you just never know what kind of reaction you are going to get.

I've watched 147gr JHP's, noted for their over penetration issues at times, hit someone on the skull, slide around under the skin and exit on the opposite side, leaving that guy with a headache and a few bandaids.

I've seen 230gr rounds fall out of a guys Carhartt jacket and hit the ground with not even a red mark on the skin.

I've also seen a solo .22lr round enter a torso, bounce around inside like a pinball machine (effectively scrambling the insides) and come to rest on the opposite side. This resulted in an almost instantly fatal wound.

The point is, and to each his own, that I say shoot the biggest most effective round you can, be prepared to shoot more than you need, but only what you need as you are accountable for each round downrange - and certainly don't "expect" a certain reaction - deal with what happens and survive the day.

 

[maddog909]

No, you are not odd for carrying a full size firearm.

 

[phubai8]

This is a good thread and has made me think a lot about CC. I fully agree the biggest with most ammo is the way to go. I do envy those who can do it. But,,, What do you do when you are 5'6", weigh 125, have a 29" waist and live on the Gulf Coast? I'm doing well to hide that Bodyguard Airweight. I'm not LEO and cannot expect them to excuse my show of arms. The one time I had to draw it, I was in another state and had four gangbangers back down from the show of the gun. I figured I could have put one round in each and saved the last for the most aggressive. However, I do think I will relook at getting a small auto with more rounds. What does that leave? A 380???

 

[inspcalahan]

This is a good thread and has made me think a lot about CC. I fully agree the biggest with most ammo is the way to go. I do envy those who can do it. But,,, What do you do when you are 5'6", weigh 125, have a 29" waist and live on the Gulf Coast? I'm doing well to hide that Bodyguard Airweight. I'm not LEO and cannot expect them to excuse my show of arms. The one time I had to draw it, I was in another state and had four gangbangers back down from the show of the gun. I figured I could have put one round in each and saved the last for the most aggressive. However, I do think I will relook at getting a small auto with more rounds. What does that leave? A 380???

My wife is 5'5" 130 and 80% of the time packs a Glock 23 in .357Sig in either a Milt Sparks IWB or some piece of Kydex - the except is when she's wearing less for really hot days, or the clothing just simply won't allow it - then it's an airweight J frame.

 

[Silversmok3]

This is a good thread and has made me think a lot about CC. I fully agree the biggest with most ammo is the way to go. I do envy those who can do it. But,,, What do you do when you are 5'6", weigh 125, have a 29" waist and live on the Gulf Coast? I'm doing well to hide that Bodyguard Airweight. I'm not LEO and cannot expect them to excuse my show of arms. The one time I had to draw it, I was in another state and had four gangbangers back down from the show of the gun. I figured I could have put one round in each and saved the last for the most aggressive. However, I do think I will relook at getting a small auto with more rounds. What does that leave? A 380???

Nope.


I have walked the path your are on;a 27" waist leaves me room for a gun but nothing else. Putting spare magazines on my person is so noticeable retail Loss Prevention staff get curious.

To resolve this dilemma you must modify your fashion sense. One advantage of being skinny is that you can wear loose fitting T shirts and button ups without arousing suspicion. If you get a Tshirt that's one size up from what fits, you can hide a Desert Eagle .44 and no one will note its presence. Leave the muscle shirts and tight Affliction tees to Vin Diesel and the Jersey Shore cast.

Using a one-size up button up shirt, a Miami Classic shoulder harness makes for a great CCW rig. You can carry a decent selection of full size firearms & spare ammo this way without dragging down your pants in the process, you can wear clothes which are a shade more stylish -don't ya know well dressed people are treated better by the fuzz?-and if you roll up your sleeves you can even rock it in the summer time. A short sleeve light colored button up shirt left open at the mid chest area won't arouse suspicion from the cops or the hoplophobes no matter how hot it gets.

Personally, I find IWB carry of a full size gun makes more sense than the alternative. Not only are people generally not that observant to note who's armed, but you can also carry a 15 round firearm without the need for a spare magazine.

Hope this helps you on your journey.

 

[dgludwig]

I'm retired NYPD and I gotta disagree with you. Your scenario is extremely far-fetched, but IF it even did happen, those thugs are gonna head for the hills once the shots ring out. Fire a .38 at them and watch them scatter like roaches when the lights come on. And I don;t think anybody other than Navy SEALS are gonna have the presense of mind to cooly shoot it out and reload when necessary. For me, I carry either a Ruger LC9 with 7 rounds or a S&W 3913 with 8. No extra mags. My pockets are to full of **** as it is.

If your self-defense strategy relies on the premise that all the bad guys will "scatter like roaches" once they hear a shot go off, imo, you need to re-think your position. If I can assume all miscreants "are gonna head for the hills once the shots ring out", I guess a two-shot derringer is all the pistol I need to carry.
Roaches aren't possessed with the intent to maim or murder an innocent human being and they aren't stoned out of their minds with crystal meth. And because I agree that most people don't have the "presence of mind to cooly shoot it out and reload when necessary" when involved in an exchange of gunfire, it's my opinion that a person interested in surviving a shoot-out should tote as much gun as the climate, level of crime in the environ and social circumstance reasonably dictate.

 

[joespapa]

guess i'm naive, but i feel real good w/5 rounds in my j frame revolver.

^^^^^^this