I can't make up my mind....

[phils]

I love my S&W revolvers, 19 to 629, and have shot IPSC with 1911s. My favorite carry is my 638.
I feel comfortable with my wheel guns, however I am looking at the S&W Shield .45 - 11726 but having a hard time justifying the change.

To all who have ccw, what do you really carry and why?
Thanks for your input.

 

[CDR_Glock]

I like to carry what I Shoot well, even under pressure. I have a lot of dry fire (as well as live fire) practice with a S&W 640 357 Magnum. I pocket carry it. From the draw, it's my fastest time from concealment to the first shot.

Though the probability is extremely low, I like to have capacity. To complement my 640, I also carry a Glock 19 MOS 9 mm with a Dual Illumination Trijicon RMR (Trtium and fiber optic).




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[mazer]

I carry one of these every day. 44spls when around town and 44mag when I'm in the woods...except the 24-3 of course! It gets specials all the time!

 

[phdee]

My everyday is a 642. I recently had the opportunity to shoot a full sized M&P. It shot quite well and I really liked it. However, I have had trouble with Glock, Smith and other range semis not operating properly. Obviously, these are not the best cared for guns and you would keep yours in much better condition. Even so, I personally would not give up the reliability of a revolver.

 

[peachhead]

I've never had a problem with my Glock. It's not my favorite but it just kind of fell into the every day role and it works without fail every time. I am however currently looking at getting my wife a 642 or 442 and depending on how that works I may get one also.

As to why: a long time ago when I was trying to figure out what to carry, someone told me: Don't carry anything you would not want to lose. So, that is kind of why the Glock came about. I got it at a good price, not really attached to it, but I know it will work if I want it to.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I agree, I like to carry what I shoot well but, equally important since I'm reasonably good with most of the guns I would consider carrying, I like to carry the easiest to conceal guns. As a revolver guy it is usually a 2" Model 10 or a customized 2" Model 64. Occasionally a M642*.

Sometimes I carry a 6906 but that is solely for a certain place that has a target rich environment for Tangos so I want more firepower. I will be getting a CS-9 because it is easy to conceal; a little practice with it and I should be good to go since I have had a XS-45 for years that I am very used to, although it seldom accompanies me any longer.

Still, my main EDC guns will remain .38 Special revolvers. *Clothes and circumstances dictate changes for expediency only.

 

[Mister X]

Usually a S&W 642, but a Glock 26 or 19 on occasion. As a civilian, my goal is to avoid engagement if I can, so any defense scenario where I'm forced to respond with lethal force will most likely unfold suddenly and involve contact or very short distances. In these reactive close-quarter scenarios, I think an enclosed hammer snubnose revolver has a lot going for it.

The only reason I would choose an auto is for greater on-board capacity, but a single-stack subcompact doesn't offer enough additional rounds for me to give up the extreme close-quarters advantages of the snub.

 

[ContinentalOp]

I carry a 642 partly due to convenience and partly due to its attributes as a carry gun.

The 642 is light and compact, but I can also shoot it reasonably well. That means I'm much more likely to actually have it on me if I were to need it (except, of course, where prohibited).

I do tend to shoot DA revolvers better than most other gun types. I also like the fact that I can do dry fire drills that mimic everything in live fire except for the blast/flash/recoil. With a semi-auto I can't do dry fire drills that result in slide lock unless I manually pull the slide back. I can't practice DA/SA transitions without cocking the hammer after the first shot.

Another advantage to the revolver is that I don't have to worry about the slide being pushed out of battery if I need to make a contact shot in self defense.

Some people will say that revolvers are more reliable than semi-autos, but I think that if we're talking about good quality, well-maintained guns any difference in reliability is going to be insignificant.

Having said all that, I'm definitely not opposed to carrying a semi-auto. A Sig P239 is at the top of my list for semi-auto carry guns that I want, though the Beretta PX4 Storm Compact Carry is climbing up that list. I also certainly wouldn't mind carrying a Glock 19. I have a Beretta 92FS for home defense, but the main reason I don't carry it is because I don't have any decent holsters/mag pouches for it. Yes, it's large, but carrying it concealed is certainly do-able with the right gear and clothing. And I'll admit I would prefer to do a G conversion (decock only) before carrying it.

So, in my long-winded fashion, what I'm saying is that it's all up to you. There's certainly nothing wrong with carrying what you know and what you're comfortable with. It may even be preferable. But there's nothing wrong with wanting to branch out, either.

I'd suggest, if at all possible, going to a rental range or borrowing a .45 Shield from someone and giving it a try before making up your mind. You may find that it suits you well or you may find it doesn't. But you'll have some experience on which to base your decision.

Just my opinion.

 

[M29since14]

Answering the OP's question, I don't usually wear a gun, but one is almost always handy. Based on my experience, I'd say get the Shield .45 if you have any interest in it at all. You will be pleased, I'm sure. Mine has been accurate beyond my expectations, is easy to shoot well, and I have yet to see any type of malfunction. It's been a lot more satisfactory than the Shield 9mm, for me. I think it's a terrific little gun.

 

[Old cop]

EDC = M&P 340 loaded w/Speer Gold Dot 135 grain +P HP. When deep concealment is necessary, like when wearing a suit or dress slacks, LCP loaded w/HPR 90 grain HP. During my 30 year LEO career I had to use my .38 caliber duty weapon more than once so that's where my comfort lies. If you want more details on my experiences send me a PM.

 

[bangbig]

I like to carry what I Shoot well, even under pressure.[/QUOTE

This. And what I can comfortably conceal. For me it's almost never a revolver even though I own more of them.

 

[Tom S.]

I like to carry what I Shoot well, even under pressure.[/QUOTE

This. And what I can comfortably conceal. For me it's almost never a revolver even though I own more of them.

Pretty much nails it for me. During the winter months, I carry a compact Kimber 9mm. During the warmer months, I drop down to a Kel-Tec .380. If the circumstances allow, it's a Colt Defender in 45 acp.

 

[bigggbbruce]

After more than 30 years of totin' a gun around with me and yet to get in a gun fight.

I carry which ever gun I feel like that day, week or out to get the paper.

If you want a new gun, no need to justify it. Go get it and carry it around.

 

[bluelund79]

For the time being, I alternate between a Shield in 9mm and a Ruger LCR. I shoot them both very well, but I prefer the wheel gun over the Shield. I did just get a 686 3" and will transition into that as I shoot it well, I just need to order an IWB Holster for it, and wait the month plus for it.....then the Shield will go up for sale with all of its extras.

 

[JohnRippert]

I have a Model 36 and a Model 640-1 for carry.

 

[ColbyBruce]

Lately I have been carrying these two; a Sig P250sc .40 S&W and a Seecamp .32 a.c.p.

 

[D Brown]

What I Carry the Most

Here's what I carry the most:

Old original Kimber CDP Ultra.

Newer Kimber Super Carry Ultra.

Newer Kimber Super Carry Ultra+.

Kimber Micro Raptor .380.

I'm an old IPSC (USPSA) Shooter myself. Still a member (TY 12055) so I'm very comfortable carrying cocked and locked.

 

[Bill In Texas]

I carried a .40 caliber Shield for a few years. Accurate gun, easy to carry, weighed about 24 oz. loaded. I felt protected with it. Never any problems with it at all. I just fell in love with revolvers.

These days however, I mostly carry a 640-1 in a Mika pocket holster. It's backup is a 637-2 with a bobbed hammer spur. They are both loaded with the Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 grain +p's. Both have the same sight picture.

I try not to go anywhere that I know to be a dangerous area, so with 2 guns, 10 rounds before a reload is necessary, I'm ok with J frames. Another plus is that I shoot them well!

 

[S&WForty]

I've carried a Shield 40 since 2013, and I just switched to a 640 Pro a month ago after getting it in December. I've decided I prefer the longer trigger pull of a DA revolver for SD. I still love the Shield, and it never gave me a reason to doubt it.

I have not shot a Shield 45 yet, but if it kicks as hard as a Springfield XDs 45, then it's more punch than I want. I also am not a fan of the grip texture on the Shield 45 and the new M&P 2.0's.

For the record, I also own a 638 Airweight, but I never warmed up to it. I have never carried it.

If I hadn't flipped over revolvers, I probably would carry my Shield 40 till the cows come home. I've never considered anything else from the semi-auto world to carry in its place. I have taken it to the range many times, and I was as accurate with it as I am with my Kimber 1911. Not bad for a short barrel Tupperware piece.

 

[kthom]

I'm a revolver man of very long standing. I don't own one that doesn't make me smile. And I still carry one on occasion. I bought a 9MM Shield, and I kept coming back to carrying it. It shot well, it carried easily, had a couple or three rounds more than my five shooters, and it just felt good all around. Then the Shield .45 came out, and I just had to try it to find out if what I heard about was true. It was!

And you know what, after shooting both of those Shields and carrying them all day, I'm beginning to smile when I see them too! I kinda feel like I'm stepping out on my revolvers, but they don't seem to mind as long as I give 'em a turn once in a while. It's been a win/win situation for me. But the revolvers seem to get out less and less these days.

I ain't tellin' you what you should do ... just tellin' you of my experience. You may not like the Shield .45 after you try it. But you sure won't know that until you do! The only one of these that is complaining about getting left behind is my 9MM Shield! I sure have been positively impressed with the Shield .45, both as a shooter and for duty as an EDC.