Choosing the BEST Gun for Conceal Carry
BY PGF
1 year, 10 months ago
This topic is important to me because I’ve had five or so concealed carry guns and nine or ten holsters. I spent money I shouldn’t have to find the right weapon and manner of carry for me. Most of the training about how to find a carry gun is terrible, as the video points out.
He waits until the 13th minute to discuss what really should be the very first thing any trainer touches on with regard to this topic. If you want newbies to have fun and be comfortable, that’s a good start but what we want in order to make new freedom lovers who take the defense of self and family seriously is confidence.
Building confidence from the start is key. If somebody with minimal experience doesn’t have confidence in the weapon and themselves, they won’t practice or carry the firearm.
The first confidence-building step is to rent guns, lots of them, to find the one they can hit with. This might mean more than one trip to the range, returning to narrow down the two or three that seemed good to the new shooter.
We should never talk new shooters into buying features they don’t want, such as safety, specific types of sights, caliber, etc. Speaking of which, caliber doesn’t matter if they have no confidence in the gun and no confidence in their ability with it because they won’t carry it in that case. A small caliber gun you can hit with and have confidence in is better than a bazooka left in the safe because you won’t carry it.
How a firearm feels in your hand is a sales counter technique, not a serious-minded way to find the right gun. You must shoot the guns to find the one you will have confidence in and carry every day.
He does address the ability to hit, draw-ability, and biomechanics, but really, the ability to hit is primary because from that comes the confidence to practice all other aspects. Even if you’ve owned several handguns, rent, before your next concealed carry purchase, rent several firearms.
Be flexible in how you will carry. Most people get a picture in their mind of how they will carry; then they buy the tools for that style only to find it doesn’t fit their job, or around children, any number of factors, or it hurts their back, etc. Find the gun you can shoot, then find the carry method for that gun that is appropriate for your life circumstances.
I ended up going with outside the waistband carry under an untucked shirt because that’s the best way for me to carry the weapon I can hit with. I never wanted to or thought I would end up carrying this way. But I can draw and hit; confidence in shooting is why I carry what I do the way I do. I don’t care one iota what gun or holster or carry method or caliber or features all the counter salesmen and high-speed operators think are good, and neither should any newer shooter. Find what works for you through actual shooting!
The video shows a lot of guns and a lot of information, but there are nuggets of good info.
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On January 8, 2023 at 11:42 pm, Herschel Smith said:
I saw John’s video. He makes some remarks about .45 ACP that I think don’t clearly articulate why people carry it, and he takes a dismissive stance claiming that capacity outweighs everything else.
I carry .45 ACP (not always) because it pushes rather than flips or bounces the nose of the gun. I shoot it better, and it’s not because I don’t shoot 9mm or because I haven’t done enough training with pistols.
He also makes remarks concerning one gun manufacturer coming into modern times and making a striker fired gun. Yea, whatever. If you like crunch and the feel of rubber bands and springs getting tangled up and snapping. The tactile feel of the sear dropping the hammer can’t be compared, and he knows it.
Even the 9mm guns I own are hammer-fired.
It’s a choice. He makes his, I make mine. I don’t defer to him, any more than you do.
On January 9, 2023 at 9:22 am, Thomas Madere said:
After taking a defensive pistol class one weekend using my Colt 1911 in 45ACP, I was the only one shooting a 1911 out of 12 students. While everyone else was still shooting I was reloading. I decided I would rather be shooting than reloading, especially in an actual gun fight.
Most were shooting high capacity striker fired guns in 9mm. That’s when I decided look into a high capacity 9mm. I chose the Glock 19. I am no more accurate at 10 yards with the 1911 than the Glock. I am slightly better at 25 yards with the 1911 and beyond because if of its trigger.
I rarely shoot my two 1911’s now and one I have owned since the 1970’s.
I didn’t arrive at this by looking at a video. I arrived at it by seeing the advantage of high capacity for myself.
If I could buy the guns used in the movies I would, you know the ones you never have to reload.
On January 9, 2023 at 10:20 am, George said:
John is not a fan of the 1911.
Thomas: Since you are now dissatisfied with your 1911s, you wanta sell ’em?
On January 9, 2023 at 11:03 am, Herschel Smith said:
@George,
You took the words right out of my mouth. I’ll buy them. We may end up in a bidding war.
John doesn’t just not like 1911s. He doesn’t like anything that’s not striker-fired because, “Well, that ain’t what we did in the Rangers.”
Ignore the fact that the most prevalent pistol now in use in pistol competitions today around the world is the CZ Shadow 2, a hammer fired gun. If it ain’t Ranger, it ain’t right.
On January 9, 2023 at 11:38 am, Latigo Morgan said:
I CCW’d a 1911 for years. Never felt undergunned, in the least. Then, I was given a XD45 – striker fired and more capacity. I did alright with it, and had every bit of confidence in it but just never enjoyed it as much as the 1911, which means I didn’t practice as much with it. I liked that it had higher capacity and was lighter on my belt, though. Tried several others from the micro .380’s and 9mm’s, but just didn’t take to them. Glocks just never clicked with me – couldn’t hit jack or chit with one, don’t know why.
Then, I got ahold of a CZ P01. Love at first grasp, I tell you what! Hammer fired, 15 round flush fit mags, can use 18 rd. CZ-75 mags. Alloy frame is light weight compared to what I used to carry. Roughly the size and weight of a Glock 19. Since I bought it used, I’m not sure what other mods were done to it besides the tritium night sights and stainless guide rod but I have no desire to do any other mods to it, either.
CCW entirely a personal decision and selection. What works for me, may not work for you, which is why I don’t try to talk anyone else into my personal selections like some folks seem prone to do.
On January 9, 2023 at 12:42 pm, Herschel Smith said:
The CZ P07 is also a nice shooting hammer fired 9mm high cap pistol.
On January 9, 2023 at 12:54 pm, george 1 said:
As far as the 45 vs 9mm, that issue was put to bed in the Gun Digest article that was featured here on TCJ. The 45 ACP was, in fact, the only standout in one shot stops in a huge survey of actual shootings.
I have nothing against the 9mm, it is what I carry most of the time. However you can make a good argument for 45 ACP as a CCW caliber over the 9mm due to the average number of rounds fired in a self defense scenario vs the power of the 45ACP.
If five rounds fired in a defense situation is significantly over the average then it might be good to have verified great man stopper round.