# Reccomendation on good CCP weapon?



## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

Does anyone have any sugesstions on a good conceiled weapon pistol? I have been looking at the Glock model 19's, they seem like a pretty nice compact. Anyone have any experience with them?? I have also seen that the S & W's are pretty cheap at the moment. Anyone have any good sugestions? THanks in advance. Cabela's is having a sale this weekend & im thinking about getting something new. I have also seen the springfield xd's. they do seem nice but they are quite a bit more expensive. Are they worth the extra $$$?


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

Concealment is easier the small the handgun. I prefer sub-compact models for CC. I also like to maximize the size of the round that is available in the same frame size. I also like them light and with very simple controls so there is no extra manipulation needed during a stressful situation. 
I also like duplicating what the police use as to caliber - you know it is very tested and effective. As to 9mm, the police have "been there - done that, moved on for reason".

Therefore, I would recommend going with .40 caliber in either a Springfield Armory XD Sub-Compact 3", or the Glock 27.

No, these sub-compacts are as fun at the range as a full-size gun and they require a little more mastery, but they conceal extremely well, and are more likely to be carried than bigger, heavier pistols.
I would look at IWB holster types to carry whatever choice handgun you buy in.


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## NHS (Sep 7, 2007)

+1 on the XD40SC. Learned it, lived it, LOVE it!


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## BROWN BAGGER (Sep 13, 2007)

excellent choice


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## Nueces (Jul 22, 2008)

I would go with the .40 cal at a minimum.


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## deadicatedweim (Dec 18, 2007)

I ditto the xd in a sub compact. It is a easy to use and accurate gun. I have shot the hammerless revolvers and they are easy to conceal but the accuracy isnt as good cause of the kick and lack of a rear sight. It would be easy to hit someone at 10 yards though.


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## apollosmith (Jun 29, 2008)

Another vote for the XD subcompact. I carry it in 9mm and have over 1500 rounds through it with zero problems. It is a bit wider than some smaller concealed carry guns, but you get used to it very quickly. I highly recommend the Crossbreed Supertuck holster. If you're looking for something a little smaller and a bit cheaper, the Kahr CW9 is a good choice. If you dare go down in caliber, the Ruger LCP is a good pocket gun in .380.


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## James (Oct 7, 2007)

STEVO said:


> I have also seen the springfield xd's. they do seem nice but they are quite a bit more expensive. Are they worth the extra $$$?


Yes!

What are you carrying now? Its a tough question. It needs to be small enough
to conceal and light enough that it isn't too much work to carry. A full sized 4"
xd 45 is 2.5 pounds loaded (13+1) and is about an inch thick. The 40 not much different.
The compacts are a bit smaller.

Yes, you can go way down to the Ruger LCP which can fit in any pocket, even 
your shirt pocket. This is nice because it is light weight and can be easily hidden
and you will probably carry it because it is so easy. 6+1 capacity.

There is a big difference in the fire power between the 45 XD and the LCP though. 
I know which I would want if I got in a gunfight.

How about a 5 shot 357 with a 2" barrel? More power than any of the aforementioned
plus small and simple and reliable. S&W Model 60 is a good one.


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

With the right bullet the the 9mm is quite effective. A Kahr K9 is as compact as most 380s and is chambered for a far more effective caliber. You can also get one chambered for the 40 S&W if that suits your fancy.


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## Snipe (Dec 4, 2008)

I carry a full size 1911 most of the time and a 4" .45 XD the rest, I like having the weight and i am used to it, and i carry everyday. If i were to suggest a carry gun to anyone it would be, the gun that you are going to carry. Be that a .25 acp pocket pistol or a full sized 1911, or anything in between. a .25 acp pocket pistol in you pocket is better then a desert eagle .50 ae in your safe at home, if only a little bit better. concealing a full size pistol is a lot easier then a lot of people make it out to be.

My $.02


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

I don't like the XD's......too square, uncomfortable and no personality...like holding onto a 2 X 4...... -O,-

Now....the Beretta Storm or a Cougar 8000 are fine firearms, user friendly and deadly accurate....


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

THanks for the imput guys, It appears that the XD has the preferance on here. Im actually not carrying as of yet, But have taken the course, so just basically in the waiting process to get the permit. I currently have a 9 mm S & W model 910 (I believe). It has been a really good gun, But a bit too bulky to try to hide & carry all day. I have a buddy that had the XD-40, it seemed like a awesome gun, Still a bit bulky to carry though. I havent had much experience with the compacts or sub-compacts, so I thought I better ask for a little info  . The Glocks I were looking at seemed really nice & light, But I have heard that Glocks have the tendancy to be a little rattley, altho good guns. I will take a good hard look at the XD. I went down to sportsmans last night just to look at a few, and a few guns is all they even had :shock: . Is it just sportsmans or are pistols actually selling out that quickly?? I was at cabelas last weekend & their gun cabinets were full of guns.


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## apollosmith (Jun 29, 2008)

.45 said:


> I don't like the XD's......too square, uncomfortable and no personality...like holding onto a 2 X 4...... -O,-


If you feel this way about XDs, you must think Glocks are like ugly bricks - truly a gun only a mother could love. :lol: I admit XDs don't have a lot of personality, but they're a hot, bubbly cheerleader compared to any Glock. -*|*-


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## James (Oct 7, 2007)

Well.......................... maybe, but if you want a gun with personality, and beautiful lines, get a Colt SAA. :mrgreen:


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

wOOAH, I dont care what they look like. Im just looking for a gun that wont rust from the sweat from up under my fat roll while its conceiled :roll: :lol: A few of you guys have mentioned holdsters? Whats types would you recommend?? Where do most people carry theirs?


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

I guess I will add my .02.



> Snipe wrote: I carry a full size 1911 most of the time and a 4" .45 XD the rest, I like having the weight and i am used to it, and i carry everyday. *If i were to suggest a carry gun to anyone it would be, the gun that you are going to carry.* Be that a .25 acp pocket pistol or a full sized 1911, or anything in between. a .25 acp pocket pistol in you pocket is better then a desert eagle .50 ae in your safe at home, if only a little bit better. concealing a full size pistol is a lot easier then a lot of people make it out to be


I like this comment thus far. Good quote.

I have an xd-sub compact that I like alot but leave it with the wife. I carry my Walther P99 in .40 cal. I love the way it shoots and feels in my hand.

One additional note, and it is JMHO, take a defensive hand gun course. It will help you realize what you didn't know what you didn't know. They have some that sound good in Utah. I had my CFP for 6 years before I took a 4 day defensive handgun course at Front Sight west of Las Vegas. What I found out and learned there about myself is I should not have carried before I took that course. I don't think I would have acted or reacted the way that I would of needed to in a bad situation. Now I feel very comfortable in my ability to take the course of action needed in a bad situation, with the hopes that I never have to find out for sure.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

apollosmith said:


> .45 said:
> 
> 
> > I don't like the XD's......too square, uncomfortable and no personality...like holding onto a 2 X 4...... -O,-
> ...





James said:


> Well.......................... maybe, but if you want a gun with personality, and beautiful lines, get a Colt SAA. :mrgreen:


Hey.......both you guys is right !!! 

That's zactly how I feel !!!! :mrgreen:


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

Glock has a Tennifer finish that is more impervious to rust than stainless steel. Recent XDs have a Mellonite finish that is basically the same thing - so no worries there.
Glocks are not "rattley" BTW.
One thing overlooked by most is that each different XD or Glock size fits differently in the hand. My G27 feels entirely different than the big G22, and my XD45 feels different than the XD subcompact.

Another thing to realize is that the butt of the gun seems to be the most problematic area for "printing" so short-butt compacts address this.

Noted firearm training expert Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch says the XD series is his favorite polymer pistol - no faint praise there!


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## FROGGER (Oct 1, 2007)

STEVO said:


> wOOAH, I dont care what they look like. Im just looking for a gun that wont rust from the sweat from up under my fat roll while its conceiled :roll: :lol: * A few of you guys have mentioned holdsters? Whats types would you recommend?? * Where do most people carry theirs?


Depends on the gun, i have a sub compact XD and i carry using an in the pants Uncle Mikes sidkick size 15.


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

I use a Milt Sparks Executive Companion IWB holster. Many feel that this is the most comfortable IWB around, including myself. Milt Sparks was the innovator of the IWB with their Summer Special (that has been copied by others) One plus over the cheaper fabric IWB holsters is that the mouth stays open for re-holstering, rather than collapsing under the pressure caused by the pants/belt/body.
Yes, this is an expensive holster that is custom-made from the finest materials, but the initial cost amortizes nicely over the years. I think I am into mine less than $10 a year now. Their classic Summer Special is also a good outfit.
http://www.miltsparks.com


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## James (Oct 7, 2007)

I prefer to carry in an outside the waistband (OWB) holster. This mostly for comfort. A coat or an untucked shirt covers up nicely. At times when it is not appropriate to dress like that, I put the Ruger LCP in a pocket. I really prefer lager calibers, like 44 or 45, but I would rather have the 380 than nothing. 

A gun in an OWB holster is not as subject to perspiration as a gun in a IWB holster. Any gun you carry needs frequent attention. It is amazing how much lint and dust they pick up riding around with you. 

I would think about your dress style and how you were going to carry before I made a decision on the gun. 

Price of ammo may be a factor in these times too. Its good if you can afford to practice with your carry piece. Comes to that, the 9mm looks pretty good. 

Carry on!


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

James said:


> Its good if you can afford to practice with your carry piece.


Yup. That's what snap caps are for. But I'd think about the most likely application to determine caliber.


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## threshershark (Sep 7, 2007)

There are a lot of past threads on this subject so searching through some of those may provide some insight.

I carry IWB, and have tried at least a dozen different hanguns to find what works best for me. For this style of carry, the width of the slide is the biggest factor for comfortable concealment. Among the models I have carried were the Glock 23-C, XD, Sig P229, Sig P226, Sig P225, a few small S&W revolvers, a Kahr PM9, Ruger P95, and the list goes on. With the exception of the Ruger I give top marks to all of them for performance and reliability, but all of them were too wide in the slide.

A Commander size 1911 is my personal favorite, 4.25" barrel, full frame. I also tried a bunch of holsters and the Milt Sparks Versa Max II is the best I've found for IWB.


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## 10000ft. (Oct 29, 2007)

Bersa Thunder 380 (concealed carry model) nickel finish
http://marschalgrips.com/hires/bersa_cc_bubinga.jpg
KNJ Ankle holster

I don't have any experience with any other gun so I can't compare but I did a lot of research and talking to people before I went with this gun. .380 is on the light side but like some have said, it is the gun I knew I would carry consistantly. I carry every day on my ankle and almost forget it is there untile I jump off something or run somewhere. A belly band or pocket holster work great when in shorts or a t shirt. I even found a guy in Budapest Hungry who makes custom wood grips dirt cheap for this gun and many others. PM me if you want his info.

With that said I want to pick up a Para Ord. or a S&W 1911 chambered in a .40 for my next CC gun. Now that I am used to carrying this Bersa I think I would be comfortable concealing a larger gun especially when I have a jacket or a coat on.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I like the Colt New Agent because it has trench sights (gutter sight) which allows for a drag free draw therefore your sights don't grab your holster. You can order one through galleryofguns.com or call Heritage Arms and they'll get you one


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## DBCooper (Jun 17, 2008)

For what it's worth, I attended a shooting class that was sponsored by my companies Sportsman's Club, that was given by members of the Polite Society Of Utah.

http://www.utahpolitesociety.org/index.php

As I recall every one of the instructors(3) carried a Glock. They shoot a lot of rounds and go through a lot of personal defense gun fight scenarios and those that didn't start out shooting the Glock moved to that firearm for various reasons.

They did say, it's best to pick a gun that "feels right" and is almost an extension of your hand. You will have to pick up and shoot em to find out. I guess it's like porn, it's hard to define but you know it when you see it.

Anyway, good luck. I personally have a ruger, sp101 .357. Not my ideal choice. I got it for cc and for bear spray. If you can afford it, get a different one for each.


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## bigbr (Oct 24, 2007)

Snipe said:


> I carry a full size 1911 most of the time and a 4" .45 XD the rest, I like having the weight and i am used to it, and i carry everyday. If i were to suggest a carry gun to anyone it would be, the gun that you are going to carry. Be that a .25 acp pocket pistol or a full sized 1911, or anything in between. a .25 acp pocket pistol in you pocket is better then a desert eagle .50 ae in your safe at home, if only a little bit better. concealing a full size pistol is a lot easier then a lot of people make it out to be.
> 
> My $.02


Amen............Big


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## stick (Jun 11, 2008)

I've had a new XD for 3 weeks. 
Cabelas sold me on ther great features the XD has over the Glocks. 
I was leaning more for the glock before I had them side by side.

All in all one more vote for the XD.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

I carry various Glocks and Springfield 1911's, but it will always be a .45. Just my personal preference. Carry the most comfortable gun you can that has the most accuracy you can get out of it. And practice , practice and practice. If I was going to buy another .45 , I would look at the XD in a Compact .45.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Uh........45's are good........45 Long Colt !!!!! :twisted:


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I tend to follow .45's idea. I like .45 alot more for a carry because it is a lower velocity round with lots of stopping power. I sometimes worry about these guys that carry their high velocity 9mm around or the FNH 5.7 because they are fast moving and could potentially exit the target's body and injur someone behind them. I know that is unlikely to happen, but I still like the idea of a .45 for a good heavy bullet and lower velocities than some other rounds out there. But I tend to agree with the idea that having any caliber on you is better than having a 500 S&W in the safe....


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## Robin Hood (Dec 31, 2008)

Hey,

Stumbled to this thread via a search engine.

I help run Utah polite society and was one of the instructors in the class mentioned above.
One of our members wrote a very good piece on the subject of choosing a self defense hand gun.

http://utahpolitesociety.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html

(as I climb on my soap box)

Things that need to be considered since most modern pistols are comparable in reliability.

Capacity
caliber
fit (does it feel right, and can you reach all the controls)
Does it work for you. Can you hit anything with it.

My view is you should choose a gun in a the largest caliber that you can accurately, repeatably shoot. Then figure out how to tote it around. I am not a fan of small guns (caliber or frame). Smaller guns are harder to use and I don't want to bet my life on the smallest framed gun I can find.

If you can't hit anything, it's probably wrong for you.
If if is not comfortable and fun to shoot, you won't shoot it enough to become familiar with it.

BEWARE:

There is no "one" gun that works for everyone. PERIOD. You need to pick one that works for you.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Robin Hood said:


> There is no "one" gun that works for everyone. PERIOD. You need to pick one that works for you.


I can't agree more! I think that we all get caught up on what works best for us, but we go past the obvious and help someone find something that works best in their hands. And most of all we need to make sure we practice a lot!


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Reminds me of years ago when I was working at the old Pro Arms in Salt Lake. A guy walks in and said " I want to buy a .44 mag for my wife". :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Buying a gun for the wife is awesome! You buy something you know she wont use, but then you use it instead! It a great way to justify buying a new gun...


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Bax* said:


> Buying a gun for the wife is awesome! You buy something you know she wont use, but then you use it instead! It a great way to justify buying a new gun...


Bax*...Your thoughts on how to acquire more weaponry is downright uncanny and teeters on the edge of some good old fashioned sneaky-ism....


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## James (Oct 7, 2007)

> Buying a gun for the wife is awesome! You buy something you know she wont use, but then you use it instead! It a great way to justify buying a new gun...


Ya, I did that once. Then some years later she divorced me and took the gun with her. 

She will remember.


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

I did that once also. Im just lucky she didnt use it on me before she left and took it with her. :lol: Nuthin like sayin "Merry christmas Babae" with a new pistol!!!


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## FROGGER (Oct 1, 2007)

James said:


> > Buying a gun for the wife is awesome! You buy something you know she wont use, but then you use it instead! It a great way to justify buying a new gun...
> 
> 
> Ya, I did that once. Then some years later she divorced me and took the gun with her.
> ...





STEVO said:


> I did that once also. Im just lucky she didnt use it on me before she left and took it with her. :lol: Nuthin like sayin "Merry christmas Babae" with a new pistol!!!


now i know why you are divorced... :lol:


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## FROGGER (Oct 1, 2007)

Robin Hood said:


> *Smaller guns are harder to use .*


I disagree, my sub compacts are light, easy to conceal and acurate within the range i need them to be... as opposed to my full frame guns which are bulky, heavy, more difficult to conceal and just as acurate in the range i need.... Again the moral of the story is find what works for you.. Often i see people who feel they are cool or somhow more manly if they carry a large frame pistol only to not be able to accuratly hit anything... get what works for you and do it by trying many different options...


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

FROGGER said:


> Robin Hood said:
> 
> 
> > *Smaller guns are harder to use .*
> ...


Bulky, cumbersome, large frame, whatever, the subs can come out of the holster faster than say a Kimber or a large Colt. It's a fact........except in the cowboy style stuff... :mrgreen:


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

I recently just purchased a Skyy or Sccy cpx-1 9mm it is a new company and a dealer down here showed one to me and I really like the gun and it is very inexpensive $300 or so, comes with 2 mags holding 10 rds each. he said the company is going to try and make a 40 cal soon, which would be better. I'm in law enforcement and can tell you that the 9mm is a very capable round the 40 is better but the 9 with the right ammo and in the right hands can kill just as easily. I carry the M&P 40 on duty and this little guy off duty for the ease of concealment. I have shot about 500 rds through it and never had one bullet jam or stovepipe. I even used blazer ammo and it shot fine also, Which with my 40 jams like crazy.[attachment=0:1zaw051x]cpx1-005-ttpage-001.gif[/attachment:1zaw051x]

PS It comes with a lifetime warranty "anyone, anywhere, anytime"


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