Good First CCW

[sullybosco1]

I think I posted this in the wrong sub forum the first time.

I’m turning 21 in a few months, I wouldn’t exactly say I grew up around guns, but I’ve always had an interest in them and read whatever I could about them so I have an idea about what I like, and I’ve gone to the range a few times. I’m not a particularly large person at 5’7 and 140lbs, but I’m looking for a compact handgun for concealed carrying. Would a Glock 19 or 26 be good for my purposes? SD and HD mainly, and range gun to get familiar with it and all that. I’m in CT so I’m limited to 10 round mags, but wouldn’t have an issue carrying an extra mag or two. Thanks in advance

 

[Scott Free]

If your hands are smallish to medium, you may have trouble getting a good grip on any gun with a double stack magazine. Either a single stack gun, or even a smaller caliber—or a small revolver. Or perhaps your hand size is large compared to your body size.

 

[Scott321]

IMO, go to the range and rent a few guns that you are interested in. You might find that you like or dislike actually shooting some of them or prefer one type over another. I had a friend who was about your size, and he did fine with the G26 as a first gun. Although standard pressure 9mm doesn't have much of a kick, be aware that generally speaking, the larger gun will kick less, have a longer sight radius to help aim, and allows for a full three finger grip.... although it might be slightly harder to conceal because of the size and weight. Above all, please be safe and practice/learn safe firearm handling techniques.

 

[Dddrees]

IMO, go to the range and rent a few guns that you are interested in. You might find that you like or dislike actually shooting some of them or prefer one type over another. I had a friend who was about your size, and he did fine with the G26 as a first gun. Although standard pressure 9mm doesn't have much of a kick, be aware that generally speaking, the larger gun will kick less, have a longer sight radius to help aim, and allows for a full three finger grip.... although it might be slightly harder to conceal because of the size and weight. Above all, please be safe and practice/learn safe firearm handling techniques.

This and you may also fin that a good CCW is not always a good range gun. Smaller maybe easier to carry but not as much fun to shoot a whole lot. Also the larger the caliber the more the ammo cost so that can be limiting to a point as well depending on how much funds you are willing to spend. 22s really make for some great range toys. Take your time and do some research first.

 

[Tortorelli01]

Can’t go wrong with a Glock 26, Glock 43 is also a great carry gun in the summer. I usually rotate between my 26 and 43 and carry a 19 in the winter.

 

[plumberroy]

Scott321 gave you good advice rent and try before you by.
I carry glock G42 ,G29 and G26 the 42 is so handy to just drop in a front pocket in a pocket holster . I carry it around the house and such G29 is my primary ccw. It is to much gun for many people . If you can handle it, it is a lot of power in a small gun. I have a G26 that I carry on occasion . I have carried a Glock 17 or 20 at times all the guns I carry are glock gen 4 with the mag release switched to lefty. No matter what I have the controls are the same

 

[sullybosco1]

I plan on going to a local range to try them out before deciding. I’ve shot a Glock 23, I found the recoil to be a bit snappy, I mainly attributed that to being a .40. And I also have put a few mags through a 43 almost right after it was released, I didn’t mind it at all. Besides it could use a couple more rounds in each mag. I normally wear medium sized gloves if it makes a difference, I didn’t have an issue with the grip of the 23. And since the 19/26 is 9mm I figure it will be a bit narrower. I’m not that worried about printing or having an issue concealing it, I tend to wear larger shirts. Thanks for the tips so far

 

[JJ_Colt45]

You're on the right path ... if you have a range rent and try several guns and calibers ... and yes the .40 is much snappier than a 9mm ... even more so than a .45 ... try semi autos and revolvers ... and see what you think ...

find the gun that you shoot well and practice ... and if you get your CCW ... I recommend taking more classes those are just basics to cover laws and safety but don't give you the experience you should have to carry ... and don't forget to buy a GOOD CARRY BELT ... they make as much or more difference than the holster to get a good carry set up.

Good luck and learn and enjoy all you can.

 

[Kiteman72]

I had a Glock 42 once upon a time and ended up trading it in for a S&W 638. I kind of wish I had it back, but not really for CCW.

I would encourage you to check out a S&W J-frame of some kind (I like a good 38 special). Lots of choices and its generally easy to carry and learn to shoot.

 

[jackknife]

I had a Glock 42 once upon a time and ended up trading it in for a S&W 638. I kind of wish I had it back, but not really for CCW.

I would encourage you to check out a S&W J-frame of some kind (I like a good 38 special). Lots of choices and its generally easy to carry and learn to shoot.

I'll second the S&W J frame .38. I had a Glock 26 for two years and could never really bond with the gun. I'd carried a S&W model 60 two inch for almost 40 years prior to that and was very used to a wheel gun, so that may have a bit to do with it. Sold the Glock and went back to the .38 revolver.

A couple things about the revolver. One is the absolute simplicity of the thing. Open, load, close and its ready to shoot now or in twenty years from now. The revolver will chamber and fire literally any bullet profile or load with no problem and even in the same cylinder load. Round nose, wadcutter, hollow point and even shot shells will have 100% reliability. In 50 years of shooting revolvers, I've never had any fail to function.

The other thing is, with the revolver and no magazine well to worry about, the grip frame and grip itself can be smaller and trimmer than an auto, and there's almost no end to the grip variations you can have on your gun to personalize it to your own hand. After market stocks can fit any hand from a hobbit to The Hound.

I'd actually recommend two revolvers, one in .38 special and the other in .22. I have a S&W model 63 for range practice and a S&W 637 for carry. The alloy framed .38 revolver is only 14 ounces so it carries all day like a dream. My Glock 26 was something like 26 ounces and there was a difference in all day carry, especially on a hike. Plus the .38 revolver I always keep the fist round on deck a CCI shot shell for the snaky encounters, knowing it will not affect the function of the gun.

If you look at Ruger, the LCR can be had in matching guns in both .22lr, .38 special, .357mag, or even 9mm. The rimfire and center fire will have the same feel in hand.

 

[Lapedog]

I think I posted this in the wrong sub forum the first time.

I’m turning 21 in a few months, I wouldn’t exactly say I grew up around guns, but I’ve always had an interest in them and read whatever I could about them so I have an idea about what I like, and I’ve gone to the range a few times. I’m not a particularly large person at 5’7 and 140lbs, but I’m looking for a compact handgun for concealed carrying. Would a Glock 19 or 26 be good for my purposes? SD and HD mainly, and range gun to get familiar with it and all that. I’m in CT so I’m limited to 10 round mags, but wouldn’t have an issue carrying an extra mag or two. Thanks in advance

I really like the Smith and Wesson Shield. Give it a shot. I love glocks too and something about the Shield appeals to the glock lover in me.

And yet the Shield somehow seems like it would be more comfortable to wear concealed all day than the boxier glock.

If money is no object check out the Bond Arms bullpup. Just read up on it before you buy it. It is choosy about what ammo works well with it.

Or if you consider that you will be carrying the gun 99.9999% of the time and firing it that .0001% of the time (Not including range practice) check out the Taurus curve. I have no right to recommend this gun I don’t know much about it beyond the fact that the concept looks cool imho.

 

[TOMBSTONE]

Check out Glock.. I like the S&W M&P 2.0 series alot so I'd check them out as well

 

[Horsewright]

My two recommendations have already been made. I would look very seriously at either the Glock 43 Or the Smith J frames. Both carry extremely well. Both are very easy to use. Both conceal well and both are very reliable. Both easy to maintain.

I too, like Jacknife, have about 40 years of carrying experience, both open carry and CCW. Some months back I switched to the Glock 43 and have been very happy with it.

I carry it in all kinds of rough ranching conditions and I do appreciate its ability to shrug off dust, muck and yuck. Literally untucking my shirt conceals it and in a good pancake style holster on a good belt, the gun just goes away, all day. That's really important. So many folks will buy a larger handgun and say they are gonna carry it. This lasts about a week and the gun sits at home. Buy something that you will carry, today, tomorrow, tomorrows tomorrow. When I first got my 43 I wasn't all that keen on it. I sure appreciated how it carried but didn't like shooting it. I didn't shoot it well and it pinched my trigger finger. Then one day I quit trying to shoot it like a semi auto. I just picked it up and shot it like a double action revolver and wow what a difference. No more trigger finger pinch and it shoots VERY well. Six plus one and a spare mag, good to go. Working on this sheath in the shop. Glock gone when shirt untucked.

Brings us to the J frame revolvers. Solid, solid, guns. For many years the most firepower that could be put in that small package. Jacknife gave you lots of pluses on the J frames so I won't go over them again. However, I have seen revolvers fail, it has happened to me. Was in a bad dust storm one time. Checked my K frame model 67 afterwards. Hammer came back and came to a complete and gritty stop, The entire revolver completely locked up. Took a complete disassembly, washing, and lubricating of all parts to get this gun back in service. I have a friend that is a training animal. He goes to class after class after class and shoots daily in between. He gets paid to do this as he writes for numerous gun magazines. Last year he took a revolver only course from one of the most intense but also highly rated trainers on the planet. Eight out of the twelve participants had problems, with four not being able to finish the course's 500 rounds. That included my buddy's Ruger GP 101 (if ever there was a small revolver built like a tank its this one). Took a trip to the gunsmith to get it operational again. Anyhoo both of these are extreme examples and a revolver will serve just about anybody fine. I've carried this Mod 36 about a gazillion miles and it has served me well.

It was used when I traded for it In 1983. If autos went away I wouldn't hesitate to strap this guy on again. Recently built this cross draw hokster for a guy here on BF for his J frame.

If I were carrying this gun CCW again I would seriously consider this method of carry, very comfortable. I do still carry this gun sometimes on the ranch during snaky times of the year. In the cowboy world these little revolvers are often called "snake guns" and everybody has one. Either one of these guys would be a great first CCW choice

 

[Sonnydaze]

I like your taste in handguns also, Dave. I have Glock 43, a smith 442, Walther PPS sitting next to me in a box by my LazyBoy.
Also a j-frame stubby 640-1 Smith .357 in the safe, along with numerous others...Glocks, Colts, revolvers etc.
I like your cross-draw holster, but have long carried my j-frames in Barami Hip-Grip...maybe 40-50 yrs. Made for a variety of small revolvers ...used them with Colt Agent and others in the past. It is just a hook in the grip and hooks over the belt or the waistband, and can be almost invisible even with shirt tucked in...when hooked between belt and waistband. (Never lost one; secure)
As I find myself walking my "puppy" many times between midnite and 4 a.m., and we have had some wandering black bears strolling thru our neighborhood, I have recently switched my .38 Spl and 9mm loads to those made by Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore. Both guaranteed to penetrate bear-skull and keep on going. I use his same "Outdoorsman" ammo in both .38 and 9mm. Works just fine in lite-wt j-frames. Bullet will NOT jump crimp in lite-wt .38 unless subjected to greater than five or six rounds fired before it. No bullet jump whatever in all-steel j-frame.
Just to share info...pics and links enclosed...if I remember long enuf to do so. Good grilling day to ya, friend./ Don
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=155
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=104

 

[Mitchell Knives]

Since you are limited to 10 rounds, I would go with a compact Glock, S&W M&P or Walther.

There's nothing wrong with a 1911 either if you don't mind the safety.

Both are great guns, especially after you add a decent trigger and quality sights.

I'm not a big fan of revolvers for CCW. I like a full size gun that holds at least 15 rounds.

 

[fishface5]

One thing to consider is how naturally a particular pistol aims for you. by which I mean does it point to where you are intending to hit, without looking down the sights. In a high-pressure scenario you want a gun that automatically points where you mean to hit

 

[jaseman]

I didn't see it mentioned (or maybe I missed it) but the Springfield XDs would be one to seriously consider. Personally, I think it carries better than the Glock, and has a better trigger than the Smith M&P's. I've fired them in all three flavors (9mm .40 and .45) and really like them, even though I don't currently own one. I have at lease 5 or 6 friends/family members who have them, and none have any major complaints (even if it's not their personal favorite.

Just about everyone makes some form of a compact or semi-compact semi-auto these days, so you can find them in just about every price range. Your best bet is to go to an LGS and put as many different ones in your hand as possible, until you find one or two that just feel right, and go from there. What works in my hands, may not work in yours. And fire as many of the ones you like as possible.

The thing you didn't mention was budget. And this is a bigger factor than you may realize... You can find decent carry pieces as low as ~$350 (especially if you're willing to buy used) or spend upwards of $700 for an HK, FN, Sig, or such. But also take into consideration a good holster at $50-100, a good belt (if you don't already have one), enough ammo to practice with, and most importantly, whatever it costs in your state to take a CCW qualifying class, and the price of the permit/license itself. All said and done, you could pay more just for the extras than you do for the pistol.



Me, personally, out of all the pistols I own, I've come down to two primary carry weapons:
FNS-40c - Same size as the Glock 26, but to me, a much nicer firearm (also a bit pricier). Mine is .40cal, but it also comes in 9mm (FNS-9c). This is my primary when I'm wearing jeans and a t-shirt, a jacket, or it's cooler outside. Also shoots like a full size, even though it's the size of the G26.

Ruger LCP - This thing is tiny. Yeah, it's only a .380, but I'm not a caliber snob. I can pocket carry it in a pair of running shorts, and barely feel it there. So it allows me to carry even in the hottest weather (been carrying it a lot lately!). Also disappears into a pair of suit pants, without having to worry about a heavy belt to hold the holster. But man, is it a pain to shoot.

 

[22-rimfire]

I would suggest you look at the Ruger LCP. It is slimmer than the Glock although I like Glocks as they are very reliable.

On the revolver side, Ruger LCR or S&W 642 in 38spl. I prefer revolvers myself for their reliability.

Practice Practice..... I don't particularly enjoy shooting the very small revolvers and pistols except in 22LR.

 

[sullybosco1]

Budget is anything under 700 or so, I’m not looking to go cheap, I don’t want to have to worry about if it will be reliable if I need to protect my life or someone else’s; it’s a used Glock or something. But I will definitely take a look at the compact M&Ps and Shields, and the J frames. I’m also not looking for external safeties, the last thing I would want to happen is the gun being on safe if I need it to go bang, although it may be better to have for a first carry gun. Should probably be noted that I’m a bit caliber partial, either a 9mm or .38 on the lower end and a .357/.45 on the higher end. I’ve shot everything from a 9 up to and including .357, so I have a little bit of an idea on how the recoil is. I also have been reading a bit into holsters, what are y’all’s opinions on Crossbreed’s belts and holsters?

 

[jaseman]

I would suggest you look at the Ruger LCP...

I respectfully disagree. While I love carrying my LCP because of it's size, I absolutely hate shooting it. it's quite snappy to fire, and starts to physically hurt to shoot after about 25 rounds. I have to force myself to practice with it when I go to the range. For someones first handgun, I personally recommend they start with something more comfortable to practice with, so that they will, actually practice. In a 'pocket .380', I'd recommend a G42 over the LCP for someone who's only gonna have one carry piece. Or, if they're willing to go SOA, a Sig 238 (love mine, but won't carry it for other reasons). I can put 100 rounds through either of those with little to no fatigue. YMMV

Budget is anything under 700 or so, I’m not looking to go cheap, I don’t want to have to worry about if it will be reliable if I need to protect my life or someone else’s; it’s a used Glock or something. But I will definitely take a look at the compact M&Ps and Shields, and the J frames. I’m also not looking for external safeties, the last thing I would want to happen is the gun being on safe if I need it to go bang, although it may be better to have for a first carry gun. Should probably be noted that I’m a bit caliber partial, either a 9mm or .38 on the lower end and a .357/.45 on the higher end. I’ve shot everything from a 9 up to and including .357, so I have a little bit of an idea on how the recoil is. I also have been reading a bit into holsters, what are y’all’s opinions on Crossbreed’s belts and holsters?

Under $700 will get you almost anything you want in a CCW pistol. And most of the more common ones are gonna be dead reliable as long as you maintain them.

Nothing wrong with external safeties, as long as you practice, and build the muscle memory to thumb the safety off in an emergency. That said, I've moved away from external safeties for all my carry pieces for just that reason - one less thing to think about in a high stress situation.

For your first pistol, I'd stick with 9mm in a semi-auto. It's the cheapest to shoot. Price of ammo is about 30% cheaper than .45 acp (with .40 being somewhere in between). Makes a big difference if you're gonna be putting a lot of rounds downrange.

For a revolver, go to .357 - You can run .38 through all day at the range, and keep .357 chambered for carry. But do note:
- Periodically run .357 at the range, so you are used to how the gun fires the hotter load
- A 'snubby' revolver will have quite a bit more kick in .357 than you may want, so if you go that route, definitely make sure you shoot one before making a decision

There's nothing wrong with any of the other calibers (my favorites are .40 and .45), but 9mm and .38 are just gonna be your most economical to start off with, simply because they are the most popular rounds for defensive handguns.

Crossbreed makes a good product, though personally, you can find similar styles, for cheaper, in just as nice of a holster. The other thing to remember is, just like the firearm itself, not every holster is going to work for every person. Unfortunately, you kinda have to find out what works for you by trial and error. I've got a drawer full of holsters that I've accumulated over the years trying to find the ones that work best for me. And I also have two or three for each carry gun, based on what I'm wearing, where I'm going, and what kind of activities I'll be doing. Holsters become their own separate rabbit hole... LOL