My best friend is in the process of opening a gun shop. In fact, I was there last night helping him build a wicked sweet counter with end posts of cedar trunks. Anyway, I digress. If I'm gonna be working there (which of course, I will) I'm gonna need to get my carry/conceal permit. But what to carry? I figure if I'm gonna carry, and if I ever were in a position to throw down, I don't wanna be tossing pebbles at 'em. There's a reason the 45 is so common among police officers, it works. The downside, I would think, is the weight. I mean, if you're gonna carry, it has to be comfortable or you won't pack it, right? And, since I'm really not a firearms guy, I don't know much at all about any of them. So I'm looking for an education. What do you guys carry and why?
I carry a Ruger LCP 380 aka "Pebble Shooter." Let me throw a few "pebbles" at you and if you get mad...you can kick my arse.
FInch....lol I never called a .380 a pebble shooter. I don't wanna get shot by any of 'em. When I bird hunted, I used a 1100 20ga., because I thought it was more sporting than a 12ga. (until I quit shooting so much, and bought a 12ga....lol). I don't consider self-defense sporting. If they made a bigger handgun that I could hoist and still hide.....sometimes), I'd probably carry that.:D
And I certainly would think a "pebble shooter" would be acceptable, especially when consideration is given to concealment. I actually was looking at one so I could holster it on my ankle. Along with the 45 at my side. Hey, if I'm gonna be working in a gun store, I'm not gonna be without firepower.
Mo... Honestly, the gun I carry now IS big and it's cumbersome (full disclosure). You have to keep in mind, though, I don't HAVE to conceal mine. They shouldn't be so big you don't carry them, sometimes. And, mine is. I'll be looking at the same gun you just referenced, but I'll likely look at the 9MM (for my carry gun). More rounds.....lighter.....plenty of power. Tell me what kind of deal you get, if you go that route. Ask 'em if they'll make a deal on 2!
I've shot the springfield xd .45 and xd-m .40... high round capacity. They torture tested the xd ( left it in water, Ice, sand, etc.) and it still shot fine. One thing that I didn't like was I thought the trigger could have been smoother.
Between my dad, brother and, I we have a a springfield XD 9mm, 2 LCP's and a Taurus Judge. I like all of them.
Couple friends of mine who are pretty meticulous about thier guns are big fans of the XD. I don't think you can go wrong there. Are you only going to be carrying while at work? That may allow you to get a slightly larger frame size than if you were going to carry all the time. I carry any number of guns depending on my dress & activity.
Ammo for .45 can get downright expensive these days, so if money is an issue I would stick to 9mm. I still need a .40 caliber handgun and was looking at the XD's. I also have a .380 and the ammo is about as expensive as .40. My .44 is sweet but damn heavy. 9mm will be cheapest to shoot in the long run and unless you got some crackhead on PCP it will get the point across. If you want to go larger caliber I would get a shorter barrel .40 or .45 since you will most likely be shooting a short ranges If I were gonna conceal carry my top gun would be a .40 caliber sig sauer.
Most likely my next handgun (my first) will be an XD .40 or even possibly the 9mm (XDm) for the extra cap and lighter weight. I won't carry this on me during the day (I can't seeing as I'm a teacher) so I'm not entirely concerned about weight, but I may change my mind once I get into handling more at the shops.
Here's my "nightstand" gun. Glock 23 (.40 cal). I initially bought this to carry but its too big for my liking so I bought the LCP. I bought the Desantis Nemesis front pocket holster for my LCP but I carry it in my back pocket since I carry a front pocket wallet. Anyway, no one can tell I'm packin' while its in my back pocket and it comes out easily if needed. Here's a pic of the LCP in its holster.
Go with a .38 Special, like the S&W Airweight .38 revolver (hammerless is best) and you'd be set. The .38 special has enough knockdown power, and is a small and concealable weapon, especially with the airweight which weighs only +/- 13 ounces. That means you can carry it everywhere and not have a hunkin' .45 that weights a pound more on your body. Two .38's in the chest is better than a .45 left at home because you didn't feel like carrying the weight...
