Thoughts on concealed carry pistol

[VIPER]

What are your ideal pistols for deep conceal carry such as makes,models and calibers? I'm not asking about the pistols that look like your carrying your pet squirrel around in your pants,think SMALL and extremly concealable.

[Grand58742]

I would think the Kahr line in 9mm has about the best offer of caliber, concealability and reliability, but...

This often become an extremely personal choice. Some folks can "hide" a Glock 19 fairly well while others have a hard time not printing a NAA .22 LR mini-revolver. Some folks can just carry a bigger pistol than others and still conceal it.

[brokedownbiker]

What are your ideal pistols for deep conceal carry such as makes,models and calibers? I'm not asking about the pistols that look like your carrying your pet squirrel around in your pants,think SMALL and extremly concealable.

Depending on the situation and my clothing, I carry either a Taurus PT145 in a Crossbreed IWB holster or a Kel-Tec P3AT in either a pocket or in a Galco SuperTuk IWB holster. After payday, I will have another Crossbreed for my Sig P228 and it will be in the rotation as well.

Easily concealed doesn't always mean smallest; a lot depends on your body shape, clothing style, and expected risk level.

[rice paddy daddy]

I have to work with what I already have. I prefer large caliber handguns.
I have carried a Colt Commander 1911 in 45 ACP in an IWB, but it's not all that comfortable.
We live in a rural, low crime part of the country and I feel perfectly OK carrying a Charter Arms Bulldog 44 Special in my front pocket, mine's DAO (no hammer spur) and has a 2 & 1/2" barrel.
Alternately I carry a Taurus 357 magnum snub nose in my front pocket.
When I go to the populated side of the county I have the 357 in a belt holster under an untucked shirt and the 44 in my pocket. This gives me 10 rounds before a reload.

[VIPER]

I recently got to handle the p938 and was very impressed with this small setup.Pricey but a lot of gun in a conceal carry way. Anyone have experience with this gun?

[WILL]

Ruger LCP or S&W Bodyguard .380s are great guns. I prefer the Smith, and have carried mine for almost a year now. I can't say enough kind words about it. .

[Bama]

North American Arms .22 mag in front pocket. Taraus PT145 in a DeSantes Iwb holster.

[cpwhip]

"the pistols that look like your carrying your pet squirrel around in your pants"
but I like that look:)

[Matt In Oklahoma]

G26 in a Foxx IWB holster everywhere I go

[WILL]

G26 in a Foxx IWB holster everywhere I go

I CCW'd a Glock 27 for a year (same size I believe). It was too big and heavy for pocket carry, definitely having the "squirrel effect." I also tried the IWB leather holster. While it could be done, I got tired of having the back of the pistol grinding into my groin all day while seated. Living in Florida, jacket pocket, shoulder holsters and ankle holsters aren't so much of an option due to me wearing a t-shirt and shorts most of the time. One day I had enough, and went gun shopping. I picked out the S&W .380 Bodyguard over the Ruger LCP because it seemed a bit nicer. Long story short, it carries like a dream. I drop it into my shorts pocket and forget it's there. As a result, I carry all the time now. If I have pants on, I'm armed. It's pain free, effortless and I don't fret about what to wear to conceal my gun. I wish I would have gone this rout alot sooner. If you haven't tried the new generation of micro-pistols, you don't know what you're missing.
To be fair, there is a big difference between carrying a 7 shot .380 and a 10 shot .40. With the Glock.40, I would have felt comfortable pressing an attack. The .380 is strictly a self defense gun designed to get you out of trouble in a pinch. It's a different mind set.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

I CCW'd a Glock 27 for a year (same size I believe). It was too big and heavy for pocket carry, definitely having the "squirrel effect." I also tried the IWB leather holster. While it could be done, I got tired of having the back of the pistol grinding into my groin all day while seated. Living in Florida, jacket pocket, shoulder holsters and ankle holsters aren't so much of an option due to me wearing a t-shirt and shorts most of the time. One day I had enough, and went gun shopping. I picked out the S&W .380 Bodyguard over the Ruger LCP because it seemed a bit nicer. Long story short, it carries like a dream. I drop it into my shorts pocket and forget it's there. As a result, I carry all the time now. If I have pants on, I'm armed. It's pain free, effortless and I don't fret about what to wear to conceal my gun. I wish I would have gone this rout alot sooner. If you haven't tried the new generation of micro-pistols, you don't know what you're missing.
To be fair, there is a big difference between carrying a 7 shot .380 and a 10 shot .40. With the Glock.40, I would have felt comfortable pressing an attack. The .380 is strictly a self defense gun designed to get you out of trouble in a pinch. It's a different mind set.

Love that bold statement
and on that note many have gone to the pocket rocket 380s but I am of the school of thought that Clint Smith teaches "a carry gun should be comforting, not necessarily comfortable" or something to that effect. If you have the squirrel effect you are doing it wrong and need to change your dress because I wont compromise my safety for comfort.
That is just my choice and may not be what you decide but after the first large situation the general public is aware of since the inception of pocket rockets is the colorado theatre shooting and I heard alot of whining during discussions about how their gun couldnt handle the situation. Which leads me to the question of -then why carry it?
I believe any weapon worthy of carry should have offensive capabilities not just get me thru being backed in a corner especially as a LEO, Soldier OR Survivalist defined as one who truely believes that SOMEDAY they could find themselves in a required immediate response situation that calls for them to push thru a crowd of badguys, panicing post event public or even the zombie apocolypse:) or whatever worst case senario you plan for as we all have different ideas of that.

[WILL]

Love that bold statement
and on that note many have gone to the pocket rocket 380s but I am of the school of thought that Clint Smith teaches "a carry gun should be comforting, not necessarily comfortable" or something to that effect. If you have the squirrel effect you are doing it wrong and need to change your dress because I wont compromise my safety for comfort.
That is just my choice and may not be what you decide but after the first large situation the general public is aware of since the inception of pocket rockets is the colorado theatre shooting and I heard alot of whining during discussions about how their gun couldnt handle the situation. Which leads me to the question of -then why carry it?
I believe any weapon worthy of carry should have offensive capabilities not just get me thru being backed in a corner especially as a LEO, Soldier OR Survivalist defined as one who truely believes that SOMEDAY they could find themselves in a required immediate response situation that calls for them to push thru a crowd of badguys, panicing post event public or even the zombie apocolypse:) or whatever worst case senario you plan for as we all have different ideas of that.

I used to feel that way back in my 20s and 30s. You'll find your attitude/ mindset on guns changes as you age. I've been carrying a gun for almost 20 years now. For me, it's not so much about some fantasy N. Hollywood or Colorado CCW shoot-out as it is about the daily grind of carrying a gun to deter regular street crime.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

I used to feel that way back in my 20s and 30s. You'll find your attitude/ mindset on guns changes as you age. I've been carrying a gun for almost 20 years now. For me, it's not so much about some fantasy N. Hollywood or Colorado CCW shoot-out as it is about the daily grind of carrying a gun to deter regular street crime.

Headin to 50, my skills and experiences since 19 arent fantasy
Just some thoughts, nothing to get wound up about

[Mjollnir]

Not a real big fan of sub-compact pocket pistols for anything other than a back-up gun personally. While sub-compact pocket pistols are easier to carry due to their size, they are more difficult to shoot with the same degree of accuracy and speed as larger pistols. Personally I want a gun that is going to give me the best possible odds in prevailing in the fight and as such I routinely carry a full sized pistol. Is it more difficult conceal than a pocket pistol???? Sure it is but in reality it is not that difficult to conceal the mid & full sized guns if one wants to. So my mindset is "I would rather have a gun that is easier to shoot but takes some work to conceal; rather than a gun that is easy to conceal, but is more difficult to shoot". I carry a gun for the purpose of shooting it should the need arise.... I don't carry a gun based on how easy it is to conceal..... just my $.02.

[VIPER]

I understand the love for the 380 bodyguard as I own one and have cc it for around a year and a half.It is a great little gun but I recently decided I wanted more thump without a larger gun.I went ahead and got the p938 9mm and after shooting it I love it with only slight size increase.The 938 is 1/4" thicker and 3/4" longer and 1/2" taller than the bodyguard.I would like to cc my 629 but that squirrel would appear to have been eaten by a racoon.LOL