Go hold a bunch of different guns. Go with what feels best in your hand and points most naturally (which is obviously going to be a compact CZ-75). Ask if they will let you dry fire the weapons (always always always ask first) to see how the triggers feel. There are some things you can do to improve a trigger pull, but I wouldn't do too much stuff to a carry gun. Some triggers may smooth out after a few hundred rounds or so. Also, don't believe any bullshit about .45 ACP being able to blast someone into the next decade and 9mm being for girls. Both are great rounds, but .45 is not the fist of God.
FallenHero
Diamond Member
- Jan 2, 2006
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JulesMaximus
No Lifer
- Jul 3, 2003
- 74,590
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Well, in all fairness most compact carry weapons are within a couple hundred dollars of each other in the $500-700 range. Unless you get into custom/semi-custom 1911 based guns like Wilson Combat, Kimber, etc you are looking at well under $1,000. I wouldn't really recommend a 1911 based gun that you would carry cocked and locked for a relative noob anyway.
Oh, and the OP did say his budget was around $500 and he wants to use it for concealed carry. Not sure why you posted this actually...
i'll build from what others had mentioned (good process on their parts).
under what conditions will you normally be carrying concealed? what type of clothes do you normally wear, can you also use a backpack/briefcase/dayplanner without looking conspicuous, will you be carrying in a car and if so, will be vehicle be the primary place you need to carry? just a few of these types of questions.
definitely get to a gun show or shop and experiment as to which ones feel the best, which are more "natural" to you, the balance, ease of operation, ect..
a police department i work with gives their officers a budget to buy 3 different types of concealed holsters, depending on time of year and type of clothing they will be wearing. many people will carry a different firearm depending on the situation they are in and how much they have to worry about "concealability" (no laughing at non-english words ).
in certain situations i can carry a full frame weapon and not have to worry about it coming into view. other times i have to move down to a hammerless revolver though it's not my preference.
look at your conditions, pick up the weapons and see which you like, experiment with the different holsters. if the gun salesperson is patient they will let you try the holsters on and practice drawing/walking/moving. good luck
under what conditions will you normally be carrying concealed? what type of clothes do you normally wear, can you also use a backpack/briefcase/dayplanner without looking conspicuous, will you be carrying in a car and if so, will be vehicle be the primary place you need to carry? just a few of these types of questions.
definitely get to a gun show or shop and experiment as to which ones feel the best, which are more "natural" to you, the balance, ease of operation, ect..
a police department i work with gives their officers a budget to buy 3 different types of concealed holsters, depending on time of year and type of clothing they will be wearing. many people will carry a different firearm depending on the situation they are in and how much they have to worry about "concealability" (no laughing at non-english words
).in certain situations i can carry a full frame weapon and not have to worry about it coming into view. other times i have to move down to a hammerless revolver though it's not my preference.
look at your conditions, pick up the weapons and see which you like, experiment with the different holsters. if the gun salesperson is patient they will let you try the holsters on and practice drawing/walking/moving. good luck
alkemyst
No Lifer
- Feb 13, 2001
- 83,769
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Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Well, in all fairness most compact carry weapons are within a couple hundred dollars of each other in the $500-700 range. Unless you get into custom/semi-custom 1911 based guns like Wilson Combat, Kimber, etc you are looking at well under $1,000. I wouldn't really recommend a 1911 based gun that you would carry cocked and locked for a relative noob anyway.
Oh, and the OP did say his budget was around $500 and he wants to use it for concealed carry. Not sure why you posted this actually...
Didn't see that he said $500 was the budget, saw he said he wanted to spend less than that.
Also $500 vs $700 is only $200 but a large percentage difference. If he has a real budget of only $300 then it does matter.
Zenmervolt
Elite member
- Oct 22, 2000
- 24,514
- 44
- 91
Around here you can find the S&W M&P compacts for $499 regardless of whether 9mm, .40 or 357 SIG. You just have to look around.
To the OP: Be sure to rent these before you buy. I was strongly looking at an M&P compact until I rented one and found out that I cannot grip the gun effectively because it's too small for my hands. In a situation where I was carrying and needed to draw, I was not at all confident in my ability to get a good grip on the weapon quickly. I ended up choosing a full-size M&P .40 instead. It's harder to conceal, but I am much more confident with it.
The only small guns that I've tried that still fit my hand well have been snub-nose revolvers, which kind of sucks since they kick like mules with any heavy loadings. (A .357 Magnum snubbie, while surprisingly accurate in decent hands, is not something you want to fire except as a last resort because it will beat you up.)
I would advise against getting rid of the .22. It's a great way to get in cost-effective practice. I can buy a box of 500+ rounds of .22 at Wal Mart for less than it costs me to buy 50 rounds of .38 Special training ammo at my local gun shop. Use the .22 for extended range practice to keep good habits, and just run a few rounds through the new gun to stay accustomed to it.
ZV
if you are looking for a small carry weapon, the Kel-Tec PF9 may fit the bill. Its the smallest 9mm semi-auto in the world. I have had one since October and carry it almost every day in my pocket.
- Apr 21, 2005
- 4,180
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Well I went to a gun shop today, and they didnt' have much of a selection.
I did get to handle a glock 26, and while I thought it was a good gun, i didn't like the fact that you had to have a grip extender so that my pinky finger didn't just hang there.
I LOVED the Glock 19. Just a small bit larger than the Glock 26, and might possibly still be a good size for conceal/carry. It fit my hand perfectly, and it felt really really good. It also appears to be a more versatile gun, as I can carry it concealed and it may be a better gun for range shooting.
Another gun the dealer showed me was a Kahr KP10 40 S&W. It was very compact and pretty nice, but it wasn't really any cheaper than the glock or the other guns I'm interested in, and I don't like it as much as those.
I plan on carrying it in the car most of the time, but will carry it on me when the situation allows it. (can't carry at work obviously) I normally just wear jeans and a button up shirt with an undershirt or polo shirt, so I don't think it should be too hard to conceal like that.
I'm going to another gun shop in a few minutes to see what kind of selection they have.
I did get to handle a glock 26, and while I thought it was a good gun, i didn't like the fact that you had to have a grip extender so that my pinky finger didn't just hang there.
I LOVED the Glock 19. Just a small bit larger than the Glock 26, and might possibly still be a good size for conceal/carry. It fit my hand perfectly, and it felt really really good. It also appears to be a more versatile gun, as I can carry it concealed and it may be a better gun for range shooting.
Another gun the dealer showed me was a Kahr KP10 40 S&W. It was very compact and pretty nice, but it wasn't really any cheaper than the glock or the other guns I'm interested in, and I don't like it as much as those.
I plan on carrying it in the car most of the time, but will carry it on me when the situation allows it. (can't carry at work obviously) I normally just wear jeans and a button up shirt with an undershirt or polo shirt, so I don't think it should be too hard to conceal like that.
I'm going to another gun shop in a few minutes to see what kind of selection they have.
Last summer, I decided it was too hot to carry either my sig 239 or Glock 19. I bought a S&W 637 revolver and a pocket holster. The small revolver is so small and easy to conceal that I take it with me everywhere I go. I don't like being limited to 5 rounds of 38 special, but I think its better than 15 rounds of 9mm that are sitting in the truck while I'm in the parking lot.
alkemyst
No Lifer
- Feb 13, 2001
- 83,769
- 19
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The most compact guns do not have full grips. A Sig 232 is a great concealed carry. My brothers financee carries a hammerless Taurus in her purse, it's either a .38SP or .357Mag.
Gun is not fun too shot with it's small barrel and grip, but as a revolver it's not going to jam. The smaller grip is less of an issue with her as it's a full grip for her hand.
If you are carrying concealed daily it's a whole lot different than when you can carry on a planned 'dress' day. A jacket goes a long way. I'd figure that out and then look at those size frames within your budget. Remember ammo costs
CallMeJoe
Diamond Member
- Jul 30, 2004
- 6,938
- 5
- 81
The Beretta Cougar is a nice medium-size semiauto, available in 9mm and .40 cal, with a well shaped grip and reduced recoil (rotating barrel).
The PX4 Storm is full sized, but similar in feel to the S&W M&P series (with a similar adjustable grip size). It shares the rotating barrel mechanism of the Cougar.
The Beretta 9000S is a compact with a conventional tilting barrel mechanism.
The PX4 Storm is full sized, but similar in feel to the S&W M&P series (with a similar adjustable grip size). It shares the rotating barrel mechanism of the Cougar.
The Beretta 9000S is a compact with a conventional tilting barrel mechanism.
- Apr 21, 2005
- 4,180
- 0
- 71
Well today I picked up a Taurus PT111 Millenium Pro 9MM with a box of 50 shells for $150.00 after trade. I really like it so far, can't wait to go out and shoot it!
Text
Since I didn't spend as much as I had planned, I am now going to find a full size gun that I like.
I saw a CZ 100 9MM for 289 that looked really nice, I may check that one out.
Text
Since I didn't spend as much as I had planned, I am now going to find a full size gun that I like.
I saw a CZ 100 9MM for 289 that looked really nice, I may check that one out.
The CZ-100 has a veeeeeeeeery long hard trigger pull. It's a good dependable weapon, but it is not a fun range shooter.
I had one before, and I eventually sold it.
- Apr 21, 2005
- 4,180
- 0
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thanks for the info, that definitely doesn't interest me then.
I shot my new gun today, and I love it! It fits my hand perfectly and after some practice I've gotten to be pretty accurate! Shot almost 100 rounds through it today.
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