Carry History

[tnhawk]

1911 govt > 1911 EMP > 1911 Commander > G27 > P938 > Shield

[Jeff H]

S&W 19 2 1/2" > CZ82 > Diamondback DB9 > S&W M&P Shield 9

[JHP45]

On 4/19/2022 at 8:06 PM, TGO David said:

90's - I started with a Ruger P85 which was a gigantic turd, and sold that to buy a Smith & Wesson 3913.  The 3913 is one that I absolutely should have kept.  It was way ahead of its time and a lot of the slimline guns that we have now aren't near as good as that gun was.  We ended up finding another in the 2010's and bought it for my wife.

During this time I also owned an HK USP 40 and a Sig P226 .40SW.  Those were both really nice guns but heavy and not great for carry.  No one was making good carry holsters back then, as we know them now.

 

00's - This is around the time that my love affair with Glocks began.  I started with a G23 and then traded to a G27.  I quickly saw the error of that decision as the G26/27 trade away the best parts of their 19/23 brothers and aren't even really any better at concealment... so I bought G19 and that was that.  I still have my first Gen 3 G19.

My favorite gun from this era is my Wilson Combat Professional.  It's a bob-tailed Commander-sized 1911.  I still have that one and my kids will fight over who inherits it one of these days.  I wore this gun to my wedding.

 

10's - Hard to say.  My wife and I were a dual-income, no-kids family for the first half of this decade and were able to buy whatever we wanted.  I have a lot of favorites from the 2010s but the best is probably my Staccato C2 that I bought right at the tail end of the decade.

 

20's - Also hard to say.  Walther PDP is great.  I love my P365 XL so far.  The one that has surprised me the most is probably the one sitting next to me right now:  My Sig P320 X-Carry.  I never really expected to be a "Sig Guy" and I did not like the first P320 Compact that I owned, or the second one.  Third time was a charm, I guess.

 

Thanks for breaking it down. I've been reading your write ups and appreciate the sharing of experience.

Ah man, now I want a S&W 3913! That's a cool piece. I started warming up more to some of the double action stuff lately. A good, metal, DA/SA is becoming more of an acquired taste in the sea of budget striker fired plastic (which I love too).

[hipower]

Short and not so sweet story. 

First one was a j-frame Smith from my Dad. Bought an HK4. Dumped it and bought a Browning BDA 380. Used it for years. Later tried many smaller semi autos that I didn't keep. Lorcins, Khars( sorry Bill!) Tried a 4'' K-frame for a while. But it was too big for me. Went back to Smith snubbies. Had 637 and the like for a time. Carried a Model 19 snub for a while.

Found the Springfield Compact 9 and was in love! Carried it mostly until I discovered the Shield. 

Been there ever since. There have been some dalliances with G26/27, G43x, Hellcat, and a 365XL. Still have the Sig 365, but I always come back to the Shield.

I think we're mated for life.

[Choatecav]

7 hours ago, hipower said:

Short and not so sweet story. 

First one was a j-frame Smith from my Dad. Bought an HK4. Dumped it and bought a Browning BDA 380. Used it for years. Later tried many smaller semi autos that I didn't keep. Lorcins, Khars( sorry Bill!) Tried a 4'' K-frame for a while. But it was too big for me. Went back to Smith snubbies. Had 637 and the like for a time. Carried a Model 19 snub for a while.

 

Oh my gosh...... I had forgotten about the Lorcin until you mentioned it here.  I had one in the late 80's that had to be the worst pistol on the planet.  It would fire every third or fourth try, on a good day.  Best way to use this pistol was to throw it at the threat and then run away, ha.

Nice paperweight, though.

[hipower]

1 hour ago, Choatecav said:

 

Oh my gosh...... I had forgotten about the Lorcin until you mentioned it here.  I had one in the late 80's that had to be the worst pistol on the planet.  It would fire every third or fourth try, on a good day.  Best way to use this pistol was to throw it at the threat and then run away, ha.

Nice paperweight, though.

Yeah...it was sort of purty. In a weird way. LOL. Thay actually didn't look too bad.

[Ronald_55]

1 hour ago, Choatecav said:

 

Oh my gosh...... I had forgotten about the Lorcin until you mentioned it here.  I had one in the late 80's that had to be the worst pistol on the planet.  It would fire every third or fourth try, on a good day.  Best way to use this pistol was to throw it at the threat and then run away, ha.

Nice paperweight, though.

I almost bought a Lorcin 9mm while back in college. I remember it was like $119 or something.  I had no idea about semis . No one I knew had one. They all carried revolvers. Heck most didn't even have a semi-auto shotgun or rifle. Bolt actions, lever actions, and single shots were the norm.

[Choatecav]

1 hour ago, hipower said:

Yeah...it was sort of purty. In a weird way. LOL. Thay actually didn't look too bad.

Let me qualify this as the Lorcin I am referring to was a little pocket pistol that fired .25 acp (I think).  It was "purty" as it was all chrome plated, etc. but just would not function reliably.  

[crowtalks]

I started in the early 90s after my permit carrying an Ortgies 32 (I tend to collect classic pocket pistols from the film nior era), then a Walther PP, but I realized with traveling by motorcycle across several states I wanted to carry something reliable that I liked but was inexpensive enough that if I got it taken from me by local constabularies, it wouldn't hurt too much so for the last several years I have carried an Astra Constable on my hip and/or a Ruger LCP in my pocket and a CZ 83 in my car.

[BillOReitz_II]

On 4/8/2022 at 10:04 AM, chances R said:

started with the M&P shield and haven't found anything else that I like better.  Round count over 10 does not interest me at all.  Just added weight.  Shoots well, easy on and off with Desantis Peagusus holster.  Goes at 4-5 carry or appendix with ease.  Lot of nice, small quality guns, but nothing I see as 'better' for me.

This reply is chock full o' common sense!

[leroy]

Young ta old.... 

Colt 1911... Colt LW Commander... Smith j frames... Glock 33... Sig 238... Sig 938... Now 75 years old...

Sig 238 goes in my pocket every day... Sig 938 plus a mag or two in my EDC carry bag in the truck...

On " the frontier and in the woods dark n deep "... Add a Glock 21 or a 20, depending on what's closest to the door...

Zombie Apocalypse.... Shotguns, 300 BO pistol, Ruger Charger...

vigilant leroy....

[hipower]

On 4/21/2022 at 9:31 PM, JHP45 said:

Thanks for breaking it down. I've been reading your write ups and appreciate the sharing of experience.

Ah man, now I want a S&W 3913! That's a cool piece. I started warming up more to some of the double action stuff lately. A good, metal, DA/SA is becoming more of an acquired taste in the sea of budget striker fired plastic (which I love too).

Got a 3913 in a  combo deal with a HiPoint some years back. Caught a young man coming out of a gunshop just cussin' up a storm at the owner.

As he was parked next to me, I struck up a conversation with him and found that the LGS owner had really low-balled him on a buy offer. And being the greedy unscrupulous character that I am...I offered 50 bucks more. lol.

He took it! Couldn't believe it. Kept the HiPoint and shot it for a while. Sold it as fast as I could. The 3913 stayed for a year or so and then I found something else calling me. Yeah, I stupidly sold it.

[Grayfox54]

Back in the early 90s, I carried a 3914 (blue) for a few years. Great gun,  excellent shooter and easy to carry. I don't care for bobbed hammers, so I put a 5906 hammer in it. Worked like a charm. 

But when state wide CCW went into effect, I put it in the safe and pulled out my Colt Commander .45 and never looked back. Foolishly sold it during the Y2K scare for a healthy profit. Really wish I had kept it. That's one gun I seriously regret selling. 

[Gurn]

Many different pistols and calibers over the years. Many of the same ones mentioned here. But it seems like for the last few years I’ll most of the time just grab my old faithful pocket gun. My Smith and Wesson Bodyguard 380 with CT laser. Loaded with Hornady Critical Defense. 

[scatman]

Shield 9mm>Taurus M605 poly 5 shot .357 mag>S&W SD40>Kimber Ultra Carry>Glock 21>Glock19>19x>FN509

[pop pop]

J frame 38 Spl, Colt Pocket lite 380, Taurus 7 shot snubbie mdl 617 357 Mag, Kahr PM 40, Kahr P 9 MM, SW MP C 9 MM 2.0 15 shot, MP 9 mm EZ 9 shot, but the most constant is the 617 Taurus 357 Pocket carry. Prefer it constantly since purchasing it, 12 years now. 

[JT59]

1996 to 2012 sig 220 in 45acp

2012 onward sig 239 in 9mm

[Dolphin]

An LCP clone called the I.O. Hellcat .380 and now a SW 642 .38. Looking for something new

[HonchoMike]

I have had a few different carry weapons over the years and have had change of philosophy also. if its not comfortable to wear daily it will be left at home. all carry guns are useless if left at home. 

1911-M&P 40-P320C-P365XL  

[1gewehr]

Colt Commander .45 > Colt LW Commander .45 > Star PD .45 > Remington 51 .380 (the original one) > Ruger Redhawk .44M (one winter to win a bet) > Star PD .45 #2 > Springfield XDs .45.  With a KelTec P3AT .380  when I have to.

[Links2k]

The first gun that I had that wasn’t given to me was a S&W 5906.  I then became a Glock fanboy, even though I think the newer M&P pistols are better.  I’ve owned or now own a variety of brands, but I’ve stuck with the Sig P365XL since I purchased it. 

[Moped]

17 hours ago, 1gewehr said:

Colt Commander .45 > Colt LW Commander .45 > Star PD .45 > Remington 51 .380 (the original one) > Ruger Redhawk .44M (one winter to win a bet) > Star PD .45 #2 > Springfield XDs .45.  With a KelTec P3AT .380  when I have to.

Man, I have always wanted a Star PD. Just been one of those grail guns for me.  But all the ones I find now a days are ragged out. 

[Choatecav]

32 minutes ago, Moped said:

Man, I have always wanted a Star PD. Just been one of those grail guns for me.  But all the ones I find now a days are ragged out. 

I have never owned a Star, either, but have heard cool things about them.  

However, if memory serves me, I believe they contain a plastic "buffer" to soften recoil.  Just wondering how that buffer holds up in older models?

[1gewehr]

On 6/11/2022 at 8:36 AM, Choatecav said:

I have never owned a Star, either, but have heard cool things about them.  

However, if memory serves me, I believe they contain a plastic "buffer" to soften recoil.  Just wondering how that buffer holds up in older models?

Buffers are good for about 300 rounds.  I bought a small box of IIRC 20 way back in the day.  I think I remember seeing them advertised recently.  If you have a PD, get spare buffers.

[gregintenn]

I kept an AMT 380 backup under the truck seat since I was old enough to drive. As I got older, I carried a 642 Smith and Wesson. One day I bought a Ruger LCP and have carried it since. It doesn’t have much finish left on it.