Concealed carry suggestions

[jones0430]

Well, she pulled the trigger on a pistol after test firing mine and a Walther PK 380.

The PK380 won for several reasons.

1. Recoil is very manageable, I would call it soft.

2. The slide is easy for her to operate.

And finally

3. She got it with a blue zebra print on the frame.

It also is quite accurate.

[websterz]

Don't overlook the CZ-82. It's a 12+1 Double/Single action and the 9mm Makarov round is no slouch. I carry mine when I have to conceal and I never feel undergunned.

[1911A1 Range Officer]

Ruger LC380. I have and carry a LCP and a 1911A1 at times. But the LCP is so small it's "snappy" and so light and small that I sometimes forget I have it, if it's in my wallet holster. Which is why I would suggest the LC380 over the LCP, more to get a hold of.

[Jolly Green Chopper]

Many instructors say get a light 5 round regular 38 special revolver for the average female newbie.My wife carries the Ruger 5 round 357 LCR w/38 +P and she can't say any negatives. She has her choice of over 30 different hand guns but stays with the 38+P. She says its foolproof . JGC

[entropy]

Not a bad choice of gun, the PK380. WIth that solved, here are my suggestions.

1. Carry always. (Where legal)

2. Practice often. If you think you've practiced enough, you're wrong. This includes drawing and re-holstering. (Practice these with the gun empty!)

3. Someone mentioned a purse. I advise against it, and here's why: If a purse snatcher gets your purse, you've just armed him. You could forget: forget your purse somewhere, or forget you have the gun in the purse, and enter a non-carry zone and have it detected, or remember it too late. This has cost some women in the past.

4. IWB carry can be a challenge for a woman. Anamtomical differences can make it either uncomfortabe or unfeasable. A shoulder holster is a good choice, if wardrobe permits.

5. Carry a cell phone. Be the first to call in after (or during, if possible) an incedent. First caller is the 'victim' , second, or non-caller, is the 'perp'.

6.If a laser is made for it, get one. Deterrent value may be iffy, but lasers save lives. Your life.

7. Learn the laws concerning CCW for wherever you will be carrying.

8. Read all you can on CCW. I recommend everything by Massad Ayoob first, then Clint Smith, etc.

[bunkysdad]

All good points Entropy. I know one thing, if a handgun is not pleasant, or at least somewhat pleasant then the owner won't like practicing, therefor won't be proficient with it when needed. I think that Walther was a great choice. I have a Walther P22, which looks like it's little brother and they shoot and feel great.

[Capybara]

Waiting on my CCW approval (yes, we have to wait a long time in California) but I have already bought the S&W M&P Shield, it is a very nice, economical carry gun.

[Darryl]

Waiting on my CCW approval (yes, we have to wait a long time in California) but I have already bought the S&W M&P Shield, it is a very nice, economical carry gun.

Where are you located? Only one or two Counties will issue a CCW right now. It is still tied up in the 9th District court. Then the Suprem court next. Maybe a year or two?? (just a guess).

[Fred_G]

Not a bad choice of gun, the PK380. WIth that solved, here are my suggestions.

1. Carry always. (Where legal)

2. Practice often. If you think you've practiced enough, you're wrong. This includes drawing and re-holstering. (Practice these with the gun empty!)

3. Someone mentioned a purse. I advise against it, and here's why: If a purse snatcher gets your purse, you've just armed him. You could forget: forget your purse somewhere, or forget you have the gun in the purse, and enter a non-carry zone and have it detected, or remember it too late. This has cost some women in the past.

4. IWB carry can be a challenge for a woman. Anamtomical differences can make it either uncomfortabe or unfeasable. A shoulder holster is a good choice, if wardrobe permits.

5. Carry a cell phone. Be the first to call in after (or during, if possible) an incedent. First caller is the 'victim' , second, or non-caller, is the 'perp'.

6.If a laser is made for it, get one. Deterrent value may be iffy, but lasers save lives. Your life.

7. Learn the laws concerning CCW for wherever you will be carrying.

8. Read all you can on CCW. I recommend everything by Massad Ayoob first, then Clint Smith, etc.

Great advice, but, how do lasers save lives? Would you point a laser at someone you would not shoot at?

One booklet I read every few months: http://www.waywardthinking.com/pdf/Prin ... efense.pdf

[entropy]

To clarify, I did mean weapon mounted-lasers. Laser pointers would not not be a good idea.

The Cooper treatise you posted is excellent advice; situational awareness and knowing how to use it to advantage is one's first defense, long before any weapon comes out. But once they do:

Lasers save lives two ways; One, and I did say this was not certain, an attacker who has even an iota of wits about him/her will not continue with the assault with that red or green dot dancing on their chest. And, two, if they don't have any wits about them, and do continue the assault, the red or green dot will assure that their assault, as well as possibly themselves, will be short-lived. A laser makes even the hardest to accurately shoot of CCW handguns deadly accurate. I have one gun with a laser built in, (S&W Bodyguard 38) and lasers for both my other CCW pistols. I've found I can remove these lasers, and reattach them while retaining acceptable combat accuracy.

Your second question is valid for lights, but not for lasers, unless in a combo unit. My answer is a question: Would point a gun at someone you would not shoot?

Hopefully the answer is no. The laser does not provide enough light for proper identification, that's what your flashlight is for.

Since you've already determined to point your gun at an attacker, (after having identified them either by ambient light or your separately carried flashlight) why not take advantange of the advantages the laser offers?

Or shall I ask; what are the disadvantages of lasers?

[Fred_G]

"Or shall I ask; what are the disadvantages of lasers?"

Now, this is my opinion, I am not in a SWAT team or anything like that. I have watched people with lasers who can't hit crap with them. If we tuned off the lights, and cranked up some Pink Floyd, it would be more fun to watch them. As I see it, lasers add one more component to your gun, and one more thing that could fail. So, if someone needed their gun, and the laser did not work (was broken, battery died...) they might just stare at the gun, like many people do when they pull the trigger and the gun does not fire. I suspect few people 'train' with their guns enough to be effective, and adding potential problems might not be a good idea. And I don't really like the word 'train', perhaps practice with a goal in mind would be a better term.

I am a big fan of KISS when carrying a gun. It would be a lot of work for me to be able to transition from aiming with a laser to the sights in a defensive situation. I have not messed with lasers on guns in a long time, but wouldn't it make you an easier target if there was another bad guy around that you had not seen?

Of course when it comes down to it, most people will not ever need their gun, and we could sit around trying to find potential failure points forever, in reality, any gun can fail. Not sure about people always stopping just because a red or green dot is on them, but don't have facts either way. But some people have not stopped after being shot several times...

[jones0430]

My friend just bought a Sig Saur P938 Scorpion. It would work as a CCW, however, for me it is a no go. The compact grip places the magazine release under my thumb, which is problematic. I found this out on the second magazine that I put through it. The second round failed to feed because under the recoil my thumb pressed the mag release which dropped the magazine enough to cause a mis-feed.

I will stick to my Walther PPk/s or Beretta 84.

I think that the barrel configuration on the Walther PK380 and Sig P938, where the barrel drops down on the slide retraction introduces a significant vector for recoil energy and produces a very different feeling to the hand than does a straight recoil of the slide as in the Beretta or PPK/s. I feel the energy in the upper part of my hand in my pistols, whereas I feel it more lower down in my hand in the PK390 and P938. This means it's more manageable in smaller hand (eg, a woman).

[entropy]

"Or shall I ask; what are the disadvantages of lasers?"

Now, this is my opinion, I am not in a SWAT team or anything like that. I have watched people with lasers who can't hit crap with them. If we tuned off the lights, and cranked up some Pink Floyd, it would be more fun to watch them. As I see it, lasers add one more component to your gun, and one more thing that could fail. So, if someone needed their gun, and the laser did not work (was broken, battery died...) they might just stare at the gun, like many people do when they pull the trigger and the gun does not fire. I suspect few people 'train' with their guns enough to be effective, and adding potential problems might not be a good idea. And I don't really like the word 'train', perhaps practice with a goal in mind would be a better term.

I am a big fan of KISS when carrying a gun. It would be a lot of work for me to be able to transition from aiming with a laser to the sights in a defensive situation. I have not messed with lasers on guns in a long time, butwouldn't it make you an easier target if there was another bad guy around that you had not seen?

Of course when it comes down to it, most people will not ever need their gun, and we could sit around trying to find potential failure points forever, in reality, any gun can fail.

A laser is not a substitute for training. And I really do like the word train; you fight how you train. If you draw. fire a double tap, and go to low ready to assess in training, that's most likely what will happen when the chips are down; It might get you killed. (It has done so for some, including LE.) If you draw and fire until slide lock or FTF, that's what will happen. If you don't practice FTF/FTE drills, you will probably just stare at the gun, until the rounds start hitting you, anyway.

I have watched people with lasers who can't hit crap with them.

and they can't hit crap without them, no doubt. A laser does need to be zeroed, and once that is done, it's all on the shooter. If the shooter can't shoot well enough to zero, well.........

wouldn't it make you an easier target if there was another bad guy around that you had not seen?

As will your muzzle flash. Keep moving. Laterally, and serpentine, towards cover if possible. Such moving targets are harder to hit. Serendipitously, it becomes easier to hit your target while moving when using a laser.

Not sure about people always stopping just because a red or green dot is on them, but don't have facts either way. But some people have not stopped after being shot several times...

As I said before, intimidation is not a 100% sure thing with a laser, as is the same with presenting a gun, but if your adversary is not intimidated by it, it is still a 'force multiplier' over not having one. Practicing with a goal in mind, that goal being more low light accuracy when using a laser, is well worth the time spent. Practicing not using it in low light is still needed regardless. And as for not stopping while being shot several times, that's why I like .45's. (though I trust my accuracy with the S&W 38 enough) A laser makes any caliber more effective, however.

I actually did think of some disadvantages to some lasers; most of the deal with holsters, but more holster manufacturers are making them for lasered guns. The Versa-Carry works very well with all types of lasers. (Except the huge 80's one like on Stallone's Jati in Cobra. )

[Fred_G]

Enjoy your laser!

[Mike]

Not a bad choice of gun, the PK380. WIth that solved, here are my suggestions.

1. Carry always. (Where legal)

2. Practice often. If you think you've practiced enough, you're wrong. This includes drawing and re-holstering. (Practice these with the gun empty!)

3. Someone mentioned a purse. I advise against it, and here's why: If a purse snatcher gets your purse, you've just armed him. You could forget: forget your purse somewhere, or forget you have the gun in the purse, and enter a non-carry zone and have it detected, or remember it too late. This has cost some women in the past.

4. IWB carry can be a challenge for a woman. Anamtomical differences can make it either uncomfortabe or unfeasable. A shoulder holster is a good choice, if wardrobe permits.

5. Carry a cell phone. Be the first to call in after (or during, if possible) an incedent. First caller is the 'victim' , second, or non-caller, is the 'perp'.

6.If a laser is made for it, get one. Deterrent value may be iffy, but lasers save lives. Your life.

7. Learn the laws concerning CCW for wherever you will be carrying.

8. Read all you can on CCW. I recommend everything by Massad Ayoob first, then Clint Smith, etc.

Great advice, but, how do lasers save lives? Would you point a laser at someone you would not shoot at?

One booklet I read every few months: http://www.waywardthinking.com/pdf/Prin ... efense.pdf

I have a friend who is a police Lieutenant, in 20 years on the force she has never had to pull the trigger on a bad guy, she says that little red dot on the chest has stopped the assailant dead 100% of the time she has been faced with one. Now, she and I agree there will be times that won't happen, the bad guy will keep coming but the laser is definitely worth having if it stops you from having to pull the trigger even once.

[Fred_G]

"A laser makes any caliber more effective, however."

Please expand on the laser sight caliber effectiveness. This is a new one for me. Does the laser tell the bad guy what caliber is pointed at them? And, does it apply to fired bullets, and or unfired bullets? You state this, while you say you like the .45. Interesting. Would not a .22 with a laser have merit? Is a .22 wound worse for the recipient if a laser is involved? Or, does the .45, as made by the prophet John Moses Browning become a wall of total destruction when using a laser?

[Fred_G]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP5TdE7sbBw

[Junk Yard Dog]

Lasers....Buck f***in' Rodgers I ain't, the only streak of light you will see giving away my position will be from the eruption of flame and super heated gas when I pull the trigger, the next light will be the one they say you have to walk into after death.

[entropy]

"A laser makes any caliber more effective, however."

Please expand on the laser sight caliber effectiveness. This is a new one for me. Does the laser tell the bad guy what caliber is pointed at them? And, does it apply to fired bullets, and or unfired bullets? You state this, while you say you like the .45. Interesting. Would not a .22 with a laser have merit? Is a .22 wound worse for the recipient if a laser is involved? Or, does the .45, as made by the prophet John Moses Browning become a wall of total destruction when using a laser?

Unless you are a top level competition shooter, a laser will make you more accurate. That is what makes any caliber used with one more effective. If I were using a .22 for SD, I sure as hell would have a laser on it, because the target area in which a .22 is most effective is miniscule. I like to give myself every advantage I can; I have plenty of experince with the .45ACP, and can shoot it well. Thus, I use it. A laser increases my accuracy in less than perfect conditions, (low light, adrenaline, etc.) thus I use it. To not do so would be a disservice to myself and those I intent to protect. There are time when I don't have a laser on my CCW, and it's always a concession to the holster. I do have a Versa-Carry for my compact .45, and .38, but not my 1911. I do keep a laser on that one at home, and I do ocassionally take the one off the compact .45, if the holster I intend to use is a better one for the occasion that the Versa-carry.

[Ironnewt]

I shot one of those hammerless 38 wheelguns over the weekend with big disappointment. Trigger pull working the system was awful.
My wife could maybe pull it using both index fingers but not with one hand. Check out the local ranges, the one here just had a handgun event where there were all sorts of choices you could shoot to find out what you liked best.

Typically the trigger pull on a newer revolver in DA is outrageous. The factories make them this way to protect themselves from lawsuits from idiots that do not obey the rule, NEVER point a firearm at something (one) you are not willing/ready to destroy.