CCW choice

[lilripper10]

I am having a very hard time deciding what my first CCW piece will be. I have already been through the course and have applied for the license, just waiting for the permit. I am stuck between HK P2000SK, S&W M&P 9c, Walther P99c, and a Sig P239. I understand the Sig has a single stack mag that has limited ammo capabilities. I am leaning toward the HK but was hoping some of you with more experience would chime in and help me make a decision. I can't justify buying the Walther for around $100 less than the HK and....I could go on and on. If you have any insight I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

[AK47 Ranger]

All in your personal preferences my friend.

I vary from a p239 .40 to a 92fs to a xd40 4" to a xd40 sub and sometimes even a 1911 commander...... Depends on the day i guess and my mood.

im proficent with all of them and thats the key, knowing your carry piece in and out. get something that fits you, a good holster and roll with it!

[Daniel187]

I like the H&K, I shot one and it was sweet, slimmer then a glock

[Colorado Osprey]

The HK has a strange trigger pull and takes some getting used to if you shot any other handguns. Some say they are very accurate but cheaply made. They are however very reliable.

Personally I don't support S&W due to cost cutting and QC policies making long term reliability a possible issue.(my loss I guess)

For CCW the Walther P99 but with the AS designation and of course C

The SIG has an awesome trigger... they have always impressed me.

One question?
Why such big guns for CCW?

Don't get me wrong... Some days I have carried a hi-cap larger bore pistols, but generally it is a bug like the G26, Taurus 605 or the Sig 230 (new ones are 232)

[BadShot]

Are those the only choices you're considering? Are you going to carry IWB or OWB or even pocket / Man purse? How many mags are you planning on carrying as well? What are you already carrying.. knives, pepper spray, multiple cell phones, ect .. weight in all of that gets to be a serious factor for a lot of reasons, first and foremost is that you want want to be constantly re-adjusting your holster/pants because everything is shifting, pulling down.

There is something to be said for slim frames, but a good bit to be said about pocket guns and revolvers. I'm not an HK fan personally, nor am I a fan of the M&P's. Both are personal opinions YMMV.

I personally go between a Taurus PT145 sub compact .45 (10+1) and a Glock 19 (18rnds) depending on weather and clothing. Right now I only carry OWB, but I'll be going with an IWB holster for the Glock soon. I do carry an extra mag and a SureFire E1E light along with the weapon in an extra holder on my weak side or in a pocket.

What this all comes down to is.. pick one or a few, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot and practice with your CCW setup, then do it again, do it watching TV (unloaded weapon of course), practice, practice.. TAKE A GOOD CLASS.. pratice, shoot... and rinse and repeat.

[carnplanenut]

I agree with BadShot, Practice is everything. I also switch between a S&W pocket 342 w/stripper clips (I wear a lot of slacks and this is a great choice for this type of clothing) and my HK USPc 40. I also sometimes carry an SP101 when wearing jeans.

Remember, something is always better than nothing. American Handgunner had a great article last month about carrying a back up weapon too. Something I am lookiong into.

Jason

[xjtwo]

Don't forget to get a good quality belt and a decent holster.....those make a world of difference!

I currently carry a G19 15+1 but I wouldn't mind trying a G26 or maybe even a LCP and the like. My holster is a Spartan IWB made by Comptac and the belt I use is a Wilderness Instructor 5 stitch . The belt is super stiff but the weight bearing is priceless.


-J

[RRD3]

I carry the H&K USP Compact 40. I like it a lot

[carnplanenut]

Great reminder on the holster. I carry my revolvers in an Uncle Mike's pocket holster. Never mind that they lok like a wallet through my pants, but they also protect your pistol too.

I like the USPc in 40 too! I have the LEM trigger. Well worth it if you train with it.

Jason

[SA Friday]

Pick the one that feels the best in your hand and quality made. So far, any on your list will do.

Practice shooting it. Practice a lot. Then practice some more.

The average shooting is 3 feet, 3 rounds, 3 seconds. After that if the aggressor is still alive and you can, break contact and get out. Point is, a single stack mag is just fine. Two ten rounds is more than enough. If you run into a situation that you need more than two ten round mags, you stepped out on the ledge long before the guns got involved.

Did I mention practice?

[opie011]

Another vote for HK. I carry a P2000 in .40 and love it.

[gnihcraes]

I really like my new Ruger LCR 5 shot 38spl, yeah I know, 5 shots, revolver.. ugh. I like it though... shoots nice!

[claimbuster]

5 shot revolver, you bet.

I carry a J-Frame S&W M640 in .357. It has Badger grips and has been Mag-na-Ported. Actually, I have two of them made up the same.

I load the 135gr. Gold Dot over Unique. Controllable, potent and easy to carry.

[UZI][UZI][UZI][UZI]

[Graves]

If you're going HK, I vote P30. Personally I wouldn't make an HK my first buy, I'd grab a glock and use the few extra hundred you have left over on some training and ammo. BTW as far as the LEM goes the long take up, the long reset, and heavy trigger pull, suck ass (imo). Everybody will tell you to train with it (and I have) but I tell you the one you love from the get go is better than the one that you have to learn to love.