What do you carry?

[xsn10s]

I've gone full circle and back to a Glock 23. And I've carried it in my pocket though not at all ideal. Some wrangler pockets have a wider opening. I think 43X is doable since thinner. A G26 or G27 might be better since they have shorter grips. I miss my S&W M38, should've never sold it to a LEO friend of mine.

 

[xsn10s]

Since I'm twice the man I was when I wrestled I carry my G23 in a JX Tactical Fat Guy Appendix holster. The draw is a bit on the slow side compared to my IDPA competition holsters and I don't like appendix carry. But it's really comfortable and doesn't print even with shorts and a T shirt. Far better option than not carrying anything.

 

[GuitarmanNick]

I usually carry either a G-26 or G-43 9mm clone built on Polymer80 frames. Both run reliably and are easily concealable. I am intimately familiar with each part and certain the build quality is well above average.
Being blessed with a hunch in my back, it has proven to provide excellent cover for 4 o'clock carry with just a t-shirt. You work with what God gave ya!

 

[Toddmack]

What I carry depends on what I’m doing. Gratefully I live in an open carry state, Arizona. When out in the woods I typically have my G19 or G20 with me in a Kenai chest rig which by far the most comfortable way to carry I’ve ever tried. Pretty vanilla choices but I like them and have had them for years, both are stock with the exception of Johnny Glock triggers and Trijicon night sights. I use to carry on the hip, and abdomen both inside and out which I didn’t like much, I still do it when I have too. I just sold an Sig P938 that was my inside waist ban carry pistol for many years, micro 9mm and amazingly accurate for what it was and so small and light you would practically forget about it, I just wanted more than 6+1, personal preference. I replaced the 938 with 365 macro comp, I’m enjoying the 365, how they get 15 rounds in that mag I’ll never know. I have a couple shoulder rigs I like if I’m wearing a jacket too and a variety of outside the waistband rigs if that’s what I’m doing. Motorcycling from state to state gets tricky with the gun laws. As fun as this thread is it would be interesting to hear what people are using for holsters or whatever it may be to carry their preferred firearm. You might be using something others would like to try if they aren’t happy with what they have now.

Favorite carry rigs are Kenai chest rig for outside activities where concealment does really matter.

Favorite holsters iutside the waist band made by Milt Sparks, you can’t wear them out, extreme quality.

Favorite inside the waist band.. hidden hybrid holsters. Also a great product.

I think this would be an excellent thread on it's own! I'm not starting it because I speak/type like a caveman and don't check-in daily.

 

[AccelR8]

Put together a slide assembly for the P320 Compact. Slide from Brownells, Holosun HS507C-X2, Trybe Defense slide completion kit, Strike Industries suppressor height sights.

 

[Oaky]

Sig p238

 

[mauser284]

I have not tried an optic on my carry gun. So I wont knock it. That said it aids so much bulk. All of them are shit for easily changing a battery out.

My Shield 9 can not take an optic I do not think. Their are trigger and safety parts in the slide area where the cut would need to me made.

It is fine if your running ultra modern slide or arm but it rules out 99% of the fantastic handgun made prior to the various slide cut formats for optics!

If your made out of money fine go for it but I generally think it is stupid to rule out 99.999% of hand guns built prior to this tech. It is like spending $80,000 for a new truck just to get air bags if your paid off fully functional low mileage truck is in perfect shape.

People that spend money on trendy new things just because are almost the enemy to everything I value. No I am not saying these people are bad people I just can't stand them in general. In my mind it is almost as stupid as people that stay in debt constantly by buying a new car ever 2-3 year or leasing when they are not renting it out to their own company and taking an tax write off. I say this as someone driving a 20 year old Toyota that has to date had less than $1000 in repairs and 2 oils changes a year. Rust will kill my car long before it ever wears out or starts to nickel and dime me.

There are some people that need the latest, greatest, trendy thing and I tend to think lowly of them. If I am correct I will never need to draw my CCW weapon ever and if I do I will not be shooting targets for time competition style and the iron sights on my EDC will not be the limiting factor. The shooting sports I partake in do not allow optics let alone red dots so why carry one?

If I could mount a thermal imaging device on my EDC and have the slide function should I? No only a person with an IG bellow 73 would do such a thing just because it could be done. Maybe I should get a Boston Robotics Dog and mount a gun open carry on it and put a leash on it. Again kind of stupid right!

There is a lot of stupid in the market but only super consumers say yes and pay for it. Just like I am not mounting a can on my 45-70 and taking into the woods to hunt deer for 1 maybe 2 shots per year! Trendy tends to be the opposite of smart, intelligent, fiscally responsible or best practice!

If I am correct my low dollar $249 Cabella S&W Shield 9 special will beat a sharp stick. To date I am not aware of anyone that has saved other peoples lives or their own with a CCW firearm doing so with a holographic red dot sight or laser in civilian life or law enforcement. This is including the young man that shot a terrorist at a mall at 80 yards did so with Iron sights.

Influencer on youtube and the internet and people with more money than brains convince people they need lasers, red dots, insanely expensive gear and all kinds of other expensive nonsense when none of it has been used in real life to save a life in civilian life!

Prior to my right eye degrading with age I often outshot people with iron sights when they where using expensive optics. I would often shoot their gear better than they could shoot their own gear. I am not saying this to brag but to drive howe the idea that you can not buy gear that will trump experience, practice and natural talent.

So young men and women put your money in and time in training and ammo and range time over technology. If and when the time comes you need to embrace expensive gear your mastery of the fundamentals will still allow you to advance at a faster pace than someone that chases technology or training.

In fact our US Special Forces prior to GWOT have proven that training time trumps technology over and over and over again. THe British SAS and Marine Commandos also have proven over and over again that training time trumps technology.

EDC should be as compact and light weight as possible so you carry year round. All of your carry guns should have the same sight technology no matter if you are wearing shorts and a tank stop of jeans, sweater and down jacket. If you do not need to bet your life on batteries don't bet your life on batteries!

Opinionated as always that is me! Take care and all the best!

 

[AccelR8]

Okay

 

[Forum Boss]

Red dot optics work great for most people. However, TEST one out before you buy. I have astigmatism and now have cataracts. The Astigmatism created an alignment issue (and difference between view with left eye and right eye). The cataracts make the red dot appear as a large blurry starburst. Not so great.

For me, shooting steel matches, iron sights worked better.

The huge advantage of Red dots is that you don't have to worry about front/rear sight alignment.

However, what I found is that, with a gun with good ergonomics (SIG P226), the sights came up very nicely aligned with a little practice. Conversely, I sold my Glocks because they did not point naturally for me at all. When I helped with newbie pistol training at my Club, I found this to be the case for most of my students -- Glocks did not point well for them and 90% shot noticeably better with a different brand of pistol.

 

[AccelR8]

I agree. Before I say anything else I'll say my EDC P320 is carried with the original slide and iron sights every day. The RDS slide swaps on for experimentation. I decided to try this because;

I have noticed my pistol shooting ain't what it used to be. I have trouble seeing the sights. I have a 22 target pistol with a red dot. I can shoot it much better than one with irons. So I borrowed that red dot and mounted it on a .357 mag (with a Weigatinny mount) and saw an immediate improvement in my shooting.

Then I decided to try a red dot on my P320 and see if I liked it. The jury is still out on that. One problem I had with the RD on the 22 and the 357 is “searching for the dot.” A lot of time wasted looking for the dot in the window...not too much of a problem with a target gun but for defense, not good!

Contrary to a previous poster's assertions, a shooter with current knowledge of the market would know the components I bought are on the low end of the price spectrum. This is a trial, not a commitment. I chose the specific sight because I saw a review in which was said the 32 MOA circle and dot reticle reduced the searching for the dot. Well, I can say...not so much. It's still an issue. Maybe practice will reduce or will eliminate that. When I bring an iron sighted pistol up on target it seems to me that even though I'm looking at the target and not the front sight, that front sight does provide a sort of subconscious reference point as the gun comes on target.

I first shot this thing with the red dot and no irons. I had a real problem bringing the gun up on target and finding the dot, even with the 32 MOA circle. Unacceptable. And in a low light condition, forget it. Again, maybe with practice...but after installing the suppressor height sights that problem all but went away.

Actually at this time I'm thinking the way to go might be just might be suppressor sights and no red dot. With a big dot front and U-notch rear the suppressor sights are MUCH more visible and clear to my eyes than the factory issue sights (which are night sights) and much faster on target than the red dot.

But I'll keep practicing and see.

The Glock pistols, same for me. Do not point well at all. I have to roll my hand forward, with my wrist in a very unnatural bend, to get on target. I don't understand why Gaston Glock said the grip angle is designed specifically for a natural point of aim. But different people have different hands I guess.

 

[AccelR8]

One thing I wonder about, an open RDS sight like this riding around in a holster day in and day out, it looks like the sight would be a prime spot to accumulate dust and dirt. Maybe I can modify my draw to bring the pistol close to my face so I can blow air on the sight to clear the glass

 

[Steel Mover]

Carried a Sig P-226 W German stamped gun with German extended grips, and two 20 round mags with 124 truncate cone HPs. A deputy wanted it real bad. So we traded. I got a Para Ord LDA 45 ACP and rebuilt it. It fits in a front pants pocket.
Vietnam water buffalo bone grips engraved, S&A mag well, Novak sighs, action job, etc.

 

[3Phantoms]

Depends on where I am going. Standard carry is Sig P365. When driving in large cities there is also a Springfield XDM-Elite in 10 mm in a shoulder holster pointed at the door. And occasionally, a Ruger LCPII in ankle holster as back-up. Can never go wrong with a back-up to your back-up.

 

[Cecil S.]

Depends on where I am going. Standard carry is Sig P365. When driving in large cities there is also a Springfield XDM-Elite in 10 mm in a shoulder holster pointed at the door. And occasionally, a Ruger LCPII in ankle holster as back-up. Can never go wrong with a back-up to your back-up.

Different calibers for different situations but always one in reach.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

 

[brokeasajoke]

I've discovered through Helene that holsters are paramount. I really must invest in some better ones. While there wasn't but one or two instances of shenanigans, the amount I carried was more than I ever have and learned I need high end holsters period. Here's one, always carry your weapon and treat it like it's loaded right? Well, I did just that and at the end of the day someone want to check out my kimber master carry 5" so I took the magazine out and empty. I racked the slide to eject the one in the chamber.....empty. at least it's all steel and would put a good knot on someone's head lol.

 

[FNSafari]

Different calibers for different situations but always one in reach.

Interesting article by Terry Wieland in this month's STimes about the .32Auto.

 

[Kittitas George]

No need to carry, I'm so tough when I walk down the street, the sewers back up!!

 

[hpshooter]

I've discovered through Helene that holsters are paramount. I really must invest in some better ones.

One of the most overlooked feature of a good holster, either competition or CC, is the ability to re-holster without looking at the holster. Never take your eyes off of your surroundings when re-holstering.

Remember the fumbling of the Secret Service agent after Trump's attempted assassination. Lack of training and poor holster choice.

 

[ISS]

I've switched a couple times this year. Had a Glock 36 in my pants pocket. You can do that wearing 5.11's. Then my SIG 320 Legion with a SIG red dot. Lately, I'm experimenting with a P220 Super Match. There's just something very comforting about nine rounds of 45 acp HP's.

ISS