What are you packing?

I'm in the market for a carry gun. I love my Sig P226 but Im looking for something a little easier to carry. I'm considering the Springfield XD sub-compact 40S&W (maybe 9mm), but I'm looking for other options.

I would suggest sticking with the same cal so you only have one to stock up on.

I love my taurus pt-140. I nor any of the people I actualy know, have ever had any problems from their mil pro's. Academy has the (9mm) pt-111 for 279 12 rnd mag. Or the (.40) pt-140 and the (.45) pt-145 for 329. Both have 10 rnd mags.

how bout a glock 18, selective fire , with a 33rd mag?

or a beretta 93f , 3 rd burst, with 20rd mag?

or this

in all seriousness though, there are only 2 real options a colt series 80 1911( a heritage thing)

or a glock(goes BANG no matter what)

Glocks are great for most people, and they have cheap and plentiful replacement parts. I personaly haven't found one that fits my hand like the mil pro. (I've got weird hands)
If money and ammo availability were not factors I would get the fn 5-7.

I love my H&K USP Compact .45 - it's small enough to conceal carry and it has an 8 rnd mag. If you have big hands, you can get the mag extension to catch your pinky finger! With a Hogue grip - it's really comfortable. The extended slide catch and de-cocking/safety levers are easy to reach and and operate.

Rescue1 wrote:

Glocks are great for most people, and they have cheap and plentiful replacement parts. I personaly haven't found one that fits my hand like the mil pro. (I've got weird hands)
If money and ammo availability were not factors I would get the fn 5-7.

they dont fit my hands well either...........but they are great self defense weapons, carry it all the time, dont take care of it worth a shit and it still works.........a glock 17 belongs in every persons bug out kit


but i like the 1911's............as long as i keep it kinda clean my sti lawman rocks......plus they are the hometown guys,
and if they get it away from me most thugs wouldent know how to turn off the safety, beside when i get one of them sti perfect 10 pistols they will match

akonius wrote:

I love my H&K USP Compact .45 - it's small enough to conceal carry and it has an 8 rnd mag. If you have big hands, you can get the mag extension to catch your pinky finger! With a Hogue grip - it's really comfortable. The extended slide catch and de-cocking/safety levers are easy to reach and and operate.

i had one of those......... i loved the way it felt.......but the one i had would jam all the time(stovepipe) so i sold it...


im going to get another in 45 soon

Although I haven't carried in the Jeep in awhile (I would like to find one of those hard plastic fitted holsters, so I could mount the holster somewhere by my person with easy access, like around the center dash panel and my right leg) its home for now is right beside me in bed.


Oh..its a compact ParOrdance P-12 Limited .45..12 rounds in clip and 1 in chamber

Just FYI, there are no kiddies at my place...just in case.

Hey Mark, the best thing to do is go to a gun store that will let you coon finger a bunch of them, till you find one that feels good to you, and that you like the best.

Having said that, here is what currently resides at casa de Anderson.

Dad totes a Glock 27 (itty bitty .40) He shoots it really well and has no problem qualifiying with it.

Mom carries a S&W Chiefs Special w/the hammer shroud. She shoots better than dad.

I kinda switch out from time to time, depending on what I'm doing.....if fishing on the farm, I carry a S&W 25-5 in .45 Colt..mostly with snakeshot. 90% of the time I carry a Glock 21 in .45 ACP. For serious target shooting, I have my grandfathers Colt 1911, also in .45 ACP (yeah, I like 45's... )

Anyway, any of the above can be carried on a daily basis, you just have to give some thought to how and clothing choice is a big part of it. Its tuff around here because is so hot in the summer and mild in the winter. I've tried the IWB carry thing (works pretty good), the fanny pack thing (everybody knows a gun lives in there, unless your on Montrose), the shoulder holster thing (good in the winter), the small-of-the-back thing (nothing like a Glock up your butt when you sit down)...the only thing I haven't tried is the duck tape to the back like John McClain thing...LOL.

redneckhouston wrote:

in all seriousness though, there are only 2 real options a colt series 80 1911( a heritage thing)

or a glock(goes BANG no matter what)

Yeah, I like the 1911's but I'm looking for something thats easy to conceal.

skoalman wrote:

....Dad totes a Glock 27

The specs on this are real close to the XD I'm looking at. Might have to compair prices...

I have a G 19, ready to roll. I've got medium size mitts, so it, with a hogue works superbly! Hard to beat Glocks.

I am a 1911 guy - 100%


*I carried a glock (10mm, 40 & 45 full and compact)
*switched to the USP when it first came out and had a matching set (full and compact)

I saw the light and finally bought a 1911. I started with a Les Bear (too much money!) I sold the LB and bought two Colt 1911s - a custom Gold Cup and a custom Defender model (compact) I will be a .45 1911 guy forever.

here is what sold me.....

I have been shooting all my life and was a pretty good shot (not too bad now) I used to shoot in a tactical league (IDPA) every week and the USP was loose.... I had problem with accuracy. I would fire "expert" at the range when qualifying but wanted to make one big hole right in the middle of the target and the USP just plain wouldn't do it - unless I shot prone or supported which is cool for sighting in but not for the real deal. I talked to a bunch of shooters and every one of them was shooting 1911s... I went to several meets (both IDPA and IPSC) to watch the pros and they were all shooting 1911s. So I bought one and never looked back. I was able to shoot the "one big hole" in the middle of the target like I always wanted... and that was during qualification.... not seated with no pressure.

FWIW - check out your local IDPA - it teaches you how to go from concealed to putting rounds down range accurately. You get penalized for running out of ammo while away from cover/concealment so you learn shot count and reloading on the fly. They use real world scenarios to make it fun. There is a place (Eastex Gun Range) on 59 north that shoots on Wed nights.... I think... it has been a few years for me though.

you gotta practice..... over and over and over.... if someone gets the jump on you you will most likely end up dead if you go for a weapon and for sure if you fumble.... I would most likely just give up my wallet etc... then risk taking a bullet - unless they gave me an opportunity... then it would be lights out!!!

I use the small of back (SOB) AKA "butt crack" method too - there are some very nice holsters that make it easy.

+1 on the training. I recently tried a carbine match, and it was an eye opener. Texas Tactical offers carbine matches as well as IDPA matches near me. $20 bucks for the tournament. Can't beat that!

CRUX wrote:

+1 on the training. I recently tried a carbine match, and it was an eye opener. Texas Tactical offers carbine matches as well as IDPA matches near me. $20 bucks for the tournament. Can't beat that!

It was a freakin' blast wasn't it?!

I thought I was a pretty good shot UNTIL I went to one of the IDPA league nights.... I realized that I could shoot - but when you add the pressure of a scenario... then go from concealed to shooting.. and do it for time - that is a lot to deal with while putting rounds down range... still not near as much as if it were a real life or death situation... no time outs or do overs there. It didnt take long until I was shooting pretty good and as the confidence/comfort levels go up so does the speed and accuracy.


Also - IDPA is more realistic than ISPC...... (IMO) the ISPC race guns are cool though.

Mr.RonGilbert wrote:

CRUX wrote:

+1 on the training. I recently tried a carbine match, and it was an eye opener. Texas Tactical offers carbine matches as well as IDPA matches near me. $20 bucks for the tournament. Can't beat that!

It was a freakin' blast wasn't it?!

I thought I was a pretty good shot UNTIL I went to one of the IDPA league nights.... I realized that I could shoot - but when you add the pressure of a scenario... then go from concealed to shooting.. and do it for time - that is a lot to deal with while putting rounds down range... still not near as much as if it were a real life or death situation... no time outs or do overs there. It didnt take long until I was shooting pretty good and as the confidence/comfort levels go up so does the speed and accuracy.


Also - IDPA is more realistic than ISPC...... (IMO) the ISPC race guns are cool though.

Thanks for the info. I have been considering something like this.

I used to shoot a bunch of IPSC back in the day.....but in my opinion its turned into an arms race. Its really only realistic scenarios if you were defending the Alamo. I mean, come on, one stage where you fire over 30 rounds?

IDPA is where its at. I have shot at the place on 59, but think its closed now. Used to have some good matches at the indoor range in Humble, till it burned down.

A good IDPA match really gets the blood pumpin. Most of the stages are very realistic, and more indicative of real combat/self defense situations.

I kick myself for not making a trip out to Thunder Ranch before they moved out of Texas. I always wanted to do the pistol and rifle classes.

I have recently (today) changed where/how I carry.... and it is the best option that I have ever seen - 5.11 makes a series of undershirts that not only conceal your weapon but it spreads the load across your torso to the point that you hardly feel the weapon. I used a shoulder holster for a long time and they are the most comfortable way to carry - especially a full size weapon. The only problem is that you had to either wear a jacket or baggy shirt over it. This undershirt is like wearing a shoulder holster that is built in to the under shirt:
check it out here!

here is the shirt that could be worn over the holster shirt - it has fake buttons on front allowing for quick access to your weapon. Mine showed up today and I love it.
Covert Shirt

My only issue is that I have practiced drawing from SOB for about 16 years..... this way is faster overall but will still take some getting used to.

skoalman wrote:

I used to shoot a bunch of IPSC back in the day.....but in my opinion its turned into an arms race. Its really only realistic scenarios if you were defending the Alamo. I mean, come on, one stage where you fire over 30 rounds?

IDPA is where its at. I have shot at the place on 59, but think its closed now. Used to have some good matches at the indoor range in Humble, till it burned down.

A good IDPA match really gets the blood pumpin. Most of the stages are very realistic, and more indicative of real combat/self defense situations.

I kick myself for not making a trip out to Thunder Ranch before they moved out of Texas. I always wanted to do the pistol and rifle classes.

yep! Clint is the man!!!

TxRubiRig wrote:

Although I haven't carried in the Jeep in awhile (I would like to find one of those hard plastic fitted holsters, so I could mount the holster somewhere by my person with easy access, like around the center dash panel and my right leg) its home for now is right beside me in bed.


Oh..its a compact ParOrdance P-12 Limited .45..12 rounds in clip and 1 in chamber

Just FYI, there are no kiddies at my place...just in case.

For those with kids and still want to have a weapon close by with quick access check out the biometric vaults... they pop open with the swipe of a finger... I mounted one on the wall by the bed. I place my phone(alarm clock) on top of it. Can be from asleep to locked and loaded in seconds. I keep a tactical flash light in there too.

gun vault

redneckhouston wrote:

how bout a glock 18, selective fire , with a 33rd mag?

or a beretta 93f , 3 rd burst, with 20rd mag?

OK!!! Last one and I will stop with the hijack :threadhijacked

if your gonna go with those you might as well go all out!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qwXO-KTVxk

Another here who wished he had the opertunity to attend Thunder Ranch