need help finding a good concelable pistol.

[BIGINNER]

i'm turning 21 on friday, and my wife is letting me get a pistol.  i was wondering,  what would you guys sugjust as a good,  not too big, concealable pistol,   oh,  and not too pricy either.   
thanks for the input

[Hillbilly270]

ruger lcp

[duckaholic]

check this out its all there. pm sent


http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,46966.0.html

[BIGINNER]

what you guys think about a ruger p95?

[duckaholic]

i love my p95 but it is big especially for a 9mm but not a bad gun at all for the money. are you getting your c.p.l or are you just going to open carry?
 

[JackOfAllTrades]

P95?  Wider than a 1911. Not as.. smooth as a 1911. Rough edges. Double action trigger. PLASTIC. Can't change the grips. 9mm... Uh, duh. 9mm?  Buy a real gun. Did I say crappy trigger? Too many moving parts and springs and such.

I had a P85 for a while. Good truck gun.

I'm a certifiable Ruger nut and that's certainly not my choice for a concealed pistol to carry. Yes, the barrel is 4" long, but the grip frame is full size double stack.

When you say 'Concelable pistol' you should be thinking micro or subcompact. That said, snubnose revolver fits the bill, Officer's size 1911 and smaller unless you're 6'5" and 320 pounds.  OK, smaller people can conceal a full sized pistol, but really.. A full sized pistol is more difficult to hide under limited clothing.

Even a T-shirt will conceal a snubbie revolver or Ruger LCP in the correct shoulder rig or IWB holster.

Don't let your budget dictate what you're looking for in a personal defense gun.

-Steve

[BIGINNER]

gonna get my cwp in a month or two.  What do the p95's usually go for?  I kinda like the glock you had on the other thread.  Are those spendy?  How is the glock 23 compared to the p95? (size wise/shooting wise)  

[Skycruiser]

i'm turning 21 on friday, and my wife is letting me get a pistol.

As a side note, you wanna work on that one. Next time, she might not "let" you get a rifle, shotgun, fishing boat, etc.

[Straight Shooter]

i'm turning 21 on friday, and my wife is letting me get a pistol.

As a side note, you wanna work on that one. Next time, she might not "let" you get a rifle, shotgun, fishing boat, etc.

 

[Woodchuck]

i have a c.w.p. and when i am carrying, i put it right out in the open, i want people to see it, i call it prevention

[BIGINNER]

does anyone have any experience with a taurus pt.111 9mm?   

[BIGINNER]

OK,  ONE MORE I WAS LOOKING AT,  ANYONE HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH A TAURUS 24/7 9MM? 

[wildmanoutdoors]

Look at a springfield compact XD40 cal. afordable, great gun. Id stay away from a 9...Id also stay away from a Taurus...

[Bscman]

Nothing wrong with 9mm...most of the downfalls people quote are antiquated studies--bullet technology has come a LONG ways since the 90's. Still, not a first choice, but good quality 9mm +P defensive ammo is much more effective than most people give it credit for. It's also much cheaper and less harsh to shoot than .40 and .45.
Plinking amm for 9mm can still be had around $10 per box. The average cost of plinking .40S&W is closer to $15. .45acp is up to the $20 mark. Considering L.E. studies show it takes an average of 1,000rnds to become proficient with any given handgun, there is a LOT of money to be saved learning how to shoot a 9mm.

Being that you're just turning 21, and this is your first pistol, I'm assuming you have little experience shooting handguns?

If this is the case, you need to start out with something a bit bigger--and without a lot of recoil and muzzle flash. You don't want to start out with something very difficult to shoot accurately--such as the Ruger LCP or a subcompact .40 or .45.

(My own personal opinion is that a practical shooting assessment should be a requirement for a concealed weapons permit--way too many people are packing guns they barely know how to use.)

A Ruger P95 would be a great starter gun to learn with, though it is too large for frequent concealed carry. A police trade-in glock 19, 9mm would also be a good choice. These are common around $350, with nightsights, and would be a great learning pistol that could double part-time as a carry weapon--still a bit large for t-shirt only weather. The springfield XD line-up is also top notch. High on my list of recommendations would also be a revolver--a Smith J-frame is very, very easy to conceal....38+p packs plenty of punch, and a small alloy frame means it won't weigh you down on long days (and also won't jam). Any of these should be fairly easy to find at or under $400 in the like-new/used case.

I'll second the notion to steer clear of Taurus...not a good track record for reliability, and a terrible customer service department.

[duckaholic]

i have a c.w.p. and when i am carrying, i put it right out in the open, i want people to see it, i call it prevention

[ICEMAN]

Bscman, great reply. I agree with you for sure. I would also suggest that a newbie to handguns consider a revolver. BIGINNER, you may want to check out a few of the .38cal hammerless models out there. They are easy to conceal, easy to learn on, you could also get the wife familiar with it, she may want to keep it and they you can get another handgun....

Don't listen to some guys who put the .38 or 9mm down. They are quite deadly. Easier to shoot, cost less and a great way to get started into the sport.

[Huntbear]

Iceman, I agree, newbies to carrying, should go with a small frame revolver.  We call them "idiot proof" since they will go bang every time you pull the trigger.  No feed jams, stove piping, magazines falling out after you hit the eject button, etc.... 

BIGINNER, look at the Ruger sp101 hammerless.  A sweet handling DA only .357 mag. revolver, will handle anything you can throw in it, and will never let  you down.  They are tough as nails, and quite concealable.

[fisheral87]

Kel Tec PF-9

www.kel-tec-cnc.com/pf9.htm

[huntlakewood]

I have small hands (I call them lady hands) I have a Taurus  Pro 40 I like it fits me great other guns just did not feel right for my small hands this also comes in a 9mm. If I remember right I paid $300/$350 for it a couple of years ago.

[HighCountryHunter88]

I carry a compact 9mm xd, i think they call it the service model. i like it, its my first hand gun and took a defense shooting class and they recomended a 9mm for a begginner because its easier to fire more rounds accuratly in a shorter amount of time than somthing with more kick.. plus ammo is cheaper

[ADAMS]

"they recomended a 9mm for a begginner because its easier to fire more rounds accuratly in a shorter amount of time"

Did they tell you about proper technique for gripping your handgun when firing more rounds in a shorter amount of time?

[ICEMAN]

this is good...

[carpsniperg2]

xdm 40 for me you should take a look at the line up they are great. i have always carryed a revolver but the xdm is the only semi-auto i will trust my life to. if you are a beginner the 38 in a revolver or 9mm in a semi-auto is a good choice.

[huntlakewood]

ICEMAN You have those on your un dont you 

[TribalDragon911]

I love my XD-40 compact. Great fit and reliable shooter. Only rounds I have had problems with are the cheap steel case russian rounds.

[ICEMAN]

ICEMAN You have those on your un dont you 

No wonder I keep missing!

[toyman2]

i roll with a XD-40 4" i dont have any trouble with it,its a work horse.
700rds through it and not 1 issue,but its a little heavy.

[NGOWENS]

When I turned 21 i went out and bought a CZ 75 B in 9mm!  Love the gun, accurate, reliable, easy to clean, relatively light, high capacity, and a thin profile!  Its not a shorty, but I love the hell out of that gun.  Its a little picky with reloads unless they are jacketed, but my dad has figured out a recipe for it!  It also is pretty cheap, I think around 400 when I got it.  2 clips, cleaning brush, case......I was very pleased with my purchase, and I knew it was a good gun when my gun collecting dad said if I ran into tough times he would buy it from me!  Well that's my 2 cents!

[wapiti hunter2]

Do not omit the Bursa Thunder in .380 or 9mm lugar from your search.  http://www.bersapistols.com/  I am doing the same hunt.  So far I have been to a half dozen gun shops to get a feel of what is good for me.  I want one that is fully concealable inside my belt and won't leave a bulge.  I do not wear long shirts or jackets.  The Bersa Thunder .380 is the nicest gun I have held so far.  The 9m  verson is a little larger but still a nice gun. 

[Craig]

BirdMan