Concealed carry: Will my laziness get me killed?

F

Futo Inu

New member
Ever since I got my Kel-Tec P32 and pocket holster, I have gradually, unintentionally phased out my hip-holstered primary carry pistol, because the former has become my "always" gun, and it's just so darned convenient! If I have my sidearm, I have to be concerned about a jacket for cover, taking off the jacet at lunch - what to do, etc. So the result is, I have just been carrying the P32 only the last few months. In my mind, in theory, I am supposed to carry the p32 only when the primary sidearm is inconvenient, but the default seems to always occur for one reason or another - just being in a hurry or plain laziness. So, what is the chance that this will actually come back to haunt me in the future (that the P32 won't be adequate)? Kind of a broad question, I know, but what do you think?

[Edited by Futo Inu on 12-22-2000 at 03:14 PM]
 
You aren't the only one in that situation. I normally carry my Colt Mustang Pocketlite, for many of the same reasons that you state. Sure, if I ever need the gun, I'll wish I had my Glock 21 with 14 rounds of .45ACP, but it's sure a load to carry all the time. :)
 
THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN PREACHING FOR YEARS...

Murphy's law of pistol packing states:

"You will carry the weapon that is the most comfortable to you...most of the time."

my friends, anyone that reverts to packing a .22, .25, .32 as a primary may need to take a long look at the power levels of these calibers and thier history. not the history of ability to kill, their history of being able to stop an attacker most of the time, in a reasonable amount of time. i consider these weapons in a backup function only. even then i could argue long and hard for a backup in a true major caliber.
if your primary weapon fails or is taken from you, your backup becomes your primary! if you REALLY need your backup, or any gun, it dern well better work and work fast. consider how much time and thought we put into just the right primary firearm. just the right ammo, sights ect. if someone takes that weapon from you, guess what? now he is the best armed badguy in town. do you want to face that weapon with a little "mouse gun"? i don't.
we often hear our handguns compared to insurance policies. we pay the price to carry them, but hope we never use them. however that is no excuse to go around "UNDER INSURED". if you do not have the will power to own that light, slick little mouser and not revert to making it your primary firearm then do what i did and get rid of it or lock it up.

Remember friends don't let friends carry mouse guns. At least not as primary weapons.
 
www.geocities.com/goldenloki/

Note above web site. Silvertip, 97 ft-lbs, no expansion. Corbon, 139 ft-lbs, consistent expansion, 8.3 inches penetration. I carry the Corbon, and purchased the 1 round magazine extension from Kel-tec to get a second finger on the grip under the trigger guard. I carry my Kahr P9 when I can, but the P32 is an outstanding always gun.
 
I would have to agree that I'm not real impressed with a .32 for primary CCW. I personally will not carry anything smaller than 9mm (auto) / 38 spc (wheelgun). I used to have a Beretta Mod 70S (.380) and I always felt a little naked with that itty-bitty round.

BUT I will also agree that a .32 is better than nothing especially if that's all you have (which is not true in your case).
 
Hope not; admire your posts.

Weird but true -- sometimes I'm down to a 22LR......

But...

If I sense in any way I might be somewhere where trouble MAY occur I have something larger.
Or not.

Sometimes whimsy strikes and I'm hauling a Redhawk, or a 1911, or maybe a 41AE, or whatever....

First rule is still "Have a gun"....

(Those Kel-Tec 32's are NICE!)
 
In the real world, I think it comes down to your risk factor. If you are not in a high crime are, have a dangerous job, or out looking for trouble, then the P32 probably is sufficient. It is all about what's pratical.
Having said that however, I don't carry anything below my S&W 642 in .38 cal. But, all I do is drop in my pocket.

If it's that or nothing, carry the p32.
 
Okay, say you won't carry anything larger, laziness or not is not material here. If you are going to carry the P32 in your pocket, then you need to start practicing your draw and fire drills from your pocket, with different pairs of pants, shorts, whatever. If real world is that you carry in your pocket then real world will be that when you have to get to your gun, it will be in your pocket. You need to be skilled in deploying from there. Now, it is up to you not to be so lazy as to not practice. If you don't practice, regardless of how you carry or what you carry, your gun may not do you any good - but you already know this, right?
 
Futo Inu,

I understand where you are coming from. I currently do not own a small-framed pistol, and carry my IMI .45 Baby Eagle as a CCW. I have no trouble concealing it during these winter months, and I feel safe with the .45, but I am going to buy a "pocket pistol" next week. The fact is, sometimes it is difficult to carry a larger/higher caliber gun. I'm on a budget, and am torn between the..

Kel-Tec P11:

-I don't really want to carry anything smaller than 9mm.
-It holds ten rounds.
-It's pretty small and easier to carry than my .45.

and the...

P32
-Because I know that I will always, always carry it.

So I have to decide between a P32 in my pocket or a P11 in a bellyband when I'm not dressed to conceal a larger pistol.

This has been driving me crazy, but I'll probably go with the P32. All of the factors (neighborhood/lifestyle/places I frequent) are in favor of me never entering a heavy-duty situation. I just pray to God that I never get knee-deep in a shootout with a .32 caliber squirtgun.

Regards,

Longshot
 
Along with the effectiveness or lack thereof of the caliber you also have to consider your ability to shoot the gun in question well under stress. The absolute minimum gun I will carry is a 5 shot .38 and I do not feel 100% comfortable with it, not because of the load, the 110 grain Cor-bon +P+ .38 specials hit as hard as some 9mm loads, but because I dont really shoot the gun all that well. I usually find a way to conceal a g-19 or g-20, but sometimes I am stuck with the .38.
Regards
Q
 
Went to the carddiologist yesterday, EKG, etc.

Which means I have to take off my jacket sweatshirt, shirt etc. Since I carry a BHP in a shoulder holster in the winter, this could prove embarrassing for the nurses who like to watch me disrobe.:D In this case I carry my Colt D.S. in an inside jacket pocket and just hang it up on a coat hook in the examining room. The hot weather brings on other problems but I never carry anything smaller than the D.S.

I do have an advantage being retired so I don`t have to dress for success as many of you do.
 
Carry the largest pistol you can effectively conceal at any given time.

(Who said this, give or take symantics, first?)

Following this rule, just about everyone should have a "major" caliber defensive pistol on hand always. The exception is where/when hide-away and pocket pistols must be used- they are used because of concealment issues, not because they preferable to their larger and more effective brethren.
 
I guess it depends on your carry philosophy. Some people think "the chances of me ever needing a gun are so slim that carrying a pocket 32 or 25 is fine as long as I do it all the time." Me, I think that if the time ever DOES come that I DO need my carry gun for self defense I will REALLY need it and it had better be the biggest, heaviest, largest-caliber gun I can carry comfortably and shoot well.
That said, I carry a full size 1911 strongside IWB everywhere all the time except the gym and the beach and I live in the very hot and humid central Florida area.
It's a matter of will really...once you decide to do it, you stop thinking what a hassle it is and just do it.
 
Concealed carry

Many years ago, while still in uniform, I lapsed into condition white and occasionally carried my S&W Mld 60, 5 shot. It took TWO, yes, TWO armed confrontations while carrying my Mdl 60 to convince me to put the snub nose in an ankle holster-and put my .357 in my duty holster. I'm pretty hard headed, so it took two situations to convince me. Now, even recently retired, I regularly carry my Kimber PRO CDP, with an extra magazine. We're never too old to learn!
 
The real issue might not even be the caliber

P32 is hard to shoot accurately at longer ranges. Given an opportunity to carry legally, I'd pick a full-size .32 over a tiny .32 for the practical accuracy...or carry a full-size 9/40/45.

However, the P32 enables people to carry in the situations where a larger gun would get them made. So I'd look for a decent larger gun that is still light enough (I picked Kahr P9) but a Makraov or an alloy 1911 would do, too.

You might not get killed because of whimpier gun but you do take chances: a P32 is unlikely to stop a determined rush they way a .45 *might*. It is unlikely to penetrate cover. You may be unable to produce a CNC stop on a hostage-taker because of poor accuracy. It isn't so much the caliber as the combination of it with a hard-to-shoot pistol. I like the p32 a lot but I know its limitations.
 
Face it, you could get yourself whacked even with a full auto .50 AE Desert Eagle and cyanide/plutonium tipped bullets.

If you're going to use your KT .32 as your primary carry gun, then be as proficient as you can with it, make damned sure that it is reliable, and never leave home without it.
 
Futo-

It sounds like your "laziness" isn't a matter of carrying something large and heavy, but rather concealing easily. Maybe you could consider carrying in a fanny pack, if your typical mode of dress allows (suit and tie guys need not apply). Of course, you may not care for a fanny pack as a carry method, but CCW requires compromises, hence this thread.

It's heavy jacket weather right now, so I can carry in an IWB or belt-slide with no problems (which I like). But as jacket weather gives way to t-shirt weather, I'll probably go to a fanny pack, which I'm not too fond of, yet. Having to go in and out of Defenseless Victim Zones everyday has helped push me in that direction, as well.
 
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