concealed carry

Welcome to TFL, ga_medic. In order to better help you out, we need to know a bit more about you. We all have our favorite choices for daily carry, but they may not be for you.

Do you have much experience w/ firearms?
Have you shot auto's and revolvers before?
What's the largest caliber you can shoot comfortably, if you've shot at all?

Some of us prefer revolvers, others are more into auto's. Then of course there are the quesitons of size and caliber, reqirement of safeties, exposed/concealed hammer, what carry method, and more.

As a general rule, I usually recommend a revolver, since they are simple ot use and easy for even those w/ little to no gun experience to handle. A small .38 or .357 from Ruger (Sp101) or Smith & Wesson (J-Frame) is a nice carry gun for most people.
 
there are a lot of variables to work out. first, is it legal in your state? if so, do you need / have a ccw permit? the type of clothing will vastly effect the choice of the gun you are going to carry, as well as your ability / experience. some people can carry a 44 magnum just fine, others prefer a tiny 380 auto. if you wear a suit all day, it will be easy to conceal a large pistol. but if you wear jeans and a tucked in shirt, you will be restricted to a pocket pistol. whatever you decide on, make sure it is something you can shoot well. no sence carrying something that recoils so hard that it gives you a flinch. that will make it very hard to hit anything. 1 well placed shot is worth 15 that just barely hit or miss altogether. find out your local laws, address your wardrobe, go to several gun store and look/touch/feel as many guns as you can. tell the person what you are thinking of so he /she can help you and make some suggestions. if there is a range in your area that rents guns, it would be good to go there and rent several and try them out. a hundred dollars in research would be money well spent. especially compared to just buying a pistol the looks cool, then find out you can not shoot it well, and have to sell it to buy a different one.
 
The question is very broad. It's like asking "I'm thinking about getting a driver's license, what kind of car or truck should I get?" ;)

It depends on your wardrobe, your daily habits, what carry method you find comfortable, what kinds of guns you like, whether your daily routine involves places where CCW is prohibited, and whether defense against large wild animals is a consideration, amongst other questions.

My choice 90% of the time is a Smith & Wesson compact .38 Special revolver (a Model 638, to be specific) in my front pants pocket. This is a popular choice but not necessarily the best choice for you.
 
Like a lot of other people here, I have more than one gun I use for concealed carry. If I were going to have only one gun for concealed carry, it would be something I could carry even when dressed up or dressed down for summer. By that, I mean it would be something that I could pretty much conceal no matter what I'm wearing.

The Ruger LCP is a small semi-auto which fits this niche very well. Kel-tec, Seecamp, Beretta, and a couple of others make small semi-autos. They are flatter and easier to conceal than the Smith and Wesson J-frame revolvers. However, these J-frame revolvers (5 shot snubbies) will conceal well with most clothes.

Take a good look at the Ruger LCP if you are only going to have one concealed carry gun.
 
The only good advice is that you carry the weapon you are most comfortable with. I've had my CWP since the mid 80's in Virginia and I've always carried the Safari Arms Matchmaster, which I just recently retired in favor of the Kimber Stainless Raptor which remains stock except for a Pachmayr extended sts slide stop and Wilson STS match grade bbl. ( Kimber bbls have a tendency to rust fast for some reason). This is carried usually in a Galco Miami Classic shoulder system or galco L619 IWB

I also carry the following on occasion:

1. Glock 21sf
2. Glock 17 or 19
3. Kareen Hi Power
4. FN Five seven
 
The "best" gun is the one YOU like, not anyone else. It will be a compromise of:

1. Fit - It should fit in your hand like you were born with it there.
2. Reliability - It should go BANG about 99.8% of the time you pull the trigger.
3. Accuracy - In YOUR hand. It's how well YOU shoot it.
4. Concealability - It should be comfortable enough to wear and easy enough to conceal so you won't leave it laying on the dresser at home.
5. Cost - You don't want to scrimp on your "life protector" weapon, but you probably don't need a $1,000 Kimber, either.
 
Yup, it's the best advice I can give. :D I can recommend good guns FOR ME, not for anyone else. I can recommend reliable and accurate AMONG THE ONES I'VE SHOT. Might not work for him.
 
I carry a revolver (357 SP101) in a Mika pocket holster for reliability reasons and I don't have time to mollycodel a semi to ensure it will work went I need it to. The vast majority of SD situations involve 3 rounds fired or less therefore 10 or 12 rounds from a semi would just give you a false sense of security at the expense of the reliability of a revolver...Just my opinion and you semi-auto guys ain't never gonna change my mind.
 
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Lots of good posts prior to mine, but I'll chime in. :-)

The Ruger SP101 is a fantastic carry; it's a good mixture of weight (reduces felt-recoil), portability & concealability (it's not large: it's a five round .38/.357 revolver). Most folks feel the SP101 is too heavy for a "pocket gun" (even with an in-the-pocket holster (to protect the trigger)). It's rugged, strong and easy to use. A lighter choice is the S&W J-Frame (small) revolvers, the model 442 and 642 being the most well known, perhaps. The 642, 442 and SP101 are all around the same price: well under $500, new.

Good luck and welcome.
 
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