concealed carry

H

HelterSkelter

Moderator
ok from what i've shot, seen, read, and talked to the experts (my chl instructor, friends at the shooting range and gun shop) the two best concealable man stoppers are the 45 auto and the 357 magnum. i like revolvers and thus took the 357. i just wanted to hear a nice debate about the strength and weaknesses of both guns for cc from people who use one or the other as their ccw.
 
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My line of reasoning is twofold and simple:

I've owned both, shot both, carried both and I do not like the massive recoil, muzzle blast, and flash of the .357, especially at night.

My 1911 also holds 8+1, 3 or 4 more rounds than any .357 I ever owned, is easier to conceal, faster and more accurate follow up shots, and is in my opinion a safer firearm.

My .357 was a 4 in Python.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
It's my expert opinion that you have opened a non-ending debate. You will probably not be any closer to the answer after the last post as your are now with the first post.

I carry .45ACP, 9mm Luger, .357, & .38 Spl. (not at the same time:D).

Which are the best? I have been shooting 60 years and I am still trying to make up my mind.:cool:

On a serious note, what you shoot and hit with the best is your best carry option.
 
cons of .357 revolvers vs. a 1911 in .45 ACP

Revolvers, being round, are harder to carry IWB. A 1911 is a larger gun than most .357 carry guns, but it is flat, so it fits inside your belt better.

DA trigger is harder to shoot well for beginners, and J-frame sized .357s are not fun to shoot, recoil-wise.

Don't ask me about non-1911 .45's: I don't shoot any other style autos- I figure, "Why handicap myself with a crappy trigger?"
 
Sounds like a bunch of hooey. The best man stopper is the one that gets placed on the 2nd button from the top.

Sure, the .45 and .357 are great rounds, but they are not the be all end all of calibers. About any reliable gun shooting a .380 on up that allows you to ACCURATELY make holes on the 2nd button will stop aggression quickly.

If you want either of those calibers, just buy them. It's Christmas -- indulge yourself.
 
I have both, and carry either...

... but the majority of the time, it's the .45.

Others have already given my basic reasons:

Less noise and flash;
Less snappy recoil;
More ammo;
Faster reloads.

I don't have any more difficulty concealing a 13-3 than a CBOB, but then again I don't IWB the revolver - it gets carried in a high-ride OWB when I carry it.

FWIW, while I can put an accurate round on target equally fast with either handgun, I can put more follow-up rounds on target, MUCH faster, with the .45.
 
I've owned both, but still own a couple of 45s. In CCW size I find the .357 really unpleasant to shoot. I suspect some will say the .357 has more of the mythical "knock down power" and it may well be so, but a half inch hole is gonna make 'em think twice, also.
 
It isn't whether you "feel" the recoil.

It is how the recoil affects follow-up shots.

It could also be how the recoil affects the amount you practice, which might affect your ability to score hits.
 
true, but even with double tap ammo in my 3 inch sp 101 i can double tap (pun not intended) a target at 10 yards and hit within 3 inches of the bullseye, and i have yet to shoot a 357 that recoils more that double tap ammo. most people exaggerate the .357's recoil and muzzle flip greatly. i can easily empty all 5 shots in a little over a second into a target at 10-15 yards and get all of them within the 9 circle on a silhouette target. and i'm not a big guy.
 
Like Helter Skelter said, if you are dealing with a live target things are different, for one thing adrenalin kicks in and the whole ball game changes. That's why spending a lot of time handling and shooting a weapon you intend to carry regularly is so important. I've never had to shoot at a person but have killed numerous deer and elk and believe me, after all the years hunting, adrenalin rushes still can effect my shooting. When I have shot at animals recoil is not even remembered so I suspect that the effect of adrenalin puts your mind and body in autopilot and that's where experiance would come to the front. I happen to really like 1911 type 45's but when I bought my weapons for CCW 45 ACP ammo was nonexistant anywhere near to where I live but 40 S&W was still on the shelves, probably due in large part to most of the police and sheriffs around here having weapon issued in 40 S&W. So that's what I ended up with in a Stoeger Cougar and it's been exceptionally accurate, fits naturally in my hands and using various bullet types and weights including handloads hasn't hicupped once.
 
You certainly can't debate the merits of a .45 or a .357 as SD rounds. While neither can be called a "man stopper," (remember - shot placement is key above all else), they are generally the top two rounds on people's list.

As far as the platform, I find even a full sized 1911 easier to conceal and carry than a .357 revolver. The reason being is that the 1911, while long, is flat and very easy to conceal.

The cylinder on a revolver, especially a larger sized .357, makes it a little more difficult to conceal. Not impossible, I carry a .38 Airweight, but overall I find the 1911 my go to winter carry piece.
 
Shoot the largest caliber gun you can conceal effectively, and shoot accurately along with quick follow up shots. With modern defense ammo, there is little a 45 will make over a 9mm with the same ammo. That being said I prefer having the extra rounds in a high cap 9mm, and by no means feel under gunned. The sidearm of choice by the military is a beretta m9/92fs, a 9mm - if it wasn't an effective round they would have changed long ago.

Each caliber feels a bit different when you shoot, especially in different guns. Find a gun you like, find a caliber you like & stick with it. Don't worry about "stopping power" but if you are concerned with it, carry the largest caliber you feel comfortable with shooting.
 
It isn't whether you "feel" the recoil.

It is how the recoil affects follow-up shots.

It could also be how the recoil affects the amount you practice, which might affect your ability to score hits.
Click to expand...

Completely agree. Recoil definitely affects follow up hits. And hits are what really count in a SD situation.

Better make that first shot count.

Its why I practice presentation from a holster and accuracy shooting with an elevated heart rate. And why I prefer 9mm or 38spl from all steel (read as 'heavier') handguns for SD.
 
one counter to the 45 being easier to carry than the 357...i would have agreed up until i traded for a sw340 made of scanadium(sp?). It weighs about 12 oz and even with the round cylinder i can carry it and not even know its there. Now is it fun to shoot in 357, no....i ususally carry 38 +p in it. I also often ankle carry when im dressed up and i like this gun for that. That being said, like alot of you i have a rotation of guns i carry depending on the situation and my mood....if i had to pick one gun to carry between the 2, it would be the 45, either in 1911 or a glock.
 
I seem to think the record of the 357 has to do with folks who carry them. I figure someone who carries a 357 is dedicated and shoots often to become proficent. I figure most shooting are someone who feels they need a gun for protection walks in a store and is given a snub 38 or a high cap 9mm. I feel both will do the job intended but that person buy the gun maybe shoots it once and then puts it away. A person who spends the extra to get a 357 and actually carries 357 in it are going to put forth the effort to become proficent therefore making better hits. Just my thought.
 
Personally I have carried 1911, S&W mod 15 4", .380 and many more over the years. Currently I carry a sig 226 in 357Sig which is nothing but a 9mm on steroids. I have had to shoot 1 person in my life and that was with the Model 15 38spl. It was a fatal one shot stop, it is not as much Caliber but bullet placement that is going to save you. Practice good and practice often, carry what is comfortable and you are proficient with and hope you never need your skills but keep them sharp.

Insolentshrew: The military did not adopt the 9mm because it was so good it was foisted in them by NATO for a universal Caliber. Most G.I.'s would have prefererd to keep the .45 and specialized units still do remember military uses the most ineffective rounds G.I. Ball. Many SWAT teams carry the .45 instead of the cal mandated by the Dept. for line officers.
 
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