I don't know which gun to carry conceal
- Thread starter latent
- Start date
riggins_83
New member
If you're looking for a relatively small frame gun (for self defense I assume) with a 10 cartridge capacity check out the Glock 26.
The Great Mahoo
New member
Latent, welcome to the Firing Line.
Its awfully hard to suggest a gun based on so little information. Please, bear with us and give us more to work with than tossing out random gun info.
First, how much shooting experience do you have? We can drone on and on and you will be completely lost on our jargon. How much do you know about firearm safety? General function? Cleaning? Breakdown? Balistics? Not to overwhelm you, but it can be a pretty deep topic.
Why do you need 10+ rounds of ammo at your disposal? I'm not saying its a bad idea (many people carry high capacity guns) but realize that high-capacity means a larger gun, more weight, harder and less comfortable to conceal overall. There are many great options housing 5-10 rounds that are much more concealable.
I have no idea why you think you need such high capacity, nor will I presume anything, but are you planning on carrying extra ammo as well? Or are you planning on just the gun on your rig, therefore you want more ammo at your disposale. Consider how strong of a point this is for you.
According to many posts floating around sites like this, statistically, you will probably never need a gun. An overwhelming encounters involve fewer than 4 shots fired. Many believe its better to have and not need more than vice versa, but realize everything about concealed carry is a compromise of what you are willing to tote for the chance of needing.
Second, what platform are you looking for? With a 10+ capacity, you are looking at automatics. Realize that anyone who carries an automatic should carry a spare magazine, simply for sake of clearing malfunctions. With a reload, your capacity requirement could drop. If you are willing to carry fewer rounds in the gun, a revolver could be a good option.
Where, on your person, are you looking to keep this gun? You said you want it for 24/7 concealed carry, and where you carry can greatly affect comfort and willingness to carry. Its much easier to carry a smaller gun, and much easier to decide to leave that 3-pound monster in the safe instead. Belt carry? Inside the pants? Outside the pants? Shoulder? How much can you dress around the gun? And yes, all guns require you dress around them, but one gets used to it easily.
I'm afraid I can't make any worth while recommendations without knowing more information. I will leave you with my 2 carry options, and why I chose them.
My first-choice is a Ruger Sp101 revolver in .327 Magnum. A 6-shot, very reliable shooter, the .327 packs more power than a standard 9mm, offering what I am comfortable with in a small package easily toted on my hip all day. I prefer a revolver, not liking to carry extra magazines for my autos. A will throw a speed-strip reload in my pocket from time to time, but I am pretty confident in my 6 rounds loaded to not be worried about reloads.
My second choice is a Glock 36, a slim-frame .45acp automatic with a 6+1 capacity. A bit smaller than the revolver, and a bit lighter, yet it is not my prime choice. I don't like having an extra magazine on me, especially one as bulky as Glock uses. I feel confident that the 7 rounds would be enough in most any situation, but I realize that a double-fee, stove-pipe, or rim-lock are all best cleared by dropping the magazine, clearing the chamber and racking a new round in. With only 1 magazine, I lose precious ammo and then have to recover the only magazine to put back in the gun. Do I have problems with reliability on a regular basis? No, but I would rather not carry a potiential club, banking on it not jamming. I mainly only carry this when I worry my revolver might not conceal as well.
Its awfully hard to suggest a gun based on so little information. Please, bear with us and give us more to work with than tossing out random gun info.
First, how much shooting experience do you have? We can drone on and on and you will be completely lost on our jargon. How much do you know about firearm safety? General function? Cleaning? Breakdown? Balistics? Not to overwhelm you, but it can be a pretty deep topic.
Why do you need 10+ rounds of ammo at your disposal? I'm not saying its a bad idea (many people carry high capacity guns) but realize that high-capacity means a larger gun, more weight, harder and less comfortable to conceal overall. There are many great options housing 5-10 rounds that are much more concealable.
I have no idea why you think you need such high capacity, nor will I presume anything, but are you planning on carrying extra ammo as well? Or are you planning on just the gun on your rig, therefore you want more ammo at your disposale. Consider how strong of a point this is for you.
According to many posts floating around sites like this, statistically, you will probably never need a gun. An overwhelming encounters involve fewer than 4 shots fired. Many believe its better to have and not need more than vice versa, but realize everything about concealed carry is a compromise of what you are willing to tote for the chance of needing.
Second, what platform are you looking for? With a 10+ capacity, you are looking at automatics. Realize that anyone who carries an automatic should carry a spare magazine, simply for sake of clearing malfunctions. With a reload, your capacity requirement could drop. If you are willing to carry fewer rounds in the gun, a revolver could be a good option.
Where, on your person, are you looking to keep this gun? You said you want it for 24/7 concealed carry, and where you carry can greatly affect comfort and willingness to carry. Its much easier to carry a smaller gun, and much easier to decide to leave that 3-pound monster in the safe instead. Belt carry? Inside the pants? Outside the pants? Shoulder? How much can you dress around the gun? And yes, all guns require you dress around them, but one gets used to it easily.
I'm afraid I can't make any worth while recommendations without knowing more information. I will leave you with my 2 carry options, and why I chose them.
My first-choice is a Ruger Sp101 revolver in .327 Magnum. A 6-shot, very reliable shooter, the .327 packs more power than a standard 9mm, offering what I am comfortable with in a small package easily toted on my hip all day. I prefer a revolver, not liking to carry extra magazines for my autos. A will throw a speed-strip reload in my pocket from time to time, but I am pretty confident in my 6 rounds loaded to not be worried about reloads.
My second choice is a Glock 36, a slim-frame .45acp automatic with a 6+1 capacity. A bit smaller than the revolver, and a bit lighter, yet it is not my prime choice. I don't like having an extra magazine on me, especially one as bulky as Glock uses. I feel confident that the 7 rounds would be enough in most any situation, but I realize that a double-fee, stove-pipe, or rim-lock are all best cleared by dropping the magazine, clearing the chamber and racking a new round in. With only 1 magazine, I lose precious ammo and then have to recover the only magazine to put back in the gun. Do I have problems with reliability on a regular basis? No, but I would rather not carry a potiential club, banking on it not jamming. I mainly only carry this when I worry my revolver might not conceal as well.
The Great Mahoo
New member
latent said:
Thanks, latent, that helps some. Since you've atleast handled a firearm before, I'll skip on some of the really basics.
Given that you are outside of the US, I would follow Pacerdudes advice and look for something in a catridge common to where you live. I am going to guess a standard 9mm round, since it is typically abundant world wide.
As for guns, what are you interested in? A single action for crisp trigger release? A double action for safer handling but harder pull? Perhaps a SA/DA for the heavy initial pull but short SA follow ups? Then there are striker-fired and LDA's which are somewhere between SA and DA.
Do you want an exposed hammer, or does it not matter? Some people like to be able to manually cock the gun, or simply to see at a glance the state of the gun. With an exposed hammer, are you comfortable carrying a gun cocked, or having to thumb back the hammer before your first shot?
Are you worried about manual safties? Or are you confident enough to just keep your finger off of the trigger?
I hate to keep bombarding you with questions like this, but there are many things to consider to find what you are going to be comfortable with.
Cutting to the chase, though, here are a few ideas.
Glock Models 17, 19, 26 are great options. The 17 is full sized (17rnd), 19 compact (15rnds), 26 sub-compact (10rnds), but the smaller guns will recieve larger magazines. These are striker-fired guns, giving consistance mid-level weight trigger pulls, but no hammer for cocking/decocking. No manual safeties, aside from a center-trigger block.
Sig Sauer makes some great pistols. Usually SA/DA guns, they offer the "safer" handling of a heavy double action trigger for carry, but when the gun cycles it will engage a short, light SA trigger. No manual saftey, aside from the heavy trigger.
Getting more general, the Browning High Power is a style that is still very common. Produced by many companies now, this offers a SA gun with a hammer-saftey. A classic design, it must first be cocked before the first shot. Can be carried "cocked and locked" with the saftey engaged.
CZ Firearms are great options. The CZ-75 is highly renowned, and a great choice available in several sizes. Operates in SA/DA, and has the reassurance of a manual safety.
The above are mostly full-sized pistols, but they make some compacts as well for easier carry. If you want to go smaller, the Walther PPS has caught my eye, and there are great options from Smith and Wesson, Ruger, H&K; pretty much every company makes 9mm's.
the second most important thing i am thinking about is concealment. if carry a gun with a hammer it might show under my shirt. i have been looking at the glock 26 i am not worried about the safety, but is is easy to conceal? on the hip or ankle? i was looking at the super tuck and the smart carry.
Latent; if I were in your situation I would carry a Browning H.P in 9 M/M, with one spare magazine, this would give you a total of 27 rounds, (13 rounds in each magazine and one in the chamber) If push comes to shove this should give enough ammo to put down a field of fire as you run like hell. Another reason is the 9 M/M cartridge is sold thought most of the world. If you are in Latin America perhaps one of the better quality automatics chambered in 38 super, as ammo in that caliber is often used in South America.
No matter what type of firearm you select remember to practice as often as you can and always be aware of what is happening around you. If something does not feel right to you GET OUT OF THERE NOW, as a shootout is the last thing you want to be in.
The above is simply my opinion based on what information you have been able to supply to us.
Be Safe
No matter what type of firearm you select remember to practice as often as you can and always be aware of what is happening around you. If something does not feel right to you GET OUT OF THERE NOW, as a shootout is the last thing you want to be in.
The above is simply my opinion based on what information you have been able to supply to us.
Be Safe
Last edited:
FreakGasolineFight
New member
If you must have a higher mag capacity you could just up it to a Glock 19. Depending on your body type it probably still wouldn't be all that hard to conceal, and that would give you 15 + 1 and something you can rely on if the doodie really hits the fan. If I thought I was going to be in constant, real danger 24/7 as it sounds like you are, I wouldn't go with anything less than a Glock, and I'd want a Glock that I could get all three bottom fingers on.
riggins_83
New member
I carry a Glock 36 (almost identical dimensions to the 26) mostly in a Safariland 27 IWB holster and with a nice loose button down shirt and a Galco duty belt it doesn't print at all.
What country? What's the climate like there? What is your normal manner of dress?
Not saying it's true in all cases, but generally the cooler it is the larger gun you can conceal.
the climate in my country is warm so the manner of dress is casual.
I know i would have to practice more often to get high accuracy.
Not saying it's true in all cases, but generally the cooler it is the larger gun you can conceal.
the climate in my country is warm so the manner of dress is casual.
I know i would have to practice more often to get high accuracy.
I personally wouldn't want to ankle carry either, especially the Glock 19.The Glock 26 will be considerably easier to conceal than a 19, but I would prefer the ergonomics and higher capacity of the Glock 19.
If possible hold the gun before you make a final purchase decision. Stick with a respected brand in a readily available caliber and you should be good to go.
If possible hold the gun before you make a final purchase decision. Stick with a respected brand in a readily available caliber and you should be good to go.
If you are worried about signifcant threats, be aware of what you would need to do in order to draw.
Generally speaking, belt/waistline carry is the fastest method.
Ankle carry is great for concealment, but the draw times for standing people can get pretty long...
A compact pistol (like the Glock 19) is a good mix of capacity and concealability. There are plenty of choices in this range. Glock tends to stand out as the most commonly available, but that may vary from where you live.
Generally speaking, belt/waistline carry is the fastest method.
Ankle carry is great for concealment, but the draw times for standing people can get pretty long...
A compact pistol (like the Glock 19) is a good mix of capacity and concealability. There are plenty of choices in this range. Glock tends to stand out as the most commonly available, but that may vary from where you live.