width of handguns

R

RHC

New member
I know width is important in concealment, and I had always heard that the width of Glocks was a problem. I see the Glock 26 has a width of 1.25 inches, according to Glockmeister.

I saw a Sig 232 recently and thought, "What a smooth, narrow little gun." But according to the sigarms.com site, the 232 is 1.2 inches wide, only 5/100s narrower. I also notice that the Glock 36 is only microscopically narrower than the 19/23.

Do small differences like this matter? I have never carried a concealed handgun and I'm curious.
 
I agree that width is very important, as a wide gun will make a big print in the pocket, or will be more uncomfortable if in an inside-the-pants holster.

REvolvers are good in the pocket, because the curved handled breaks up the printing.

The KEltec P32 is a great pocket pistol for a small caliber. The perfect pocket pistol in 9mm has yet to be made, however, from what I have heard, if Kahr came out with a MP9(polymer MK9) it might come close.
 
Sig & Glock have both introduced new single stacks which are "Almost as thin as a 1911." Since 1911s go just under 1 inch, why not consider the original?

Yr. Obt. Svnt.

------------------
Fred J. Drumheller
NRA Life
NRA Golden Eagle
 
Don't forget the holster!! Holsters can significantly obscure printing with virtually any handgun. I carry my Beretta Brigadier 92 daily in a pancake holster on my strong side hip and I am pretty well concealed with a jacket or shirt covering. Mike
 
When comparing thicknesses, keep in mind that it's difficult to capture the whole picture with a single number. Pistols are not uniform blocks; they're thicker in some areas than in others.

Compare a Glock 22 and a Colt Commander, for instance. The slides are of similar thicknesses at the point where they meet the frame. At the top, though, the Glock is just as thick due to its chunky shape while the Colt's rounded slide narrows down to nothing at all.

And then there's the matter of protrusions. You can have a pistol with a thin slide and a thin frame but wind up with an "obese" overall width due to the decocking levers sticking out of each side of the slide.
 
A little extra width really does matter for CCW! However, I recently bought a G26 for CCW. I was very skeptical about it due to the gun's width. What I realized is that the gun is not the measurement that matters. It is the gun AND HOLSTER measurement that matters. My G26 in a Kydex holster (Much thinner than leather) isn't too bad. Many people who carry 1911s carry them in leather holsters that give it an equal width as my G26/Kydex combo.

That said, I would have been VERY HAPPY if Glock had reduced the width of the baby Glock guns. They took the cheap way out, IMHO.

[This message has been edited by Gino (edited April 19, 2000).]
 
The Kahrs are the slimest full power autos at slightly less than 1 inch. The Kahr MK9 is a bit chunkier than a PPK but it is smaller overall and about the same weight. You get a 9mm versus a 9mm short (.380) and if you think the 9mm is too wimpy (I do not) then go to the Kahr MK40 in .40 S&W for just a fraction of size and weight over the MK9 (one less round though). The Kahr Micro series can easily be pocketed in loose fitting docker type pants or shorts (with a holster - Uncle Mike's #2 or #3 Sidekick works good) - save the tight jeans for the disco. The advantage of being middle aged with a spare tire is you wear baggy pants that facilitate concealment. That's the only advantage however - HA HA.

The small Glocks are a bit thicker but also can be concealed fairly easily. Contrary to all of this "thick as a brick" Glock talk, the 9mm, .357SIG, and .40S&W Glocks are generally thinner than most full power automatics (just pick up a Ruger auto sometime - the penalty for casting the slide is thickness for strength - Kahrs and Glocks are machined from a steel ingot.)
 
RHC, the widths you are talking about are the width of the slide. the G26 is 1.25" in width like you said but it is easier to conceal than some other guns even a bit slimmer than it.

thats because the hardest part to conceal on a gun is its grip. Glocks (and other polymer framed guns) have very slim grips. this is a definet case at least with the glock. my Glock 19 is a bit wider in the side than my S&W 669 but its grip is MUCH slimmer. thats because its polymer and doesn't need grip panels which add width. that makes it a lot easier to conceal.

sure when carrying IWB if the slide is wide it will be uncomforatable but if the grip is small you can still conceal it pretty easy.
 
Just my two cents, where the gun is measured makes a tremendous difference. e.g. the P232 sig may be 1.2" at the grip the slide is really small. I made a pair of 2.5mm grips from modeling plywood for airplanes. Stock grips are about 5 or 6mm and let me tell you what a difference. Glock needs a 22mm wide single stack 9mm like the kahr. I bet steyr will beat them to the punch.
 
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