Concealed Carry Pistol

[40 caliber]

I'd much rather carry a S&W Airweight (642 or 637), which packs a serious punch in .38 Special +P, than some unreliable POS chambered in weak-ass .380 Auto just to say I carry a semi auto.

If you want to put in the work, an Airweight is deadly accurate. But then, I have ALWAYS found revolvers easier and faster to shoot than semis. Don't ask me why or how. It just is.

+1!

Revolvers tend to be more goof proof for someone starting out.
Think about some of the semi auto mistakes a new person can make. In a critical moment, these could all cost you.
1. Did I chamber a round? or did I just put the magazine in?
2 Did I take the safety off before I pulled the trigger?
3. If it jams on the first round can I clear it quickly?

Before I hear all the "experts" say " if you practice this is not an issue" I agree.
I also believe that if you need to pull a firearm, you will be nervous. That is how mistakes happen. Beyond practice this is just one way to minimize your mistakes.
jus my .02

 

[Takis48]

First off I just want to thank everyone who's posted so far. You have truly been helpful!

Second, I was looking at Beretta's Model 70/71, but it's not on the approved roster list. Does anyone have any info on this gun?

 

[GSG]

Think about some of the semi auto mistakes a new person can make. In a critical moment, these could all cost you.
1. Did I chamber a round? or did I just put the magazine in?
2 Did I take the safety off before I pulled the trigger?
3. If it jams on the first round can I clear it quickly?

1. If they can't remember if they loaded a semi, they won't remember if they loaded a revolver.
2. The recent trend in semi's is no manual external safety.
3. If your revolver jams, chances are you'll need a gunsmith to fix it.

Second, I was looking at Beretta's Model 70/71, but it's not on the approved roster list. Does anyone have any info on this gun?

It looks like it's essentially the same gun as the Beretta 84fs/85fs, which are on the EOPS roster. Maybe someone else can chime in and tell us if they're AG approved too, but the Cheetah's are a few hundred bucks out of your price range.

 

[depicts]

Look at a Makarov 9x18. Good solid gun. Plenty powerful, well built and compact enough for Concealed carry, but heavy enough to make a day at the range a pleasure. Ammo is available and pretty cheap in lots.

 

[Sinitron]

Having items of various size, I can say I'm not a huge fan of Keltec for build quality of their plastics. Their stuff works but it sharp, hurts to shoot and it's unrefined compared to other items you may come across. Between semi-autos and revolvers, I'd say a revolver is easier for true "omg my life depends on it" pull and theoretical use situations, but that's just how I feel.

Shop around in your price bracket and see what you like. Test drive a few items when you get your LTC and see what feels best in your hand. I'd consider a S&W 642, or 637 if you like a hammer style revolvers. I just looked at a few last week and they would be great, light, and small to tuck away. I migrated towards a model 60 because I like something slightly larger and in stainless. The new Ruger SR9C is a tremendous value, as is a used S&W M&P9c or M&P40c. Glock 26's or 19's have never let me down, but in my humble opinion they're like carrying a square brick. In the end, it's all about you however, what you are comfortable managing, handling, maintaining, and practicing with.

 

[Takis48]

I was looking at the S&W Sigma SW9VE, does anyone have any experience with these? I heard that the trigger pull is ridiculously long, but can you get a trigger job to ease it, or would that inhibit the safety?

 

[Jose]

The Sigma is a significantly larger pistol than all others you have mentioned thus far.

You can definitely conceal a full size pistol (I do), but you definitely need to choose your holster carefully and accept restrictions in how you dress in order to pull it off.

 

[wolf223]

I was looking at the S&W Sigma SW9VE, does anyone have any experience with these? I heard that the trigger pull is ridiculously long, but can you get a trigger job to ease it, or would that inhibit the safety?

the smith & wesson forum has a whole SIGMA sub forum.

i owned a .40 cal SIGMA and liked it. i got rid of it because i shot my other pistols more often.

a buddy of fine owns a 9mm SIGMA. he put 1k rounds of WWB w/o issues and carried it through a winter..

eventually, i told myself i'd buy one in 9mm as another range toy / throw away piece

 

[Sinitron]

I was looking at the S&W Sigma SW9VE, does anyone have any experience with these? I heard that the trigger pull is ridiculously long, but can you get a trigger job to ease it, or would that inhibit the safety?

Yes, a club member brought one to the range and I bumped into him and we chatted about it. It's quite possibly the worst trigger I've ever come across. The owner wasn't kidding when he said it was heavy, and he was looking for ideas on who could lighten the pull. It felt like 15-20+lbs... so heavy I could barely squeeze it without shifting my grip. Reminded me of pulling a stuck lifter out of a Chevy 350 head.

 

[44marty]

Does anyone know of any Semi-auto pistols that are great CCW's for around $300? I'm trying to do some research on this while I wait for my LTC-A. I was looking at something between a .32 ACP, .380 ACP, and a 9mm, that I can carry everyday and go to the range with (and that's not a bear to shoot). I like Glock and Walther, but the prices are outrageous for a 21 year old. Must be MA compliant too.

If you're in a "red" town, you may have enough time, waiting for your LTC, to save up an extra $100 and widen your choices quite a bit. I see you are from MA, so a used pistol would have to be previously owned in MA. Too bad. There are some real good prices on the internet. DAMN MA - This HAS TO change!!!

 

[GSG]

I see you are from MA, so a used pistol would have to be previously owned in MA. Too bad. There are some real good prices on the internet. DAMN MA - This HAS TO change!!!

FYI, it's perfectly legal for a Mass. resident to buy a used pistol from outside of Mass., as long as it's Mass. compliant, meaning one that they could buy new in a store in MA, one that has proof it was in MA before 10-21-98, or one like a pre-'98 Glock even if it wasn't in MA before the law changed (think LE trade in from other states).

If you're confused about the Mass. gun laws, it's a perfectly natural phenomenon. Come play with the rest of us in the Mass. laws area of the gun laws section of this forum, you'll learn that most of the confusion has to do with the way the laws were written.

 

[44marty]

FYI, it's perfectly legal for a Mass. resident to buy a used pistol from outside of Mass., as long as it's Mass. compliant, meaning one that they could buy new in a store in MA, one that has proof it was in MA before 10-21-98, or one like a pre-'98 Glock even if it wasn't in MA before the law changed (think LE trade in from other states).

If you're confused about the Mass. gun laws, it's a perfectly natural phenomenon. Come play with the rest of us in the Mass. laws area of the gun laws section of this forum, you'll learn that most of the confusion has to do with the way the laws were written.

Thanks, GSC, I was misinformed.

 

[geebert74]

I picked up a Sigma a few weeks back. I was told if it jammed within the frst 50 shots, not to worry about it. I have not had any problems with it at all... The gun fires perfectly everytime. Very little maintainence, yes the trigger may seem to be a little much at first but you will get used to it fairly quickly.

For the money, it is a really good gun especially for those who don't have $1,000 to whip out on a new gun. Also for us ma**h***s...

 

[gasaman]

DELETE

 

[imstuner]

I picked up a Sigma a few weeks back. I was told if it jammed within the frst 50 shots, not to worry about it. I have not had any problems with it at all... The gun fires perfectly everytime. Very little maintainence, yes the trigger may seem to be a little much at first but you will get used to it fairly quickly.

For the money, it is a really good gun especially for those who don't have $1,000 to whip out on a new gun. Also for us ma**h***s...

M&P are pretty cheap too.