Looking for a good carry weapon - What should I go with?

Fullfan

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28 years prior LEO. Matters not what you carry. Become proficient with it. Shoot a lot and shoot often. Run jam clearing drills, shoot weak hand from odd positions. Keep your weapon clean. And if you draw your weapon on a person, your intent had better to use it. Weapons are not scare tactics.
 
Joined
Jun 9, 2022
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Lots of good advise on this thread, I'm in agreement that a little more details would be preferable before offering a solution. Just like any other tool, having the right one for the job at hand makes a big difference.
 

def90

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Looking for something affordable and preferably automatic.Which caliber should I go with?

Whatever you shoot best. Go to a range or a couple ranges that rent guns and shoot as many as you can. You will know almost instantly which guns feel best in your hand, which ones naturally point better for you and which ones you shoot best out of the box. They will all have a different feel to them.
 

Trial153

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Can’t go far wrong with a G43, i have yet to find a load it wouldn’t eat. You can conceal it with just about any clothing at all. It’s light weight and it’s a good compromise between capacity and size.
Toss a Micro Dot on it and your golden. I cleaned mine one time, after the first 50 rounds or so. Since then I have put about another 1000 though it over the last couple years and haven’t so much as wiped it off.
 
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Dec 27, 2015
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Depends on a lot of variables. Where you live. How/where you intend to carry. How big you are. How much experience you have with firearms.
Instead of just spouting my favorite, I will ask...What other handguns do you own and practice with?
Glock and Sig P365 have lots of fans. They are completely different animals based upon what other handguns you own.
For me, a 1911 grip style just works because that's what I shoot the most.
A Glock grip angle is just weird compared to everything else I shoot.
For me, a Sig P365X is an excellent fit and the trigger is about the best striker-fired trigger I've used. The sight package is excellent for a CC/defensive handgun.
In the end, go to a well-stocked dealer and handle as many as you can.
 
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Dec 27, 2015
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I'd go Sig 365 as well unless you want a pocket pistol. For that I'd go with the Kahr PM9 or CM9.
I carried a PM9 for many years.
Excellent little single stack and much lighter and more concealable than my Sig P365.
The Kahr is for sale if anyone is interested.
 

Alg22

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Oct 9, 2022
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Give serious thought to 380 like Glock 42. About 14 oz empty and small enough to not notice you are carrying. Otherwise jump up to Glock 26 9mm that has extra flexibility to carry larger capacity mags. And is very accurate. Define what is good enough to carry often.
 

Vedauvoo

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Sep 1, 2019
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Utah
I'd go Sig 365 as well unless you want a pocket pistol. For that I'd go with the Kahr PM9 or CM9.
I've carried a Kahr PM9 for about 10 years now. I sent it off to Cylinder and Slide in Fremont, NE, and had them polish the feed ramp and smooth down all of the sharp corners. They also opened up the mag well a bit so that ejected magazines drop freely.

I carry it in an old Bladetech IWB kydex holster that fits me just about right.
 
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My preference is to HK pistols a p2000 or usp compact both with the LEM trigger is what I carry. I’m not a striker fired fan but if I had to pick one it would be a Glock 19.
 

FLATHEAD

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Jun 27, 2021
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2,297
I find myself carrying my SW442 a lot lately.
And just wiped down my Security Six, gonna head up in the
hills for a few days. Might see a hog or some other booger
that needs shootin.
 

Gila

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My opinion is a sub-compact or compact in the largest caliber you can handle. Capacity isn’t an issue for CCW. I would stick to one of the big three: Springfield Armory, Glock or SIG. Once you become more experienced and if you decide to upgrade you could sell one of those for at least what you paid for it. I prefer a hammer gun. Standard iron sights for me. I want something that will go boom every time with an accurate sight picture. A jam, mechanical or sight failure and it is game over. There are no second chances.

 
OP
D
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Nov 15, 2021
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Instead of just spouting my favorite, I will ask...What other handguns do you own and practice with?
Glock and Sig P365 have lots of fans. They are completely different animals based upon what other handguns you own.
For me, a 1911 grip style just works because that's what I shoot the most.
A Glock grip angle is just weird compared to everything else I shoot.
For me, a Sig P365X is an excellent fit and the trigger is about the best striker-fired trigger I've used. The sight package is excellent for a CC/defensive handgun.
In the end, go to a well-stocked dealer and handle as many as you can.
i have ruger security
No one mentioned S&W .500 :). I like my small Clock 26.
i have one beautiful one in my safe.
 
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