Which one for my first CCW

[dlc.nla]

Hey folks, pistol newb here.
I was hoping a few of y'all could lend me a hand.

But first, a little back story:

Not only will this be my first CCW, it will be the first pistol I've purchased.

I have fired off a few hundred rounds through a snubby .38 (accuracy was ok, but the barrel was less than 2"), & I've never shot a semi.

I'm not too worried about needing loads of ammo.
I am worried about recoil, dependability, maintenance, accuracy, take down power, & concealability OTB.
I don't want to carry in my pocket, but in a hip holster.

I know ultimately this all boils down to preference (& I'm going to test out a few semi-autos before I make a final decision), but IYHO which do y'all think is the best option for my only CCW.


Here's the current players:

Stainless steel S&W .357 snub nose (2") 5 shot double action revolver with recessed hammer


Springfield XDm 3.8 compact .40


Any additional options are welcome, as is any input - god knows it's more knowledgeable than my own!

 

[45acp]

Having server issues

 

[dlc.nla]

Nice snubby, 45. What exactly am I looking @ here?

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[idontknow]

Go simple and reliable.-

Snubby

Sent from somewhere other than in front of my computer...

 

[45acp]

I carry a Ruger LCR .38 in a FIST Ultra-thin Kydex IWB clip holster. I've found it's the best possible combination of comfort, weight, convenience, power, and reliability.

Before I started carrying, I figured I would tote around my Glock 19 or 26 all the time, because they're great guns and relatively light weight. But what i've found, and I think a lot of people don't realize this until they start carrying, is that convenience is paramount.

Geez, it won't let me post more than like a sentence at a time.

Snubby: Light, comfortable, grab-and-go, no belt, no difficult holster, easy peasy. Super reliable, strong round, super convenient.

Autos: Heavy, uncomfortable, inconvenient to put on a belt/holster every time you leave the house, unlikely that you will carry it nearly as much as you would a snubby.

I just grab my CCW like it's my wallet and keys, tuck it in my pants, and walk out the door.

I realize this post is disjointed and unclear, but if I post more than two lines of text at a time I get a 403 forbidden message.

 

[dlc.nla]

I carry a Ruger LCR .38 in a FIST Ultra-thin Kydex IWB clip holster. I've found it's the best possible combination of comfort, weight, convenience, power, and reliability.

Before I started carrying, I figured I would tote around my Glock 19 or 26 all the time, because they're great guns and relatively light weight. But what i've found, and I think a lot of people don't realize this until they start carrying, is that convenience is paramount.

Geez, it won't let me post more than like a sentence at a time.

Snubby: Light, comfortable, grab-and-go, no belt, no difficult holster, easy peasy. Super reliable, strong round, super convenient.

Autos: Heavy, uncomfortable, inconvenient to put on a belt/holster every time you leave the house, unlikely that you will carry it nearly as much as you would a snubby.

I just grab my CCW like it's my wallet and keys, tuck it in my pants, and walk out the door.

I realize this post is disjointed and unclear, but if I post more than two lines of text at a time I get a 403 forbidden message.

Nice, thanks for that. Revolver is where my hearts leading me, but my military/cop friends all swear by semi-auto... & they look so cool

Do you feel that a .38 would have enough knock down power to stop a bath salt crazed zombie?
All joking aside though, is a .38 powerful enough to stop someone numbed by drugs?

Also the LCR's barrel is hella short. That's fantastic for concealment, but do you get decent accuracy out of it at say, 15-18 feet?

 

[45acp]

Semis make a lot of sense if you carry a gun for your job, as you don't have to worry about concealment and you probably wear a uniform designed to carry a lot of gear, so the extra weight/size of a decent semi doesn't pose so much of a problem.

As far as power is concerned, I can't imagine a .38 loaded with 135gr(I think that's the load I carry) +p would be any less effective than a 9mm. As far as accuracy is concerned, yeah, you're gonna lose some with a snubby and the recoil is uncomfortable. But I don't carry anticipating a combat situation, I carry for self defense. Out to 20ft I do good enough with my LCR, and any further than that I'd probably be better off trying to escape rather than shooting it out.

And as far as the "drug crazed attacker" thing, I think this is something that gets exaggerated a lot, especially by gun people. Let's just say that in my youth I developed some amount of familiarity with the effects of drugs (including the kinds that people seem to associate with resilience towards gunshots) and no matter how amped up someone is, a well placed shot is going to stop them. It's a matter of physiology and physics. Also, a poorly placed shot on a large, sober attacker could very easily fail to stop them. The physical stature of your attacker and their intentions are much bigger factors than whether or not they're under the influence of drugs.

 

[NotEnoughWatches]

Place the bullet in the right spot and they'll all work. As far as carrying it's going to be personel preference like for 45 the little snubby works for him because it's light comfortable and easy on the go. I myself don't like knowing i only have 5 or 6 rounds. I prefer a glock 23 with 2 13rd mags. because i feel more comfortable. Get what u like and try different rigs and of course input from gun nuts helps too.

 

[jcrry2]

I carry an LCP and its nice and real small and easy to carry but the LCR is what im thinking of switching to.
They have the LCRs in both 38 spcl and 357mag. if you want something small easy to carry, always fires and has hella put down power the LCR in 357 is a good choice.
for accuracy of the LCR: I have not shot one myself but my buddy has in 357 and he can hit a soda can at 20 yards. He is also an amazing shot and practices a lot. the down side is in the LCR he says your hand will take a hell of a pounding, so shooting all the time will be hard. and you can always get the LCR in 38 spcl and have a lot of power as well just not as much

 

[45acp]

FWIW, the .357 LCR is as one would expect a little bigger and heavier than the .38.

 

[drewbonez]

I carry an LC9 with a modified trigger from Galloway Precision and a CT Laser in a Remora holster for IWB or pocket carry. A lot of people prefer revolvers for CCW, but I love this gun. The springer is a great choice too IMO.

 

[45acp]

How is reliability? I would love a little micro-auto if I could trust one, but every one I've had (Kahr, Ruger LCP, Kel-Tec) have had reliability issues. I've never had a single FTE with my snubby.

 

[drewbonez]

How is reliability? I would love a little micro-auto if I could trust one, but every one I've had (Kahr, Ruger LCP, Kel-Tec) have had reliability issues. I've never had a single FTE with my snubby.

Haven't had any problems with the LC9 yet. The LCP was just too small for my hands. I lust after a Rohrbaugh though.

 

[45acp]

I want a Rohrbaugh too, not necessarily for daily use but because they are essentiall "luxury pistols." Do they make reps?

And I just went to go gas up the car after not leaving the house all day. It took me two seconds to arm myself. No belt, no holster (other than the one the gun stays in), just tossed it in my pocket and stepped out the door. Love it.

 

[dlc.nla]

No belt, no holster (other than the one the gun stays in), just tossed it in my pocket and stepped out the door. Love it.

That's a big deal to me. Convenience is key, or I might just stop carrying altogether.

What about shooting .38's through a .357? Is there any downside to this, as in accuracy or speed? I love that I can shoot either caliber through a .357, & I imagine the extra weight of the gun would help reduce recoil...

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[45acp]

That's a big deal to me. Convenience is key, or I might just stop carrying altogether.

What about shooting .38's through a .357? Is there any downside to this, as in accuracy or speed? I love that I can shoot either caliber through a .357, & I imagine the extra weight of the gun would help reduce recoil...

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2

Recoil is still gonna suck, and the extra weight/bulk will be much more noticeable than the minimal reduction in recoil. However, accuracy and speed should be unaffected.

Also, here's my personal outlook on things like accuracy, recoil, comfort etc. for a carry gun:

I don't train for combat situations. I am a civilian, and a relatively mild mannered one. I don't have time or money to shoot 500rds a week with my carry weapon. There is no way that I will be able to cultivate the kind of muscle memory or trained proficiency with my carry weapon that would make things like accuracy or recoil all that relevant. If, god forbid, I was to get into some situation where I had to defend either my life of that of a family member/friend, I would certainly be so shaky, jacked on adrenaline, and covered in my own waste that the difference in a .38 and a .357, or a 9 and a 45, will not make one iota of difference. so, for a carry weapon I don't concern myself with these things. I need something effective and reliable, and other than that I focus on comfort, concealability and convenience.

 

[drewbonez]

Recoil is still gonna suck, and the extra weight/bulk will be much more noticeable than the minimal reduction in recoil. However, accuracy and speed should be unaffected.

Also, here's my personal outlook on things like accuracy, recoil, comfort etc. for a carry gun:

I don't train for combat situations. I am a civilian, and a relatively mild mannered one. I don't have time or money to shoot 500rds a week with my carry weapon. There is no way that I will be able to cultivate the kind of muscle memory or trained proficiency with my carry weapon that would make things like accuracy or recoil all that relevant. If, god forbid, I was to get into some situation where I had to defend either my life of that of a family member/friend, I would certainly be so shaky, jacked on adrenaline, and covered in my own waste that the difference in a .38 and a .357, or a 9 and a 45, will not make one iota of difference. so, for a carry weapon I don't concern myself with these things. I need something effective and reliable, and other than that I focus on comfort, concealability and convenience.

HAHA...couldn't agree more. Too many people think of their CCW in this almost fantasy kind of way. But what you just laid out is the most likely real situation if it would ever occur. Good thing I have that 32rd mag for my XD!!

 

[45acp]

During the winter, I carry an SBR'd AR-15 with a mag coupler underneath my jacket.

 

[idontknow]

During the winter, I carry an SBR'd AR-15 with a mag coupler underneath my jacket.

You are almost a year late to that party.....

How I Roll!

 

[gw4k]

I love my Khar PM9. It disappears when I CCW it, it's so light.