OK, looking for a CCW...

Re: OK, looking for a CWW...

Also remember the lighter the gun the more it will kick

Re: OK, looking for a CWW...

cbi1972 said:

Also remember the lighter the gun the more it will kick

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You won't find a single pistol that is sufficient for personal/home protection that doesn't also have a kick. Yes, some kick more than others. But imo it's not the kick in the weapon that counts. It's the practice you put into handling the weapon while still firing it effectively. If you practice with it regularly you'll get used to it. But as has been said previously, you won't be able to effectively handle any weapon if you don't practice with it on a regular basis.
Anyone who doesn't want to practice with a weapon should get used to dialing 911.

Re: OK, looking for a CWW...

Displaced Bama Fan said:

I have an LC9 to carry and an SR9 for more home defense.

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At night, my LC9 stays on the night stand, safety off, round in chamber ready to fire. During the day it is either on me with safety on or next to me. That said, no kids and if we have folks over it is either on me or locked up during the day and in the night stand at night. If folks over with kids, it is either on me or locked in the safe.

Re: OK, looking for a CWW...

crimsonaudio said:

The fact is you don't get much in the way of hydrostatic shock from a pistol round - they simply don't have enough energy. Once that settles in, the realization (supported by years of FBI data) is that essentially any commercially available ammunition works about the same. You might feel better caring a 10mm or 45ACP but the numbers indicate that it really doesn't matter. What matters is where you hit the target and pistol rounds move slowly enough to not do much damage beyond the immediate area.

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Agreed. Putting the attacker down in the first shot isn't really the point. Rather, it is to stop the threat.

Re: OK, looking for a CWW...

TIDE-HSV said:

I know they're reliable now, but I had three PPKs in a row way back. Each one was swapped for the prior one because of repeated misfires and failure to extract. Wiley's (biggest dealer around at that time) took each one back and tried unsuccessfully to remedy the problem. I finally ended up with a S&W .38 special revolver. Went "bang" every time...

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Do you still have the .38 S-W? If so, why wouldn't it do? Frame too big?

Re: OK, looking for a CWW...

I'm a bit of a Smith & Wesson fan, so my two recommendations - from personal experience - are both S&Ws.


My wife has a BodyGuard 380 with the built-in laser - which I've carried on occasion - and is light and slim enough for her to carry, comfortably concealed, while running. While the laser isn't the best - and has an odd, strobe function in addition to just "on" - it gives her (and me ) a little more confidence in her ability to aim if she ever does have a need to draw her weapon. I carried it, when she wasn't for whatever reason, for a while because it was so much more comfortable than my old primary carry: a Glock G19 "compact" 9mm.

My primary carry is now an M&P Shield 9mm and I love it. It's light, slim, and reliable. It also has a good thumb safety (as does the BodyGuard) - as opposed to the "trigger" safety in the Glock - which I prefer. I'm not nearly as svelte as I used to be nor as I'd like to be... Ok, to be honest, I've let myself get fat and horribly out of shape. Anyway, I use three different holsters - inside waistband, ankle, and shoulder - depending primarily upon my clothing choice and/or location for the day and each has a fairly different feel when drawing and holstering. The thumb safety gives me a bit more confidence in regards to avoiding an accidental discharge when drawing or holstering; I've never had that happen and wasn't that worried about it with the Glock but it is a bit more reassuring.

I've also found that I prefer the S&W grip profile over the Glock. Of course, that's very much a personal preference dependent mostly on hand size, finger length, etc. That is one thing you'll probably want to check out when comparing different guns, as a "more comfortable" grip profile - one that better "fits" your hand - can help you bring the gun on target more quickly. The best way to test this, obviously, is by firing the different weapons. This is where friends with different handguns and/or a range that rents them comes in very handy.

While the 380 is a significantly less powerful caliber than a 9mm or especially a 45, it should be noted that the most important factors - by far - in a round's "stopping ability" is the type of round and the shot placement. A single, properly placed shot with a good personal defense round in a 380 caliber will stop an assailant just as quickly as one in a 9mm, 40, or 45 caliber: instantly. Also, your hope should be that the caliber of your carry weapon never matters; you hope you never have a need to draw your weapon. In the event that you do have a need to draw your weapon then, ideally, you hope that drawing it is all that is required and you never have to fire your weapon. If you do have to fire your weapon then it all comes down to shot placement, i.e. your aim under pressure, which is primarily dependent upon your familiarity with and confidence in your weapon. So, when it comes down to it, the most important factor is really range time.


One thing you'll notice, when asking about different guns, is that most people seem to end up being big "fans" of certain guns and/or manufacturers and will therefore end up being very biased in their opinions. The best things to ask about are reliability, durability, and cleaning. Feel, accuracy, comfort, etc. are all pretty much purely subjective preferences and are really things you need to decide for yourself.

Re: OK, looking for a CWW...

I carry a Springfield XD in .45. It's a large weapon but I'm a pretty good sized boy myself. It is a tack driver and I do believe the saying about never shoot a large caliber man with a small caliber weapon...

Re: OK, looking for a CWW...

crimsonaudio said:

The fact is you don't get much in the way of hydrostatic shock from a pistol round - they simply don't have enough energy. Once that settles in, the realization (supported by years of FBI data) is that essentially any commercially available ammunition works about the same. You might feel better caring a 10mm or 45ACP but the numbers indicate that it really doesn't matter. What matters is where you hit the target and pistol rounds move slowly enough to not do much damage beyond the immediate area.

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There's always a exception. 600 Nitro

Re: OK, looking for a CWW...

uafan4life said:

My primary carry is now an M&P Shield 9mm and I love it. It's light, slim, and reliable. It also has a good thumb safety (as does the BodyGuard) - as opposed to the "trigger" safety in the Glock - which I prefer. I'm not nearly as svelte as I used to be nor as I'd like to be... Ok, to be honest, I've let myself get fat and horribly out of shape. Anyway, I use three different holsters - inside waistband, ankle, and shoulder - depending primarily upon my clothing choice and/or location for the day and each has a fairly different feel when drawing and holstering. The thumb safety gives me a bit more confidence in regards to avoiding an accidental discharge when drawing or holstering; I've never had that happen and wasn't that worried about it with the Glock but it is a bit more reassuring.

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I second the Shield 9mm. That's what I carry and I've been very pleased with it.