I finally got my concealed weapons permit. What do my fellow Marines suggest to carry? My Glock 30 is kind of to wide to carry concealed.

HAve 2 that I carry.
Mackarov 9x18. Small easily hidden.But, after getting caught with it,by a black ear,on a fishing trip. It was in Jan,I was knee deep in snow,and he waasn't supposed to be out and about. Scared the crap out of me.
I obtained a Springfield Armory .45 V10 Ultra compact in stainless with a muzzle break.
Small and easily hidden,but,more stopping power. Goes in the fanny pack.

A fanny pack? Really lame...plus everybody knows what you're carrying...
However, your weapon is right up there...

For what it's worth.

I carry off duty 24/7. I've carried a myriad of pistols, by many means over the past 20 years. I don't really care for shoulder rigs. I hate in the waistband (IWB) holsters. I pretty much carry strong side, just behind the hip. Sometimes, I'll use a small of the back holster, but not so much anymore. If the weather is warm, and I'm dressed in slacks/shirt/tie, no coat, I will stick my j-frame in an ankle holster. For awhile, I was carrying my service model XD45, plus 2 spare mags. Not a small pistol, and not easy to conceal. But, I was successful.

I'll list some major concerns.

1. Weapon choice. Caliber, capacity, action type, your proficiency with it. If you can shoot a j-frame .38 better than a mid size .45, by all means, carry the .38. If you can shoot a full size 1911 better than a j-frame, carry the 1911. Don't carry handloads, carry a factory defensive pistol round. Or, find out what your local PD carries, and buy the same. If you do have to shoot someone, the fact that you carry a round that is the same as the PD will be less attackable.

2. Carry method and holster quality. Buy a cheap holster, and you will regret it. I see a lot of guys buy expensive pistols, then go out and buy a pos Uncle Mike's holster for it. You will probably go through a few holsters until you find one you really like. I have 2 boxes full. Also, get a quality belt stiff enough to support your pistol.

3. Clothing. Dress around your gun. I wear a lot of oversize shirts, like aloha shirts and straight hemmed short sleeves that button up in the summer. In winter, I wear a lot of 1/4 zip fleece pullovers (no elastic in the bottom, it pulls up over your gun).

4. Environment. Where will you be, what will you be doing, what are the threat levels?

5. Training. Take a CCW defensive pistol class. And ALWAYS carry a minimum of one full reload, especially if you are carrying a semi-auto. Magazines are the #1 cause of malfunctions.

I currently carry a .40 Glock 27 off duty, sometimes a j-frame .38. I like the Aker belt slide with a thumb break, or the Bianchi Black Widow. They are almost the same. I also like the Blackhawk Askins, and the Speed scabbard. The SERPA is a good one, too. Aker makes a nice leather belt with a stiffener inside. So does 511 tactical. If you like tactical nylon, try the 511 belts, or, my fav, belts made by The Wilderness.

In case you don't know, I'm an 18 year veteran Police Officer, and used to be a firearms instructor at my state's police academy as an off duty job. I'd be happy to answer what questions I can.

I carry a Glock 32 .357 Sig in an inside the belt holster...works for me, but isn't the most comfortable thing. Clothing is always a problem for concealed in Florida...it was 90 here today. I also favor loose T shirts and looser shirts. I'll have to admit I don't carry a spare mag....maybe I should. Sometimes I carry my wife's S&W 9mm for variety. I'm not a LEO but I will try never to become a victim...

I need to go ahead and get my CCW.. I would like to get a 1911, would that be comfortable in a shoulder rig?

It all depends on the shoulder rig. Galco makes a good one. You can also drop big bucks on something like a Rosen, or similar. The Galco Miami Classic is a nice one.

For a female, I would recommend looking at a number of manufacturers, and see the various holsters specifically designed for a woman's body.

Like I said, I don't like shoulder rigs much, but, I do have, and have used, a Miami Classic.

Manufacturers to look at:
Kramer
Galco
Mitch Rosen
Safariland
Bianchi
Blackhawk
Blade tech
Aker
DelFatti
DeSantis
Don Hume
FIST

Thanks Gene--- considering I'm built like an apple, broad in the shoulders-- I may get away with what guys wear.

I hate the pistol I have now---- Cheap Highpoint .45 --Bulky/

A Rosen shoulder rig is about $400. A belt scabbard is about 150.

Galco Jackass shoulder rig (excellent) is about 155.

I would recommend checking out Galls dot com, or LA Police Gear dot com. They have excellent selections of in stock stuff, and decent prices. Also, check out Blackhawks website.

If you are set on a .45, and want a nice, not so bulky, and affordable pistol, check out the compact Springfield XD45. One of my bros has one, and he loves it. I have a service model, and I love it. If my department would let me carry it on duty, I would throw my issue Glock 22 back at them...

If you are set on a single action 1911, check Kimber and Springfield.

I like the Springfield-- thanks for sharing you're Knowledge, it's appreciated.

Was looking at a friend's Kimber Ultra Compact....a dandy piece of gear....

Very nice. Very spendy.

Thanks everyone.

Semper Fi,
DLS

THe Kimber Ultra Covert 2.

WOW, short barrel, looks like it can be tucked away nicely-- How Much does one of these run?

Depends on where you shop. But, you're looking at about $1400 or so...

Take a gander at this. Springfield Armory XD45 Compact.



$500-600 dollars. The nice thing is, with the small magazine, you have 10+1 rounds. With the full size mags, you have 13+1 of .45. This is also made in 9mm and .40, and is smaller in those calibers. The grip on my full size, double stack XD is about the same as my Glock 22, only mor comfortable. It's not hard to grip, and my hands are medium sized. If you are not set on a .45, check out the .40. .40 is an excellent cartridge.

quote:

Originally posted by GeneSchubeck:
In case you don't know, I'm an 18 year veteran Police Officer, and used to be a firearms instructor at my state's police academy as an off duty job. I'd be happy to answer what questions I can.

OUTSTANDING!!!!

I've grown partial to Glocks. Easy to keep clean and mine has been very reliable. I'm very accurate and precise with my .45 (G30). Like I said, It's to bulky to carry concealed. The G36 seems way to small. The G27 seems like a good way to go.

GT6238, How do you like that G32? I really want to fire a .357. Some retired LEOs where telling me about shooting .357s and that they spit fire like a dragon.

Jonsey, I'd like to have a Colt 1911. Like a Marine Corps special edition pistol. That would be cool.

My Glock #23 .40 does just fine for what I need it for.....

That's why I like my G27. It is very capable of doing the job. At least, for me, it's a good choice for off duty carry. It's essentially the same gun (only smaller) as my issued G22. I carry it with a short mag in it, and I carry a full size G22 mag as a reload. The G23 is a nice size pistol, too. For years, I carried a G19, which is dimensionally the same as a G23.

While not perfect, the Glock is a solid platform, and easy to fix. Just don't leave it on the dashboard on a sunny day....

Great thread guys, I would agree thay the Glock family are great fire arms but.... Having baught the XD in 40sw with the 4 inch barrel I have found it to be about the best fire arm in its class. The XD comes with gear so its ready to carry right out of the box. I did by the Blackhawk paddle/belt holster and love it because all you have to do is remove 3 screws and convert back and forth as to what is best for that day. That holster locking system is easy to get used to and drawing comes natural without having to unsnap. I baught my XD at Cabelas for $500 even, so the value is there and the slide spring on it doesnt needs replacing like the 1911 clones (as often) and I have abused mine with the lack of maintance and it has shot what I put through it with out fail. For all you 1911 guys I an not bashing that firearm at all, I think they are one of the best ever made. But IMHO my XD will never let me down when or if I will ever need it.
SEMPER FI
T.J.