Good gun for open carry.

[moparornocar]

The 43 is the 9mm, the 42 is .380.

Personally I carry a G19, G26 or a NAA Guardian in .32 ACP depending on how I have to dress. My wife carries a G42 and loves it. I need to spend some more time with it as the few times I have fired it, because it is so small it tended to squirm around in my hand more than I like.

Avoiding the open carry/CCW debate, there are certain brands I would avoid.

-Taurus anything. I used to own a Taurus PT92, actually my second handgun ever, never a problem but my life is worth more than taking that chance

-High Point - Zamak (No reason to go further)

-Springfield Armory XD anything. It is made it Croatia, would you buy a car or a computer or cell phone designed and manufactured in Croatia? Why would you buy something that could be something you may stake your life on from them? Not to mention it used to be imported by another company (out of Knoxville) for less than 1/2 the cost that SA charges for the same design. I had a bad experience with one where a grain of sand (from riding ATVs in an open top, open carry holster by the way) kept the grip safety from actuating and we couldn't get the gun to fire nor could we clear the live round because the grip safety locked the slide closed. Finally with the application of lots of water and a knife blade, we got the grip safety un-jammed. My life is worth more than that.

You will usually be fairly safe getting anything from S&W, Glock, Sig, HK, Ruger and maybe a few others (FN, CZ, Browning, Walther). That being said, avoid the "special snowflake" guns. There is a reason that most police departments across the US utilize certain brands of firearms and not others. It isn't because they are the cheapest or have the best marketing campaign either.

If you decide you are going 1911, be prepared to spend some serious cash and/or get really good at gunsmithing.

I saw where you mentioned a drop leg holster. Don't. Drop leg holsters exist to allow people to clear bulky body armor. They suck for carrying. Get a high quality well made holster that holds the handgun as high and tight as possible and better yet has at least some form of retention. That means no "tactical nylon" anything! You also need a real belt. Not something you buy at Wal-mart. You need a high quality (read thick) leather or riggers belt that is as wide as possible. Particularly if you are going with a heavier gun. Heavier guns will tend to pull the holster outwards and a wider belt will distribute that load across a larger area and both make it more comfortable and keep the weapon where you can get to it.

Remember that it is a right AND a responsibility.

That was a very good read crow, thank you for the information. I never gave much thought to details like the belt you wear, I have several hand tooled belts made by an old Mexican guy in his garage while I watched. Lots of good advice here guys. I should mention I'm not new to guns, just new to a state that allows its citizens to carry. I take that right very seriously.

 

[Admin]

 

[GlockMeister]

The 43 is the 9mm, the 42 is .380
My apologies

 

[Crow_Hunter]

That was a very good read crow, thank you for the information. I never gave much thought to details like the belt you wear, I have several hand tooled belts made by an old Mexican guy in his garage while I watched. Lots of good advice here guys. I should mention I'm not new to guns, just new to a state that allows its citizens to carry. I take that right very seriously.

Just trying to keep you from learning the lessons that I learned the expensive way.

At one time or another I have owned almost every brand of handgun and type of holster out there from my first foray into guns until now. I think at one time I had north of 30 handguns, but that was years ago when I was a young engineer without a house payment or a wife and a family member who owned a gun shop.

I eventually realized that the G19/26 combo pretty much covered 85% of what I needed out there and sold off pretty much everything that wasn't a gift. They aren't the best shooting most accurate guns out there but they are reliable, relatively inexpensive, environmentally resistant and easy to take care of and fix and I can shoot them accurately enough to get the job done. Plus they were the guns my wife liked and shot the best.

There are some guns out there that I don't have any experience with but I have heard good things about and would like to try. The HK P30 and the VP9, the Beretta PX4 Compact, and the Sig P320.

 

[Crow_Hunter]

I prefer stainless.. but given your wants, I'd just go to a large gun store and look and handle as many different weapons and you could. What feels good to me might not to you. It also obviously depends on what kind of money you want to spend.. Thers something to be said about a guy wearing a western style rig with a shiny 45 long colt on his side! Lmao... you'll defiantly make a statement with your white pearl grips and matching Honda!

View attachment 26039 View attachment 26041

Actually Ruger makes a Lipsey special Blackhawk medium frame .45ACP/.45 LC convertible with white grips that could be a passable defensive arm and is super sweet. It has been on my want list for a long time. I used to have a pair of Vaquero convertibles and they were a blast to shoot. I would want the blued in a 5.5 " bbl personally though.

Ruger® New Model Blackhawk® Convertible Single-Action Revolver Model 5243

 

[moparornocar]

Actually Ruger makes a Lipsey special Blackhawk medium frame .45ACP/.45 LC convertible with white grips that could be a passable defensive arm and is super sweet. It has been on my want list for a long time. I used to have a pair of Vaquero convertibles and they were a blast to shoot. I would want the blued in a 5.5 " bbl personally though.

Ruger® New Model Blackhawk® Convertible Single-Action Revolver Model 5243

Now that's my style. I do prefer double action though. In a hurry it's nice to just point and squeeze

 

[Gator]

Everyone seems to want bigger. I'm still partial to the 357 and even more partial to the revolver. Get a good stainless piece and you can throw it under the truck seat for over a year and when you drag it out it will shoot.

The Ruger SP100 or 101 or S&W 686 or even Taurus 65 or 627.

An advantage is you can shoot inexpensive 38 rounds when plinking

 

[moparornocar]

Everyone seems to want bigger. I'm still partial to the 357 and even more partial to the revolver. Get a good stainless piece and you can throw it under the truck seat for over a year and when you drag it out it will shoot.

The Ruger SP100 or 101 or S&W 686 or even Taurus 65 or 627.

An advantage is you can shoot inexpensive 38 rounds when plinking

I had an sp101 for years, it was a great piece for delivering pizza in shady neighborhoods in East Alton. I wouldn't mind having another one.

 

[Dawg]

Check out FNH FNX 9mm, 40, and 45

FN - The World's Most Battle-Proven Firearms™ :: FNX™ Series


Or Sig MK25 or 226 tac ops

 

[JTW]

Actually Ruger makes a Lipsey special Blackhawk medium frame .45ACP/.45 LC convertible with white grips that could be a passable defensive arm and is super sweet. It has been on my want list for a long time. I used to have a pair of Vaquero convertibles and they were a blast to shoot. I would want the blued in a 5.5 " bbl personally though.

Ruger® New Model Blackhawk® Convertible Single-Action Revolver Model 5243

Love it!! We have several vaqueros and I use an old Blackhawk 44 sometimes hunting.

 

[Plumber32]

I'm really impressed with my ruger lcr 38+p. it's small and accurate. packs a pretty good punch.

 

[JTW]

Agree with that. I've carried for almost 50yrs and the only time it was open is when I was on duty... Always hold the advantage by concealing your firearm... always.

Who'd you work for?

 

[drfubar]

Who'd you work for?

Town, County, Federal

 

[sharp]

Agree with that. I've carried for almost 50yrs and the only time it was open is when I was on duty... Always hold the advantage by concealing your firearm... always.

Exactly.. If a idiot wants to do something and sees your gun first, you are the first target.... If it's concealed he will do something stupid that will result in him being neutralized.

 

[IdahoPioneer]

If I'm not at work, I'm open carrying. I've experimented with a few sidearms and holsters. I really like my leather retention holster I use now. It's comfortable and holds my XD9 high and tight just where I want it. I've been wearing it every day for over a year now. Still feels almost new.

Sadly you'll always encounter those that take it upon themselves to tell you "civilians" have no business openly carrying a sidearm. They're usually not too difficult to ignore. In Idaho I never have any problems while carrying out and about. Once in a while I'll get a thank you or compliment but that's the extent of it. I'm sure there are places in other parts of the country you would encounter resistance though........

 

[Plumber32]

I was traveling to oklahoma from Wisconsin ended up needing gas in Kansas City . Got off only place possible in a real schit hole in the middle of the day , everything including a giant mall boarded up. gas station was pay first. when in and Abu was standing behind 3" glass. he said you ok just fill up and come back and pay. I was racial profiled I don't know what all these people complain about any ways there was drug deals going on were getting looks. I stood out and filled up. Buddy sat in passenger seat with the 45 in his hand. an old guy pulled up next to me got out had a nice chrome plated ruger on his hip and the people scattered . he just stood there and then said boy you got off at the wrong spot! he never got gas he pulled in just to stand watch over me. I was thankful and honored how cool but what a dump that place was.

 

[drfubar]

Let me be clear, I fully support your right to open carry..............but...............you are making yourself a target. If I'm a bad guy and I'm going to do bad things and you are open carrying and you are an obstacle, you will be the first one I take out and you won't even know it because It will happen from behind and one in the head. Then, think about this, you are with your Wife or child or someone else you would lay your life down for.... you have been shot and killed because you open carried... now you can not protect them from whatever things this made man has in store for everyone else. It's a clear decision, either you want to be tactically at an advantage or you want to show your sidearm and become just another target, and allow your loved ones to become targets too. I'll say it again, I fully support your right to open carry.

 

[sharp]

If you open carry and become a target in a situation, chances are they are going to miss because they haven't had their stolen gun long enough to get used to it. They never practice, and they hold it sideways because that's what thugs do in the movies. Lol

 

[Dp5hunter]

Man I hope u don't believe what you just said u are a good person I'm sure and I pray that u don't really believe that a thug that u are probably right about him or her not knowing the gun which they are about to start shooting in your direction where you are standing with your friends, family or someone u may have just met and u and that open carry gun u'v gut have just became the target of that thug that will shut everyone around you to get u and u'r gun. U may or may not be able to shut him bifor he gets u but mean while how meany of your friends, family or persons u may be with will get hit in the proses.

Cunsild cary is and should be the right answer. Just consider that when you holster your wepon.

 

[Crow_Hunter]

So those of you who advocate open carrying, if you are out in public and you see a guy open carrying, what do you do?

-Do you just ignore him and go about your business in Condition Yellow (or maybe even White) and assume that he is a law abiding individual?

-Do you only pay attention if he is a non-white male?

-Do you immediately move up to Condition Orange, mentally mark him as a potential target and keep your eye on him more than others and always keep some type of modicum of cover between yourself and him because you don't know what his motives are?

Hopefully it is answer # 3. If it isn't, you are going to be of no use in a real incident. In almost every shooting incident, a normal looking white male walks into a public space open carrying a weapon in his hand and suddenly he starts shooting.

When you are open carrying, particularly as a white male, you are distracting other people from real threats.

 

[sharp]

Man I hope u don't believe what you just said u are a good person I'm sure and I pray that u don't really believe that a thug that u are probably right about him or her not knowing the gun which they are about to start shooting in your direction where you are standing with your friends, family or someone u may have just met and u and that open carry gun u'v gut have just became the target of that thug that will shut everyone around you to get u and u'r gun. U may or may not be able to shut him bifor he gets u but mean while how meany of your friends, family or persons u may be with will get hit in the proses.

Cunsild cary is and should be the right answer. Just consider that when you holster your wepon.

I was just joking around.