gjersy

This. Once i bought a micro .380 i find it easy to carry, therefore i actually carry it.

Brandon_SPC

I carry a S&W Shield in a G-Code Incog holster appendix style.

But when looking a conceal carry pistol I first of course look to a company that has a great reputation like S&W or Glock (Just to name a few). Then I look at how the gun points when I go from chest to my shooting stance just as if I am at a range shooting static targets but I keep my eyes closed. I see which one naturally points for me. Then I go by size and comfort at that. Being that I carry appendix to me it is a lot easier to get away with bigger sidearms. But in my eyes don't let comfort be your number one reason but let it be in the top close to your number 1 can you point and accurately shoot this sidearm. Most self defense situations will be a point and shoot and you will not get a sight picture. Just my two cents.

GoexBlackhorn

Had to rule-out S&W and Glock because they don't offer anything pocket-small and inexpensive like the....

Ruger CLP
Taurus TCP738
Kahr CW380

Keep in-mind these are not once-a-week range guns. What you cited above are. These-above will fire every time a Glock or S&W does, coming out of concealment when needed.

One must decide how and when he will use this CCW first. If I want a range pistol, I'll buy something more expensive and more reliable for firing thousands and thousands of rounds. None of those three I mentioned above, will I even fire a thousand times in their lifetime. They are for dire-straits security (up-close and personal) and they wear most comfortable than any others in that price/size category.

I want something small and thin - where a holster is not needed. I want something that won't pocket-print without a holster. That's what those three I mentioned above will do. The Glock and S&W are bigger.... too big for me. But I would buy either for a waist-carry pistol. Both are nice pistols for sure. But both are too big for many small pants-pockets. I want a carry pistol that works with any sized pocket. I do not want to rule-out any pair of pants, when climbing out of bed in the mornings.

Also, I do not want a waisdt carry pistol that gets in the way of truck consoles and/or seatbelts. RH-shooters normally carry on the same side as my truck console and seatbelt clip-on. So that's another reason why I want a pocket carry 1st --- ankle carry 2nd. But that ankle carry needs to be a lightweight gun and that's what those three I mentioned above are.

When walking the dog everyday, I'll take my bigger 9MM PT111 G2 in a totally covered Sneaky Pete holster...... keeping it totally water-repelled..../ out of the elements outside. I'll use it for that everyday and for keeping in my sock drawer at night, which is an arms length away. I sleep in a smallish bedrooom. My entire house is only 1100 square feet..... small.

Oldtimr

Range gun? If you are planning to buy a handgun to carry for protection and you do not make regular trips to the range and send some lead down range under different circumstances wearing different clothing you may as well carry a flat rock in your pocket and save yourself some money. You would be surprised at how close you can miss something or someone if you are under stress. I don't know if you wear the same trousers every day of your life in all seasons but I can access my handgun from my hip faster than out of most of my pants pockets. My holsters also are not full of pocket lint which can cause a problem with gun function, that is why they make pants holsters which slow you down even more when you go to bring your gun to bear.

GoexBlackhorn

How else will it see up-to 1000 rounds oldtimr? I'm 64 years old and if I live another 20 years, divide 20 years into 1000 rounds and that's how many rounds it will see per year (50 rounds) (most-all at the range). For 3-4 weeks out of the year, it may see northern Michigan woods target practice during hunting season. I'll shoot the gun 2-3 times per year. Doesn't need more work than that anyways. These inexpensive guns aren't built to be used a-lot .... dozens and dozens of times per year. These little guys are for protection and more delicato. They are just as dependable as those twice the money, if not overused.

So, pretty simple and not hard to imagine. You wear the heavier,. bigger stuff and I'll wear the small and thin. I guarantee you I'm more comfortable and not needing to do the holster routine (on & off) everyday.

Done with this. Its a no-brainer with me. I'll carry an extra magazine and they also are small and light, single stack with 6-7 rounds.

Oldtimr

I carried a handgun for my job for 33 years, 8 years into retirement I still carry every day out of my house and yard. I have to qualify each year in order to nationally carry and I do so with a revolver and a semi auto, 50 rnds each, which is twice as much in one day as you plan to shoot in a year. You will not guarantee that you are more comfortable than I am because I would not wear a rig that isn't comfortable enough so I don't know it is there except in my mind. Just for fun, do you practice drawing and shooting from your pocket quickly? Quite frankly It is no skin off my knuckles what you do, but a poster asked a legitimate question and I figure he deserves legitimate answers not an ill conceived preference. Now he has both, he will be able to make an intelligent decision.

stalkingbear

My ratings on several different qualities on a concealed carry gun are as follows.

Reliability, it HAS to be reliable no matter what!

Fit, if it don't naturally fit my hand and point natural for ME I'm never going to shoot it as good when in a hurry or under a high stress situation.

Accuracy, it has to be fairly accurate when shot under combat conditions. I'm not talking about moa, but rather minute of bad guy. See fit.

Adequate power, I want the most powerful cartridge/load as I can shoot & control for rapid shooting within the confines of whatever design I choose. I want the most firepower as I can get within a platform and the most firepower for it's size as long as I can control it!

Capacity, naturally everybody wants the highest capacity as they can get within reason. Nobody EVER said I wish my gun held less capacity after being in a gun fight!

Price, a person should strive to be able to get the gun he's most comfortable with and meets all the other criteria, but it MUST be affordable. Of course a lot of people try to cheap out and wind up with something less capable than what they really need instead of saving to get the absolute best for THEM. You cannot put a price tag on your life, and spread out over the life of the firearm it's really quite inexpensive to get exactly what you need, and once in a firefight it's a bit too late to say I wish I could upgrade to what I really need.

I likely missed some categories but I'm SURE some of yall will point them out for me! Having said all that, my own personal carry guns are as follows-pocket pistol (with pocket holster of course!) or 2nd gun or backup but during hot summer days or at times when I cannot pack anything bigger is Kahr CM-40. I used to carry a Ruger LCP religiously but after having participated in extensive penetration/expansion tests of different loads for most of the usual defensive cartridges into a variety of test medias I quit trusting the .380 to adequately do the job so moved up in power to where I feel I can trust it's ability to do the job with proper bullets/loads as long as I do my part.

Regular carry gun-XDm, 1911 with .460 Rowland conversion, or Para Ordnance LDA.

Truck gun is High Point that never leaves it's hiding spot other than practice or reliability tests. If it ever does get stolen, I won't be up for years lamenting losing 1 of my all time favorite guns. Also have some scattered around the house as it would be bad form to ask the bad guy that just kicked in your door to excuse you while you walk by him to retrieve your gun from the other room! Bathroom gun as well as kitchen gun, garage gun, and a couple of others as I'm sure they won't wait for me to get off the commode or shower before invading.

Bocajnala

This is something I rarely hear mentioned when people are discussing home defense. But is a very important point. I often hear people say they "sleep with it under their pillow or other similar things.." which is great, but what if you're in the basement, garage, shower, home office, etc.
-Jake

tealboy

This post summed up my thought process precisely. There are many right answers but for me, if it is much larger than a small pocket carry, I won't carry it on average.