Sidearms & Scatterguns What sidearm do y'all carry?

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I carry a USP9 in a JM custom appendix rig. I find it bearable and the foam at the end of the holster is a huge improvement. The wings and foam on the holster really help tuck the gun into my belly. As long as you avoid tight leather garb (you know the kind I'm talking about ;)) you should be able to avoid printing.
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:D
 
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Oh, I forgot to mention my Ruger Super Redhawk loaded with Randy Garrett 330grain Hammerheads in a cross chest carry rig when serious four legged social occasions are possible. I keep thinking of cutting the barrel to 5" as I find that length is so well balanced in the hand. You can get the .454 Casual in that 5" model from the factory but it is a 5 shot and much harder to shoot accurately fast under stress. When I was deciding on what gun to carry in grizzly country back in the late 1990s I was privileged to get to talk to Randy Garrett personally about the subject. I asked his advice being he was the expert and I the novice at the time. He recommended the Ruger .44 magnum with the 330gr. Hammerheads as it carried six rounds, was easier to control, and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks Rangers that were carrying those loads that had to engage grizzlies found their penetration even from frontal shots to be to the hip line. That is a lot of penetration of heavy bone and muscle. I have been carrying that load in my Rugers ever since. First in my 6' Ruger Redhawk and later in my 7.5" Ruger Super Redhawk. This is NOT an anti-personnel round. It is a heavy penetration round for use against large heavy boned and muscled animals, or to penetrate auto bodies, like engine compartments, as it does not expand. It is not for use by the faint of heart as it RECOILS! The key is don't fight it but just hold on and pull the gun back down into position. It still kicks a lot less than a .454 Casual that few shooters can handle with full power magnum loads. Around the house I load it with 200 grain silver tips to back up my 10 shot S&W Model 617 Stainless Target Model .22LR loaded with Stingers. You would not want to see what that thing does to big rattle snakes.
 
H&K 45c in a smart carry holster. Not as fast as a traditional holster, but it works under almost anything. Half the time I just throw on some gym shorts for a quick errand and this works great. Used to carry a Xds 45 but had some some malfunctions at the range so I am not super confident in it until I put a lot more rounds through it. It sure was small and slim though.
 
I rarely carry, since I live in a pretty low-crime area, but when I do, it's a 642 with Crimson Trace grips (which was recommended to me by a LEO friend, who uses his as a backup). I think it's a great concealed-carry gun (light, compact, reliable), and am very happy with it.
 
“I don’t know what it’s called. I only know the sound it makes when it takes a man’s life......”


Was a XDs 45 until the trigger recall. Then I switched to the Sig P938. I like the 1911 style safety.
 
Kimber Custom II in 45acp, carried in vertical shoulder holster from Armadillo Holsters, Galco VHS harness, Galco horizontal dual mag carrier, usually under a leather or denim vest. Summer, Kimber Ultra Carry II in 45acp, carried in a Desantis belt slide, under a light shirt. When I'm a little edgy or just being an asshole, an Israeli 50AE Desert Eagle in a MASC shoulder rig. SHTF...FN FNX-45 Tactical with a Silencerco Osprey 45K. No joy all finding a holster for it that I like.
 
In the 3-4 warm months for the last ten plus years a Kahr PM40 in the front pocket, in the cooler months with a jacket/coat a Para Ordnance P12 w/ 2 extra mags in a Galco shoulder rig. I plan on switching from the Kahr to a SIG P365 when they get the kinks ironed out.

I've concealed carried since '84 and without a doubt the best gun is the one you have on you when you need it. If they are too heavy or bulky chances are you may not have it when you need it. Convenience and comfort are the key factor in urban settings. When walking the dogs in our area there's a chance of big coons, coyote, and cougar so the .45 with hot loads is the choice.
 
I carry a Glock 17, for years I carried my Gen 1 but wanted to keep the wear down on it so picked up a Gen 2. I have other pistols I have carried but 99% of the time I carry the G17.
 
When carrying in town I always carry a g23 or g22. A lot of time in the winter during calving season I carry an lar grizzly in 45 win mag for coyotes and just for the fun of it.
 

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Still carrying the same .40 G27 in a Milt Sparks VM2 holster on a custom gun belt w/dual mag carrier and a 340PD loaded with +P's in the pocket; all the same stuff that I was carrying when I responded to this thread when it started. I usually carry both pistols and extra mags for the .40 but I tended to just carry the 340PD a lot lately this summer, just going to the store and back and wearing shorts (couldn't carry anything when I wore my "Ranger" 25thID PT shorts --you're laughing you ass off now if you know what I'm talking about!).

It's cooling off now and I'll break out the Glock again soon and put the ranger shorts away (which are short as fuck and two thin layers of see-through black material in an "80's cut" in case you're wondering; it's almost as bad as a speedo but not quite). They're comfortable, but I look nothing in them like I did when I could run 12 miles a day!

Same rig for 13 years, it has a dark brown patina in places and it's real smooth but no other wear. Still fits like it did when it was first broken in. Milt Sparks handmakes these to last for life and they're on par with Mitch Rosen I belive. Great price too, long wait but worth it. If you carry a 1911, they make several really nice holsters for that pistol only. They also make some nice pocket and front IWB carry (I'd like a Summer Special or something like it for the 340PD for cross drawing and a pocket holster would be nice too as I have too many pockets with holes worn by the front sight). Belt and holster are far more important choices for carry than is the pistol itself, don't wanna cheap out, get good leather, but you don't have to get raped for quality leather either.
 
Gen4 glock17 with saurez slide, rmr, Suarez trigger, stipple job by yours truly.
 

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