don’t get me too wrong: i love my ruger .45 to death, and it’d be the gun of choice if i have time to pack. but – like all fullsize big caliber guns – it weighs a ton. toting it around all day every day would be like wearing a brick around my waist, and then trying to conceal it. (”officer, i saw a *brick* printing under that man’s shirt!!”)(and then i get to deal with a trigger-happy cop – i live in vegas – who’ll be even more amped up than usual. “face down on the 125 degree asphalt!!”. no thanks.)

keltec p11 + cargo pants/shorts = happy carry.

I’m looking for a concealed carry holster for my Walker Colt, a 4-1/2 pound, 9″ barreled, .44 cal. hand cannon. Trouble is, if I wear it on one side, I’ll lean that way, and walk in circles. Maybe I should wear a pair of ‘em……

Go for the firearms you like, that is, once hissoner decides that citizens have some rights under the Constitution. I’m not worried about X being the best for self-defense. I’m more worried about my ability to make the rounds go where I intend. That takes practice and more practice. If you visit a range, you might just find that most of us gun nuts are not the drooling neanderthals the anti-gun lobby would have you believe.

it only weighs 14 ounces empty!
10 shots at *considerably* lighter weight than a 5-shot .38 revolver!
smaller than said revolver, but not *too* tiny for my large hand!
it has a *long*, *hard* trigger pull, so it’s very very difficult to accidently shoot yourself or others!
designed for CCW, i can get my finger *behind* the trigger for even safer handling/drawing!
again, 9mm (in hollowpoint) is plenty enough ooomph! and *10* of ‘em….!
aaaaaand…..maybe best of all….as opposed to the $1000 kimbers; and the $700 sigs, i paid $229 plus tax & fees for mine. today. cheaper than dirt! for something that you’ll probably never have to use, but will be there if you ever need to!

best of luck looking & shopping. try ‘em all. ask lots of questions. if the gun shop folks give you ’superior’ attitude, (most will not, BTW), walk out and find another gun shop. and – for the house – nothing like a 12-gauge shotgun: the kind that makes the scary noise when you chamber a shell. the noise will scare 99% of them off. what better weapon than the kind you don’t have to fire?

Now about those .50 cal…….

Very exciting…

.44/.45 – For when you bring a pistol to a gun fight…

Caliber choices are quite subjective. If you were to ask a person who hunted big cats, deer, etc. if they’d want a .45 ACP, they’d think you were crazy. For man-sized animals, you hunt with high-powered rifle cartridges. Period.

Human beings are rather strange creatures. Because of our intellegence, we react strangely to being shot. Some people can go into shock and die with a minor wound, and others can be almost cut to ribbons and still function for a small period of time.

Even one “magical” .45ACP isn’t enough to stop a person both intent on killing you and capable of withstanding the pain of the wound. You plan on shooting a person multiple times (2 chest shots, 2 head shots, two hip shots, repeat as needed), no matter the caliber, and you make every shot hit.

I would tend to agree that .357 Magnum (or .38 with +P loading or higher) is the minimum carrying round unless you just can’t shoot it. I prefer the 9mm (no myth, simply weaker wrists), but if you can shoot it the .40 or .45 are better.

The best gun and best caliber is the gun you can shoot accurately under pressure. A .44 Magnum is no good if you can’t shoot 30-40 rounds without hand fatigue. OTOH, it only takes one .32 ACP in the brain pan, and if that’s all you can shoot, make it a really good shot.

.22 cal is for potting camp meat and target practice.

.25 cal is for being utterly useless.

.32 cal – see .25 cal above.

.380 is for creating a false sense of security.

9mm is for people who watch too much TV and buy into the myth.

.38 is for people who like obsolete weapons.

.357 mag is for feeling powerful without actually being so.

.40 cal is for people who need the latest “thing,” whether or not it’s all that wonderful.

.44 and .45 cal variants are for people who are serious about defensive pistols and revolvers.

Hey, I did say “subjective,” didn’t I?

If you want the semi-auto pistol, make sure that you can properly pull the slide back. There is a great difference between models, so check them all out.

If you don’t like the weight of a gun or it’s too light or too heavy, you probably aren’t going to fire it well. Find one that fits nicely in your hand, that you can hold for a bit without shaking, and that has a good balance to it when loaded. It should feel like it’s a part of you rather than some foreign piece of metal in your hands.

Single or double action? Check out each type and see what you like. Each gun varies and has a different feel. Some guns are double action only and the trigger pull is like trying to squeeze a rock. Find the right trigger pull. And if you find a gun you like but has a bad trigger pull, then check out getting it modified by a smith.

Try revolvers. Some people fall in love with them. Reloading can actually be faster with a revolver, depending on the person. And no worry about policing up the brass.

Take some friends with you when you go looking. Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Try to find a range where you can rent some guns to shoot.

Caliber. Too much stuff written about it to cover. I’ve talked to LEOs and there are too many things to factor. In the end, it’s your life on the line. Find the caliber you can handle while shooting, that gives a decent percentage for stopping someone, and practice, practice, practice for shot placement. You can kill a cow with a .22, not stop someone with a .45, and empty a gun without hitting anyone. The gun is a tool. Everyone is unique. So, make sure you find the best tool for you.