Deciding what to buy

[silkpoet]

Tough to give you the magic "One". Remember for carry purposes that you need to account for your size and commonly worn clothing. If you are 5'2", 120 lbs, and usually wear jeans and a tee shirt, maybe a smaller frame gun would be a better fit. You can aways buy a few and accessorize your outfits! haha! Best of luck!

 

[mjelder]

Personally think a 9 is all you need. I don't care for compact .45's. too bulky and weight gets up there. a good compact 9 is all you really need

 

[farva118]

I've been through 5 guns in the last year and a half or so, trying to find the perfect gun FOR ME. I did a lot of impulse buys and traded them off quickly. Not good in that I have wasted a decent amount of money, but good in that I have found what works best for me and what I do with it.

I'll just mirror what everyone else has stated, look around A LOT, test shoot A LOT, and pick one that suits your needs.

 

[calcot7]

I have been carrying a SS series 90 Defender in .45 for a couple of years now and have had no issues what so ever with it while running 230 Gr. Gold Dot. Good luck!

 

[U.S. Patriot]

So is there a lot if difference in the caliber? One over the other? I would think that a 9mm with 147 JHP would take care of just about anything.

Finding a gun that fits you is the most important thing. You need to find something that is controllable, easy to conceal, and you can shoot accurately. The whole caliber debate is a bunch of internet BS. Shot placement is far more important than what caliber you carry. The whole .45 being a one shot man stopper is BS. I ask anyone that disagrees to volunteer to take two 9mm HP's center mass. I prefer 9mm for my carry gun for several reasons.

1. Ammo is cheaper which means more range time.

2. There are a wide variety of weights and bullet designs.

3. The 9mm is an easy round to control, in terms of felt recoil and quick follow up shots.

4. Higher capacity.

I do like the .40 and I do own one. It's a range and back up gun for me. I also like the .45 but ammo is expensive, so I currently do not own one. My best advice is shoot and fondle as many guns as you can. Then choose what fits you the best.