What should I get for my temporary summer ccw?

[aaron580]

a full size longslide 1911 in 10mm...

 

[BrewerGeorge]

Lots of people here are uncompromising. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you know the two guns you've listed are a compromise for size and price. Obviously those who won't compromise won't consider those guns, but that doesn't necessarily mean your decision is invalid for you. If you're going in with eyes wide open looking for a tiny gun you can carry in the pocket of drawstring shorts (let's say), I think that's a perfectly rational choice.

With that in mind, I'd recommend the TCP. Get a 'D' version and shoot it enough to be sure you got a good one. (I wear gel motorcycle gloves when I shoot mine a lot; it's "brisk".) I would never recommend it as the ONLY gun you own/carry, or even the only gun in summer if you can swing something bigger, but it serves a useful purpose when something bigger just won't.

Edit to add: And I'd pay a couple bucks more to buy one from a store so you can handle it and ensure a D version. Check for side function, and good lockback, both with empty magazine installed and with no magazine.

 

[VERT]

a full size longslide 1911 in 10mm...

Cover garment and that would actually work.

 

[boatswainsmate]

I would suggest one of each of these

Pocket Holster - Mika's Pocket Holsters

 

[VERT]

Smith 442/642 with a Mika pocket holster. Like this:

 

[KG1]

I gotta go with the snub revolver crowd for a nice summer carry. I used to carry a Smith 442 alot and actually enjoyed shooting it. It was pretty darn accurate too at combat ranges. I should say that I personally shot it well. Some people have a harder time with snubs though.

Wish I still had it.

 

[Maximinus Thrax]

OP really hasn't commented on why he narrowed it down to those particular firearms. Obviously price is a concern but I'm curious as to why those two in particular...

If you're looking for a budget .380 then look at the Bersa Thunder. It conceals very easily under a thin cover garment and there's plenty of holster options out there for you to consider. New you can find them for less than 300 and if you can find someone willing to part with theirs then you should be in the 200ish ballpark. It's not a mouse gun so you can actually expect to accurately hit your target at a distance and it won't wear out your wrist on a range trip.

Start here: Search For and Find Guns for Sale Online - GunWatcher.com

You said yourself that reliability is an issue with both of your choices. In my mind you have just eliminated both of them as carry guns.

 

[ajeandy]

Thanks for all the snobby comments and assumptions on what firearms I own.

I'd love to purchase the sr9c, except I'd never carry it as a ccw for self defense. There are so many "safety" features I feel it makes the gun unsafe for me to carry for self defense.

I don't want a gun with a safety. If the ruger sr9c didn't have a manual safety and didn't have a mag drop safety I'd definitely snatch it up.

While I do want a reliable gun I don't have a large budget, I could make an exception if I found something that hit on everything I like/desire.

Further more I'm conflicted between a micro pistol in .380 or something larger in 9mm. The cw9 was a good gun who knows I may end up going back to that.

For summer carry deep conceal is a high priority. That's why I'm leaning towards a smaller .380

The reason I was interested in the sccy was because I heard a lot of good things about it and the nice warranty, also it was 1" in width which is something I'm looking for if I went double stacked 9mm. Slimmest with the slimmest grip. I really don't care for the grip on the glock 26 after handling it. Striker fired preferred.

The shield isn't an option until I can buy one without a manual safety.

At this point I've kind of depressingly narrowed it down to these options...

.380 = cw380, lcp

9mm = g26 (I don't feel I can conceal this pleasantly though)

Nothing really seems to fit what I want...price aside. I wish I could find a slimmer, reliable, double stacked firearm without a safety. I wish all DA semi-automatic firearms were made with the option w/o a safety.

 

[VERT]

Ultra small, really thin, holds a fair amount of ammo in 9mm, that is reliable and has no manual safety. Tall order there.

Glock 42? It would be a .380
Wait for a shield without the safety?

 

[wesnellans]

Too bad you're so far south. Midwest up here just posted an ad for the M&P Bodyguard (I've had three Bodyguards, all have been perfectly reliable, and the M&P variant has had the best trigger of all of them) for $289.99. Not much more than going with either of your listed choices and, well, let's say if I'm choosing among Taurus, Sccy, or Smith, it's a pretty easy decision.

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edit: I'm with you on manual safeties (won't have a shield because of it) but the Bodyguard safety is almost recessed in the grip and is so hard to move on without a deliberate effort (WAY harder than a Shield) I just can't see it ever putting itself on. Mine never have in the many, many, days of it riding in my pocket. IN A POCKET HOLSTER, Kirk!

 

[ajeandy]

Great price, really far north...I guess I'll have to handle a sw bg and see what I think.

 

[LP1]

LCP would be a good choice - similar in size to the TCP, but it's reliable. If you shop carefully, they can be found for about $300 OTD.

 

[wesnellans]

Great price, really far north...I guess I'll have to handle a sw bg and see what I think.

Carries small and light and I can do quick snap drills at 7 yards on a 4" gong consistently. I've never had any hiccups with any. Like I said, though, I find quite a difference in trigger with the new M&P model. The laser of the old one was a gimmick IMHO, and since they only came with one mag anyway, the new one at a lower price point and two mags was a no brainer.

Ymmv.

 

[Tobias]

There is a Kahr CM9 listed on here now for $325 I believe. IMHO that would be a much more "reliable" option.

 

[searpinski]

Kahr CW380 or MP 9 shield.

 

[GNRPowdeR]

Have you considered the Springfield XD-S models? The S&W M&P9c is about the right size for summer carry. I also believe the Shield will have something without the safety, but I don't believe in your time frame... Guessing a .45 single stack is out of the picture, too...

 

[Kernal1984]

I have friend that was a detective(went back to patrol) with ISP and carried the sccy when doing undercover stuff and had to qualify with the gun and it fell literally fell apart during qualifying.

He said he just thought he was shooting horribly until the slide came off the gun while firing.

I think he said it was a 1st gen and when he sent it in they sent him a new 2nd gen so maybe they have improved reliability.

I have a tcp and so far it has been %100 reliable through 150 fmj and about 60 sd rounds.

 

[Kernal1984]

I'll just leave this here.....

Gun Review: Taurus 738 TCP | The Truth About Guns

 

[ajeandy]

Can't find anything that fits the bill...think I'll try a g26 till then.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

...think I'll try a g26...

This is, by far, the best choice of anything you've mentioned. Subcompact Glocks become very comfortable to carry with a good holster and gun belt combo...one can get used to it quickly and easily.