I'm looking for a easily concealable handgun for everyday carry? Any suggestions/and only serious responses!

Question

I currently carry a Taurus pt111 9 mm and am finding difficult to conceal.

Answer 1

Tom,

I am not trying to minimize your concern, but I want you to know that if you make the effort, you can conceal most anything short of a carbine. It is a matter of proper clothes, proper gunleather, and determination to do it right.

You really don't tell us what your challenge for concealed carry is, so we don't know if you are a mechanic, a street vendor, or an office worker.

It makes a difference. The way you dress will dictate how you can carry without detection.

Let's face facts, your PT-111 is about as compact as a serious defensive gun gets. If you go smaller, you are going to have to carry a mouse gun. I think you are better off figuring out how to carry your PT-111 better.

Here are a few suggestions: (Please bear in mind that I don't know anything about your job or your physical build, some of these suggestions might be inappropriate, sorry.)

If your trouser pockets are deep enough and wide enough, try a pocket holster and carry in your front pocket.

Get your shirts a size or two larger than necessary and get a shoulder holster. Wear the shoulder-holster UNDER your shirt. A Western cut shirt with snaps will make a fast draw easier without the necessity of replacing buttons. If you can't wear western style shirts, leave a couple of buttons open under your tie.

As an alternative to the shoulder-holster, you could use a Kramer Confidant Shirt Holster ( http://www.kramerleather.com/products.cfm?categoryID=21 )

If you hate shoulder holsters as bad as I do, here is a pretty good option for strong-side waist carry. It is made by a company called Cross-Breed Holsters Some of their holsters can be worn with the shirt tucked into the waistband, and it has a large leather pad to protect both skin from gun, and gun from skin. You can check out their website at: http://www.crossbreedholsters.com . I have not used these holsters, but a friend I trust explicitly gives them a good review and a high recommendation. Here is a link to his review: http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylor/crossbreed_holsters.htm

Another option would be a fanny pack holster. Dillion Precision, and Coronado Leather, among others, make some fanny pack holsters that don't scream gun. I used one for a while as a home service insurance agent. I found it rather comforting to carry the day's receipts in my holster.

In addition to fanny pack holsters, Coronado Leather offers a line of jackets, vests, briefcases and other items with built-in holsters. Check out their line at: http://www.coronadoleather.com/

For casual dress days, or weekends, a good belt holster and an oversized long tailed shirt are plenty. For many years, I wore Guyabera (aka Mexican Wedding) Shirts to conceal everything from 3.5" Colt Officers' ACP pistols to 4"-5.5" barreled revolvers.

If you are interested in a few pointers on packing iron discretely, drop me an e-mail. If you know the tricks of the trade, there is no need to waste time with my slow typing.

If you really want to get a smaller gun, I think you should switch to revolvers. Small revolvers tend to be more reliable than small pistols, and they are not as ammo sensitive as small caliber pistols either. My Always Gun is an S&W M640, .357 Mag revolver, the M-649 would be just as good, or maybe better since it has single-action capacity.

Doc

Answer 2

Part of cocealed carry is the holster you choose and the clothing you wear. However, finding the right holster can get expensive and if you don't want to adapt to a new wardrobe then the only thing that will be easier to conceal than the pistol you already have is if you go thinner (single stack mag and less capacity) or a pocket pistol...
If you want to stay with the 9mm, I would consider the following:

Glock 26,
Kahr K9, Kahr P9, Kahr CW 9, Kahr PM 9, Kahr MK9,

You own a Taurus already, I know they carry some pistols in their concealed carry line, but I do not have any experience w/ them, so I can't recommend them. Also, the stainless steel Kahrs (K9 or MK9) are better than the polymer Kahrs, but are more expensive too. The Glock is nicely priced, but is double stacked and therefore a little chunky, that will affect your carry options.

If you are willing to consider revolvers (.357 Magnum and/or 38 Special), look at the Ruger SP101 or the Taurus concealed carry revolver models.

Should be plenty of reviews on the internet for you to look at when considering any of these handguns, and most of these models should be available at your local gun shop for you to handle and see up close. And while your at it, talk to the people who work there, many of them have owned many different handguns and might be able to direct you to the pistol that will fit your needs or even the holster that would work best for your current pistol.

Answer 3

This is a very broad question. Revolver or semi? I take it, based on your current carry gun, that you want a semi. So here goes...

Kahr make a GREAT carry gun!! Slim, light and available in 9mm, 40, or even 45 now.

Glock has an enormous selection to choose from. Depending on desired caliber, you have the concealable guns from 9mm to 40 to 357sig to 45gap to 45acp to 10mm.

Then there is always the 1911 style guns. These however, a bigger and a little harder to conceal.

I carried a Karh p40 for 4 years. I love it, the only draw back to the Karhs is mag capacity. It came w/2 mags, 1- 6 rounder and 1 - 7 rounder.

Glocks are hard to beat for price, reliability, capacity, and over all quality.

You'll probably get answers talking about the Springfield XD's, but be carefull, they aren't built nearly as well as the Glock. However some people just like the "feel" better than a Glock.

All that to say... There are a lot of options out there. You can't go wrong w/a Glock. That's why I gave up my Kahr.

Answer 4

This is the age-old debate. I carry a Smith and Wesson 38 caliber J-frame revolver in a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster. I live in the South where a T-shirt and shorts are worn most of the year. Same stopping power as your 9mm.

To those individuals who expressed somewhat ignorant responses to your question--This is the United States of America. We have the unalienable (that means God-given) right to defend ourselves, our families, an our property. The Bill of Rights prohibits the federal government from making laws that prevent citizens from bearing arms.

Nearly every state has some form of concealed carry laws that provide legal ways for its law-abiding citizens to carry a gun in public. The laws vary greatly from two states where anyone can carry a concealed handgun with no government permits or interference of any kind to states that require a permit and rarely issue the permit to anyone but law enforcement officers, professional body guards, armored car guards, etc.

Personally, I have never pointed a gun at a living thing. I have a permit. I carry a gun in my pocket every day. I practice with it at the range regularly. If I were confronted with a life or death situation, I would not hesitate to use that weapon to stop an attacker.

Answer 5

I carry everyday,,,,I have a Kahr compact 40S&W,,,A S&W model 60 357 Snubby,,,and a Kel-Tec 380,,,,,Since I purchased the 380 I carry that 90 percent of the time. It fits right in your pocket,,,its alot more concealable than the other two,,,,,and its a great shooting little gun...is it too small of a caliber ? I wouldn't want to get shot with it.

Answer 6

In the warmer months when wearing lighter clothes I usually ditch my full sized auto in favor of my S&W 640 hammerless revolver in stainless. I have smooth plastic grips with a Tyler T-grip. Taurus also makes a hammerless .38, I think it's a copy of the Model 85.

Fits in a pocket of my cargo shorts or in the small of the back inside the waistband very nicely. Great under a t-shirt.

Answer 7

The most concealable pistol I own is a Beretta Tomcat .32 acp stainless steel. With Silvertip or Fiocchi ammo it is about as effective as standard .38 Special 158 grain roundnose lead or .380 solids. Actually the Fiocchi spec are better than the .38 or .380.

It is a quality little pocket pistol, powerful for its size, dependible and very accurate out to 15 or 20 yards.

Best.

H

Answer 8

Had the same problem with my taurus; finally picked up a Keltec 11 that has ten round capacity and is quite small. They make an even smaller model that hold seven rounds; but in all honesty the ten round model feels better; not to mention the fact that 9mm in that small of a weapon lets you know you are holding something. Brand new the model 11 was only 242 frogskins.

Answer 9

While 9 mm are larger than some for carrying concealed, it could also be the holster you purchased for it combined with the clothing you wear when carrying. Try researching the Kel-Tec P32 which only fires the small .32ACP cartridge, it is extremely concealable. Not sure why you need to carry concealed (protection, job, i.e.) but go to a reputable gun dealer and they can typically help you.

Answer 10

Get one of the small Glocks my brother has 2 of them one in 9mm and one in 357 sig and he carries them all the time with no complaints.I currently have a Glock 21 45 that is not a good weapon for consealed carry but I am looking into getting a 30 or a 36 they are way smaller but still pack that 45acp punch.Look into the small Glocks.