At 59 years and the fight within myself over what I really need in pistols for my personal use, I’ve come to a conclusion.

I must first say that I never thought there could be a better design than a Walther PP. I’ve personally carried as my everyday day pistol a Walther PP in .380 for over 10 years.

I have changed. I now own, shoot, and carry three different pistols, with one major thing in common; only one is hammer fired.

My so-called fuller-sized pistol is the most efficient and accurate pistol I’ve ever owned; a Walther PPQ M2 9mm. It has tritium night sights, and I’ve added a green dot laser underneath. Deadly accurate, never a malfunction, and a great trigger. Not a great concealed carry pistol, but makes for a great hunting/fishing side carry and by my bedside for protection.

My everyday carry is now a Walther PPS M2 9mm. Great trigger, tritium night sights, great trigger, never malfunctions, and super accurate.

The third is the pistol that goes with me out West for bear and wolf protection while I’m fly fishing, a Tanfoglio 10mm, a CZ copy that has a fabulous trigger.
With these three, I’m set. What a relief.

And yes, I’m always eligible for change.

We are very different. I inherited 8 Walther PP ppk and ppks pistols. I could never warm to them at all. I still carry a revolver, mostly a 3 or 3.5 inch N frame SW made in the 60's or an early 70's 19 with a 2.5 inch barrel when I really need 'concealed'.

I have more then two dozen handguns from mouse gun 22 to a BFR in 460S@W.

I use them all at some times.

My most carried are a Glock 23, SR1911, TI 41mag.

My most shot are a Ruger security 6, Glock 34, Browning buckmark.

Best carry "pocket" pistol IMHO was the original Remington P-51 in .380 ACP. Best modern carry pocket pistol would be the CZ-82 again in .380 ACP.

Best belt pistol would be IMHO a Colt 1911 style Colt .45. So long trigger and flat mainspring housing. In fact my first handgun was a Colt 1911 C90475.

I also have the Walther PPQ M1 in 9mm with 24/7 big dot sights and love it. They are now making a smaller version.
A Walther P88 with it’s different variations is definitly something special. Sold it, regretablly.
The new Sig P210 American version with the 4” barrel and thin body profile is worthy of consideration. The 6” for target.

We are blessed with many options. The striker fired polymer handguns work superbly. Though I find myself going a full circle and appreciating walnut and steel, they have a soul.

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We are blessed with many options. The striker fired polymer handguns work superbly. Though I find myself going a full circle and appreciating walnut and steel, they have a soul

Yes we are.

I only try and buy polymer or stainless they just hold up better to everyday wear and tear.

I’m pretty partial to my Glock 30 with full size mags.

Good thread. Always interested in hearing from those who seriously carry. I don't, currently, and have only occasionally carried in the past, mainly because I chose too much gun to comfortably conceal -- and it got left home.
Taking the New Mexico concealed carry course next month and will get serious about it.

I have have been carrying a Glock 43 quite a bit lately. It is thin and light. It also does well in a humid environment like Houston. I also feel better armed with the 9mm vs a .380.

If I can wear a light jacket (weather permitting) I like to carry a 5” 1911 Les Baer in a shoulder holster. Something real comforting about those 230grain .45acp.

On occasion I carry my light weight Chief Special with plus P plus 38 Spec. ammo..I also carry my old Browning HP with plus P Plus Border Patrol ammo and a 1911 45 acp with 250 gr HP federals, but my son now has that one...

But I seldom carry a pistol anymore but have one in my vehicle when I travel or when Im in Dallas or Houston or some large matropolous..

I feel safe in Idaho without one, so far.

Great thread. After all these years and lot's of guns, I carry a G19 exclusively.

I always loved the 1911 in 45 acp or 38 super, a much looked over pistol I might add..However I worked in Mexico most of my LE career and 45s are forbidden or were, probably still are and most of us carried 9mm Luger pistols...Taking advise from the local Federales and Forrestals, who most all had been in nemourous gun fights, I opted for the Browning Hi Power, tricked out a little and has a set of S&W kit gun target sights...Its been bomb proof and today Im not much into pistols, but have my grandads 45 Colt SA, my chief special, and the HI-Power. Ive been in the hunting business for many years now and I build my own custom rifles and only recently retired from the hunting business, and draw my Fed. L.E. pention..and a state pention from a State LE agency..My service guns basically went to my kids and grandkids except for the Hi-power..

Planning on getting a 38 super.
Targeting a Dan Wesson Guardian.
Commander style 1911 with a bob tail.
Aluminum frame with SS slide.
I believe 10 shot with one up the pipe.


I think hi cap guns are somewhat of a novelty for a citizen. A lot of weight and bulk to haul around concealed.
Perhaps law enforcement. Hate to think I would ever be involved in a gun battle that required +15 shots; Eek!!
I have a cz 75 D compact 9MM that I love however it is a bit fat to put in a inside belt holster and it is a small gun.
Perfect balance and ergonomics in my opinion.

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Hate to think I would ever be involved in a gun battle that required +15 shots; Eek!!

When the shooting starts I never heard any body complain about having to much ammo.

You got a point there, Judge.

I wear a 5 inch Dan Weason 1911 In 10mm to Lexington and Louisville every week.

I walk all around those places. I Love 1911s.

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Originally posted by LHeym500:
I wear a 5 inch Dan Weason 1911 In 10mm to Lexington and Louisville every week.

I walk all around those places. I Love 1911s.

I often wear my SR1911 45 and a 6 inch 686+ 357 with a good belt and suspenders doesn't brother me a bit.

The smallest gun I carry now days is a Glock 23

My daily carry State side is either Sig P230, M&P Shield 9. But I've gone through a batch of others trying to find a comfortable C&C rig. The Sig 230 is still hands down the most comfortable, but the .380 is always a concern.

Last year shot a Kimber Micro 9 Covert that I liked but by the time I got back to the States to pull the trigger on one, CV-19 hit.

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Originally posted by Atkinson:
I always loved the 1911 in 45 acp or 38 super, a much looked over pistol I might add..However I worked in Mexico most of my LE career and 45s are forbidden or were, probably still are and most of us carried 9mm Luger pistols...Taking advise from the local Federales and Forrestals, who most all had been in nemourous gun fights, I opted for the Browning Hi Power, tricked out a little and has a set of S&W kit gun target sights...Its been bomb proof and today Im not much into pistols, but have my grandads 45 Colt SA, my chief special, and the HI-Power. Ive been in the hunting business for many years now and I build my own custom rifles and only recently retired from the hunting business, and draw my Fed. L.E. pention..and a state pention from a State LE agency..My service guns basically went to my kids and grandkids except for the Hi-power..

That’s interesting about the .45 prohibition in Mexico. That must explain all the fancified .38 Supers with Mexican motifs. The Super has always intrigued me, but I’d opt for a .45/10mm in a full size 1911. I read somewhere recently that buying a full size 1911 is like buying a full size truck in a V6.

I don’t carry everyday, but situationally. I was mainly a leather OWB guy, but now I prefer Kydex IWB holsters that I can just clip on as needed. My truck gun is a G17. My dog walking guns are either a G43 or Sig 239 in .40.

I did just get a new kydex for the G17, but rarely carry it. I almost thought it would be needed the other week. I suppose it was a BLM situation at CVS. An angry black fella decided to chunk a brick at the glass entrance door and walked in looking for trouble. I didn’t even have my usual pocket knife, as I had just left court. I suppose I could’ve had the G17 on me if I still had my suit jacket, but it’s over 100 with heat index.

I’ve often thought about what to do in such situations and can only think to also chunk whatever is close at the perp to distract and figure it out from there.

Yes the 45 ACP and the 7x57 Mauser are verboten or were at the time, and probably still are, but the bad guys don't concern themselves, most cartel member carry Colt 1911s in 45, 9mm and 38 supers fetch a premium on their black market..

I like the Browning High Power with custom thin grips and I never carried a holster in DEA, preferred to stick it in my belt butt forward on my right hip, the Mexican carry..During the course of a day you might want to stick the gun under the seat and put it back on later, not requiring taking off a holster etc. from truck to afoot when following a suspect for instance..Most plain clothes border agents still use that carry under the shirt..It requires a 4" barrel and a flat pistol. If you ever get in a gun fight? from that day on you will carry as many rounds as you can, and gun battles do last longer than most profess, and reloading is hard to do in a hurry and reloading in a fight sucks..A citizen might be Ok, but you just never know,if your going ot pack a gun pack a real gun,not some saturady night special..

That said I carried a chiefs special 5 shot airweight a lot and still do, its a worthless piece of shit and impossible to load under real stress..If needed it makes enough noise that I can remove myself from the location I hope..

Going off on a tangent, I know some African countries don't allow military cartridges to be imported for hunting. Does that include past military cartridges like the 7x57, .30-06, .45-70? Obviously not. I suppose just current military rounds.

Well, .223 and .308 are both "current" military rounds and there is never a problem with them. The only thing most of the customs guys know are AKs and I have been asked if the 7mm cartridges I was carrying were for an AK.



So probably best to leave your Avtomat Kalashnikovas at home.

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Originally posted by Opus1:
Well, .223 and .308 are both "current" military rounds and there is never a problem with them. The only thing most of the customs guys know are AKs and I have been asked if the 7mm cartridges I was carrying were for an AK.



So probably best to leave your Avtomat Kalashnikovas at home.

True, leave any head stamped 5.56 and 7.62x51 or 7.62x39 rounds at home as they are most likely FMJ. However, they might be good on those tiny buggers.

I do wonder if it might be easier to get an AK in Africa or Chicago...

A few years ago I was visiting a friend in East Texas + as we went to the store we noticed an old couple walking down the road in a supposed evening sabbatical. Vance said, about the elderly gent in his 'leisure suit', He's got an S+W chiefs spl. in his pocket. I believed him.

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Best Pistols by Me

That says it all. Pistol choice is an individual choice. Myself, after trying different handguns, I'm back to carrying my PPK.

Dave

Anyone of about a dozen 1911s. Current favorite is a Dan Wesson Valor in 10mm. Previous favs were DW Valors in 45 or Colt Wiley Clapp Government Models. Might have been a Colt Defender around too.

Big fan of Smith revolvers, but, for concealed carry, with my build, it looks like I'm trying to smuggle a turtle! Revolvers get religated to farm duty.

I've carried a Colt Detective special for a bunch of years. I just never could get my big hands comfortable with a S&W Chief special.

For an auto? I suppose either a Glock 19 or 23 would work too. I haven't payed much attention to what the latest guns for a while.

The PP, PPK and PPKS pistols were always popular by undercover agents and carried in the belt, no holster..and with todays good ammo, the .380 is better than some think as to killing..as is the 32...The hot hollow points are a great improvement, not the ultimate but borderline efficient it seems..

I don't like small compact pistols for belt carry and they tend to pop out of the waist in a scuffle...The 1911 std 45 stays there and if you need to thump a head, they work for that also, careful not to flip the safety off if you use it for club..A Chief Spec. with a couple of rubber bands wrapped around the grip will stay in your waist band under all conditions..

For outdoor activity I like a S&W 41 or 44, Ruger SA. or Colt SA 45 Long colt in holster..

The best holsters I have ever seen were the AJ Brill holsters, Austin, Tx. that most West Texas sheriffs and Texas Rangers wore..I have a couple, but today they fetch big bucks and are collectable by some..Lots of good leather out there these days..