I am looking to get my conceal carry permit and wondering what would be the best, I like the XD but Walther is nice. Any recommendations?

I second that. Opinions are like well you know but the Glock 19 is the perfect size to be carried easily, shot well and still holds plenty of ammo. I love mine.

Glock 19 is awesome. A little thick for a smaller guy, but that's what the 26 is for.

CM

I used to use a 26 as my off duty and bug and it is a fine gun. But I found realistically I can conceal a Glock 19 every bit as well 99% of the time and it also works as a bug in the holster I use at work. I agree you should also have a gun for those times when belt carry won't work and I have a Smith 340 for that. I use it when I am running or going to weddings, first dates that kind of thing. My point is its better to conceal as much as you can than to go to small for the sake of convience.
Pat

Pretty much agree but would add Glock 19, M&P 9c, and J frame S&W as options. I would also say Commander size 1911. The 5" is a pain.

You have to figure out how much gun you can carry 80% of the time. If you're gonna leave it at home, it isn't much use.

It is really going to depend on how and where you are going to carry. Personally, I prefer my Kahr CW45 for most situations. If I feel I need to go with deeper concealment, I'll take my Kel-Tec P3AT.

Either way, keep in mind that it is a carry gun. Don't expect it to stay "new", they tend to get banged around a bit. (Scratches, holster wear, etc.)

Bottom line, it's whatever you are going to feel most comfortable carrying EVERYWHERE, EVERYDAY.

Try everything you can get your hands on. There are at least a half dozen popular pistols you should handle before making a decision.

XD/XDm, Glock 19/17, and M&P to name a few. Get out to a gun shop and handle as many as you can, then rent the ones that feel good to you.

Asking us which gun is best for CCW is like asking us which woman you should marry. It's a very personal decision that you should really decide for yourself. I'd suggest getting a compact or full size pistol for your first carry gun over a subcompact. They're generally much easier to shoot for new shooters, and they're still concealable with the proper belt, holster, and clothing.



FWIW...We're going to tell you to marry the one with the biggest boobs who allows you to post pictures of her on here.

This any of the mid sized Glocks are a great choice. I started with a Glock 23 because I carry a .40 on duty, but the 19 is small enough to conceal with a good holster but big enough to shoot well easily. Maintenance is almost a nonissue and they are so simple a monkey could work on them.


ETA:I also like the mid sized Sig line like a P228/229. To me though they are a little harder to conceal than the Glocks for some reason.

Small single stacks arent bad but they harder to shoot, over all and tend to be more finicky.

I am voting for the M&P shield, I sold off my glock 19 as I didnt carry it any more because it was to much hassle. The shield in a simple IWB holster conceals much easier. Sure I lose ammo capacity but that 15 rounds did nothing sitting in the safe

Everyone has an opinion. However the Glock 19 does blend size, controllability, reliablity, magazine capacity in a perfect package. Its the yard stick by which carry pistols are judged in 9mm. As for Sig being of the same quality HA HA HA HA. Not lately. 10 years ago yes but not new Sig pistols coming out. I have seen quality control all over the map with them.
Pat

As soon as you posted, the Glock gang was on it. I have a G19... Nice pistol, but not my favorite. It stands third in line right now. I carry a Colt LW Commander every day. However, I picked up an XDm 3.8 compact a month ago. I can't ask a pistol to do more than it has. 500 rounds of .45 Lead without cleaning and without a hiccup. I carried a Walther P99 AS for a while. The pistol shot great, but getting that first quick shot with a follow up was a PITA (for me) with the double action / single action trigger. So the Glock beat it out. One of the biggest drawbacks I have on the G19 is a quick reload on a flush mag. I have had blood-blisters twice from getting pinched at the mag well. That may seem like a small thing, but to each his own. I have zero complaints about the reliability of a Glock.
Each one has a purpose as there are no safe queens at my house:
Colt - EDC - IDPA
XDM - IPSC - backup EDC
Glock - fun at the range with son. - So he doesn't break the bank shooting .45s and backup carry for those really discreet moments.

The moral is that there are a bunch of very reliable pistols in various sizes to choose from. As noted above, shoot as many of them as you can before you buy.

I'm going to counter that by saying that more rounds are better than fewer. Ergo, double stack.