I currently own a sig 226 and sig 228.  both of course are 9mm and I have 15 round mags for the 226 and 13 rd mags for the 228.
I am applying for a CCW and feel very optimistic about qualifying.
If I am going to carry I am not likely to need what undercover police carry due to the fact that it is very likely they need to be well armed due to probablilies of need.
I was thinking my sigs may be too heavy although I have never carried before.
Lets assume I have $700 to spend but to not have to spend that much if possible.  What caliber and why and what brand and style.
I want to thank you all for your combined years of knowledge and experience.
Ralph

get 15 jennings .25 autos....

The one you can shoot...

No really, carry what you are comfortable shooting.  Sigs are great.  

If you want something light get a glock 27, my wife likes hers. (no flame intended,it used to be mine before she confiscated it)

I carry a P226(.357SIG), P220, or P228 daily, and sometimes 2 P220's, or even a Para P1445!  I think the best to carry would be a GE Minigun!

I think the P228 is a perfect carry weapon, small enough, but 13+1 rounds, is good to have.  For extreme heat, or grab and go, a P225 would be a little thinner, and still a SIG, but only 9 rounds.

I think you are good to go with the P228, but you may want a "pocket" gun, too!

I have carried the P228 for along time and never had any problems.  Lately, I have been toting around a Colt Defender and really like it, small and lite, and the Glock 27 in .40 and love it due to the fact that it is almost maintenance free and has not rusted yet--I sweat alot.  The baby-Glocks are really nice to carry, but you do have to get used to that supersmall grip

The best rule of thumb is to carry the biggest gun you can conceal and shoot.

I carry a Colt Commander (steel frame) in a Milt Sparks inside-the-pants holster.  The weight of the Colt doesn't bother me in the least.

Get a good holster and wear it concealed around the house for a while.  Watch yourself in a mirror.  Move your arms around, bend over, jump up and down and make sure the gun stays concealed.  

While you're at it, buy yourself some big, loud Hawaiian shirts.  They are the BEST shirts to wear if your concealing a piece.

My Glock 26 is great, you can also go for the 27 in .40!

Kel Tech P11.

What about a revolver?

Quoted: While you're at it, buy yourself some big, loud Hawaiian shirts.  They are the BEST shirts to wear if your concealing a piece.

Hehe
Hawian shirts kick ass.. the guys at the range call me Miami Vice...I prefer Hawaii 50

Quoted: While you're at it, buy yourself some big, loud Hawaiian shirts.  They are the BEST shirts to wear if your concealing a piece.

That is no joke, nothing conceals better!

Personally I carry a Glock 19.  It is light, reliable, and the magazines hold 15 rounds.  Because of its small size I can concel it with ease year round.

The Azalin

CCW in CA?  You MUST be very close friends with the local chief or sheriff.

FWIW, I would consider the following criteria:

What weapon is comfortable to carry on your body?  Some pistols have all sorts of things sticking out that can gouge you when you get in your vehicle.  Go to your local gun store and try out different weapons and holsters, until you find something you really like.

What weapon are you most comfortable shooting, especially in a hypothetical combat situation?  You might want to carry your .454 Casull around with you all the time...but might have a better chance of getting off a lot more accurate shots with your 9mm Glock in a hot situation.

What weapon is really the safest and easiest for you to get into action?  You can carry a 1911 with one in the pipe and the safety on...but I'm not sure you want to go around like that.  Some of the newer double action hammerless autos are pretty safe with a rather hard first-shot trigger pull.

As to caliber:  Pick the maximum you can accurately shoot and can safely and comfortably conceal.  When you talk caliber, remember you should use the better “personal defense” loads for your carry.  Shoot them occasionally to gain familiarity.  They are hotter loads than the standard ball ammo.  Also...remember reloads!  You should carry a spare mag or two with you.  Never be outgunned if you can help it.  You may have to depend on your carry piece for your life.  I would (and have) become VERY familiar with the piece you choose.  

Practice...practice...practice.  Shoot your carry piece whenever you can.  Further, I'd recommend stressful IDPA shooting scenarios.  You need to practice shooting, at multiple targets, while reloading and while on the move, under CLOSE supervision.  The better you are at quickly engaging your target in a stressing environment, while maximizing your own protection with cover and concealment, the better chance you will have if you ever have to pull your piece for real.

You need to consider where on your person you are going to carry the weapon and what clothing you will need to ensure you can maintain your concealment and still retain quick access.  In many states like mine, seasonal changes must be considered too.

There are certain places even licensed persons may not carry.  It varies with each state but generally, you can't pack in church, in a courthouse, in any federal building, in any bars, and in posted private property.

Remember, if your cover is blown (Your shirt rides up when you stretch or your coat blows open in the wind and your rig is exposed.), most of your fellow citizens out there are going to freak and their cell phones are going to be buzzing with 911s.  If that happens, you are very likely to be face down with a large deputy's knee on your neck real soon, so whatever you decide on, make sure it works real well.

Finally, you need to think about under what circumstances you can pull your piece and defend yourself.  If you're not real familiar with all of your state laws concerning concealed carry and when to shoot, I recommend you study everything you can about it, attend some classes and get yourself a reference book on the subject from these guys:  www.gunlaws.com/.  They are tailored for each state.

Here is another very good website on CCW:  www.packing.org/

Quoted: I currently own a sig 226 and sig 228.  both of course are 9mm and I have 15 round mags for the 226 and 13 rd mags for the 228. I am applying for a CCW and feel very optimistic about qualifying. If I am going to carry I am not likely to need what undercover police carry due to the fact that it is very likely they need to be well armed due to probablilies of need. I was thinking my sigs may be too heavy although I have never carried before. Lets assume I have $700 to spend but to not have to spend that much if possible.  What caliber and why and what brand and style. I want to thank you all for your combined years of knowledge and experience. Ralph

WOW
How'd you get a CCW in Kaliban? I want in....
Im guessing you live in San bernadiino county or one of them boonie places....Maybe even orange, i heard the old sheriff was nice enough to grant them..

Don't overlook the Kahr P9.  Very light, very flat, quite small, yet packs the punch of 9mm.

It's easy to carry and easy to operate.

The standard reply is "whatever you have with you when the balloon goes up."

That said, do NOT underestimate the value of lightness.  I used to carry an HK P7M8; it's reliable, compact, accurate.  But it weighs more than I want to carry, all day, every day.

So, I started looking at light guns, and I carry whatever tickles my fancy on a given day. First choice is a Taurus 445T at around 25 ounces, loaded (no rust, light, powerful, less noise than the .357).  Second choice is a Smith and Wesson Model 60 at the same weight, (A lot thinner through the cylinder, good power lots of good ammo choices).  Third is a Colt Mustang PocketLite at 16 ounces loaded; this is my minimal gun (very small, very light, but a sub-optimal round). I also carry a Taurus 145 (10 rounds but never feels comfortable to carry, somehow), an S&W model 25 in .45 Colt on weekends (huge heavy, but powerful and so easy to shoot, weighs a ton) and sometimes carry the P7M8 (limited defense ammo choices, reliable, a bit heavy, but slim and comfortable otherwise).

My advice:

Rule 1: Carry a gun.  Always. EVERY time you leave the house.  Otherwise, you will get out of the habit, make excuses, etc. and the gun won't be there when you need it.

Rule 1A: Carry ENOUGH gun.  When you DO pull that gun, will you be desperatley wishing you had a .357, a .45, or even a 9mm? Think about it, and decide NOW on a minimum gun on which to bet your life.  I don't do .32, .25 or .22. When I do .380, I have another gun (in my truck, in my brief case, in my drawer, in my hand, somewhere).

Rule 2; Get GOOD gun leather, that holds the gun in a fixed postion and is comfortable. I like IWB holsters and I buy my clothes to fit well with a gun and holster.

Rule 3: Get a grade AAA+ belt made for carrying a gun.   This will keep the gun from wiggling around. My holster belt is double-layered leather, and has a thin plastic stiffener.  Been using it for 7 years.

Carry what you are comfortable with.
Hawian shirts rock!!! I wear a Galco shoulder rig with a HK USP compact or full size under one. Sometimes I wear both. I always carry a backup, usually a g27 in a Galco ankle rig or Dillon SOB under the Hawian shirt. I swear, I could pack my CAR 15 and not print. I do carry my m29 44 mag with 3" bbl. Always have a backup. Do a New York reload.

Don't print or reveal or you will have a date with a deputy. People do freak at the sight of a gun. I hope you take a good CCW class and cover most of that stuff.

Dillon's has a Daytimer that I call "Anytimer" that works well with bus attire. I carry that sometimes when I don't have a cover garment.

Good luck!

Kimber Ultra Carry.

Although neither the 226 nor 228 would be my first choice for CCW, either gun is very well suited for concealed carry. So long as you can actually shoot proficiently with one of these guns you don't need a new pistol for CCW.

Go out and buy yourself some good gun leather from the likes of Milt Sparks, Lou Alessi, Kramer, etc. and don't skimp out. Buy a good sturdy gun belt, a couple of holsters, and at least one mag pouch. Then strap on one of those Sigs and go practice. Practice live fire at the range and also dry fire in your home... don't forget to dry practice!

Even though Sigs are fairly thick guns neither is too big to carry concealed on a daily basis... if anything they're both too small. I've never bought into the whole "get a small gun to carry" shenanigans so I won't advocate it to you. If anything you should get a bigger gun, 'cause when you need it most no matter how big your gun is you'll wish it was even bigger. In a fight you need the biggest gun possible. If you really feel the need to buy a new gun for CCW rent some guns before you buy in order to discover what gun you actually shoot best. Then when you've found that gun buy two and practice, practice, practice.

I've carried my P229 (same size as P228) in a Safariland UltraHigh Paddle holster, but mostly in the winter, when I can wear heavier clothing.  In the summer, I've been carrying my Kel-Tec P32 (.32 ACP), because at least I'm carrying something.  I'm looking at a Glock 27 as a companion to my G22.  They're much more concealable that a standard sized pistol, and you get a lot more firepower than the .32ACP.

Glock 30 .45 ACP
Kimber Ultra CDP II .45 ACP
S&W Airweight revolver .38 Special

used to carry a g30 till it kb'd

Now i carry a springfield ultra compact .45 or walther p99 .40 depending on my mood.

mike

How do you dress normally?  How likely are you to need to defend yourself?  I don't wear jacket except in the winter.  Leaving my shirt untucked does not fit my professional dress code.  I carry a Glock 27 in an Alessi ankle rig because I any other carry method would change my dressing style or mean I would probably not carry.  If I lived and worked in a more hostile environment I would have different priorities.  Do what works for you, but do whatever it takes to always have a gun.

I carry a G30.  10+1 of .45 cal, you can't get much better than that.  Small for good concealment.  

Let me be the first-  357 mag 2" bbl 5 shot revolver.  You can carry in an ankle holster, Kramer or Allesi pocket holster etc.  Loaded with 125 grain Gold Dot HP it makes an awesome package.  Plus affordable to boot!  Just my .02  

the best CCW ive ever owned

Glock 23 in Galco belt slide when situation requires

Colt, 380 in Alessi ankle holster when concealment required

Right now I carry a Springfield Mil-Spec 1911.  Every once in a while I carry the USP 45.  I am going to put a Loaded Operator 1911 on layaway tomorrow which will become my primary carry gun.

rhatland, close to Kern County?


Just wondering what area of Ca. you're in, I'm in Kern County and atleast within the county limits it's pretty easy to get a CCW, getting one within city limits is more of a bitch though.

"No handgun is too small for carrying; for self-defense no handgun is too big!"--Clint Smith, Director, Thunder Ranch

Carry what you want, but remember to ask youself if you want to bet your life on that weapon/cartridge.

That said, shoot a LOT of pistols, choose the one you like, and dress around it.

I carry a Sig 228, 229 in .40, or a 220, although not at the same time.  I think any of the three are fine for carry, especially the 228 or 229.  Hell, I even carry Ruger P90, P89, or P91, when not carrying the Sigs.  As for being small enough to conceal, I don't know where all that comes from as any of the 6 mentioned above conceal quite well, either hip or shoulder holster.

Recommending a gun for concealed carry is difficult. Everyone is different and the gun must fit the wearer like a glove. With that said, get the biggest gun with the biggest caliber that you can comfortably and effectively conceal. And above all, make sure it is something that works. For some people this might be a full size 1911...for others it might be a 32 ACP derringer. Pick one that works well and fits you. That's the best advice I can give.

50 cal A&E Desert Eagle - Of course the gold plated model conceals just a bit easier.

Quoted: Glock 30 .45 ACP Kimber Ultra CDP II .45 ACP S&W Airweight revolver .38 Special

I really like the feel of that Kimber.  A friend just got a Springfield Micro? and it is cool, too.  I now have to check out the Para offering!

BUFFMAN, Beat me to it .Don't anybody like the little wheel guns any more?hitBTW I got some pretty good semi-autos.I just like that little 60.