Posted: 11/23/2009 12:07:09 PM EDT
| I am going to get chl in a few months and would like a smaller firearm than the Colt 45 1911 Ive currently got. Its just too big I have looked at smaller 1911's and the guy at the gun store kept trying to get me to get the Glock 35 .40cal but have heard a few things about glock. My question is which is the best carrying firarm thats sleak and reliable that preferably is .40 or .45 |
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GLOCK. They show little to no sign of wear in Texas. I simply don't carry anything else. As for enjoyable shooting 1911 onry. It's the difference between a well tuned car and your work truck. GLOCK makes the best work truck if you live in a humid environment (central Texas) that eats normal guns and laughs about it. |
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I hate to say it, but I doubt you are going to get many useful replies to that. The problem is that there are many fine and reliable firearms out there, and what is good for one person is bad for another. You are going to have to try a few at the gun store, and if possible test fire a few different ones, before making that decision. As a case in point, I carry a Glock 19 all the time, and it is the perfect size for me, combined with reliability, accuracy, capacity, and my comfort and confidence shooting it––––but many folks here, and elsewhere, find it too big, too small, too wide, too short, prone to exploding, not accurate enough, too small a caliber, too large of a caliber, too much recoil, etc., etc., etc.
You're just going to have to find out what works best for you. (Once you select it though, head on over the ammunition forum to find out what to feed it.) |
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Quoted:
Nothing wrong with what you already have, many of us carry 5" 1911's on a daily basis. You just need to select a quality gun belt and holster. http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/989537/CustomNM001.jpg Words of truth right there. I was going to say "I'd just carry that 1911 if I were you". Great gun, I carried a 5 incher for years..................yes, I have gone Glock since then  so I'd also recommend the G19, it's a great pistol.
But nothing at all wrong with what you've got. No real need to go out and buy another gun...............instead, spend that money on training, that's actually WAY more important than the hardware. |
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Quoted:
Nothing wrong with what you already have, many of us carry 5" 1911's on a daily basis. You just need to select a quality gun belt and holster. http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/989537/CustomNM001.jpg Roger that. I went from a glock to a 1911, with a good belt and holster it is NOT a problem. |
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Quoted: Thanks for the advice. Whats the deal with glocks exploding is this only on heavy range days this is happeneing or spontaneus or what. My buddy has a glock and loves it, and my brother has a rugger The .40 and .45 caliber Glocks have a partially unsupported chamber (no steel around a small area of the case when it's in the chamber). This will not allow the chamber to contain the pressure if a case ruptures, and the all that energy will explode out the bottom of the case and through the grip (then to your hand). However, the 9mm Glocks do not have this issue, and I was going to recommend a Glock 19 until you stated that you wanted a .40 or .45. After having a Glock 30 (compact .45 that used to be my CCW) blow up in my hand, I cannot recommend any .40 or .45 caliber Glock. I am not a fan of the .40 caliber round, so I'd recommend the M&P 45 Compact which is what I now carry everyday in a Comp-Tac CTAC. That said, there are many quality handguns on the market, and you should try as many of them as you can and get the one you shoot best. ETA: I also carry a full size 1911, and it carries well with a good holster and belt. However, I find the shorter grip of Glock 19 or other compacts allows me to bend with less fear of printing, and sitting is more comfortable without the grip poking the back of the chair. CCWing a full size 1911 can certainly be done, but I find it more noticeable when carrying compared to a compact which I forget I'm carrying.   |
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My 1911 digs into my side when carried IWB. So does my BHP. Maybe this won't be the case for you and you don't mind the weight of the 1911. However, my solution was a S&W M&P 9c. They also make this in a .40 S&W. It's a great pistol. Smaller and lighter than a Glock 19. Vastly superior feel to a Glock 26 (or their .40S&W equivalents.. I don't keep up with Glock #'s). It's the perfect size for a IWB CCW. You still need a good belt and a good holster (I like my MTAC from Comptac), but you will appreciate the lighter weight and the flexibility. Also, when you put a full size magazine in the S&W compact, especially with an X fire extender (not sure if these fit .40 mags) you get the feel of a full size service pistol thrown in.
Be sure you handle a Glock and the S&W before you buy. Many find that Glocks don't fit their hands. This includes both my wife and I. The S&W M&P compact fit us both just fine with the medium adapter but there is a large and a small handle adapter included just in case. |
| It doesn't matter which gun you carry so long as you can USE it well, it is RELIABLE (meaning you, personally have fired 1000 trouble free rounds through it) and you can CONCEAL it without issue. If you have a S&W Sigma that meets these qualifications, carry it. Nothing else anyone says on this matter is relevant to your question. Carry your 1911 if it works for you, otherwise, find one that does and carry it. |
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Quoted:
Nothing wrong with what you already have, many of us carry 5" 1911's on a daily basis. You just need to select a quality gun belt and holster. http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/989537/CustomNM001.jpg this OR a more compact, and lighter Glock (probably not the G35...) either way, a good, quality holster and belt will go a LONG way in comfort and concealabitlty of your CCW |
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I prefer an alloy frame 1911 Commander myself but I recently got a M&P compact 9. You can carry the 1911 but you might want to consider the Commander size and a lightweight frame or an M&P in 40 or 45. Glocks are also great guns but they don't work as well for me as the M&P or 1911. You really should try before you buy if possible.
Tucker Gun Leather (fellow Texan) makes a few great holsters for a government 45 as well as Milt Sparks, Comptac, and Crossbreed. |
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Glock 35 seems too big to carry. I have 6 glocks, and I think they are great guns. Right now I am carrying a G23 and have a G27 as BUG. When buying a Glock keep in mind the following:
Avoid shooting reloads - use factory ammo. Never use leaded or cast bullets. If your glock is a .40 cal, dont chamber a round more than 2-3 times, to avoid bullet setback - which increases a lot a pressure in 40 S&W rounds. |