Is a Glock 23 the best idea?

[dwhntx]

I am about to begin the CHL process and was wondering what people like to carry. I am thinking about using a Glock 23 but it seems like it may be a little too big. Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[txinvestigator]

Everyone has different likes and tastes. There is no way someone can tell you what gun to pick. Some things to consider;

how does the gun feel in your hand
does it seem to point well
is it arranged so you can work it
how does it feel when you shoot it


I carry a full sized 1911 all of the time; others feel uncomfortable doing so. I suggest going to a range that has rentals, and trying a few. If you can, stay with 9mm and up and of the major manufacturers.

Good luck with the CHL, and welcome to the ranks!

 

[dwhntx]

Thanks for the answer but I should have been more clear. I have a Glock 23 right now and it feels great, love shooting it. I just think it may be too large to be comfortable to wear all day long and keep it fully concealed (no imprint through a shirt).

 

[Joat]

Imho

One of my carry pieces is the G23. I find it easier to conceal than a revolver, harder to conceal than my P7.

Joat

 

[txinvestigator]

Thanks for the answer but I should have been more clear. I have a Glock 23 right now and it feels great, love shooting it. I just think it may be too large to be comfortable to wear all day long and keep it fully concealed (no imprint through a shirt).

Ahh, I see. You should be fine with the Glock as a carry piece. As long as it is not obvious that the bump in your shirt is a gun, you should be fine.

 

[JKTex]

A good holster and belt is critical also. But I think I'd have a hard time trying to carry a thick, dbl stack pistol of any kind. I'm spoiled to my 2 Kimbers.

 

[dwhntx]

Thanks, thats what I needed to know.

 

[Southcross1]

I am about to begin the CHL process and was wondering what people like to carry. I am thinking about using a Glock 23 but it seems like it may be a little too big. Thoughts? Suggestions?

The 23 is just a hair smaller then a 22. The 27 is the best route for carry.

You can add a grip extension to the 27 and bring the grip out to the size of the 22(using 22mags). Or to the size of the 23 grip. That gives the option for more comfort on a long range session. Then go back to the 27 mags for carry.

 

[Kerbouchard]

You will be fine concealing the glock 23. Many people conceal much larger weapons with relative ease. For one thing, nobody cares what you have on your waistline. That's just one of the things you have to get used to. Yes, you notice it. Nobody else even cares. You having a gun is the furthest thing from other peoples mind. The cell phone age means just about everybody has some sort of bulge under their shirt, and nobody even notices. It's just not something to be overly worried about.

Now to answer you question of whether the Glock 23 is the best idea...Of course not.

IMO, .40 is a horrible caliber with all of the faults of a 9mm and .45 and none of the benefits. You sacrifice velocity, recoil, bullet weight, diameter, and capacity. It's lose/lose/lose/lose/lose.

But if you like it, that's all that counts. As far as concealing it, a quality belt and a holster from a reputable company will make your life much easier. Rafter makes a great belt, and Gary Brommeland makes great holsters that will go a long way in helping your 'concealability'.

Oh, by the way, in a year or so, be sure to post pictures of your new 1911 with a range report.

 

[dexterescoto]

If you wanna carry a gun, find a good thin gun to carry. Walther came out with a pocket gun. Its called walther pps. It comes in 9mm or .40. As for me, i carry my .45 kimber eclipse pro II. It has a slimmer frame than a glock and pretty good stopping power.

 

[dwhntx]

What do y'all think of the Ruger LCP http://www.ruger-firearms.com/LCP/
Academy can not even keep them in stock here in Midland.

 

[mac79912]

Unable to get one yet as they are still backordered.

 

[Kerbouchard]

What do y'all think of the Ruger LCP http://www.ruger-firearms.com/LCP/
Academy can not even keep them in stock here in Midland.

I have one, and its a breeze to conceal. I would put a .380 at the absolute lowest caliber that I would carry and I hope I never have to trust it to stop somebody. When you get into the .380 range of calibers, placement becomes much more important.

As far as the LCP specifically. Within 7 yards it's accuracy is okay. Any further and I would probably not take the shot. With a capacity of 6+1 at .380, you just don't get a lot of shots to waste. The felt recoil is more than any gun I own. It literally wants to jump out of your hands, and with a precarious grip to begin with, I would not place it in a beginner class of weapons.

It is not a 'range' gun. It is a fighting somebody off in close quarters, pull and squeeze gun. One concern I have, and that I am still working on, is the trigger has a very, veeeerrrrry long pull and reset. The first few times I was at the range I experienced several light primer strikes because I was not allowing the trigger to fully reset. I will consider this 'user error', although it flirts with a design flaw.

I am worried that in a defensive shooting at close quarters I will not allow the trigger to fully reset, hence possibly resulting in a failure at the worst possible time.

For me, the LCP is an okay backup gun, and when ultra-concealment is absolutely necessary, well, it's better than nothing.

 

[dwhntx]

Thanks for the detailed review. I was getting ready to go drop some money on one but I will have to rethink it now.

 

[Kerbouchard]

Thanks for the detailed review. I was getting ready to go drop some money on one but I will have to rethink it now.

It's all about what works for you. I prefer my Kimber's but I'm not selling the LCP, either. It has its place, but I would wait until the price goes down to around 300 which is where it should be. I paid around 400+tax at a gunshow because they were the only ones that had it, and well, I wanted one.

I do like it, but if I were to only own one carry gun, the LCP would definitely not be it. If I could only keep 1 pistol, I would probably keep my Kimber CDP Ultra. Or my XD9, or my Grand Raptor, or my Fusion Custom, or how about my 442 or my...You know, on second thought...I think I'll keep 'em all.

dwhntx, seriously, though, it really is all about what you feel comfortable with. If you like Glocks, you could do a lot worse than a G19, or going with your Glock 23. No matter how much bad information is out there about this, it is still not illegal to 'print' in Texas. You have to show intent or negligence. With the amount of things people have on their belts and in their pockets these days, people just aren't paying attention. With a quality holster and a quality belt, you can make just about anything disappear. I regularly carry a full size 1911 as will as an XD9 service. I actually find the full size 1911 easier to conceal than the XD9, but the XD is considerably thicker. In any case, I a PDA or cell phone prints a lot more than just about any carry combo.

Check out coal creek armory at http://www.coalcreekarmory.com/holsters_brommeland.html or check out the MTAC if you don't mind Kydex at http://www.comp-tac.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=28&osCsid=468d034f8383b0a38631c6e9aa860883

A quality holster is the first step to concealing anything, be it a full size gun or a mouse gun. And you probably won't nail it the first time. Many of us have a safe full of guns and a box full of holsters. For me, my Kimber Ultra in a Max Con V from Brommeland get the most wear time.

Good luck finding something that works for you.

 

[TexasHK]

I like having a hard hitting 45 either in my truck or on my person. I find it easier to conceal a full size 1911 in the small of my back, but I'm the type to wear an untucked outer shirt with the pistol riding in a holster behind me with the back of the shirt handling the concealment. My HK expert on the other hand is going to be relegated to a vehicle travel weapoin with a tac light and lucky 13 rounds of 45.

As for the 40 S&W, I think it is a very good choice...you get near 45 momentum and stopping power - according to reloading manuals - with less recoil, you just give up size - most 45 loads unless you go to 200 grain and +P ammo usally fly at sub sonic velocities, however they hit hard (900+ pounds of energy at the muzzle) due to sheer mass. Your 40 hits hard as well, but its smaller mass is driven at super-sonic velocity. I would be comfortable carrying the 40, much more so than the 9mm or .380 which to me are overgrown cap guns. You get someone who intends to do you harm, and you'll be glad you have the extra size and horse power compared to the 9mm. I guess simply put, you want to transfer as much energy as you can from you Glock to your adversary, and the old Energy=Mass*Velocity(squared) 40 SW ought to do you just fine.