Getting a CCW gun?

[TOrrock]

Good choice. You should definitely get some night sights.

I have the standard Glock night sights on my 19, and they've performed well.

Trijicon, Meprolight, they're both good options that won't break the bank either.

Heinie Straight 8's, Warren, and 10-8 are excellent options.

[ToddG]

Tne G19 is like a Ford truck. If you don't really want to do a lot of research and just want to buy something "blind" that you can trust to work right, you're fine just getting a Ford ... it will probably do everything you will ever need, even if you don't know what you need. If you do a lot of research, there's a decent chance you'll still end up picking a Ford.

Having said that, what features are you looking for? Choosing on size alone or even size & reputation isn't necessarily going to net you the best gun.

Given that you don't CCW often, how will you carry? The G19 might be plenty small or could be far too big depending on what you're going to wear, what holster (or other method) you'll be using, etc.

As for add-ons, I'd put night sights on any serious carry gun. For the light, it depends on a lot of things but for most people a dedicated mounted light and CCW don't go together. Still, I'd want to have a gun that was designed to mount a light either for as-needed use or when it had to serve as a nighttime/home gun.

[trio]

whereas I love the G19...I have to say, its the least used Glock I own (and I should preface this by saying I own FIVE semi auto handguns...all 9mm Glocks)...

at any rate...what i've found...


in circumstances where deep concealment isn't a huge issue and I could carry a G19, I can just carry a G17 (which, I should also say, is my favorite Glock...and I'm a big guy, so a G17 conceals fine for me)

in circumstances when i need to go deeper concealment and would want a G19, a G26 works better for me...

which brings me to my next point...

if you are going to buy more than one, get a g17 and a g26...the 17 is a better "big gun" (better grip, longer barrel, higher capacity) and the 26 is a better deep concealment gun (smaller, shorter barrel, lighter, for some can be carried in a pocket...but it has to be a big pocket)


if you are going to have just one, the G19 admirably fills the role of both of those guns to the point where it will do 90-95% of what either of the other guns will do just as well...

[Avenger29]

Welcome to CCW, and I'm new to it, too! Got my Glock 17 in today...

You need to throw on some good night sights, and you may want to add a Vickers Tactical extended mag release.

Spend some money on a good belt and holster. That's probably the most valuable piece of advice I have learned about CCW. I brought a Milt Sparks summer special 2 from Brownells (they keep them in stock, but it has not arrived yet) and I purchased a Ted Blocker belt because I got a tip they were often in stock, so an email verified this and my belt shipped and arrived promptly.

[danpass]

I was never comfortable with my old G19 in the CCW role. Just never fit right for me (tried a couple of holsters).

Both a Commander and full size 1911 were more comfortable for me (primarily due to the thinness of the firearm)


Smith 642 was quite awesome actually, right in the front pocket.



South Florida limits CCW clothing a bit lol

[FMF_Doc]

I cc my Sig226 in South Texas, year round, it's not that difficult to conceal with some effort.

I'd rather have a fullsize high capacity weapon available to me, I tried smaller guns but they just didn't seem adequate.

I'm 6 ft 220 lb.

[Littlelebowski]

Umm, what does the G19 give up to the P226 in capacity, FMF? Not sure that the Sig is that much bigger either.

[Bob Reed]

Hello,

I've been carrying for over 30 years and have found nothing, in a service-size platform, that carries or conceals as well as The Sleek & Classy Browning High Power or M1911 does.

Here's a Link to Browning's High Power Page: http://www.browning.com/products/cat...?webflag_=007B

Here's the Link to FN's High Power Page:
http://www.fnherstal.com/index.php?i...ector=5&detail

[ToddG]

Umm, what does the G19 give up to the P226 in capacity, FMF? Not sure that the Sig is that much bigger either.

G19, 15rd
P226, 15rd
(extended mags available for both)

The P226 is substantially longer at the muzzle, longer at the butt, and wider than the G19. Which isn't a slam on the P226, I carried one (or the nearly identical size P220) quite a bit while working at SIG.

I've been carrying for over 30 years and have found nothing, in a service-size platform, that carries or conceals as well as The Sleek & Classy Browning High Power or M1911 does.

Neither sleek nor classy are criteria I evaluate when selecting a weapon.

[decodeddiesel]

Neither sleek nor classy are criteria I evaluate when selecting a weapon.

Agree 110%. I don't really care what the gun looks like as it's concealed and no one should be seeing it. I want the gun which I am carrying on a daily basis to be comfortable so I wear it, 100% reliable so I know it will work if I need it, and I want something I know I can shoot very well.

I use an M&P9 Compact with Warren 2 dot sights. A Glock 19 or 26 were the other weapons I was looking at when I chose the M&P. My deciding criteria was the thumb safety on the M&P, but the G19 was very close second.