Second Carry Gun

[Father of 3]

Having just received some tax money and picking up a 22 (Ruger Mk III, thanks everyone) for plinking and practice sessions, I have gun-buying fever again! My G17 has been an excellent companion over the last 3 years. I'm not sure what I would want as my next purchase and with good reason. Here's what I'm looking at:

G26 - more concealable, accepts G17 mags, could be used as a BUG
G19 - slightly more concealable than the G17, would replace G17 as CCW

M&P9c - for those days when my G17 feels too big

G23 - same reasoning for G19 as above but the switch to 40 ONLY BECAUSE it's more available here than the nonexistent 9mm. Absolutely nothing to do with "stopping power".

PPQ - seems to get great reviews

P30 - to completely blow my tax refund :D

[Grip]

I have a G26, G19, and the m&p9c

Some days I feel like a button down shirt and a G19 in a crossbreed super tuck IWB, some days I feel like a t-shirt and a G26 in the same holster.

....I never feel like the m&p9c though. It's a great little piece, and the +2 over the G26 is nice, but I just prefer the Glock's, kinda like a pair of trusty old dogs. (It's probably because I shoot the Glock's a lot more than the m&p9c)

My girlfriend loves to carry the m&p9c with the pinky extension and small backstrap.

[Swag]

If it's a toss up between a G19 or G23, get the 23 and a conversion 9mm barrel (and mags!!!). Plus you have the additional option of getting a G32 barrel (no additional mags necessary!!!). Excellent options within a singular and familiar platform!

Also: Since you already have a G17, you have additional 9mm mags to feed the beast.

[S. Galbraith]

All of your choices work well. I carry a Sig P229 .40 for duty use, and higher risk off duty open/concealed carry. For casual off duty concealed carry I use a lighter and smaller Sig P239 .40 which mirriors the same controls and operation of the P229, along with a similar feeling recoil impulse. For occasions that are even lower perceived risk, and my clothing and/or weight of a service caliber pistol make it difficult to carry a pistol.....I then use the even smaller and lighter P232 .380. The logistics of caliber choice is not an issue for me since I get free agency ammo, and brass. On top of that I reload and can even cast my own bullets if the market gets tight.

So define your carry needs realistically, and choose your equipment based on your likely scenarios and threats. Decade after decade, the most common OIS range is under 7yrds, with less than 7rds fired. Civilan shootings tend to be similar, simply due to the nature of human confrontation ranges and engagement times. This has been reported in the NYPD OIS report every year since the 1960s. Obviously be prepared for the unlikely scenarios which are over 7yrds and more than 7rds fired, but at least be aware of what you are most likely to encounter. I have found that compact sized pistols serve me much better than full sized pistols. Compact pistols go from holster to target faster and smoother under diverse conditions such as sitting, supine/prone than full sized or competition guns. Plus, if you can have only one gun, or wish to maximized your skill by using a single platform....the compact sized pistol(G19/G23/P228/P229/P2000/P30) is the way to go. However, if you can manage the cost and training to have something smaller for those special occasions.....get a small gun that closely mirrors the operation of your larger carry gun. Service sized calibers with quality JHP are obviouly preferred.....but sometimes the occasion requires a gun so small and light that it disappears on your body(.380acp). However, that is for those occasions where your perceived threat is at its lowest.

[1_click_off]

I much prefer my P30 over my G17,G20, and G27. What trigger are you looking at with the P30?

You will more easily swap guns if you get another glock since the controls are the same.

If you want to learn a new firearm and trigger, I think you will be very happy with the P30.

I carry my P30 with a TLR-2s in a phantom from raven concealment. Mostly in blue jeans and an untucked tee shirt.

[ST911]

G19 or G26. The former is a good one-gun solution, the latter is a great complement to your G17.

Don't choose calibers based on the current ammo situation. Ammo flow is very regional and variable by sku, vendor, manufacturer, etc. The shortages will end. It may not go your way as it develops.

[greatnw]

Im not sure what your goals as a shooter are but since you said it will be used for carry I vote Glock 26. Its small enough to make a significant difference in ease of carry vs the 17 and will keep you in the same caliber/manual of arms. I suffered from the "want" to try multiple platforms and as a result switched carry guns all to often. Since I stopped that sillyness and settled on a Glock 17 and 26 my shooting skills have really started to improve as I can focus on being a better shooter vs learning a new platform or manual of arms. The 26 is a great compliment to a 17, AIWB/IWB under a normal fitting t-shirt or in a coat or cargo pocket are no problem. It really made it easier for me to always be carrying by really expanding the clothes I can wear and thus places I can be and things I can do while carrying.

[sjc3081]

Have you considered a J frame?

[usmcvet]

Get the G26. I love my G27. I carry a G35 at work and the 27 is my back up and off duty gun. It's much better for me than the JFrame it replaced.

[pingdork]

I own a G17, 19, and a small J-frame. I had a 26 till recently, but felt the 19 is just as concealable for me here in the NW and is my EDC. I carry the j-frame when we get the rare t-shirt weather. I should add that the j-frame in an IWB holster tucks way down and is very comfy. Not as accurate for me compared to my glocks, but have no problems hitting 7" circles from 7-12 yards.

[Salamander]

I've found it helpful to think through the various common scenarios that I carry for. There's no one standard answer for this of course, each of us is unique. So I think it's well worth asking the question before deciding on the next gun.

Sounds easy, but in practice it may not be. The only way to be sure is to actually gain experience. In my case I bought and sold a few guns before finally settling on what I think will be the final lineup for a while. Ironically, the fact that we are limited to three guns on our permit where I live has helped, in that I've had to focus on what I really want instead of just collecting guns, that has probably saved me a bunch of dollars.

The philosophy I finally ended up with is as follows:

Range guns are excluded from the carry equation, I have a couple of things in the safe that are fun for punching paper but are less than practical for carry;

I have a subcompact (a HK P2000sk) for EDC which works well for my M-F office attire situation. I can do jackets but not untucked shirts etc. And I'm around the same people five days a week, so this limits what I can easily hide. It's a 9mm LEM to keep it easy to control and with a consistent pull.

Then there is a mid size gun and a full size gun, both in larger calibers. The latter is my cool weather woods gun, the former doubles as a warmer weather woods gun or a cool weather or away from the office urban carry. Thus it can serve as a backup for either the subcompact or the full size.

So size and caliber are driven by carry context and most probable type of encounter. Reliability is also key, thus for carry I have settled on HK and S&W M&P. But what I carry is much less important than the thought process that led to those choices. It will of course be re-evaluated periodically, and I may make changes if and when my circumstances evolve. For another person, the choices would often be different because their day to day situation would be different than mine.

[MoCop]

As much as I like my G19, a P30 would be a sweet gun to have! I would personally go for the Hk if I had the funds.

[Father of 3]

Thanks for the input thusfar everyone. Just when I was leaning mostly in favor of a G26, my buddy calls me today wanting to sell his LNIB G27 that he had gotten Blue Label, for $400 with night sights and extra mag. I told him to hold it for a day or so and I would get back to him.

Seems like a great marriage of 40 for ammo availability and the subcompact for better concealment. How's the recoil out of such a small 40?? This seems like a great deal from a known source, should I bite at this one or hold out for a G26?

@Salamander
Which M&P model(s) do you have?

[adh]

If you have a G17 and you like it, shoot it well, etc. I'd simply buy a 2nd one...two is one and one is none.
Unless what you really want is another/different handgun IMO this would be your best route. Commonality of parts/accessories/ammunition will never be a bad thing and could end up being a very beneficial thing in a worst case scenario.

ETA: outside of that I'd get the G19..gets you close to all the commonality referred to above and IMO it probably has some of the best re-sale value on the handgun market....G26 would then be second on this list but (for me) the 26 is uncomfortably small for my hands

[Salamander]

Thanks for the input thusfar everyone. Just when I was leaning mostly in favor of a G26, my buddy calls me today wanting to sell his LNIB G27 that he had gotten Blue Label, for $400 with night sights and extra mag. I told him to hold it for a day or so and I would get back to him.

Seems like a great marriage of 40 for ammo availability and the subcompact for better concealment. How's the recoil out of such a small 40?? This seems like a great deal from a known source, should I bite at this one or hold out for a G26?

@Salamander
Which M&P model(s) do you have?

Mine is a M&P45 FS, May 2012 vintage. I'm quite happy with it, and it's been carried through some pretty rugged backcountry and in dismal weather conditions and has remained reliable. Only beef is the front sight dot falling out first trip to the range, fixed with a toothpick and a little white enamel.

There are threads elsewhere on this forum suggesting that the M&P9 long-range accuracy issues may be resolved since late 2012, that would remove the only reason I passed on one of those last year. I've seen two on the shelf in the past week so they are shipping.

I should say that I owned a G26 gen 3 and sold it, I just never got along with that gun. Brass in the face, occasional FTEs, and it just didn't fit my hand very well so even with mild 9mm recoil I had to periodically adjust my grip on the gun, it had a tendency to wriggle around after a few shots. If I were ever going to buy another Glock (which I probably won't) it would be a G19. The HK P2000sk that replaced it is slightly longer in the grip and I can get another half finger on it even with the optional flat mag baseplates which makes a huge difference, and it hides better because of the less blocky form.

[usmcvet]

Thanks for the input thusfar everyone. Just when I was leaning mostly in favor of a G26, my buddy calls me today wanting to sell his LNIB G27 that he had gotten Blue Label, for $400 with night sights and extra mag. I told him to hold it for a day or so and I would get back to him.

Seems like a great marriage of 40 for ammo availability and the subcompact for better concealment. How's the recoil out of such a small 40?? This seems like a great deal from a known source, should I bite at this one or hold out for a G26?

@Salamander
Which M&P model(s) do you have?

Buy the G27. Once ammo is more available sell it and get a G26. That is an excellent price. You will not loose money. The G27 w/o night sights is $430. Add about a hundred for NS.

http://parros.com/results.php?desc=GLOCK+27+LE+GEN4+40SW+FXD

There is plenty of .40 ammo in my area.

It has a respectable kick but it is manageable. The G27 is my every day carry gun and my BUG.

[S. Galbraith]

Seems like a great marriage of 40 for ammo availability and the subcompact for better concealment. How's the recoil out of such a small 40?? This seems like a great deal from a known source, should I bite at this one or hold out for a G26?

Full power .40 loads can be a handful in the Glock platform, especially as the gun gets smaller and lighter. The Glock's low bore axis reduces muzzle flip by directing the recoil more into your hand/wrist/arm. Low bore axis is a two edged sword in that regard, resulting in a lot of shooters favoring standard pressure 9mm Glocks. Range sessions will be shorter with .40 Glocks, due to fatigue. I like the .40 a lot, but I primarily shoot it out of Sigs and H&Ks which better manage the recoil. My best advice is to shoot before you buy.

[Swag]

Thanks for the input thusfar everyone. Just when I was leaning mostly in favor of a G26, my buddy calls me today wanting to sell his LNIB G27 that he had gotten Blue Label, for $400 with night sights and extra mag. I told him to hold it for a day or so and I would get back to him.

Seems like a great marriage of 40 for ammo availability and the subcompact for better concealment. How's the recoil out of such a small 40?? This seems like a great deal from a known source, should I bite at this one or hold out for a G26?

A G27 would be a fine choice. Plus @ $400.00 with night sights, it's a bargain. And a conversion barrel (+/- $150.00 with shipping) will put you right back into your 9mm comfort zone if you choose to do so. Just something to bear in mind.

[SteveS]

Having just received some tax money and picking up a 22 (Ruger Mk III, thanks everyone) for plinking and practice sessions, I have gun-buying fever again! My G17 has been an excellent companion over the last 3 years. I'm not sure what I would want as my next purchase and with good reason. Here's what I'm looking at:

G26 - more concealable, accepts G17 mags, could be used as a BUG
G19 - slightly more concealable than the G17, would replace G17 as CCW

M&P9c - for those days when my G17 feels too big

G23 - same reasoning for G19 as above but the switch to 40 ONLY BECAUSE it's more available here than the nonexistent 9mm. Absolutely nothing to do with "stopping power".

PPQ - seems to get great reviews

P30 - to completely blow my tax refund :D
Get the Glock. There would be no transition between the two. It is hard for me to transition between different makes and models. If I could do the gun buying thing over again I would buy all the same platform.

[HES]

Throwing my vote in for the PPQ. I bought one and am kicking myself in the ass for not getting one sooner.

[Serlo II]

Perhaps if you have a great carry gun that you like you should go for something beautiful like a colt python with custom exotic wood grips.

[Nephrology]

You already own a glock 17, and so I will recommend the Glock 26. The glock 19 will be a bit redundant next to the 17, IMO. I own all 3. I carry the 26 the most, mostly thanks to living in CT. Even still, the Glock 26 can be easily made to have 12+1 round capacity with the OEM +2 baseplates, which is a good amount of gun for CCW in my opinion, and it carries like a bobtailed G19. Many people say that if you can carry a G26 you can easily carry a G19 instead - in my chosen method of carry (AIWB) and on my body type (fairly lean, runner's build) I find that is nonsense. The 26 conceals better by a good amount, particularly as the weather heats up and I am not wearing a jacket.

[sammage]

G19, good at everything and accepts your G17 magazines.

[NYH1]

I'd get the G26. I like my G26 better then my G27. That's just me.

Good luck, NYH1.

[gun71530]

Since you already have a g17, I would get the g26.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

[usmcvet]

You already own a glock 17, and so I will recommend the Glock 26. The glock 19 will be a bit redundant next to the 17, IMO. I own all 3. I carry the 26 the most, mostly thanks to living in CT. Even still, the Glock 26 can be easily made to have 12+1 round capacity with the OEM +2 baseplates, which is a good amount of gun for CCW in my opinion, and it carries like a bobtailed G19. Many people say that if you can carry a G26 you can easily carry a G19 instead - in my chosen method of carry (AIWB) and on my body type (fairly lean, runner's build) I find that is nonsense. The 26 conceals better by a good amount, particularly as the weather heats up and I am not wearing a jacket.

I carry my G27 in my pocket sto the 23 would be too big. When I first saw the 27 I out my 23 on the table and the 27 on top of it. At the time I carried my BUG on my vest straps and thought the 23 would be just as easy to carry there and it was. But for the pocket the baby Glocks are awesome.

Soooooo what did you buy?

[Psalms144.1]

The offer your friend has made is VERY attractive at that price point, BUT, I shoot Glocks & HKs pretty much exclusively, and if there's one pistol in the line up that I really don't care to shoot, it's the G27.

The G27, FOR ME, is a "perfect storm" of badness - small grip that doesn't allow a full firing grip, short sight radius, and a significant amount of recoil, all of which travels straight into my hand/wrist. This is PARTICULARLY uncomfortable for me when doing strong/weak hand only shooting.

I frequently do side-by-side drills with the P30 (9mm LEM), P2000 (9mm LEM), G19, G23, G26, and G27. I can consistently shoot the HKs more accurately at distance in slow fire. In close range "speed" drills, the four "compact" pistols are effectively equal, and the G26 is pretty close behind - WRT accuracy and shot-to-shot splits. The G27, on the other hand, requires me to either slow WAY down (closer to double split times), or lose accuracy - neither of which, for me, is an acceptable solution.

If I were in your shoes, I'd go with the G19. For my money, it's the best "all around" pistol on the market today. I routinely carry mine all day, every day. In the summer, it snaps into a FIST #1K IWB and hides very well under a loose t-shirt or tank top. I just don't see enough of a "concealability" boost from the G26 to make it worth giving up a third of the magazine capacity...

And while I dearly love my HKs, and go to them when I need to show off on the range doing accuracy work, I have returned to carrying my G19 as my everyday duty pistol. The P30's long grip is equivalent in length to the G17's, so it's not going to be any easier to conceal than your current pistol, and it's manual of arms with it's paddle magazine release and LONG slide release lever is different enough from your Glock that it won't be an easy switch between the two.

YMMV, of course, and this is one man's opinion, and worth precisely what you paid for it!

[Omega Man]

G19 would be my choice.

[RagweedZulu]

It seems like buying your friend's 27 would be the logical choice here. You've wanted to get in to the .40 for ammo availability reasons and the G27 is a great little package. Mine sees more carry time than any other pistol I own due to the hot weather we have here.

Don't let Internet myths scare you. The 27 is very controllable and I've never had a problem with its recoil. Certainly more than a 9mm but not a wrist-breaking snap as you so often read about.

For around $125-$150 you could have a 9mm conversion barrel and be right back into your common platform, using your G17 magazines as a reload or nightstand setup. Seems like a no-brainer to me given the great deal you'd be getting on his 27.

[RCI1911]

Since you already have the Glock platform and like it I suggest that you stick with it. G19 or G26 would be determined on what level of concealability you desire or need for your given situation (body type, dress, etc.)

[Wolvee]

You can't go wrong with a P30 although Mags are little difficult to find right now.

The Only glocks I care for are the 26, 34 & 20. Each of them fill a niche I like. The 17 and 19 might very well be the industry standard but like buying a car, if you can afford a BMW, would you really go with a Crown Vic? You are not the industry, you are the owner.

I hate the M&Pc and would take an SR9c any day of the week, over it.

I've had two PPQ's and really liked them although I hated the plastic sight. The aftermarket sight options are getting better but it's going to be a while.

The P30 or P30L in 9mm is my suggestion.

[Sry0fcr]

G19 or G26. The former is a good one-gun solution, the latter is a great complement to your G17.


I was going to say exactly this but probably not as well worded.

[bighawk]

I have the g26 g19 and m&p9c and I tend to carry the g19 about 80% of the time although the m&p is my carry gun when it's very warm.. Which in Washington isn't that often. However all three are amazing guns.