What would you do?

[Chessbay]

I have a dilema, or at least in my mind I do.

I would like to buy two new handguns.

Either a G-19 or a M&P 9

Or A S&W 642 or the M&P.

I was going to buy the revolver for concealed carry, but now I have an itch to buy a new 9mm (I've recently sold my 9).

I already have a Colt Detective Special .38, but I really don't want to carry it because it has some sentimental value to it and I'd hate to lose it.

I liked shooting the 9mm because the ammo was somewhat more affordable that my .45 XD. And I really just want one.

But, I do have a need for a new CW so I was leaning towards the revolver.


If you were in my shoes and could buy only one, what would you do?

I hope this makes sense.

[Jay Cunningham]

The M&P9 or especially the G 19 seem like much better choices for a carry piece than a wheelgun. I like snubbies for BUG's, though.

My ideal carry combo is a G 19 with a Smith J-Frame for a BUG...

[John_Wayne777]

Buy the weapon you can carry the most.

If you are in a "non-permissive" environment where a weapon printing can lead to unpleasant consequences in life, go with the J frame, load it properly and put Crimson Trace grips on it.

If, however, you are in an environment where you can pack an M&P all day every day without any negative consequences, go with that instead.

When facing a threat I would rather have my M&P in my hands ANY DAY than my S&W 442....but there are occasions when I'm in a "non-permissive" environment and can't carry the M&P, and on those occasions having a 442 in my hand against a threat is a hell of a lot better than just standing there with my you-know-what in my hand.

[Gutshot John]

I'd agree with Thekatar. The G19 is probably the better choice for a primary carry weapon. If nothing else it gives you 9 extra rounds. It's also very concealable.

On a personal note the G19 has become one of my favorite handguns ever. I bought one for my wife, but I find that when I go to the range, it's the one I shoot the most. The more I shoot it, the more I love it.

Get a used one in excellent condition for the best value.

[blackscot]

Well.....I actually do both.

Wintertime it's the Glock 19, in an ultra-thin kydex IWB by FIST. Doesn't take much of a jacket/vest to cover, but does take something......

......and more than I'm willing to wear when the temps get much over 75 degrees. Enter the S&W 640 Centennial (the all-stainless hammerless J frame). Mine's a 2-inch that -- as equipped with the Barami hip-grip/Tyler T-grip combo -- rides holsterless mexican style under a t-shirt tail. I just posted separately about it asking for ammo recommendations (see: https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=13224 including pic).

Trade-offs? I can shoot much better with the G19. Conversely, I can conceal the Centennial in just about any conceivable circumstance short of getting a rectal exam! (sorry for the disturbing visual there.....)

Sometimes I've thought: why not just always carry just the Centennial? The main reason was that I've never felt very confident with it beyond being a shove-it-in-the-bad-guy's-face-and-pull-the-trigger gun. That is until I had it out just a week ago and discovered that I had been handling it wrong all along. Allow me to elaborate......

I also have a 3-inch S&W 66 (K frame) for home defense. With either revolver, I can make rapid multiple center-of-mass shots grouped within a couple of inches from 5- to 10-yard ranges. For more accurate head-type shots, with the 66 I make a longer, more rolling trigger pull, which seems to work well. Whenever I tried that technique with the Centennial though, I couldn't hit squat. Last time at the range I thought: I'm making a lot more accurate center-of-mass shots with the Centennial using the quick trigger pull. Maybe I should just try that same technique for the head shots. So I tried it and -- eureka -- hit it! So I tried again, and hit again, and again, and again....

So accurately shooting the Centennial (or I would venture any J frame) is a totally different trigger technique than the larger K frames. Now knowing this, I'm feeling a lot better with what I might be capable of with the little wheelie given adequate practice, which I plan to do as much as possible.

I'll be carrying the Centennial almost exclusively over the next few months regardless, but depending how I feel about it in the fall, it may end up just staying on me year-round.

[RojasTKD]

Me... the M&P.

I just don't like the Glocks grip angle. Revolvers are fun to shoot but not my choice for carry.

[ToddG]

I also do both, just simultaneously. My daily carry is an M&P9 in a CCC Looper and a 442 in a pocket holster.

As for choosing between the G19 and the M&P9, the only real way to make an informed decision is to shoot both and pick the one that shoots best for you. If possible, try to get the different backstraps so you can try different configurations before making a final decision.

The G19 is a bit smaller but at least for me (carrying IWB) the difference wouldn't be worth giving up the things I like about the M&P. I haven't had any trouble concealing the M&P9 using the same setup I did previously when carrying a SIG P229R.

To sort of echo what John_Wayne777 said, though, the most important thing is to buy the one you'll actually carry every day. A low-capacity .38 revolver in your pocket beats the big high-capacity semiauto at home in your drawer.

[bullitt5172]

I've owned and used everything you have listed. My choice is the G19 and S&W 642. I carry the G19 daily, the 642 when I don't feel like like carrying a gun

You can't go wrong with any of the above, just make sure it fits YOU.