Open Carry Full Size?

esoxkid06 · Nov 3, 2012

Hi new to the site, and wanted to ask you guys a question. I have been open carrying in Wisconsin for a couple months now. that is... Until my Pistol was stolen. I am looking for a replacement. The pistol I did open carry was a lower end Sccy Industries CPX-2 compact pistol. I like it and everything, but this time around I am going for something a little more on the mid price range. what are your thoughts on carrying larger full size pistols? I am a scrawny guy 5'7 130 lbs. I am kind of looking into the SW M&P 40 and a few others. should I keep it small and light? what would you recommend... I am dying to get a 1911 but I don't know if I would get sick of wearing that and hence leave it at home, where it will do zero good unless im there...

thanks guys!

the kid

Shoobee · Nov 3, 2012

It all depends on your intended game animal.

If your intended game animal is two legged and travels in packs, they some high capacity magine fed pistol that you can shoot fast is going to be your best bet.

If your intended game animal is four legged and travels alone, then a much bigger calibre revolver is going to be warranted.

Muzzle energy is the best way for you to decide.

You dont want one that is too powerful for the job and you dont want one that is not powerful enough.

A 1911 is easy for some people to shoot but not for others.

For some it is too lite. For others too heavy.

The local indoor shooting range which rents trial handguns (pistols and revolvers) is the best place to find out for yourself.

WalkingWolf · Nov 3, 2012

Eso there are alloy frame model 1911's out there.

esoxkid06 · Nov 3, 2012

Unfortunately Where I am located in Northern WI I do not have any indoor gun ranges

Only the County range with you need a membership and a personal key to enter, with no rentals. I have places to shoot, but no loaner guns. I have shot 1911's and can handle them. and the game is 2 legged and travel in packs

except for maybe the occasional squirrel or rabbit at the land.

thanks for the info! keep it comin!

The Kid

WalkingWolf · Nov 3, 2012

esoxkid06 said:
Unfortunately Where I am located in Northern WI I do not have any indoor gun ranges Only the County range with you need a membership and a personal key to enter, with no rentals. I have places to shoot, but no loaner guns. I have shot 1911's and can handle them. and the game is 2 legged and travel in packs except for maybe the occasional squirrel or rabbit at the land.

thanks for the info! keep it comin!

The Kid

I weighed about 150 at 5' 10" and carried a model 28 everyday at the beginning of my career. Really with the proper belt it was not a problem, heck most people carry way more body weight than any firearm. Don't let your size get in the way, a heavy gun belt will distribute the weight evenly.

Take your time, do some research, and weigh the factors such as cost, availability, and features you want in a firearm. It is hard for others to make that decision for you. You are going to get recommendations from one end to the other, but it really boils down to you.

esoxkid06 · Nov 3, 2012

WalkingWolf said:
I weighed about 150 at 5' 10" and carried a model 28 everyday at the beginning of my career. Really with the proper belt it was not a problem, heck most people carry way more body weight than any firearm. Don't let your size get in the way, a heavy gun belt will distribute the weight evenly.

Take your time, do some research, and weigh the factors such as cost, availability, and features you want in a firearm. It is hard for others to make that decision for you. You are going to get recommendations from one end to the other, but it really boils down to you.

yea your right about people making the decision for me thats for sure. I was just curious on what people thought on full size vs. compact. thanks for the info Wolf! I will keep researching, and Get to the one gun shop in this county on Monday. Thanks again!

The kid

Shoobee · Nov 3, 2012

esoxkid06 said:
Unfortunately Where I am located in Northern WI I do not have any indoor gun ranges Only the County range with you need a membership and a personal key to enter, with no rentals. I have places to shoot, but no loaner guns. I have shot 1911's and can handle them. and the game is 2 legged and travel in packs except for maybe the occasional squirrel or rabbit at the land.

thanks for the info! keep it comin!

The Kid

If you can grip a double stack, then these work well against packs. Otherwise you need to think about double-carry. And then also start to practice with your weaker hand.

09jisaac · Nov 3, 2012

Nobody would ever say they wished they brought less ammo into a fight. So the only reasons to carry a smaller gun are weight and size. Size is most important when it is comming to CC. If you plan on OCing most of the time then size shouldn't be much of a consideration (as long as it fits you). Also, you can even CC a fullsize gun if you want.

I wouldn't worry much about weight either. The M&P isn't a heavy gun. You'll get used to it after a (short) while. I have. I carry a fullsized M&P 9mm and wouldn't trade it for the world.

I would suggest the 9mm though. With modern defensive ammo the differences are slim in the endgame. Basically, the 9 or .40 would do their jobs as long as you do yours.

But the 9mm is cheaper and has less recoil (usually). Both of these equate to being a better shooter. You can practice more for the same money and it is easier to practice.

MKEgal · Nov 3, 2012

First off, welcome to the site.

Second, nobody can tell you what pistol is right for you. We can tell you what we've chosen, & why, & what our experiences have been.

Advantages to full-size pistols: higher capacity, less recoil
Disadvantages: heavier, more difficult to conceal (if that's what you want to do)

Advantages to compact pistols: lighter, easier to conceal
Disadvantages: lower capacity, more recoil

The advice I give anyone about how to choose a pistol, some of which may be difficult for you if you don't have many people to borrow from or a rental range...:
1) Go to a gun store. Handle everything they'll let you handle. (It helps to go at a low-traffic time.) Make notes on what fits your hand/arm, what feels right, what aims naturally.
2) Arrange to shoot as many of those as you can, to see how well they do aim for you & if you can control them.
3) Now consider weight, price, caliber, & the semiauto v. revolver debate.
4) Do your research to find out about the ones on your short list - any failure issues, how's repair service if you need it, etc.

The reasons I chose the pistol I chose (Glock) include:
its proven reliability & dependability, largely from being the most widely used duty pistol in the world
it felt right when I first held it
the angle of the grip works very well with my hand & arm
it aims well for me
it has fairly high capacity (17+1 is standard)
in a reasonable defensive caliber (9mm)
which is easy to find & not terribly expensive to practice with

I'm considering getting the compact Glock in .45 for a cc tool because it still has reasonable capacity (10+1) & more to hit an attacker with than the 26 (9mm) or 27 (.40).

davegran · Nov 4, 2012

esoxkid06 said:
Hi new to the site, and wanted to ask you guys a question. I have been open carrying in Wisconsin for a couple months now. that is... Until my Pistol was stolen. I am looking for a replacement. The pistol I did open carry was a lower end Sccy Industries CPX-2 compact pistol. I like it and everything, but this time around I am going for something a little more on the mid price range. what are your thoughts on carrying larger full size pistols? I am a scrawny guy 5'7 130 lbs. I am kind of looking into the SW M&P 40 and a few others. should I keep it small and light? what would you recommend... I am dying to get a 1911 but I don't know if I would get sick of wearing that and hence leave it at home, where it will do zero good unless im there...

thanks guys!

the kid

Hi Kid; welcome! Like people have stated, you are the only one who knows which gun is best for you. OC and CC are different enough to really require different firearms to take full advantage of the situation. That said, I have to give you an opinion....

I know that everybody likes to own as many cool guns as possible and their billfolds allow, but I have to say that your CPX-2 (if you got a good one) was very good for both purposes. It's light, small, and powerful. If it fits your hand and shoots where you aim it you have already found a good candidate.

I have a full size 1911 and I can conceal it pretty easily, but it is big and heavy and it always lets you know it is there. For open carry, it is my favorite gun. I am still looking for a good CC gun that will let me forget I am wearing it during the day and I am going to take a look at the CPX-2 along with some other makes, models, and calibers. If I can find a small enough 1911 or other .45 ACP I will probably give it some real consideration, but I won't feel undergunned if I end up with a 9mm.

Whatever gun you get, get some basic combat training either from an instructor or by joining one of the shooting sports organizations like IDPA or IPSC. You will learn how to really handle your firearm under different conditions and scenarios, shoot and reload while moving, and clear jams.

I hope that you also have figured out how to absolutely prevent the theft of any more of your weapons in the future....

Michigander · Nov 4, 2012

Considering your size, I would suspect that you have small to medium hands, and as such maybe double wide 45 or 10mm grips are out. If that is the case, I would personally suggest, based on preference, either a M&P with a trigger mod, or a Glock. If you really want a manual safety, the XD series is also nice due to the safety being actuated just because of being gripped. What I will say about the M&P series is that S&W really aced it with the 3 grips they come with. They can fit anybodies hands just about perfectly, and you would not go wrong with a M&P.

If you aren't utterly determined to get a 1911, and for reasons beyond hype from magazines and the web and such, and perhaps how cool they look, I suggest avoiding the platform entirely. The 1911 is not well suited as a gun to get just to fill the role of needing a good pistol, it's more of a choice for the 1911 fanatic due to the problems they can provide, as well as the low capacity and manual safeties which in truth can be more of a hindrance than a help. Perhaps not a bad choice as a second or third gun after you get your go to primary, but it's not something I feel like I can suggest as your one and only handgun.

In terms of full sized vs compact, that's a decision that you and you alone should make. Personally, being about 45 pounds heavier than you and 3 inches taller, I have no trouble CCing full sized pistols, and can maintain very deep concealment with AIWB carry. And of course with OCing it ceases to be important. But either way, there is little difference in performance between a full sized and a compact, as the heavy preference many have for Glock 19's demonstrates, so it's not a choice you need to put too much importance in. A tiny bit of added sight radius and 50-100 FPS will make little to no difference in a real fight.

hjmoosejaw · Nov 4, 2012

I agree,you have to weigh all of your needs,features and such. I like Sig Sauers. The SP2022 is a good one and it's about $400.00 brand new.

http://www.sigsauer.com/CatalogProductDetails/sp2022.aspx

Felid`Maximus · Nov 4, 2012

I'm 5'7" 125 lbs or so with small hands, but I prefer a full size gun and have been carrying mainly either a Beretta 92 or an S&W L frame revolver with a 4 inch barrel for the last 4 years or so. I think if you want a full size gun you should give one a try, and then if it doesn't work out for you you can sell it or trade it for a smaller one.

Out of curiosity, how did your other gun get stolen?

moonie · Nov 5, 2012

I'm 5'11" 215 so I am a big bigger than you however the biggest for OC this really makes no difference. I carry either a full size 1911 or a compact 1911 depending on my mood. Both are steel frame guns, the compact is lighter and carries easier for long days when I will be carrying for extended periods.

I usually reserve my full size for special occasions, my holsters will fit either.

On the subject of holsters, with a proper gun belt and a quality holster will go a long way towards comfort.

rscottie · Nov 5, 2012

I really love my Taurus PT145 Mil-Pro. I carry it mostly concealed which is very easy due to its size. I occasionally carry it openly.

It holds 10+1 of .45 ACP and does not seem to care if they are FMJ or Hollow Points. I haven't tried anything except 230 grain bullets of each type.

The only issue I had initially was light primer hits. This was due to the industrial shipping grease that was in the firing pin channel that I did not remove during the pre-shooting initial scrub. I actually was a little intimidated about removing the firing pin at first but after having the light strikes, I found a video on youtube showing exactly how to get the thing out. As long as you do not launch one very tiny spring across the room, you will have no problems taking it out and getting the gunk out.

Since that firing pin channel cleaning, it has digested all the ammo with ease.

And, best of all, it has a Lifetime Warranty that is hard to beat.

Interceptor_Knight · Nov 5, 2012

esoxkid06 said:
Unfortunately Where I am located in Northern WI I do not have any indoor gun ranges Only the County range with you need a membership and a personal key to enter, with no rentals. I have places to shoot, but no loaner guns. I have shot 1911's and can handle them. and the game is 2 legged and travel in packs except for maybe the occasional squirrel or rabbit at the land.

You can take a ride to Green Bay and rent pistols to try out at the Family Shooting Academy. You could also join the AR15.com Wisconsin forum and come to one of our organized shoots held at the Shawano Rifle Club to try out different pistols.

davegran · Nov 6, 2012

rscottie said:
I really love my Taurus PT145 Mil-Pro. I carry it mostly concealed which is very easy due to its size....

What is the trigger pull like on your PT145?

rscottie · Nov 6, 2012

davegran said:
What is the trigger pull like on your PT145?

It is kinda like a double action revolver but lighter.

snubbyfan · Nov 7, 2012

WalkingWolf said:
I weighed about 150 at 5' 10" and carried a model 28 everyday at the beginning of my career. Really with the proper belt it was not a problem, heck most people carry way more body weight than any firearm. Don't let your size get in the way, a heavy gun belt will distribute the weight evenly.

Take your time, do some research, and weigh the factors such as cost, availability, and features you want in a firearm. It is hard for others to make that decision for you. You are going to get recommendations from one end to the other, but it really boils down to you.

What more can I say? Good advice.

tcmech · Nov 11, 2012

I typically open carry a glock 36, but I would probably buy a 30sf if I had to replace it. I also open carry a glock 17, and a taurus pt92 depending on my mood. Just get whatever feels right.

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