Replacing SA-XD40

+1 on the XD Subcompact

An XD Subcompact in 9mm or .40 would be a good choice and it's a gun that you're familar with -- a BIG advantage when the going get's tough. My wife has one in 9mm and it is reliable, accurate and easy to shoot. A pinky extension on the short (13 round) mag and you're good to go. I have a 3.8 XDm 9mm. It is bulky in the grip. If I wear it under a one-size-larger shirt, though, it conceals well. The 19 round mag is very comforting.

Those of you that carry XDs, Glocks, and pistols of that size. Do you carry these pistols every day on your person without changing wardrobe or is it something that if you have a coat or a over large shirt on you wear? My idea of a conceal carry weapon is one that you can carry unseen to those who dont know anything about guns and are therefore scared of them and yet still wear a jeans and a polo or button up, or even a t-shirt in the summer.

I dont believe you should mold your dress or live around your sidearm. Its a tool to protect the freedom to live the way you want not to control it. IMO

robin.kevin said:

Those of you that carry XDs, Glocks, and pistols of that size. Do you carry these pistols every day on your person without changing wardrobe or is it something that if you have a coat or a over large shirt on you wear? My idea of a conceal carry weapon is one that you can carry unseen to those who dont know anything about guns and are therefore scared of them and yet still wear a jeans and a polo or button up, or even a t-shirt in the summer.

I dont believe you should mold your dress or live around your sidearm. Its a tool to protect the freedom to live the way you want not to control it. IMO

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I agree, and I use this rig to do everything. I'm all about efficient use, I haven't changed a single piece of my wardrobe and I'm able to conceal and open carry with the same holster. Definitely a setup I'm willing to bet my life on.

The G29 is a fat little heater, but it's still a sub-compact that's easy to conceal. Same can be said for the Subs and Compact XDs.

The only way I conceal carry my P226 is with a jacket and my OWB holster and even then it still sort of pokes a bit against the coat. Even with a IWB holster, the P226's size makes it a brute to try to conceal with a polo shirt. This would be where something the size of a P239 (or smaller) would come into play, it will literally disappear carried in the waist.

That is a nice rig for the G29. With that being said I am starting to take a liking to the Taurus 709, still not sold yet...

Just out of curiosity, what's holding you back?

robin.kevin said:

That is a nice rig for the G29. With that being said I am starting to take a liking to the Taurus 709, still not sold yet...

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You know, I totally forgot about the new Sig 290 9mm SubCom.

Pocket gun with a punch. Would get you out of the .380 caliber with the same frame size.

http://sigsauer.com/Products/ShowCatalogProductDetails.aspx?categoryid=70&productid=307

I usually wear a larger, lightweight shirt, which conceals the XDm rather well here in the desert southwest summer. When the XDm is too large, I switch to my Ruger LCR. Carry both in outside waistband holsters. Sometimes the LCR goes into a pocket holster in the side pocket of cargo pants or shorts. Darker colors and/or patterns for the short print less. I believe that 99% of the people out there do not notice slight printing. I was somewhat self concious when I began concealed carrying and always wanted to adjust the gun, belt, shirt, etc. If anything was going to tip someone off, it was probably all that fidgeting.

My wife seldom knows if I'm packing, until she throws an arm around my waist. If someone is observant enough to notice the printing, I'm not sure I care -- I have a CCW permit.

robin.kevin said:

Those of you that carry XDs, Glocks, and pistols of that size. Do you carry these pistols every day on your person without changing wardrobe or is it something that if you have a coat or a over large shirt on you wear? My idea of a conceal carry weapon is one that you can carry unseen to those who dont know anything about guns and are therefore scared of them and yet still wear a jeans and a polo or button up, or even a t-shirt in the summer.

I dont believe you should mold your dress or live around your sidearm. Its a tool to protect the freedom to live the way you want not to control it. IMO

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My wife carries an XD subcompact 9mm everyday. She absolutely loves it! Myself i alternate between a Glock 22 and a Sig Sauer 229p .40... I have no problem concealing either one. The sig 229p's trigger pull took some getting used to. I understand they have improved on this with the Sig 229 Elite series. I can't wait to check it out!

onlurker said:

Just out of curiosity, what's holding you back?

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Well a number of things, I'll just list them, not in any certain order...
-I am not a huge fan of same guns, usually because you have to go down in cal or you go up in recoil.
-Though I do have a few issues with the XD I like it a lot. It fits my hand well, points naturally, and will stop anything that moves by the time the slide locks back on the final round.
-Cost, I had to save for quite sometime for the XD. I will have to sell it before being able to afford anything else.
-Lastly I am still not sure what I would get if I did get rid or the XD or that I even am going to part with it.

Also, this week I am actually on doctor orders to take it easy and sitting in the house doing nothing is killing me, which is the reason I been on here a lot and also doing so much research and reading on different options.

Look at the old S&W 3rd gen guns if you want easy concealment. 3913 or 4013 are easy to conceal they are 9mm & 40s&w. The Kahr series of guns are easy to conceal if you can master the trigger they are good guns. I have 4 XD's so I think you know what I carry most often.
The 3rd gen S&W's were discontinued a couple years ago so you would have a used gun, but they are in the $300.00 to $400.00 range.

It would be out of your price range, but if you want to save for a nice gun a bobtailed 1911 would be a suggestion for easy concealment also.

Super Trucker said:

Look at the old S&W 3rd gen guns if you want easy concealment. 3913 or 4013 are easy to conceal they are 9mm & 40s&w. The Kahr series of guns are easy to conceal if you can master the trigger they are good guns. I have 4 XD's so I think you know what I carry most often.
The 3rd gen S&W's were discontinued a couple years ago so you would have a used gun, but they are in the $300.00 to $400.00 range.

It would be out of your price range, but if you want to save for a nice gun a bobtailed 1911 would be a suggestion for easy concealment also.

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I've looked at a few of those, an even some cheaper 1911's such as the Rock Islands and upgrading it over time.

Just updating everyone on my thinking, for those of you who have been replying. I went to the LGS today just to handle a few different gun.

I handle a SIG 9239 it was NICE. Not too big but not really too small either. However sadly its way out of my price range. Anyone know a pistol that is close in size to it?

Thanks!

robin.kevin said:

I handle a SIG 9239 it was NICE. Not too big but not really too small either. However sadly its way out of my price range. Anyone know a pistol that is close in size to it?

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Have you considered a Bersa Thunder? I know the .380 version is similar in size and weight (don't know for sure about the 3.5" bbl 9mm luger) to the P239 and it's typically priced low enough that you may not even have to sell your XD

I have consider it, I havent been able to handle one yet tho... I the specs says its 1.46" wide I dont know if thats just the grips and the rest is thinner or what. I would want to go with the 9mm as I believe .380 is too small of a round for winter defense due to heavy jackets that will weaken the effects of the small round.

For truly pocket sized 9mm's, as far as I know there are really only 2 companies that offer them. Rohrbaugh and Kahr. For many reasons like mag changes and plus P rating, the Kahr would be my choice of the 2. Everything else tends to be bigger in size, or smaller in caliber.

I am definitely intrigued by the 709 for being more or less a SAO 9mm of a small, nearly good pocket size, but as I recall it is longer than the Kahr yet manages to have a shorter barrel, and is not full time plus P rater like the Kahr is. I believe the barrel also sits lower in the Kahr, which I have been told makes the recoil less. My last problem with the 709 is that I believe all of them come with safeties, something I firmly believe has no place on carry handguns.

But still, considering the price, the Taurus warranty, and the still decent performance, it might be worth getting one. The question is if it's worth selling a gun you know you like. I'd trade a XD for a gun I KNEW I would like, but I definitely wouldn't do so on a guess.

For cc I use a G27, XD40sc or Kahr K40. I wouldn't want to depend on less than a 9mm.