Gun Digest Buyer’s Guide to Concealed Carry Handguns

226 Pages·2010·19.36 MB·English

by  Jerry Ahern

CONCEALED CARRY
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Gun Digest® Buyer’s Guide to

Jerry Ahern
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Copyright ©2010 F+W Media, Inc.
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
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permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief
passages in a critical article or review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper,
or electronically transmitted on radio, television, or the Internet.
Published by
Gun Digest® Books, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc.
Krause Publications • 700 East State Street • Iola, WI 54990-0001
715-445-2214 • 888-457-2873
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2010924668
ISBN-13: 978-1-4402-1383-0
ISBN-10: 1-4402-1383-6
Cover Design by Tom Nelsen
Designed by Paul Birling
Edited by Dan Shideler
Photos by Sharon Ahern unless otherwise noted
Printed in United States of America
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DDEEDDIICCAATTIIOONN
T
his book is respectfully dedicated to the memories of Mae West and
Cary Grant. Miss West, as you’ll recall, delivered a since immortal line
to Mr. Grant in the 1933 Paramount Picture She Done Him Wrong: “Is
that a pistol in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?” The line is one
of the most famous double entendres in history and something all concealed
weapons carriers should consider.
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ACKNOWLEGEMENTS ..................................................................................................................6
PART 1
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction .....................................................................................................8
CHAPTER TWO: Size Really Does Matter ...............................................................................15
CHAPTER THREE: Medium Frame Semi-Autos on the Rise ................................................23
CHAPTER FOUR: Downsizing Medium Frame Caliber Autos .............................................29
CHAPTER FIVE: Handguns for Women and Close Range Shooting for All .....................37
CHAPTER SIX: Snub-Nosed Revolvers ..................................................................................51
CHAPTER SEVEN: Would a .38 by Any Other Name Shoot As Straight? ..........................55
CHAPTER EIGHT: Cosmetic Surgery for Handguns ..............................................................61
CHAPTER NINE: Big Bores and Beyond .................................................................................67
CHAPTER TEN: What’s Out There? .........................................................................................77
CHAPTER ELEVEN: Ideal Handgun Choices ..........................................................................85
CHAPTER TWELVE: How Should You Carry One of These Things? ...................................93
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: What Else You Should Carry ...........................................................101
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: A “Laser” Sight .................................................................................111
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Sights .....................................................................................................117
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Would You Buy a Used Handgun from This Man? ........................123
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Derringers .......................................................................................129
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Use of Multiple Concealed Weapons .............................................135
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CHAPTER NINETEEN: Medical Maladies Associated with Concealed Weapons ............139
CHAPTER TWENTY: “Guns Are Loaded, Knives Are Sharp; Don’t Touch!” ....................142
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Clothing Considerations .............................................................147
PART 2
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: Testing Selected Handguns .......................................................154
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: The SIG-Sauer P6 (P225),
SIG-Sauer P229 and SIG-Sauer P238 ...........................................................................157
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: Detonics USA (Pendergrass) 9-11-01
and Detonics USA (Pendergrass) Combatmaster .......................................................161
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: Glock 22, Glock 27 and Glock 17 GEN 4 ..................................167
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: Smith & Wesson Model 686, Model 637, Model 642,
Model 640 (Old Style), Model 60 (Old Style), Model SW9VE and M&P 9C .............171
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: Seecamp .32 and Seecamp .380 .............................................177
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: Bersa Thunder Concealed Carry .380,
Bersa Thunder .380, Bersa Thunder Plus .380 and Bersa Thunder .45 ....................181
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: Walther PP, Walther P-38 and Walther PPS ...........................184
CHAPTER THIRTY: Taurus Model 809B and Taurus 709 Slim ...........................................189
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: CZ USA CZ83 .380 and 2075 RAMI 9mm ..................................192
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: North American Arms Guardian .380, Guardian .32 NAA,
Guardian .32, Pug .22 Magnum, Long Rifl e Mini-Revolver .......................................195
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: Ruger LCP, Ruger KSR 9C and Ruger LCR............................199
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: Kel-Tec P-32 and Kel-Tec PF-9 ...................................................203
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: Rohrbaugh .380 and R9 ................................................................205
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: Cobra Shadow Revolver and Cobra Derringer ..........................207
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: Springfi eld XD-40 and Springfi eld XDM ...............................209
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: Kimber Ultra Carry II .................................................................211
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: HKP2000 SK ..................................................................................213
CHAPTER FORTY: Para USA Carry 9mm ............................................................................215
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: Beretta Dx4 Storm 9mm, Beretta 3032 Tomcat .32 ACP
and Beretta 21A .25 .........................................................................................................217
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: Final Recommendations ...............................................................221
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AACCKKNNOOWWLLEEDDGGEEMMEENNTTSS
A
book such as this would not have been possible without a great deal of
generous help. Obviously, those manufacturers who assisted us deserve
credit not only for generously making product available, but for doing
such a fi ne job with the respective items they manufacture, items which help
to keep us safe and free.
I want to thank my son-in-law, Danny Akers, and his friend and mine now,
too, Bradley Fielding. They did a great job. Thanks to Dan Shideler, my editor,
for his patience and his support for this book, not to mention his friendship.
Nothing with the name “Ahern” on it would ever get done without Sharon,
my wife, my buddy, my photographer and co-conspirator in all that I do.
Jerry Ahern
Jefferson, Georgia
June 1, 2010.
6 GUN DIGEST® BUYER’S GUIDE TO CONCEALED CARRY HANDGUNS
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PART 1
TTHHEE TTOOOOLLSS OOFF
CCOONNCCEEAALLEEDD CCAARRRRYY
PART ONE • THE TOOLS OF CONCEALED CARRY 7
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
When concealing a handgun wasn’t that
important, larger weapons like this Cimarron
Arms copy of an 1851 could be employed.
(Cimarron Photo)
F
or some reason I will never understand, during the latter
decades of the 19th century in America, the open carry of
weapons declined. Perhaps some people thought they were
too sophisticated to be armed, or that being armed somehow
wasn’t fashionable or some such silliness. Maybe the “upper
crust” was becoming afraid of the rest of us and just did
something stupid. In some instances, in the post-Civil War
period, prohibitions against weapons arose as a tool to deny
freed slaves access to arms. And some likely good-hearted but
woefully misguided souls probably thought they were doing
something to curb crime or make a social statement against
violence. Whatever the reason, by the closing years of the 19th
century and opening years of the 20th century, being armed at
all on the street – even if not openly – was illegal in many locales,
8 GUN DIGEST® BUYER’S GUIDE TO CONCEALED CARRY HANDGUNS
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New York’s “Sullivan Law” of 1911 being the must be armed, either fi nd the means by which
most egregious example of such restrictions. to circumvent draconian anti-fi rearms laws by
Those of us who are sensible, and do not getting some sort of legal pass – a badge as a
labor under a religious or moral obligation volunteer or reserve deputy, etc. – or just carry
against self-defense, go armed. If we are discreetly anyway and hope not to get caught.
fortunate enough to live in one of the ever- Remember the old aphorism? “It’s better to be
growing number of “shall issue” states, and judged by twelve than carried by six.”
have a clean background with the law, etc., we We carry weapons in order to protect
can apply for and receive a concealed carry ourselves, our loved ones and other innocents
permit, after the appropriate background from violence. It’s as simple as that. That is
checking has been done and, in some areas, why people have taken up the practice of
a course of instruction taken. Those good going armed since the fi rst caveman picked
people who do not live in “free states,” but up a rock or the jawbone of an ass. That is
For greater concealability, the Baby Dragoon, sans rammer, was a fi ne Once the most advanced military handgun on the planet, the Walther
choice. (Cimarron Photo) P-38, this a police turn-in gun imported by Century International
Arms, has a fi ve inch barrel. That can be cut for supposed added
concealability.
Bond Arms Derringers can be converted from one centerfi re caliber to another merely by swapping barrel sets. The trigger guard is also easily
removed for a more traditional appearance.
CHAPTER ONE • INTRODUCTION 9
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