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Conceal Gun for a big guy...

ccasey612ccasey612 Member Posts: 901 ✭✭✭✭
edited July 2002 in General Discussion
I sent away for my CCW last month and the sheriff just notified me a few seconds ago that I have been approved. I can not wait to start caring concealed. Right now I am practicing open carry with a ruger - P85 which is a pretty big gun. I am now looking to find some thing that will conceal easy. I am 6 foot 5 inches or so around 273 pounds. I have very large hands and find that I run into problems with little guns sometimes because I am always dropping the mags when I shoot. Anyone with any Ideas.

If you will blame gun makers for every shooting then blame car maker for every car accident.
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Comments

  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    It just so happens I'm reading a good article right now on appropriate carry guns for big and smaller people. The advice is to carry the largest caliber you can shoot and control well. You can probably go to a .45 ACP with confidence. There are a ton of great guns for that cartridge of all sizes and grip shapes, so you should be able to find something to fit your hand with no problems at all. I'm six feet and 220, and I love the .45. If you don't like 1911 factory grips, try putting a set of Pachmayrs on one. Everybody is yelling Kimber right now, but one of the cleverest designs out there currently is Para-Ordnance's new Light Double Action trigger gun. They still have hi-cap mags available for sale for these as well. I'd race down to the shop and look at Para-Ords, for you maybe a Commander-size (full length grip but slightly shorter barrel than a typical Government model).

    I've got an old Star PD which I love, but it holds only 6 rounds. You can do better. I'd look for something in .45 that holds at least 10 rounds. Congratulations. If you need holster suggestions, I like the leather paddle holsters very much because they are easy to put on and take off without removing your belt, and they spread the weight of the gun over your whole hip rather than concentrating it on your beltline.

    Congratulations, man!

    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
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  • dheffleydheffley Member Posts: 25,000 ✭
    edited November -1
    ccasey612,

    I too am a big guy. Big hands and fingers. My biggest problem with small guns is getting my finger stuck in the trigger housing. I have a Beretta Tomcat 3032 that is the smallest gun I can get into my hand. I recently bought a Kel-Tec P32, and could not get my finger in and out of the trigger guard. Gave it to my wife. I like my Kimber Ultra Carry if I need to conceal under light clothing. If I'm wearing a jacket, I carry my Para-Ordnance 14.45 in a shoulder holster. If I carry light (less that a .40 S&W or .45 ACP, I carry the Tomcat. I think I will look at a S&W Cheifs Special and a Kel-Tec P40 (no longer made) to add to my collection. I also have a Beretta Model 84 .380 that carries well. I always carry a S&W model 36, 5 shot .38 Special in an ankle holster as a back up.

    Save, research, then buy the best.Join the NRA, NOW!Teach them young, teach them safe, teach them forever, but most of all, teach them to VOTE!
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  • 22WRF22WRF Member Posts: 3,385
    edited November -1
    The August issue of the American Rifleman has a artical that covers this subject very well.

    I Refuse to be a VictimGrumpy old man

    Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of All Those that Threaten it
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  • ccasey612ccasey612 Member Posts: 901 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am also trying to stay away from small revolvers. They are just to hard to shoot. So I like half to have some thing in auto.

    If you will blame gun makers for every shooting then blame car maker for every car accident.
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  • royc38royc38 Member Posts: 2,235 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Try the new Colt Defender Plus. 8+1 cap and weighs 221/2 oz. I have the regular size Defender (7+1). I would recomend them to anyone.
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  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My other current favorite is the H&K USP, a modern design that has a rail for attachments like flashlight or laser, and heavy built to handle high-velocity .45 loads. There are examples currently at auction on Gunbroker. The Para-Ord is a 40 oz. gun and this would be in that neighborhood too.



    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
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  • ccasey612ccasey612 Member Posts: 901 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think I am going to look into the Para-Ord. I recently shot that one and it seems to be a good gun. I have been pretty luck buying my big guns over the last past week lets hope I can find one on here for a good price?

    If you will blame gun makers for every shooting then blame car maker for every car accident.
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  • BullzeyeBullzeye Member Posts: 3,560
    edited November -1
    If you're looking for a big automatic, the first thing that popped into my head was a Desert Eagle .50AE.

    It's heavy, and the vast majority of people couldnt draw fast enough in a crisis or handle the trigger pull or recoil well enough. But if you are big enough and have enough finger/hand strength, you could slap a set of Pachmeyer grips on there and do just fine.

    You know one shot, one kill? Well with .50AE, it's one shot, one exit wound the size of a dinner plate.





    Edited by - Bullzeye on 07/22/2002 17:47:44
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  • ccasey612ccasey612 Member Posts: 901 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I kind of wanna go big but not to big. I guy walked in a store I was in on friday and I saw a bulge in his shirt. He was a pretty small guy with tight clothing on so I could se almost exactly what it was. I said what you carry. He said excuse me and I said I can see your side arm and just wanted to know what you carry. He said Sig Pro. He said it is a good gun and pretty light with great stopping power. Ony toughts on that?

    If you will blame gun makers for every shooting then blame car maker for every car accident.
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  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sorry, I think I'm concentrating too hard on the size factor as opposed to the compact-for-concealment factor. For concealment, a great value in .45 is the PT145, which has a full length grip and a nice big trigger guard, and they're now selling well under $400, as low as 329 some places. The guns are light, with a polymer frame and steel slide, and still hold 10 rounds of .45. They're only about the size of a Glock 27, but with a full-size grip.




    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
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  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    ccasey --
    Sigs are a classic good gun, with a double action first pull that is around 12 pounds. If you didn't like revolvers, you might find that double action pull troubling. But Sigs are quality guns. The other disadvantage is that for their size, the 220 (.45 caliber) only holds 7 or 8 rounds in a single stack. Even with a 10 round limit, a .45 needs to be double stack to hold the full load.

    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
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  • RugerNinerRugerNiner Member Posts: 12,636 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You can carry it in the small of your back with out a holster. I carried this one that way for 8 years (wear a belt). They also make small of the back holsters for the P-85. Another holster is non-collapsible "in the waistband" holster( Don Hume sells them for $24.) I carry mine in a Bianchi Hi-Rise holster with a Polo Shirt on the outside of my pants. There's No Reason Not To Carry Your P-85.







    Remember...Terrorist are attacking Civilians; Not the Government. Protect Yourself!
    Keep your Powder dry and your Musket well oiled.
    NRA Lifetime Benefactor Member.
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  • Richie RichRichie Rich Member Posts: 439 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hey rugerniner, you got it to work.
    I carry a kimber ultra carry with chip mccormick 8rd power mags.
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  • dads-freeholddads-freehold Member Posts: 1,361 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    greetings, ruger9 took the words outta my mouth , if you have a p-85 carry it, an unc' mike shoulder system, or a pancake in the back, or even an inside the pants holster all will get the job done. the p-series is one of the best choises regardless of the price. (p-94 my favorite) respt submitted dads-freehold

    rodney colson
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  • E.WilliamsE.Williams Member Posts: 1,101 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    All I have to add is this..If you can carry a full size carry it the more barrel the better.I am of fair size and I dont have any trouble concealing my 4".357 when I carry.If I were to carry a full size auto-loader it would be a Hk USP .45 great gun and very classy to boot.

    Eric S. Williams
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  • Matt45Matt45 Member Posts: 3,185
    edited November -1
    I'm 5'9" and 240-ish, my personal carry guns are a .45 HK USP Compact, a .45 Glock 21, a .45 M1911A1, and a .357 Taurus M-65 w. a 6"Bbl.

    Out of the bunch, the HK and Glock get the most "holster" time, although the Taurus revolver is my summertime fvorite in a shoulder holster, with two HKS Speedloaders on the opposite side.

    Reserving my Right to Arm Bears!!!!
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  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    There's no reason to carry a 9 when you can have a bigger-bore round in the same size package and a wider selection of man-stopping ammo, either (heheheheheh!).

    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
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  • NighthawkNighthawk Member Posts: 12,022 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Best darn pictures Ive seen on this forum today!!

    Rugster
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  • dobieman0690dobieman0690 Member Posts: 148 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    you might want to try to find an Coonan 357 thats what i use i am about your size and have very large hands mine is a model B with a 6" barrel it feel good in my hand and fits great
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  • SUBMARINERSUBMARINER Member Posts: 1,362 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    im a big guy also and i carry a SIG p-226 or an hk usp with no difficulty concealing either

    SUBMARINE SAILOR,TRUCK DRIVER,RUSTY WALLACE FAN AND AS EVERYONE SO OFTEN POINTS OUT PISS POOR TYPIST e-mail:WNUNLEY@USIT.NET
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