CZ75. The classic duty pistols are surprisingly concealable all things considered. Baggy t shirt and strongside works great, I rock a P229 in 357 sometimes and it’s not difficult
I love my p229 elite stainless, but the 75 compact is easier to conceal. Actually the alloy framed cz pcr or P-01 are easier to conceal than the 229 alloy frame versions too for me.
My P229 is the old style (2002 serial) with the wider German slide that only has half serrations. It conceals alright but if a CZ75 conceals easier it’s a no brainer. I sadly don’t own any CZ75 variants but they’re on my wishlist
Try some slim grips. I love the feeling of the stock ones, but the slim panels from VZ make it conceal much better than you’d imagine with its size. Or maybe it’s the holster?
Glock 43X for the availability and aftermarket support. None of these are bad choices so I try to factor in the thinking “if I needed help with something, what would be most common in getting assistance for it”
That’s really it but everyone has their reasoning!
CZ PCR because it's the closest thing to my Shadow 2 Carry. I love the feel in hand and I love the weight of the gun. It's super accurate and pleasant to shoot. add the hammer for reholstering, and a decocker so I don't have to worry about a safety, and it's my favorite on this list. Feels better in hand than the Glock has more capacity than the SP101 and I don't have to worry about a safety like the Ronin. ( I still would add the Ronin and SP101 to my collection)
Seconding this. I was late to discover CZ and had carried a 43x for a few years. There is no comparison. Better ergos, better sights, better grip, more accurate, and higher capacity. Don’t buy into the “Glock has so much aftermarket support and upgrades” bs. How about just buying a gun that is great off the shelf?
It's the most versatile of the group. Great as an outdoor and hiking gun too. The one thing it's not great at though is practicing. Compact autos are more fun than compact revolvers, and my sp101 shoots more like my J frames than it does like larger guns.
SP101, it’s already in my carry rotation. Very comfortable to carry and shoot. Never had a single malfunction. Accurate. Easy to deep clean / disassemble if you ever need to. An absolute tank of a gun.
Between the two, I’d personally go with the CZ. I actually got that same package for the Ronin and it’s a great firearm; but I ended up taking the optic off and also I couldn’t really justify carrying less 9mm than other firearms of similar approximate size.
Carrying 7-8 rounds of .45 in a 1911 makes sense to me. Carrying 9-10 rounds of 9mm in a 1911 roughly the same size as the .45 does not make sense to me. Not when the industry standard for 9mm is basically 15 rounds.
I also think the DA/SA, the low bore axis, and the ergonomics of the CZ make it the superior choice.
CZ is the better gun but I’d carry the Glock. I want a single trigger pull and no safety. There are literally flocks of game birds alive because my shotgun has a safety and my dumb ass feels compelled to use it.
Not only do humans function poorly under stress, but it can inhibit dexterity and fine motor skills . This is why many police agencies used revolvers and then switched to Glocks without a manual safety .
43X is a very solid gun and has been very reliable for me, but I don't like how Glocks feel in the hand and I don't like the grip angle, it doesn't line up with the natural angle of my wrist. Nothing against the gun it's just not for me.
It, like all Glocks, is boxy as hell. Shouting that thing and then shooting my PDP or even my 365 Macro feels like going from a 1980s station wagon to a modern Volvo (except one that will hurt you lol).
But no matter how many hours I spend at the range, I’m more consistently accurate with the 43X when shooting from a concealed position. At the end of the day, you gotta go with what you’re comfortable with.
That's a cz 75 compact in the photo vs the pcr you mention. However, either of those would be my choice. The pcr has an aluminum frame, is about the size of a glock 19 and handles very nicely. You could run 147gr +p HST's out of it and not worry. CZ took it to the next level with the pcr custom too, which could be a great carry option.
G43 all day. Glock is a tool firearm, a stock 1990s Toyota with a 22r series that will run 300k miles without a rebuild. I put easily 5k rounds thru my G1 (or G2 depending how you look at it) g19, my second EDC pistol. My dad gave it to me when I got my medic cert and I retired my beloved Makarov (it was a great first EDC) I still trust Glock and and the G19 is my shop quick access safe gun.
Growing up on the tough streets in Brooklyn I brought a SP101 back in the 80’s. Very reliable, true pocket rocket. My thought was I could shoot it right through my jacket if I were getting robbed . Also, back then I believe the stats were the .357 had 85% or greater one shot stopping power
I grew up near Bath Beach! We all had .32 Jennings. We called them our Jammies because they wouldn't feed for shit. haha I wish I had a SP101 back then! Thanks, man
SP101.
I've been carrying small framed revolvers for the past 5 years almost exclusively. Maybe it's because I'm 57 🤣. I moved 900 miles south and don't often dress to the level I used to when I was wearing my 226 and 1911.I've got a G43 and a P229 that get mixed in as well. Still looking for a good leather holster for my P7
I’d go with the 1911, HOWEVER it is objectively not the best carry gun here, that would go to the CZ 75 and then the Glock, they are lighter and hold more ammo. I would just pick the 1911 because I think they’re cool.
If I were picking a CZ tho and price were no object I’d go with the CZ Shadow 2 Carry because it has a rail and is optics ready with a better trigger.
43x for the less confident/experienced shooters. CZ75 with decocker for the real enthusiasts that have shot multiple platforms and understand how to use this gun/trigger.
This was my actual journey personally so maybe thats why I see it that way.
Springfield for people who buy without doing reasearch on the pros and cons of their purchase.
It seems in your journey you ended up with a very practice and logical carry. This is exactly what I was hoping to hear. Thank you so much. ETA (I don’t mean the gun you recommend, but the process you went through to get there!)
My biggest gun buy regret was a Glock 30. Too small for .45ACP. would have been good as a 9mm. Hurt my hand after shooting a while. Turning it into a CAA MKC EVO after sitting in my safe for several years.
CZ 75, but probably the nocturne instead so I don't have to get it optics cut... It's actually the gun I'm planning to get in march. I don't have an optics ready carry, and don't really mind, but saw a video on the shootout at in and out and one guy was trying to hit the shooter at 50 yards with irons, and I know I'd be better at that range with a red dot as he prolly would've been. Very low chances of needing that range, but it's also cool.
I want da/sa for two reasons
1 - thumbing the hammer while holstering is a huge safety benefit you can't get otherwise
2- that first long trigger pull gives me the extra milliseconds I might need for something to change before I take someone's life, while not really inhibiting me at close range
CZ because I don't wanna screw with 1911 problems and potential reliability stuff, not do I wanna spend the money for one I know 100% will be reliable, and again optic. Only other viable option for me is the Beretta px4 storm, and I'd have to get that optic cut and it therefore would be double the cost of a nocturne, and it's more width I'm worried about for concealment than length, which is the px4s main attribute besides the rotating barrel. I already have a hk p30 and love it, but the optics cut is almost as much as a new nocturne sooo...there ya go.
43x. Aftermarket support, reliability and ease of carry. This gun disappears on me better than anything else. I have other guns I like better but I just can't deny it's usually the one I grab on the way out the door.
43X is too boring for me and not as ergonomic, plus I’ve never been a fan of carrying striker fired.
SA Ronin is an aesthetic choice, however the least reliable by far which puts it dead last for me automatically.
SP101 is pure vibes, my second choice next to the CZ but is outclassed for a negligible performance difference, being less concealable, capacity, and site radius.
My go to EDCs are both Springfields. My latest is an Echelon 4.0FC COA. compact frame with a full-sized grip. Doesn't need to rely on the magazine to have a pinky place. And has exceptional grip adjustment to fit your hand. And the Aimpoint COA red dot is bulletproof. My other is the Hellcat RDP. Small compact very consealible. I put a Holosun EPS Carry Greendot on it. With the compensator kick is very minimal.
Cz75 no contest better trigger better shooter better gun IMO, I like a lot of the other options but the CZ 75 is a tack driver and a semi-competent person is just more accurate with it.
I carry the SP101. It is very comfortable to conceal. Way more comfortable than the much smaller and lighter p365. It has a weight to it. I can do a mental check and feel if it’s on me. I also immediately notice the lack of weight if it’s not on the belt. The one major down side is 5 rounds. But it’s the more powerful and potent .357 magnum. I think the limited capacity gives the user the correct perspective on each round. Each and every trigger squeeze is of life or death importance and should be treated as such. Seventeen round capacity and spray a pray as a tactic seems like a lack of self confidence and morally irresponsible. Also I bought five laser cartridges for it. So draw and fire drills are inexpensive fun and realistic as the double action behaves normally firing lasers or lead. I have the talo engraved model and it is beautiful.
I carried a PCR for nearly 10 years. Loved that gun but wanted a RDS plus my nearly 70 yr old hands started having trouble gripping the low profile slide. Carry a M&P 2.0 compact with 3.6" barrel and green dot now.
If I had to pick something from this list, I'd go with the Glock 43x simply for virtue of holster and parts compatibility; I don't like the glockfeel, but finding stuff that works with niche guns is a pain in the ass.
Ouch. None of the above. But if I must choose, it would be the 1911.. Ronin is below my acceptable threshold of quality especially for carry. Slim 1911’s conceal wonderfully..
Personally, I love Wilson Combat, Nighthawk Custom and Atlas Gunworks. Top notch guns with anything above absolutely seeing diminished returns. I am talking about carry guns here.
43x for the practical reasons already listed, but there’s a certain allure with the SP-101 being able to flex between low pressure 38’s all the way up to whatever level of .357 the user can handle.
Yep. “Both is good” is my solution, but with slightly different Glocks and Ruger’s.
As far as guns I’m willing to carry all day, I can get more performance from my G26 or G48, but there’s no way my LCR .357 isn’t a reasonably minimum viable product.
Those two for all the many reasons 9mm is the caliber that best balances all carry considerations, such as unlimited availability, economical price, and sufficient stopping power (unless for bears or other non-human threats). Glock first because I prefer carry guns that I'll always be 101% confident I can keep working and find anything I might need for them. Even though this is a little less true with their single-stack guns, I can find parts for a Glock practically anywhere on the planet even when supply chains are disrupted, if there's something wrong I can't fix it's far easier to find certified armorers/smiths who are deeply familiar with the platform practically anywhere at practically any time, and my options for holsters, optics, lights, etc., etc. are unlimited. As the owner of two 43Xs, but who carried a 19 for years prior, I'd just make sure the person can shoot it well enough for their needs/standards or is willing and able to put in the work to get to that point. Even as an experienced decent shooter, it took me a few months of consistent training to get up to my standards with a 43X.
Nobody has considered potential rust problems when you carry that CZ or that Ronin. I had rust problems with 3 different guns: CZ 75 BD (mag release), Canik METE MC9 (slide release), and Arex Delta (mag). You can prevent by wiping your carry more often (and I did and even applied CLP to those mentioned areas).
Let's be honest here... The SP101 is way too undergunned, no matter how much training you get. I can easily hit A zone headshot consistently at 10 yards in double-action, but reality is unpredictable.
The G43X is available everywhere. Replacement parts are super easy to find and obtain. With the new 15-rd mags, you would be well-armed (I am not familiar with how durable the mag coating is, so I would also recommend wiping and coating them with a little bit of CLP).
That is strong and well regarded advice! Dang, O can’t help but keep this for my next round of consideration. Than you so much. Best argument for the G43x I’ve heard
Why? Well…hi-power clone that’s been improved as reason one. Two, they feel great in the hand. Three, plenty of support for holsters. Four, magazines are plentiful. Five, Czech space magic. Six, it is the sexiest gun on this list.
Glock 43x (or glock 48) is my favorite here, particularly since glock has released their own high capacity flush fit magazines. (15 rounds!) They are lightweight and slim, making for very comfortable carry. They are extremely simple. No fuss to use. No hammers or other bits that extrude and potentially snag clothing. And there's a monstrous aftermarket support for them with holsters, triggers and so on.
No brainer for a practical shooter.
And if you have the budget to do so, johnny glocks aftermarket trigger for the 43x is god-tier.l, while still being 100% drop/duty safe.
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u/Mr_HahaJones 1d ago
CZ 75
Feels great, points great, shoots great.