# Conceal weapon dilemma



## nicknitro71 (Oct 15, 2007)

I am looking for a conceal weapon that only has to be used for that, I got platy of range guns. It has to be compact, no DA only (so no Glock), .45, no 9mm or .40. Also the price has to be right (so no Sigs).

I narrowed down my list to the following guns:

Tanfoglio Witness Compact .45: True DA/SA, good price, decent quality, decent size

Taurus Millennium Pro .45: Unique DA/SA, very good price, decent quality, great size

Magnum Research Baby Eagle .45: True DA/SA, decent price, good quality, but larger

At the moment I'm leaning towards the Taurus because of its size and my good experience with Taurus. The Tanfoglio is a great alternative but holds 2 less rounds and it's a bit bigger. The Baby Eagle is the best built of the three but it is larger and much heavier.

Any hints are appreciated.


----------



## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

It really comes down to what you like the best. Have you been able to shoot any or all of these guns? If not have you been able to handle all of these guns? Pick the one you shoot the best or which ever one feels the best in your hand. Good luck.


----------



## nicknitro71 (Oct 15, 2007)

Unfortunately I have not been able to shoot any of them but really it won't help much because the amount of shooting I'll be doing with it is going to be minimal.

I keep going back to the Taurus because of its size, large capacity, and overall great reviews...


----------



## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

Well then that's the one I would get. If you like the gun, get it and don't look back. Shoot it and enjoy it. Good luck.


----------



## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

nicknitro71 said:


> Unfortunately I have not been able to shoot any of them but really it won't help much because the amount of shooting I'll be doing with it is going to be minimal.
> 
> I keep going back to the Taurus because of its size, large capacity, and overall great reviews...


You're going to carry a gun on a daily basis that you use _minimally? _You're willing to trust your life (and that of bystanders) on a gun based on size, capacity, and reviews and not on how well you shoot it!?! Glad I'm 8 hours north of ya.

Call me old fashioned, but I think you should practice more consistently with your carry gun than any other gun in your safe.


----------



## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

nicknitro71 said:


> ...the amount of shooting I'll be doing with it is going to be minimal.


*Todd* beat me to it, but _holy cow_. You're going to shoot range toys while the gun you may use to _save your life_ sits idle?

Pick any of the guns on your list. It won't matter.

Also make sure you keep a good attorney on retainer.


----------



## nicknitro71 (Oct 15, 2007)

Minimally for me means much more than the "average" shooter. I shoot competitively, so I shoot a lot and for this reason I cannot shoot 100+ rounds a week on this gun. I foresee shooting 50 rounds a month with my CCW but no more.


----------



## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

When I was active in competition (practical pistol) I still managed to put a lot more than 50 rounds a month through my defense gun. What sport do you shoot? In many cases you can get a defense gun that at least operates similarly to your competition gun.

If IPSC open class, how about a little double stack Para to complement your race gun?

If IDPA, how about a small 1911 or a Glock 26?

If NRA bullseye pistol, again, how about a small 1911?

NRA Action? Again a small 1911 or possibly a small revolver.

ICORE? A small revolver.

You get the idea. I guess if you shoot NRA High Power, you'll need a AR "pistol," though. :mrgreen:

Most serious competitive shooters I've known were pretty picky about their carry guns (when they carried guns at all). Quite honestly, I've never seen one carrying a Taurus or a Baby Eagle.


----------



## nicknitro71 (Oct 15, 2007)

I shoot stock revolvers .44 and .375 at 50, 60 and 70 yards no scopes.

I know the bias against Taurus. For most americans if it does not say MADE IN THE USA then it's junk...whatever! As for the baby eagle if it's good for the Israeli army and police it can't be that bad, can it?


----------



## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

nicknitro71 said:


> Minimally for me means much more than the "average" shooter. I shoot competitively, so I shoot a lot and for this reason I cannot shoot 100+ rounds a week on this gun. I


Not trying to pile on here. You could be the world's greatest shooter in your events. But if SHTF, I don't want to be near you or anyone that's carrying and/or shooting a gun that they do not practice and are intimately familiar with. IMO, shooting _revolvers_ competitively does not immediately make you competent in shooting _autos_.

I'll say no more.


----------



## nicknitro71 (Oct 15, 2007)

Thanks bro as a former special forces operator I really have no clue how to operate semi-autos.

How many of you hot shots actually used your firearms against human beings?

I'm otta here, wasting your and my time.


----------



## Liko81 (Nov 21, 2007)

nicknitro71 said:


> Thanks bro as a former special forces operator I really have no clue how to operate semi-autos.


Hey, no offense was intended. You didn't tell us you were SpecOps. That changes the situation a bit.

Regardless, I agree with other opinions in this thread; guns are different, and being practiced with one does not mean the other will be second nature. Even among semis: compare a Kimber or Para 1911 with a DAO. Or even with another Browning action like the Ruger Ps. A 1911 can be cocked and locked; not so with a P-series (and of course that doesn't even enter the picture with a DAO). Even something as simple as whether "up" on the safety is "safe" or "fire" is different between guns and can prevent a CCW you are not intimately familiar with from going bang when you pull the trigger, or just as bad, going bang when you don't expect it to. Exactly which way does the brass fly out of the ejector, and does that prevent certain grips/stances? Where's the safety and does that restrict your carry options with that gun because of how a holster or your thumb/fingers would ride that switch when drawing? Where's the mag release and which way do you press (sure you can point it out, but can your fingers find and work it when you have 2 seconds to reload)? Where's the slide release and could your natural grip ride that switch and lock the slide on a loaded mag or prevent locking on an empty mag? Even something as not-thought-about as the damn grip angle; your target pistols have a more swept-back handle for recoil control. Draw your 1911 and point-shoot from muscle memory and you will shoot low every time.

These are all considerations that, as I'm sure you know from experience, must be _known_ and not thought about in a survival situation, are only honed through common use, and vary from gun to gun. Practice makes permanent; you may still be hot stuff with an autoloader, but you've programmed yourself with your target revolvers (6 shots, heavy kick, no safety, long barrel, etc.) and when you have to act without thinking that is going to hurt you when you draw your CCW, UNLESS you spend enough time programming yourself to use your CCW like a defense weapon and not a target pistol.


----------



## Snowman (Jan 2, 2007)

nicknitro71 said:


> Thanks bro as a former special forces operator I really have no clue how to operate semi-autos.
> 
> How many of you hot shots actually used your firearms against human beings?
> 
> I'm otta here, wasting your and my time.


Everything these guys said was well intended. Regardless of what you meant, you gave the impression that you intend to shoot revolvers in lieu of your carry gun.


----------



## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

nicknitro71 said:


> Thanks bro as a former special forces operator I really have no clue how to operate semi-autos.


BS flag being thrown here. IMO, an operator would actually take the time to test out a gun that could save his life and not rely on reviews of guns or opinions of people on the internet. Coincidence that you just happened to have this "operator" information surface when people challenge your ideas to carry a gun that you don't practice with? Hmmm.



nicknitro71 said:


> How many of you hot shots actually used your firearms against human beings?


 Me personally? Never. And I hope never to have to.



nicknitro71 said:


> I'm otta here, wasting your and my time.


+1


----------



## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

I know some "special forces operators," and they wouldn't need to ask advice on what gun to carry. Which group did you serve in and when? I know guys from Ranger batts, a couple of Special Forces groups, and a couple of SEALs in the PRTs here in Afghanistan. Maybe someone would recognize your name.

As far as I know, the Israeli army uses Glocks, not Baby Eagles. Maybe you have different info? But as Jan Libourel once wrote, "The Zahal has never set much store by pistols."


----------



## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

Mike Barham said:


> I know some "special forces operators," and they wouldn't need to ask advice on what gun to carry. Which group did you serve in and when? I know guys from Ranger batts, a couple of Special Forces groups, and a couple of SEALs in the PRTs here in Afghanistan. Maybe someone would recognize your name.
> 
> As far as I know, the Israeli army uses Glocks, not Baby Eagles. Maybe you have different info? But as Jan Libourel once wrote, "The Zahal has never set much store by pistols."


Hmm, no response to your question yet, Mike? I'm shocked!

I just remembered that there's a bunch of operators here on the forum, myself included. I'm currently deployed with the Ghost Recon Unit as an Advanced Warfighter. JS and others are answering the Call of Duty 4. :anim_lol:


----------

