Remember this article: pistol-training.com » Trust No One: an insider’s perspective
Even with big name guns, nothing is a sure thing. You need to fire the hell out of one before you can carry it.

lol dude i told you anytime man - i'm usually at skybox on fridays and saturdays at river and craycroft i'll pm you my number

Trevloc
a couple of things: what are your reasons for wanting to carry concealed? Some people just want to carry a firearm because they think it is "cool". I am not at all opposed to carrying concealed (I am a police officer/SWAT officer and firearms instructor), but a gun in the hands of anyone who does not have proper training and the ability to make solid, quick decisions can be very problematic. That being said, I believe everyone has the right to adequately protect themselves and loved ones. Going to the range and trying various weapons is a good idea, although could be a little expensive. In the end, you want a weapon that you are comfortable with. As far as caliber, it doesn't matter much to me. I prefer .40, but shot placement is what really matters. I don't know what the laws are in AZ, but please go to a reputable CCW training firm and continue to practice, practice, practice. Shooting is a very perishable skill and even I can tell if I don't get to the range at least twice a month. I am not a gun enthusiast, and I only carry one firearm off duty, a Glock 27. In my opinion, and after seeing many different types of firearms, Glocks are the most dependable and reliable pistols out there. But everyone has their own preference. Please do yourself and everyone else a favor and research the hell out of this before making a decision. And again, I cannot stress the importance of training. Good luck in making your decision and eventual move into law enforcement!

If anyone is looking for a REALLY GOOD concealed carry holster, check out Crossbreed Holsters > Home. I have found no better off-duty/concealed carry holster on the market. (I have no financial interest in this company, but just think they make a great product).

my reason for wanting to carry is because i travel all around southern az for my job. and sometimes they send me to places that even "thugs" dont want to go to. and i have found my self in situations that i would really prefer to have protection (i dont know spanish either, cant talk my way out of it). i currently carry a taser, but if there is more than one threat...

as for the courses/laws az currently removed the permit law and now anyone can carry without a permit of any kind. but before i purchase a firearm i do plan on taking the 12 hour ccw permit class they have here, just for the benifit of the doubt. couldnt hurt right? when i first purchased my shotgun, i took a 2 hour course on shotguns. i am in no way purchasing a gun to look "cool." i personally would like to live in a place where i dont need firearms... but when you live 1 hour from the border, it feels like its a requirement.

as for practice... shooting is a sport to my friends and i. its an every weekend kind of thing. we shoot as much as possible, all day. camp out, and do it all over again. but it is usually a few .38s, a few shotguns and some 22s and my dads old ww2 308. so the furture carry firearm will have plenty of use.

as for an update. i have really been looking into the glock 19 gen 4 9mm. i have read too many reviews, and watched almost every youtube video on peoples opinions and its starting to grow on me. i am aware of the spring issue, but i am led to believe that has been resolved. i went to 4 local shops, looking to test the grip and so forth. i did try the sig 229, but it was a tad too heavy for my liking in order to carry. the glock was lighter, and i felt i had a better grip on it. i did try out the gen 3 glock 19, but i didnt like the grip. it was too big for my hands to be comfortable. as they made the gen 4 smaller, due to the new backstrap add ons.

what do you all think of the glock 19 gen 4?

I don't know too much about glocks...but, just today, my brother and i were talking about today's handguns. Apparently, Oakland PD just recalled all their Gen4 Glocks back in May...maybe for the spring issue?? Whatever the case, i think that Glocks are fine guns. Their trigger is too light for conceal carry IMO, but that is just me. If you like Glocks, then have you tried Glock 26 which is smaller and thus easier to carry. And since there is no Gen4 Glock 26 (Note: i am outdated w/ Glocks), then i would trust G26 over the newer Gen4 Glocks. Otherwise, if you are sure that Gen4 has no other issues, then go for it. Glock customer service have a good reputation...at least when i had my G26 several years ago.

Man, I'm a sucker for Colt 1911s. I don't have one yet but every time I consider getting a handgun, I can't help but want one of these. I agree, Colt is the way to go!

I heard that the new AZ concealed carry only allows it if it's unloaded. I know, it sounds ridiculous to me too, but that's what I heard. Can anyone confirm this is a rumor or is the law that stupid? That would be like sure... you can drive your car all you want here, but you're not allowed to put gas in it.

no thats not true - i took the CCW class a couple years back and carried for a while but then last August they made it so you don't need a CCW. You can carry concealed (loaded) anywhere and everywhere in Arizona without any permit whatsoever and you don't have to tell police if you're carrying anymore when you get pulled over. But if they ask it might be a good idea to do so.

Never happened yet, but i do plan on telling the police officer my state of armament and hand over my CHL along with my DL at the same time when asked to hand over DL. I don't need the policeman to be apprehensive or suspicious during tense times, even with a routine traffic stop. I am sure that anyone with CHL will be flagged in the police computer...so, why run the risk of the officer having to come back to your vehicle to question you if you are armed or not...thus, worsening the tense situation. I am a chickensh!t...my goal is not to act like Rambo, but to get home to my family everyday.

That's being smart and a good father and husband! Cops are on edge every time they approach a vehicle. It's always best to be upfront with them like you said. Much better chances of a good experience.

I've been pulled over for a taillight out on the way home from the range before. I was lazy and didn't lock my shotgun up, it was just laying on the back seat (unloaded) which is a no no in CA. When he came up to the window he didn't even notice it because I had a bunch of crap back there and it was getting dark. I told him about it immediately and that I didn't lock it because my house is only a few miles from the range. He said he appreciated me telling him, he told me to get a new bulb for my taillight and he left. As long as you're not dressed like a gang member, they are almost always pretty cool. I figure they have enough people constantly lying to them, when someone is honest, it's probably a breath of fresh air.

Downpour is right, it can be loaded. You just can't take it into any gov buildings or bars. Or where a no firearm sign is posted. The only law that is "new", and I'm not sure if it passed yet or not, but they are trying to make extended clips illegal (thank you jared loughner) but I need to read up on that.

yeah my bad- except airports and bars or where it's posted.

did you pickup a piece yet? I've got a full size glock 22 (which is the .40) It's what the majority of Police departments issue. I love it. I've had it for about 2 years. Maybe 2.5 years now. My buddy has..

glock 21 (.45 auto) full size
glock 30 (.45 auto) sub compact

glock 19 (9mm) compact.

the full size and the compact, don't feel too different, but, you should definitely feel both just to compare.

I've shot all types of handguns, sigs, berettas, ruger, etc, etc

I dont know any other model that is as reliable and easy to take apart/clean than a glock. It's not a pretty gun, but, it will shoot when you pull the trigger. Just follow the basic gun rules and you should be fine. Also, taking a gun safety course is a good idea.

Glocktalk.com is a huge site, i've been active over there for years(different Screen name though) you can learn a lot of stuff about glocks over there, hell, just about any type of gun, handgun or long gun is talked about over there. check it out.

so that is pretty much it.

good luck man. I've got my concealed carry permit too, but, i never carry my piece around. Having your concealed carry in my state makes it easier to transport guns around town, and i'm able to buy more guns at 1 time then having to wait, since i have all my information in the virginia state police background check..


i've also got a mossberg 500 mariner with the knoxx stock

and a CMMG M4 with eotech 512 holographic sight...

all my stuff stays locked up when not being used at the range...

good luck bro

just wanted to quote this again, since it's good information. Having a gun is a HUGE responsibility. You just need to be aware of that.

make sure you call them "magazines" instead of "clips" otherwise you will look like a NOOB when you are buying/discussing/handling guns.....


this topic is discussed non stop over at glocktalk


thank me later!