I always come back around to the wheel

One of the perks of my job is I get to shoot and carry a lot of different guns. In the past month I’ve shot some guns that aren’t even on the market yet; I’ve carried all kinds of guns, I have the HK VP9 on my desk. And yet when I’m not carrying something specifically to write about it, I always seem to end up right back here:

640 pro delta

With a J-frame, in this case the excellent 640 Pro Series. I will add the caveat that I also tend to carry my M&P Shield a lot, it’s a true statement that Smith & Wesson guns get carried a lot around this house. But for whatever reason, I usually end up carrying the j-frame, and I think I’ve finally figured out what it is.

I don’t think I’m going to get into a gunfight. That’s really what it is. But I do think I might need to project force to defend my life, and a j-frame quite likely projects enough force to deter a crackhead from slicing me. Plus, I actually really like shooting this gun. It’s easy to run a box of 158 grain LSWC through it whenever I go to the range, the sights are good and the Delta grip is actually pretty nifty. I know that I’ll probably get killed by ninjas or something for not carrying a full size service pistol and three reloads, but whatever. If ninjas are going to punch my ticket, it’s going to happen.

This actually brings me around to something that’s interesting to me – a side effect of the growth in serious shooting culture. The internet has allowed people who are fundamentally serious about being good shooters to get together and talk about that, which is good. That means we can share ideas, techniques, and learn from each other. The side effect of that is I’ve noticed the growth of an idea that unless you’re carrying at least a Glock 19 with a spare mag, you’re not serious about CCW. I can even understand the idea behind it, because at its core it’s a sensible idea. You carry the most capable gun possible, because you don’t know what kind of fight you might end up it. I could conceal a Glock 19 all day if I wanted to…but I want to wear shorts and a t-shirt and not have to dress around the gun.

So I carry a j-frame. But I shoot this gun, a lot. I’ve even competed with it, and did pretty well at the IDPA BUG Match. Maybe I’m not serious about my self defense because I do carry a j-frame. Or maybe, the longer I do this for a living, the less I worry about what other people think of my carry rig.

brb, gonna go get killed by ninjas.

18 Comments

  1. I use to “worry” what others thought of my daily carry, however, i’ve grown out of that thought and carry what I feel comfortable with-a Ruger SP101 .357mag or Ruger KLCR .357mag. With either of those on my person, I don’t worry about much of anything anymore. Caleb, good post.

  2. Thank you for that, I recently began working my old Security Six into my CC choices, largely because I also mess around in wilderness areas where there are critters that can way kick my buttocks and I can have a same gun feel and just switch loads. (No Grizzles). But I still have my first gen Glock 17 and 2 spare mags set up. Just swap now and again. I think a good ol heavy barrel revolver will have quite an intimidation factor. Besides, I’m an old guy who practiced with this revolver and I still shoot REAL GOOD with it.

  3. There is a well know, high profile gun person from Tennessee with his own shooting school, if you look at his latest EDC video and what he carries, my question is, “where the F*&K in the U.S. are you going that you need that firepower?”

  4. Ninjas, I freaking hate Ninjas…..I need a high capacity 500 S&W auto mag to ward off the herds of roaming Ninjas…. I to will be eveserated by rouge Ninjas. My shorts gun is my 380 Seecamp. We all know the 380 will bounce off a tee shirt

  5. It’s a well-known fact that the effectiveness of a given Ninja is inversely proportional to the number of Ninjas present.

    Therefore, the aforementioned 52 rounds of Glock love will invariably pare down a clan of Ninjas to one bulletproof Uber-Ninja, who will invariably (and soundlessly) kill the Glock wielder. Your approach, limiting ammunition, is actually more effective in keeping a clan of Ninjas at bay by keeping each individual Ninja less effective.

    (Nods sagely.)

  6. And the corollary “I don’t know of anybody who would want to be shot 5 times with a 158 gr lswc.”

    😉

    I don’t think I’d carry a wheel gun, but that’s mostly because I would prefer a glock 26. I already shoot my Glock 34 a lot, so why not get something that takes my G34 mags? In case I need a larger supply of Ninja-b-Gone

    But I wouldn’t carry a reload, because 10 rounds of 9mm would probably be just fine too. I have only met one Ninja, and he was a decent type of Ninja.

  7. Long time reader, infrequent commenter. I recently purchased and am very happy with my S&W 640. (Might even try those fancy Delta grips you got there). Naturally, it conceals easier than a 5″ 1911. However, I take umbrage with the continual perpetuation of the myth that a CCW carrier needs to “dress around the gun”. My go-to carry piece is a Sig 220 Compact SAO. I’ve found that if I keep it in a QUALITY iwb holster (I use a Comp-Tac MTAC), I can conceal in shorts and a “shmedium” T-shirt no problem. I understand that body types and cover garments differ. However, I’d be willing to wager that more often than not, the biggest setback to everyday concealment is the type and fit of the holster being used.

    Not trashing you for carrying a snubbie (like I said: love mine). Just wanted to put it out there that there are concealment options for those of us who like to carry something closer to full-sized without giving up are warm weather gear.

  8. I’ll never waste any time arguing with someone’s carry choices. Whatever floats your boat.

    But not everyone lives in suburban Indiana. No one is worried about ninjas, but some people are worried about crackheads and gang-bangers – which are plentiful in some areas.

    A J-frame is fine for the drive from your subdivision to your office and maybe a stop at the grocery store on the way home. And a G17 is fine if you have to walk a couple blocks to your car after work after dark in downtown Memphis.

  9. This is interesting timing. I went last night to shoot my new HK VP9. I also carried my Glock 26 and 17 as well as my S&W 60 and 65. I had not shot my 65 in quite some time because my 26 is just too easy to carry. I find its lighter and carries more rounds. Well I really like the VP9 but have not shot enough to feel comfortable. Well before I left I ran a few cylinders through my 65 first at 7 yards then at 25. Well lets just say today Im carrying the 65. I only have 6 before a reload but they are 6 that I know are going where they need to be. I simply shoot the 65 as well as anything I own.

  10. As with camsdaddy above, I believe that carrying what I shoot well works, and as with both Caleb and camsdaddy, I keep coming around to a wheelgun, especially a J-frame. Easier to carry and conceal for me, too.

  11. I agree entirely. Carry what you have confidence in and can shoot well. I even carry a 22 lr at times. I’ve shot thousands of rounds through this gun and know it completely. I hope the need never arises but if it does I’d rather have something I have confidence in.

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