Getting Carry Permit, my choices, Taurus 1911 or HK P30, which to carry and where ?

[PhilaShooter]

THIS IS JUST MY OPINION


My first pistol was the Taurus PT1911 .45cal. I really love the gun, it's been a pleasure to shoot and easy up keep, a good cleaning/lubing after and before shooting...never had a problem with her. I like how you can keep one in the chamber, the hammer back and have the ambidextrious safety inabled for carry purposes.

I recently purchased a HK P30 9mm. I have seen some really impresive reliability tests on it also. It does have the ambidextrious mag release which I like a lot, and a decocker which is helpful. It also has adjustable grips, on the side and the back which make it very comfortable to hold for many diffrent size hands. However it does not have a safety, I see this 2 ways....1) it's good for carry as you can keep one in the chamber and just leave the hammer uncocked (it's double action as well though) so it might help to get that first shot off faster than the Taurus, I don't think by much tho. 2) Since there's no safety it makes it more dangerous (I have 2 kids) so at home I tend to keep the Taurus at hand, since it not only has the safety but also a pressure bar (not sure the correct name) in the back you need to squeeze to ingage the trigger.

I FINALLY got my OLD parking tickets taken care of (didn't even know I had them !!) so I will be applying for my concealed carry permit in about 2-3 weeks. I am not sure which one I should use though....the Taurus .45 with a 8rd mag +1 in the champer totaling 9 bullets....or the HK P30 with a 15rd mag +1 in the chamber....16 bullets total. I know the HK is lighter since it has the polymer frame and steel slide, vs the Taurus that is all steel....but does that make the HK less durable and/or reliable at all....this I don't know but do not think it does from the reviews I've read. I would just like to hear everyone's opinion on what would be best, the lighter HK with more ammo but 9mm, or the heavier all steel Taurus with less ammo but in .45, and maybe even some hydra-shock ammo to do more damage since there's less bullets per mag....is carrying Hydra-shock ammo ok to do in Philadelphia ?? The gun shop I bought it at said it is.....but is it REALLY ?? I would very much like to hear from some of the people here who actually carry, maybe even carry this ammo and/or maybe even carry a Taurus 1911 or HK P30...or something close to those, anyone's opinion will be much appreciated.

Also what is the best place/holster to carry a pistol, the hip, ankle, behind the back, shoulder strap where it keeps it right at the middle of your chest area, sorry don't know the offical name of that type of holster, shoulder holster I believe. Any others I have forgotten please let me know what you think is the best to use, thanks all.

[mrnyman]

You have 2 great guns there, its going to come down to which one is more comfortable to carry, my bet is you are going to carry the 1911 being that its a lot thinner easier to conceal, only 8 rounds so it will be lighter, the HK loaded up with 15 rounds is going to be heavy, carry both for a couple of days and see which one feels better after a 8 hr day.No double action can be faster than a single action 1911 except for maybe the SiG DAK, if youre right handed your 1911 will be faster, oh you have a Taurus so its ambidextrous no problem for lefties.

carry both and see what happens.

[den9]

if it were me, id carry the p30, but thats just because i dont trust taurus and hk is a proven gun.

[PhilaShooter]

THIS IS MY OPINION

Yea I did a lot of studying on the Taurus 1911's and they say they are some of the best 1911's around...all about there parts and there parts are all made to fit this handgun like a glove, literally. The Heine sights, springs...everything. They are under estimated IMO, shoots EXTREMLY accurate also, follow up shots go right thru the first hole if your on point with your shooting. Same with the P30 also but for a .45 this Taurus is dayum sweet and recoil is not bad at all....being that it's a .45.

What about holsters ? What's the best/most comfortable area to carry in, behind the back ? I like the ones that go around the shoulders, like suspenders almost except no clipping to your pants lol, but then I'd have to wear a button down shirt all the time right...or a jacket maybe...so good for cool days of in the winter i'm guessing....

Also anyone know about Hydra-Shock rounds...are they legal to carry ?? I was told they were but would cops frown on that...don't want any problems you know.

[rwb1500]

Holster choice has a lot to do with what you're comfortable with. A shoulder holster is great, and will hold a heavy gun well, and won't make you uncomfortable(ish). That being said, like you mentioned, you'll have to wear a jacket or something over it if you want it concealed.

There are tons of high quality holster makers out there. A outside the waistband holster would be best for the size of your pistols, also helps from making you uncomfortable. Even in this category there are tons of styles to choose from. You could get a padle holster that pushes the gun up high and tight against your side, or a leather "basket" type holster that will make carrying the gun more comfortable. I carry inside my waistband, but I almost always carry pistols that are smaller than yours. It might take some doing to figure out what you like. Go to a store and check out different models, ask if they'll let you put them on, etc.


As far as where you put the holster, again, it's personal. I like my holster at about 4 o'clock on my strong side, but that's because I usually wear it inside my pants. Lots of guys carry OWB at 3 o'clock. It's all a matter of preference. Small of the back is usually more of a Hollywood thing. It's slow to draw from and how can you sit down? I don't want a gun up my ass... Again, it's all preference. You may find you like carrying a few different ways.


Good luck!

[fastfive0]

I would never trust my life to a Taurus semi-auto. I have just seen too many failures. And yes I do own 2 Taurus pistols. So HK all the way.

[Wise10]

Those are both pretty big guns to carry concealed. It's definitely doable, especially if you use a shoulder rig, but you may want to consider looking at some smaller-frame handguns if you are considering carrying. It would be a lot easier to carry a smaller, lighter gun like a Glock 26 or a S&W j-frame than a full-size 1911 or the H&K. I prefer to carry inside-the-waistband behind my right hip, and think it offers a good blend of comfort and concealment. If you want a well-built holster that won't break the bank, I'd suggest the Don Hume H715.
Also, the Hydra-shoks are fine. They're just hollowpoints, and hollowpoints are legal. I carry Hydra-shoks in Philly every day.

[mrnyman]

The Man said he HAS NO PROBLEM with his Taurus 1911, it shoots accurately and is reliable , what more can
Taurus do?

What about the 23 year old man up in Oregon that used his Brand new just bought as few days before Taurus Pt 1911 to kill a Brown bear that tracked him and tried to kill him? I guess his life doesnt mean anything in all thit Anti Taurus BS ah? Why every 1911 thread has to turn into a anti-Taurus thread?
The Man said he is happy with his and so do i.

And what about all those HK's with broken or snapped off triggers? I bet you would bet your life to thos because they are HK"s ah?
A 1911 will carry better than a large double stack HK any day.

[P-11 shooter]

I like those taurus 1911's. I don't like all the flashy crap they print all over the slide, but for the price it's a damn fine 1911.

The only thing I'd urge you to stay away from is carrying small of back. Not only is it slow to draw and uncomfortable when sitting, it's the least secure position as far as retention goes. If somebody is behind you it's 10 times easier for them to draw your gun than you and just the act of doing so puts your arm in a chicken wing. Basically giving him your arm and if he's close enough to grab it he has control over you.

1911's are slim and conceal really well on a hip. If you're not going to be sitting alot 2:00 is really fast to draw, conceals well, and is much better position as far as retention is concerned.

Good luck and be safe.

[PhilaShooter]

The Man said he HAS NO PROBLEM with his Taurus 1911, it shoots accurately and is reliable , what more can
Taurus do?

What about the 23 year old man up in Oregon that used his Brand new just bought as few days before Taurus Pt 1911 to kill a Brown bear that tracked him and tried to kill him? I guess his life doesnt mean anything in all thit Anti Taurus BS ah? Why every 1911 thread has to turn into a anti-Taurus thread?
The Man said he is happy with his and so do i.

And what about all those HK's with broken or snapped off triggers? I bet you would bet your life to thos because they are HK"s ah?
A 1911 will carry better than a large double stack HK any day.

Yea for some reason I have seen a lot of people bash them lately....I personally would trust the Taurus PT1911 with my life hands down. Me and my 2 buddies each bought a Taurus PT1911, myself and 1 of them with the rail for a light, and my other buddy without the rail but they have never had ANY problems at all....take them to the range and they go bang every time, easy to break down, recoil isn't bad at all. I guess that's just my opinion tho, maybe some of these people have had bad experiences with them, but just because it's not a $1200 Kimber it can't be good kind of person is just trying to justify why they spent $1200 and we (taurus owners) spent $500-$600 on something just as good or better Nothing against Kimber specifically just using as an example.

That being said I haven't had the HK P30 long enough to say it's 100% reliable....no problems thus far, with the weather getting nicer now I will be taking her to the range A LOT, with the Taurus...wanna start shooting them every week to get comfortable with them and know each one's strength's and flaws.