What would YOU choose for a vest carry BUG?

[nitesite]

Okay, I'm thinking of a graduation present for myself. I have a decent back-up-gun but I want to throw this out for y'all to help me with deciding/rationalizing whether to buy another to supplement/replace it (or not).

One of these options (the GLOCK) offers a commonality of magazines but it's much heavier than some of the other handguns in my poll. The XD9 Sub-Compact is also heavy, but I love the XD and can shoot lots of cast boolits for practice. The 9mm 709 Slim is 18-oz unloaded and 8+1, and of course you all know about the LCR and 442 features and attributes.

Other info: I carry either a G34 or a G22 but might switch to a G35. However, if same caliber/magazine compatability is critical I don't want a .40S&W sub compact semi. I'd rather stay with the nine in that case.

Thanks a lot for looking!

Dave

[BigSlick]

G26 all the way.

It works, it's cheap, mag compatibility, decent options for bullet choice.

At least 10 rounds depending upon how you carry

Plus, common trigger feel and sight picture, albeit a slightly shorter sight radius

And, you know it goes bang every time

[jawjaboy]

I voted other muther....

I know dey ugly...yet sooo fine.


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g194/jawjaboy/IMG_0497.jpg

[nitesite]

Is that the 649? Nice!

[helitack32f1]

I too be thinkin' the G26 makes the most sense. That being said though the LCR is a real nice feeling little gun too as well as light weight. Personally, I would look into the Ruger Sr9c as well. But I just have a fondness for the Sr9's

[craig110]

I definitely vote G26 since it has mag compatibility with your primary gun. Look at it this way: If you're in a fight and have to pull out your backup under severe stress, do you A) want to try to remember where this gun's mags are so you don't waste time trying to jam the wrong mag into it, and, B) want to be carrying around the mags / bullets from the first gun that are now useless to you? And, of course even if you don't need the backup there is "C" which is risking pulling out the BUG mags at the wrong moment and trying to jam them into the primary gun.

IMO, "wrong-mag" problems make mag compatibility not only a no-brainer, but a requirement.

[BigSlick]

I did a little lookin around about the 709 Slim...

Seems like the general consensus from a few owners at least is they named it the 709 Slim to make sure you know the chances of it firing and feeding reliably when you need it to are slim.

I'm not about to bash Taurus, all mfrs have a hiccup now and again (and some again and again) but the early info seems to be it needs to grow up a little before it's ready for prime time.

Mag issues, extractor issues, loose fit were all problems I read of.

Of course, you might find one that's better, and 99.9% of people who buy a gun don't clean it before the first range trip, but before I'd stake my extraoridnarily fine black arse on a 709 Slim, I'd hafta run a years worth of ammo thru it first - and that would have to run 100%

Buy the G26 or go with a wheelie ;)

ETA: Craig makes an excellent point regarding mags. When the heat is on is no time to hafta play musical chairs for a reload.

[jawjaboy]

Be a 638 NS. 13.5 ounces mt, wheel thin.

Otherwise, G26 all da way. YMMV.

[nitesite]

JJB,

638 is what I meaned to say. The 649 is totally unnecessary IMHO.

Well, seems that my list has been narrowed down considerably* since I posted this.

* Like down to (a) the 442 I already own, and (b) the one my wife just brought home about twenty minutes ago and surprised me with. She was supposed to be picking up ice cream.......

[jawjaboy]

* Like down to (a) the 442 I already own, and (b) the one my wife just brought home about twenty minutes ago and surprised me with. She was supposed to be picking up ice cream.......


And what might that be?

[nitesite]

And what might that be?

Well, she was with me at Academy Sports this afternoon while I looked at a Ruger LCR, a G26, an XD9 sub, and a 709 Slim.

She said she got a vibe off me as I was talking with the salesman ( a retired cop ).

[ddcarter3]

LCR cause I have one.
G26 is my everyday carry.

[craig110]

Well, that sure does make the decision easier. :gathering:

[helitack32f1]

Well, she was with me at Academy Sports this afternoon while I looked at a Ruger LCR, a G26, an XD9 sub, and a 709 Slim.

She said she got a vibe off me as I was talking with the salesman ( a retired cop ).

Sooo... What'd she get ya? Did I miss that little bit o info?:hypno:

[nitesite]

I'm leaving that part out for a bit longer so's not to skew the poll.... ;)

[nitesite]

Well, I suppose interest has waned. And I have to leave in two hours and won't be online 'till Thursday night. Soooooo.......

I have a Taurus 709 Slim. No thicker than a pack of playing cards and a 9mm. It has been 100% reliable with any ammo I have thrown at it all day long, and Speer 124-gr +P Gold Dots average 1085-fps out of it. I cleaned it, lubed it and have shot over 350 rounds thru it already and not one malf.

It will stick to the vest under my right breast pocket with this:
http://www.511tactical.com/browse/Home/Law-Enforcement/Tactical-Vests/Accessories/Holster-Pouch/D/30100/P/1:100:10000:10500:10501/I/59002

I think the reports of unreliability were either during the initial runout or from folks who left the sticky/thick white grease inside and just took it out of the box and tried to shoot it.

Yeah, I know the G26 would have been a great choice, but for weight and thickness this little baby is great. And it has double-strike capability unlike most single action pistols. Right out of the box it shoots to the sights @ 7-yards and I'm happy with it.

I can still carry a 442 in an ankle holster if I don't want this under my shirt. Hell, on midnight shift I can freakin' carry both, dammit.

Y'all be nice now but still I have the flame suit on at this time. :)

[jawjaboy]

:blackdog:Congrat NS.

No flame from me Bro. I don't have a problem with Taurus. At all.

[nitesite]

Joe, thanks Brother.

This was not what I walked in desparately wanting but I really believe it's a sleeper of a gun. I'm really grateful to to Kathy for surprising me with it.

I shot the hell out of it today and I'm a believer so far. And I'm also going to have to find a mould so I can shoot lead for practice.

I believe that a 124-gr Gold Dot going 1085 is going to hurt really bad on the receiving end, but I hope to never find out.

[jawjaboy]

And I'm also going to have to find a mould so I can shoot lead for practice.


I got a two cavity LEE TL356-124-2R that I a be glad to let ya borry for a spell. Jes lemme know.


http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=141131

[nitesite]

I got a two cavity LEE TL356-124-2R that I a be glad to let ya borry for a spell. Jes lemme know.


http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=141131

Borrowed it shall be! I have to hit the highway in one minute so I'll call you this evening. Thank you so very much!

[craig110]

Flame suit??!!?? Your wife buys you a gun and you think you'll need a flamesuit here? :hypno: Congrats!

[Dark Horse]

We like perty damn near anything that goes bang. We're not gonna flame ya. Hell we pics of a pink Sig on the board.

[helitack32f1]

Congrats NS on your new present! Definitely got yerself a very concealable little gun there and I hope it truly works well for you. We'll need a range report and some pics too! (Please?):cheezy:

[BigSlick]

I'd say your Mrs is more than golden buying you a new heater :thumbsup:

No other gift you can buy says I love you like giving a new gun to make sure you come home safe and in one piece.

That right there is what makes the world go around.

If you get time post a couple pics.

I'm glad to see it's running right first time out. It always makes me smile when a new gun runs, mine or anyone else's. Kinda gives me a warm fuzzy that everything is gonna be OK in the world.

[Trooperdan]

Glock 36, no doubt about it!

[nitesite]

Well, I know Taurus has some critics and some people like them.

I went off this review at Gunblast
http://gunblast.com/Taurus-PT709.htm
before looking at one, and both he and I share the same opinion that it's a good pistol, and I like the single stack slim design.

Anyway, lots of shooting so far has not led to a single malfunction.

[jawjaboy]

I got a two cavity LEE TL356-124-2R that I a be glad to let ya borry for a spell. Jes lemme know.


http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=141131


Warning to self...always make sure you got, what you say you got. :censored:

Went to get the mould yesterday to send to NS, nowhere to be found. I put on my Dick Tracy wrist watch today and tracked it down, along with 3 other moulds. They been gone 6 months, 10 miles from home.

Embarrasing it is. :paperbag1:



http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g194/jawjaboy/IMG_0770.jpg

[Harley Rider 55]

1st or 2nd or 3rd backup?

[nitesite]

Hmmm.... Must I divulge that? ;) The other(s)* may not want to be called second or third. :)

* - if they do exist

FWIW, I've been shooting my 709 Slim almost every day with factory ammo and reloads and it still hasn't had a single failure. Last time out was with homebrew cast bullets and it ran perfecty.

So far nobody even knows it is velcroed on my vest, which is the whole intent!

[helitack32f1]

Hmmm.... Must I divulge that? ;) The other(s)* may not want to be called second or third. :)

* - if they do exist

FWIW, I've been shooting my 709 Slim almost every day with factory ammo and reloads and it still hasn't had a single failure. Last time out was with homebrew cast bullets and it ran perfecty.

So far nobody even knows it is velcroed on my vest, which is the whole intent!

Thank for the update on the 709. I am so glad to hear of its flawless operation. It seems so many have reservations about either taurus autos, or Taurus Revolvers. I want to believe they are ok. Then I can justify buying a few!

[Harley Rider 55]

Vest carry? I had no idea there were that many bikers on the site.

[nitesite]

Vest carry? I had no idea there were that many bikers on the site.

Hah~~~~~~ That's a great line! :mf_w00t2:

Here's what I'm doing for "vest carry"

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/nitesite9/Taurus-709-on-vest.jpg

The gun runs great, and I qualified with it last week. So far nobody has commented on noticing it. I told a few fellow officers and each said something like "Wow, I never even knew."

[Arc Angel]

Wow! You guys carry some of the largest, 'BUGS' I've ever seen!

I got to be a barbeque chef this weekend. I looked very unarmed as I stood behind the grill with only a set of tongs or a spatula in my hands. My Bermuda shorts, knobby knees, and apron belied the fact that I had a Beretta 3032 fitted with a large, 'golf ball' front sight and loaded with 8 rounds inside my front pocket.

Before I'd carry some of the sizable hardware mentioned in this thread I'd just strap on my customary Model 21, drop the edge of my Aloha shirt over the top, and proceed as usual. The principal reason I carry an, 'Alley Cat' is because it's, both, small AND, with its nice fat grip, I'm able to transition over from a much larger pistol without losing either my grip or accuracy.

If I'm going to carry something as humongous as a G-26, the left side of the slide's going to say, '21'; otherwise, we're definitely talking about something in 32 ACP. (I've got 380's too; but, I wouldn't call them, 'BUGS'. I'd call them small pistols, instead.)

[helitack32f1]

Wow! You guys carry some of the largest, 'BUGS' I've ever seen!

I got to be a barbeque chef this weekend. I looked very unarmed as I stood behind the grill with only a set of tongs or a spatula in my hands. My Bermuda shorts, knobby knees, and apron belied the fact that I had a Beretta 3032 fitted with a large, 'golf ball' front sight and loaded with 8 rounds inside my front pocket.

Before I'd carry some of the sizable hardware mentioned in this thread I'd just strap on my customary Model 21, drop the edge of my Aloha shirt over the top, and proceed as usual. The principal reason I carry an, 'Alley Cat' is because it's, both, small AND, with its nice fat grip, I'm able to transition over from a much larger pistol without losing either my grip or accuracy.

If I'm going to carry something as humongous as a G-26, the left side of the slide's going to say, '21'; otherwise, we're definitely talking about something in 32 ACP. (I've got 380's too; but, I wouldn't call them, 'BUGS'. I'd call them small pistols, instead.)

I actually sold my 3032 in anticipation of getting the LCP. LCP is lighter, thinner and shoots a bigger bullet. And the Tomcat's firing pin expired in under 50 rounds, not to mention the slide problems some of them have had. I was just not impressed with the build quality of mine. The thick grip was nice for shooting but not so much for carrying. Love the LCP though.

[Arc Angel]

I actually sold my 3032 in anticipation of getting the LCP. LCP is lighter, thinner and shoots a bigger bullet. And the Tomcat's firing pin expired in under 50 rounds, not to mention the slide problems some of them have had. I was just not impressed with the build quality of mine. The thick grip was nice for shooting but not so much for carrying. Love the LCP though.

You know, I hear and read this a lot. I have to suspect that most of these complaints originate with the earlier production runs. (Before the improved slide and extended safety lever.) All I can say is that if this little Beretta didn't work I'd have gotten rid of it a long time ago.

As it is, I've got, something, more than 800 rounds of Magtech ammo through it - All without any problems. I don't know? Maybe it depends on who you talk to. I've read and heard about plenty of troublesome Ruger LCP's too; so, as with lots of other things in life, it probably comes down to, 'the luck of the draw'.

The 3032 shoots nice and straight for me. If I pay attention, at and inside 7 1/2 yards, I can use it every bit as well as a full size pistol. If it ever, 'goes South' on me would I purchase another one? Probably not, but, I've never been a big Beretta fan; and, from what little experience I've had, the factory service stinks.

Still, I don't expect my Beretta 3032 to be up for sale anytime soon.

[helitack32f1]

You know, I hear and read this a lot. I have to suspect that most of these complaints originate with the earlier production runs. (Before the improved slide and extended safety lever.) All I can say is that if this little Beretta didn't work I'd have gotten rid of it a long time ago.

As it is, I've got, something, more than 800 rounds of Magtech ammo through it - All without any problems. I don't know? Maybe it depends on who you talk to. I've read and heard about plenty of troublesome Ruger LCP's too; so, as with lots of other things in life, it probably comes down to, 'the luck of the draw'.

The 3032 shoots nice and straight for me. If I pay attention, at and inside 7 1/2 yards, I can use it every bit as well as a full size pistol. If it ever, 'goes South' on me would I purchase another one? Probably not, but, I've never been a big Beretta fan; and, from what little experience I've had, the factory service stinks.

Still, I don't expect my Beretta 3032 to be up for sale anytime soon.

i have to agree with you on pretty much all counts. I bought my Tomcat very early and it may have had teething troubles due to early production. I also believe the Tomcat fit the hand better for firing and is a lot more fun to shoot.
It does seem to be a luck of the draw sorta thing as I did have a problem with the Beretta and none with the LCP. I will say i was still disappointed with the build quality. I went with the LCP mostly due to weight, thin profile and bigger bullet. I still feel inadequate with .380 and .32 acp more so.
It is interesting to note that the two-tone 3032 has a different sized slide compared to the dark version.