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Cool weather options

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Shibadog

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As cool weather comes I always see folks talking about moving to a “winter” gun-larger and heavier but can be carried concealed easily under a winter coat. That’s all true, but it’s equally true that the big blaster secured under a heavy coat is not exactly “accessible” quickly. Having spent many years in the land of the long winter I take a very different approach. In colder weather, when a heavy coat is needed I’m usually carrying my favorite pocket pistol-a Bond Bullpup 9 in a sticky holster, either in a blue Jean or coat pocket. Very concealable 8 rd piece and very accessible. You can literally have it in your hand inside a coat pocket where it’s ready if, God forbid, it’s ever needed. Meanwhile I can be nice and warm inside my heavy coat. Next time you’re preparing for winter carry ask yourself “can I actually get to that cannon under my coat quickly?” If the answer is “no” perhaps it’s time to review your options.

FWIW I have a first year production Bond that I bought new. To date it has well over 2 k rounds through it, including 800 of my reloads and, thus far, nary a single hiccup. I’ve not used Blazer aluminum case or any junk steel case stuff, but it’s ate a bunch of S&B and Winchester white box. A very fine firearm imho.
 
Here ya go. My J frame has a 1 7/8” tube. The Bond is like 3.35.” and 7+1 rounds. It’s a weird looking little guy and the mags look like you loaded ‘em backwards, but it’s light, small, accurate and reliable. If I had a dollar for every mile mines been carried I could pay cash for that new Porche 911🙄
 

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Shibadog said:
Here ya go. My J frame has a 1 7/8” tube. The Bond is like 3.35.” and 7+1 rounds. It’s a weird looking little guy and the mags look like you loaded ‘em backwards, but it’s light, small, accurate and reliable. If I had a dollar for every mile mines been carried I could pay cash for that new Porche 911🙄
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Somebody chopped the barrel off that pistol 😳
 
I will carry my Masada until sweater weather, which hasn’t even happened yet, then I will carry my VP9SK, but I’m going to start carrying the M&P45 when I’m out on the trails. I’m thinking a lot about the need to be effective through multiple layers of clothing for the places I’ll be going.
 
Cool weather season here is a long sleeve tee or a light jacket at best. Summer and winter carry is pretty much the same. I appendix carry and i can get away with anything from a P365 to a VP9/PDP 4in. I have a really nice 5.11 jacket that has pockets with zippers on the inside that you can use as a pass through to your edc for when it gets particularly cool. A heavy winter jacket probably gets a week’s worth of wearing and thats not seven days in a row.
 
belladonna said:
I will carry my Masada until sweater weather, which hasn’t even happened yet, then I will carry my VP9SK, but I’m going to start carrying the M&P45 when I’m out on the trails. I’m thinking a lot about the need to be effective through multiple layers of clothing for the places I’ll be going.
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While I also run a M&P 45 compact sometimes because it’s all 50 state legal when I travel a 9mm has better penetration more times than not over 45. The one exception to readily available ammo (as in you don’t have to order it shelf stuff at academy etc) is Critical Duty (duty not defense )

The myth that 9mm doesn’t penetrate is exaggerated. And as far as the NYPD 124 Gold Dot not making it through a Carhart was total BS. The round was fully expanded it was traced back to an ill informed EMT saw it on the ground as it was stopped by the coat on the back side and EMT laid it in the body as the didn’t know what to do with it. And the rumors started.
 
South Texas is hot for 11 months out of the year. That 1 month is usually light jacket weather, with a few days of colder coat weather. When not a work (can't carry at work, a federal military installation) I'll always be in athletic shorts and a tee-shirt. Kinda hard to conceal, so for the last decade or so, I've used a fanny pack holster. Worked well when I carried my XDs .45, and now works well since I switched to my HK VP-9SK. My tee-shirt mostly hangs over the front of it, so it's mostly unseen. For over 10 years no one has ever given it a second look, let alone a first look. The only change up I have is when I'm working outside at my place (I live in the country) or walking my dogs in cooler weather. Then it's a Kenai chest holster. I have 4 different switchable holster shells for it. One for my SA XDM .45, one for my S&W M&P R8 .357 revolver, one for my HK VP-9SK, and one for my S&W Governor revolver. Different tasks decide which pistol goes in the chest holster.
 
This pops up a bunch, but wouldn't the best winter carry option be what you carried all summer long, train with and are used to? I carry my Performance Center Shield+ all year with the exception of the 640 Pro when in a more "dress" environment. My thinking is if I'm used to grabbing a compact and reach in and grab the brick Glock 19 my mojo is going to be off kilter.
 
bangnburp said:
This pops up a bunch, but wouldn't the best winter carry option be what you carried all summer long, train with and are used to? I carry my Performance Center Shield+ all year with the exception of the 640 Pro when in a more "dress" environment. My thinking is if I'm used to grabbing a compact and reach in and grab the brick Glock 19 my mojo is going to be off kilter.
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Probably depends on what you're carrying and how. I have a few Shields and they work well IWB in a CB MiniTuck. I wouldn't carry them that way under a coat though. The only way I'd carry IWB under a coat is AIWB. It also depends on how similar your full size is to your compact and whether or not you train with it.
 
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