I've been researching carry pistols that I could conceal in work clothes (slacks & dress shirt or polo). Size and weight were definitely a factor (that's what she said?). I narrowed it down to 5 to start with:
Sig P238
S&W Bodyguard (.380)
Sig P938
S&W M&P Shield (9mm or .40)
Glock 26 (9mm)
I took the 'need more stopping power' argument and knocked out the .380s, even though I'm a big fan of the p238 and it's the smallest and lightest by far. Reviews for the Shield and Glock were both great, but the p938 has had a fair number of 'failure to extract' issues. That plus the limited availability and high cost took that out. The Glock and Shield were pretty comparable, but the shield was lighter and came in .40 (although a 3 finger grip on a short barrel .40 makes it difficult to put multiple shots on target quickly). I was leaning towards the Shield, then I read an article that a friend posted on another board:
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/7866
Now I'm back to the P238. Great reviews, 1911 design, proven, small and light.
The results I got from the study lead me to believe that there really isn't that much difference between most defensive handgun rounds and calibers. None is a death ray, but most work adequately...I've stopped worrying about trying to find the "ultimate" bullet. There isn't one. And I've stopped feeling the need to strap on my .45 every time I leave the house out of fear that my 9mm doesn't have enough "stopping power." Folks, carry what you want. Caliber really isn't all that important.Take a look at the data. I hope it helps you decide what weapon to carry. No matter which gun you choose, pick one that is reliable and train with it until you can get fast accurate hits. Nothing beyond that really matters!
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