Full size gun for concealed carry?

[blues]

Though I fail to see how "full size pistol" can be confusing, it is obviously stumping some of our members. Service size is a great way to describe the level of capability one should be looking for in a primary piece. That was my point when I said earlier that people should pick the gun that works best for them, regardless of designation. I carry a full size gun because I prefer it to my other options. I carried a compact (G19 or P228/229) for many years and both I and my organizations considered them to be appropriate service weapons. Today, I prefer the bigger guns, even though I'm a "non full size person."

Sometimes you just know what's coming...even with only a quick peek...

[Dagga Boy]

Though I fail to see how "full size pistol" can be confusing, it is obviously stumping some of our members. Service size is a great way to describe the level of capability one should be looking for in a primary piece. That was my point when I said earlier that people should pick the gun that works best for them, regardless of designation. I carry a full size gun because I prefer it to my other options. I carried a compact (G19 or P228/229) for many years and both I and my organizations considered them to be appropriate service weapons. Today, I prefer the bigger guns, even though I'm a "non full size person."

Gotcha....I feel like GJM right now...., except bigger.

[Dagga Boy]

So does this make the USP 45 Expert a plus size....?

[JHC]

Though I fail to see how "full size pistol" can be confusing, it is obviously stumping some of our members. Service size is a great way to describe the level of capability one should be looking for in a primary piece. That was my point when I said earlier that people should pick the gun that works best for them, regardless of designation. I carry a full size gun because I prefer it to my other options. I carried a compact (G19 or P228/229) for many years and both I and my organizations considered them to be appropriate service weapons. Today, I prefer the bigger guns, even though I'm a "non full size person."

I didn't see it stump anyone. It was your secondary question of if you don't, why not ("what times are those"), that dragged the G19 into it.

Last week while traveling to frigid WI I took a 43 and 17. The extra grip of the 17 gave me more trouble than it was worth IMO, vs the 19s I left locked up in the safe.

[SLG]

I didn't see it stump anyone. It was your secondary question of if you don't, why not ("what times are those"), that dragged the G19 into it.

Last week while traveling to frigid WI I took a 43 and 17. The extra grip of the 17 gave me more trouble than it was worth IMO, vs the 19s I left locked up in the safe.

I guess I don't see that. Wondering why someone carries something else (as in what circumstances would dictate that) is not the same as thinking a G19 is a full size gun. Several people here seem to think an officers frame or a G19 is a full size gun. I don't. I also don't think there is any room for disagreement about this. It may be fun to talk about some guns like USP 45 experts as "plus size", but that is a gun that was never intended for concealed carry. A G19 might be a perfectly fine duty weapon, but full size it is not. What is the disconnect?

[DocSabo40]

I guess I don't see that. Wondering why someone carries something else (as in what circumstances would dictate that) is not the same as thinking a G19 is a full size gun. Several people here seem to think an officers frame or a G19 is a full size gun. I don't. I also don't think there is any room for disagreement about this. It may be fun to talk about some guns like USP 45 experts as "plus size", but that is a gun that was never intended for concealed carry. A G19 might be a perfectly fine duty weapon, but full size it is not. What is the disconnect?

A lack of actual dimensions. From your statements earlier and using the manufacturer specs, a G19 with a height of 5.00" and a length of 6.85" is not full size, but a G17 with a height of 5.43" and a length of 7.32" is. A SIG p229 with a height of 5.4" and a length of 7.4" is not full size, but a P226 with a height of 5.5" and a length of 8" is. The P229 and the G17 have the same dimensions, but you are considering one compact and one not. I'm in CA so I don't have my 229 and G17 in front of me, but those numbers sound right.

I carry a 229 in a George. I don't carry a 226 because it's bigger, has the same capacity, and I don't own one.

[JHC]

I guess I don't see that. Wondering why someone carries something else (as in what circumstances would dictate that) is not the same as thinking a G19 is a full size gun. Several people here seem to think an officers frame or a G19 is a full size gun. I don't. I also don't think there is any room for disagreement about this. It may be fun to talk about some guns like USP 45 experts as "plus size", but that is a gun that was never intended for concealed carry. A G19 might be a perfectly fine duty weapon, but full size it is not. What is the disconnect?

Agreed. I think a few of us centered in on when don't we carry a fullsize.

[Cypher]

OK now I'm confused (doesn't take much)

Glock 19 is designated by Glock as compact but it's the same size and capacity as a S&W 915 which isn't a compact. If you go by a 5 inch barrel my M&PFS isn't Full Sized.

I said this before but in Colorado Springs, licenced armed security can't carry less than a 4 inch barrel but that's the only size criteria except that State Law limits magazine capacity to 15 rounds.
Is there a standard designation?

[dookie1481]

Is there a standard designation?

Typically it refers to the largest non-long slide version of a model. It astonishes me that people have spent like 5 pages debating this nonsense.

[David S.]

It astonishes me that people have spent like 5 pages debating this nonsense.

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