Hey there guys, im currently considering obtaining a handgun for conceal and carry purposes.

Im a complete newb when it comes to firearms only having shot a friends on occasion so I have enrolled to do a complete training course at the end of this month.

However in the mean time I have been browsing the interwebs and doing a lot of reading on the subject.

To be honest the choices are rather overwhelming and peoples opinions differ greatly.

I know the most common response to the "which gun" question is, "go shoot them both and find out which one you are more comfortable with". That however is easier said than done here in SA, its more of an order it and be happy with what you get scenario here.

So I have kind of narrowed it down to three choices. All three are HK's as Im not happy with the lack of a fixed safety on the glock.

They are:
P2000 9mm
P2000 40S&W
P30 9mm

Now the P30 is the biggest of the three according to the stats on the HK website, and it is perhaps approaching being too big for a conceal and carry, well at least in my case as I am pretty skinny

Then there are the P2000's which from the reviews that I have read, score very well. But there is a choice to be made there, 9mm or 40S&W. You obviously loose a round if you go the 40 route, 10 vs 9 but gain that extra punch (or do you? as this is also debatable).

So there is the dilemma that I am faced with and I would greatly appreciate it if some of you seasoned professionals could offer your advice.

Thanks

 

If you are considering a P2000 get the SK version for more concealability if you want the fullsize just get a P30 instead. I have a P2000sk in 357sig and have a barrel for 40s&w and a P30L. I prefer 357sig to the 40s&w. I never carry the P30L but it is a great shooter.

 

You are really splitting hairs on the 9mm v. .40 issue, so do not sweat that. You have plenty of time to get into bullet sized bigotry! I know... I am a .45 bigot!

I am not a fan of HK rifles(personal opinion/preference), but no one can fault HK for what they do and how they do it. They make a firearm that is comfortable to most people. Their line of pistols are excellent. You will enjoy any of the choices that you highlighted.

As for the Glock and the external safety issue, understand that you are actually talking about one of Glocks greatest features! A Glock is one of the safest guns in the world because of its safety system. Realize that in a bad situation, the fewer distractions you have, the better off your going to fair.

So do not rule out Glock on the stipulation that you have made. There is a reason that Glock is as popular in military, law enforcement and personal defense circles. You just can't go wrong with a Glock.

And it is here that you would have decisions to make. Trigger pull... You may like the HK over a Glock. Choose any HK you'll be fine. Choose any Glock, you'll be fine. Choosing between grip feel + trigger pull is where you have choices to make.

 

Dam this forum is efficient, reply's within the minute

I did look at the SK version and it is definitely a choice to consider. I worry that it is perhaps too short for me though, the height of the gun that is. I only base this on the fact that I shot a glock 27 if I remember correctly and it was also small like that. Not much room under the trigger guard, felt kind of cramped.

But perhaps this just takes getting used to and you cant have the best of both worlds. How does the SK shoot?

I agree 100% and its not myself that I am worried about, its just that situation that should never ever occur that worries me. The situation when you mess up and leave the gun loaded somewhere where a child or someone who doesn't know better, finds the gun loaded and well you know the rest. I just feel that in a situation like that the external safety is an extra precaution.

 

My pinkie finger hangs off of the bottom of sk but you get used to it. The recoil isn't too bad at all, the 40 being a bit snappier than the 357.

 

Yes I remember that was it, I didnt know what to do with my pinky
Am i right that you can get a larger magazine that then gives you essentially a longer grip?
And for conceal and carry purposes the SK works okay?

Thanks for the help.

 

You can get an extended baseplate for a few dollars and replace the existing baseplate. Depending on how large your hands are it can still be a very tight squeeze.

It is a tiny gun, very easy to hide under almost any clothing

 

I don't know what the situation is like in SA, but checking ammo availability/prices these days can be a big factor.

 

For anyone that cares, H&K is making the P30 in .40cal soon.