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View Poll Results: The longest time period you've carried the same gun
6 months or less 12 7.74%
6 months to 1 year 9 5.81%
1 to 2 years 22 14.19%
2 to 3 years 16 10.32%
3 to 4 years 24 15.48%
5 years + 72 46.45%
Voters: 155. You may not vote on this poll

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Old October 22, 2012, 01:12 PM   #1
C Philip
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How long have you gone without changing your primary carry gun?

I am curious as to how long most people carry a certain gun before they decide to switch to something else. From people who change their primary carry gun every few months to those who've carried the same gun for years, what's the longest time period you have gone without changing?

What are usually your reasons for changing, or not changing?

For me it's usually 1-2 years. First I carried a Walther P99 for about a year before deciding a full size service pistol was too big. Switched to a PPS for about 2 years before it started having reliability issues. Now I'm on a HK P7.
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Old October 22, 2012, 01:31 PM   #2
Ambishot
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I selected 1-2 years

I'm in an area that has all four seasons. The weather/my dress attire usually determines what size of carry piece I have on me. It took about a year of awkward printing to realize I needed to have a summer carry option and an "all other seasons" option.

...my slender build also comes into play here.
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Old October 22, 2012, 01:42 PM   #3
jasmith85
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I think the longest I have gone was just under a year. That will probably have changed by this time next year though. I have been carrying my p229 around 4 months now and have no intention of changing.
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Old October 22, 2012, 03:33 PM   #4
BarryLee
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Not 100% sure how to answer since I carry different guns based on the venue and mode of dress. I have carried a SIG P229 as my primary for about 1.5 years, but again occasionally mix other models in there.
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Old October 22, 2012, 03:40 PM   #5
CCCLVII
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Been carrying my J-frame for 3 years now.
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Old October 22, 2012, 03:52 PM   #6
micromontenegro
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I've been carrying my PPK/S for about 23-25 years now.
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Old October 22, 2012, 03:58 PM   #7
MonsterB
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+1 to the multiple Sig229 carriers who already posted! I recently picked up a 229, and have carried it a few times, but Im having a hard time switching from my beloved Glock23. The Sig has really impressed me, and is setup great for carry, its the Extreme model with Sig night sights and the piranna grip. Only problem thus far is that 90% + of my shooting time has been with Glocks, and to me they are second nature. I have been struggling a bit with the first shot double action pull on the Sig, and with time and practice I expect that to change. But I love the Glock design and shoot them well, its very light, 100% reliable, on and on. So to answer the op's question, about 3 years now I have been carrying either a Glock 26 or a Glock 23, with an occasional Sig or Smith revolver every so often.
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Old October 22, 2012, 04:00 PM   #8
Dragline45
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I constantly buy and sell/trade looking for the perfect carry gun. Made the decision recently to get rid of all my DAO and striker fired guns and replace them with DA/SA. Just sold my S&W 640 and am looking to pick up a Sig 232 to replace it, and soon I will be selling my SR9C to get a Sig 239.
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Old October 22, 2012, 04:16 PM   #9
Tinner666
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Carried a 6906 for years until stolen when my truck was broken into. At the same time, I was also using a PT22. Carrying Glock now and probably won't switch again.
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Old October 22, 2012, 05:11 PM   #10
C Philip
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Quote:
I've been carrying my PPK/S for about 23-25 years now.
Wow, I bet it has some crazy holster wear by now. Have you needed to refinish it?
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Old October 22, 2012, 06:39 PM   #11
PSP
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I obtained my first carry permit in 1975 and since then I have gone through four carry guns, (not counting my Seecamp which spans 26 of those years as a bug). My current gun was aquired in 2007 and will probably serve me a long time. The longest was 16 years, a magnificent Beretta 84f.
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Old October 22, 2012, 06:49 PM   #12
PeterGreg
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I didn’t vote because it presumes a change, 2+ years and still going. I don’t change but at times just add a bigger gun.
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Old October 22, 2012, 07:15 PM   #13
larryh1108
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It's been an LCP since they came out. Why change what isn't broken?
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Old October 22, 2012, 07:18 PM   #14
Bob Wright
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For m any years my daily carry gun was my S&W Model 19. Then, in the fall of 2010 I shot off my mouth about the general unsuitability of carrying a single action as a daily sidearm. Folks over on the Ruger forum challenged me on that, and I realized I had never really tried it.

So, I got my Ruger Blackhawk .44 Special and a Bob Mernickle PS-6 SA holster and gave it a try. Don't think I'll ever go back to a small bore revolver.

A .44 caliber 240 gr. SJHP at around 925 fps is a lot more comforting to me.

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Old October 22, 2012, 07:29 PM   #15
giaquir
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In 1972,I started carrying a chief's
special. I retired it Dec of 2010
for a G26
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Old October 22, 2012, 08:24 PM   #16
orionengnr
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Well, two years and counting.
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Old October 22, 2012, 08:46 PM   #17
Nanuk
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My longest specific carry piece was my duty gun H&K USP/c /P2000 40 LEM, 12 years and 15,000 rounds later, when the gen 4 Glocks came out I tried one. Policy dictated that I carried my duty gun off duty.

When I retired I started carrying the Glock 23 been a year with that one now.
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Old October 23, 2012, 07:11 AM   #18
micromontenegro
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Quote:
Wow, I bet it has some crazy holster wear by now. Have you needed to refinish it?
It´s stainless!!!!
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Old October 23, 2012, 09:26 AM   #19
TailGator
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I carried a snubby (S&W 642) for well over a decade, then became convinced that increased capacity was advisable and changed to a Glock 26 about 3-1/2 years ago.
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Old October 23, 2012, 10:01 AM   #20
Gaerek
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Slightly off topic, but in response to this:

Quote:
I have been struggling a bit with the first shot double action pull on the Sig, and with time and practice I expect that to change.
If you don't like the DA/SA, you can send you gun to Sig and they'll convert it to their DAK (if you don't know what it is, basically, it's DAO) system for $200. It's a lot of money, but could potentially make the gun more usable. Of course, the other option is just to practice. My wife has a DA/SA SP2022 and my father in law has a P229, and I can't stand shooting either of them for that same reason. I have nothing against Sig, per se, but they aren't for me.
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Old October 24, 2012, 06:59 PM   #21
shortwave
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Carried a S&W Bodyguard for 20+ yrs. Gave it to my brother and started carrying either the 442,642 about 7-8yrs. ago during the summer. Winter carry was a full size 1911 Colt for about 15yrs. and the last 6-7 a Para 7.45LDA.

Lately, been thinking about switching to the M&P in either 9mm or 45acp.
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Old October 25, 2012, 10:38 AM   #22
loose_holster_dan
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used to be in the boat with you on the p7, because i couldn't find another gun in that size that i was quite as naturally good with. then the walther pps came around. since it's lighter and smaller, and i'm just as good with it, it replaced the p7 as my edc. it's big brother the ppq takes its place when i'm wearing anything but a t-shirt.
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Old October 25, 2012, 07:50 PM   #23
egor20
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I voted 6 months, I have a summer and winter rotation.
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Old October 26, 2012, 10:23 AM   #24
Tactical Jackalope
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Look at my signature....I rotate with almost all of them -___- guilty.
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Old October 26, 2012, 02:17 PM   #25
SauerGrapes
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Been carrying the same gun for 3 1\2 yrs now.
Every so often I go to Philly, that's the only time I carry something else. {more capacity}
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