’Druthers Don’t Count

Okay, I admit it. I’m a .45 guy. I can already see you 9mm Luger fans, smiling indulgently at this ignorant dinosaur. Don’t I understand that a 9mm with a modern, expanding hollow-point is a sure and reliable stopper?

If you say so—but this I DO know: a 9mm bullet might expand, but a .45 bullet doesn’t shrink.

Also, speaking to you who live where cold weather causes folks to wear heavy winter coats—are you aware that a hollowpoint that’s plugged with fabric from a heavy coat usually doesn’t expand?

Guess what happens next.

Having said that, I have to confess. My everyday carry piece is a 9mm Kahr PM9.

If I had my ’druthers, my carry piece would be my Kimber Ultra CDP II equipped with a Crimson Trace laser grip and chambered for .45 ACP. Unfortunately, that isn’t possible, and the culprit is the climate where I live.

Except for a very few days, the weather here ranges from warm to pretty doggone hot. So, my seasonal clothing change consists of changing from long pants to shorts. A polo shirt tucked-in and a pair of suspenders completes my daily ensemble.

If the weather were cool enough for a jacket, or even a vest, my Kydex belt holster would keep my Kimber .45 tucked behind my hip, well concealed from the public eye. But that doesn’t happen often enough to talk about. If I wore even a light jacket, it (and I) would soon be thoroughly drenched with sweat.

My only option is a discreet pocket holster with a very compact pistol to go with it. I recently upgraded from a Ruger LCP, which performed well, but was chambered for the relatively puny .380 ACP, My Kahr 9 also performs well and carries six Hornady 115-grain Critical Defense hollow-points in the magazine, plus one in the chamber.

My Kimber is twice the size of the Kahr 9 and way too big for pocket carry, However, it would nestle nicely behind my hip carrying seven (not six) 230-grain Winchester SXT hollow-points in the magazine and one up the pipe—if I could wear a jacket or vest to conceal it.

I’m not going to get into single versus double action or striker-fired versus an outside hammer. My choice would be the Kimber, single action, compact 1911 and that’s that—if the weather where I live would let me.

Oh, I suppose I’m not too badly armed with my 9mm Kahr 9, but I still wish I could carry my Kimber.

Unfortunately ‘druthers don’t count.

Story by Stan Skinner