Need concealed handgun recommendations urgently please

[hizoot]

This is probably going to be long... so please bear with me.

I just got a call from my cousin in Del Rio ,Texas (border town) ,that is a policeman there,about my dad.
First a little background:

My dad started off working as a Texas Highway Patrolman,then moved into Border Patrol ,and finally retired after many years as a US Customs Agent (not inspector). He was always very strict and had a very short flattop type hairstyle....he gave me heck if I tried to grow long hair back in the sixties.(picture drill sergeant type). His 2nd wife died around 10 years ago and he remarried a mexican lady a year later. He is 500 miles away,so we dont have very much contact. He has altheimers and his memory is very bad.His wife does not communicate with me and I'm not sure why. No bad feelings are anything that I know of...I hardly know her but she seems like very nice lady.

My cousin has told me that my dad had to be hospitalized over the weekend with very high blood pressure 204/200. They did tests and didnt find anything wrong....but its a border town and the hospitals suck.Cousin/policeman (Billy)also told me alot more that was going on too. Seems my dads wife (Mary) grandchildren have been at their house alot and taking advantage of them...getting money etc. Most of them are in mexican gangs. And if you read the news , you can guess they are bad news....members of the zetas, the most ruthless gang in mexico. Also, my dad is not being taken care of. He is probably not getting his medication,being fed really high cholesterol food...and to top it off, Billy said my dads hair was down past his shoulders.He's not being taken care off. Talking to my dad over the phone does not reveal any of this and I had no idea this was going on.

Early in the morning, my wife and I are going there to see whats going on . Billy said I need to come unannounced. I do not know what I may walk into and I need a more concealable weapon. I know the grandkids (20-35 yrs old) are going to be territorial and look at me as trying to stop their mealticket,etc.I dont have time to do any research and I was hoping to get some feedback from my compadres here. What do you recommend? Thanks

 

[firedog]

something with some punch (40cal or bigger) and a high capacity mag. A Glock 22 comes to mind, but there are many others.
In your situation, a few friends would be good as well.

 

[texasjohn]

OK, you are going there tomorrow morning, so purchase will be tomorrow also. My view is that you need concealment over anything else. The people you are visiting are not familiar with you or your attire. Should you need to use it, your movements need to be smooth and familiar. To me, this means front pocket carry. There are many ways to carry...in waist band, ankle, shoulder, etc....all those require you change your attire or practice draw, or both. No time for that.

I recommend what I carry:

KelTec PF9, Uncle Henry #3 pocket holster. Carry one in the pipe and 7 in the clip, 8 total. It's 9mm, get another clip or so to increase your capacity, but this increases your concealment issues. I looked hard....there is NO OTHER pistol of good knock down power which fits into a front pocket and can be drawn with reasonable ease. Not every gun shop carries this gun, so call to make sure they have one in stock.....they are not an expensive pistol, but mine has been extremely reliable, not one problem.

It fits in every right front pocket I have, blue jeans, etc....just make sure you are not wearing something really tight..you want as little printing as possible. If you have a loose pair of slacks, that's perfect, I carry keys in my left front, pistol in right front pocket. Bulge in each pocket is similar and not particularly obvious. If the folks are as bad as you say, then they will likely be packing, open or otherwise. Carry only your pistol in the pocket, nothing else!!

Lots of problems with your path. I wish you all the best as you seek to improve your dad's care. It's going to be a terribly long day of driving!! You'll likely pass within 2 miles of my place, just off I35, north of Georgetown.

I assume you have a concealed carry license...just don't happen to have a weapon at the moment.
If you intend to remove your dad immediately and on this visit, I'd recommend seeing if the cousin/policeman who called you will accompany you to the house.
I don't know how you get around the "kidnapping" appearance/issue if your dad doesn't want to come.
Hard to get him declared incompetent and get your self appointed guardian with current wife, others in possession of house, etc.
What about getting adult protective services involved with your visit?? Maybe the cousin could help here.
We both know that in the borderlands the typical household living conditions, diet, health care are vastly different from many other places. Thus, what appears completely unacceptable to you may be simply somewhat below typical or average for the area...and thus not fall into the category of gross neglect (he was taken to the hospital).

I'd recommend taking a digital camera, with BIG memory...use it as a prop...bill the visit as your desire to catch up with your dad and get photos of everybody....perhaps more important than a concealed handgun. If they take the camera/memory away from you, they are now in the world of stealing. Photos will document who is there, conditions, video will document conversation.

 

[General Lee]

.40 caliber glock 27

 

[hizoot]

Thanks We are about to leave on this journey. I will probably stop i Austin to purchase and find a gun range to shoot some rounds through. Texasjohn. I lived in Austin back in the seventies early 80s. My ex father-inlaw lived near Jarrel near Theon. His name is John Marquis.

I will monitor this thread through out our trip and fill ya'll in

 

[TripleR]

The choice of gun is not as important as all the other stuff and I sure can't improve on the advice given by TEXASJOHN, make your intentions and situation clear to authorities and at least attempt to enlist assistance from pertinent officials as well as family members and document. Take someone with you if at all possible.

It would have been preferable to have a gun already rather than to give the appearance of buying with the intent to use, but that can't be avoided now.

 

[k0ua]

Also keep in mind a fair number of new semi auto handguns are not very reliable until they have had about 200 rounds thru them, and the parts have had a chance to wear in just a bit. Some are reliable out of the box, but I hate to see you rely on a handgun you don't know if you can trust or not. I believe the Glock's are pretty reliable out of the box due to their feedramp design (partially unsupported chamber) and robust construction and reputation for toughness. If it was me I would choose a Glock in this situation. Like others have said, if there is any way to get some authorities to go with you, it would be very good. You have a lot of things going against you going into this situation. Good luck

James K0UA

 

[TripleR]

Also keep in mind a fair number of new semi auto handguns are not very reliable until they have had about 200 rounds thru them, and the parts have had a chance to wear in just a bit. Some are reliable out of the box, but I hate to see you rely on a handgun you don't know if you can trust or not. I believe the Glock's are pretty reliable out of the box due to their feedramp design (partially unsupported chamber) and robust construction and reputation for toughness. If it was me I would choose a Glock in this situation. Like others have said, if there is any way to get some authorities to go with you, it would be very good. You have a lot of things going against you going into this situation. Good luck

James K0UA

Very good point James. I have owned at least six Glocks, 2 G27's, 3 G23's and 1 G19 that I can remember and all were reliable from the first shot, but during our "Transition Training" from revolvers, we had quite a few Officers who had to learn not to limp wrist and properly handle their weapons to make them function properly. This is not unique to Glocks. I have had semi-autos that needed to be "shot in" so to speak and even had a Walther and S&W that had to go back to the factory, with one needing repair and the other replaced.

I believe you have done quite a bit of training and probably seen a lot of people show up with new guns that did not function properly, I know my son has and keeps spare guns available.

 

[Gator6x4]

I hope your father is okay and everything will be okay. I don't think I would enter with a firearm. You might stop at the local Police Department and ascertain what information they have on your fathers address and surrounding addresses. Let's assume the worst the people hanging out at the house are gang members. In an armed confrontation with gang members you will be but one and they will be many. In a situation where it is one against many, one will lose every time. Find out exactly what the situation is before arming up, ramping up and attacking.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

You need more than a handgun. You also need to know legal remedies.

Get familiar with Texas Adult Protective services. This is their job!
DFPS - About Texas Adult Protective Services

If your cousin is a local LEO, get him to recommend a deputy you could hire to go with you. Introduce him as your friend. It will be cheap insurance, safety in numbers, and he can testify as an unbiased witness if necessary.