Looking for a concealed carry gun? Consider the following
Terry Nelson 11.27.18
Recently you may have completed a concealed carry course and received your license to carry. Or perhaps maybe you’ve had a carry license for a while and you’re in the market to purchase a serious carry gun. Whatever the reason, your decision to carry in today’s world is well founded. The options for the selection of a concealed handgun can be almost endless. Too often I see students show up with a handgun that the gun shop sales clerk says is right for them including the age old misconception that if you’re a woman the best gun for carry is a revolver. Well maybe and then again maybe not.
Let’s take a look at several points you may wish to consider in your quest for the perfect carry gun. For the purposes here we are looking at concealed carry guns only.
Is the gun concealable?
It goes without saying if the handgun is for day to day carry on your person it must be concealable. While this may seem straight forward, it may in fact prove to be a challenge. How you carry is of course unique to the gun you select, your attire and your daily habits. Suffice to say that a good carry system in the form of a holster or other method is essential. But the gun itself must lend itself to a practical way of concealment.
Most likely the upper size limit would be along the line of a Glock 19, the Smith and Wesson 2.0 or the Springfield XDM 3.8 models. The average person may find these handguns a bit too challenging to easily conceal day to day. A single stack pistol or a snub nose revolver will probably fit the bill and there are some excellent choices. The S&W Shield, Glock 42 or 43 models and the Ruger LCR all come to mind.
The new Sig model 365 in 9mm is turning a lot of heads when it comes to concealability and magazine capacity. With the appropriate carry system any of these guns can be easily concealed day to day.
Comfort is critical
This is without a doubt one of the most overlooked considerations. If the gun and/or carry system is not comfortable…you will not carry it for long. What factors will influence the comfort factor? Weight, overall dimensions (length and width) and perhaps the platform of the gun itself, revolver or semiauto will influence this decision. Don’t forget to consider the weight of your handgun once fully loaded. This may indeed influence whether you carry a double or single stack pistol along with the caliber (i.e. 45 ACP ammo is heavier than 9mm). Also is the gun a good fit to your hand? Many folks never take this into consideration and in reality it is critical for obtaining a good grip when firing the gun.
Along with comfort, your carry method for keeping your firearm secure while carrying concealed is an important consideration. You must remember your pistol could be used against you if it comes loose from its concealment place in the midst of a confrontation.
Caliber
We could write volumes and debate till the end of time about what the best pistol caliber is for concealed carry and self-protection. Realize that most any handgun caliber that you would realistically carry concealed has limitations on its effectiveness for defensive purposes. So the age old debate of .45 ACP vs .40 S&W vs 9mm vs .380 Auto is a never ending cycle. I love the 9mm because of the higher round capacity and recoil control it will offer in any handgun of comparable size to the 45 ACP. Have no doubt I love the old 45 ACP, but with the advent of increased ballistic performance, better recoil management and higher round count, I usually opt for the 9mm.
These days I see everything from .22 Rimfire to .44 Magnum show up in concealed carry courses. And while there may indeed be a time and place for both of these extremes, somewhere in the middle is probably more realistic.
Have your doubts? Consider that the most commonly used pistol caliber today by the US military and American law enforcement is the 9mm.
I must mention reliability of the gun itself in this section. Meaning does the gun fire and cycle every time I pull the trigger? If not or if the gun is too picky about the ammunition you feed it…get rid of it. Some guns on the market today are more accurate than others, but all are accurate enough for defensive purposes. When it comes right down to it, I will sacrifice a bit of accuracy for reliability every time in a defensive handgun.
Control and manipulation
Here I am referring to how well you as an individual can control and manipulate the gun itself. I see this issue all the time with students. Ability to manipulate the safety mechanism, complete an efficient reload, clear a malfunction are all “running the gun” skills you should be able to perform. Many factors influence this: grip strength, the fit of the gun in your hand, your willingness to train, caliber and the make and model of the handgun.
Bottom line you need to be able to run the gun under the most stressful of times. All the above mentioned skills along with marksmanship are critical if the day comes you need your pistol for real.
Affordability
Here I am not referring to the cost of only the gun, but also ammunition and other needed accessories such as spare magazines, a quality holster and so on. In addition if you have selected a handgun caliber that is not common today, such as the .45 GAP or the .357 Sig, then ammunition could become a factor in trying times. Remember, you need to consider the cost of ammo for training.
Take a look at Smith & Wesson Ruger, Glock, Springfield, Sig Sauer etc. etc. line of modern day pistols or revolvers you will be able to find something in the $250 to $650 price range that should fit your needs.
What it all comes down to is that I demand a gun that is reliable, concealable, and easy to operate under stress with a proven track record. Do your own research and then head to the range for some serious training time with a qualified instructor. Bottom line it’s the defense of self and family that’s really at stake.
