Qualities of the Right Concealed Firearm For You
Things To Consider When Looking For The Ideal Concealed Carry Gun
You have finally made the decision to carry concealed every day. Or perhaps it's been a while since you obtained your carry license and you want to buy a serious carry gun. No matter what your situation is, you definitely have a good reason for deciding to carry every day since the world continues to become increasingly dangerous.
There can be a practically endless number of variables involved in choosing a concealed handgun. However, the following are five of the main considerations to help you find the ideal carry gun for you.
1. Concealable
Let's begin with the most obvious thing: Concealability of the pistol you choose. Although that might appear to be very straightforward, it may end up being quite challenging. Of course, the way you carry will be unique to your daily habits and you. It is essential to have a good carry system, which involves a holster or some other type of method. However, the actual gun needs to lend itself to a practical concealment method.
The upper size limit most likely will be something like a Springfield XDM 3.8, Smith and Wesson 2 or Glock 19 model. The average individual might find it too challenging to easily conceal these handguns every day. A snub nose revolver or single stack pistol most likely will fit the bill quite well, and there are some great choices that are available. Some of the ones that come to mind include the Ruger LCR, Glock 42 and 43 models and S&W Shield. When the right carry system is used, any of those guns can be concealed easily on a daily basis.
2. Capable
Mostly what I am referring to here is the caliber as it relates to ballistic performance for defensive use purposes. We could debate this until the end of time and write volumes on the subject of what pistol caliber is the best for self-protection and concealed carry. Keep in mind that most handgun calibers that you can realistically carry concealed is going to have limitations in terms of how effective it truly can be on another person. For me, the old debate of 9mm vs. 45 ACP is an easy one. What I prefer is the 9mm due to its higher round capacity on any of the handgun that has a similar size as the 45 ACP. Don't get me wrong: I really the old 45 Autos. However, now that 9mm ammunition has increased ballistic performance, higher round count and better recoil management, I tend to choose the 9mm.
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I see everything ranging from a 44 magnum to 22 rimfires showing up these days in concealed carry courses. Although there might be an appropriate time and place for those two extremes, it is probably a lot more realistic to go with something in the middle.
Do you have doubts about this? Consider that the pistol caliber that is the most commonly used these days by American law enforcement and the U.S. military is the 9mm.
In this section, I need to talk about the actual gun's reliability. That means: does it fire and cycle each time I pull its trigger? Get rid of any gun that is too picky when it comes to the ammunition that you feed it. There are some guns that are available in today's market that are more accurate compared to others. However, for defensive purposes, all of them are accurate enough. Ultimately, I am willing to sacrifice some accuracy for reliability on a defensive handgun every time.
3. Comfort
If you will be concealing your handgun, it, of course, stands to reason that you should be considering how comfortable the carry is as well. I assure you that if your carry system and/or gun isn't comfortable, that you won't be carrying it for very long. What are the main factors that influence how comfortable a gun is to carry? Most likely it is going to be the overall dimensions (width and length), weight and maybe the gun's actual platform. That might influence whether you decide to carry a single or double-stack pistol in addition to the caliber (i.e. 9mm ammo is more lightweight than 45 ACP ammo).
In addition to comfort, another important consideration is having a good carrying method to keep your firearm very secure while you are carrying concealed. Keep in mind that your pistol could potentially be used against you if it were to come loose from where it was concealed in the middle of a confrontation with someone.
4. Control
What I am discussing here is how well you can manipulate and control the actual gun. This is influenced by many different factors: model, make and caliber of your handgun, your willingness to undergo training, how the gun fits in your hand and grip strength.
Bottom line: It is important to have the ability to operate your gun even in the most stressful situations. Factors like defeating a gun's safety devices, malfunction clearances, being able to easily reload the gun, and recoil control all can be absolutely critical if there ever comes a day when you actually have to use your pistol.
The cost to purchase a concealed carry handgun may vary significantly, depending on many factors including whether you buy firearms online or not. Generally speaking, the cheapest pistol might not provide you with the necessary reliability, while a very expensive handgun might not be all that practical and be just for show.
If you check out the Sig Sauer, Springfield, Ruger, S&W or Glock lines of modern-day revolvers or pistols, you can find something that is in the price range of $300 to $675 that should suit your needs well.
Ultimately, I am searching for a gun that comes with a proven track record, is concealable, easy to operate and is reliable each time. Then I head out to a gun range and do some serious training. It is my family and my own defense that is at stake after all.
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