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Should Your CCW Be Big, Small, or Neither?

For some people it takes a while before they find the right firearm and the comfortable way to carry it.

I was a die hard 1911 guy for most of my life until a motorcycle accident in 2015(and the 12 screws in my neck) made it painful to carry full size 1911s.

Nowadays, I feel well armed with either a Glock 19 Gen 5 or a S&W 638 Bodyguard J-Frame. I can carry either one of these firearms inside or outside the pants(lots of good holster choices available).

My favorite holsters are from Muddy River Tactical and Bravo Concealment. And I have recently become a fan of Kore belts. They're more comfortable than the leather gun belts I used to wear...:)

When I'm on my electric bicycle or on a walk, I prefer wearing a fanny back across my chest and will sometimes carry a Beretta APX. In that setup I top it off with a reflective vest to make me more visible on the road and cover up the fanny pack. If I'm on my electric bicycle I also wear a helmet that has lights in the front and back to compliment the lights on the electric bicycle. If I'm walking I carry a Jo(4 foot walking staff).

On walks or bicycle rides I also carry pepper spray for aggressive stray dogs I sometimes encounter.

For me a firearm is just one of the different tools(correct mental attitude, empty hand martial arts training, knife) that are part of my tool box for protecting myself and loved ones. I try to train one or more of those tools daily...:)
 
Hi,

Mike H. said:
Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Should Your CCW Be Big, Small, or Neither?” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/should-your-ccw-be-big-small-or-neither/.

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Good article. It might be all in my head but I need at least a 4" barrel for any chance at accuracy. I'm lucky that my frame and wardrobe allows me to comfortably carry that size. Muzzle pads on my IWB holsters extend the comfort. I have larger and smaller handguns but the XD9 and VP9 are the only two I've carried out in the wild. Now I gotta go work out. I'm trying to avoid a belly band holster. ;)


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
The biggest majority of the time, a S&W 642 works for me. Based on what I have seen, if you are accosted by three or four thugs, they will start running and shooting over their shoulders as soon as they realize you are not defenseless.
 
carry what you feel comfy with and train with. my normal EDC is the Hellcat 15+1 w/147g ammo, however sometimes depending on where i am going or how i am dressed i may carry something else, in that case my go to's are a Glock 40 S&W 10+1 w/180g ammo, Ruger .380 LCP Max 12+1 w/90g ammo, or a S&W Shield Plus in 30 SC 16+1 w/100g ammo, with an IWB holster. No matter what you carry the key is be sure to carry premium defensive ammo. My defensive ammo used no matter what caliber is carried is Federal Hydra Shock or HST.
 
I carry for the occasion and comfort level. With the weather in South Florida, my Hellcat RDP with the 15 round mag does the trick. It's the right balance of defense power and the need to conceal with lighter clothing for most EDC situations. However, if I'm dressing fancy, I might go with the Kimber .45. For situations where I might need more rounds, the XDM Elite 9mm with the 22 round mag is used. Or, if I'm really fancy dressing up...the PPK/S .380!
 
JMHO, the one you will carry and can hit with. I'm not above dropping my NAA in my pocket. I can easily keep all five shots on a paper plate at 10 yards, rapid fire. (rapid being a relative term considering the manipulation of single action) Am I better with a 1911 hell yes, am I going to carry a 1911 hell no. Eventually/ sooner than later, I'm NOT going to strap on 1&1/2 to 2 lbs. of gun. Too lazy, not dedicated enough, don't take defending myself/loved ones seriously enough, etc. etc. etc. whatever :rolleyes: .
Mostly a 638 on my hip, but sometimes...... Love the one your with.
 
very well written article. in my semi retired chapter of life, it depends on where i am going and how i am dressed on what pistol i carry. my normal edc is a glock 27 with a glock+2 mag (11+1) and a glock 22 backup mag with the xgrip spacer. if i need something a little smaller i go with a hellcat, glock 42 or lcp max
 
Well, for sure carry something! At the very least I have a J frame S&W or a vintage Colt Cobra in my pocket. I carried a full size 1911 for decades and shoot it better than anything. But now that I am retired, I don't carry the big iron anymore all day. So when I go to town, it is not a burden to carry the 1911 for a few hours. When I am home, the pocket gun is enough because the 1911 is by my chair during the day and the bed during the night. So you guys that complain about a big gun? I get it. But if you are only going to town for a couple of hours, go ahead and carry the big gun!
 
Maaaaaaaaannnn................ I'll be honest. I'm pretty lazy. I'm also 6'2" 195. When I get off of work it is usually sweat pants. Weekends? Sweatpants. Summer? Sweatshorts? Baggy works best for me.

Anyway, none of this really allows for a belt. So my Ruger LCP Max wearing a Crimson Trace light riding in a JustHolsterIt IWB holster is king. It used to be a LCP with aftermarket (for a Glock 42) sights with a similar light and a Clip Draw but the Max won't pull my pants down (yay) so here we are.

On the job or travelling I'm carrying a compact 9mm. Most likely my CZ P-07 (9mm) and a BUG. If I need to wear real clothes and I'm not on a job it will be either my LCP Max or, more likely, my FN Reflex.
 
A cc pistol needs to meet only three requirements, and those 3 are specific to YOU. What works great for Me may be totally inappropriate for You. Those three things are (1). You must be able to conceal it easily; (2) You must be able to shoot it well; and (3) You must be comfortable carrying it-all day, every day. The largest pistol (easiest to shoot), heaviest caliber that meets these three qualities for YOU is what you should be packing. Depending on You that may be anything from a .22 Bobcat to a 329PD, but that’s ok.
 
And carry an extra magazine if you carry a semi automatic. Generally, a reload is the fastest way to clear a stoppage. Drop the mag, work the slide vigorously and reload. If the stoppage is not cleared by that, you probably won't have time to clear it at all.
 
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Bemused Berserker said:
I agree that it should be the largest caliber you can effectively handle and shoot well.
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Bemused Berserker said:
Since the vast majority of DGUs occur at close range, caliber takes a secondary consideration.
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These two statements seem contradictory to me.

Every time this topic comes up I say the same thing, I'm surprised I didn't say it 2 years ago when this discussion first started.

I carried a full size handgun at work every night for several years. I got used to it. I normally dress in a way that's conducive to carrying a full size gun. I live in a place where everybody carries a gun anyway.

I still believe that it is a matter of discipline and how much you really think you might need a gun.

If all you're willing to carry is a Bond Arms Derringer then at least you're carrying that. It's not ideal in my opinion it's not even minimal but at least you're carrying something.

And as I stated frequently in all the years that I carried a gun at work I never used it. I never fired a single shot that wasn't on the Range.

OC solved far more of my problems than a gun did.
 
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