The Carry Guns of Bearing Arms

After I decided to write about my newfound respect and admiration for revolvers on Thursday, I started thinking about carry guns in a way I haven't for quite a while. Nothing groundbreaking, but I wanted to see what my fellow Bearing Arms folks carry and hear from them about why.

See, some of us are trainers. Some of us aren't. But all of us believe in the Second Amendment with every fiber of our being. More than that, though, is that we're gun people. We have opinions, and we didn't just walk into a gun store and ask to see the blue one. We made choices.

So, let's see what everyone said. 

Cam Edwards

For several years I carried a Sig P365 almost exclusively, but after Miss E died I started carrying the Smith & Wesson Airweight that was her EDC as well. I don't think it would ever be my primary or sole carry gun, but I've got an attachment to it nonetheless. Like a lot of folks, I chose the Sig P365 based on word of mouth. I'd heard really good things about it from friends, and when I had the chance to shoot it I was very comfortable with it. It hits the sweet spot for me in terms of size and capacity, though I'd like to spend some time on the range with a Springfield Armory Hellcat to see how the two compare. 

While the P320 seems to have issues, the P365 doesn't. They got it right, based on everyone I've spoken with who have one. 

And carrying the Airweight hits me right in the feels, as the kids used to say. I know that Miss E is probably very happy that it's there to provide at least a bit of comfort and protection since she can't.

Next, we look to Ryan Petty.

I carry a Glock 43X with a Holosun HS507K X2. Nobody is going to be impressed when it comes out of the holster. That's the point.

A carry gun is a tool. It has to run every time. It has to be easy to shoot well. It has to be comfortable enough that I carry it every day and small enough that I don't dress around it.

The 43X clears that bar. It's thin and conceals easily, but the grip is long enough to shoot it like a real handgun instead of hanging on with two and a half fingers. Smaller guns hide better. Bigger guns shoot better. The 43X sits in the middle, and that's where an everyday gun belongs.

I've become a firm believer in red dots on defensive pistols. The dot is fast, it's precise, and it keeps my eyes on the target instead of on the sights. Going back to irons would feel like reaching for a paper map with CarPlay sitting right there.

The best carry gun is the one you actually carry. Mine just happens to be a Glock 43X.

I absolutely agree with that last point, and with how no one will be impressed, and that's not a bad thing.

There are times that I want bling. If I'm at a Second Amendment event, I might decide to carry something I wouldn't normally because I'm among our crowd. At that point, though, I'd be flexing for the sake of flexing. While I own none, I like pretty guns. I love the engraved nickel 1911 with acanthus leaves all over it, or whatever.

I also love the Cerakote novelty-look guns.

But when it comes to daily carry, you don't win gunfights on style.

Now, let's look at what John Petrolino has for us, because he lives in New Jersey and concealed carry is practically brand new there.

See, when he got his carry permit, the state tried playing games with him. That was dumb on its part, to say the least, but eventually, he got to actually exercise his rights.

Those early days, those first two years, I pocket carried an LCP .380. It was easier to handle and I did not want to get caught by mochachino wielding soccer moms who would hurl their coffee at me if they so much as heard the word gun, nevermind actually seeing one — albeit a small one, no judging, okay! It was a really unsafe situation handing my firearm every time I got in and out of the car.

Luckily, a short two years later, upon my renewal, I received a permit not issued by a court and it had no restrictions. That's when I started carrying my Glock 43 in a Tulster holster.

I absolutely love my 43. Is it perfect? No. But for everyday carry it works well for me. The Tulster holster I use is the Profile inside the waistband holster. I'll carry between 3 and 3:30, depending on what I'm wearing. 

While the Profile is actually designed for appendix carry, I'm not quite so confident in carrying that way. Aside from not wanting the business end pointing at my business end, I happen to have a BMI that's wickedly close to my age — so it's just not comfortable for me. When I’m not carrying my 43, my second runner up is my Glock 26. I’ll usually carry it the same way as I do the 43, the 3 to 3:30 position, but I keep it in a UM Tactical IWB, the Qualifier — also designed to allow for appendix carry.

Another for a version of the 43; only this one may be a bit more concealable for many with the shorter grip. 

And I get the discomfort of pointing a gun at your junk on purpose. I think anyone should at least consider those ramifications. I get that for some, it's a small target, but I wouldn't want to trust that to be the moment that size really doesn't matter, you know?

Lastly, we have Kerry Slone.

Before we get to hers, I want to dare every one of you to go over to X and tell Kerry why she should have chosen a tiny little gun, probably in pink, as her EDC gun. Just tag me and her in it.

I like watching trainwrecks.

Anywho, Kerry got really into guns after a domestic violence situation that included more than a little stalking. Since I had a brush with that not that long ago — ironically, over something someone said to Kerry — I get where she's coming from.

Her choice?

As a woman, how I conceal carry depends a lot on what I’m wearing, which is why I have a couple of different concealed carry firearms.

My Sig Sauer P238 is perfect when I’m wearing a dress, especially when I need a smaller option for discreet carry under more fitted clothing.

For more traditional inside-the-waistband carry, I use my Mossberg MC2sc.

For me, concealed carry isn’t one-size-fits-all. The firearm and carry method have to work with what I’m wearing while still allowing me to carry safely, comfortably, and consistently.

That's a perspective from someone who has different challenges. It kind of reminds me of the "advice" Lena Miculek got recently.

Kerry is right that one size doesn't fit all, and I'll get to that after we get to my daily carry.

For me, I'm someone who likes a slightly larger gun than normal, but after having carried a CZ-75B for a few years, I found that I was willing to leave the gun at home more often than I should. So, I picked up a Gen 4 Glock 19 TALO distributor exclusive with an AmeriGlo front sight. I need to update things and put a red dot on it, but I haven't.

I carry it in a Flaco pancake holster whose model I can never remember, but it is extremely comfortable.

As you note, we've got a slightly eclectic mix here of firearm models, with the closest thing to an overlap being John's Glock 43 and Ryan's 43X, and even those are different enough to matter. 

Because, as Kerry noted, one-size-fits-all rarely does fit all. Everyone has their own challenges, preferences, comfort levels, and so on. What works for one person might work for you, or it might not. It's part of why a lot of us accumulate a lot of stuff over the years. We're trying to figure out just what in the hell matters to us.

So what does this mean for you?

Well, it means you know what we carry. You might want to consider our reasoning and think about it for your own choices, or not. That's fine, too, because we're not you, and vice versa.

The gun that matters is the one in your hand when things go sideways. I'd rather see you good guys out there with a two-shot derringer than nothing at all.

Mind you, that might not be the smartest tactical choice, but if that's the choice that puts a gun in your hand, I'll say it's still the right one.

My own changing attitude is really a nice reminder that not everything about getting older sucks.

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