Do you have a carry gun, or several among which you choose which to carry at any particular time? If more than one for carry, what factors do you consider when deciding on which one to carry? Other than the obvious reality of the seasons and the amount of clothing worn, do you take other things into consideration or is just a rotation of various guns so that you don't feel you wasted money on a gun you never carry? Although I have three guns suitable for carry (S&W640, Ruger LCP and Ruger sr40c), I always reach for the LCP due to its small size. Living in IL I only carry when I am out-of-state somewhere that either my Utah or Pennsylvania license is valid, but on those occasions it always seems I grab the LCP with a pocket holster and the others just sit in their cases vainly waiting to be taken out of the house.
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Do you vary which gun you carry?
- Thread starter vito
- Start date
WildBill45
New member
Of course I do! It depends on season, destination, area in which I will exposed to coming and going, and even what vehicle I am in, Harley, Car, Truck, or Shoes! It could be my main stay S&W 325 in .45 ACP or my S&W 638 with hot loads ... I also vary the latest new Autoloader that I grab coming down the pike, which has been the Nano, LC9, and more...
RodTheWrench
New member
Speedo, huh? "Is that a Kahr, or are you just happy to see me?" HA!
TCP for "at work", Glock 27 after-hours or headed to the mall on Saturdays. Need a holster for the SP101 snubbie.
TCP for "at work", Glock 27 after-hours or headed to the mall on Saturdays. Need a holster for the SP101 snubbie.
Kreyzhorse
New member
Depending on season and or dress, I vary between a Ruger LCP and a Walther PPS.
In the winter months I will add a Springfield TRP 1911 into the mix when concealing a full sized gun is a tad easier.
In the winter months I will add a Springfield TRP 1911 into the mix when concealing a full sized gun is a tad easier.
99% of the time, I either carry my Glock 19 IWB with a Ruger LCR in my pocket as backup, or just the Glock alone. The other 1%, means its cold enough for a jacket (I live in Southern Arizona...so it' probably less than 1%), and I splurge by carrying my full-sized Glock 21 OWB.
I own several handguns, but I don't carry them for 1 big reason. I want to be very familiar with the tool I may have to use in the protection of my life, or the lives of my loved ones. I don't want to be thinking about whether I have a safety or not, or which way the safety goes to take it off, or be surprised by a trigger that's heavier or lighter than I was expecting, or has a mag release in a place I'm not expecting.
YMMV, but for me, my carry guns all have the same manual of arms (in other words, no safety, decocker, etc, just draw and pull trigger) because I don't want to be fumbling around in a critical moment to make sure my gun fires. If you like to rotate your carry guns, that's your choice, and I won't say you're making a bad choice. But I do think it's important to consider the things I've mentioned above and weigh that against the benefits of a carry rotation.
One of the biggest reasons I've seen people use for a rotation is because they can carry different size guns with different types of attire. I call BS on this excuse. 300 days out of the year, I wear a T-Shirt and Cargo Shorts. And I have absolutely no problem carrying and concealing, comfortably, a Glock 19. Certainly, bigger guns are hard to hide, and I wouldn't want to try to conceal anything too much larger than my G19, but it goes to show that you can carry and conceal a duty sized firearm with practically any kind of attire.
EDIT: Check out this thread, and read Pax's response. That is why I don't rotate carry guns.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=529568
I own several handguns, but I don't carry them for 1 big reason. I want to be very familiar with the tool I may have to use in the protection of my life, or the lives of my loved ones. I don't want to be thinking about whether I have a safety or not, or which way the safety goes to take it off, or be surprised by a trigger that's heavier or lighter than I was expecting, or has a mag release in a place I'm not expecting.
YMMV, but for me, my carry guns all have the same manual of arms (in other words, no safety, decocker, etc, just draw and pull trigger) because I don't want to be fumbling around in a critical moment to make sure my gun fires. If you like to rotate your carry guns, that's your choice, and I won't say you're making a bad choice. But I do think it's important to consider the things I've mentioned above and weigh that against the benefits of a carry rotation.
One of the biggest reasons I've seen people use for a rotation is because they can carry different size guns with different types of attire. I call BS on this excuse. 300 days out of the year, I wear a T-Shirt and Cargo Shorts. And I have absolutely no problem carrying and concealing, comfortably, a Glock 19. Certainly, bigger guns are hard to hide, and I wouldn't want to try to conceal anything too much larger than my G19, but it goes to show that you can carry and conceal a duty sized firearm with practically any kind of attire.
EDIT: Check out this thread, and read Pax's response. That is why I don't rotate carry guns.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=529568
Last edited:
tristar viper
New member
I got 3; a G19, a Taurus TCP, and my all time favorite an HK USP 40.
The TCP is really awesome....it fits anywhere, with any kind of clothing, and you don't even know it's there.
The TCP is really awesome....it fits anywhere, with any kind of clothing, and you don't even know it's there.
When clothing permits, I'll generally carry a Dan Wesson CCO (1911) in .45 acp. My other two carry pistols are a Kahr CM9 (mostly pocket carry) and a Ruger LCP (always pocket carry). In the past, I had more guns in my carry rotation but found these three to cover all my concealed carry needs. That could change in the future, especially if my revolver itch needs scratching.
The type of holster matters more to me than the gun. I prefer a strong-side hip holster with zero cant and only friction for retention. That type of holster works well if I am in a normal outdoor situation or walking around in town with a coat on or even with a long shirt tail pulled out. If I might find myself running, crawling, climbing through heavy brush or under or on top of machinery, or falling in slopping mud, I want the option of a retention device. Slower yet, if neater dress and deeper concealment is required, I might have to go to an inside the waistband holster or a pocket holster.
When the country gets especially rough or I find myself in a canoe or a kayak, I go to an El Paso full flap crossdraw holster with a canteen snap. A few years ago I took a solo trip down the Kongakut River in Northeastern Alaska up next to the Yukon border that called for hugging a section of Arctic Coast before I came back to a town. The river was more suited to rafting than the nylon framed folbot I used, and I faced the real possibility of losing everything I owned except what I had on my person as I floated out to shore. I wanted a holster that had the best chance of retaining my Smith & Wesson 629-1. Even that holster was not as slow as I would have imagined after I practiced with it for awhile; albeit, the faster draw required two hands, never a good thing.
I agree with the idea that a person would be better off if he could carry exactly the same gun in the same holster all of the time, but I'm not sure how I could make that work unless I chose something like a J-frame Smith, and as much as I love pocket pistols, I don't feel nearly as high on the food chain with a small gun as I do with any full-sized belt pistol.
When the country gets especially rough or I find myself in a canoe or a kayak, I go to an El Paso full flap crossdraw holster with a canteen snap. A few years ago I took a solo trip down the Kongakut River in Northeastern Alaska up next to the Yukon border that called for hugging a section of Arctic Coast before I came back to a town. The river was more suited to rafting than the nylon framed folbot I used, and I faced the real possibility of losing everything I owned except what I had on my person as I floated out to shore. I wanted a holster that had the best chance of retaining my Smith & Wesson 629-1. Even that holster was not as slow as I would have imagined after I practiced with it for awhile; albeit, the faster draw required two hands, never a good thing.
I agree with the idea that a person would be better off if he could carry exactly the same gun in the same holster all of the time, but I'm not sure how I could make that work unless I chose something like a J-frame Smith, and as much as I love pocket pistols, I don't feel nearly as high on the food chain with a small gun as I do with any full-sized belt pistol.
HawkeyeNRAlifer
New member
Not as much as I use to. I find myself gravitating toward smaller, poly guns like the Taurus PT145, SR9C or LCP instead of the 1911 or N frame that I'd carry in the past.
Bob Wright
New member
Nope. Just my Ruger Blackhawk. Don't see any need to swap. If for some reason I did need to rotate, it'd be a similar Blackhawk.
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
Jeremiah/Az
New member
I carry my PM9 owb all day everyday. It's just part of gettin' dressed.
Yes.
Winter: A glock 19 on either a belt slide holster or a shoulder rig.
Other 3 seasons: a Walther PPS on either a belt slide holster on an IWB holster, and sometimes a kangaroo carry "inside shirt" shoulder/chest holster. Same manual of arms as the glock, same trigger, very similar sights. same 9mm bullets. The only real difference is the mag release.
Winter: A glock 19 on either a belt slide holster or a shoulder rig.
Other 3 seasons: a Walther PPS on either a belt slide holster on an IWB holster, and sometimes a kangaroo carry "inside shirt" shoulder/chest holster. Same manual of arms as the glock, same trigger, very similar sights. same 9mm bullets. The only real difference is the mag release.