How to Choose a Carry Weapon

A loyal reader wrote to me to ask my opinion regarding a carry weapon.  He is considering purchasing a new weapon for carrying concealed and wanted some advice.  Here are my thoughts on the matter, but I thought that some of our other fantastic readers might also have some advice to offer. 

Here are the things that I would consider when choosing a carry weapon:

1) Caliber. If, God forbid, you ever have to fire your carry weapon, it will very likely be in a tense situation when your adrenalin will be pumping.  In other words, odds are that your aim will be horrible.  Because of this, I’d go with a large caliber.  First, it will be louder and will hopefully scare my attacker.  Second, if I hit the bad guy - even in the pinky toe - I want to cause as much damage as possible.  Third, if the bad guy is doped up, want to make sure that I have the best opportunity to stop him and that requires maximum force.  I’d pick a .45.  The downside is that higher caliber guns usually hold fewer rounds, but the odds are that you’ll never need more than a couple of shots.  If it’s a concern, carry a second magazine too. 

2) Weight/Size. I used to carry in Texas and I can tell you that weight is an important consideration.  A couple of extra ounces pulling you down all day can make a difference.  The downside is that the smaller and lighter the gun, the more difficult it is to shoot accurately at any great distance.  Realistically, you should never fire your weapon unless it’s at close range, so this isn’t much of a concern.  I don’t like the really small frame pistols, so I would choose a medium-to-small frame.  Also, don’t forget to consider the materials making up the gun and the size/weight of the magazine. 

3) Action. There are a lot of varying thoughts on what kind of action is best and what state a gun should be in when carried.  For example, some people prefer to not carry a semi-auto with a round in the pipe.  Nobody wants to accidentally put a bullet in their butt and they figure that they will have time to load a round into the chamber if necessary.  Some would rather keep a round in the chamber to save time if they need to use the weapon.  If you plan to carry your weapon with a round in the chamber, then I would highly recommend a single action pistol with a good safety.  For the gun to be accidentally fired, the safety would have to fail AND the gun would have to be cocked.  If you plan to leave the chamber empty, then any action will do.  If you plan to carry a revolver, I’d probably still go with the double action so that you don’t have to cock it for each shot, but I’d leave the first chamber in the rotation empty for safety. 

4) Make/Model.  Once I’ve decided on the specs for a weapon, I’d move onto the make/model decision.  There are a few great manufacturers out there, but they all have their own way of doing things.  I’d look to a manufacturer with a good reputation for making good guns.  This gun will be your last defense in a life and death situation.  It’s not a gun on which to be cheap.  In general, I have heard very positive things about the carry weapons made by Kimber, Colt, Kahr, Springfield, Beretta, and Glock.  Many of these manufacturers have pistols specifically designed to be carried that have smoother edges, bobbed hammers, and other features designed to make sure you can get the weapon out fast and reliably. 

5) Test.  All of the research in the world will never replace personal experience.  If you are considering a gun, take one out to a range and put some rounds through it before buying it.  Some guns look great in the display case, but don’t fit my hands or shooting style.  Most reputable gun dealers that also have a range will allow you to test the gun on the range before purchasing it. 

All that being said, if I were to buy a carry weapon today, I’d go with either a Colt Defender

or Kimber Ultra Carry II in a .45.