Choosing a Primary and Concealed Carry Handgun

There are many handgun models on the market today in a wide variety of Sizes, Calibers, Action-Types, Finishes, and other mechanical features. Some have mechanical safeties, but most DO NOT!

Modern day handguns do have built-in safety features like a grip or tang safety, loaded chamber indicators, double-stage trigger’s and magazine disconnects. Ultimately, it’s the space between your ears that keeps you safe!

Self-Defense handguns can be grouped into three general categories –

• Primary Guns
• Compact (Concealed) Carry Guns
• Backup Guns

A Primary Handgun is your general full size handgun. It’s has the full size frame, is of a comfortable caliber that allows accurate hits, and has a large ammunition capacity. With a primary gun, I can wrap all my fingers around the grip and get an excellent hold. I can also swap out magazines quickly and efficiently without worry of pinching my fingers and I can hang full size lights and lasers off the gun.

A Compact (Concealed) Carry Handgun is the ‘smaller brother’ of the full size handgun. It has a shorter grip which lends to better concealment, but with less ammunition capacity. Whereas the full size gun (9mm) might have 17 or 19 rounds in the gun, the compact version would have 12 rounds or less.

Sub-Compact handguns are even smaller than compact carry handguns and of course they have even shorter grips. Whereas the concealed carry gun would hold 12 rounds, the sub-compact version might only hold 7 or 8 rounds. Sub-compact handguns can be good as backup guns that may ride in a pocket or ankle carry.

Buying your first handgun
If you are buying a first handgun, a good place to start is with a primary full-size handgun. 9mm and above is the recommended self-defense caliber, but if you are new to handgun shooting and need to learn the basics, a .22 semi-automatic will help you learn the fundamentals easily. If you can, purchase both your defensive handgun and a .22 full-size semi-automatic handgun at the same time.

Caliber recommendations
For a defensive caliber, 9mm is a good place to start, but .38’s are just fine. With the advent of modern day ammunition, even the lower defensive calibers have more punch compared to yesteryear, they are more reliable and cycle better. Caliber is a big choice when it comes to handguns. You want the caliber that ‘you can shoot well, and hit what your aiming at.’

Top of the Line – ‘Brand name’ Manufacturers
Springfield Armory
H & K
Glock
Sig Sauer
Smith & Wesson
Sturm-Ruger
Beretta
Taurus
Kahr

By far, the #1 gun I see in class, and the one that performs the best, is a Glock. After that, it’s Springfield Armory then Smith & Wesson. Right now in August of 2022, the top concealed carry guns I see in class are the –

• Glock 19
• Glock 43x
• Sig Sauer P365
• Smith & Wesson Shield +
• Springfield Armory XD-M Elite and the XD-S

The big thing in handguns right now, including for concealed carry, is the addition of a ‘Red Dot’ optical sight. Handgun slides are coming from the factory with the ‘cuts’ needed to mount an optical sight right on the handgun. Mind you, a GOOD red dot will add as much as $500 to the cost of a handgun. My Holosun 507c was $450 including the mount ($100) and other supplies, but the results are most definitely eye popping and shooting is soooo much faster!

Revolvers
Smith & Wesson, Ruger and Taurus make the best revolvers on the planet. As a backup gun, revolvers are an excellent choice. They are very reliable, can be fired while pushed up against the body of an assailant and can also be fired from inside a coat pocket, etc. Revolver’s are known for their reliability and simplicity to operate. For more information, see my revolvers document.

Rick Cross
Be Safe CCW
Mobile: 702-275-1625
Email: RickCross@BeSafeFirearms.com

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