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Why I Carry A Gun, And What I Carry: An LEO’s Perspective

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9mm Sub compact everday carry modern gun with bullet on leather background | Why I Carry A Gun, And What I Carry: An LEO's Perspective | Featured

I ask myself many times in the past “Why I carry a gun” and I'm glad to know that I'm capable of protecting myself and the people around me by exercising my right.

RELATED: Concealed Vs Open Carry: Pros And Cons

In this article:

  1. Good Reasons to Carry a Gun
  2. Guns I Carry
  3. Smith & Wesson Shield in 9mm
  4. Glock 19, 9mm
  5. Glock 42, 380 Auto
  6. Ruger LCR, 38 Special

Why I Carry a Gun | A Necessity for Protection

Good Reasons to Carry a Gun

It’s very simple folks, the police can’t save you. Don’t get me wrong, I have been a law enforcement officer for many years and we want to save you.

The sad truth is that the majority of the time the situation is already over with by the time police arrive.

So, in essence, I carry a gun because I believe in my right, and your right to protect yourself and those around you. Having said that, do not take your decision to carry lightly.

Once you have made this decision, be well prepared and comfortable with your firearm and carry system.

A fellow instructor once told me, “It has to become a lifestyle,” when it comes to your personal defense and by necessity your own well-being and preparedness despite the many talks about gun control. I couldn’t agree more.

Guns I Carry

So what do I carry? It depends on many factors. When I teach concealed carry I talk to students about trade-offs when they start carrying a concealed firearm.

Considerations include concealability of your handgun, single vs. double-stack magazine models, caliber, ease of operation, dependability, comfort, and of course there are many others.

I assure you that if your carry handgun and carry system are not comfortable, you will not carry for long. Which brings to mind the quote, “the gun you have on you, is better than the one left at home”.

My selection for carrying on any particular day is driven by such factors as weather, activities, and location planned for the day, and attire.

The following comprise my concealed carry selection 95% of the time–

Smith Wesson Shield in 9mm

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I like the feel of this pistol; it’s streamlined and easily concealable. I shoot it well and have found it to be very reliable.

It comes with eight and seven-round magazines, plus one in the chamber, and is a reasonable carry gun. I most often carry this pistol in an appendix position.

I like the Guardian Angel holster system that provides a leather or softback with a firm Kydex outer portion.

RELATED: Owning A Gun Safely At Home

Glock 19, 9mm

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Likely one of the most common handguns for concealed carry. Very reliable with good accuracy and a great mid-size carry gun with a magazine capacity of 15.

What is Kydex? A very comfortable material used for making holsters and knife sheaths.

I will carry in a Guardian Angel or SpetzGear appendix or belt-mounted Kydex, pancake-style holster.

Glock 42, 380 Auto

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When I need to go small with a high degree of concealability, this is my choice. I carry in the appendix or pocket position via a BladeTech or Sticky holster.

The Glock 42 is very reliable and suitable for those attire-limiting occasions.

Ruger LCR, 38 Special

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Very concealable and problem-free from an operational standpoint. The 38 Special cartridges have taken care of its share of “bad guys” over the years and there is a wide variety of ammo available for this caliber.

I often carry in the appendix position in a soft-sided Sticky Holster.

Other EDC (Every Day Carry) items I am seldom without include; a spare magazine or ammo source for my carry gun du jour, a flashlight (most often a Steamlight ProTac- 2L), a good blade (or two) and a tourniquet (CAT, SWAT or comparable).

Watch this video of the Smith & Wesson 9mm Shield by mixup98:

Understand, I have no opposition to larger caliber handguns, such as the 40S&W or the 45ACP. I have and will carry these caliber guns on occasion.

It all boils down to your comfort and ability to shoot and handle the gun well. If you’re a person that has a high degree of concern over the caliber issue, perhaps keep in mind the following: carry the largest caliber handgun you can shoot well and will commit to carrying every day.

And then train well; train often.

Tell us about the guns you carry and why you carry them. Please share in the comments section below!

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on June 16, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

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5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. AmericanBob

    June 23, 2017 at 4:40 PM

    training, you said it, unfortunately, many believe training is equal to going out and plinking and ingraining bad habits. Too many people think they know the fundamentals. Then from there you go into real life gun fighting which is not plinking. But I am preaching to the choir. Amazingly no parent would allow their teen to learn to drive a car by just watching you tube videos, or my favorite story, of how one young lady tried for 4 summers to teach herself how to swim by watching the videos and practicing on her bed. I taught her how to swim, IT TAKES A REAL LIFE PERSON to explain, watch and make suggestions on corrections.

  2. Gene

    September 2, 2016 at 12:59 PM

    I carry a Ruger SR9C, 9mm in a simple belly band . It offers lower back support as well as carry my gun. I have a one for vertical carry as well as one for horizontal carry, they are very comfortable and inexpensive. Velcro retension strap is fast and secure. I do hear the Alien 3.0 is a good choice and will be my next holster purchace

  3. David Thew

    June 25, 2016 at 2:12 PM

    When I carry concealed, it’s my 9mm Beretta Nano. 8 in the mag, 1 in the chamber. Light, non obtrusive, efficient. When I open carry, it’s my GP 100, .357 Magnum, 4″ Barrel, Cherrywood finger grip handle, with a quick load available. The GP 100 makes would-be-criminals think twice about bothering me. Conceal carry has it’s place and uses, as does open carry. Depends on when and where I am. Casino’s don’t allow weapons, but criminals don’t care and I will not be a victim in a Casino theater. Like the saying goes, “better to be judged by 12, than carried by 6.”

  4. Tim Willingham

    June 25, 2016 at 10:09 AM

    My agency issues .40 S&W. So my daily on duty plainclothes and 95% off duty is the G23. I couldn’t agree more on the ideal size and firepower of the mid sized Glock. I carry a G22 (issued uniform weapon) magazine for reload. If I absolutely positively have to downsize due to clothing then I carry a S&W Shield as well…in .40 S&W. Great minds think alike!

  5. Eric

    June 25, 2016 at 7:43 AM

    I also carry a shield in 9mm with a bladetech appendix holster and an alien gear gun belt in summertime.
    My cooler weather carry gun is a Glock 23 with Glock 32 barrel and Glock 22 magazin with xgrip extension and a Alien gear cloak 3.0 holster and Alien gear belt.
    This is by far my favorite carry gun!

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