Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about what type of handguns are good for taking out into the woods when you’re hunting. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I wanted to look at some of my favorite guns to carry lately and how it has changed from years ago. Some of my choices you may have seen before, but there are a couple new options as well. Let’s take a closer look at some of my most used carry guns.
Concealed Carry Corner @ TFB:
Glock 48
When it comes to my typical everyday carry gun, the Glock 48 has really become one of my favorites. With a slimmer profile than most guns and a capacity of 15 rounds with the Shield Arms magazines, the Glock 48 has a great capacity for its overall size. With the Glock 48 being reasonable and not rare, it’s ideal for me to carry it day in and day out. If I happened to beat the gun up or scratch it, it’s a tool at the end of the day and I know it’ll be 100% reliable if the day comes I need to draw it.
The overall width and how it carries in my ANR Design IWB holster has really become my favorite aspect of carrying this compared to other guns. My Glock 48 with the Shield Arms magazine has a 15+1 capacity without adding almost any length to the grip making it one of the higher capacity options for the overall size. If you wanted an even smaller option, the Glock 43X but I prefer the slightly longer barrel that’s comparable to the bigger Glock 19 which I will talk about later on. Overall, one of the most used guns in my collection has to be the Glock 48 for its size, ease of carry, and simplicity of use.
SIG Sauer P226 Elite
One of my oldest carry guns has to be my worn P226 Elite. This full-size metal framed pistol has traveled all across the country with me and has become one of my beloved pistols that I carry. I’ve replaced the springs in this P226 a few times now and it has never let me down in the 18,000 rounds I fired in its lifetime. This will typically go with me in the colder months when I have a heavy-cover garment like a jacket or vest. It’s a fairly heavy option but since it’s been ultra-reliable, I still enjoy carrying it with a SureFire X300 and MecGar 18-round magazine.
Oftentimes, if I’m traveling across the country or heading out in the woods, I will take either this or my Glock as well. The finish on my trusty P226 is fairly chewed up from carrying daily but it really is a badge of honor rather than a negative. Being a straightforward gun to fire under stress with the added weight along with the accuracy is the main reason I carry it despite the extra weight. Having a full-size metal framed pistol as your main carry gun isn’t for everyone, but the way I can shoot this handgun makes all the negatives well worth it.
Dan Wesson DWX Compact
One of the biggest curve balls on this list has to be my relatively new DWX Compact. I wasn’t sure how to feel about this gun early on, but this little double-stack 1911-style handgun has become one of my favorite “fancy” carry guns. Now I know some of you will be yelling at your screens right now saying people should be consistent and carry the same gun every single day. There’s a fair bit of truth to that but let’s be honest, it’s a ton of fun to have a specific gun to carry when you dress up or wear a suit. The Dan Wesson is a simplistic straightforward handgun with no accessory rail and metal frame.
It has a fantastic balance in my hand and it’s one of the easier guns to shoot despite its smaller size. There’s occasionally a gun that really takes me by surprise and this is certainly one of them. Even the CZ Shadow 2 Compact was similar to that as well, but the DWX Compact was really a pleasant surprise to me this year. There are certain days when I’m running errands and decide to mix it up and take the DWX Compact even if I don’t dress up. It’s one of those rare guns that turns out to be a great carry gun despite what people may think.
Glock 19
I felt like this would be an incomplete list if I didn’t at least talk about my Glock 19 as a concealed carry gun. My Glock 48 is my main gun but the slightly bigger Glock 19 has always been the standard choice when trying to figure out what exactly to carry. The compact frame and slide allow it to be big enough for a good grip on the gun but small enough to comfortably carry. It’s not heavy and offers a good amount of capacity.
Another benefit to the Glock 19 platform is the amount of aftermarket support. There are countless options to customize and change your Glock to make it unique. Whether it’s a new slide, stippling, aftermarket barrels, or triggers, there’s something out there for everyone when it comes to aftermarket parts. Whether it’s the overall weight, customization, reliability, or simplicity, the Glock 19 will always be a great choice for the vast majority of people carrying concealed. Combine all those factors and you have a handgun that’s hard to beat for carrying concealed.
Overall Thoughts
Now there are plenty of other options I could have talked about but these are the four handguns I most commonly pick. I sometimes go for a snub nose or other gun in particular situations but for the majority of situations, I will choose one of the guns above to carry. I would love to hear what you guys pick when it comes to carrying daily. Leave your choices down in the comments below and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.