Concealed Carry Corner: Firepower vs Mobility vs Capacity

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we took a look at modern versus older-style carry guns. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I want to look at the three common categories that most handguns will fall under and how to choose the right one. Various handguns are made for certain situations and there are different handguns out there for different intended uses. Let's take a closer look at firepower vs mobility vs capacity.

Firepower

When it comes to these three categories, firepower is by far the most talked about. This is originally where the age-old question of 9mm versus 45 ACP comes from, even though other calibers like 357 SIG, 30 Super Carry, etc., have entered the ring over the years. When looking at firepower, it's all about seeing what a specific round can offer in terms of stopping power. When we think of the classic stopping power round, it’s usually 45 ACP or 357 Magnum, but these rounds limit the amount of ammunition that can be carried.

The main point when it comes to firepower is how much energy transfer and knockdown power a round can offer. Newer rounds that have filled a role as a powerful round to carry would be the 10mm Auto or 44 Magnum that most backpackers or hikers carry, especially in western states. While there are some fantastic options in both of those calibers, it's not always easy to find a concealable option and oftentimes, if they are concealable, it means the capacity will be lower than other options on the market.

Mobility

One of the best aspects of carrying a concealed handgun is how mobile handguns are and how easy it is to carry on a daily basis. While firepower is one of the more fun elements to talk about, I would argue mobility is by far the most practical. There's always the old saying that the first rule in a gunfight is to have a gun. While conflict avoidance and de-escalation are key, it's important to actually have a handgun on your person if you want to protect yourself. If your handgun is too heavy or cumbersome, the likelihood that it'll be left at home will significantly increase. There are plenty of people who carry a 380 LCP or something similar for its overall size, in order to have some sort of firearm on them.

Not everyone can carry a full-size handgun with a red dot and weapon light comfortably. People often prefer having a handgun that has fantastic mobility, is lightweight, easy to conceal and can be carried all day long without fatigue. These types of pistols can be thrown in a pocket easily and carried all day long without any worries. As a result, these handguns typically aren't chambered in very powerful cartridges and have very limited capacity. While there are plenty of benefits to having a highly mobile and easy-to-carry pistol, they certainly aren't perfect. 

Capacity

Capacity has turned into a hot topic for carry guns over the last 8-10 years. When SIG first debuted the P365, it really created a shift in the market for other manufacturers to follow suit, creating double-stack compact handguns that offered elevated capacity. Other models like the Glock 48 and Springfield Hellcat have allowed for a smaller pistol with the capacity of traditionally larger handguns. When it comes to higher capacity for carry guns, this is usually the goldilocks zone where capacity, firepower and mobility are all mixed to try and build the perfect balance of all three.

That's partly why there are so many options on the market and the vast majority of people who carry modern handguns will go with a 9mm handgun with higher capacity. Of course, having a full-size handgun with an extended magazine offering 18-21 rounds of ammo in your carry pistol is great, but it's not always possible to carry such a large platform concealed. The key is to find something that can hold a fair amount of capacity without impeding your ability to comfortably carry. It wasn't uncommon for extended magazines a decade ago to have 8 or 9 rounds instead of the 12+1 or even 15+1 loadouts we have grown accustomed to now.

Overall Thoughts

It can be challenging trying to figure out what aspect is most important to you when looking at choosing a carry handgun, but next week I plan on taking 5 different carry guns that are popular in the gun community and rating them based on these three categories. This will help you guys see what guns excel in certain categories. If you have any specific guns you would like me to rate, please leave them in the comments below. If you have questions about carry guns or firearms in general, feel free 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.