Concealed Carry Corner: Perfect Accessories For Carry Guns

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we took a look at some of the best drills to practice at the range when it comes to training for carrying concealed. 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 world of accessories and what some of the most useful accessories are when looking at handgun upgrades. While there are plenty of options out there for new lights, lasers and slide cuts, there are a number of upgrades that may be overlooked but certainly can be practical. Let's take a closer look at some perfect accessories for carry guns.

Upgraded Iron Sights

One of the most overlooked items when picking up a new carry gun is the type of sights you have on that pistol straight out of the box. Most guns come with either plastic or standard 3-dot metal sights with no tritium or night sights installed. Depending on the company, there may be handgun models that ship from the factory with night sights, but those are fairly limited. Having some sort of tritium sights will allow you to have a reference point for your sights even in complete darkness. One of the classic excuses I often hear is that a particular person doesn't go out at night, therefore, they don't need luminescent sights. The fact of the matter is you can quickly find yourself in a dark interior room where you have little to no light. It's the bare minimum to have and once you invest in a good pair of tritium sights, you will be covered for the next 15-20 years without having to replace them.

Handheld Lights Over Weapon Lights

One of the biggest choices to make when it comes to your carry gun is whether or not you need any sort of weapon light versus carrying a handheld light. Both certainly have their benefits, but you also have to be realistic when looking at what you need in a carry gun. For summertime, it will typically be more useful to have a lower profile handgun with no attachments and having a quality handheld carry light with you rather than adding the bulk of a weapon-mounted light on a smaller-framed handgun. For years, I was the person who would put weapon lights on everything I carried, but the chances you need to draw your firearm, let alone draw it in a low or no light situation, are relatively low.

While I do believe having tritium sights is important for reference if you do find yourself in that situation, having a dedicated weapon light isn't a necessity. Having a small handheld flashlight can serve a dual purpose as an everyday tool and a light source in an emergency situation. Having the ability to search with the light is huge when you're unsure about your surroundings. One of the biggest disadvantages when it comes to a weapon-mounted light is the fact that your muzzle is pointed at everything your light is pointing at. Over time, it can be incredibly easy to abuse a weapon-mounted light where you begin to use it as a regular flashlight, despite muzzle sweeping everything you shine with the flashlight. The safer and more practical solution is having a handheld flashlight separate from your handgun, where the carry gun only comes out in an emergency. I personally prefer a handheld light rather than a weapon-mounted light for its versatility and ease of use without the handgun.

Aftermarket Magazines

One thing I don't see very often when it comes to carrying a concealed handgun is the type of magazines someone uses in their carry gun. For some models, like the SIG P365, the factory magazines will be the best choice since the factory magazines are proven and reliable. Others may be reliable with aftermarket options that hold a higher capacity while still remaining a reliable option. A great example of this is the Shield Arms 15+1 magazines for the Glock 43X and 48 models. The factory 10-round magazines are extremely reliable as well as affordable throughout my testing, but having another 5 rounds in the gun is interesting enough for me to test out the magazines, and after having these magazines for almost two years now, I can confidently say they are a fantastic upgrade.

Overall Thoughts

One of the most common mistakes I see people who conceal a handgun make is the fact that they always look at aspects like the trigger, barrel, slide and cosmetic changes when the most valuable options are some of the easiest changes. So next time you're looking to upgrade something, I would encourage you to look at one of the options above since they are some of the easiest to switch out. Let me know what you guys like to carry when it comes to accessories. These were a few easy attachments I personally look at when carrying a new pistol, but I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. If you have a question about carrying concealed 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.

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