Concealed Carry Corner: The CCW Growth Curve

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about how practice makes perfect when it comes to carrying a concealed handgun. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I wanted to share some of my experiences over the years. Initially, we all have this idea that if we find the perfect handgun and holster combination, we will be set for lif,e but the reality is vastly different than finding just one handgun. There's a general trend or journey we must all go through in order to finally find the perfect gun and holster combination for us at a given time. I started off in the “carrying something small” stage and went through a number of changes to end up where I am currently. Let's take a closer look at the CCW growth curve.

Phase 1: The Newbie (Minimalist Mindset)

When I first started out, I wanted something easy to conceal that wouldn't make me change my wardrobe or how I lived my life in any way. I remember I got my concealed carry permit from the carry board on my birthday. I was lucky enough to have the application approval date be the same day as my birthday. I got my approval and paperwork that afternoon, which meant I could carry for the very first time. I bought a Kahr Arms PM9 after looking at a Glock 26, SIG Sauer P238 and a few other options. The Kahr was the lightest and it was 9mm rather than a .380 Auto, although most people will go even smaller with something like a .380 Auto or even a .32 Auto.

I thought this way I could always carry with no issues and it would be the perfect setup for any situation. I started out believing I had found the ONE gun I needed for the rest of my life. I was really wrong and this is a really common mistake that most concealed carriers make. The major issue with small guns is the fact that they are really tough to shoot with limited capacity and the cheap pocket holsters can be uncomfortable depending on the model you choose. Carrying a concealed handgun can sometimes be a bit more complicated than it first seems, with trial and error necessary to figure out what's best for you.

Phase 2: Overcompensation (Gear Explosion)

So when you feel underarmed with a pocket pistol, typically the pendulum will swing drastically in the other direction to a full-size handgun with a weapon light and optic. Having more capacity and rocking a full-size handgun must be the answer to the perfect gun, right? Wel,l not exactly, but it's a natural progression. This is the stage where you will throw various holster styles on just to see what sticks. Typically, this phase is when you'll carry a knife, a handgun, maybe even a backup gun with extra magazines, a med kit, and anything else you may need in a backpack.

You try to plan for everything but fail to realize how much all this extra weight fatigues you throughout the day. Fatigue leads to being uncomfortable, which leads to inconsistency in carrying because you just don't want to deal with everything all the time. This is when some people become overwhelmed and throw the towel in because they just don't want to carry everything under the sun in order to leave their house. This stage is all about having the mindset of “I want to be ready for anything,” but the simple truth is you often go over the top. Carrying too much gear can be fatiguing and uncomfortable. Once the feeling of fatigue starts to set in, the third phase starts to happen.

Phase 3: The Realist (Refinement)

At this point, you wind up somewhere in the middle, typically finding a reliable quality handgun without accessories inside a quality holster. This phase really teaches you what's important when carrying a concealed firearm and what you need for a carry gun. I would say this is the goldilocks stage, where you have gone through guns that are both too big and too small. Typically, people move into a realistic handgun that fits their lifestyle and needs. This typically leads to someone carrying a Glock 19, 48 or 43X or something like a P365 XL or Springfield Hellcat that allows you to carry comfortably without a ton of mass.

These handguns are comfortable midsize guns that are large enough to comfortably fire. The general progression is starting with a gun that's too small, then overreacting and going with a handgun that's too large for a year or two before finding where you need to be with something properly fitted. I would say the vast majority of people stay in this phase because they are perfecting their carry setup before sticking with it for the long haul. There are certainly minor changes that can happen if new products come out, but at this point, you start to develop your preferences on what you want.