Professional Guide to Choosing a Defensive Handgun for Concealed Carry
No pictures, no fluff and no fake information. Just sound, rational logic for choosing a handgun that you can use to save your life or the life of someone you love.
At the end of the day you are going to choose and purchase the gun you want and can afford. Hopefully, you will make that choice based on sound, defensive handgun rationale. However, you may end up changing guns many times like so many people do.
The goal of this guide is to arm you with sound, defensive handgun information. Information that will help you properly evaluate your life situation, preferences and opinions when choosing the gun you may need to employ to save your life or the life of someone you love.
1. Choosing the Type of Handgun for Concealed Self-Defense
Type is assessed by one factor, reliability. The number one thing you need to look for in a handgun for concealed self-defense is its ability to go bang when you need it to (and not to go bang when you do not need it to).
This is called reliability. Your life and other’s lives may depend on whether the gun you choose to carry functions properly at all times. Reliability means the gun has a proven track record of safe performance in all aspects.
However, reliability also means that in a high stress, critical defense situation you will be able to practically operate that gun safely, quickly and efficiently to end the threat as soon as possible. A gun can have a great performance record in target shooting sports or even in law enforcement or military applications, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be a reliable gun for you.
If the gun requires the use of fine motor skills to operate it chances are it won’t be the most reliable gun for you from an efficiency and speed standpoint.
Bottom Line: You need a gun that will work and keep working when you need it to.
In my professional opinion, Semi Automatic Striker Fired pistols and Double Action Revolvers should be first on your “possible gun to own” list. These two pistol types offer the highest reliability factor when it comes to mechanical operation and operator ability.
Now, if I have to choose between the Semi Auto Striker Fired pistol and the Double Action Revolver I am going to go with the Semi Auto for several reasons.
In comparison to the revolver semi autos in most cases are lighter to carry, easier to operate and more simple in design. Typically, semi automatic striker fired guns have a higher round capacity and they are easier to reload if necessary.
Lastly, the semi automatic in is more comfortable to carry in most cases. Semi automatic pistols are usually more streamlined and have less surface bumps.
Surface bumps like cylinders and hammers on revolvers tend to stab and poke you throughout the day as you carry concealed.
So, in short because of simplicity of design and user friendliness from a gross motor skills standpoint, I would recommend choosing a Semi Automatic Striker Fired Handgun over any other type of handgun available today.
2. Choosing the Size or Fit of a Handgun for Concealed Self-Defense
“WOW, that just feels natural. Almost like an extension of my body.”
The goal behind choosing the size or the fit of a defensive handgun is the ability to use that gun as comfortably and naturally as possible in any and all circumstances.
If the gun you choose does not fit well or feel good in your hand then chances are it will be difficult for you to use effectively.
Psychologically speaking you will not look forward to training with that gun either. This means the gun cannot be too small or too big, but rather it needs to be just right. The enormous selection of self-defense pistols on the market makes this a much easier process than before.
So, take your time and find that pistol that meets all the criteria and fits really well in your hand.
Size and fit begin with grip. As you begin to look at possible selections simply grip the gun with your strong (dominant) hand. As you grip the gun you should be able to see and feel a couple different things.
First, grip the gun naturally placing the highest part of the back strap of the gun into the web between your thumb and index finger. Your hand should not feel over full or under full. Your three remaining fingers should feel comfortably curled around the front strap.
Second, your wrist should be comfortably in line with the webbing between your index finger and your thumb when you have proper sight alignment.
Third, your index finger end pad should contact the trigger comfortably without feeling squished or unnecessarily bent or uncomfortable.
Fourth, your thumb should rest comfortably on the frame portion designed for it (usually designated by a contour point molded into the frame).
Fifth, you should be able to maintain a proper one-handed grip on the gun and be able to comfortably reach and operate the magazine release and any other available controls on the pistol with no or very little shifting of the hand.
Sixth, the pad of your weak (non-dominant) hand under your thumb should be able to make substantial contact with the grip surface on the side of the butt of the gun.
The more surface contact you can make while still maintaining a natural and comfortable grip is going to tremendously aid you in recoil management (absorbing the recoil of the gun and steadying it again for a follow up shot if necessary).
3. Choosing the Capacity & Caliber of a Handgun for Concealed Self-Defense
I firmly believe that 9mm is the best caliber selection for a concealed self-defense handgun.
Considering capacity, caliber and the effort necessary for the management of recoil to produce accurate and fast follow up shots makes this true for me (probably true for you too, but maybe not).
By in large the inherent data points to 9mm being the most desirable combination of caliber (power) and capacity. 9mm most effectively combines capacity (rounds available) a manageable recoil, and power that will create the necessary amount of bodily damage to your attacker in any given set of real world circumstances.
Lower the caliber and you may not cause sufficient damage to end the threat.
Go larger in caliber and you may not be as accurate or as fast to put enough “combat effective” follow up hits on target to end the threat. Larger caliber ammunition also limits the number of rounds you have available in your primary magazine. You cannot count on or be comfortable thinking you will stop an attacker with a single shot in a dynamically stressful situation. 9mm allows for the best combination of capacity (number of rounds available), caliber (stopping power) and recoil management in a critical incident.
With all that said, I believe 9mm is the most “balanced” caliber for achieving maximum efficiency and consistency when it comes to concealed carry and defensive shooting.
You can entertain data and reasoning about caliber and capacity all day long. However, failing to take into consideration how power, capacity and recoil intersect with one another in producing the most efficient and consistent string of shots will lead you off in extremes to one direction or the other. Compromise on caliber and your attacker may keep coming. Compromise on capacity and you may not hit your attacker with enough combat accurate hits to stop him (or any hits at all).
So, in choosing a defensive handgun you always want to choose the gun with the most manageable recoil, that meets the minimum standard for deadly power and allows you to shoot as quickly as possible in a given set of circumstances.
As a defensive shooting industry standard you want the handgun you choose to be capable of delivering as many rounds as possible on target that will penetrate 12 to 15 inches of ballistic gelatin through realistic clothing.
Obviously, the smaller the round the more capacity you have in any given size gun. Higher round capacity gives you more chances to land combat effective hits into a single threat. If the need arises to engage multiple targets you are also more prepared - probability speaking.
4. Choosing the Shape and Size of a Handgun for Concealed Self-Defense
Considering everything we have talked about up until this point, now you have to add in size and shape. In other words, is it small enough and shaped friendly enough for all day comfort while maintaining maximum concealment in your normal style of dress (with possibly a little bit of tweaking and the right holster / holsters for your concealed carry system)?
Most people do not want to dress around their gun and quite frankly if you do you will look “like you are carrying” (especially to those who notice a drastic wardrobe change).
Committing to being armed every day is a wake up call and a serious responsibility.
The goal behind choosing a defensive handgun is to allow your “commitment to being armed” have as little impact as possible on living the rest of your life practically and comfortably. Comfort and concealment will go a long way to make you that much more committed to carry all the time. So, you can see this will make sure you actually have the gun when you need it. It can be very easy and naïve to get into the “well I probably won’t need my gun here or now” type of mentality.
So, size is the most important factor when it comes to comfort and concealment.
Specifically the length of the grip or butt of the gun is something first to consider. A close second size to consider is overall length from muzzle to hammer or slide length. Width is important, but probably third in consideration. Again it is worth mentioning that external controls should be as recessed as possible as well as the contours of the gun as smooth as possible (after all it is a gun).
5. Choosing an Accurate Handgun for Concealed Self-Defense
A lot of ink has been spilled on articles about defensive firearms regarding “accuracy” or their capability.
Many times this is specific to certain ammunition, for precision. In today’s world, given the most plausible circumstances for a critical incident that involves a gun, this is usually over kill. Any firearm that meets your requirements in the other areas we have already discussed in this article is going to be capable of precision. In fact it will be more precise than you need.
The precision you will need will be shooting at less than 20 feet to hit the most likely target: a human chest.
So modern firearms that meet all the other requirements in this guide will be that accurate. However, if you find a gun in your search that meets all the others, but is not that accurate please let me know.
Looks, Availability & Cost
Legal restrictions will in some cases make certain guns unavailable to the consumer. For instance, Massachusetts is a state that restricts the availability of firearms beyond the national standard. Market demand with a lack of supply will affect availability. Store budget or stocking program may also affect availability. Cost is always a concern, but the good news is that the best defensive handguns today are very reasonably priced. A new gun that meets our standards for a concealed self defense application typically you won’t spend more than $600. In fact, $500 is a reasonable price for a new defensive handgun. Remember that you will probably need to purchase a few other things too. You will need extra magazines, a holster system, both defensive and practice ammunition, and invest in professional training to go prepare you adequately to defend yourself. You should still be able to purchase everything you need for under $1,000.
How a gun looks will affect your training. As already mentioned, if you like your gun, you are more likely to carry and practice with it. It shouldn’t matter if your gun looks cool or tactical, but we do think about these things. However, please make that the last consideration and not necessary if you find all the other requirements met.
Specific Recommendations for a Concealed Self-Defense Handgun
Glock 42
Glock 43
Glock 43X / 43X MOS
Glock 26
Glock 19
Glock 19X / 45 (9mm)
Conclusion
Any defensive firearm is a compromise of reliability, ease and comfort of carry, capacity, ease of operation, fit, comfort and several other factors. Most likely, no single firearm is going to be perfect in every way for any particular person. Evaluate the compromises you might have to make and carefully choose your gun. Keeping in mind the order of priority suggested here when you make your next defensive handgun purchase.