How to Choose a Handgun for Concealed Carry
Once you have made the decision to carry a concealed handgun for personal defense, you are then faced with the questions of whether to choose a full sized handgun or a compact handgun, whether to carry a revolver or a pistol, and which cartridge. While answering these questions may at first sound like an easy task, there are actually many pros and cons to be weighed carefully.
The first question to consider when choosing a handgun for concealed carry is whether you prefer a full sized handgun or a compact model? The reason that this is an important consideration is that a full sized handgun enables you to point the weapon more naturally due to the longer barrel and it enables you to wrap all four fingers around the grip which, in turn, provides with you better recoil control which is important if you need to fire a second shot. Also, if you decide to carry a pistol as opposed to a revolver, a full sized handgun provides you with greater ammunition capacity which you may believe is not necessary but, you never know what type of situation you may find yourself in that requires you to defend your life and carrying a full sized handgun with a large ammunition capacity could mean the difference between surviving your encounter and not. On the other hand, full sized handguns are obviously less easy to conceal than a compact model and thus there is a significant tradeoff between pointability, recoil control, ammunition capacity, and concealability.
The first question to consider when choosing a handgun for concealed carry is whether you prefer a full sized handgun or a compact model? The reason that this is an important consideration is that a full sized handgun enables you to point the weapon more naturally due to the longer barrel and it enables you to wrap all four fingers around the grip which, in turn, provides with you better recoil control which is important if you need to fire a second shot. Also, if you decide to carry a pistol as opposed to a revolver, a full sized handgun provides you with greater ammunition capacity which you may believe is not necessary but, you never know what type of situation you may find yourself in that requires you to defend your life and carrying a full sized handgun with a large ammunition capacity could mean the difference between surviving your encounter and not. On the other hand, full sized handguns are obviously less easy to conceal than a compact model and thus there is a significant tradeoff between pointability, recoil control, ammunition capacity, and concealability.
A second determination that you must make is whether to choose a revolver or a pistol. It is important to first understand that revolves are divided into two categories: single action and double action. A single action revolver (western style) is defined as a revolver having a trigger that performs the single action of releasing the trigger. A single action revolver requires you to first manually cock the hammer before pulling the trigger to fire a round. A double action revolver, on the other hand, is defined as a revolver having a trigger that manages two actions— first cocking the hammer and then releasing it to fire the round. With a double action revolver, you have the choice of either manually cocking the hammer (which automatically moves the trigger most of the way to the rear so that it only has to travel through a very small arc to release the hammer), or using the trigger to cock the hammer. In the latter case, you have to apply considerably more pressure to pull the trigger through its entire arc to cock and then release the hammer. Most people feel that only double action revolvers are suitable for concealed carry use. Also keep in mind that a revolver traditionally only holds six rounds (although there are some full sized revolvers that hold seven rounds and some compact models that only hold five rounds). A revolver is significantly limited in the number of rounds it can hold compared to most pistols. On the other hand, most gun owners find that they can point and shoot a revolver more accurately than they can a pistol.
Pistols are also divided into different categories consisting of single action, double action, and double-action-only models. Like single action revolvers, single action pistols must be manually cocked before the trigger can be pulled to release the hammer and fire the round. Double action pistols can be either manually cocked and then fired single action, or they can be fired using the double action mode in the same manner as a double action revolver. Also, it is important to note that unlike revolvers, these two types of pistols have a manual safety mounted on the side of the frame so that you have the option of carrying them with the hammer completely down (not wise with a round in the camber) or in the half-cocked position (called Condition Two) with the safety either engaged or not depending on the your preference. Pistols also can be carried with the hammer in the fully cocked position with the safety engaged (called Condition Three or "cocked and locked"). Thus, when a single action pistol is carried in Condition Two, the user must first manually disengage the safety and then manually cock the hammer before pulling the trigger to fire the round. When a double action pistol is carried in Condition Two, the user must first manually disengage the safety, at which point you have the option of manually cocking the hammer or pulling the trigger through either its entire arc or half of its arc depending on the initial position of the hammer to fully cock it and then release it to fire the round. When either of these two types of pistols is carried in Condition Three, all the user has to do is manually disengage the safety and then pull the trigger through a very short arc to release the trigger and fire the round.
Pistols are also divided into different categories consisting of single action, double action, and double-action-only models. Like single action revolvers, single action pistols must be manually cocked before the trigger can be pulled to release the hammer and fire the round. Double action pistols can be either manually cocked and then fired single action, or they can be fired using the double action mode in the same manner as a double action revolver. Also, it is important to note that unlike revolvers, these two types of pistols have a manual safety mounted on the side of the frame so that you have the option of carrying them with the hammer completely down (not wise with a round in the camber) or in the half-cocked position (called Condition Two) with the safety either engaged or not depending on the your preference. Pistols also can be carried with the hammer in the fully cocked position with the safety engaged (called Condition Three or "cocked and locked"). Thus, when a single action pistol is carried in Condition Two, the user must first manually disengage the safety and then manually cock the hammer before pulling the trigger to fire the round. When a double action pistol is carried in Condition Two, the user must first manually disengage the safety, at which point you have the option of manually cocking the hammer or pulling the trigger through either its entire arc or half of its arc depending on the initial position of the hammer to fully cock it and then release it to fire the round. When either of these two types of pistols is carried in Condition Three, all the user has to do is manually disengage the safety and then pull the trigger through a very short arc to release the trigger and fire the round.
A new breed of pistol called a "striker fired" or "double-action-only" pistol has entered the market in recent years and is fast gaining in popularity. The distinguishing difference between this type of pistol is that a double-action-only pistol lacks a hammer and instead employs an extra heavy firing pin which is fully cocked and released by pulling the trigger through its arc. An advantage of this type of pistol is that when a round is chambered, the striker is placed in the half-cocked position and then a small bar slides up into a groove milled in the side of the striker to prevent it from accidentally releasing and firing the round in the barrel's chamber. This type of pistol does not require a frame mounted, manual, safety because the act of pulling the trigger causes the internal safety to disengage. In addition, because the striker is already in the half-cocked position, the shooter is required to pull the trigger though a much shorter arc to fully cock the striker and then release it. The reason that this is important is that that the longer the arc through which the shooter must pull the trigger in order to fire the round, the more it adversely affects the accuracy with which the handgun can be fired. Pulling the trigger through a longer arc requires more effort to overcome the tension of the spring that propels either the hammer or the striker.
As a general rule, either single action or double action pistols carried in Condition Three tend to provide the shooter with the greatest accuracy and the same is true with a revolver that is manually cocked before firing as opposed to using the double action mode. However, in an adrenalin charged situation in which your life is in danger, placing either a revolver or a pistol in the single action mode can cause you to inadvertently fire the gun when you don't actually mean to. Because of this, there has been a rise in popularity of double-action-only pistols because they do not require you to manually disengage a safety before firing, but yet they also provide the shooter with the relatively short trigger arc of a double action pistol carried with the hammer in the half cocked position.
The last consideration when purchasing a handgun for concealed carry is what cartridge to choose. You may have seen handguns meant for concealed carry in almost every handgun cartridge available— from .22 Long Rifle to .44 Remington Magnum. It stands to reason that some cartridges are simply too small to be effective against a determined human assailant, while others are simply too powerful to be managed by the average shooter. Also, the more powerful the cartridge, the more recoil it will produce. The more powerful cartridges should be reserved for full sized handguns only, while the less powerful cartridges can be fired in both compact and full sized handguns.
As a general rule, either single action or double action pistols carried in Condition Three tend to provide the shooter with the greatest accuracy and the same is true with a revolver that is manually cocked before firing as opposed to using the double action mode. However, in an adrenalin charged situation in which your life is in danger, placing either a revolver or a pistol in the single action mode can cause you to inadvertently fire the gun when you don't actually mean to. Because of this, there has been a rise in popularity of double-action-only pistols because they do not require you to manually disengage a safety before firing, but yet they also provide the shooter with the relatively short trigger arc of a double action pistol carried with the hammer in the half cocked position.
The last consideration when purchasing a handgun for concealed carry is what cartridge to choose. You may have seen handguns meant for concealed carry in almost every handgun cartridge available— from .22 Long Rifle to .44 Remington Magnum. It stands to reason that some cartridges are simply too small to be effective against a determined human assailant, while others are simply too powerful to be managed by the average shooter. Also, the more powerful the cartridge, the more recoil it will produce. The more powerful cartridges should be reserved for full sized handguns only, while the less powerful cartridges can be fired in both compact and full sized handguns.
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Many people confuse the term "caliber" with the term "cartridge." The term caliber refers to the diameter of the bullet. The term cartridge refers to a loaded round. Handgun calibers range from .22 one hundredths of an inch in diameter to .50 one hundredths of an inch in diameter. Cartridges are
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classified by the diameter of the bullet with which they are loaded as well as the length of the case. Larger diameter cases as well as longer cases are capable of holding more gunpowder and thus, these cartridges tend to be more powerful and can propel their bullets at higher speeds. But, Newton's second law of motion states "When one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to that of the first body" or, in other words, "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." Therefore, the larger the diameter and/or length of a bullet, the more it weighs and the greater the amount of force required to propel it, and the greater the amount of recoil generated.
The larger the diameter and the greater the weight of the bullet and the greater its speed, the more effective it is at stopping an assailant up to a point. Traditionally, the two most popular revolver cartridges for self defense have been the .38 Special and the .357 Magnum; both of which fire the same diameter and weight of bullet. However, the .357 Magnum, being longer, holds more gunpowder and fires its bullet at higher speeds. Also traditionally, the two most popular pistol cartridges for self defense have been the 9mm Prabellum (.355 caliber) and the 45 Automatic Colt Pistol (45 ACP). For many years, knowledgeable shooters have pined for a caliber that was in between the .355 diameter of the 9mm Parabellum and the .45 diameter of the .45 ACP. A company called Dornaus & Dixon decided to develop just such a cartridge and a new pistol to fire it— the Bren Ten.
Because of financial and manufacturing difficulties, the Bren Ten was only made in very small quantities before the company went bankrupt. Their cartridge has since been resurrected through the efforts of Smith & Wesson and the Federal Cartridge Company. However, because the 10mm Auto cartridge is significantly longer than the 9mm Prabellum cartridge, it requires a significantly larger and stronger handgun to fire it. Smith & Wesson decided that a shorter cartridge of the same caliber was needed which would fit in a standard 9mm frame and therefore, they also developed the .40 Smith & Wesson (also called the .40 Short & Weak or the Shorty Forty). According to Sergeant Even Marshal in his book titled "Handgun Stopping Power" the most definitive and authoritative work in existence on this subject), the .357 Magnum firing a 125 grain bullet (440 grains equals one once) is the second most effective handgun cartridge available at stopping a determined assailant, while the first most effective handgun cartridge is the 10mm Auto firing a 135 grain bullet. Both of these cartridges produce excessive recoil and consequently, the 38 Special, the 9mm Parabellum, and the 45 ACP still tend to be the favorite self defense cartridges among civilians. The .40 S & W and the .357 Sig tend to be the most popular cartridges among law enforcement officers.
The larger the diameter and the greater the weight of the bullet and the greater its speed, the more effective it is at stopping an assailant up to a point. Traditionally, the two most popular revolver cartridges for self defense have been the .38 Special and the .357 Magnum; both of which fire the same diameter and weight of bullet. However, the .357 Magnum, being longer, holds more gunpowder and fires its bullet at higher speeds. Also traditionally, the two most popular pistol cartridges for self defense have been the 9mm Prabellum (.355 caliber) and the 45 Automatic Colt Pistol (45 ACP). For many years, knowledgeable shooters have pined for a caliber that was in between the .355 diameter of the 9mm Parabellum and the .45 diameter of the .45 ACP. A company called Dornaus & Dixon decided to develop just such a cartridge and a new pistol to fire it— the Bren Ten.
Because of financial and manufacturing difficulties, the Bren Ten was only made in very small quantities before the company went bankrupt. Their cartridge has since been resurrected through the efforts of Smith & Wesson and the Federal Cartridge Company. However, because the 10mm Auto cartridge is significantly longer than the 9mm Prabellum cartridge, it requires a significantly larger and stronger handgun to fire it. Smith & Wesson decided that a shorter cartridge of the same caliber was needed which would fit in a standard 9mm frame and therefore, they also developed the .40 Smith & Wesson (also called the .40 Short & Weak or the Shorty Forty). According to Sergeant Even Marshal in his book titled "Handgun Stopping Power" the most definitive and authoritative work in existence on this subject), the .357 Magnum firing a 125 grain bullet (440 grains equals one once) is the second most effective handgun cartridge available at stopping a determined assailant, while the first most effective handgun cartridge is the 10mm Auto firing a 135 grain bullet. Both of these cartridges produce excessive recoil and consequently, the 38 Special, the 9mm Parabellum, and the 45 ACP still tend to be the favorite self defense cartridges among civilians. The .40 S & W and the .357 Sig tend to be the most popular cartridges among law enforcement officers.
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Choosing a handgun for concealed carry is not a task to take lightly. Many factors— the physical size of the handgun, the cartridge it fires, and the choice between revolvers or pistols— must first be considered and weighed according to your physical stature, experience level, ability to manage recoil, and your desired level of stopping power. Carefully consider all of these factors before making your choices.
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