A while back I asked what was the best concealed carry holster. And my answer was, who knows? You’re getting the same answer here. Or, perhaps “it depends” would be better. The factors that make a gun easily concealable also tend to make it harder to shoot. I’ll expand upon that.
Table of Contents
Shooting vs carrying
What makes a gun easy to shoot?
- The gun needs to fit your hand.
- Quality of the sights.
- Longer sight radius; that is, the distance between the front and rear sight.
- Weight: within reason, more is better for recoil absorption.
What makes a gun easy to carry?
- The smaller the better.
- The lighter the better.
- Grip design: rounded is better than square.
- Shape of the gun. The flat profile of the autoloader is generally easier to carry at the waist. Once you get to pockets I actually prefer the non-linear revolver profile.
If you are paying attention you can see that a couple of those conflict with each other.
Size matters
Short version: bigger guns (within reason) are easier to shoot and small ones easier to conceal. Let us look at a fairly ridiculous example. My largest handgun vs my smallest.
If there’s anything in the world easier to conceal than that NAA revolver I’m unaware of it. That little thing has spent so much time in my pocket. I don’t carry it outside much anymore but If I’m lounging around in my gym shorts at home it may still be in my pocket.
Is it easy to shoot? Not as such, no. It’s a single-action so there’s that complication. According to my Lyman trigger pull gauge a five pull test group averaged 6 lb 3 oz. That’s deceptive. The trigger nub is so small I can’t get a consistent reading and it was from 5 lb or so to over 7 lb 6 oz. Accuracy? I’ve seen videos of those on rests or in clamps turning in very impressive groups. I’m personally happy to get torso hits at five to seven yards shooting off-hand.
Obviously, five .22 WMR rounds compares unfavorably to nine .45 ACP rounds. But this comparison is, as I said earlier, pretty silly. Let’s try something a little more sensible.
Now we have nine .45 ACP rounds vs 8 9mm rounds (9 if you use the 8-round magazine for the Shield.) Still the edge to the 1911 but both are useful.
The Smith & Wesson M&P Shield is a renowned carry gun. I’ve carried it for years myself. Hot climates with just an untucked t-shirt or polo. No printing issues and rides easily on the hip.
The 1911 can be difficult to conceal with my normal dress. In my climate jackets just aren’t a thing very often. An oversize button up shirt that is not buttoned can work, but those tend to be light. Which means they’re less useful when it’s breezy.
So does weight
Note: all guns on the scale are loaded to capacity, +1 if autoloaders. Comparing the weight of unloaded guns while discussing how easy they are to carry is useless. That’s not how we carry them.
I find the 1911 to be more controllable despite the more powerful rounds. Its greater weight helps soak up the recoil. It does not ride quite so easily on the hip, however. I normally tighten my belt an extra notch which, while not a burden, can lead to discomfort after some time has passed.
I’ve also only carried the 1911 OWB. In Arizona an oversize, long-sleeved, unbuttoned shirt has its uses besides concealing a gun. I almost always wear one when hiking to protect my arms from the sun. Light, loose, and layered is the order of the day when doing physical activity outside in triple digit temperatures.
Oh, and the NAA? See below. I will add that it’s the least controllable of the group. The .22 WMR is quite a powerful round of that tiny little gun. Muzzle flip is pretty impressive. Plus it’s a one-hand gun. I mean, I can only get one finger on the grip. What good would a second hand do?
Other examples
I talked about three different guns above as examples but there are certainly other options. For example, I also have a Sig P229 in .40 S&W. It’s almost as heavy as the 1911 and just as easy to shoot. Lesser cartridge (.40 S&W), shorter barrel/slide, and a bit lighter. They’re pretty close.
Then there’s the Beretta Pico. It’s only a .380 but its small size and light weight make it a bit jumpy for me. One note, though: in the picture I have the magazine with the pinky extender. I cannot overemphasize how much easier it is to control the gun with that magazine than with the flush fit one. They have the same round count but that little bit of plastic makes all the difference. Which is why I carry it that way whenever possible with the flush fit as my backup.
I recently acquired a CZ 2075 RAMI that may, for me, hit the sweet spot. I’ve been carrying it for less than a week so it’s still in its testing phase but so far it carries easily and I can hit with it. It’s not much bigger than the Shield, except in thickness. It is heavier and more controllable, though.
Try before you buy
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: try before you buy. I know it isn’t always possible but if your local range rents guns go rent what you’re interested in before you lay down your cash. Or shoot a friend’s. If you can, of course. You won’t be able to find every gun. For example, I was interested in the Springfield XD-E for a while. Still haven’t shot one. No one has one to rent and I don’t know anyone who owns one.
On the other side, I was once interested in a Beretta PX4 compact. On paper, it was a great fit for what I wanted: hammer and DA/SA, known and respected manufacturer. It’s a Beretta. They make excellent guns (my Pico is the only autoloader I own that has never had a single malfunction. Ever.) I found a PX4 compact at a range when I was visiting Florida. Couldn’t stand it. I’m not sure why; I put a box of 50 through it and didn’t care if I never fired it again. It could be perfect for you, though. I know several people who like them.
What’s the end result?
Shootability vs carryability is a compromise. Just like almost everything else involved with concealed carry.
For myself, I still shoot my 1911 the best even with its crappy mil-spec sights. And it’s completely reliable and very effective (1911 haters can leave a comment below if you want but I’ll make fun of you.) But boy, is it a pain to carry in my day to day life.
The Sig is the next heaviest and I shoot it almost as well.
The NAA mini-revolver is the easiest thing to carry and by far the hardest to shoot effectively.
In the middle, I bought my M&P Shield primarily for its concealibility. I carried it daily for years and there are still times I do. I can shoot it, but not as well as some others. I recently upgraded the sights which I’ll probably write about later and that made it much easier to shoot well.
Look around; read up; go shoot what you can find at your local range. Then decide which gun or guns you think you can carry and shoot effectively. Always keep your goals in mind: you have to be able to both discreetly carry your gun and get effective rounds on the target. Only you can determine which gun helps you balance those two. If you have a particular favorite leave a comment so we can get different perspectives.
