Is your most carried a handgun you would prefer to defend yourself with?

Nope! I carry a 380 pocket pistol most of the time.. Thinking about upgrading to a sub compact 9mm like a Shield or PM9, but those 380's are so easy to CCW
My preferred defense pistol would be a hi cap 9mm or 40 S&W.

Yes. I carry what I would prefer to carry based on criteria I made up in my head, to address situations I made up in my head. Conceals well, functions reliably, very comfortable, I shoot it as well as any other gun I own and it's in a caliber that doesn't make me lay awake wondering if it's enough.

no

I carry my G19 everyday, just not on my body. It's in my day pack that goes everywhere with me so I guess technically it is on my body sometimes.

I carry the G43 on my person most often and while the G19 has superior capacity, I don't feel undergunned with the 8 shot capacity of my 43 vs 15rd capacity of my 19, which is very close by anyway if not at my immediate reach.

Navy87Guy said:

My EDC is a Sig P365XL...I have no doubts about it. It’s a tack driver and with 28 rounds of 9mm, I’m pretty comfortable.

I also have a PX4 Storm in .45 ACP that I can carry when the weather is right (sweaters). It would probably be my preference (21 rounds of .45 ACP), but I don’t lose sleep over it!

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28rd capacity!!! So are we talking about an extended stick mag like the Glock 33rd mag or a couple standard mags? The factory flush mag is what, 12 rounds?

I always had trouble carrying glock compact frames like the G19 in an EDC scenario. I found appendix carry to be the most concealed and the least comfortable. It's not bad if you're standing but as soon as I take a seat in the car or chair, it's hell on the groin.

The 4oclock position is quite comfortable but does print some. Selecting a good holster is important. What constitutes good for you is totally different for what's good for me. I'm jealous of that kid on YT who runs T. REX Arms. He is probably 105lbs soaking wet and he conceals a G19 with a WML and a spare mag in a sidecar holster, everyday appendix carries and says it's not a bother. I don't know how he does it.....

Of course. To do otherwise would be crazy.

Not reading all the replies, so probably stepping on toes or beating dead horses...so be it.

I'm not an undercover detective, so printing is of little concern to me. I think people take way too much stock in printing, and carry an inferior piece. The average person would never notice I'm carrying a midsize hi-cap service auto outside the waistband with a kydex L1 duty holster under a loose fitting shirt. A highly skilled and observant operator such as a LE officer absolutely will, and that's absolutely OK with me. A highly observant criminal might also know, and that's also OK, as they'll likely look for a less threatening victim.

I do make some compromises, as we probably all do. I don't carry a $5K custom tuned or collectable gun. Even if I owned one, I probably wouldn't carry it. I do carry a highly serviceable arm that I have complete faith in in terms of size, capacity, capability, firepower, and reliability. It is the best combat handgun I own. If I find a better one, I'll carry it. Were I to feel the need to carry a subcompact, and I have a hard time envisioning such a scenario, I would carry the most capable option available. I'd much more likely adjust my wardrobe to make a mid-sized hi-cap service handgun viable.

CDW4ME said:

Well, the poll shows that quite a few people usually carry a handgun that is not one they would prefer to defend themself with.

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Exactly, that is why I commented the way I did, why carry a gun you are not comfortable defending yourself with?

DustyGmt said:

28rd capacity!!! So are we talking about an extended stick mag like the Glock 33rd mag or a couple standard mags? The factory flush mag is what, 12 rounds?

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12+1 in the gun and a 15-rd magazine as a back up.

Is your most carried handgun one you would prefer to defend yourself with?

My most carried handgun is the one I shoot the truest and trust the most.

I really only carry one gun. I actually only own one handgun right now. A Sig P320 frankengun with the compact frame and full-length barrel and slide. The compact grip is concealable enough given my wardrobe.

SwampWolf said:

I don't know what you mean by "... there really isn't THAT much of a difference between a .380 acp and a .45 acp." Of course there are differences, or everyone would be carrying .380s, like you do. And no one would dispute the notion that handgun rounds compared to rifle or shotgun rounds are inferior in terms of "stopping power" but this is a handgun forum, with a thread asking about which carried handgun people trust most to defend themselves with.

Are you seriously making the argument that, for instance, a .380 acp is the equivalent to a .357 Magnum, stoked with 125 grain, hollow point bullets, in terms of the only relevant criteria in terms of self-defense, "stopping power"? Seriously?

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I never said handguns rounds are equivalent to each other, I'm saying there isn't a big real world difference. I'm making the argument that rifles and shotguns are on one end of the scale in regards to "stopping power", and pretty much all the handgun cartridges are lumped vary close together further down the scale. If on an arbitrary scale of 1-10 where a sharp stick is a 1 and 30-06 is a 10, then .32acp through 10mm all fall in in the 5ish range. Some might be 5.1, and some a 5.5, but none are particularly great options compared to even a 5.56 which maybe is an 8.

We love to argue online over minute differences, but at the end of the day we're talking about a last resort defense weapon and nothing that any of us would willingly choose if we knew we were going to have to use it that day. A .45 acp doesn't knock a man 10 ft in the air any more than a .380acp will bounce off a man's skull, but that's not what you'd think if you read the various caliber war discussions.

DustyGmt said:

I carry my G19 everyday, just not on my body. It's in my day pack that goes everywhere with me so I guess technically it is on my body sometimes.

I carry the G43 on my person most often and while the G19 has superior capacity, I don't feel undergunned with the 8 shot capacity of my 43 vs 15rd capacity of my 19, which is very close by anyway if not at my immediate reach.

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If one is mindful to never become separated from the pack/pouch/bag, I do believe that it is entirely valid to carry a “bag gun,” while also carrying a smaller weapon more-deeply-concealed on one’s person. I have certainly done this, quite a few times, especially during SE Texas’ quite prolonged hot/humid seasons.

DustyGmt said:

I always had trouble carrying glock compact frames like the G19 in an EDC scenario. I found appendix carry to be the most concealed and the least comfortable. It's not bad if you're standing but as soon as I take a seat in the car or chair, it's hell on the groin.

The 4oclock position is quite comfortable but does print some. Selecting a good holster is important. What constitutes good for you is totally different for what's good for me. I'm jealous of that kid on YT who runs T. REX Arms. He is probably 105lbs soaking wet and he conceals a G19 with a WML and a spare mag in a sidecar holster, everyday appendix carries and says it's not a bother. I don't know how he does it.....

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Have you tried at about 1-2 o'clock with forward cant? I do that and it bridges the gap between comfortable 3-4 o'clock and concealment of 12 o'clock AIWB.

Random 8 said:

I'm not an undercover detective, so printing is of little concern to me. I think people take way too much stock in printing.

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Some people whig out when they see a gun, will go to a manager, police officer, etc... That isn't the only reason I try to be totally concealed, but it is one. I don't like to draw attention, walking around with a visible or open carried gun is a surefire way to get noticed and make people uncomfortable. There are quite a few other more important reasons to be completely concealed, but that one is the one most likely to cause you aggravation most often. Sure alot of people in the know wouldn't look twice, but all it takes is one "karen" to go complain about her safety and while legally you'd be in the clear, doesn't make it any less irritating to be mistaken for a threat.

JR24 said:

Have you tried at about 1-2 o'clock with forward cant? I do that and it bridges the gap between comfortable 3-4 o'clock and concealment of 12 o'clock AIWB.

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This. Very few folks are able to truly, deeply conceal anything at 1200, and I do not see how that can be comfortable, though what is comfortable for another is not something that I can judge.

While I do not like squared, blocky pistols @ AIWB, I have concealed 4” GP100 revolvers at AIWB, and 4.75” single-action revolvers @ AIWB, with “appendix” meaning at the inguinal crease, between 0100 and 0200, where one’s appendix is actually located. The cylinder, being in that crease, is optimally concealed.

Nobody’s appendix is @ 1200.

Another factor, at least on my anatomy, is that the whole axis of the weapon is best aligned with the inguinal crease, which is not straight vertical.

Nope. Not even close. I carry a Keltec P3AT daily in an Uncle Mike's pocket holster. Why? 2 reasons. It's quick and I'm lazy. Most days I don't have the time or inclination to work with an IWB holster and gun. With the pocket gun I just grab, slide into pocket and I'm off. If I was going to be in a gun fight I'd rather have a bigger gun. But I do feel the Keltec is more then enough for what I might run into on any given day. So I'm comfortable carrying it.

bassjam said:

I never said handguns rounds are equivalent to each other, I'm saying there isn't a big real world difference.

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And I'm saying that when it comes to stopping a threat in the shortest possible time when using a handgun, there is a "big real world difference" between a .380 ACP round and something equivalent to a .357 Magnum, using 125 grain hp bullets. I respect your opinion and would suggest we agree to disagree. I'm not following this rabbit hole any further.

Definitely! Sig P365 SAS with 12+1 capacity is my edc. It shoots like a bigger pistol and is extremely concealable.

Three of my most preferred handguns for SD are
Ruger Security Six 357 , Glock 23 & Glock 21
The Glock 21 being my #1 choice..
At this time my smaller framed revolvers are my pick for carry ..not only more concealable but lighter ..

Not giving up alot of energy.. I have a LCR327 ,LCR357, Charters in 44spl ,45ACP , 357 & 40S&W & several 38spl