EDC, what do you carry?

I went to the dark side of striker fired pistols for a short time. But the light came over me and I went back to my beloved 1911 trigger and have lived happily ever after.

S&W Shield 9mm loaded with Federal HST 147+P with an extra 8 rd mag with the same ammo.

I carry, alternately, either a J-frame S&W .38 Spl. Chiefs Special model 60-7 or a Bulgarian Makarov in 9mm Mak.

Presently carry a M&P model 2.0 Compact .40 99% of the time. When I want a micro I carry a Kahr CM9. Voted striker fire no manual safety in the poll. I have carried DA/SA, True Double Action, Single action with a manual safety (1911) & striker fired with grip safety & striker fired with manual safety in the past.

My two main carry firearms right now are striker-fired, no manual safety. Walther Q4 Tac and Walther PPS M1, both 9mm. My next "up and coming" carry weapon is a 5" lightweight (Aluminum receiver) 1911 I built. I have to round up some more 45 ammo to test reliability and accuracy. Also have to find a good mag carrier to carry two spares around a tucked in shirt.

herrwalther said:

My two main carry firearms right now are striker-fired, no manual safety. Walther Q4 Tac and Walther PPS M1, both 9mm. My next "up and coming" carry weapon is a 5" lightweight (Aluminum receiver) 1911 I built. I have to round up some more 45 ammo to test reliability and accuracy. Also have to find a good mag carrier to carry two spares around a tucked in shirt.

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Flat 1911 mags I find pretty easy to conceal in a pocket. One in the front or two in the back pocket works well for me.

For carriers I like KyTex. Really flat and cheap, though single stack mags have popped out the back when I bend over, so my 1911 carriers are wrapped in duct tape. Works like a charm.

When my back tolerated a 1911 I liked one mag in a KyTex carrier and one in my front pocket by my wallet.

JR24 said:

Flat 1911 mags I find pretty easy to conceal in a pocket. One in the front or two in the back pocket works well for me.

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I am not a big fan of carrying spare mags in pockets. If I am going to need it, it is going to be now and not after I fumble with getting it out of a pocket that may have other things around. I have been looking at a StealthGear IWB carrier and modifying it with an Ulticlip, like my dress holster. Allows them to clip to the pants behind a belt, making them harder to see with a tucked in shirt. My typical semi dress attire is khakis and a polo shirt.

S&W Shield 9mm. In the summer a S&W Bodygaurd 380 in a pocket holster.

S&W Shield 9mm loaded with Federal HST 147+P

Glock 42 in the summer, 43X in the winter.

Currently M&P CORE for the heavy, Kahr P9 for the light.

Heavy used to be a 5946, so DAO for both. Interesting how the Kahr fits fine into both categories, as far as in-the-hand feel. I can shoot both on a single range session, no problems.

Striker w/no safety.
LCP II or LC9 for hot weather.
Glock 43X or when I can cover it.

Stay safe.

Revolver, for now. Will resume some auto, in the near future, but trigger/safety system TBD.

Boring details: An aging right hand, that I no longer fully trust to be a stable platform for reliable auto-loading function, with all auto-pistols, and, then, the Panic-Demic, which reduced my access to the frequent live-fire training that I need, to maintain proficiency with autos, and to maintain verification that my right hand is still fit for the task, has resulted my defaulting to revolvers for daily use. My least-perishable triggering skill is long-stroke DA, due to the hard-wiring established when I had to carry DA revolvers for LEO-ing purposes. So, I only selected the one choice, for Revolvers, for now, but I am not out of the autoloader game, having recently added compact .45 Glocks, and some slim-line S&W Third-Generation autos, the latter due to nostalgia for the Models 3913 and 3953, that I really liked, in Nineties. I may well be working a compact Glock, and/or S&W DA/SA, back into my carry equation, in the coming months. (Notice that I did not say “rotation.” )

I only recently discovered that the Short Frame Glocks fit my my left hand, most very well, and then handled a 4th-Gen G30, to find a similar result. I bought both the G30s Short Frame, and the Gen4 G30. I will mostly shoot these lefty, as “compact” 9mm G26 and G17 Glocks became to much for my gimpy right thumb/hand/wrist by late 2017. (I do still shoot 9mm Glocks with “orthopedic” full-length grips, right-handed. The key seems to be that the back strap needs to extend all the way to the “heel bone” of my right hand. A G17/G19x/G45 reaches far enough, as does a factory Ruger SP101 grip. A G19 does not reach far enough.)

I was fortunate to have been born left-handed, but right-armed. I write lefty, but throw righty. I chose to carry “primary” on my right side, in 1983. LEO-ing, from 1984 to 2018, strongly conditioned me to reach for the right side, for a handgun, but I have long regarded shooting handguns to be an ambidextrous activity, and have tended to position a second gun for lefty access. Well, now, in my 60th year, it still makes plenty of sense to keep a revolver handy, for the right hand, but work an auto into an increasing important role, for lefty carry. It is no longer a matter of “primary and secondary,” but simply accessibility options, based upon my hands’ changing capabilities.

Sig p365, or a Sig 938 cocked n locked... The 938 is my summer quick grab n go piece...

I've been carrying my Mark 23 for over 4 years now as a DA/SA.

Oof, that's a big carry gun.

When the G48 came out and I handled it for the first time I found my perfect carry gun. It's been my only carry gun since. IWB Galco King Tuk. Summer, Winter, doesn't matter.

DA/SA with a decocker and safety.

I use either an H&K P30SK-V3 or a Walther PPK when size is an issue.

TAURUS G2C 9MM OR A
SIG p238 380
Depends on where I am in the house when I am leaving
I found the Taurus easier to take apart than the Glock I usually carry---old hands-whatever

One of these two. I don’t pocket carry very often but if I’m going to a social gathering where I can wear a t shirt and shorts and not sitting a lot I may go with my Model 36 in a Uncle Mike’s #4 pocket holster.

90% of the time it’s my nickle Model 36 at my 4 o'clock in a DeSantis Black Widow holster.


I have a S&W .380 EZ I’m trying to work into the rotation but have not found a holster that I like. Also bought a Glock Model 48 “Black” last week through their Blue/Homeland Security program. Haven’t had any range time with it yet but plan on evaluating it as an EDC over the next few months.

Sig P365XL in summer
HK VP9sk in winter

Today I rolled all over Knoxville with my model 31 on my 5-11 thigh pocket with a speed strip on standby. It varies....

Ruger American compact, with the manual safety.

I was right, one range trip with the Glock 19 (first in probably 6 months at least) and it's back in the holster.

Something about it just works for me, carry feels better even compared to similar guns with nearly the same weight and in the same holster/mag carriers feels uncomfortable at points the Glock does not.

And, heresy incoming (especially from a former Glock "grip angle" hater) I just don't own anything that points better out of the holster. I outshoot even my beloved 1911s (with a laser bullet) at 7-10 yards, from holster, with eyes closed consistently.

Glock 19 and a Glock 42 when discretion is necessary.