Why I Don't Rotate My Carry Guns (Not What You Think)

[The Night Rider]

I read a discussion on another forum about people rotating their carry guns and it occurred to me what a pain in the ass it must be to unload gun A and then go get gun B out of the safe and load it and dig out the holster for gun B and the magazine carrier for gun B and take all the other stuff off your belt and put the gun B stuff on it before you walk out of the house.

That's when I realized that the reason that I carry a glock 19 or a Glock 26 exclusively is because I'm a lazy bastard and I don't want to deal with all that.

If I'm going to the range that's different. Because I actually get to shoot the gun but I'm not going through all that drama just to have a different brick on my hip.

Like I said, I'm a lazy bastard.

In case anybody's wondering, this post is only half serious.

 

[Bob529]

I'm still fairly new to EDC but I carry the same gun, every day. I have different ones, but I carry the one that is most comfortable and it's the one that I practice my draws with. I would be afraid that if I switched guns, it might throw off my muscle memory in a critical situation. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[CDW4ME]

I do not "rotate" carry guns.
Lets say I'm carrying a Glock 19 - its a 32 but everybody knows what a 19 is. I also have a Sig 365 in weak hand pocket.
That carry combo is for "quick trip to the store", walking the dog, errands, shopping, restaurant, wherever - I am confident in that regardless of where I am going.
Implied in that was carry a decent gun everywhere, don't settle for a minimal gun in a "good area" - My definition of "decent" is a Glock 19 or Sig 365 - a Snub or LCP 380 is a "back-up" to a decent gun.

Why might I carry less than the Glock 19? Its really a 32 but for discussion sake...
Going to the gym - a 19 is too big for me to exercise with in a Smartcarry, so a Glock 26 - same operation as the 19 - Valid reason to switch.

Invalid* reasons to rotate carry guns: (Lets go with a Glock 19 is what is usually carried and what is easiest to shoot quick & accurate versus these other possibilities)
Have a revolver and think it is "cool" to carry it sometimes - No.
Going to a BBQ and want to impress people with a shiny or engraved gun that is not as good as a Glock 19 - No. (Especially not a SA revolver, double NO.)
Feel lackadaisical and want to just carry snub in pocket because of low anticipated threat, "good area" - No. Do it right.

*My post so I get to decide what is invalid.

What is the take away?
One probably has a pistol that is advantageous versus other options, like Glock 19 vs a revolver. Rather than "rotate" strive to always carry the more advantageous handgun.

 

[The Night Rider]

I do not "rotate" carry guns.

You don't iron your clothes either.

Lets say I'm carrying a Glock 19 - its a 32 but everybody knows what a 19 is. I also have a Sig 365 in weak hand pocket.
That carry combo is for "quick trip to the store", walking the dog, errands, shopping, restaurant, wherever - I am confident in that regardless of where I am going.

Carrying different guns for different situations is not the same as rotating your carry guns.

In about 15 minutes I'm leaving for the gym. I'm going to be wearing gym clothes and carrying a Ruger LC9 and one reload both 9 round magazines.

(FWIW I wouldn't go to a perceived "Bad neighborhood" in the middle of the night (Also FWIW they're all bad), and I don't make late night trips to Walmart for anything but if I did I would feel confident with that gun.)

I'm carrying that gun based on it being the most easily concealable for what I'm wearing.

I'm not carrying that gun because I feel like it or because my glock 26 makes my ass look fat.

As near as I can tell people rotate their carry guns because they're "Bored" with what they're carrying.

I like being bored with my carry gun.

 

[tarosean]

it occurred to me what a pain in the ass it must be to unload gun A and then go get gun B out of the safe and load it and dig out the holster for gun B and the magazine carrier for gun B and take all the other stuff off your belt and put the gun B stuff on it before you walk out of the house.

Leave them in their holsters loaded. Quite possibly the epitome of laziness? I only rotate between my EDC and a "shorts & flip flop" gun (pocket carry). Takes a whole 5 seconds to swap between them.

 

[Old Dog]

Well, I am a notorious carry gun rotator. Unapologetic. But, my system is simple and works for me; carry guns and spare mags are left loaded on top shelves in the safe and holsters kept with matching belts and mag pouches on a closet shelf next to the safe.

My only moments of indecision are when figuring out which boot-belt-holster combination to choose... Black? Brown? Tan? Oxblood? Oh, almost forgot, then gotta choose the matching watch/band combo, too.

Seriously, I probably rotate between five or six carry guns; probably 80% of the time, a SIG P-228/M11/229, 15% a SIG P-365XL and the other 5% of the time a 1911 or maybe even a revolver... Now that I'm retired I don't worry so much about finding hacks to speed up my routine or make things easier. (The SIGs are cliquish and like to stick together)

 

[Pat Riot]

I say do what you like and what you’re comfortable with.

I switch between a couple of carry guns. A S&W 442 and a Glock 48. Sometimes both.

I have been thinking about buying another subcompact semiauto. Something a little easier to pocket carry.

 

[LimaCharlie]

Do whatever works for you.

I have several different handguns in different calibers for concealed carry and others for open carry. What I carry and how many I carry are based on what I am doing and where I am going that day.

 

[JohnKSa]

Do whatever works for you.

Good advice. To that, I would add: "TEST what you do so you actually know what works for you."

Find some "practical" competitions in your area and enter one with your carry guns. Some will let you actually enter multiple guns, so you could get a feel for how you perform with each one on the same course of fire.

 

[Tallball]

Mine are all DAO or the equivalent. Point, squeeze, bang. Six are loaded and ready to go. The one I take with me is the one that fits my clothing the best.

 

[Hartkopf]

Good advice. To that, I would add: "TEST what you do so you actually know what works for you."

 

[lee n. field]

I read a discussion on another forum about people rotating their carry guns and it occurred to me what a pain in the ass it must be to unload gun A and then go get gun B out of the safe and load it and dig out the holster for gun B and the magazine carrier for gun B and take all the other stuff off your belt and put the gun B stuff on it before you walk out of the house.

That's when I realized that the reason that I carry a glock 19 or a Glock 26 exclusively is because I'm a lazy bastard and I don't want to deal with all that.

If I'm going to the range that's different. Because I actually get to shoot the gun but I'm not going through all that drama just to have a different brick on my hip.

Like I said, I'm a lazy bastard.

In case anybody's wondering, this post is only half serious.

I don't have anything like a "carry rotation".

I change out the gun I'm carrying "every once in a while", either on a whim, or to meet a perceived need. If neither of those conditions apply, why bother?

 

[theotherwaldo]

My uniform pretty much limits me to pocket holster carry.
This simplifies things tremendously... .

 

[Coyote3855]

I don't rotate. But carry different guns depending on the situation. Glock 43X during the week while working. Weekends doing stuff around the property, Glock 19X or 19, same holster. Kahr 380 pocket carried if discretion is absolutely necessary and sometimes as a backup to a larger gun. On a whim, I occasionally carry a Hellcat Pro. Manual of arms is similar for all. Align the sights and press the trigger.

 

[Choctaw]

I've been carrying on and off duty since 1987. I carry the same pistol daily no matter how hot it is, whether I'm eating chocolate ice cream or shopping for a new beachball. If you want to carry different firearms that's great. However, just make sure you train on each gun that you carry equally. Walking into a gunfight isn't the time to figure out your draw and the fact you really don't shoot that ever-so-cool pistol very well.

 

[The Night Rider]

My uniform pretty much limits me to pocket holster carry.
This simplifies things tremendously... .

Wait, Librarians wear uniforms?

 

[The Night Rider]

My second to last work assignment I carried aGlock 26 in my pocket and I had a spare Glock 26 Magazine on my belt. Then one night it occurred to me that I might just as well use a Glock 19 magazine as a reload.

So currently I have my Glock 19 loaded and my glock 26 loaded so that's one Glock 19 magazine and one Glock 26 magazine and then I just loaded two 19 magazines.

When I'm hiking in the mountains I carry the magazine carrier with two magazines in it because when I'm in the mountains I am on my own.

The rest of the time I carry the Glock 19 or the Glock 26 as circumstances permit and one Glock 19 Magazine on my belt.

I think I only have five Glock 26 magazines plus three or four Magpul Glock 26 magazines. Everything else is Glock 19 magazine.

Apparently, in addition to being lazy I'm also cheap

 

[theotherwaldo]

Wait, Librarians wear uniforms?

I do - a golf shirt with a city logo and dress slacks.
It's not required but I try to set an example as the director.
Anyway, it's just too hot here (107 degrees today) to wear a suit and tie... .

 

[doubleh]

What ever floats your boat. However the way I look at things is when your brain learns to operate one system well it will slow you down for a time when switching to something slightly different. It takes some time for the brain to adjust to the difference. It may only a little slowdown but it's there.

 

[unclenunzie]

With the extreme heat here I have rotated my pants to shorts. If it's real bad I'll go OWB with a cover shirt. If I get super lazy as with going to pick up a sandwich 5 minutes away I'll just go t-shirt with holstered gun in pocket, and shockingly, without a spare mag. Dangerous I know, but I'm willing to risk my life for lunch.

Been the same pistol, Sig P365XL w/Wilson-Combat grip and weights, for a couple years. The ammo is Gold Dot or HST 124. I periodically shoot it cold and am happy with it's performance, and mine as an ordinary citizen going about his business. I have two very nice G19s which in winter (jacket level winter) may be my chosen pistol. If I'm not lazy.

And yes, I often keep a 442 in pocket also. I should probably practice more with it support hand only.

 

[drobs]

Leave them in their holsters loaded. Quite possibly the epitome of laziness? I only rotate between my EDC and a "shorts & flip flop" gun (pocket carry). Takes a whole 5 seconds to swap between them.

This is the way. Keep em loaded and holstered.

I keep 3 handguns loaded and holstered. Holstered Ruger LC9s Pro for pocket carry, Holstered Glock 43X for OWB carry, and a Holstered Glock 19 with rail mounted flash light in the night stand.

Had a crazy storm last night that knocked the power out for 11 hours. I put on my Glock 19 with WML.

 

[GBExpat]

I read a discussion on another forum about people rotating their carry guns and it occurred to me what a pain in the ass it must be to unload gun A and then go get gun B out of the safe and load it and dig out the holster for gun B and the magazine carrier for gun B and take all the other stuff off your belt and put the gun B stuff on it before you walk out of the house. ...

My carry handguns "live" in their holsters. I simply remove a "new" holstered & loaded handgun (along with any extra mags, speed loaders, caltrops, grenades, garrottes, blades, rocks, pointy sticks, etc required) from the gunsafe and replace in the gunsafe with the "old" equipment.

Just read the OP, btw ...

 

[The Night Rider]

My holsters are Leather. I don't store my handguns longterm in Leather.

You Do You Boo

 

[fastbolt]

I don't have a 'rotation' for foot gear, either. Plenty of foot wear, though, which I wear for various reasons.

Don't have a 'rotation' for clothing, comes to that.

Neither do I have a 'vehicle rotation', even though I have a sedan, SUV and a couple motor cycles.

I don't have a 'carry rotation' when it comes to retirement weapons. I do have various choices and options for different circumstances or desires, though. Lots of use with them for range work when I was serving as an instructor up until a few years ago. Nowadays my choices are mainly based on size, weight and whether the carry method fits well with my usual retirement activities and apparel choices. I no longer spend any time having to consider whether I'm wearing enough 'working gun' in case I decide I need to invoke peace officer status and actively insert myself and intervene in some violent on-view crime. Other folks can choose to carry more guns and spare ammunition as private persons than I did as a working cop, and it's no concern of mine.

Now, folding knives? Lots of choices, but most of them fall under the heading of Gentleman's Pocket Jewelry.

 

[bassjam]

Wait we're supposed to unload them before putting them in the safe?

I have 2 different handguns I'll carry. A Kimber K6s whenever I can, and a LCP when I want something smaller. Both stay loaded in their handgun safes, with the holster next to each safe.

I'm a little like @fastbolt though with my pocket knifes. I have a LOT of choices but have settled on 3: a "less scary" one when I have to go to the office, a lightweight summer carry knife, and a heavier spring/fall/winter carry knife.