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Years ago, the comments on my articles in various places would be filled with the gleefully mediocre, chiming in about how defensive gun use is typically “3 rounds, 3 yards, 3 seconds,” and that usual such nonsense. This is less common now. It seems that our rapidly deteriorated world has become obvious to even the “common tater” commentators.
This is the era of a high possibility of terrorist attacks, flash mobs, violent riots, large home invasion crews, active shooter attacks, and exceedingly violent gangs and drug cartels, all enhanced by our open boarder. Even most of the common taters have awoken. The crack head in an ally with a knife is hardly the only threat we now face.
Serious handguns are in order. Fortunately, we now have very capable, yet imminently concealable, pistols. Obviously, if you know you will be in a fight, a Glock 17 is preferable to a Sig P365, but a good shooter can do good work with a P365 or similar. And, as should be self-evident, a gun you will always carry is much better than one you will occasionally carry.
Here I will offer you some things to consider, if you are still working out your own carry gear. After many years of carrying a concealed handgun, daily, I think I have truly streamlined my EDC into a very capable, yet consistently carry-able, format.
Every Day Carry
After many years with it, my primary carry gun remains the Glock 26. While the “micro compact” guns, typified by the Sig P365, have dominated concealed carry in the past few years, I still prefer the Glock 26 as I don’t find it any more difficult to conceal then the micro compacts, yet it shoots and performs far more akin to a service pistol. Using the 12-round Magpul magazine for it, I get a full firing grip, yet it still carries significantly easier than even a Glock 19. I also carry a spare magazine in the waistband along with it, in this case a 21-round Magpul Glock magazine. So, between the gun and the reload, I am carrying significant capability, in a package that absolutely disappears under any casual shirt.
Along with the gun and magazine in the waistband, I carry keys, OC spray, and my phone in one hip pocket, and my beloved pouch in the other, which holds a light, knife, and tourniquet, hidden in the pocket with no use of visible pocket clips. For more information of how this works, see my article on No Clips in Pockets.
I carry this EDC setup the majority of the time.
Deep Concealed Carry
Most concealed carriers need a deep concealment option to accommodate either very casual dress (sweatpants, board shorts, etc…) or formal dress, such as tucked shirts and suits. I try to stay consistent with my carry tools, but the element that does change when I must tuck in shirts, or when I am wearing draw-string shorts, sweatpants, or any non-belt option, is the gun and reload. My go-to for deep concealed carry is my Ruger LCR revolver in a Phlster Enigma. The other items, including the pouch with the light, knife, and TQ, remain the same as these inconspicuously fit even in shorts, sweatpants, or dress pants. I prefer this smaller toolset that can work all the time rather than larger items that work only some of the time.
Extended Carry
Finally, I often utilize what I call “extended carry,” which involves adding additional gear to the EDC. For this setup, I carry the EDC as pictured above, but I add the Ruger LCR to an ankle holster, and also add a speed strip to support the revolver, along with a pack of Quick Clot gauze, to an ankle strap on the other leg, thus furthering my on-body medical and defensive gear. While I always have a full trauma kit in my pack that is close by, and I keep a lot of such gear in the vehicle, I like having these medical devices on body.
Before all the cowboys start in about how ankle carry is terrible, I ONLY carry a backup gun in this capacity, not my main gun. The carry of a backup gun, in my case, is mainly to accommodate having a second gun that can be handed to a family member, should a situation get bad. This extended carry setup stays consistent in that it just adds additional tools to my ankles, while the EDC on my waist and in my pockets stays the same. This extended setup also utilizes my two regular carry guns, thus not introducing unfamiliar tools.
If you are working on maximizing your ability to carry concealed tools, I recommend staying as consistent as possible in doing so, and you may find some of these strategies helpful.
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