Picking the Right Carry Gun

"God Created man, Samuel Colt made them equal" - Old West Adage

   This is a very dear concept to me. The right to bear arms and how to pick the right one to bear. The hard part about this question is there isn't a right answer. There are a few guidelines and tools I would use to help pick, but there is no checklist. The decision to conceal carry is a very personal one and should not be impulsive.

    First some general guidelines when choosing a gun. Just because your best friend loves it doesn't mean it is right for you.  Second you might not need a $2000 gun, but maybe a cheaper gun and more practice. And an important, but hard to define one is it will just "feel right". Your carry gun will just fit and feel natural.

   So where does this leave us in the process. It's always good to get advice see what people like and what they avoid. Don't base your purchase of these alone, but it's a good jumping off point. Do some research on your own. What can you afford, pros and cons of different firearms, and most importantly what would you be willing to carry everyday. why is that important? Here is why.

   Just because a 1911 shooting a .45 round will leave the biggest hole doesn't do you any good if you never carry it due to its size. So before you laugh at the person who says they carry a .22 as a defensive handgun realize they probably have it on them. Take a look at what Matt Best says about his Top 5 conceal carry choices with Rated Red.

Check out Rated Red for more great videos

   So you have all your information and have narrowed down your list. What's next? It's time to get our hands dirty. Go to your local gun shop and hold as many of the guns on your list as possible. Get the feel of the ones you've looked up and see what feels good.

   The reason for doing this after your research I believe is simple. If you get in the Audi when you know can only afford the Toyota you'll get your gun, but always think it wasn't quite the one you wanted. Same with guns, higher price tag can mean extra features and a lack of satisfaction with your choice in firearm.

   Now after you have narrowed down your list to ones that feel good, are in your price range, let's go shoot some targets. If possible this is a step everyone should take before the buy a gun. Maybe you like how the gun feels empty, but add bullet weight and recoil to different calibers may influence your decision. Some guns even come in the same size with different calibers so try them out. I helped one person who was adamant they wanted a .40 caliber handgun until they shot the .45 and realized it just felt better. So try it out if you can.

   So there you go do your research, hold all the ones you can in that list, shoot off the ones that make it through and find that one which feels "just right". If you have any advice on what else to look for when buying a gun a conceal share it with everyone.

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