When choosing a pistol as your personal carry gun, the most important factor is to be honest when weighing your decisions.  Don’t let ego get in your way or others make your decision for you.  However, don’t let ease of concealability be the sole driving factor.  Forget about what your buddies at the range are going to say and worry about what you need to defend yourself and your loved ones.

We know that our goal in a defensive shooting is to stop the threat as quickly as possible.  This means the ideal defensive gun would be the largest caliber you can shoot well, have the largest magazine capacity possible, and be a larger frame gun that allows for good grip and recoil control.  The large frame would allow for a longer sight radius and barrel length which means more accurate shooting.  We will call this the hand-cannon.

We also know that it has to be something that you will carry every day.  As we’ve previously established, in order to defend yourself with your CCW handgun, you must have it with you.  We also must be able to keep the pistol concealed as we go about our day under any and all conditions.  The ideal carry gun would be a very small frame that is easily concealed, be a smaller caliber so it is controllable with the small frame, and have a smaller magazine capacity to keep the size and weight down.  This small gun is easy and comfortable to carry for long periods of time and can be carried in a variety of concealment holsters.  We will call this the mouse-gun.

Now, the hand-cannon, while being a great defensive weapon is very difficult to carry concealed and many times will be left at home.  The mouse-gun, while easily carried, isn’t the most effective defensive weapon.  The hand-cannon and the mouse-gun represent both ends of the pistol spectrum.  What works for you will probably be somewhere in the middle.  This is where honesty comes into play.

While pondering that full-size 1911 or Glock 21, ask yourself if you will really carry it every day, without question.  Are you willing to dress around your gun?  Are you willing to deal with the weight and possible discomfort of carrying a gun that large?  Do your activities and life-style allow you to carry a large gun every day?  Can you handle a large caliber?  Will you put the needed time into training regardless of the cost of ammunition?  If you can honestly answer yes, wonderful, you will have a great defensive gun with you at all times.  If your answer is probably not, you are better off with a smaller gun.

While looking at that tiny LCP or even a derringer, it’s pretty easy to see you can carry it every day.  But, you must understand that you are sacrificing a lot of stopping power for that ease of carry.  Can you carry a slightly larger gun?  Are you willing to make some small sacrifices in comfort and ease in order to have a more potent weapon?  If so, there are a number of 9mm pistols on the market that are only slightly larger than the “mouse-gun” or even consider a small frame revolver.  Remember your goal…stop the threat as quickly as possible…the larger the caliber and larger the gun, the better your odds of achieving that goal.

Does this small gun give you the best chance of accomplishing that goal?  Obviously not.  Again, here’s where your honesty has to come into play.  If you know that all you are willing to carry is a small gun, then I would recommend that be your choice.  I would rather have a tiny .22 with me than a stick if forced to defend myself.

That hand-cannon is a great choice for a defensive weapon, but only if you have it with you.  It does absolutely no good sitting at home in the safe.  That mouse-gun is a piece of cake to carry but can severely limit your defensive capabilities.  A mouse-gun in your pocket does beat a hand-cannon left at home.  So, be honest with yourself.  Don’t let you ego write a check you’re not willing to cash every day by buying that hand-cannon.  But also, don’t go the easy route with the tiny semi-auto just because it’s convenient.  Be honest and make the choice of gun based on your willingness to carry it every day and then tip the odds in your favor as much as possible by carrying the largest gun and caliber possible.

Tom Smith is the owner of Stillwater Armory in Stillwater, OK.  He teaches self-defense and firearms classes as well as providing valuable insight into gear selection in his retail store.  Each state has different concealed carry laws.  Be sure to know and understand your state’s laws and never violate those laws.