Minimal Carry for Maximum Effect

gear1-1024×628

Civilian concealed carry is a tremendous privilege and responsibility and firmly established as a way of life for many Americans. And as you know it’s also a new idea for many who, for the first time, are choosing to exercise their rights to defend themselves with a gun. By the way: Ever wonder what the writers and editors of American Handgunner carry? Find out at What Do We Carry? You’ll see one of my favorites — and it might surprise you.

Regardless of whether you’ve been carrying a gun for 50 years or only been considering it for the last 50 seconds or so, some of the best advice about how and what to carry can be found right here at Guns Magazine and American Handgunner. Granted, it can be a subjective matter, but there are plenty of general principles to follow. In fact, one of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard for concealed carry was this: Keep it simple. What’s usually meant by this bit of wisdom includes something to the effect of using the simplest gear offering the greatest results, should you ever have to defend yourself. In other words, when choosing gear, go with minimal carry for maximum effect.

One minimal setup regarded by many as a simple but effective carry package is a snub-nosed revolver and one reload. Consider, for instance, this Charter Arms Off Duty, a five-shot, 12-oz., .38 Special revolver retailing for $419.

The Off Duty, by its very name, means its meant to be a police officer’s backup gun. But it’s probably used more by civilians for everyday concealed carry. Five rounds of .38 Special may be at the bottom of the acceptable range of power for a defensive weapon — but only for some. I find it to be more than adequate because of two key factors: 1) I’ll regularly carry this revolver because it’s so light weight, and 2) I can shoot the .38’s accurately. (I’d say that about about a .22LR, too, because any caliber you’ll actually carry and shoot well is better than not having a gun and needing it.)

Point-shooting at the outdoor range yielded a bark from the Off Duty but I could hit the steel silhouettes every time at about seven to 10 yards’ distance — more than enough accuracy for its purpose. Simple. Effective.

Anyway, the Off Duty is on duty for the next few weeks, having passed my initial out-of-the-box test. It’ll ride in an Uncle Mike’s #3 Pocket Holster ($13.95), another minimalist piece of gear making it profoundly easy to pocket carry the Off Duty.

Even though the Off Duty carries only five rounds, I’ll carry a reload plus one: six rounds of .38 in a DeSantis 2x2x2 Cartridge Pouch (about $35 online). This good-looking but nondescript pouch rides on a 1-1/4” belt, in almost any location on your waist. Why carry six rounds instead of five? Because I can. Because I might drop one during a reload. And so on.