When picking a concealed carry for purposes of self-defense, the decision will boil down to either the biggest magazine capacity or the smallest size. The choice depends on the location, environment, physical ability, and mental ability of the person selecting the gun. (h/t to ConcealedCarryToday.com)
The location is the place where you live. Determine the levels of danger/safety in the area. Also, figure out the chances of a friendly individual coming to help you if you were under attack.
Hazardous locations have a higher chance of violent encounters with more than one potential attacker. Therefore, a gun with more ammunition is better since it lets you fire more rounds at more attackers before you need to reload.
Reloading leaves you vulnerable. The fewer times needed to reload, the safer you are.
Likewise, if there is little chance of getting rescued or reinforced, you must rely on yourself for defense and survival. In that case, a gun with plenty of rounds in the magazine makes it more likely for you to last long enough during an attack to survive and escape. (Related: Tips for stocking your home pharmacy.)
Pick a self-defense gun suited for the environment of a location
Next comes the environment. Distinct from location, it covers the circumstances, conditions, and objects in the area where you live.
In short, the environment is where you live, work, and interact with other people. As such, the level of urbanization of a location counts as an environmental factor.
In general, urban areas experience more criminal activity than rural areas. There are more people in the same general area who socialize with each other more often. As such, the chances of a crime taking place are statistically higher than in rural areas with few people who encounter each other much less often.
Your physical and mental capacity will influence the available weapons
Physical and mental abilities determine your actual capacity for defending yourself from attackers. They also limit the types of guns that you may effectively use for self-defense.
Small, lightly built people will have a hard time handling big guns chambered for large calibers or with strong recoil. Likewise, people with physical disabilities like obesity and spondylolisthesis are not capable of carrying a complete tactical load-out on their person for long periods.
For these people, a Glock 19 pistol will count as a fairly heavy firearm despite weighing just 29 ounces when fully loaded. They will find it easier to use a smaller gun like the Smith & Wesson Shield 9, which uses the same 9x19 mm round.
However, the Glock 19 offers more firepower with its 15-round magazine compared to the Shield 9's seven rounds.
Armor-piercing question to ask yourself before committing to buying a gun for self-defense
Ask a professional gun user for recommendations on the most reliable model. Look for advisers who swear by their guns based on real-life experiences.
Find out what guns and calibers are legally permitted in the state or states where the weapon will be acquired and used.
Set aside enough funds for regular training with the gun. Each session at the firing range must include at least one magazine of the selected defensive load.
You must also assess your available skills in firearms. These factors include earlier experience with guns, training, and places and people that provide the knowledge of firearms.
In summary, you must not only determine what kind of gun you need for concealed carry, but you must also figure out if you are willing and able to meet the other requirements, such as commitments to health, training, and knowledge of local laws.
Sources include:
Please contact us for more information.