How to Choose a Concealed Carry Weapon

Carrying a concealed weapon is a great way to protect yourself and your family; however, you must be certain that your state allows you to carry a concealed weapon. If so, you should pick a weapon that is easy to conceal, easy to shoot, and fits your body size.

Things You'll Need

  • Concealed carry license
  • Low-profile holster
  • Weapon
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine that you're allowed to carry a concealed weapon. While in most states, it's perfectly legal to carry a weapon in public if it's in plain sight, many states require you to have a separate permit if you're planning to conceal that weapon.

    • 2

      Go to your nearest handgun retailer. Tell them that you're looking for a concealed carry weapon. Ask them to see their line of concealable firearms. Ask to see the Glock Model 36, which is only 6.77 inches in length, and only 1.1 inches wide. The Model 36 has a 6 round magazine, shoots .45ACP, and weighs under two pounds fully loaded.

    • 3

      Be aware that the smaller the size of a concealed carry weapon often means giving up some functionality. The slimmer profile often means less ammunition, because of the "single-stack" configuration. Also, shorter barrels may mean a shorter effective range, though when you consider that most self-defense shootings take place at a distance of only 7 to 15 feet, this is less an issue than the capacity. The .45ACP cartridge fired by this model Glock has extreme stopping power at short-to-medium range.

    • 4

      Fire the weapon before you buy it. After you make your selection, you should ask to fire the weapon. Many retailers have a range on-site but, if they don't, the chances are that you're not more than a few miles from a local range. Ask the clerk if he knows of a reputable range nearby.