Which gun is best for CCW?  Which caliber is better than X?   9mm Vs. 45acp, which has more stopping power?   I’ve been shooting guns for decades and carrying for close to 30yrs.    I remember the early days when I was carrying a full size 1911 because I expected the worst and wanted the biggest possible gun I owned to be on me 24/7.    As the years went by I got more involved in reloading bullets for handguns and then I started to notice the differences from caliber to caliber.   I was amazed at the number of guns that are being used nowadays that all shoot the same bullet, but at different velocities.

For many conceal carry owners out there, the 38 Special seems to be towards the bottom as far as firepower, but the more I started to notice the instructors that were teaching advanced shooting skills all carried J-frame revolvers.    I realize having 5 bullets of any caliber vs a Glock with 17rds is considerable, but there are different reasons to carry a gun.  A duty weapon vs CCW are two different modes of carrying.    The arguments against the snubbies is that they are hard to shoot and the sights generally suck.  Well, technology has been catching up, the first time I got a  lot of a Crimson Trace laser grip, it was on a Smith & Wesson Model 637, the gun seemed to be more powerful and I felt like I couldn’t miss anything under 20yds with this thing.   If you want to cut down on the weight of the guns you are carrying, consider a J-frame revolver with laser grips to increase your piece of mind.