Concealed Carry Corner: Generational Carry Differences
Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about how to avoid potentially risky situations and how to de-escalate if you are ever confronted. If you happened to miss last week’s article, I highly encourage you to click the link here to check it out. This week I wanted to take a look at the differences between how my dad carries a concealed pistol and how I will typically carry a gun. We were similar in styles when I first started carrying about 15 years ago but now we have both changed and carry drastically different. Let’s take a closer look at some of the generational carry differences.
Carry Guns
One of the first departures when it comes to carrying styles between my father and me is the lag in his carry setup over the years. Throughout the last 15 years, I have changed carry guns roughly 6-7 times where he has consistently carried the same gun to the point where his night sights need to be recharged and he really would do well with an upgrade into modern times. My typical carry gun these days is a Glock 48 inside an ANR Design IWB Claw holster with a Shield Arms 15-round magazine. If I’m carrying in colder weather, it’s either a Glock 19 with a SureFire X300 light or a SIG Sauer P226 with an X300 light.
When it comes to carry guns for my dad, it’s either one of two options. He will typically carry a Kahr Arms PM9 with a Crimson Trace laser grip in a pocket holster. If it’s colder out, he will also carry a P229 SAS in a Galco leather holster. About 95% of the time though it will be his small PM9 with just the ammo inside the single stack gun and that’s it. He used to carry a spare magazine but doesn’t feel he needs it around the rural town where he lives in Missouri. I can understand how the PM9 could be a good pick when it first came out, but with the long list of alternatives on the market today, I don’t see it as a great option anymore. My dad argues he’s carried the same gun for over a decade and “knows it like the back of his hand at this point.” I can’t argue with the consistency portion but there are certainly easier guns to carry with better triggers than a double-action-only 15-ounce gun. Regardless of what he carries, the most important thing is that he actually carries a gun on a regular basis.
Where To Carry
Now when it comes to carrying positions as well as where we physically carry our guns in public that also varies drastically depending on who you are talking about. I personally prefer to carry some sort of Inside The Waistband holster with a claw attachment to help give me a tad bit more concealment. I will rarely carry a shoulder holster if I’m wearing a suit jacket but that’s pretty uncommon. For the most part, those are the two methods of carry I stick to just to keep things consistent so I can have a fluid draw stroke no matter what gun I’m carrying. My father is similar in this approach because he only carries the two guns I previously mentioned above. If he is carrying a gun it will be the PM9 in a cloth pocket holster that has been worn out now for a few years. He refuses to replace it because it fits and works for him.
When I go out in public, there’s a very high chance that I will have some sort of handgun with a pocket knife and my wallet, keys, and phone. When my dad goes out, he will only carry a handgun if he is wearing a pair of his “going to town jeans.” I’ve asked him a few times why this is and he says it’s to keep up standards. This is probably the one thing we disagree on most out of everything. I think you should try and carry a handgun no matter what versus my father who will only carry it when he wears the right clothing out which I find ridiculous. I respect his decision because he is my father but that does not mean he’s right in the slightest.
Accessories
Talking about accessories is another fairly straightforward conversation. When it comes to carrying extras on my body, I will typically carry a pocket knife as well as a spare magazine depending on where I’m going. I will either have a weapon-mounted light or flashlight in my bag that I take around with me. In my vehicle, I have a med kit and basic supplies in case I ever see an accident or anything to try and be helpful in everyday situations.
My father on the other hand will carry his gun and that’s about it. There is no such thing as a spare magazine or flashlight. He’s told me multiple times he doesn’t need all that junk weighing his pants down. I can understand the idea of keeping things simple and really it’s just a matter of personal preference. I am a certain way with how I carry and he’s almost the complete opposite.
Overall Thoughts
This may seem like a fun light-hearted article showing the differences between people as they get older and their situations change. My dad is an older man living in rural Missouri where I live up in a more populated part of the country. The point is we are all different and we may have different carry guns and carry styles. We may not always agree on what’s best but the most important thing is we all carry a handgun. We all have the baseline similarity to go off of and that’s what brings us together as a community. Let me know what you prefer to carry down in the comments below. If you have questions about carrying guns or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.