Several of you have been asking the question, “What do you recommend for carry?”
Well, that’s kind of a big question, and it has a lot of answers.
Choosing a CCW gun is an intensely personal decision and all we can really do is advise you on what to look for in your carry gun, and talk about what we ourselves carry.
Which is what we’re going to do today.
We rounded up the guns and gear that our staff — both editors and some of our writers — use on the daily when carrying concealed.
Table of Contents
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Note: This isn’t all the writers, but we’ll be updating in waves, so be sure to check back in for more of our personal carry choices.
Eric Hung, PPT Founder
I have two carry guns, depending on what I’m wearing.
Sig Sauer P365 XL
My go-to 12+1 9mm carry gun is the P365 XL which gives me the perfect amount of grip and a slightly extended sight radius.
Plus, with the XL version, I get the flat trigger which feels slightly better than the original.
You can get my full take on it in my full review.
How about a holster? We’re up to our eyeballs with holsters, and every writer probably has a dedicated “holster drawer” in their house.
But I go with Hidden Hybrid Holsters for their comfort. Like in the name…it’s a hybrid holster of a leather backer and Kydex shell.
The best of both worlds, in my opinion. See my full review here.
It’s not too heavy, but I still prefer wearing a sturdy gun belt built for the purpose. And so, I use my Kore Essentials, which easily supports it.
Plus, with the benefit of easy re-sizing if I’m sitting down for extended amounts of time.
Check my full review of it here.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Ruger LCP Max
How about when I want to wear some athletic wear? Or simply don’t want to put on a belt?
I go for my Ruger LCP Max…10+1 rounds of .380 that still packs a punch.
Unloaded, it’s about the weight of a big iPhone. And even loaded and in a Hidden Hybrid Holster, it feels like nothing at all.
Note…I got the Ulticlip option that sturdily clips onto athletic pants without the need for a belt. I tested it out with my shorts/joggers, and even with full running, nothing gets dislodged.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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You guessed it, we have a full review of the Ruger LCP Max too!
Jacki Billings, PPT Editor-in-Chief
Shadow Systems MR920
My everyday carry is a Shadow Systems MR920 — which is, essentially, a bougie Glock 19 clone.
I love the MR920 because it comes with interchangeable backstraps that accommodate my small palms but long fingers.
Additionally, I adore the enhanced beavertail and optics cut slide.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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The MR920 nestles inside a Dark Star Gear Orion holster fitted with a Dark Wing attachment in the AIWB position.
Belt-wise, I rotate between a NexBelt and a Volund Gearworks Atlas.
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As a petite female CCWer, flatter nylon belts work best to help me conceal that larger MR920.
Not to mention, nylon belts feel more comfortable around my hip bones.
Sig Sauer P238
As a lady, sometimes I wear pants without belt loops or full-on dresses/skirts.
This type of wear doesn’t pair with a mid-size gun like the MR920, so I step down to a Sig Sauer P238.
The P238 is a tiny .380 ACP semi-auto that works really well as a backup gun or, in the case of dresses, a primary on the thigh.
I usually wear the Can Can Concealment Garter Holster dresses and skirts, and alongside the Sig, it works really well. Perfect date night combo!
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Need more tips on how to carry as a lady? Check out my article here!
Wyatt Sloan, Jr. Editor
I cycle through about 50, yes 50, different carry guns — everything from duty-sized guns to pocket pistols, revolvers, and other weird stuff.
My mind changes about as much as the Texas weather, and my carry choices give off more mixed signals than your 3-year love crush at the office.
To save everyone the headache, I’ve reluctantly narrowed it down to two guns.
CZ 75 D PCR (Cajunized)
At the end of the day, this little guy beat out some tough contenders, such as my Staccato C2, Sig P229 Legion, and Walther PDP Compact, among others.
This small, hammer-fired, alloy-framed gun holds 14+1 rounds of 9mm and features a slide-in-frame design, decocker, and some of the best damn ergonomics of any pistol I have ever picked up.
Soft recoil, excellent accuracy, and superb reliability are all present in the PCR.
I installed the Cajun Gun Works Pro-Carry kit, which left me with a trigger that will stack up to any custom shop gun out there. I also installed some PCR-specific Trijicon night sights.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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I carry this gun OWB in either a leather holster or a custom-molded kydex holster with standard loops.
Sig Sauer P365
When I need to go even smaller, I regularly seem to fall back to my standard Sig P365.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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The smaller barrel and shorter grip length are easier to conceal for me than my P365XL, but it still allows me to use extended magazines to match the capacity of its larger brethren.
Great OEM night sights, a solid trigger, and 100% reliability have made the P365 a staple in my carry rotation.
I typically carry this gun OWB in a Bravo Concealment holster or a DeSantis Mini-Scabbard leather holster.
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Shake the magic 8-ball and ask again later; I will probably have a different answer.
Jonny Villanueva, PPT Video Editor & Videographer
Although I’ve always been an EDC fanatic, carrying a firearm along with my daily essentials didn’t begin until my recent move from Los Angeles to Austin, TX, in 2022.
Now that certain legalities have changed, I carry a Sig Sauer P365X with a pre-installed RomeoZero.
Its overall size and magazine capacity of 12+1 falls in line with my thinner frame of 120 pounds perfectly.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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The P365X is often paired with a Hidden Hybrid Holster to maximize comfort, though I occasionally switch to a Safariland Schema on warmer days.
I swapped out the stock frame for one styled in FDE and plan to replace the RomeoZero with a Holosun EPS in the near future.
Sean Curtis, Content Producer
Walther PDP
For everyday carry, I trust the Walther PDP.
I carried it on duty before I retired and love it! Some of my favorite features are the grip, trigger, accuracy, and reliability of the gun.
I have several thousand rounds through the full-size and compact models now — both have been outstanding.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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For formal occasions, I run the full-size in a Safariland Level III Duty Holster, as well as a C&G OWB Kydex holster.
The compact PDP also fits nicely in an IWB holster from C&G.
While I have a Leupold DeltaPoint Pro on the full size, the compact is still a slick top…for now!
Johnny Bragg, PPT YouTube Contributor
As y’all know, I test a ton of pistols for Pew Pew Tactical, so my EDC changes like the weather.
This week’s rig is the FN 509 Compact, colored in tired dark earth, plus an extra mag.
I’ve already done a full range test on the 509C, and this thing runs like a Swiss sewing machine.
Just got this new Tier 1 Concealed AIWB holster – so far, so good.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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I’ve recently fallen in love with the Kore Essentials X7. I wear it with the buckle at 4 o’clock and am super happy with it. Read our full write-up on the Kore Essentials belt here!
Great rig this week, but be sure to check out some of the other guns I’ve reviewed here.
Travis Pike, PPT Contributor
Sig Sauer P365 with XL Slide
My carry gun is a P365XL slide mated to a standard P365 frame.
I get all the benefits of the longer slide with all the concealment of the standard frame. Plus, I can use the smaller magazines to reduce the size even more.
Of course, smaller magazines mean less capacity, right?
Not so with the Mag Guts P365 magazine springs.
These allow me to add +2 rounds to my 10- and 12-round magazines. I tend to carry with the 12-round magazine that has a capacity of 14 with the Mag Guts installed.
The barrel is a True Precision threaded variant, and it wears a Griffin Armament Micro Comp.
The optic is the Holosun 507K, which features almost all the awesome features of Holosun pistol optics and only lacks the solar panel.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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The entire package ups the gun’s capabilities.
It’s easier to shoot faster, further, and more accurately, and that’s what matters to me.
It might not be the most compact P365, but it’s one of the easiest to handle and helps eliminate the human error associated with shooting.
Read up on more of my upgrades here!
Todd Gimian, PPT Contributor
For my EDC, I carry a modified Glock 43x.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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It has a “grip swell” by LVstipple to increase the width of the grip to a uniform dimension and eliminate the “Glock bump.” LV stipple did the stippling as well.
The slide was milled for Holosun 507k by Grant Defense, as well as Grant Defense’s trigger.
I carry the Glock in a Phlster Pro Series holster attached to a Phlster Enigma — that I’m currently in the process of combining with their Flex to allow for a better knife attachment.
The knife I carry is a Flagrant Havoc by Flagrant Beard.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Beyond the knife and gun, I carry one extra Shield Arms S-15 magazine (for 30 rounds total on me). And, if I don’t have a bag with me, I’ll also carry a Cat7 Tourniquet.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, concealed carry is a very personal choice and often dictated by each person’s build and lifestyle.
Hopefully, this has given you some inspiration for your own carry choices and will help you out when picking one for yourself.
What do you think about our choices? Any questions for our authors? Let us know in the comments below! Once you’ve gotten your carry gun, check out our Best Concealed Carry Holsters.
35 Leave a Reply
Kore belt is outstanding. Gave up my surprisingly unreliable P365 (trigger reset spring would not stay in place) for the S&W Shield Plus. Better and more beefy grip made me significantly more accurate at 5, 10, and 15 yards. Zero malfunctions and I bought it a week after it became available. Fun article.
*Cries in revolver carry
Longest advertisement and sales pitch I've read in a while.
Lol, this is not an advertisement. We get asked a lot what we carry, so we updated this article to direct people here.
Great article! With the world going crazier with each passing day and, the spreading drug problem, it is even affecting us country folk. Even out here in what used to be, a peaceful paradise, violence has found us.
What was really interesting for me was what the ladies are carrying as I am a small, lean, but muscular, male so I don't have much real estate to hide most guns. So, I carry a p365 iwb using a relentless tactical simple leather holster or an alien gear hybrid at 2 or 4 o'clock when I wear summer clothes. In the winter I carry a 45acp xds owb at 4 o'clock with the springfield supplied kydex. I use the shortest mags for less printing. However,
I carry an extra single but the higher cap mags for whatever gun I have that day owb at 10 o'clock.
I love that Ms. Jones packs during archery season; smart girl. Here in MT we have both grizzlies, and blackies, along with packs of wolves, lions, coyotes, and 2 leggeds, to name the most worrisome predators. So, during archery season the bears are real active as they are trying to fatten up for the soon-to-come winter. During rifle season a gun shot actually attracts bears. They think it's a dinner bell. Further, grizzlies are not afraid to steal one's elk gun or no gun. Because of my full backpack, I carry a S&W mod 69 44mag with 300gr solids on a drop leg holster. I was using a chest rig but the shoulder strap was very uncomfortable under my pack shoulder strap after a few miles. In grizzly country you don't want your pistol with your pack. Many stories of hunters getting mauled with their guns "over there". There are even incidents where hunters didn't have time to deploy their hip worn 357s. As far as semi autos, they don't work if the animal has you pinned and the gun is pressed against the hide.
I am going to try Mr. Pike's set up with the 365xl slide on the p365. Interesting!
I also carry a Fox karambit folder with the Emerson wave. The Emerson wave is a small hook on the back of the blade that catches your pocket as you draw which flips the blade out. It makes drawing this knife faster than anything short of a fixed blade.
I've heard many stories about close encounters with predators especially, when running or riding a bike as it initiates the "chase" response in animals. Lot's of wolves out here that run in packs. I know plenty of hunters that are more afraid of wolves than bears. I am considering trying a p238 while running as something is better than nothing. Maybe using fmj rounds as hollow points of most calibers won't penetrate through bear fat into the vitals. I recently saw an utube where 2 hunters shot an Alaskan griz with over 30 rounds. Most did not penetrate past the fat therefore, no vital hits. Finally, the guy with the 10mm managed a head or neck shot. The other guy had a 45 with human rounds.
Finally someone else who likes the Sig P365xl slide paired with the P365 grip module for better conceal ability.
Started EDC 6 years ago. First gun was a Glock 21 too heavy for me to wear it all day. Switched to a Glock 30. Loved it! But I have some mouthy and opinionated friends. They talked me into switching to a Glock 36. Smaller and lighter but less capacity. Since I live in California total capacity is restricted to 10+1. Never really like the G36 so I went back to the G30, I still love it. Looked at 9mm for a bit. Shooting 9mm feels like a cap gun (I know o lot of you have never seen or shot one but I've been around for a very long time.) So my first gun (1952) was a 1911 Colt in .45 A.C.P. I am still a fan of bigger is better. That's why I chose the Glocks I like. Great article though, with some real insight.
Pretentious Glock guy says 'what?'
Lots of great choices here, some that I own. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome article!!
I like the variety, same I encounter when I talk to fellow carriers. Mine are fall/ winter carry ….Beretta Px4 Storm 9mm compact in a Bravo concealment OWB custom kydex . Spring / Summer Ruger LCR .38 Spcl. In a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster .
Well dang, mine was a Taurus G3C, Glock 43, or 43X, all depending on the shirt really. I like the manual safety for appendix carry.
Lately I have switched to the Beretta 92X, so sweet! A super shooter, and a never ending capacity with that spare mag.
Great selection of concealed fun!
IDK how y'all can even sit down, much less drive, with a 2 o'clock carry.
I can't speak for everyone, but I find it more comfortable than behind the hip. I sit and type all day and have no issues with it in the AIWB. But that's me.
Nobody likes to Cathy the Hellcat…
Nobody around Pew Tactical carrying a Shield for this article? The Gock G43X is an awesome carry pistol, but lost out to the Shield in my own concealed carry trials for my current edc. Ammo capacity and superior grip cinched the deal for S&W this time (G23 and G17 owner).
Hey Darrin, I occasionally carry a Shield if I need something between the MR920 and the Sig P238. It's a nice little gun and super reliable.
You normally run just one belt clip on the hybrid holster?
Ooh ooh can you do the pew writers personal ar15 builds? What are you all running?
Update this. The Glock G43X is seriously in the game now! Definitely becoming a favorite!
I may be a Springfield fanboy but nothing tops the Hellcat to me.
It absolutely disappears (smaller than a lot of .380s), has amazing factory sights, and the flush mag fits 11 rds of 9mm.
My BUG / alternate EDC is my Springfield XDs .45 3.3 with Truglo sights. Love that one and it packs a whallop.
IDPA / USPSA is my XD-m 4.5 Tactical Elite.
Walther PPS in 9mm and Alien gear IWB, spare mag in pocket. Slim, comfortable, and if you need anything more you shouldn't be where your at!!
S&w M&P Shield in 9mm. Get it without the safety, less to fumble with, your index appendage is the safety. Great shooter, very comfortable size and weight, doesn't print. Goes bang everytime I have pulled the trigger. Load it up with some quality defensive rounds and you are good to go.
winter carry with full clothing is an FN-FNP.in .45ACP. Summer carry is a Ruger SP-101 in .357 Mag on a high hip leather snap holster. my fancy clothing /going out is a Sig P230 in .380. use the tool that fits the situation, don't use a sledge hammer for finnish work.
Brandon must have a better job than me since he brands the Glock 19 "affordable."
I'm a new CCW, and Travis' comment, "... stopped caring about printing...," raised an eyebrow. Most training info I've seen emphasizes the concealed aspect as almost as important as the gun choice itself. I'm carrying a Ruger 9E because it actually IS affordable, can be concealed without dressing like a hobo (OWB Stealth Operator compact holster) and provides the peace of mind 17+1 capacity brings.
My newbie status means I'm still angsting about people noticing a hint of print... but I'm trying to get over that.
Great article; I'm looking forward to seeing entries from the other writers. Heck, I'm a writer and would be happy to contribute as I walk this path and learn the ropes.
I have an SR9C as my CCW and I love it. 10±1 or 17+1. I know it's similar to the 9E so I have to say you picked a great gun by a great company for a very reasonable price.
I can't say for sure what Travis meant about not caring about printing, but I'd be willing to bet that he's come to realize (as will you) that the Vast majority of people won't ever notice if your shirt is clinging to your side-arm....hell a lot wouldn't notice if you were open carrying. As for the goblin thugs that you might encounter, I doubt many of them would notice you were printing either as they tend not to be the brightest bulbs in the box if you know what I mean.
Now having said that, there are (or used to be) some states/municipalities where printing can be considered "brandishing" and get the legal carrier in trouble, but I'm pretty sure those are few and far between these days.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Bobo. It seems like the world is divided into two opinions on carrying: One should never, ever print, or one should make a reasonable effort not to print, follow sensible guidelines for concealed carry, and get on with life.
I am working toward adhering to the latter as being the most sensible option.
Well, to each his own, but, I will NEVER own or carry a Glock. I have had too many cop friends tell me horror stories about their Glock carry days and why they will never carry one again.
Edward, I'd like to know why your Cop friends would never own a Glock?
I'm retired LAPD and carried a lot of different guns in both uniformed and undercover assignments. If I could only have one gun it would be a Glock, probably a Glock 23. Know why, because it always, say again, alway, goes bang. On top of that they are lightweight, hold a bunch of bullets, have less felt recoil and did I mention, they always go bang.
No Jeff, the one you had always went bang....Glock's while at one time were typically more reliable then other guns, don't always go bang, and weren't/aren't the mythical firearms people make them out to be (some even went kaboom or went bang when you didn't intend them to) They also weren't/aren't any more accurate then other pistols.
These day's, there are plenty of "plastic fantastic" pistols out there that are as reliable and accurate (or more so) then Glock's and a lot of them simply feel better in the hand. The Biggest thing Glock has going for it is the aftermarket support.
Having said that, I'm not saying they are bad in anyway and I do own a Glock that's never given me an ounce of trouble but it's also one of the few guns I Would consider selling or trading for something else I was interested in.
Ed, like Jeff, I too would be interested in hearing what your LEO friends said as to why they wouldn't own one....
BoBo, you're smok'in your socks!!
If a gun "went kaboom or went bang when you didn't intend them (sic) to" then you screwed up dude!! Guns do not shoot by themselves, and if you think they do then you should not be carrying one.
As to accuracy, all modern day handguns are capable of scoring in a gunfight, if they don't it is the driver's fault.
Glocks are carried by the majority of the Law Enforcement agencies in this country. That has to say something. Glocks always fire, say again, always fire, on top of that they hold a bunch of bullets, are light weight, have less felt recoil than most other hand guns and look cool!!!
Again, tell me about your LEO friends who are down on Glocks..I would like to know why.
Sorry BoBo, the last sentence was directed to Ed,
I agree. Opting for a pistol with no manual safety because you might forget to flip it off is a non-starter for me.