A handgun is a tool, first and foremost. It is not a toy and its function is to protect you in an emergency.
There is no one weapon that is the solution to every problem.
Guns are compromises geared towards strengths in certain areas and unavoidable weaknesses in others.
The type and amount of clothing you expect to regularly wear is an important factor to consider, too.
Someone in sunny Florida who often has light, airy clothing on would need a smaller profile handgun that can be easily concealed.
In the meantime, a person living in a northern state, where heavier bulky clothes are worn 5-6 months out of the year, will be able to conceal a larger weapon without it printing through.
Residents of states that have widely varying climates might even consider owning different pistols for each season of the year based upon the clothing they’ll be wearing and the weather they will be exposed to.
The human body shape is also a considering factor. Curves and bulges can help and hinder our carrying possibilities and may rule out certain carrying styles.
Avoid becoming fully reliant or versed in only one method of carry because there are many other factors that can render those preferences useless.
Author George Harris speaks of the potential use of a personal defense firearm in his article “Choosing the Right Concealed Carry Handgun for You” on USConcealedcarry.com:
“...we’ll first look at what the anticipated use of the handgun might be. As a responsible citizen it is reasonable to expect that an encounter requiring the use of a handgun would be in close proximity to the adversary and possibly take place in a spontaneous time frame with less than ideal light conditions. (Read more at USConcealedCarry.com)”
For example, if you are thinking about getting a .45 caliber revolver, write down a list of common places you frequent. Analyze what it would be like drawing this gun in those places, making sure you have a couple options for where it will be holstered.
Make a list of pros and cons for each handgun you are considering and then put those lists side by side. The answer you are searching for just might pop out at you from the page.
When you are making the final decision, make sure that you are the one doing the choosing. You’ll be the person who has to carry this weapon. Don’t let someone decide this for you or allow your resolve to be swayed by a sale price of a gun you don’t really want.
Remember this is a tool to protect yourself with and as such, the process of buying and owning it should be deliberate and well thought out.