In this article, we’re going to explore five common myths that are rooted in a seed of truth. We’re going to address the myth and then we’re going to address what we believe is the core underlying issue. If you don’t agree with our assessment, please do comment in the comments section below and we’ll be happy to address your point.
Myth: “You can’t get a good gun on a tight budget.”
Issue: A lot of really crappy, cheaply made guns on the market.
Hi-Point has rightfully earned itself its reputation as the single-serving size sugar packet of the gun world. Bulky, not at all ergonomic, it costs less than a used Playstation 3 and is, at the very least, striker fire. However, this is just one example of a cheap gun. It all comes down to — what’s your reasonable budget? You CAN spend $719 on a new H&K P30SK and you wouldn’t be wrong for doing so. However, you can probably do reasonably well with an M&P Shield 9mm (~$449) or a Glock 36 .45 ACP (~$450). You have choices. And there is a used gun market that is extremely receptive to that if you’re looking to shave a few more dollars off the end price.
Myth: “Pocket carry is fine.”
Issue: Convenience over gun safety.
We treat every gun as if it were loaded. Putting a loaded gun in a cargo pocket is a recipe for disaster. While you may not have had any issues in however many years you’ve been carrying, feel free to read about the negligent discharges that have occurred in movie theaters, children’s swim meets, and other places because somebody thought it was more efficient to just throw a gun in a pocket rather than put it in a holster. They do make pocket holsters. At a minimum, a holster needs to fully protect the trigger guard and it needs to hold tight to the gun until you’re ready to use it. That’s basic firearm safety applied.
Myth: “You get what you pay for with cheap holsters.”
Issue: Cheaply made holsters versus affordable, efficient holsters
You can find a holster for next to nothing. You can also find an expensive holster that’s not worth the money. Cheaply made holsters are different than cheap holsters. A cheap holster that is comfortable to wear, maintains tight retention over the firearm, and can be worn non-stop everyday is not a bad investment. A holster that is “one size fits all”, has no retention, or has “new age” ideas like barrel plugs or exposed trigger guards are all recipes for disaster.
Myth: “Six round single stacks are a waste of time”
Issue: Concealable versus magazine capacity
It’s a stress point in almost every concealed carrier’s mind.
“Will I have enough rounds to engage my enemies until I can either neutralize them or escape?”
This isn’t a home defense question. This is a “I’m out at Costco” question. Asymmetrical situations where it’s hard to identify good guy from bad, difficult to determine numbers, intent, and ability. Add stress, adrenaline, and the need to get to safety and any concealed carrier with a modicum of doubt will head for the higher capacity firearm. However, in everyday carry travels, that’s not always necessary. Single stack concealed carry pistols are designed to be easy to fit inside the waistband. They don’t show, don’t print, and quite a few of them are extremely accurate at distance. The key advantage of being concealed versus going with bulk is the element of surprise. Your attacker does not know you are armed — you do. If capacity is an issue, this can be remedied by carrying a second or even third magazine on your person.
Read More: DEBATE: Double Stack Or Single Stack For CCW — We Match And Compare
Myth: “Concealed carriers don’t need training.”
Issue: Assumption of knowledge.
Even if you’ve handled firearms since you were a young child, there are gaps in your understanding of firearms. We all have them. Talking with former law enforcement and NRA instructors, we’ve gotten the impression that a lot of people assume situations they see played out in movies and television translate to real life. They don’t. Even if you think you’re using a firearm justifiably, you may be saddened to find out that is not always the case. Concealed carry training not only addresses gaps in basic firearms handling and use, it fills in the gaps of a person’s understanding the law and how it applies to defensive gun use situations.
Not a bad starter article but there is a lot missing. There are LOTS of good quality concealed carry guns for under $300 and the best you could do was 2 of them at around $450. Just google handguns under $300 and find multiple lists. On the holsters issue, however, you are exactly right. It’s not about price, it’s about quality and personal taste. My every day is a simple kydex IWB tuckable that cost $30 and the one in my drawer is a brand name that cost me over twice that much. No need to spend big bucks to get a quality usable holster. But YES, use a holster for heaven’s sake!
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single stack sig 290 with two (2) spare mags in a cell phone case on the belt, no one evr notice the mags.
Springfield 1911 that I got used for $350, 2 spare 8rnd wilson combat mags in a double mag pouch by Bianchi.
Would like a few more mags for a true SHTF situation but doubt I will ever need more than the 25 rnds I have on me.
Once you get past one mag, the odds go down in a SHTF scenario. It’s not going well. Fast is fine (fire power too), but accuracy is everything. It seems to me that even trained people like cops seem to expend a lot more ammo in shootouts than they used to. Look at the NYPD and the ESB shooting a few years back. They hit bystanders more often than the perp or Amadou Diallo. who wasn’t even armed. 41 shots, 19 hits. I wonder how law enforcement or even regular folks got along with single action revolvers way back when. That said, you should be well acquitted with a 1911 if properly used.
Cops aren’t all that well trained.
I think it depends on where they are. I would bet the cops where I live in AZ are better trained than the cops back in NY. I know the sheriffs out here have more latitude in what they are allowed to carry. I’ve seen a few with 1911s. That said, I think a revolver would make someone more purposeful in their shooting. JMO.
Now that i will agree with. I have a great deal of respect for AZ LEOs.
Thirty years on the job in Az… I spent thousands (if not tens of thousands) on my own ammunition, practice, and additional classes on my own time. My Dillion 550B allowed me to feed my training.
Sorry to hear about the Glock. I live out in Sheriff Joe land. I see some of his folks with 1911s. Sigs are nice too. If I had to carry a high capacity pistol I might take a look at the FNX.
I worked for Frank Reyes in Pinal County. When I started, we could carry any quality .38/.357 revolver, but had to load with .38 spl. After a lot of give and take, we were allowed to carry any revolver or semi auto pistol, and I carried an S&W 4506. When carrying a revolver that any idiot can fire, the semis, which required some knowledge and brains, had to be locked in a leather or kydex safe, and the department issued all of our service ammo in W-W Silvertip. Since I left the department, I understand they now issue Beretta 92s to everyone. I still carry every day, but So-so Security does not offer a lot of choice in armament, so I carry a Hi-Point in .40, and built my own AR-15 for a total of about $500.
Good article, but just a couple of things.
1. Not everyone can spare $400 for a gun and still pay the rent and buy milk for the kids. Don’t dis inexpensive guns. Hi Points work fine, and so do EAAs and ATIs.
2. “Your attacker does not know you are armed — you do. If capacity is an issue, this can be remedied by carrying a second or even third magazine on your person.”
The average gunfight last for a few seconds and most people expend a lot of rounds for very few debilitating hits. I’ve spent years doing private security work in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. I’ve been shot at and shot back, am a better than average shot and cool under pressure, and my EDC is a gun with 13+1 because when it hits the fan I don’t want to be counting down my 6 rounds.
May be most people should shoot better.
I agree with everything except capacity vs concealability. One can conceal mid-size double stack pistols really well (Glock 19 has 15+1 and XD mod2 has 16+1). Like @Mikial, I would rather err on the side of capacity. I realize that single stack pistols are wildly popular, but I EDC a Glock 19 AND 1 or 2 spare G17 mags.
Good man, and a good outlook.
If you like them. I find a lot of double stack pistols handle like a 2×2. From an ergonomic standpoint, Browning got it right.
Luke, I have read and liked much of your writings, but never knew until now you were a gun bigot. You are like so many who denigrate the Hi-Point line, and I feel you are dead wrong. I have the .40 S&W pistol and carbine, and both of them cost less than the Springfield XD-40. I would love to be able to lay out a lot of money for a ‘name’ pistol, but just can’t. Hi-Points have fired every time I have pulled the go button, and the warranty is second to none. Both weapons are spot on when it comes to accuracy, and I carry my pistol 24/7, and practice a lot with it. I pity the fool who attempts to harm myself or my family, because he will likely die from an acute case of lead poisoning.
Yea, I love Hi-Point too.. every time the gun breaks they fix if for free…. note the sarcasm font.
It is not just breakage that makes Hi-Point’s warranty so terrific. When I got my pistol, I contacted Hi-Point inquiring about instructions for field stripping my weapons for cleaning. I was told that they do not recommend field stripping, and that Hi-Point is known by some as the American AK. I was told to just fire it and occasionally swab the barrel, and after about 2,000 rounds send it back for renewal. I foolishly tried to strip the pistol, and discovered that no one had told me about how strong the recoil spring was. Suddenly, the pistol just flew to pieces, scattering parts everywhere. I called the company, and was told to send them the pistol and any magazines. They apparently replaced any missing parts, tuned the magazines and test fired them all and shipped it back to me at no cost. Do you know of any other company that will do that?
Agree completely. I lost a spring out of a pistol once while cleaning it, and I called the factory and they sent a new one. Another time my carbine suffered a bent firing pin. I called, they connected me to a tech, he explained things and they sent me the parts. No charge, no hassle.
That’s more than I can about a DPMS that cost four time as much as a Hi Point carbine and had serious extraction issues. They were difficult to deal with and after sending the gun back for repairs, they returned it to me and told me there was nothing wrong with it. I finally repaired it myself with a Buffer Tech extractor upgrade kit.
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold used a Hi-Point carbine during the Columbine High School Terrorist Attack.
And David Berkowitz used a Charter Arms Bulldog. You’re point?
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What’s your point?
Are you going to generate a chart showing the brand and model of every gun ever used by criminals, terrorist or crazies? That would be interesting, so let us know when you have it ready.
I am merely making a statement of fact. I am not sure which person used the Hi-Point carbine during the terrorist attack or if they both took turns using that particular weapon. They also had with them an Intertec TEC-9 pistol, IIRC.
Double stacks are not all that revealing. I carry a SCCY CPX-2, ($273 out the door) when wearing business casual. It’s carried in a $30 IWB kydex. SCCY’s no questions asked lifetime warranty follows the firearm. My current weekender is a Glock 30 that conceals easily under a loose tanktop/t-shirt using an Alien Gear 3.0. Both are 10 +1. A good belt is important and don’t forget to train to re-holster.