Thoughts on little guns...

It is amazing to me how often I’ve had someone (usually a man) tries to tell me that a little gun, like the Ruger LCP or the Smith & Wesson feather weight revolver is a great carry gun for a woman. They say things like; “it isn’t a good range gun, you wouldn’t want to shoot it for fun, but in a dangerous situation your adrenaline will be up and you won’t hardly feel the recoil”. Ok, think about what happens when you put a lot of power, like a .38+P, through gun that weighs 15 ounces, or a .380 round through something that weighs 9.4 ounces? You are going to have control issues. Can you overcome that? Sure..WITH PRACTICE, which means taking it to the range and shooting it…a lot! I like little guns, they are cute, easy to conceal, handy…I own a Ruger LCP for that reason. The first time I took it to the range, I seriously questioned my judgment in buying it. But I stuck it out, practiced, and got proficient. I also got a very sore wrist. My instructor who has 6 inches and 70 pounds on me) shot it, he had fewer control issues, but he really didn’t like it. Will I ever get to the point where I think it is fun to shoot? Probably not. Will I trust it as a backup gun? YES! Will I carry it as a primary? Only in very rare circumstances where I really can’t conceal my Glock 19 on my body because I’m in evening wear or something special. I have a blue gun Ruger LCP to practice carry methods with. Since it doesn’t sit in my normal strong side hip position, I needed to get comfortable with other ways to carry it and a blue gun is great to practice drawing from odd places. As an example, I have a middle of the back holster, a thigh band, a pocket holder and a bra holster. It is a lot safer to practice drawing with the blue gun than the real one. Plus, I need to wear it a while to get comfortable. A concealed gun that you are fidgeting with, adjusting, checking…well, it does not stay concealed for long. I have a great holster, a DeSantis Kydex and Leather IWB, for my Glock and can carry it with almost any outfit with only some minor attention to fit and coverage. I wish I could conceal my spare magazines as easily! I try putting them next to my cell phone pouch to reduce the print, but if you have any ideas…please post them! Bottom line on the little lightweight guns. Yes, they are easy to carry and conceal. Sure, your adrenaline may kick in and you won’t feel the discomfort. However, if you haven’t practiced with it, what are the odds that you will be accurate in a high stress situation? I like having it as an option, and as a back up, but I still take it to the range on a regular basis and practice. Maybe not the 100 rounds I shoot with my Glock, but I run a couple magazines through it. If you don’t practice with it, you are better off using it as a rock to throw at someone. Stay Safe!