Years ago, when I used to carry a gun for defense, in spiteof Maryland not being a CCW state, I used to carry very small guns for deep cover. Not wanting to print, I carried things like NA and Freedo arms mini .22 revolvers, Browning .25 auto, and once in a while going hiking in the woods with my wife and kids, a S&W .38 snobby. Usually a bobbed hammer model 60.

Then I started to thing about something.

Most criminals, going out to commit a crime, are not going to pick the tiniest gun out there. Living in Washington D.C. suburbs I see a lot of what goes on in D.C The street gun of choice is the Glock. They out great faith in “The 9” as it’s called. Once in a great while you’ll see aDavis 380, or a relic .25 Raven. But usually they use a real full size firearm. When my own son became a police officer, we talked about what he see’s on the street in his beat, the Wheaton Glenmont area of Montgomery county. Same thing. The criminal element is better armed than you would believe, especially if there are drugs involved. Full size handguns in a real caliber. Nine millimeter by preference.

So, if you are lucky enough to have a permit to carry, and you set out to get a gun for the sole use of self protection, should you go to a “comfortable” gun to carry like a Ruger LCP, or carry something at least equal to what the bad guy is packing?

I know that if I lived in a state that had CCW, and I didn’t have to worry about being seen and arrested, I don’t think I’d bother to carry a small sub compact firearm. At the very least a compact Glock 9mm or J frame .38 as the smallest gun I would go with. These days, I really don’t think I’d bother with the very small .380’s, let alone tiny .22 revolvers. In cooler weather wearing a jacket, I’d likey go with a nice flat 1911 from Springfield, SIG, or other reputable makers.

I think carrying a sub compact pistol when you can have a permit and carry legally, is just soothing the ego. But it’s like entering a race with a Honda civic when everyone else is using a Porshe or Jag. You’re under gunning yourself.