concealed carry

The .45ACP M1911A1 automatic pistol used by American forces during World War II was hands-down the most powerful combat handgun of the war. Loud, heavy,...

The latest introduction is the Mossberg MC2sc. Shipping with two magazines, a flat base ultra-compact configuration yielding 11+1 total capacity and an...

When you carry a handgun, whether for competition, hunting, or self-defense, the question arises how much extra ammunition is enough?

The SCCY DVG-1’s machining is flawless, packing quality in a striker-fired compact pistol package that retails below $300.

Carry optics are the current thing, and the Mako was designed for one from the ground up. The slide either comes with the mounting cut (OR) or with a...

The Bravo Concealment BCA OWB holster offers the smallest possible footprint for an OWB holster with fully adjustable retention.

Nothing stirs a shooter’s senses like traditional handgun hide, especially when eye-popping ministrations making the leather become alive with detail....

The Streamlight Pocket Mate is a tiny, and I do mean tiny, keychain light with a big attitude.

I was always worried about the pepper spray I carried in my purse. I never planned to use it, and to be honest, I wasn’t comfortable with it.

Newsflash: CZ’s P-10 M semiautomatic pistol is now available in the U.S. Previously released overseas, public demand and special request has brought the...

Handgun competitions don’t teach one how to fight, but they do an excellent job of burning in basic gun handling skills like trigger control, malfunction...

The Alien Gear ShapeShift Driver Defense Holster simplifies vehicle concealed carry, providing easy and safe access to your firearm.

There’s a new pocket pistol in town and, hold on to your shorts, it’s … affordable!

The Crossbreed Holsters Bedside Backup provides a simple way to keep a firearm within easy reach at night.

Revolvers are back, especially for self-defense. Well-established companies are producing a wider variety of wheel guns than ever.

When Handgunner began in 1976, the service revolver was still king. Only one major civilian law enforcement entity adopted pistols as standard issue for all...

The new single-action holster from Mitch Rosen Extraordinary Gunleather is the perfect holster for concealed carry.

As two to three generations have grown up with little or no experience with revolvers, it seems they drift away from wheel guns toward what they’re more...

Before we get into the trials and results of my appendix carry experiment, let’s get the controversial discussion out of the way.

Special Assignments editor Roy Huntington reviews Ruger's new LCP MAX and compares it to the other pistols in the LCP family.

Just how long our stuff will last, or its service life, all depends on how hard the gear is used and how well it’s maintained.

Special Assignments Editor Roy Huntington looks very quickly at the just released Ruger LCP MAX. Full review and accuracy test coming up!

Ruger’s recent addition to the LCP Family has greater capacity and more features than others in the line. The pocket-sized .380 is ideal for personal...

Over the past three days I’ve been shot, stabbed, beaten, wrestled, molested by drunks, thugs and muggers, stabbed some more and killed about a dozen times.

The key word in concealed carry is concealed. The wrong concealment attire is almost as bad as no cover garment at all.

Ever heard of a monkey trap? Its effectiveness owes its success to the power of sheer desperation.

A federal lawsuit filed against the State of Illinois resembles a gun rights case on the surface, but underneath lurks a cause that could flame the...

If there was ever something getting over thought it’s holster selection.

On websites and gun ranges, all across the world, the battle over which is better (leather or kydex) continues.

Before the advent of modern materials, handgunners generally carried in some type of leather holster. Now, the choices are virtually endless.

From Dirty Harry to just about every cop show since Dragnet, the shoulder holster has been an iconic presence.

My wife’s passion is tinkering with experimental recipes in the kitchen. Mine is tinkering with shooting stuff in my man cave.

For decades I’ve said it’s hard to buy a bad gun and easy to buy a bad holster. If you buy a handgun from a major manufacturer you are very unlikely to...

The new Taurus GX4 9mm micro-pistol delivers maximum concealment without sacrificing performance or capacity.

I was at the great Tulsa Gun Show some time ago and spotted some absolutely top quality leather gear on a table. Mixed in were several “chest” rigs that...

The new Stache holster from Blackhawk is designed to be insanely configurable. It’s an injection-molded IWB design with adjustable friction retention...

I’ve been searching around for a good method to carry a handgun if I’m not wearing a belt.

Among those of us who carry, the collection of unused holsters is a universal problem. For me it’s four drawers, stuffed to the gills. As an instructor...

I’m a huge proponent of on-the-body carry. If you need your firearm to save your life and the only gun you have is in your trunk or desk, it might as well...

Like many of you, I’ve got boxes of misfit holsters. Mind you, they’re not necessarily bad products, they just didn’t work for me for one reason or...

American Handgunner's Tom McHale finds CCW Breakaways, Spare Magazine Sock, not only good for extra magazines but for other uses as well.

One of the best quotes I’ve seen relating to guns and accessories is, “Either you are the weapon, and your gun is a tool — or —

American Handgunner's Tom McHale shows the steps on how he reconfigured his carry gun customizing it to his specifications with no tools.

Dateline: December 15, 1791. The feisty forefathers of the new United States of America, ratify the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the U.S....

One of the best parts of owning a handgun is customizing it to fit your needs. From changing sights to swapping stock controls for extended or ambidextrous...

Imagine the surprise on caveman Klug’s face as he stalks Org, a seemingly easy victim of a pre-historic strong-armed robbery.

Do you do anything unusual like sit at a desk, drive a car, or sleep in a bed? If so, check out this magnetic holster from SofHold.

Alien Gear, provider of innovative holster systems for mere earthlings, forged an intergalactic partnership with a few new companies, broadening their...

We all have one — or at least should have one. It’s that pesky box full of cast-off holsters.

Everything in life involves tradeoffs, beginning with where you live. In two-season country you have six months of too hot and six months of just right

As much as we’d like, gunleather and gym shorts just don’t go together — for numerous reasons. Enter Galco and a reimagined fanny pack for everyday carry.

When it comes to purchasing brakes, tires or parachutes, cheap is much too expensive.

How do I carry the revolver? Most often in a pants pocket, but I do use a holster. Here's why ...

If you carry concealed, it’s likely you’ve got more than one gun and multiple holsters in order to have multiple carry options.

When I lived on the high mountain with bears, wolves, cougars, along with an occasional rabid skunk, my Springfield Armory Range Officer was strapped on in...

Skeeter Skelton summed it up when he stated, “My holster maker is more important to me than my doctor!”

I’ve been a firearms instructor and federally licensed gun dealer for about 12 years now and been asked a whole lot of questions about how to carry a...

Providing American firearms owners with value since 1990, EAA Corp has searched the world to import quality firearms from respectable international...

Offering reliable expansion without the possibility of clogging, Hornady Critical Defense is the ultimate choice for concealed carry firearms and self...

Our old friends from Alaska have come up with a bare minimalist holster fitting medium and large autos. Called the “Alaska EDC,”

When my editor assigned me to an upcoming concealed carry class, I cringed. Not another “ladies-only concealed carry course,” I thought. Needless to...

American Rebel, designer and manufacturer of their own innovative “concealed and safe” lifestyle products for gun owners, introduced several new...

Okay, so let’s say you’ve invested $800 bucks or more in a fancy hunting revolver. Maybe put $500 worth of scope on it too. Then spent another $200 on...

When you think of Mossberg, I’ll wager the words coming to mind are along the lines of “tough,” “rugged,” “affordable” and “reliable.”

It may seem impossible, but here it is. A semi-auto in .45 ACP about the same size as a 9mm compact. The design is brilliant, and the materials and...

You know the Colt Defender. It’s a classic 1911 for concealed carry, an old-timer showing how to pack .45 ACP into a small, rough and tumble platform....

In the world of defensive handguns, Beretta is a name to conjure with. And in the world of its popular Model 92, the same’s true of the name Ernest Langdon.

I don’t always carry a Glock 26 in a shoulder holster, but when I do, it’s usually in a Diamond D Custom Leather rig. This good-looking, functional...

My primary knife is a folder clipped to my strong side pocket. My backup knife is a fixed blade; its location varies depending on the day/situation. And my...

Nosing around, I discovered there’s a big community of people who share photos of what’s called their “Pocket Dump.” That’s a photo of a set of...

There’s a category called “super handy gear you oughta’ always have with you” but we usually abbreviate it as Every Day Carry (EDC) gear. Carrying a...

I’ve become quite enamored with the new MC1sc pistol from Mossberg and have made it my primary pocket carry gun since I picked one up earlier this...

When they first pinned a badge on me in 1972, carrying a gun off duty was pretty much part of the law enforcement culture. Some departments mandated it,...

You want custom? I can do custom!” laughed Mike Taurisano. “As a matter of fact, it’s most of what I do, and what I love best!” Mike’s been making...

Smith & Wesson’s J-frame -- what many consider the quintessential snub-nose revolver -- is virtually unsnubbable. That is, you can’t fault it for...

Here's a favorite lightweight for light duty. The popular Kershaw Leek in orange looks great, opens with a snap, stands out in a bag or backpack or clipped...

I’ve almost always been the guy who carries a full-size handgun for CCW. I was willing to forego comfort for capability, wanting to make sure I had a gun...

I'm a big fan of the tactical pen. A last-ditch strike weapon, it can go virtually anywhere with you, riding innocuously in a shirt pocket. Because — it's...

While you’re creating an all-around survival kit list, I'll bet it numbers more than 10 items. Probably at least 20. So think of what you’ll put all...

Rob Leahy was corrupted early in life and the responsible reprobates were Elmer Keith, Skeeter Skelton and Jeff Cooper.

Living in a rural area finds me carrying a firearm in the truck on a daily basis. Our farm is just a few minutes' drive from our home and some type of gun...

We all know that guy ... the one who has a backpack or satchel or some kind of bag always with him. And it’s always packed with exactly the right piece of...

In 2018, Federal reinvented the proven Hydra-Shok bullet design with Hydra-Shok Deep in 9mm Luger. Now, it has expanded the line with new loads in 40 S&W...

These days, there's almost no reason not to have a laser aiming system on your gun. Many makes and models of handguns can accommodate a laser. Many holster...

“What do we carry?” feature in Handgunner. In looking back, I wasn’t surprised to note my daily carry stuff has changed a bit.

When you think of Mossberg, I bet the words that come to mind are probably along the lines of “tough,” “rugged,” “affordable,” “reliable,”...

When kydex first appeared, the die-hard leather crowd (where I was firmly entrenched) sneered, jeered and dismissed. I was writing this column then and...

After meeting these great folks many years ago at a local gun show, I was struck by the sheer high quality of their work. Over the years I’ve used many of...

Have you ever used a product and thought to yourself, “It’s not bad, but if it would just do this other thing, it would be great?”

Serving as vehicles for our guns, our holsters must safely carry, conceal and protect our pistols, while also making them accessible in a moment’s notice....

While I was exploring different holster designs lately, looking for an option I needed, our Esteemed Editorship asked me if I’d tried any of Rick...

I wrote my first column on holsters for Handgunner in the Jan/Feb 1997 issue. I’ve long ago lost count of the number of holsters and associated carry...

I’ve had the pleasure to watch this little company grow from a “Gee, we have an idea” stage to a company doing splendid work supplying honestly...

People can be ingenious when it comes to protecting their lives. There are dozens of ways of carrying a handgun, but what is important is if it works for...

Wouldn’t it be nice to purchase a product that would last forever? There’d be no need to send it back for warranty work or repair, and it’d look...

Around 1995, if memory serves, Tim Wegner founded Blade-Tech in his garage. A classic American success story — once invested with scads of hard work,...

I’ve become quite enamored with the new MC1sc pistol from Mossberg and have made it my primary pocket carry gun since I picked one up earlier this...

We get flooded with products here, and frankly, some make us scratch our heads and wonder what were they thinking? Those don’t make the cut and you...

It seems the topic might be broad — and it is. What tools should you use to protect your family? Every possible tool you can find, that’s what.

As the story goes, Rob Leahy started making holsters at his kitchen table because he was having a difficult time finding the perfect fit for his S&W...

Some things coming across our desks often look like holsters, some even sorta’ act like holsters — until they wear out, lose the gun or just plain fail,...

Without further fuss or fiasco, let’s focus on a hand-full of our favorite go-to carry concepts. While this isn’t everything, we like to think it helps...

As a wee lad, I lived often with my grandparents and three good-looking aunts, especially one, a tall Northern Italian beauty with long wavy reddish hair...

People new to carrying a gun on a daily basis have lots of questions about how bullets work and want to choose the most effective firearm they can carry.

“In 1947, after retiring from the regular army and moving to Mexico City, I formed a Mexican sales company for representation of American firearms and...