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Too many guns in the EDC rotation

3K views 32 replies 25 participants last post by  OBG17 
#1 ·
Because I love my toys, I tend to integrate too many of them in my EDC. Here are the guns I regularly rotate through:

- Glock 43
- Glock 19
- Glock 17
- Glock 26
- Glock 27
- SIG 320 sub-compact, compact and full size
- Ruger LCP
- Kahr PM9 and P9
- S&W Shield 45
- S&W 442

Each of these guns has been super reliable. In fact, I can't recall a single malfunction of any kind with any of these guns, other than 1 FTF with the Shield 45 and a 7-round mag. If I have a less than reliable gun, it gets resolved or it disappears. I take a notebook to the range, and record every round in every gun, along with any malfunctions. Otherwise, I just can't remember every gun with every ammo with every mag.

Now, I fully recognize that there are some practical issues with what I'm doing. For one, there is a battery of arms and muscle memory issue. Getting on target and squeezing off a round is quite different as between an LCP and a 442, so rotating through guns like this is sub-optimal from a practical perspective. Additionally, with more than a dozen guns in rotation its beyond the scope of my available time (and desire) to do function and reliability testing on an ongoing basis. Optimally, I like to run a few mags of FMJ through a carry gun plus a mag or two of carry ammo at least once a month. I can't do this with a dozen guns.

So, the objective part of my brain tube is telling me to reduce down to two or three carry guns. That's not easy for an addict. This allows for the battery of arms and muscle memory issues to resolve, and I could do functional/reliability testing fairly regularly. I like TheFireArmGuy (Dan) on Youtube, for example. He carries a Kahr CW9 all the time. With one carry gun, function and reliability testing is a breeze.

So for me, that list might get pared down to:

- pocket carry (LCP or 442)
- small OWB carry, my primary daily carry (Glock 43 or Kahr PM9)
- mid size, full grip OWB carry (Glock 19 or S&W Shield 45 or SIG P320 Compact) when my testosterone flares up.

So, lets say with a 442, Glock 43 and P320 Compact rotation, for example, I have my bases covered, and that's a more sane approach to EDC. Its just not as much fun. For giggles, and because I've run out of toys to buy, I'm probably getting a Glock 42 this week, so that adds to the mix.

Its good to be Powernoodle.


SIG P320 full size.
 
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#9 ·
too many guns?
do you also feel there is such a thing as too much sex?
this is America, too much is barely enough!
my EDC rotation is smaller, but my gun safes are full!

G19
G29
G20
LC9s pro
Redhawk, 4" 44 magnum

different tool for different situation/job.
simple = best for this old geezer.
 
#10 ·
At the range I like to shoot a wide variety of my handguns, but I personally try to keep my carry rotation as small as possible.

This has been my carry rotation for the last few years:

Glock 19 (90% of the time)
S&W 642 (10% of the time)
NAA mini revolver (only when going for a run)


My 642 may be getting replaced with my S&W shield soon.
 
#13 ·
For me it's always been about carrying one platform more than one gun. If you own 7 J Frames and carry a different one every day you're really not changing too much.

I know trainers and gun writers who switch off between platforms because their jobs require it and they do just fine but they have a lot more time and money to invest in training and practice than I do.

I got to attend some professional training classes through my church and I objectively observed that I performed better and scored higher on my qualifications when I quit bouncing around and stuck to one platform.

The only real reason I would have to switch out my gun would be my concealment needs and really I can't remember the last time I had to dress so formally that I couldn't conceal a Glock 19.
 
#14 ·
Really the biggest downside for a +/- 13 gun rotation is that some guns don't get function tested for months at a time. That's not a major issue, but just something I ponder. I do make sure they stay properly lubed.
That's basically why I stick to three guns of the same basic platform (19/26/43). I try to shoot at least once a week. Most effort goes to the gun that I carry the most, the 19, which does not leave much time to shoot the others. If I know that I am going somewhere and taking a specific gun other than the usual, I will get in some time with that one, including using carry ammo, before going. I wish I had more time to shoot, but I don't.
 
#15 ·
I agree that many of those guns are essentially the same gun, so you shouldn't sweat it too much. Definitely practice with one of each type, though. I carry an LCP quite often but don't practice with it much. I need to change that. I've shot it at IDPA once, but since it's carried so often, it needs to become a regular thing, like every 2 or 3 months. The other gun I carry is the one I usually use for IDPA so I'm quite confident with that one.
 
#16 ·
Because I love my toys, I tend to integrate too many of them in my EDC. Here are the guns I regularly rotate through:

- Glock 43
- Glock 19
- Glock 17
- Glock 26
- Glock 27
- SIG 320 sub-compact, compact and full size
- Ruger LCP
- Kahr PM9 and P9
- S&W Shield 45
- S&W 442

Each of these guns has been super reliable. In fact, I can't recall a single malfunction of any kind with any of these guns, other than 1 FTF with the Shield 45 and a 7-round mag. If I have a less than reliable gun, it gets resolved or it disappears. I take a notebook to the range, and record every round in every gun, along with any malfunctions. Otherwise, I just can't remember every gun with every ammo with every mag.

Now, I fully recognize that there are some practical issues with what I'm doing. For one, there is a battery of arms and muscle memory issue. Getting on target and squeezing off a round is quite different as between an LCP and a 442, so rotating through guns like this is sub-optimal from a practical perspective. Additionally, with more than a dozen guns in rotation its beyond the scope of my available time (and desire) to do function and reliability testing on an ongoing basis. Optimally, I like to run a few mags of FMJ through a carry gun plus a mag or two of carry ammo at least once a month. I can't do this with a dozen guns.

So, the objective part of my brain tube is telling me to reduce down to two or three carry guns. That's not easy for an addict. This allows for the battery of arms and muscle memory issues to resolve, and I could do functional/reliability testing fairly regularly. I like TheFireArmGuy (Dan) on Youtube, for example. He carries a Kahr CW9 all the time. With one carry gun, function and reliability testing is a breeze.

So for me, that list might get pared down to:

- pocket carry (LCP or 442)
- small OWB carry, my primary daily carry (Glock 43 or Kahr PM9)
- mid size, full grip OWB carry (Glock 19 or S&W Shield 45 or SIG P320 Compact) when my testosterone flares up.

So, lets say with a 442, Glock 43 and P320 Compact rotation, for example, I have my bases covered, and that's a more sane approach to EDC. Its just not as much fun. For giggles, and because I've run out of toys to buy, I'm probably getting a Glock 42 this week, so that adds to the mix.

Its good to be Powernoodle.


SIG P320 full size.
Thank God! I thought I was was the only one :)
S&W 642 always BUG
G19
G26
G32
Ruger SP101
Ruger GP100
S&W model 65
 
#17 ·
The other POV of course is, carry the same gun, the same way, in the same place, everyday.

seanmac said it best.

wp
 
#18 ·
Kinda depends on how long and well you've ingrained your skillset with each different design handgun, and under what conditions (defensive shooting training and/or range leisure shooting).

Back when I was just carrying a service revolver on-duty, and either a similar revolver or 1911 off-duty, changing guns wasn't so much of concern. It was either a DA revolver or a SA 1911-style (meaning a Commander or a Star PD).

Once I started adding other guns to the mix, I noticed any minor degree of "experiential difference" when using them at the qual and practice ranges.

Then, I became a firearms instructor, which at my agency was treated more or less as an apprenticeship program by the head of our FTU. That happened just as we were transitioning from revolvers to traditional DA (DA/SA) hi-cap 9's, too. Those of us who were newly minted graduates of a firearms instructor school were given very specific and limited responsibilities, and expected to work hard to improve our own knowledge, understanding and skills as "junior" instructors for the first few years.

That gave me ample opportunity to take advantage of access to a range and an ammunition inventory. :) It also gave me years of opportunity to notice that a significant percentage of other instructors were happy to just demonstrate whatever was considered to be an "acceptable" level of advancement of their own skills (to the head rangemaster), and didn't really do anymore than was required of them. The early days on the FTU saw some of the older, former pistol team shooters (from the 70's & 80's), but many of the newer instructors weren't interested in that sort of development.

Anyway, I spent the years working to develop the skills needed to refine familiarity and abilities with my revolvers and 1911, as well as the then-new TDA pistols, and then eventually added a number of the new DAO-ish plastic pistols. It was a bit dismaying to eventually see how a lot of the newer instructors were really only interested in learning to be "good enough" with one type of handgun, mostly being whatever was the current duty weapon. The days of the instructors wanting to become highly skilled with a variety of guns that might be used by the people being trained just wasn't in the cards, it seemed.

So ... if you've got the time and money, and access to a suitable range, so you can seriously ingrain a solid (in your opinion) familiarity and skillset using your "favorite" handguns? Whether ONE gun platform ... or two ... or more? Why not?

I'll always be able to fall back on my many years of using DA/DAO revolvers and 1911's, and more than 25 years of using TDA pistols for work & off-duty ... as well as more than a decade of a fair amount of use of Glocks (meaning several ten's of thousands of rounds fired through Glocks and a couple other striker-fired plastic pistols) ... so I'm going to continue to feel comfortable carrying any or all of them as retirement CCW choices.

That's going to mean recurrent range familiarization, of course. ;) Any excuse to try and keep using someone else's ammo inventory. :) If I ever move too far away, then I'll have to resort to burning more of my own ammo.

Bottom line OP? Do what you feel is appropriate, for hopefully well considered reasons, and don't discount simply enjoying continuing to develop and ingrain your skillsets with any of the guns you like.
 
#19 · (Edited)
The other side of the "one man/one gun" coin ...

I've seen at least my fair share of folks bring their only personally-owned weapon through an off-duty qual, and often have either a lot of trouble making the qual minimum, or have to do a re-shoot in order to qualify. They only owned one gun, because the work gun wasn't to their liking, or was too big, and they just weren't interested in shooting.

Sometimes only owning one gun for concealed carry may be an indication that the person who owns it has minimal interest in shooting, other than when absolutely required to do so for qualification. I've known quite a number of men and women who fell in that category, including both cops and CCW licensees.

Taking it a bit further, I've known quite a few men & women who owned 2 handguns, but who weren't any more skilled or particularly interested in shooting than many guys/gals who only owned one. They took them to the range only when absolutely required to do so for qualification. They might practice once before the qual date, or they might just wait for the qual, hoping they could still shoot well enough since the last one to make the qual the first time through this time.

It might be that they originally bought a gun that was too big to carry concealed, so they got a smaller one ... or the first one was too small for them to shoot well, so they got a bigger one .... or they thought they needed a different, more popular caliber ... or they had a revolver and wanted to get a semiauto pistol ... etc, etc.

Whatever the reason, they now they owned 2 guns they could carry concealed, but still didn't shoot them for fun or as a hobby, still weren't "gun enthusiasts" and still didn't take their guns to the range for practice.

We'd all like to think that the one man/one gun myth was true, but just as often as not (or even more often than not), it might just mean someone doesn't have enough interest in shooting handguns to go to the effort of owning more than one gun.

Now, the guy who shows up with a duffle bag of several of his personally owned handguns, in a variety of makes, models and calibers ... who fancies himself a "gun enthusiast and aficionado ... and who still has to be helped every step of the way during the qual course-of-fire, in order to make passing score or properly manipulate his guns in a timely manner in order to make the qual grade? Well, he's another type of special person ...
 
#21 ·
There is certainly nothing "wrong" with being a hobbyist but yeah, its hard to identify a good reason to rotate through a dozen guns on a regular basis. I cant really say that I think it is helpful at all and as you already said, there are a few issues that surface in regards to how it can potentially affect your fighting prowess. I wouldn't do it but that's just me.

I have carried firearms on my person for many decades and have never liked them beyond the respect a person should have for any dangerous tool.
 
#27 · (Edited)
I'm trying to pare down too. I did get rid of my Kel-Tec P-32 as that was just too little gun, even for pocket duty, and wasn't totally reliable. So for CCW I'm down to:

LCP
PM-9
PPS M2
Glock 26
Glock 19

I'd really like to get down to no more than three. One pocket, maybe two, and two belt guns. Depending on how the PPS works out I may actually get rid of the G26, never thought I'd say that but I've never shot it well and hate the grip, although mine is a Gen 3 and I may try a Gen 4 as I prefer the smaller grip.

Also want to evaluate the VP9 SK, that could potentially replace both Glocks. On the flip side, I can see going with a Glock 43 and 19 and maybe just keeping the LCP. The PM-9 is a fine, reliable 9mm but I hate the magazines and it's only a "pocket" gun for large pockets like cargo pants. I'm really surprised there isn't aftermarket support, guess the numbers just aren't there.
 
#28 ·
I have that problem with knives, so much so that 2 knives out of my drawer get rotated on a weekly basis. As for handguns, it is usually either the M&P9c or a Kahr Covert they don't make anymore.
Mags get rotated though every 6 months.
 
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