Choosing a carry gun is complex. Even in the most ideal scenario, when we have all the options laid out in front of us, there’s a lot to consider. You pick the gun you like the best, the one you shoot the best, and the one that fits your budget. Then you consider your use-case, think about where you might spend the most time, and you choose any attachments and addons that fit the bill. Wrap it all up in a comfortable holster, and, viola! You have a gun that’s too bulky to carry on your person about 90% of the time.

I’m exaggerating of course… for the most part. I mean, let’s face it, it takes a few trial and error sessions to get everything just right, and once you finally do, the temperatures here in North Carolina rise about 1000 degrees, and your options are either to shed some layers or combust in the heat. That perfect carry gun that you’re so used to having on your person through the cooler months starts to look a bit more pronounced when it’s no longer under a sweatshirt. So what do you do? Do you really have to readjust your entire setup to match your summer wardrobe? Maybe, maybe not. Let’s talk about it.

The good news is, you have options, waaaayyyy more than there used to be. In fact, smaller carry guns have been the rage for the past couple years if you hadn’t noticed, and because of this, this article may not even be as relevant as it would have been once. A lot of you guys are already walking around with your “X Super Shorty Venom Micro-Macros,” wondering what I’m even talking about. You have an all-weather pistol that holds more ammo than an FN 249 because it’s 2024 and the technology is already here.

But let’s assume that some of you are like me, and you’ve chosen something larger to carry on the regular. In my case, it’s a Glock 19… with an entire Surefire X300 on it… and a 17 round magazine. Not exactly a pocket gun, but thankfully due to a few good holsters and belts that I’ve found, I can still conceal this setup a good 90% of the time. But, for the other 10%, for the lake trips, the BBQs in the heat, and any other time where that much weight and kydex against the skin could technically be considered torture, what are our options? How far outside our comfort zone do we actually need to go? 

I never had much exposure to revolvers. I’m a Millennial, so outside of old detective movies and museum exhibits, I haven’t had much to do with them. I promise that’s a joke, but nobody can argue they’re not a less common carry piece these days, with the proliferation of semi-autos stealing the show. I’ve shot plenty, but (mistakenly) regarded them as a bit of a novelty in the past, just something from a different time to take to the range and shoot for fun. I looked at the obvious drawbacks: the lower capacities, the weight and bulk, and decided they weren’t the carry piece for me… until last summer.

On a whim, I picked up a Smith and Wesson 442 and it just struck me a bit different. It was nearly weightless and didn’t even fill my whole palm. I could store it almost anywhere on my person, and it was nearly invisible. Even in light summer clothing, there was more of a chance that I myself would forget that it was on me than anyone else noticing it. I tried some holsters, grabbed some ammo, and took it to the range. That day I shot a revolver with purpose for the first time, really putting myself to the test to see if this was something that I could carry confidently, and you know… yeah, it was.

I still don’t shoot the 442 (or any revolver for that matter) as well as my Glock or my other handguns. I still wouldn’t pull it out of the safe for an IDPA match, or even wear it any time I could carry my Glock comfortably. But I’ve definitely gained a whole new appreciation for it’s simplicity, size, and function. It does almost everything that I need a defensive pistol to do, and conceals better than my first choice. Am I a die-hard revolver enthusiast now? Probably not, but I definitely give them the nod as a serious tool, even in the modern day. So to all my Millennial and Gen Z readers who may have the same flawed view of revolvers as I once did, go ahead and try a wheel-gun out before you write them off. Conversely, to any fans of revolvers who were trying to tell me that very thing for years… I see what you meant, and I can only hope you accept my apology for being close-minded.

Not convinced? Not ready to sacrifice the capacity? Not ready to deviate from a semi-auto platform? I get it. Luckily, in the past decade, the market for extremely small semi-auto pistols has gone crazy. Keep in mind, this is aside from the Macro X sized pistols that I brought up earlier some of which have red dot optics and serve as a year-round carry gun. I’m talking even smaller now, like the LCP max pictured above.

Tiny semi-auto, centerfire pistols have been around since the beginning of the 20th century. Historically though, there are some drawbacks. A lot of them were produced in calibers that aren’t very common or popular anymore, they featured single stack magazines that kept them capped to the same round counts as revolvers, and for their small size, they were still all steel-frames, so even though they had a much smaller profile they would weigh down a pocket quite a bit.

When I saw the Glock 42 come out years ago, I didn’t predict the trend that it would resurge in the handgun market. Companies doubled down on using modern materials to come up with guns that were a lot smaller, lighter, and held more rounds than ever before. That LCP max up there in the palm of my hand? That pistol has an 10+1 capacity of .380acp as it sits, and comes with a 12 round magazine that only slightly protrudes out of the grip. The LCP isn’t the only model that’s refusing to compromise on capacity with the smaller size, and if you decide to go this route for your summer piece, there are plenty to choose from.

Now the last thing I’m going to talk about here is an interesting one for me. You may have noticed that I ribbed on revolvers a bit before I wised up and learned my lesson, so you may expect me to be absolutely ruthless when it comes to the topic of derringers. While I’ll admit that a younger me couldn’t visualize a time or a place it would make sense to have something like this on my person, over the years, plenty of our customers have educated me on why these are not only valid, but sought after.

Imagine, like I had to, a time and place where it was perfectly legal, and possibly even sensible to be carrying a pistol, but for whatever reason it may not be seen as professional or polite. I’ve now heard several real world examples of this, from folks having to meet unknown business clients on remote properties while still maintaining a professional company image, to having to wear attire that reduces the amount of available real estate for your pistol to a single pocket clip.

Basically, when it comes down to it, sometimes the option you have is to so deeply conceal your gun that a derringer is the only feasible option other than going without a gun at all. Thankfully, companies like North American Arms have been producing a variety of quality derringers that fill this very niche. So if this is what you need, you still have plenty of options on the table. If this isn’t what you need… they’re still a ton of fun.

Whether or not you have a need, or even a want to go for a smaller carry gun in the summer is completely subjective. I try and get by with my regular carry piece for the sake of regularity as often as possible, but it is nice to have a backup option for those few times you just can’t make it work comfortably. How small you need to go, and which caliber you carry are both questions left up to many more years of experience than I have on my own. I have my opinions, and I like to poke fun where I can, but at then end of the day when it comes to carry guns, it all boils down to having what YOU need and being comfortable with what YOU have.

My personal setup may work well for me, but I’m more than positive there are plenty of shooters of all ages that are faster, more accurate, and more proficient than me, using guns that I’ve never even held before, and to me, that’s one of the coolest things about shooting. So make sure to make it down to the shop, and get your hands on as many of these pistols as possible. Our salesmen all have their own favorites and unique experience with what they shoot and carry as well, so there’s always plenty of good ideas and information being bounced around. Whatever you decide, discussing your needs and what feels good in your hand is always a good start.

Do you carry something different in the warmer weather? Do you go for something close to your other carry guns? Let us know what you think in the comments below, or write us at cj@fuquaygun.com and, as always, thanks for reading!