EDC

The Springfield Armory Custom Shop is not a place we visit often, lest I need to remortgage my house. But they do put out top notch guns, for those of discerning taste. I have never been accused of that, but they let me fondle the goods anyway.

I’ve had a concealed pistol license for more than 15 years now. Today, I couldn’t imagine not having it. Along the way, I’ve had the privilege to think through a few of the nuances of concealed carry. And so here are the top five things I wish I knew before carrying a concealed handgun.

Taurus has come on with a vengeance in revolvers this year. The 692 is a full-sized revolver in .357 Magnum and .38 Special. Big deal, you say! Every .357 revolver also shoots .38 Special. That isn’t what we meant by multiple calibers. With one press of a button, the cylinder is removable, and in its place? Taurus has provided a 9mm cylinder. One wheelgun = three calibers. Now, we’re talking.

Never shy about putting a company on the spot, we dropped by Safariland with a baited ambush, to see who would walk into it. That unfortunate person was Keith Garcia.We ambushed him with other questions at SHOT to get the nitty-gritty details of what we can expect from the high-quality holster maker.

Last year, the release of the M&P 2.0 family of pistols was one of the biggest stories fo the year. Unlike other companies, Smith and Wesson seemed to listen to every customer critique over the preceding 10 years and fixed every one of them in the 2.0. Not some, spaced over the next 3 generations. All of them. Right now. Ready go.

Trijicon was first to the game with the micro red dots, almost a decade ago. The purpose-built sights, sized to fit pistols, changed the game with red dot carry and suppressor ready guns. This year, they take that to the next level with theRMR 2.

SIG Sauer is best known for military-style hardware, ranging from submachine guns and sniper rifles, to the new Army M17 pistol. It is easy to forget they also make 1911 pistols, some of the best around. The first time I shot a Sig 1911 over a decade ago, it was hard to miss the value of the included high-end features. This year, SIG released a special edition “ We the People” model, a sure win for collectors.

SCCY is one of the last of the little guys, a firearms maker that isn’t part of a giant conglomerate. They set out to fill a single niche, and they have done that well. Sitting down with SCCY at SHOT 2018, we learned some of the reasons why.

SAR Arms had a new pistol, but more importantly a new company. The days of multiple importers are over, SAR is now SAR USA. This is a subsidiary of the Turkish firearms maker and will be handling all warranty issues for SAR pistols, regardless of who brought it into the country. This should smooth over any and all issues regarding parts availability, new models, and magazines.