Thoughts on Carry Rotations

If you cruise around the few bastions of gun-related social media, you’ll come across a very familiar phrase. You’ll see the photo of a firearm, a handgun to be specific, with a phrase like, “This one has joined the carry rotation.” It’s pretty common to see. People like buying guns, and they like having a purpose for owning a particular weapon. Handguns turn into carry guns, even if it’s just because you like them.

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After seeing this more than a few times across Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit, I got to thinking about the idea of a carry rotation. There was a point in my life when I used the phrase. I just liked buying guns, and carrying them gave me an excuse to buy them. These days, I still have a carry rotation, but I think I do it a bit differently. Let’s discuss carry rotations, the pros, their cons, and the best way to establish one.

As mentioned, a lot of people buy guns and want an excuse to buy them. They then add them to a ‘carry rotation,’ a series of guns they carry concealed or openly as they see fit. It seems like they itemize their guns or turn their weapons into pieces of fashion that get changed the same way you’d change your shoes. This is America, so do what you want, but I think this type of carry rotation is ill-advised.

Carrying a multitude of guns can require additional training. Glock 17s and M1911s are both handguns, but they are very different guns. They have different controls, recoil impulses, grip angles, and more. Most people don’t jump between a Glock 19 and a Glock 45; they tend to create a carry rotation of very different guns because variety is the spice of life.

Moving between different platforms requires a lot of different training. The cost of ammo alone can make things expensive. Factor in range costs, classes, and more, and having more than one gun becomes costly and difficult to maintain competency with. I’d bet most people with carry rotation aren’t seeking out a high level of competency with multiple firearms.

The money spent on multiple guns, holsters, and magazines could be better used by training with one handgun rather than spread across a multitude of handguns. We aren’t even talking about accessories like lights and optics, which raise the firearm’s price significantly.

Another problem with this carry gun rotation mindset is a lack of quality gear and accessories. These people spend so much money on guns that they don’t invest in quality holsters, optics, sights, lights, and whatever.

I was the victim of a carry rotation mindset. I had a SIG P250 and a Bersa.380 ACP, a Glock 26, a Taurus 85, and more. Admittedly, I never trained extensively with any of these guns. My holsters were subpar crap, and I wasn’t prepared for the engagement. As I began to take my training more seriously, I picked a gun that worked for me and extensively trained with it.

For quite some time, I was a one-carry gun guy. Specifically, I had a SIG P365XL with an optic. It worked well, and I loved it. I got a standard P365 slide for situations that required a smaller gun. Even then, I found myself at odds with life. Some firearms and some situations made it tough to carry a weapon as small as the P365 easily.

That’s when I decided to invite another gun into the mix and create a carry gun rotation that made sense—at least, it made sense to me. I purchased a KelTec P32, a tiny pocket pistol, for situations where I needed the smallest pistol possible. This became an excellent gun for deep concealment purposes.

I had two guns, two types of holsters, and two calibers to contend with. The guns were a bit different, so I had to dedicate individual time to each weapon. Between these two guns, I have yet to encounter a situation that doesn’t involve a speedo in which I can’t quickly and comfortably carry a weapon. Two guns required twice the dry fire, twice the range time, and twice the ammo, but I’m competent with both guns.

READ MORE HERE: Eberlestock FADE Collection: Concealed Carry Without the Tactical Look

A carry gun rotation can be anything you want it to be. As mentioned, this is America. However, I think the best practice is to become competent with one firearm and to have a high-quality holster and accessories if you choose them. If you discover your current weapon can’t fit situations you regularly find yourself in, then maybe adopting a new gun and adding it to the mix makes sense.

I don’t advise carrying a multitude of firearms and changing them as often as you change your undies. When you pick a new carry gun, it’s wise to choose one that is at least somewhat similar to your primary carry gun.

What do you think about concealed carry rotations? Let us know below.

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