Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Say "No" To A Carry Rotation

In "Ditch the 'Carry Rotation'" at Shooting Illustrated, Chris Cypert points out the downsides to a daily carry rotation (i.e., using a different handgun depending on mood or according to a schedule). His argument basically boils down to the fact that with so many different handguns that are going to have different trigger pulls, manual of arms, aiming points, etc., a regular carry rotation will result in having a handgun which you have not really mastered as the handgun on which your life may depend. 

    As an example, he observes:

Just examining grip angle, any shooter who has switched to or from a Glock handgun has likely noticed issues with transitioning between Glocks and non-Glocks. With its unique 22 degree grip angle, a Glock handgun differs just enough from the more common 18 degree 1911-mimicking grip angle to cause issues with many people. When one switches to a Glock, there is an adjustment period as shooters typically present the gun and find themselves naturally pointing the muzzle high. Likewise, when Glock shooters switch to non-Glocks, they may find themselves needing to retrain their presentations to avoid pointing low. This same holds true for other semiautomatic pistols as well as revolvers, and if we’re switching back and forth between guns on a daily basis, it will inevitably affect our performance compared to just carrying one gun consistently.

A similar problem can result in switching between weapons with double-action triggers, single action triggers, and "safe-action" triggers such as in Glocks. 

    Cypert recognizes that there are going to be times where the situation demands that you carry something different than normal: perhaps you have to go to a smaller pistol due to heightened concerns about concealment, or you decide to go bigger because you going hunting/camping or going somewhere posing a heightened danger. In that case, Cypert recommends at least sticking to the same general style of firearm "that changes as a little as possible of the mechanics of shooting and manipulating your gun under stress." For instance, if you normally carry a Glock 19 but need something smaller use a Glock 26, 43 or 48; or if bigger, stick with a larger Glock pistol (e.g., a Glock 20 in 10 mm). 

    Sometimes you don't have the option of sticking to the same general style. For instance, if I want something more powerful than a 9mm semi-auto for carrying while camping or hiking, my option (absent buying a new pistol) will necessarily be a revolver. But since I know that I'll be camping or hiking before hand, I can at least practice with the firearm in question to refamiliarize myself with its manual of arms and presentation before a trip, even if all I have time for are a few dry fire sessions.

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