Why My Recent Training Changed the Way I Think About Everyday Carry — Plus My Dealer Picks at Every Budget

I’ve been thinking a lot about my everyday carry options lately.

Like a lot of people who carry regularly, I have different setups for different situations. If I’m just running out of the house for a quick errand, I might grab a smaller slim-frame pistol with no backup magazine. Something comfortable that I can slip inside the waistband and hit the road.

For a long weekend, vacation, or a day when I know I’ll be away from home for a while, I might step up to a higher-capacity slim-frame pistol and carry an extra magazine.

I love guns like the Smith & Wesson Shield, Glock 43X and Shadow Systems CR920. They’re thin, comfortable, accurate and capable of carrying a respectable amount of ammunition in a very concealable package.

But the more I’ve been training lately, the more I’ve started asking myself a different question:

Am I carrying the gun that’s easiest to carry—or the gun I perform best with? Those aren’t always the same thing.

Training Changed My Perspective

I recently became holster qualified with my carry pistol, and that experience reinforced something for me: carrying a handgun and actually being able to efficiently deploy that handgun are two completely different things.

Once I started putting more emphasis on drawing from concealment, getting the red dot in front of my eyes quickly, making accurate first shots, performing reloads and working malfunction drills, I started noticing a pattern. I’m faster and more consistent with compact and full-size pistols.

That doesn’t mean a micro or slim-frame pistol is inadequate. Far from it. But when I shoot the guns side by side, the timer doesn't care which one is more comfortable to carry.

With a slightly larger pistol, I generally get a better grip immediately. I can control recoil better. I find the dot faster. My follow-up shots are quicker. My reloads are cleaner, and my malfunction drills are faster.

That matters to me.

Carry What You Train With. Train With What You Carry.

It sounds simple, but I think this is one of the most important lessons I've taken away from training.

If your everyday carry gun spends 99% of its life inside your waistband but all your serious training is done with a completely different pistol, ask yourself why. Your carry gun should be something you're intimately familiar with.

You should know exactly where that red dot is going to appear when the gun comes up. You should know how the trigger feels. You should know where your controls are without looking for them. You should know how the gun behaves during recoil....And you should practice those skills regularly. That doesn't mean every training session needs to involve hundreds of rounds. There is an enormous amount you can work on safely at home with dry-fire practice.

After verifying that the firearm is unloaded and keeping all live ammunition out of the dry-fire area, you can work on establishing your grip, presenting the pistol, acquiring your sights or red dot, and manipulating the controls. You can also practice reload mechanics with empty magazines or dedicated training magazines. The goal isn't simply to move faster. The goal is to make the correct movements repeatable. Smooth first. Consistent second. Speed comes later.

Learn to Find the Dot

Red dots are incredible tools, but buying an optic doesn't automatically make someone faster. You have to train your presentation. When I draw, I don't want to hunt around the window looking for the dot. I want the gun to come into my natural line of sight and have the dot appear where I'm already looking. That comes from repetition. Dry fire is one of the easiest ways to build that presentation without burning through ammunition.

Present the pistol. Find the dot. Reset.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Eventually, you're building a repeatable index rather than consciously searching for your optic. Then confirm those skills during live-fire training.

Practice Your Reloads

Reloads are another skill that can deteriorate quickly if you don't practice them. You can own the best pistol, the best magazines and the best equipment available, but equipment doesn't manipulate itself. Practice getting to your spare magazine. Practice getting the empty magazine out of the gun. Practice bringing the fresh magazine into the gun consistently. Practice reacquiring your grip and sights afterward. Again, the goal isn't to look cool or chase a timer immediately. Build a clean movement first and then gradually work on speed.

When I compare my different pistols, reloads are one area where the compact/full-size platform really shines for me. I have more gun to work with, my grip is more consistent, and I can manipulate it faster.

Holsters Matter.

The other piece of this conversation is the holster.

I can't emphasize this enough:

A good carry gun with the wrong holster can be miserable.

I've spent hundreds of dollars trying different holsters and figuring out what works for my body, my carry position and the guns I use.

Everybody is built differently, so I can't tell someone that one particular holster will automatically be perfect for them.

But I can definitely tell you that the right holster can completely change how a larger handgun carries.

That's exactly what happened with my M&P Compact.

Why I've Been Carrying the M&P Compact

My current Smith & Wesson M&P setup has become a great middle ground for me.

It gives me a duty-length slide with a compact grip. With my Floyd’s extension, I have 17+1 rounds, and my Tier 1 Concealed setup allows me to carry an additional 15-round magazine.

Yes, it's thicker and a little heavier than my slim-frame pistols.

But here's what surprised me:

On my body, with the right holster, it really doesn't carry that much differently.

Yet when I get to the range, there is a noticeable difference in my performance.

I get on target faster. I find the dot faster. My reloads are faster. My malfunction drills are faster. I manage recoil better.

And most importantly, I feel extremely comfortable operating the gun because I've actually been putting the work in with it.

That's the balance I've been looking for: something compact enough that I'll realistically carry it every day, but capable enough that I don't feel like I compromised the gun simply to make carrying easier.

So What Should You Buy?

Here’s where being a dealer and being a shooter overlap.

Not everybody has $1,000, $1,500 or $2,500 to spend on a handgun—and you absolutely do not need to spend that kind of money to get a solid pistol you can train with.

There are some seriously good values in today's handgun market.

These aren't the only good guns available, but if someone walked into ALL GEARED UP and told me, “Dave, here’s my budget. What should I be looking at?” these are some of the pistols I’d want them to put on their list.

Prices below are general price ranges and can change based on model, configuration, distributor pricing, promotions and availability.

Around $300: Smith & Wesson SD9 2.0

If your budget is right around $300, don't assume that means you have to buy something questionable.

The Smith & Wesson SD9 2.0 deserves a look.

It is a straightforward striker-fired 9mm from one of the biggest handgun manufacturers in the country. It doesn't try to be a $1,000 competition gun. Instead, it gives the budget-conscious shooter a simple platform from an established manufacturer at a price that leaves money available for ammunition, training and a quality holster.

And I would much rather see somebody buy a reasonably priced pistol and actually have money left to practice with it than spend every dollar they have on the gun and never train.

Dealer price range to look for: around $300.

Roughly $300–$350: Canik TP9 Series

Another company that has helped redefine what people should expect from an affordable striker-fired pistol is Canik.

Depending on the exact TP9 model and current promotions, there are options in roughly the $300–$350 neighborhood.

Canik built a strong following by giving shooters a lot of gun for the money, particularly when it comes to trigger feel and the amount of equipment offered with various packages.

If you're shopping with a hard budget in the low-$300 range, don't overlook the TP9 family.

Dealer price range to look for: approximately $300–$350, depending on model.

Around $400: Ruger RXM

This might be one of my favorite value propositions in the entire striker-fired market.

The Ruger RXM combines Ruger's manufacturing with a Magpul-designed grip system and takes advantage of the enormous ecosystem that already exists around the Gen 3 Glock platform.

Think about what that means for somebody buying a pistol to actually shoot and train with.

Parts. Magazines. Holsters. Sights. Accessories. Customization.

You're starting with a modern modular pistol rather than buying a cheap gun that you're eventually going to outgrow.

The RXM has a removable fire-control insert, an interchangeable Magpul grip module, steel sights with a tritium front, broad optics compatibility and extensive compatibility with Gen 3 Glock-pattern components.

That's a crazy amount of capability around the $400 neighborhood.

I'm a Glock guy. Glock earned its reputation for a reason.

But when you start comparing features dollar-for-dollar, Ruger and Magpul made the RXM extremely hard to ignore.

Bang for your buck—pun absolutely intended—the RXM is one of the guns I'd be looking at very closely around $400.

Roughly $400–$500: Rost Martin RM1 Series

Rost Martin is another brand I think more shooters should know about.

They're based in Dallas, Texas, and the RM1 family gives shooters several compact and subcompact configurations without immediately pushing the price into premium-handgun territory.

The RM1C is the compact model, while the RM1S shrinks the platform down for shooters who prioritize concealment. There are also compensated and bundled configurations.

The RM1C brings features such as an optics-ready slide, 4-inch barrel, flat-face trigger, interchangeable backstraps, ambidextrous controls and 15+1 standard capacity.

The smaller RM1S uses a 3.6-inch barrel and offers 12+1 capacity in its flush configuration with extended options available.

That's a lot of features in a pistol that lives primarily in the mid-$400 range, depending on configuration.

For somebody who wants something a little different from the same three or four brands everybody else owns, Rost Martin deserves a serious look.

Roughly $500–$650: M&P 2.0

Now we're getting into the category where I personally spend a lot of my training time.

The Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 family offers an enormous number of configurations.

Compact. Full size. Optics ready. Different barrel lengths. Different sights. Different packages.

It's also a platform with strong aftermarket support for holsters, magazines, sights, optics mounting solutions and other accessories.

And obviously I'm biased here because I'm currently carrying and training heavily with an M&P Compact.

It fits my hands extremely well, and I shoot it well.

For someone who has a little more money to spend and wants a pistol that can grow with them as their training progresses, the M&P 2.0 family is absolutely worth considering.

Expect many configurations to land roughly in the $500–$650 neighborhood, with pricing varying substantially by package.

Roughly $550–$650: Springfield Echelon

The Springfield Armory Echelon is another modern striker-fired platform that packs a lot of engineering into the price.

Its serialized Central Operating Group gives the platform a modular chassis design, while Springfield's Variable Interface System provides a flexible optics-mounting system.

The Echelon family has also expanded since its original introduction, giving buyers more choices in size and configuration.

The newer Echelon Alpha 4.0C brought the entry MSRP down to $599, which puts an Echelon option directly into this part of the market.

For someone looking at the M&P, Glock, RXM or similar duty/carry pistols, I'd absolutely put the Echelon on the comparison list.

Depending on configuration and current pricing, figure roughly $550–$650 for many of the models and deals you're likely to encounter.

Don't Ignore Bundle Deals

Here's another thing people sometimes miss when shopping based strictly on the advertised price of the pistol:

Look at what you're actually getting for the money.

Manufacturers and distributors frequently offer packages containing additional magazines, pistol bags, optics or other equipment.

That can completely change the value equation.

A $499 pistol isn't necessarily a better deal than a $599 package if you're immediately going to spend another $100–$200 buying the magazines, case or optic that came with the other gun.

At ALL GEARED UP, I like looking at the whole setup, especially for newer shooters.

If we can find a 9mm package that gets you the pistol, extra magazines and useful equipment while staying within your budget, that may make more sense than chasing the absolute lowest sticker price.

Champagne Taste, Beer Money: Budget Double-Stack 1911s

Now we get to the fun stuff.

The 2011-style/double-stack 1911 market has absolutely exploded.

And I understand why.

A good double-stack 1911 gives you that crisp single-action trigger and familiar 1911-style ergonomics while dramatically increasing 9mm capacity.

The problem has traditionally been the price.

It wasn't that long ago that telling somebody they wanted a quality 2011 basically meant telling them to start saving a couple thousand dollars.

That's changing.

If you've got champagne taste but beer money, there are now some very interesting double-stack 1911-style pistols around the $700–$1,000 neighborhood, and occasionally even below that depending on the model and sale.

Tisas 1911 Double Stack / B9R

Tisas has been aggressive about bringing double-stack 1911-style pistols into a price range where normal shooters can actually buy one and still afford ammunition.

The B9R double-stack models combine the traditional 1911-style operating system with higher-capacity 9mm magazines and modern features such as accessory rails and optics-ready configurations on applicable models.

If you've always wanted to experiment with the double-stack 1911 world but don't want your first step to cost two grand, these deserve attention.

Depending on model and current promotions, you'll often see Tisas double-stack options living below or within the $700–$1,000 budget we're talking about.

EAA / Girsan Witness2311

The EAA/Girsan Witness2311 is another major player in the affordable double-stack 1911 category.

Instead of asking the buyer to immediately jump into premium-2011 pricing, the Witness2311 family gives you several configurations and calibers at much more approachable prices.

For the 9mm buyer who wants that double-stack 1911 feel, it's another platform I would compare against the Tisas offerings.

EAA/Girsan Witness2311 CMXX

Then you've got guns like the Witness2311 CMXX, which start adding features you'd normally associate with much more expensive pistols.

The CMXX uses a 4.25-inch bull barrel with an integrated single-port compensator and, in 9mm configuration, offers 17-round capacity.

Interestingly, the design also eliminates the traditional functional grip safety while retaining a beavertail.

So now we're not simply talking about making a cheap imitation of an expensive gun. Manufacturers are starting to experiment with the formula and give buyers genuinely different choices.

That's good for shooters.

Fusion Firearms XP PRO: Stretch the Budget a Little Further

If you can stretch beyond that $1,000 line, the Fusion Firearms XP PRO gets particularly interesting.

This is a double-stack 1911-style pistol that uses standard Glock 17 magazines.

That is a big deal.

One of the frustrations of getting into some double-stack 1911 platforms can be proprietary or expensive magazines.

Glock-pattern magazines are everywhere.

The XP PRO gives you the 1911-style, hammer-fired, single-action experience while feeding from one of the most common pistol-magazine patterns in America.

Pricing starts around $1,099, so technically it's just outside my $700–$1,000 budget category, but it's close enough that I think anybody shopping the upper end of that category should know it exists.

If your original budget is $1,000 and another hundred bucks gets you the platform you actually want, it's worth comparing before making your decision.

Spend Based on Your Needs, Not Internet Status

Here's the larger point.

You don't need the most expensive handgun in the display case to become a capable shooter.

A roughly $300 SD9 2.0 and $2,000-plus premium pistol obviously aren't the same product.

But training doesn't suddenly become irrelevant because you spent more money.

I'd rather see somebody buy a reliable $350–$500 handgun, a quality holster and ammunition—and then actually practice—than spend their entire budget chasing the handgun currently getting the most attention online.

Start with your realistic budget.

Then ask:

Does the gun fit my hand?

Can I comfortably reach the controls?

Can I conceal it the way I intend to carry?

Can I find magazines and a quality holster for it?

Does it accept the optic or light I eventually want?

Can I afford to practice with it?

And most importantly:

Am I actually going to train with it?

Comfort vs. Capability

This is where my thinking about everyday carry has changed.

We're obviously not carrying a handgun because we're expecting something terrible to happen every time we leave the house.

But the entire reason we carry is because we recognize that something could happen.

So I started asking myself:

If I actually found myself in the worst situation imaginable, which pistol would I want in my hand?

Would I choose the smallest, lightest gun because it was more comfortable that morning?

Or would I choose the pistol that fills my hand better, absorbs recoil better, gives me greater capacity and allows me to perform the skills I've been practicing more consistently?

For me lately, that answer has been the M&P Compact.

That doesn't mean I've stopped carrying my slim-frame pistols. I still enjoy them, I still train with them, and there are absolutely situations where I'll grab one.

It just means I'm putting more thought into why I'm choosing the gun I put on that morning.

Your Equipment Is Only Part of the Equation

It's easy to get caught up in equipment.

Which pistol?

Which optic?

Which magazine extension?

Which holster?

Which ammunition?

Those things matter.

But none of them replace training.

Buying a better pistol won't fix a bad draw.

Buying a red dot won't fix a bad presentation.

Carrying another magazine won't help much if you've never practiced accessing it.

And owning a handgun doesn't automatically mean you're prepared to use it.

The equipment and the training have to work together.

So whatever you decide to carry, put some time into it.

Dry fire.

Practice your presentation.

Practice safely drawing from your holster in an appropriate training environment.

Practice acquiring your sights.

Practice your reload mechanics.

Get live-fire repetitions.

Take classes.

Use a shot timer when appropriate and measure your progress.

Don't chase somebody else's numbers. Compare yourself today to yourself six months ago.

Carry what you train with. Train with what you carry.

And choose equipment based on what actually works for you, not simply what's popular on social media.

Need Help Choosing Your Setup?

At ALL GEARED UP, this is exactly the kind of stuff I enjoy talking about.

I'm not going to tell you there's one perfect gun or one perfect holster for everybody. There isn't.

Maybe your budget is $300 and you're looking at an SD9 2.0.

Maybe you're around $400 and the Ruger RXM makes sense.

Maybe you're shopping Rost Martin, M&P or Echelon.

Or maybe you've got champagne taste, beer money and you're trying to figure out how to get into a double-stack 1911 without spending two or three grand.

That's where having somebody actually talk through the options with you can help.

I can share what I've learned from carrying different pistols, spending way too much money trying different holsters, and putting these setups through actual training.

Maybe my experience can save you from making one of the mistakes I've already paid for.

If you have questions about choosing a carry pistol, finding a holster, setting up an optic, magazines, accessories, or simply figuring out what might work best for you, reach out.

Message, email, text or call ALL GEARED UP.

Whether you're buying your first handgun or you've been carrying for years, I'm always happy to talk guns, equipment and training.

Because at the end of the day, the gun you carry isn't supposed to be the one that looks best sitting on the table.

It should be the one you've trained with, trust, and know how to use.

— Dave

ALL GEARED UP