Curious as to what the instructors/“experts” carry?

[Smokey613]

I carried a Colt 1911 in one variant or another for almost 20 of my 31+ years as a LEO. When I retired in 2005 it was my SS Colt DE I got as a BD gift in 1987. Glocks had been around a few years at that time and I along with a lot of other LEOs snickered at using a plastic gun with no safety. By the time 2005 came around they were the accepted police sidearm of choice but I stuck to my old ways. When I returned to LEO work in 2015, I was issued a Glock 22. I spent a far amount of time getting accustom to this new to me platform. I was impressed wth the simplicity and reliability of the platform as well as ease of field stripping. Try as I may, I could not get comfortable with it. I dislike the finger grooves, the rubbing of the middle finger on the right side of the trigger guard and my trigger finger rubbing on the inside lower trigger guard so much that after 300 rounds I had the beginning of a blister. I stuck with it as I had no other "approved" sidearm that I could carry. Last summer I came across a used G20SF with 3 mags and Tru Glo TFX sights for a good price. To my suprise, I found I shot the G20 better than the G22. I still the issues with the trigger guard rubbing my middle and trigger fingers. I still disliked those finger groves. But, this being my personal pistol, I felt free to modify it to suit me. I removed the finger humps, relieved the trigger guard on the lower right back side as well as lowered the inside lower trigger guard. I took my time and it looks stock to the untrained eye. I added Talon rubberized grips also. Now I can shoot the G20SF all day with hot loads with nary an issue. Once I was confident, I started carrying it on duty until I got the 19.5 with Ameriglo sights through a blue lable dealer. I added Talons to it and once I had verfied it's reliability I switched to it as my duty carry. I have switched from my Shield 45 for off duty to a Sig P365 for off duty. I am basically down to two handguns that covers my serious needs. The rest have been relegated to occasional range use. As stated before, it's a very personal thing.

[Gunner4640]

My instructor for LTC course only carried 1911's. He called all other guns throw away's.

[imkopaka]

My 2c - carry whatever you want; I won't die if you choose wrong

[Vol Texan]

Any instructor who tells you that you should carry a certain type/caliber/style is either too lazy to explain how to make an appropriate decision or too egotistical to accept that his way isn't the best way and that shooting is a highly individual thing. Carry what you can use effectively.

That is my philosophy exactly . But stated more eloquently than I do.

I’m going to borrow your words in the future...

[imkopaka]

Any instructor who tells you that you should carry a certain type/caliber/style is either too lazy to explain how to make an appropriate decision or too egotistical to accept that his way isn't the best way and that shooting is a highly individual thing. Carry what you can use effectively.

That is my philosophy exactly . But stated more eloquently than I do.

I’m going to borrow your words in the future...

Feel free lol! I'm pretty sure I borrowed my opening statement, "The best carry gun is the most powerful handgun with which you can consistently put rounds on target," from Clint Smith (Thunder Ranch) but I can't for the life of me find a video in which he says it.