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So I was teaching a class recently and a student remarked that he should get a Glock because it was what I was carrying.

Now, I have been told that I am a pretty good teacher and I am admittedly a decent shot but I don’t feel that I am the authority on what one should carry. I don’t promote any one brand of firearm but say that it should be reliable and comfortable for that person to shoot and carry.

But it got me thinking about what handguns that experts edc. I have seen instructors carrying different makes and models throughout the years. So I am curious as to what you all have observed instructors/firearms experts personally carry and have you ever heard them comment as to what influenced their decision to carry that particular handgun?

Surfer

I'm not an instructor but most of them I have been taught from, carry a full size (or very close to it) gun OWB... which we all probably would if our place of employment was a gun range!!

I carry every day but unfortunately, sometimes it's only a small 9mm and a spare mag. I'm restricted in part, by dress code of clients and customers.

I have attended a number of courses by different instructors, and the runaway favorite pistol for was the Glock 19. Reliability, simplicity, capacity, and concealability seemed to be the drivers. They also take note of what their students bring to class, what works and what doesn't, and when somebody's gun breaks down or is jam-prone, the loaner gun that appears invariably seems to be a ....Glock 19.

John Farnam recommends the Glock 19, but he also makes it a habit to look at new pistols as they arrive on market. If they make his initial evaluation as self-defense-worthy, he buys it and carries it himself for awhile, practicing and using it in his classes. Then he publishes his thoughts in his "DTI Quips", and email that he sends out to all former students who sign up for it. But you don't have to be a former student to read them, you can go to his website http://defense-training.com/ and look for the Quips link.

IIRC, mine carried a Glock 19 in a Fobus OWB holster. The holster would be one of my last picks since the build quality of the one I shouldn't have purchased was pretty terrible. But I can think of a thousand reasons why the 19 would be a fantastic daily carry piece.

I never advocate a particular brand or model. I tell them to find the gun that works for them and then practice, practice, practice.

In an instruction setting, the trend will be toward full size striker fired guns because they're easier to run / manage ammo. Those may not be the right choices for their EDC situation though.

Guess I'm the odd ball out then, I carry a 1911...

What scares me is that the first EDC carry is so often something like an LCP. That is designed to be stuck into ones pocket. Has no safety, limited amount of rounds, with an extremely short sight radius and very snappy recoil. A firearm that most couldn't passed the qualification with.

I also wonder about Newbies picking a Glock as their ECD. But admitedly the selections are getting thin and most new guns are Strikers with no safety.. It just seems inapropririate for beginners.

PBratton wrote:Guess I'm the odd ball out then, I carry a 1911...

Not completely... my go to is a 4" STI Guardian... my "minimum" is the little 9mm. IIRC there are a 1/2 dozen or so regulars here that carry a 1911 of some variety.

What you carry and how you carry is a very personal decision. Every individual has their own needs and circumstances.

ELB wrote:I have attended a number of courses by different instructors, and the runaway favorite pistol for was the Glock 19. Reliability, simplicity, capacity, and concealability seemed to be the drivers. They also take note of what their students bring to class, what works and what doesn't, and when somebody's gun breaks down or is jam-prone, the loaner gun that appears invariably seems to be a ....Glock 19.

John Farnam recommends the Glock 19, but he also makes it a habit to look at new pistols as they arrive on market. If they make his initial evaluation as self-defense-worthy, he buys it and carries it himself for awhile, practicing and using it in his classes. Then he publishes his thoughts in his "DTI Quips", and email that he sends out to all former students who sign up for it. But you don't have to be a former student to read them, you can go to his website http://defense-training.com/ and look for the Quips link.

Hey, cool; thanks! If one of my students has an “issue” I hand them my MK25...guess they are a bit spoiled.

Liberty wrote:What scares me is that the first EDC carry is so often something like an LCP. That is designed to be stuck into ones pocket. Has no safety, limited amount of rounds, with an extremely short sight radius and very snappy recoil. A firearm that most couldn't passed the qualification with.

I also wonder about Newbies picking a Glock as their ECD. But admitedly the selections are getting thin and most new guns are Strikers with no safety.. It just seems inapropririate for beginners.

Sooooo true. So many mouse guns and snubbies. They are so much more challenging to be accurate with; completely possible, just a difficult task.

What about the “famous” instructors out there? I think I remember Mas Ayoob saying he most often carries a scandium j frame. Wonder about the others?

"What Some Clueful Instructors Carry as a Defensive Firearm | Active Self Protection Extra"

"At the Rangemaster Instructor Reunion and Conference, I polled instructors as to their defensive firearm and ammunition choice. I got 51 responses and now bring you the data I found from these folks."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erejjFtnz64

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

Liberty wrote:What scares me is that the first EDC carry is so often something like an LCP. That is designed to be stuck into ones pocket. Has no safety, limited amount of rounds, with an extremely short sight radius and very snappy recoil. A firearm that most couldn't passed the qualification with.