In Defense of the Classic Carry

There’s a constant stream of discourse surrounding concealed carry. A never-ending dialogue regarding the tools, methodologies, capacity, commentary on what is lackluster, and what is enough.

Too often, that conversation focuses on the minimum standards as the supreme authority, the pinnacle of what is possible.

I worked a gun counter all through high school and college. It was my first real job, selling firearms. It’s a role I took incredibly seriously. There is nothing more humbling than being considered a figure of authority and a trusted source of information for a tool that is intended to protect someone’s life and their loved ones – from age 17 forward, that became a critical part of my life, and drove me to become as well informed as possible with market offerings. Their performance, recoil impulse, functionality, manual of arms, and more became more than a job or a hobby, it engulfed every spare moment of my life. 

My rules for a gun were simple – I always began with the question, “what is the purpose of this firearm?” and worked from there. A sidearm was only recommended if it met the following criteria:

1. Reputable manufacturer

2. Quality built

3. Cartridge meets the needs of the user

4. History of reliability (read – no new model recommended until shown to have a track record of success. I grew up in the OG 320 and 365 launch era).

5. Within a responsible budgetary amount as dictated by the client

I’ve sold, handled, and happily recommended literal hundreds of Glocks, Smith & Wesson M&P’s, Sig Sauer P365’s, Walther PPS, etc – because they met these minimum requirements, perform well, and fit within the budget of the end user. The mistake is taking that base set of values and decrying that they are in fact, the pinnacle of virtue. It’s like brutalism in architecture. Sure, a glass cube building with concrete and no details - pure minimalism works, but is it beautiful? Utility is not a supreme virtue, it is a minimum standard. 

Cool guns that match these standards, often really brilliant, shooter grade examples from yesteryear can be found for roughly the same price as guns that meet these bare minimum expectations. Again, that’s not at all to deride the Glock, M&P, Walther, or other reliable polymer pistol or “basic” gun in the waistband. I carry my P99 often and love it (it also happens to be one of the coolest guns of the polymer era). They have a place in the collection, and that’s fine.

What I am saying is this – don’t let yourself get stuck in these minimum standards. There’s something incredibly special about a hand-fit piece of American steel, like my Alchemy Custom Weaponry 1911 shown above, carried in handcrafted leather from Milt Sparks. The pistol has an incredible blued finish which will show honest wear and age over a lifetime, and will be stunning when it is time to be handed over. The same goes for my Walther PPK pistols, one of which was my first gun ever, and my dedicated and faithful daily companion.

These are guns and holsters that will last for generations to come. Learn how to shoot a 1911, M9, or PPK. Become better with an array of manuals of arms. It’s an opportunity afforded to you as an American. Many others get to read or dream about it, so take the time. Learn. Grow. And have a bloody good time doing it too.

Owning a quality firearm is like buying a car. The old rule your dad told you – if you want to buy it, have the cash for two – that wasn’t just about making sure you could maintain the tool or replace it after an accident. Rather, that was also a reminder that nice things are meant to be used. The greatest sin of all when it comes to a tool is allowing it to live in a box or safe for your lifetime. I don’t want my son to find a Rolex brand new in the box in my desk drawer, or my Alchemy 1911 unmarred, flawless, and wrapped in a silicone cloth, unmolested by the years. That thought disgusts me. And look, if my Alchemy or one of my vintage PPKs is used in a defensive situation, and for whatever reason never returns from an evidence lockup, then so be it. My grandfather has a saying, “nothing money can’t fix.”

One last thing, don’t live in a binary. Like Obi-Wan Kenobi says, “only a Sith deals in absolutes.”