Whenever I heard the term, “I’m going to put this one in the rotation.” I cringe a bit. Mostly because when someone talks about their concealed carry rotation, it’s essentially a stable of mediocre guns. A lot of times, a concealed carry rotation is used to carry a few different guns based on someone’s feelings.
What they feel like carrying as if a gun is a pair of shoes. You can most assuredly do that if you so choose. It’s your right as an American. However, I’ve been slowly changing my mind as I break out of my comfort zone of polymer frame compacts. However, there is certainly a tactical argument we can have on the merits of a concealed carry rotation.
The Argument For A Rotation
If your argument is because I want to, then you can end it here. That’s most certainly the only argument you need to make to me. That doesn’t mean there can’t be an argument for a carry rotation based on the needs of any given day. I have several different guns I carry fairly often, depending on what exactly is happening that day.
Right now, I have a Beretta 3032 in my pocket. It’s great for walking around the house, with formal wear, and in situations where I need deep concealment. My normal carry gun is my P365XL, and that’s what I carry the majority of the time. When I travel, I actually tend to carry a larger gun because I’m away from home quite a distance. This offers me a bigger light, more ammunition, and great capability for hotel defense and on-the-road defense.
Different situations require different guns for some folks. If I lived in a place with a real winter, I might change my gun based on the weather as well. I might want something that deals better penetration through thick coats than a subcompact 9mm firing 124-grain rounds.
The Argument Against a Rotation
The main problem people point out with a carry rotation is the extra training required to learn multiple guns. There is a pretty big use gap between my striker-fired P365XL and my DA/SA Beretta 3032. This requires some transitional training to get good with either weapon. Not to mention, the cost of multiple guns gets high. Not only guns but multiple holsters and ammo types.
Mastering one gun is easier and allows you to really excel and know your gun inside and out. One gun can go a long way, especially if it’s sized just right. It’s often tough to fight the perfect size. Many only want to carry a single gun and will likely aim for a Glock 19-sized firearm and as many holsters as necessary to carry it in any clothing option.
One gun helps you reach peak efficiency in terms of monetary value and training time. Having one gun for concealed carry can certainly be the smart way to go logistically.
Making It Make Sense
If your rotation is nothing but Glock 19 or SIG P365-sized firearms, I can’t say I understand it. However, carrying multiple guns for multiple scenarios speaks a lot to me. I also get why one would only want to carry a single gun. I felt the exact way for quite some time, rarely veering from my Walther PPS until the SIG P365 came out anyway. While it’s always a personal choice, it should make sense to you and make sense tactically.
