Summer is right around the corner, and here in beautiful Florida, it seems like it’s already here. As temperatures hit the 90s, I’m bracing for a toasty, humid summer. As summer creeps in, we will likely start dressing a little lighter. Shorts, dresses, and other warm-weather wear become the norm, and when clothes get lighter, so do concealed carry guns. With that in mind, let’s look at some summer carry guns.
2026’s Summer Carry Guns
Not just any summer carry guns—these are new models released between late last year and this year that make excellent concealed carry options. These guns are small, light, and easy to carry in the humid summer. They match perfectly with summer clothing and work well with summer activities that tend to be more outdoor-based.
We want lightweight, low-recoiling, and easy-to-conceal guns—and that’s exactly what I’m bringing you.
S&W Bodyguard 2.0
The S&W Bodyguard 2.0 single-handedly changed my opinion of pocket .380s. It’s the only one I’ve shot that didn’t absolutely suck. The Bodyguard 2.0 keeps things small without sacrificing any capacity. S&W took the stack-and-a-half route, giving us a 10-round flush-fit magazine in the space we’d typically see six rounds.
They also switched to a striker-fired trigger, reducing trigger weight and pull distance. Oh, and they added usable sights—nice, big, high-visibility sights that make this thing easy to shoot out to 25 yards. The Bodyguard 2.0 fills the hand with its grip and offers excellent overall controls.
The S&W Bodyguard 2.0 has soft recoil, making it controllable and easy to shoot. It doesn’t feel like a firecracker going off in your hand. You can fire it quickly and effectively with excellent control. Somehow, they did all that with a gun that still drops into your pocket for everyday carry.
Taurus 22TUC
The Taurus 22TUC is an evolution of the Taurus PT22 series. Taurus made a few small changes to turn the 22TUC into a gun that’s effortless to carry and effortless to shoot.
The 22TUC chambers the .22LR. It’s a meek cartridge to be sure, but with proper ammo selection, it’s a capable defensive option. Get a good hard nose, hot .22LR, like Federal Punch, and you’ll be set.
It’s not perfect, but for the absolute lowest recoil possible, the 22TUC is tough to beat. The 22TUC is a straight blowback pistol that uses a tip-up barrel design. There’s no need to rack the pistol, just tip the barrel up, drop a cartridge in, and close it.
The 22TUV has nine rounds in the magazine, so you get ten rounds total. The gun uses a double-action only action, which ensures nice, hard hits on the rimfire primers and good ignition. It can be ammo picky, so you should use high-velocity ammo to ensure reliable cycling.
The 22TUC keeps things small but provides a good grip, excellent sights, and surprisingly good accuracy even with a DAO trigger.
S&W 432 UC
The snub-nose revolver has always been a classic summer carry gun. They tend to be small, lightweight, and easy to carry in a pocket or on the hip. At the same time, you’re not sacrificing power by going small.
If I had to pick one revolver for summer carry, it’s going to be the S&W 432 UC. The 432 UC chambered the .32 H&R Magnum gives you a lightweight, light recoiling, highly accurate revolver for daily carry. You can shove it in your pocket or wear it on your waist, and never find it difficult to tote.
The dovetail rear sights and XS front sight align nicely, and the smooth DAO trigger pull helps you make accurate hits out to 25 yards. Not bad for a snub-nose revolver. Plus, the .32 H&R Magnum packs a decent punch with excellent penetration and low recoil.
When the heat rises, you shouldn’t leave your heat at home. With the 432 UC, you won’t have to.
KelTec P-32
I don’t enjoy summer; I suffer through it. As a summer sufferer, the last thing I want is to be beholden to traditional holsters and belts. The KelTec P32 allows me to easily ditch the belt and holster and embrace the life of short shorts.
I shove the P32 into a Safariland Model 25 pocket holster, and it falls right into my shorts without a problem. It’s uber lightweight, even loaded, it’s the lightest semi-auto on the market. This makes it easy to carry and easy to keep concealed.
The P32 fires the .32 ACP, which provides light recoil, even from this uber light, uber thin firearm. The meek recoil makes it easy to shoot rapidly without sacrificing accuracy. The P32 gives you seven rounds, which isn’t a lot, but for a micro-sized gun, it’s not bad.
The sights are small, but usable with a little practice. There are some compromises to be made with any pocket pistol, but the gun you’ll carry consistently is better than the one you leave at home.
The P32 lets you chill in the Bahama breeze without the constraints of modern guns. If you’re suffering through summer like me, the P32 will ease that suffering.
North American Arms Rule 1
Let’s say you’re a Speedo enthusiast. Gross, but I’m only judging you a little bit. You still deserve gun rights, but man, you’re going to have a tough time carrying a gun in a Speedo. Still, summer beckons. North American Arms and Lipseys teamed up to create the Rule 1 gun. The first rule of a gunfight is to have a weapon, so Rule 1 earns its name.
The Rule 1 gun is a single-action .22 Magnum revolver with a short 1 ⅝ inch barrel. It features the Hamre Forge Mini Hook Grips, which provide enough grip to shoot the gun and a clip to make it concealable in the pocket. The clip is small enough to blend in with a dark Speedo, even. The gun comes with an XS front sight that’s easy to see and makes the gun easier to shoot.
The Rule 1 gun is about as small as a repeating gun can get. It wouldn’t be my first or second choice, but it’s better than harsh language. There have been verified self-defense uses of the NAA Mini Revolvers, so the concept isn’t that far out. If you absolutely need to wear a Speedo, then Rule 1 is for you.
Summer Carry Blues
I’m not a fan of summer. I’m heat-adverse, but the higher temps won’t keep me from packing heat. Summer carry can be challenging, but it’s far from impossible. The right gun makes all the difference, and hopefully, we’ve given you a few solid summer carry solutions.
