Properly carrying a firearm for self-defense requires some thought. Anyone can strap on a blaster and carry it, and assuming you can operate it competently, just about any gun is better than no gun. However, guns and situations are not created equal.
Some guns are designed for concealed carry, while others might not be the best choice for that purpose. That said, larger guns can be concealed, just as smaller guns can be carried openly—but are those the best choices? The answer is always subjective, but we can identify guns better suited for open or concealed carry. Today, we’ll focus on choosing the best gun for open carry.
A Question of Philosophy
Carrying a gun is a philosophical choice in and of itself. It means that you have chosen to take responsibility for your own safety. Carrying openly or concealed is a more focused philosophy and likely depends on such things as your confidence level, the expected environment, legality, and your available equipment. While confidence, environment, and legality are topics for another day, today, we’ll focus on equipment.
You’ll need two primary things to carry responsibly: a gun and a proper holster. We’ll cover both, though the former is more subjective than the latter. Despite this article’s title, your holster choice is every bit as important as selecting the right firearm. In fact, the two are interdependent. But since everyone wants to talk about the guns, we’ll begin there.
Choosing the Right Open Carry Gun
Any gun you can legally carry, by itself, is fine for open carry. That said, some are clearly better suited than others. I could technically carry my Heritage Settler Mare’s Leg on my hip. Holsters are available for it, and the gun is classified as a pistol. But I don’t do that.
Conversely, I could also carry a Beretta 30X Tomcat, but I don’t do that either. The Mare’s Leg would be absurd, while the Tomcat’s small size and low capacity would limit my capabilities. Each of those guns has its role, but neither fits well as an open carry gun, even though you could do it if you wanted.
Here’s where we get subjective. My usual concealed carry gun is a Sig Sauer P365XL. Great little gun, with emphasis on little, though it packs a 12+1 capacity. It’s perfect for concealed carry role. But if I’m going to carry openly, I usually go bigger.
The following guns are what I carry. That doesn’t mean I think that you should necessarily carry the same thing. They are examples of my philosophy and nothing more.
My Open Carry Firearms
I rarely open carry, but when I do, it’s with either a Walther PPQ, Walther P99, or Ruger GP100 revolver. The PPQ and P99 give me a 15+1 or 17+1 capacity, depending on my magazine choice, along with better grips and a longer sight radius. I shoot my smaller guns well, but I shoot the larger ones better. So, if the gun is in the open anyway, why not carry the more capable firearm?
The GP100 is usually a style choice. .357 Magnum is a great self-defense round, but the capacity is subpar compared to my other guns, and reloads aren’t as easy. Still, style matters sometimes, so the GP100 remains an option.
Personally, I limit my open carry to the range and certain other functions where it’s desirable and unremarkable to wear a firearm. I almost never carry openly in public, for reasons explained here. However, I recently got a new jacket that allows me to mix open and concealed carry. Its length easily covers an outside-the-waistband-carried firearm, with strategically placed zippers that allow quick access to my gun. It’s kind of a best-of-both-worlds scenario, so I’ve been carrying my larger guns in outside-the-waistband holsters with that jacket. I like it.
The fact is that while some guns are better suited for open carry than others, there’s no “best” answer. Which brings me to the next piece of equipment, because the “best” open carry gun is really the one for which you have a proper holster.
The Holster Matters
Holsters aren’t as sexy as guns. I get it. But open carrying without a proper holster is reckless, pure and simple. In my considered opinion, the holster for an openly carried firearm must include some form of manual retention system. I don’t think that’s even negotiable.
Stories abound of openly carried handguns being snatched from holsters—sometimes by criminals who grab them and run. Others are by activists or idealogues who take it upon themselves to disarm someone they see carrying a gun. Those scenarios rarely end well, no matter the perpetrator’s motives.
Carrying a firearm is an awesome responsibility. That responsibility extends to making certain that unauthorized persons cannot gain access to your gun. Hanging it on your hip with no extra security is asking for trouble. Fortunately, companies like Safariland offer those secure options. Every outside-the-waistband holster I run has a manual retention mechanism. Running these holsters properly requires some practice, but it’s not difficult. The release buttons are very intuitive—you just have to get used to them.
My Holster Options
Here are the holsters I run when open carrying or any time I go with outside-the-waistband. There are plenty of quality options, so take these as examples, not as the gospel of open carry holsters.
Safariland 537 GLS
The leather 537 GLS holster has a button that I hit with my middle finger as I draw. It’s very intuitive and my finger automatically slides onto the grip during the draw stroke. Its low profile works great with my jacket, plus I like how it pulls the gun against my body and doesn’t leave the grip hanging in space. I use it with my Walther PPQ and P99 since both guns have the same profile.
Safariland 637 ALS
The 637 ALS is also leather and features a thumb release protected by my gun’s slide. My thumb naturally falls on the button as I grasp the pistol, making for an easy draw. But someone trying to snatch my gun won’t see the release, and they won’t get my gun.
I think this system is a bit more secure than the 537, though I like them both. The 537 is a bit sleeker, but the 637 also hugs the body, making it concealable if I want. I use this holster with my PPQ and P99 as well.
Safariland 6280 SLS
The 6280 SLS is a duty-rated holster with Level II Retention, meaning it has a top strap holding the firearm in, with a protective shield to guard against grabs. The strap rotates forward, requiring an opponent to move in opposite directions at once—or at least complete one motion before the other—to access the gun. It’s pretty secure.
I use this holster with the GP100 revolver, though it’s also available for select semi-automatic handguns. It’s a more traditional open carry holster with a belt attachment. While I have concealed carry holster options for the GP100, this is my go-to when I want it visibly hanging on my belt.
Final Thoughts
I always hesitate to say that any gun, holster, or accessory, is “the best” for a given application. Some choices are obviously better than others, but the final decision comes down to what you are most comfortable with. If you decide that a .22 revolver is your best option, then you do you. I may disagree, but it’s not up to me.
That said, I will repeat my conviction that open carrying without a manual retention mechanism is irresponsible and reckless. I firmly believe that the holster is more important than the firearm in this case, and that your firearm choice should be guided by the holsters available to you.
Carrying a gun requires serious thought, and I think open carry demands even more. Do your research and come up with a plan. Choose a capable gun and a secure holster. Make sure you can confidently and safely operate both. If you can do that, then you’ve chosen the best open carry gun, whatever it may be.
