LCP Max is the perfect “I don't feel like carrying a gun today” gun. There have been countless days where I'm feeling lazy and this pistol comes in clutch.
Absolutely. I live in the tropics (outside the U.S.) and 95% of the times I carry either the LCP Max or the Shield Plus, depending on what shorts I am wearing.
I carry a subcompact (P365), micro (LCP Max 380) and ultra micro (LCP original 380) and I balance what I'm carrying based on what I'm wearing and where I'm going. I can very easily carry the LCP Max and the LCP with sweat shorts and a tank top and it's 100% concealed. With the P365 I need to be wearing long pants or a belt.
I live in South Florida where it’s summer time most of the year and the Enigma from Phlster Holsters allows me to carry my p365 macro everyday in shorts with no belt necessary. Great carry system for summer attire
Exactly this. I can carry either of my 365s (reg and XL) in running shorts and a tshirt, and I'm a tall beanpole that damn near every other IWB system cannot adequately hide the grip.
I’ve fallen in love with the Shield Plus. It’s as small as my Glock 43(which I’ve carried for years), but with an excellent trigger. More capacity in the same footprint as well.
I'm gonna throw my hat in the ring and say the canik mc9 should be on the list. I have hundreds of rounds through mine with zero issues and it prints amazing.
I own the LCP Max and got it for 349. And I couldn't be happier with it! Such a steal. I've ran 300 rds through it with no issues!! It wins for micro carry hands down.
Hey when I first started shooting I had trouble with the snappiness of the max slowly came to love it then I got the p238 and I love it so much I'd recommend if you ever have the chance to shoot it do it !
Shield Plus PC for me. Sits very flat against your body appendix. Excellent trigger, optics ready, can also take 15 round mags. Surprisingly low recoil due to the ported barrel.
The P365 is so easy to configure, and it's such a good shooter. Especially the fact you can essentially just buy the fire control group and then buy everything else piece by piece is great. I ended up with two FCU's because I just find myself only wanting to carry the P365 and it's nice to have two configurations available.
Same. About to get my 2nd p365 since my original was modified with an Icarus Precision grip module and magguts. I absolutely love that gun but since I put a bigger slide with the icarus frame, it's harder to conceal in hot weather. Getting a second p365 and keep it as small and make it my summer/pocket carry pistol. Then i want a Shield, a full size M&P 2.0, another glock or two, a benelli shotgun, then a milled receiver AK... the list just keeps growing while money seems to disappear lol
P365, and like many, I have modified it. More of a mechanical fix than a cosmetic or fitment upgrade. First production run gun with a weak striker with deep striker tip primer drag, so I got a third party tool steel striker installed before its first range day. Flawless operation with no worries about a potential broken striker tip.
I have been singing the praises of the LCP max since I got mine (shortly after release). You get modern micro nine capacity and actual sights. I carry mine all year round because no matter what I am throwing on my hip or shoulder it can be my primary or back up.
I thought that I had heard everything until you said 'Hotdogs and hand guns'. You're still my favorite reviewer and pistol shooter. Keep up the reviews and banter with your wife. I can tell that she's got a great sense of humor and your best friend. Lucky guy.
According to our distributors, the 15rd 365 magazines are no longer going to be made, as the 17rd magazines are actually something like a few 16th’s of an inch shorter overall in the guns. So, take it as you will, but it appears to be true as none of our 7 distributors have had the 15rd mags available for the past few weeks now.
I never ever see anyone talking about the Ruger EC9s in these summer conceal videos. I've been carrying one for a few years now and I can confidently say it's a fine gun even during the hot summer months. Even bought my mom one after she tried it out and liked it.
@@CIVILDEFENSEBUNKER That was the case however it is very available again from numerous online sources. About $1 per round shipped. I would bet that price will be coming down soon.
As someone whos shopping for my first EDC and living in Fl i much prefer the idea of a sub compact. Gym shorts and a t shirt is a regular outfit with the 100 degree days. Thank you for your wonderful videos! Between you guys for good in depth reviews and Garand thumb for the laughs ive learned SO MUCH. Thank you again!
My Sig 365XL is to me just the right size, shoots great but small enough to carry in summer. My Glock 19 just sits in the safe for much of the year now.
@AkiraSRT9 I didn't say there was anything wrong with glock. The person I was responding to is saying it's a shame the person who made the comment carries a sig over thier glock. I think you should carry what you shoot well and works for you and stop talking down to everyone who doesn't carry what you carry. That was my point.
Picked up a 43x as an appendix carry gun and i've been really pleased with its size and weight. I get a full grip on it but its obviously slimline so it barely prints (if at all) depending on what shirt i'm wearing. When loaded, it weighs less than my 19 weighs when unloaded. I got a naked holster and went for a 2 mile run wearing a t-shirt & under armor shorts - all the 43x did was kinda flop around some. It did leave a bit of a sore as I wasn't wearing underwear or an undershirt between gun and skin while running, but it makes a point - if a 43x at appendix with an essential holsters naked holster and gym shorts (tightened properly in the front) can be used when running without the gun sliding side to side/out of place or falling off the shorts, its definitely an easy and comfortable "system" for normal everyday activites, and i've found that to be true on a daily basis and on road trips since then. 👍
I own a Walther PPK I had to have it. I love that I own one but that has to be the most un-shootable gun in my collection. I will keep it forever. Love your reviews and lists. Thank you
I really liked them too, but after I read the story about the attempted attack on Princess Ann back in the 70s…and her body guards PPK jammed…I wouldn’t trust it.
Im a p365 or 43x depending on where im going or dressed. Its 90% though 43x. I just feel its the best fit for everything. The 365 is great but the 43x just fits the best.
That Shield that Outlaw has, is a sweet one. I cant wait for his 1000rnd review. I'm betting it passes in flying colors, in traditional Shield fashion tho.
I use the LCP MAX for pocket carry. But overall, I'll stick with my G43X MOS. 18.7 oz. weight, 1.1" width (grip), 0.87" slide width, and 15 rd. capacity with SA mags.
I love these videos where you praise the shield plus because it’s the only firearm I own and it reminds me that I made the right choice. Lever gun next, since I live in Illinois.
Always good info. I left my P365 in my bass boat for a week during July heat and the damn thing had some rust on the outside but worked just fine before I cleaned it up. Bad gun owner.
I flipped my jon boat last year. Had my P365X in my backpack. It sat in the lake for about an hour before I recovered it. Took it home and cleaned it, lubed it, shot it. Good as new, still carry it every day. Zero rust.
Since more .380 hollowpoints have passed the FBI standard we have seen a few more options in .380 pistols. I feel very confident in the summer with a .380 with the proper hollowpont
@truecross4090 It's just a fact. FBI is the standard test all bullet makers look too. .380 has failed in the past. But with better bullet designs, some have started to pass. It may not be the best test, but it's the standard.
@jimmymcclure4549 I won't use ball when I carry. I would worry to much about over penitration. A hot .380 ball round might over penitrate. I would rather be safe then sorry. But I get it.
I picked up a Taurus GX4 a few months ago and have put about 300 rounds through it. It is very comfortable to carry and is shockingly comfortable to shoot. After the first 3 - 4 magazines through it I have had 0 issues. The first range day shooting it I had 2 failure to ejects and one light strike. Those failures being within the first 50 rounds, since then and 250 rounds later I have had no issues
I’ve carried the same Ruger SP101 3” 327 Fed Mag for nearly 3 years since I discovered that gem of a cartridge. Don’t care if it’s 100 degrees or -10 degrees it’s the same gun year round.
I carry my P2000 almost every day. If I don't carry that, it is either my P2000SK, or PPKS. I carry one of those about 3 times a year. I may also carry a USP. My PPKS was made by Interarms. It has a very short reset and a very crisp break. It is an awesome little gun. Sadly, it is blood thirsty.
Springfield Hellcat is the GOAT. Same dimensions as the P365 with an extra round and you can even get factory mags that hold 13 or 15. This alone makes it the most efficient gun in it's class when considering capacity and footprint
Fit and finish is better on the Hellcat and the feed ramp comes mirror polished! I own both and I prefer the Hellcat! The magazines are better made and less expensive. I have had some bad Sig mags. I don’t find it any more snappy! To each their own but Hellcat all the way for me!
@@xtreme4stringbass For one, you are now talking about the 365XL which has a larger footprint than the Hellcat. And you're also talking about aftermarket products which are not always known for reliability. I'm talking about 15 round Springfield magazines which can be carried in the original Hellcat (not Pro model), once again making this pistol by far the most efficient.
@@xtreme4stringbass Well, you first mentioned the XL model and now you're talking about the X. So sounds like you're slightly confused. How much length does the 17 round mag add to the footprint of the weapon? My argument involves efficiency in terms of rounds per square inch and weight. The 365 consistently underperforms against the Hellcat in this regard, even with the 17 round mag. But sure, get triggered by this
P365 will carry 10,12,15, and 17 mags. The xmacro mag comes original, xl, and xmacro ready. I love that all the p365’s are mix and match, slides and frames make lots of interesting combinations, including the .380
Finally someone mentions a Kahr. I recently got a P380. Can't get much smaller & lighter than this and still be comfortable to shoot. Truly a pocket carry.
Love this list I use to edc a Glock 19 but ever since I bought my Ppk/s it has been a great edc and is so easy to conceal and I’m a very slender guy so it’s hard to carry at a 3:00 position and not print but the Ppk does very well at staying hidden
The only issue I take with the shield plus is the lack of a rail for lights. Most of its competition has it and it's a bit of a lost opportunity. There is an adapter that adds a raid but it's still an add on.
@@jammystarfish i wish they would revamp the tlr6. Much as i liked mine on my g43. It's just not as robust in design as a tlr7 or 8. Wish they'd make a lightweight aluminum housing version. And maybe add 20-50 lumens if possible.
I think one of the most underrated small pistols to carry is a Glock 26. Been my favorite for years. 12 round mag in the gun but the rest I carry are 15. It’s a small gun that handles like a bigger gun
Idk about underrated it was the best carry for about a decade lol it’s just gets over looked these does for the slim micro double stacked. Still one a my favorites.
Think most go with a bigger gun, if it’s a double stack or a thinner gun with similar capacity to the 26. A lot of the new concealed carriers are interested in optic ready and light compatible rail, also.
I got a P365 because it could fit in my pocket in a holster. I carry that more than anything else, simply because that's the gun I carry if I'm going somewhere where I won't be around a bunch of other people (like if I'm visiting my parents, for example). I carry a bigger gun if I'm going out in public, but I don't do that as much, so the 365 is my pick probably 70-80% of the time. It just works so well.
I actually have 2 pistols for Summer carry but only carrying one now. First was the Kahr K9 Elite. All metal and disappears in a holster. Butter smooth trigger with night sights. Only downside is it's a single stack pistol. 6 and 7 round magazines only. That's why I bought the Hellcat. Just a hair bigger but holds more in the magazines. No knock on any of the pistols in this video. Find one you like, shoot it and carry it.
Love my lil .357 LCR. Your vid on it is what tipped me that way instead of the S&W 642. Went with the internal hammer versus the exposed, just cuz. Fantastic pocket snubbie when I'm not feeling like hauling the G19 around.
I carry a Sig P365 .380 with a P365X frame. Perfect summer carry gun in my opinion. .380 cuts down on the snappiness of 9mm in such a small package, and the X grip fits mine and most other guys hands better than the standard grip. Fits right under a t shirt or polo
Don’t forget to choose the right ammo. I like the Federal HST that’s for micro pistols. Most of the “duty” ammo you see is meant for a 4-5 inch barrel.
Its good stuff but very hard to find the 380 99gr "Deep" which is the only one that really works well in 380 though. I've looked for months. Went to Underwood Extreme penetrators instead. There is a couple others, but not many really good choices for 380anyway. In 9mm there is all kinds of options.
I have spent a lot of time looking at performance testing in ballistic gel for 9mm jhp from short barrel guns 3" and under 4". The following have had excellent results. 1. Federal HST 124 gr 2. Sig Elite Performance 124 gr 3. Hornady Critical Defense 124 gr 4. Remington Ultimate Defense 124 gr I am sure there are others, but most testing that I found seem to be done with duty size guns. More budget ammo that had good performance are: 1. Remington UMC 115 gr 2. PPU 147 gr I hope this is helpful to some of you.
Another excellent video. All the guns you mentioned are great choices. I wanted to go with the 365, but it just didn’t fit my hand well. For whatever reason, I was more comfortable with the Springfield Hellcat. But that’s me. My buddy and I often exchange my Hellcat and his 365 while shooting at the range. I also wanted the M&P shield but for the same reason , I went with the M&P standard. Just not a comfortable fit for me. And a lot of viewers may laugh at me but about 20 years ago I went with the Bersa Thunder 380, because I couldn’t afford the PPK. For all the negative reviews on the Bersa, it is pretty darn accurate and after changing out the original mag for new mags with better springs, I’ve never had an issue. Thank you for another excellent video.
365XL is the pinnacle of summer carry. 12+1 or 15+1 in an insanely light and small pistol. Perfect straight trigger. Tiny reset making follow-up shots insanely rapid. And its ergonomics are phenomenal.
I agree, it's got a lot of firepower for such a flat gun. I will say that now that I got a pocket holster for the LCP it is much more comfortable to carry, though, despite only having 6+1 of 380.
I just scored another CZ P10S for 319.00 @ PSA. Holy cow, talk about a WIN. It is my 3rd P10, and while it isn't as slim as a Shield Plus (AWESOME pistol), or the 365 (also awesome)...I'm not adding a different handgun to save a 1/4" in width. Very soft shooting pistol. It is my go to summer carry. Thanks for all the awesome content, Chris.
My summer carry group: 1. Shield Plus (one for me, one for the Mrs.) 2. PPK S 3. Kimber Ultra Ten II (45acp) 4. S&W Model 13, 3” .357 5. Kel Tek P380 (disappears in a front pocket holster, weighs almost nothing) Thinking about replacing the Kel Tek with the Ruger LCP Max.
My summer carry is a P365-380 with a Wilson Combat grip module loaded with Underwood Xtreme Defender monolithic ammo. With this type of ammo I don't have to worry about expansion and I know I'm going to get good penetration and a nice wound cavity. And the Sig has been flawless since day one.
I have a p365xl and got the p365-380 for my wife and sometimes I “borrow” her .380! Once I shot it, it was hard to put down….amazing pistol. So many good options these days
I carry a Glock 26 because I don't care for the micro compact 9mm pistols. I can shoot them fast, I can shoot them accurately. I can't shoot them fast and accurately because that tiny grip keeps shifting with each follow-up shot. The Glock 26 still fits in my waistband very well and I can do a Bill drill from concealment in a 2.55
The PPK sure is a choice for a best carry video. I'm swapping out my PPS M2 this year for a CZ P-10S. As far as single stack subcompact 9mm's go the PPS is definitely the easiest to shoot. I tried out the Shield Plus but the CZ just feels so much better to me.
@@davidsawyer6003 I don't know, mine is literally in the mail and I've been scouring the internet for recommendations. Hidden Hybrid, Vedder, JX Tactical are all looking pretty good. The PPSM2 is in a Tulster. I've got to carry this thing in Florida so hybrid might be a bad call.
@@phantomspaceman I'm in North Carolina I have a alien gear hybrid for my 365 xl and it's not too bad in the summer. But it's not as hot here as there. I moved from Florida in 2014.
For those (like me) who like DA/SA guns, the Beretta PX4 subcompact makes for a nice DA/SA summer carry gun. The fullsize and compact PX4 are overlooked as is, but the subcompact even moreso. Mine is in 40 (rocking Speer's short barrel Gold Dots), but the 9mm would work too. As much as I like my M&Pc and FN 509c, the PX4 SC finds its way into my rotation a lot this time of year.
Summer/belt less carry options can be drastically improved if a backup holster has an Ulticlip attachment vs just a plastic belt clip. I cobbled one together from my “parts bin” with a WTP holster and an ulticlip from a mag pouch. 😂
I have both the Shield Plus PC. I like that better than my p365XL, but feel protected with both. I like the p365XL more than I like the Macro. To me the 365XL has a better trigger.
@@patrickfearon7942 I don't know. I really don't. But to me, the MACRO seems grittier. That's why I didn't get it. I love the XL trigger. Could be just personal preference. I feel a difference in my hands that I can't explain.
Ruger redid my slide coating on my LCP after carrying in a leather IWB holster for a solid year with Arizona Sumer,under warranty not sure they cover hotdog related issues but they might.
If he emails Ruger a photo they will likely send him a new slide. They only redid coatings for a short period. Now their standard practice is to just send out new part
I use the Mossberg MC2C/MC2SC. I love the thinness as I don't like the ergos on M&P shields and for whatever reason I can't shoot them well lol Reliable, still cheap, good quality. The MC2SC is the best of both worlds as it can be the same grip length as the Compact version with the extended mag sleeve and still the shorter barrel or subcompact length grip with the flush fit mag.
Nice video! I carry SW 351C. 22 magnum. 7 shots. Hammerless. 11.4 oz. Very shootable. Couldn’t hit anything with the LCP MAX which I loved but sold. It’s expensive but I carry daily so it’s worth it to me.
Sig P938 is my jam currently. Fucking love it! P365 just doesnt excite me("Fischer price" feel and I already have a 43x) and I preferably hammer fired gun. Still may pick up a 365 someday. Maybe try out a P938 again, you might just love it. Regards
I was looking at an LCP Max, but saw too many reviews mentioning QC issues. Since I own a j-frame, it also seemed a bit redundant to have another pocket sized gun (though having 10+1 vs 5 would be very nice). My main carry is a 43x and I couldn’t be happier with it.
Walther PPK-S is 23.5 oz. For that weight, i just dont see the limited capacity and the .380 cartridge and the slide bite being worth it. Sold mine. But it is a sharp looker!
My personal favorites: 5. Hellcat 4. Any J-frame 3. LCP Max 2. Shield plus 1. P365 standard To me, the standard P365 is simply unbeatable in the size/wt to capacity ratio, especially considering you can now carry a 17rd backup mag.
@@Jaykeev You are confusing the X with the 365 standard. The standard 365 is smaller than the 43X. The X Macro is the same size as the 43X has a 17 flush fit mag.
365, glock 42, and 19, an interarms ppk-s (with a walther safety) and an old school 38sp derringer have been my carry guns for years now. Nice to see a couple show up on your list.