The right tool...

For you, not for the job...

Here's why I say its the right tool for you. As I stated earlier, guns are made, handguns at least, with one purpose in mind, to kill another human being should the need arise.

There are NO handguns out there that are incapable of achieving this goal. None. Not one single weapon on the market today is benign enough that you can use it as intended and not kill someone. Remember that, know that, understand that.

So, the right tool for the job is simple; ANY of them will do the job. Some will do it better than others, they don't jam, they are reliable, they have better sights, etc, but at the end of the day, if your weapon works, it will, in fact, do the job.

Be it a .25 ACP, be it a .45 ACP; whatever it is it will do the job.

Your responsibility is to find the one that you are comfortable with and that will lend itself to consistent carry.

I've owned a full size 1911, its a big honking gun. I loved it, I'd like to have one again. I would not want to tote that thing around all day and I wouldn't. It weighs, fully loaded, about 2.5 lbs, its about 8 inches long, and about 5-6 inches tall, and about an inch wide. Basically, get a copy of a mid-length book and shove that in your waistband and walk around all day.
Yeah, no thanks.

So, that isn't the right tool for me.

I've poked and played with and tested around 25 different firearms, calibers, configurations, etc. And there are only a few that might work for me as a day to day carrying weapon.

Here's my criterion; your mileage may vary: Light weight, Reliable, Safe, Accessibility of Ammo. That's it. That's all there is to it. Notice I didn't say one word about caliber, because I don't care. I will try to get the biggest, strongest caliber I can, of course, but if I can't do it and fulfill the rest of those requirements, then I won't carry it and its a paper weight sitting at my house.

So, the moral of the story is simple, find the right tool for you.

If its a .22 caliber pocket pistol, great! More critters and people have been run off, injured, or killed with a .22 than you can count.

If its a full-sized 1911, great! That thing will stop a Honda at 35 mph.

But whatever it is, make sure that it fits YOU and will work for YOU and will do what you need it to do, which is to not interfere with your day to day activities and to be at the ready if you should ever need it.