What I'm Carrying Now
Courtesy Joey Madds
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[This post is part of our series, What I’m Carrying Now. If you’d like to submit a photo and description of the gun, holster and gear you’re carrying in the new world in which we now live, send it to us at [email protected] with WICN in the subject field.]

Joey Madds writes . . .

I know what you’re thinking. Carrying two different guns is not advised by some the revered gurus among the armed intelligentsia. I have read multiple articles, seen many YouTube videos, and taken a class where this practice was frowned upon. Not to mention the fact that the pistols I carry feature two different actions.

I suppose I am just that type of duma$$. I shoot both of these guns well enough to get the job done. I like both of these guns a lot. I own quite a few other handguns. I carry those, too from time to time as well.

I can’t choose just one. At the moment this is a free and well-armed country. Staying strapped is what counts.

The first gun is a Smith & Wesson M&P 45 Subcompact M2.0. I had the first generation of this weapon and they called it a compact. It’s the exact same size as the M&P 1.0 compact, but whatever.

I live in the socialist state of Connecticut so I’m limited to 10 rounds. I carry an 8-round magazine in the gun and two 10-round mags for spare.

This is my primary winter carry and it is completely stock. The hinge trigger sucks but every time I have the money for an Apex, I find something else gun-related I would rather spend my money on. This really feels like a fighting weapon. I load it with either Federal HST or Hydra-Shok 230 grain.

The second pistol is an H&K P30SK. I usually only buy American guns, but I make an exception for H&K’s. This gun feels like it was made for my hand and reliability is second to none.

 

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50 COMMENTS

    • Maybe. I carry an M&P Shield performance center .45 with a backup mag, in a cargo pocket of my shorts. But I also wear a Mr. Perry ruff n tuff suspender setup to support the weight of the pistol and the rest of my edc crap. That pistol ain’t light and my old ass is pretty skinny.

    • pretty much defines 90% of these adult cosplay posts.

      Also guarantee 90% of these Tier Z operators haven’t even shot their guns under stress, while moving, or with a timer – more likely just standing 7 yards away, static, shooting at a 10″ target and saying “good ’nuff.”

      • Hey buzzy beef- STFU. It’s our Right to carry whatever we want. Maybe this person is old, handicapped or a woman. Maybe they just like and feel secure with two rigs. Either way, you have proven with clear and convincing evidence you’re a tudd. It’s like a fudd but with the tacticoolness of a moron.
        Stfu bb.

  1. One can buy American made HKs now, produced down in Georgia. So far I haven’t heard anything bad about them. Caused a drop in prices, too.

    • Glad to hear HK is making some of their stuff in the USA, I had no idea. I would recommend FN Herstal. My FNS9 was made in Fredericksburg, VA and it is a great striker fired 9mm. FN makes high quality products, I never understood why they don’t get more love.

  2. Never gave much thought to carrying two different handguns of two different action types at the same time. Or, two different action types non and off duty. I never forget what I was carrying, or how it works, even under stress. Comes down to training. Carry needs knife and light.

    • I’m not sure he’s even going that far, it kinda reads to me like he carries one or the other but is defensive against people who talk about how you should maintain the same carry everyday for consistency.

      • Hannibal, I got that. But, if you don’t loose your mind while all about you are loosiing theirs, you won’t forget what weapon you have or how it works. Would you mistake a sword for a pike?

  3. Well.. shoot the H&K my carry is the (H&K usp compact .45) and then throw the 2.0 at them…have tried many M&P models just not for me but I’m glad it’s working for u and that’s what matters..thanks for showing us MR. Z

    • Kracker, glad to have another Florida Cracker to talk to. We’ve been in S. GA and FL since shortly after the War for Independence. At one time or another I’ve had kin from Pensacola to Jax to the Keys. I to share an affinity for HK also. Though, the early ones. Welcome.

        • Kracker, I know exactly where you are. I’ve run A1A through Atlantic, Neptune and Jax Beach more times than I care to remember. The only thing I left over there I don’t miss is my ex. It is a bit busy for me though. I prefer the Forgotten Coast on the Gulf.

        • Kracker, BTW Jax ain’t nothing like the S. GA I hunt in. No offense. I know nothing about you but Old Florida is nothing like Jacksonville. Travel a little west and south, but no further south than Ocala and be careful where you visit west of Appalachicola. The last of the Cracker stronghold. Well, a pocket left around Lake Ochochobee.

      • Gadsden,

        Jacksonville native here. Most of my family has been in South Georgia, and all parts of Florida since the Georgia land lottery days. Somehow I wound up in Pennsylvania, which is about as good as it gets in the Northeast. Take care of the place down there.

        • Specialist- Donaldsonville is pretty much the ancestral home of my father’s side of the family. I have a great great great great grandfather buried in Bainbridge.

      • Have been surveying from pahokee thru 20 mile bend and browns farm rd last 3 years in the glades…so yea I’m familiar with real florida indeed sir…yes I am, great cypress
        Swamp..lovely area till the sun sets

  4. About a year ago a shot a friend’s M&P 45 and was surprised at how well I shot it. Traded my XD 45 for it. It is my winter carry 45.

  5. I recently shot an M&P 2.0 and an HK P30L, both in 40 S&W. I really liked both.

    I carry two guns with different actions without thinking about it. I figure most people that aren’t all in on Glocks have different pistol types across different calibers and sizes.

  6. Two Rock Hard guns. Joey Madds sounds like a real hardo to me! Wish I found this guy’s number on the internet like I did that time when we called 50 cent!

  7. They seem like decent choices to me. If people practice operating their weapons a bit they shouldnt get that mixed up using two different pistols. Seems nit pickey to say you shouldnt use two different firearms. Maybe some cant but that doesnt mean everyone is incapable. Cops seem to do okay with spray, baton, taser, pistol, shotgun, and ar15. Same with military guys. They got lots of options and seem to do fine.

  8. Said it before and I’ll say it again. If you can’t pick a gun up off the floor and run it, regardless of caliber, make or pistol, rifle, or shotgun you ain’t a POTG.

    Specialization is for insects.

    • Excellent point. And if you happen to buy gun that you feel you must modify to acceptable you bought the wrong gun. That doesn’t mean you don’t tinker with it if you want to fine tune it but if it’s not good enough out the box there are so many alternatives that you are bound to find something that satisfies you as stock gun.

      • Truth. Factory guns are so good nowadays that unless you get into something like long range shooting that begs for semi custom firearms or another such sport your needs can just about be met off the factory lines.

  9. Hmmmm…. I guess I do the same with different guns.

    I carry a G43 or G48 or an LCR…..along with my LCP.

    A little different trigger but I shoot all defensive guns as if they are DA revolvers.

    No reset-riding for me.

  10. People who say you can’t carry two different type of guns are usually the “experts” who say a thumb safety is wrong on a pistol, because under stress you will forget to deactivate it…then proudly state how their primary home defense weapon is an AR-15.

  11. “I suppose I am just that type of dumbass”

    At least you know it. You are supposed to learn from mistakes tho.

    • I’ll admit that I thought these were both carried at the same time. Now it makes sense. Not a dumbass at all. I might be tho…

  12. Nice handguns.

    If one has the need to carry two at a time.

    I hope you make the practice of wearing body armor every time your out and about. Not as neat as a 2nd handgun.

    But It will save your bacon far more times then a 2nd handgun.

  13. My real time work with facebook Im making over Many Buck a month operating low maintenance. I continued hearing distinctive people divulge to me how an lousy lot cash they can make on line so I selected to research it……Details Here

  14. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with carrying, using, or owning different types of firearms. Those who say otherwise are wheelchair commandos at best. “Manual of arms” is a stupid concept. I regularly transition between a 1911, striker fired, and revolver quite regularly, and have zero issue with it. In the army I could transition between rifles, belt feds, and pump actions all the time. If the wheelchair commandos had their way there would only be two guns in the entire world, a compact glock and an AR that doesn’t have a safety.

  15. I have no issue with those that carry two firearms any more than I have with two spare magazines. There is no reason for this to even be a thing. I’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with a two fisted M&P 45 owner any day while fighting a common enemy.

    Those that see dual carry as a problem tend to also see a problem with several thousand rounds stored in a home. I’m not currently carrying two but it’s starting to look alot more appealing.

  16. This is only marginally better than reading John Boch’s daily criticism of the EDC of the day posts. Not sure what kind of traffic TTAG gets on these posts, but it makes me less likely to visit the site (stopped visiting everyday when EDCotD was a thing and was happy to see it go away).

  17. I carry whatever fits my smaller than average hand (no off-color jokes please). I grew up with revolvers and prefer a DA or DAO trigger, but have used SA triggers without any problems.

    Carry whatever makes you feel secure and don’t let the armchair commandos pick your EDC for you. My LCR 38 with 2 speed strips is plenty of security for me, but is usually berated as primary carry.

    I like the new EDC articles. I missed the older ones when TTAG stopped publishing them. I hope this series stays “real world” instead of devolving into John Wick’s fantasy load out. And please keep the comments respectful.

  18. Nire guns, shot the M&P .45 recently, a 2.0 . It was very accurate and fit like a glove.
    I dual carry sometimes when its easier than hauling spare mags. You do you.

  19. The P30SK is a fine little pistol. After buying over a dozen plastic handguns to review, a P30SK is the only one I’ve kept…and the only plastic firearm I own (except for an old Nylon 66). I can’t comment on the S&W, but if it works for you that’s good enough.

  20. Just to clear things up, I don’t carry both at the same time. These are just my two main carry guns that I transition between from day to day. Tuesday its the M&P. Wednesday its the H&K.

  21. Tools are tools. It’s a matter of fit and muscle memory. I ran hand power tools for 20+ years, and became familiar with a truck load of different brands and models. If I had in hand a circular saw that was Brand A instead of my favored B, then it may take a bit more focus to cut a straight line through a sheet of plywood. Whatever your favored tools are, work them until they feel natural and then with continued handling you’ll be able to work each one instinctively, just by feel, even if they are very different.

    However, I also see the point of how having different weapons carried in different places can lead to a split second of confusion if you don’t practice appropriately.

    I too am interested in seeing what other folks actually carry, and learning the thought process behind their choices.

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