Why Would Anyone Put a .44 Magnum on a California CCW Permit?
When most people think about a concealed carry handgun, they picture something compact, lightweight, and easy to carry every day. A small 9mm, .380, or lightweight .38 Special makes sense. A long-barreled Smith & Wesson Model 29-2 chambered in .44 Magnum? Not so much. At least, not at first glance.
But there is an important distinction between a handgun you carry every day and a handgun you may have a legitimate reason to carry occasionally. If you live in a state such as California, where the specific handguns you are authorized to carry are listed on your CCW permit, that distinction is worth thinking about. There may be good reasons to put firearms on your permit that you have absolutely no intention of carrying as your normal everyday carry gun.
Your CCW Permit Doesn’t Have to Be Limited to Your EDC
I normally think of an EDC handgun as exactly what the name implies: an everyday carry gun. It should be reasonably comfortable to carry, concealable, and suitable for the circumstances you’re likely to encounter during an ordinary day. That doesn’t mean every handgun on your CCW permit needs to meet those requirements.
Consider the Model 29-2 in the video. It’s a big stainless .44 Magnum revolver with a long barrel. I’m certainly not going to stick it in an inside-the-waistband holster and carry it to the grocery store. But I do have reasons to carry a handgun like this under other circumstances. That’s where thinking beyond your EDC becomes important.
Hunting and Backcountry Carry
One obvious example is hunting. A large revolver or a powerful semi-automatic pistol can make sense as a hunting sidearm or for protection from animals in the backcountry. I carry the Model 29 in a chest rig when I’m hunting and use it for bear defense. Normally, that handgun may be carried openly. But circumstances change. Suppose the weather turns bad. It starts raining or snowing, and you put on a heavy jacket. Suddenly, the handgun that was plainly visible in your chest rig may be covered by your clothing. That possibility alone gives me a reason to think carefully about whether a hunting handgun belongs on my CCW permit. The same principle could apply to a large 10mm semi-automatic, a .22 used for small-game hunting, or some other handgun that rarely, if ever, serves as your normal concealed carry firearm.
Traveling in a Motor Home
Another example is traveling in an RV or motor home. You might normally carry a small handgun in your pocket or on your belt but prefer a larger handgun for protection while you’re sleeping in your motor home. When the RV is parked and being used as your residence, that’s one situation. When you start driving down the highway, however, you’re dealing with a motor vehicle and a different set of considerations regarding how firearms are transported. As I explain in the video, having that second handgun listed on your permit can potentially make a significant difference in how you can lawfully have it with you while traveling.
Again, the point isn’t that you should replace your normal carry gun with a giant revolver. The point is to think about the different circumstances in which you may want access to different firearms.
What About Travel and Emergencies?
There are other circumstances where you might intentionally take a second handgun with you. Suppose you’re traveling to another part of California for a conference, trade show, business meeting, or other event. You normally carry a small handgun because it’s comfortable and convenient. But perhaps the area you’re visiting has experienced civil unrest or other problems. You don’t necessarily want to carry a larger handgun throughout your trip, but you might want to have one available if conditions deteriorate and you find yourself unexpectedly spending the night or traveling through a troublesome area on the way home. If that larger handgun is already properly listed on your permit and you have appropriate equipment for carrying it, you’ve given yourself another option. That’s preparedness.
It doesn’t mean you’re looking for trouble. In fact, avoiding trouble should always be the first choice. If there’s a riot or serious disturbance between you and home, going around it, waiting it out, or staying somewhere else may be far smarter than attempting to travel through it. But preparing ahead of time gives you options.
There’s Another Reason to Have More Than One Carry Gun
This is one of the points that CCW holders sometimes overlook. What happens to your everyday carry handgun if you actually have to use it in a legitimate self-defense shooting? There’s a very good chance that firearm is going to be taken by law enforcement as evidence while the shooting is investigated. That could leave you without the handgun you normally carry. That’s why I recommend thinking about having another suitable defensive handgun already listed on your permit rather than waiting until something happens. You may never need it. Hopefully, you won’t. But concealed carry is fundamentally about preparing for situations we hope never occur. Having a backup option is simply another part of that preparation.
Think Beyond the Gun You Carry Today
When deciding which firearms to place on a California CCW permit, don’t automatically ask only:
“Which gun do I carry every day?”
Ask some additional questions.
- What handgun would I want while hunting or spending time in the backcountry?
- Is there another handgun I might want when traveling?
- Do I have a larger defensive handgun that could be useful under unusual circumstances?
- What would I carry if my primary EDC handgun became unavailable?
- Are there circumstances in which a handgun I normally carry openly could become concealed by clothing or bad weather?
Those questions may lead you to put a firearm on your permit that initially seems ridiculous. Maybe even a long-barreled .44 Magnum.
Plan Before You Need the Option
The larger lesson isn’t really about the Smith & Wesson Model 29. It’s about planning ahead. If your state requires specific handguns to be listed on your concealed carry permit, think through the circumstances in which you might reasonably want to carry each handgun you own. Your everyday carry gun is obviously important, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be your only option.
As I explain in the video, there are everyday carry guns, occasional carry guns, emergency carry guns, and hunting handguns that might become concealed simply because you put a jacket over them. A little planning today can give you considerably more flexibility when circumstances change tomorrow. And suddenly, putting that enormous .44 Magnum on the CCW permit doesn’t seem quite so crazy.
Practical Defense Systems provides professional firearms, concealed carry, and security training in San Diego, California. This article is intended for educational purposes and should not be considered legal advice. Firearms and concealed carry laws change frequently. Always verify current California law and the requirements of your issuing agency before carrying or transporting a firearm.