Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about some of the key maintenance items for your carry gun. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I want to look at the decline of bag guns and PDWs in the world of concealed carry. There were a few years when PDWs were coming out for the market along with a plethora of backpacks tailored for larger carry guns. The Rise Of Bag Guns About ten years ago, there was a massive increase in PDWs and short AR pistols that could be easily folded and concealed in a bag. Companies like Vertx were some of the first to offer bags for PDWs and even built a quick-access system to allow people to draw these systems easily. The market kept growing, and when guns like the Q Honey Badger and SIG Rattler came out, it became even more popular. For a while, people were carrying a concealed pistol as well as something a bit larger in their bags, along with extra magazines, medical supplies and general items to keep them alive. As time went on, SB Tactical and other companies started making braces specifically for these larger firearms to be carried concealed. There were more and more options coming out almost on a weekly basis and people were starting to carry more and more. Whether it was cross draw single sling bags or larger dual strap backpacks, there was something out there for everyone. Even the Glock chassis that were available became a huge hit because you didn't need to buy a separate gun for your bag and could use your existing pistol. Even with a growing market and companies supporting this style of carrying, there was a slow decline in people carrying AR pistols and larger styles of handguns. The Slow Fade Now, even though this trend isn't nearly as common as it once was, it wasn't a sudden shift where everyone stopped. We still see plenty of people talk about a potential truck gun for their vehicle, which is another topic for a different day, but it's still prevalent in today's society. The idea of having something a bit larger than just a simple handgun isn't a new concept, but actually carrying one in addition to your carry gun seems to be slowing down. There's no question that carrying a smaller carry gun on your person along with a larger AR pistol or something similar is way more work than throwing on something like a Glock 43X and going on with your day. Your rate of fatigue is higher and the amount of effort required to make everything work really does make it tough. Even with a lightweight AR pistol option, you're still looking at an additional 6-10lbs of gear on your back depending on model and configuration, along with accessories you're carrying. When we look at carry trends, now it is much more about finding the Goldilocks size of carry guns where you balance capacity with a manageable size that's easy to conceal. When it comes to looking at these options, you have to look at firepower versus mobility, which is what most people realized when carrying a bag gun. You absolutely have everything for the firepower category, but mobility becomes really tough with that much weight being hauled around all day. What Changed? So the fundamental question is what exactly changed that made most people give up after a while? Well, we discussed a few downsides to bag guns, with the additional weight on your bag, which leads to faster fatigue. That fatigue really does leave a lasting impression, which ultimately makes people ditch the backpack and just stick with their belt-mounted carry guns with no accessories or other extras they may have otherwise carried. Another dynamic you have to think about was the COVID days and what happened afterwards. I knew plenty of people who carried a bag gun when they went out, but after everything with COVID days, people just wanted to go out and live their life rather than taking a ton of extras as they did before the shutdowns. I would say COVID was really the timeframe that changed how much people carry bag guns because they just wanted life to go back to normal and they never caught back on after that. Companies still support the market with concealment bags and make high-quality bags that offer discretion while allowing people to carry everything they may need. Overall ThoughtsWhen carrying a concealed firearm, there are plenty of ways you can do it either on or off your body. Carrying larger AR-style pistols was really popular about 8-10 years ago but has since slowed down in favor of smaller carry guns that are easy to conceal with decent capacity. While topics like truck guns are absolutely still talked about for the vehicle, the idea that you carry something larger in a backpack has faded away from popular practice like it was in years prior. Whether it's the changing landscape, added weight or just a shift in what's common practice, it looks like the idea of bag guns has seen its peak.What do you guys think about bag guns? Let me know in the comments below. If you have questions about concealed carry or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.TFB’s Concealed Carry Corner is brought to you by GLOCK