Carrying a sidearm day in and day out teaches you quickly which pistols balance weight and comfort, and which ones drag you down like an anchor. It’s not always about the size of the gun either—sometimes it’s the frame material, the grip thickness, or the way the weight distributes. A pistol might shoot beautifully on the range, but the story changes when you try to wear it all day under a jacket or even worse, tucked inside your waistband. A heavy pistol can dig into your hip, make your belt sag, and wear you out after just a few hours. That’s when you realize that practical carry often favors balance and ergonomics over sheer power. Here are some pistols that have earned a reputation for being accurate and reliable, but too hefty or bulky to comfortably carry for long stretches.
Desert Eagle .50 AE
The Desert Eagle has been a showpiece for decades, known for its massive frame and thunderous recoil. On paper, it’s a pistol that delivers incredible power, and at the range, it draws attention like few others. But once you try carrying it, reality sets in—it’s closer to strapping a brick of steel to your hip than a practical sidearm. At nearly five pounds loaded, it’s simply not a pistol built for everyday wear.
The sheer size makes concealment nearly impossible, and the rectangular design doesn’t contour to your body. Add in the long barrel, and you’ll feel like you’re lugging a small rifle more than a handgun. While it has a cult following and serves as a novelty or hunting tool, the Desert Eagle fails miserably in the carry department. It’s one of the clearest examples of a pistol that’s fun at the bench but absolutely punishing if you expect to haul it around all day.
Smith & Wesson Model 29
Clint Eastwood made the Model 29 famous, but carrying a full-sized .44 Magnum revolver is a different experience than watching one on screen. Weighing over three pounds unloaded, it pushes past four pounds with a full cylinder. The large N-frame design doesn’t lend itself to subtle carry, and the long barrel only amplifies the difficulty of keeping it on your hip for extended periods.
While it’s beloved by revolver enthusiasts and still used for hunting, the Model 29’s dimensions and heft quickly make themselves known when you try to wear it. It’ll pull on your belt and print through clothing no matter how you set it up. For most shooters, the tradeoff simply isn’t worth it. This revolver thrives in the woods where weight isn’t a big concern, but in any daily carry role, it becomes a brick that makes you second-guess your holster choices every single time.
FN Five-seveN
The FN Five-seveN isn’t as heavy as some steel-frame pistols, but its size makes it feel ungainly for carry. With its long slide and extended grip, it doesn’t ride comfortably against your body and has a way of feeling bulkier than it actually is. While it shines in terms of magazine capacity and flat shooting characteristics, comfort on the hip isn’t one of its strong suits.
Holstering it for daily wear highlights the awkwardness. The large grip frame makes concealment difficult, and the extra length tends to jab into seats, car consoles, or even your ribs depending on your position. Though lighter in weight than all-steel pistols, it still feels like too much gun for casual carry. The Five-seveN has its place in specialized use or range fun, but if you’re looking for something that rides comfortably, you’ll find yourself feeling weighed down quickly.
Heckler & Koch Mark 23
The HK Mark 23 is legendary for its accuracy and durability, but it’s also notorious for being one of the bulkiest pistols ever made for service use. Measuring over nine inches long and tipping the scales at nearly three pounds empty, this pistol wasn’t built with everyday comfort in mind. On your hip, it feels more like you’ve strapped on a compact submachine gun.
The oversized frame and long barrel make it extremely difficult to conceal, and even with a sturdy holster and belt, the weight distribution isn’t forgiving. This pistol excels in military or range applications where size doesn’t matter, but it becomes a serious chore to carry for hours at a time. While it can print tight groups and handle thousands of rounds, the Mark 23 punishes you with its dimensions whenever you try to treat it like a carry pistol.
Glock 21
The Glock 21 delivers the .45 ACP in a high-capacity platform, but the price you pay is bulk and weight. With a fully loaded magazine, the pistol pushes well over two and a half pounds, and the wide grip makes it uncomfortable for many shooters to conceal. Even with its polymer frame, the overall size makes it feel like you’re lugging a brick around after a few hours.
The large slide profile doesn’t contour to the body, which means it sticks out under clothing and creates pressure points when seated. Many shooters love the Glock 21 for its reliability and magazine capacity, but it remains better suited for duty carry with a sturdy belt and uniform than for concealed everyday wear. It’s not that the Glock 21 is unreliable—it’s simply too large and blocky to ride comfortably on your hip for long stretches.
Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan
The Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan was built for one purpose: stopping big animals at close range. Chambered in heavy calibers like .454 Casull, this revolver is a lifesaver in bear country. But once you strap it on, the weight is undeniable. At over 40 ounces empty and significantly more loaded, it hangs like an anchor on your belt.
The short barrel does help with maneuverability, but it doesn’t do anything to ease the bulk. This revolver is so thick and heavy that even in a quality holster, it feels like carrying a metal brick. For wilderness defense, it makes sense, but no one in their right mind would choose it for daily concealed carry. The Super Redhawk Alaskan serves a role, but if you’re after comfort, you’ll want to leave this beast at home and go with something that doesn’t weigh down every step.
CZ 97B
The CZ 97B was designed as a .45 ACP counterpart to the CZ 75, and while it shoots smoothly, it’s a large-frame pistol that doesn’t do your hip any favors. At over 40 ounces unloaded, it quickly becomes a chore to carry once you load it up. The long slide and wide grip frame create an awkward fit against your body, and it prints easily under clothing.
Many shooters praise its accuracy and build quality, but those positives don’t change how much of a brick it feels when carried. Even with a strong belt and holster, you’ll notice the weight tugging at you throughout the day. The 97B is better suited for the range or as a home defense pistol rather than something you’d want to wear for extended periods. In short, it proves that shooting comfort doesn’t always translate into carry comfort.
Beretta 92FS
The Beretta 92FS has a long track record with military and law enforcement, but as a carry pistol, it’s far from ideal. At over two pounds unloaded and much heavier with a full magazine, it feels bulky compared to modern options. The wide slide and grip frame add even more size, making it hard to conceal under normal clothing.
While its accuracy and reliability are proven, the reality is that carrying it daily quickly wears you down. The large frame prints easily and digs into your side, especially if you’re moving around or sitting for long periods. With lighter and more compact pistols available in the same caliber, the 92FS doesn’t make sense as a carry option unless you have a specific attachment to it. It’s simply too large and heavy to feel practical on your hip for long stretches.
SIG Sauer P220
The SIG P220 is another pistol that shoots beautifully but punishes you when carried. Built with a solid steel slide and full-size frame, it tips the scales at nearly two pounds unloaded and more when fully loaded with .45 ACP. While it’s slim compared to double-stacks, the length and weight make it cumbersome for extended carry.
Holstering it highlights how quickly it starts to drag on you. Even though the ergonomics are solid and the pistol points naturally, comfort takes a back seat once you’ve been wearing it for hours. For home defense or range work, the P220 is a great choice, but as a hip-carry sidearm, it leaves you constantly aware of its presence. It’s reliable, but it feels more like a duty weapon than a pistol designed for daily carry comfort.
Colt Delta Elite 10mm
The Colt Delta Elite revived interest in the 10mm, but its all-steel 1911 frame makes it heavy and unforgiving on the hip. At nearly 40 ounces unloaded, you’re looking at a pistol that feels more like a boat anchor once you add a loaded magazine. It doesn’t matter how nice the trigger feels—carrying it for any length of time becomes a battle with weight and bulk.
The slim profile of a 1911 helps some, but the Delta Elite still has enough heft to remind you constantly that it’s there. For hunters or those who carry 10mm in the woods, it serves a role, but in terms of daily carry, it feels excessive. It’s one of those pistols that looks great on the bench and shoots smoothly, but the reality of wearing it around exposes its brick-like presence.
Magnum Research BFR
The Magnum Research BFR is more of a novelty revolver than a practical sidearm, but some still try to strap it on. Built to handle cartridges up to rifle power, this revolver is massive. Weighing well over 50 ounces, it dwarfs most handguns and sits heavily on the hip. Even in a high-quality holster, the weight distribution makes it feel like you’re dragging down your entire belt line.
The oversized frame and cylinder only add to the problem, making it nearly impossible to conceal and uncomfortable to carry. It’s a revolver built for hunting and backcountry defense, not for any sort of practical daily use. Carrying one quickly teaches you why most people stick to smaller sidearms. The BFR is an impressive piece of engineering, but it’s also one of the most obvious examples of a pistol that feels like a brick strapped to your hip.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
