ER stats have contradicted this. Yes, my favorite Carry piece is a Colt CC MKIV in stainless. But in Summer, it's the Sig 232 w/ Hydrashocks. I just cannot hide the Colt well, and it gets tiring after the major part of a day.
The jokes about "File the site off so after you shoot the perp, and he gets mad and stuffs the gun up you, it won't hurt as much" are really for the .25 and .32.
But ... ER stats notwithstanding, that perp in NY got hit 22 TIMES and lived ... to sue the NYPD most likely. Those were not .45 ACP self-defense rounds being removed from his body.
Betcha those were 38s and 9s.
Just my 2 cents.
My P220 rides OTW on a Blackhawk Serpa during suitable jacket and overshirt weather. I find the weight in the Serpa to be ‘un-noticed’ after a bit.
I keep my gun ITW behind the back during the summer. Either way it requires a shift in/out of the vehicle.
The real point about of lot of this IMO...
You need less than 6 rounds to protect yourself.
So why pick a weaker smaller caliber weapon to carry more than a few rounds.
You can get ultra-compact weapons of much more lethal caliber.
You hit someone with one critical defense 45 round they have a greater than 80% chance of dying - PERIOD.
So my view is to pick a weapon that can deliver the stopping that will work with one bullet if necessary.