It is my ALWAYS gun. I carried it in my shirt pocket as a LEO for years. True, you do need to practice to familiarize and assure yourself of being able to quickly handle one, but its really not that difficult. No, I don't have to use two hands, tho it might help if you were trying to plink a tin can at some distance. I have offhandedly shot rattlesnakes with mine and finished off two downed deer with head shots. It really should not be lightly regarded as only a curiosity...it can be, and is an effective weapon when properly used. It is the most easily concealable firearm I know of and just might extricate one from an otherwise impossible situation......I've always referred to mine as my "eyeball" gun.....think about it, one of those in the face at point blank range is gonna go a long, long way to taking the fight out of anyone!