Most people with small guns did not carry large guns.
I suppose experiences may vary. Most everyone I know growing up and many I am, or have been associated with later on in life, carry/carried the smaller gun primarily as a back up to the larger gun. Then again, those people (me included) all carried those guns all day, everyday, and not just when it suited them or they felt the need. Im wearing a Glock 17 and a 26 as I type this, as I do most days now. I also carry a Seecamp on a pretty regular basis to boot.
Sometimes I wonder if the people who say all you need is a good belt to carry a full-size pistol. Have really conceal carried a full-size steel gun.
The fact that youre questioning this, tells me you havent and dont on a daily basis.
A gun that doesn't remind me all day long its on my hip.
If youre being reminded, you dont have the right gear.
No one gun will fill all the roles required.
True, but a full sized gun will usually do everything (but being tiny) better overall, and with little, if any, extra effort.
The issue here really isnt the size of the gun, its the want of the person. If you want to carry the gun, then the gun becomes the focus, you work around it, and you carry the gun. If youre not willing to do that, then youre focus is elsewhere.
What I do find somewhat interesting is, some carry multiple guns, and in many cases, the second guns being carried, are actually bigger than what some claim should be possible to carry comfortably just by themselves, let alone another, larger gun along with it. How can one comfortably do it, when another says you cant and you have to go yet smaller, and give up even more? Sounds like not enough "want" to me.