I'm of the opinion that your carry gun should be something that is not a chore to practice with. If it is a chore, you may only take it to the range once or twice a year. Maybe even less. When I got my first CC gun, I only had a .22 target pistol to my name. I had qualified with .38 and 9mm many times in the military, but never spent much time at the range with a centerfire. I always shot well during my quals, but just never had the opportunity to shoot a centerfire that much. When I got my SR9c, I ended up spending a lot of time at the range with it the first year. Somewhere around the 1,000 round count with it, things felt different. I wasn't necessarily more accurate with it, but it felt different. More comfortable, more a natural process to pick it up, thumb off the safety, aim and fire. I felt like this was a desirable thing for a carry gun. When my daughter was looking for a carry gun, I advised that she get something she would be willing to spend some quality time at the range with. You don't necessarily need to get a full sized, heavy gun with target grips and a target pull, but it should be comfortable enough that you will actually practice with it from time to time. Adjustments and compromises can be made for carrying a mid sized gun.
FYI, she ended up with an SP101 in a 3" barrel. Not the best range gun, but she doesn't mind putting 25 - 50 rounds through it every range trip. She should have no problem qualifying for her CC permit, and I have no qualms about her competence with it for carry. I doubt she would be as willing to practice with a 2" J frame alloy wheel gun. Nor would she be as competent with it.
