Is this a common practice among Concealed Carry Handgun Permit holders
? Or is it just a few Concealed Carry Handgun Permit holders that choose to not carry their weapon? Why would you jump through all the hoops necessary to get your Concealed Carry Handgun Permit and then not use it? I have done some research about this topic, is it true? Let’s explore this topic!
What Does It Take To Get A Concealed Carry Handgun Permit?
If we want to look at the requirements necessary to obtain a concealed carry handgun permit, we need to understand that it can vary from state to state on how to obtain a concealed carry handgun permit. The information that I am providing comes from the state of Colorado, where I live other states may be different.
Colorado does not prohibit a person from carrying a concealed handgun in public if the person has a permit.
Colorado law generally requires a sheriff to issue a permit to carry a concealed handgun if an applicant meets certain qualifications. Colorado provides sheriffs some discretion in issuing or denying such licenses, however. The sheriff may deny the permit if the sheriff has a reasonable belief that documented behavior by the applicant makes it likely the applicant will present a danger to himself, herself or others if the applicant receives a permit.
The sheriff shall issue a permit to an applicant who:
- Is a legal resident of the state of Colorado;
- Is age 21 or older;
- Is not ineligible to possess a firearm pursuant state or federal law;
- Has not been convicted of perjury under state law, in relation to information provided or deliberately omitted on a concealed handgun permit application;
- Does not chronically and habitually use alcoholic beverages to the extent that the applicant’s normal faculties are impaired;5– endnote
- Is not an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance as defined under state law;
- Is not subject to a: 1) protection order issued under state law and in effect at the time the application is submitted; 2) permanent protection order issued pursuant to state law; or 3) temporary protection order issued pursuant to state law that is in effect at the time the application is submitted;
- Has not has been convicted of certain specified violent misdemeanors within the five years prior to applying for a permit, including assault, child abuse, harassment, violation of a protective order, hate-crimes, possession of an illegal weapon, etc.
- Demonstrates competence with a handgun by one of several statutorily-authorized methods (for details, see the Firearm Safety Training subsection below).
A sheriff may also issue a “temporary emergency permit to carry a concealed handgun” to an individual whom the sheriff has reason to believe may be in immediate danger. The criteria to obtain the permit are similar to those of the non-emergency permit, except that no evidence of competence with a handgun is required and the applicant need only be age 18 or older. The emergency permit is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance and may be renewed only once. However, if the permittee is less than 21 years of age, the sheriff can renew the permit until the permittee reaches 21 years of age.
Applicants for a Colorado permit to carry a concealed handgun must demonstrate competence with a handgun by submitting evidence of completion of one of the following:
- Evidence of experience with a firearm through participation in organized shooting competitions or current military service or current certification as a peace officer;
- Evidence that, at the time the application is submitted, the applicant is a verified instructor; Proof of honorable discharge from a branch of the U.S. armed forces within the three years preceding submittal of the application;
- Proof of honorable discharge from a branch of the U.S. armed forces that reflects pistol qualifications obtained within the 10 years preceding submittal of the application;
- A certificate showing retirement from a Colorado law enforcement agency that reflects pistol qualifications obtained within the 10 years preceding submittal of the application; or
- A training certificate from a handgun training class obtained within the 1 year preceding submittal of the application. The applicant shall submit the original training certificate that includes the printed name and original signature of the class instructor. So long as the class complies with all legal requirements, the applicant shall have discretion in selecting which concealed handgun training class to complete.
“Concealed Handgun training class” means:
- A law enforcement training firearms safety course;
- A firearms safety course taught by a verified instructor and offered by a law enforcement agency; an institution of higher education; or a public or private institution, organization, or firearms training school, that is open to the general public and is taught by a verified instructor.
Training must be held in person and no part may be conducted over the internet. The class must provide a minimum of eight hours of instruction, including live-fire shooting exercises. The course must also include instruction on:
- Safe handling and storage of firearms and ammunition;
- Safe firearms shooting fundamentals;
- Federal and state laws pertaining to lawful purchase, ownership, transportation, use and possession of firearms, including instruction on extreme risk protection orders;
- State law regarding the use of deadly force for self-defense;
- Best practices to ensure safe interaction with law enforcement responding to an emergency;
- Techniques for avoiding criminal attacks and managing violent confrontations and conflict resolution;
A Colorado permit to carry a concealed handgun is valid for five years. To renew a permit, the permittee must submit an application which requires the same information required for the original permit, including fingerprints.
Beginning in 2024, applicants seeking to renew their permit by demonstrating competence via a training certificate from a concealed handgun training class can take a “refresher” class. Refresher classes have the same training and testing requirements as necessary to receive an initial permit to carry under this method, but require only two hours of in-person instruction as opposed to eight.
After six months from its expiration date, a permit is considered permanently expired and cannot be renewed. Persons whose permits are permanently expired must reapply for a permit.
If you are looking to obtain a New CHP Application, the fee will be $52.50.
This includes:
CCIC Fingerprint check – $17.50
InstaCheck – $13.00
FBI Fingerprint check – $22.00
Total – $52.00
Statute: 18-12-205(2)(b)
All fees must be submitted to the issuing sheriff’s department in the form of a cashier’s check or money order made payable to CBI. Sheriff’s departments may charge an administrative fee in addition to fees charged by the CBI.
If you need to renew your CHP Permit, the fee will be $13.00. This includes:
InstaCheck – $13.00
*Total – $13.00
*Fingerprints previously sent to CBI
Statute: 18-12-211
In Colorado, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) Firearms InstaCheck Unit performs background checks for concealed weapon permit applications. The InstaCheck Unit’s goal is to promote gun safety by reviewing information that may prohibit someone from legally purchasing a firearm.
This includes:
Criminal record
Mental health holds
Information from the CCIC, NCIC, III, NICS, and Colorado Court System (PAS)
The Firearm Safety Class (face to face) that is required to take before you can get your permits found online. Locations for these classes can be found online, The price for the classes is $79.00.
There is also an online options that you can take to fulfill the Firearm Safety Class option. this might work best for some people, I personally like the in-person style of class.
If you pass all the above then you should be eligible to obtain your concealed carry handgun permit in 30 – 120 days. If there are issues then it can take longer.
What Are Some of The Benefits to Having A Concealed Carry Handgun Permit?
- You can legally carry a concealed firearm for Personal Protection anywhere you go, as long as your permit is recognized there.
- Carrying a concealed handgun can be a Crime Deterrent if criminals think you might be carrying.
- Carrying a concealed handgun gives you a Tactical Advantage over keeping your handgun in plain sight.
- Carrying a concealed handgun often gives you more Confidence when you are going places that might be more dangerous.
- Carrying a handgun gives you the ability to respond more quickly when trouble occurs.
- Carrying a concealed handgun develops a greater respect for firearms.
- Carrying a concealed handgun gives you a better understanding of the risks involved when carrying a handgun in public.
- Understanding the importance of proper training and education before obtaining your Concealed Carry Handgun Permit.
What Are Some Reasons Why Some People Would Not Carry A Firearm After Getting A Concealed Carry Handgun Permit?
- It is uncomfortable to carry a concealed handgun in a holster on a daily basis.
- Many people decide that they do not want to carry a big, heavy handgun everywhere that they go.
- It takes some time to find a really good holster that you want to carry your handgun on a daily basis so they don’t do it.
- In order to carry a handgun concealed, you must alter your wardrobe in order to do it correctly and people do not want to wear what it takes.
- If you are overweight it is not comfortable to wear a handgun concealed on a daily basis.
- Many people do not want to assume the responsibilities that go along with carrying a concealed handgun in public.
- Some individuals are not willing to become trained and learn how to handle a concealed handgun.
- Their employer will not let them bring a handgun to work.
- I just wanted to get my concealed carry Handgun permit before they say I can’t.
Are The Above Mentioned Reasons For Not Carrying A Concealed Handgun Valid?
I am going to address each of the points above so you will understand the reasoning behind these statements. But before I get into this topic let’s get something out on the table up-front – In the movies people just throw a gun in their pant waistband and away they go… that is not how it is done. If you are going to carry a handgun for any length of time it must be in a holster. And that holster needs to be of good quality and must cover the trigger guard (trigger mechanism)so it will be safe and hold up to daily wear. Now back to the first topic, If you are
- Wearing a concealed handgun can be uncomfortable depending on the style of holster that you wear and the type of physique that you have. I have worn a concealed carry handgun for many years and have tried many different styles of holsters. My favorite holster for concealed carry is inside the waistband (IWB), it conceals the best, but unfortunately it is also the most uncomfortable. I also like shoulder holsters, they are more comfortable but you must wear a jacket or vest to cover it. The most comfortable holsters to wear are outside the waistband (OWB) but they are much more difficult to conceal. Many people like the appendix holster but they do not seem to work for me. I have a bit of a belly and I cannot get my handgun to sit correctly in that position. Usually the better concealed the holster is, the more uncomfortable it is too. So it seems to be a tradeoff, concealability vs comfortability! Now there are many new belly band-type holsters that are much more comfortable but I myself do not like them. The bottom line is that wearing a concealed handgun can be uncomfortable and it is up to you if it is worth it or not.
- Going along with the above comment of “comfort” , the idea of wearing a big piece of metal on your hip, all day, does not appeal to everyone. The unfortunate truth is that the easiest guns to shoot are full-sized handguns with longer barrels. That being said they are also very difficult to conceal. So people are going to smaller handguns with shorter barrels to minimize that “big bulge” on their hip. But there is a tradeoff, as handguns get smaller, they are harder to shoot accurately and keep on target. A small micro 9mm is easy to keep on your hip but if you cannot shoot it accurately, why carry it!
- Choosing the right holster is critical if you want to be able to carry a handgun concealed, all day long. There are many holsters on the market to choose from so you need to buy the holster that you like and try it out for a period of time. Some holsters will work and others will not. This is a process that you need to go through to find the holster that works for you. The problem here is that some people do not want to take the time to find that right holster and just quit.
- In order to carry concealed you need to alter your pant sizes or shirt sizes so your handgun will not print. When you put a holster inside your waistband it is necessary to get your pants at least 2 inches bigger than normal so the holster will fit without being too tight, Also you may need to get the next size shirt up so things will fit loose and the gun will not print. You may also need to wear different cover garments (vests, jackets, over-shirts) to help cover your handgun so it will not be noticed. Some people do not like the idea of wearing larger clothes, they like their same skin-tight jeans and shirts that they normally wear. Therefore they will not make that change and it won’t work otherwise.
- If you are overweight and want to carry a concealed handgun, you may need to add some additional changes to your wardrobe or holster styles so that you can carry concealed. Some people can get frustrated and just stop trying to find a way to make that happen.
- I am very pro-gun and I feel it is our right to have guns in our homes and on our own property. But in the area of concealed carry handgun permits I feel it is vital that we need to apply for these permits and not be a constitutional carry state like Florida. When we are required to apply for a concealed carry handgun permit, most people have already considered the rights and responsibilities when carrying a concealed weapon in public. Some of these responsibilities are knowing safe handling of firearms, keeping your finger off of the trigger until you are ready to shoot, also knowing your target and what’s beyond it, legal consequences when firing a gun, we are responsible for every round that comes out of our gun until and after it stops. There are many more responsibilities that we have when carrying a concealed handgun in public, but that gives you the idea. Once we get past the glamour of carrying a handgun things really get serious.
- When a person is carrying a concealed handgun it is necessary to train with your weapon so you are able to hit what you are aiming at. This means many hours at the shooting range, conducting safety drills as well as shooting at paper targets perfecting your point of aim and trigger control. This is another area that some people are not willing to do and decide to quit.
- Many people are not allowed to have firearms at their work place and this may discourage them from carrying too.
- Lastly there are people who got their concealed carry handgun permit just in case they decide not to allow it in the future. They do not want to use it, they just want to have it.
Do You Agree With These Reasons?
Whether you agree with these reasons or not they are all valid points to some people. And I cannot tell them they are right or wrong. What I do say is those people that really want to wear a handgun concealed will find a way to do it. If one of these reasons apply to them, they will figure a way to make it work. Only you can be the judge of these reasons and whether they make sense to you. It is easy to work on the comfort issue or changing your style of clothing to fit wearing concealed. It is much more difficult to assume the responsibilities of wearing a handgun in public or putting in the time for adequate training to make yourself proficient with handling a handgun. Think about it!
Final Comments
Well there you have it, this may not be all of the reasons why people choose not to wear a concealed handgun after getting their permit but it is a good start. This is a controversary topic that people need to think about if people find themselves in this situation.
My hope is that every person desiring to carry a concealed handgun will think about why they really want a permit. Consider all of these situations and see if they might apply to them. Then do whatever is necessary to adjust their situation before they even try to get their permit. And lastly practice, practice, practice! I would enjoy your comments about this subject matter. If you have any other reasons why you might not use your permit I would be glad to hear about them. Take care.
If you have any questions about this post or anything related to Everyday Carry (EDC)/Concealed Carry, feel free to leave a comment below and I will be happy to get back to you.
All the best,
Larry
Founder of Everyday Carry Essentials
Ruger Redhawk .44 Mag 4″ barrel (picture at the upper right) ever since about 2019 and then you could find them for about $900, if you looked around. Now they are $1200 to $1300, and that is more then I can justify. This revolver is a real beauty and has some nice style about it. A .44 Mag is one heck of a cartridge, its a great trail gun but can also work for self defense. One nice thing about .44 Mag is you can also shoot .44 Special and that is much easier to shoot. There is something about a revolver that always looks pretty cool, but that being said it is not worth $1300.00 in my book. As much as I like this handgun, it will not have a place in my gun cabinet.
(picture lower right), Its not as pretty of a weapon as the Ruger but it is fancy enough for me. I am a “Glock Guy” and I really like these handguns, they fit my hand really well and are the most reliable guns that I own. So I am not too disappointed that this will be my trail gun instead of that fancy Redhawk .44 magnum. A 10 mm is also a great cartridge and works very well for a trail gun. Is it as powerful as the .44 Mag – Absolutely not but it also has 15 rounds available instead of only 6 in the revolver so that’s some firepower. I
and how much I liked this pack. Well I am still using it on a daily basis and it will not be replaced any time soon. For me it is the perfect size and holds the right amount of gear. I tend to carry too much gear because my pack will hold it, this pack limits what I can carry and that works best for me. There are many pockets to organize your gear and that is what I am looking for. I really like the fact that it holds a water bottle, it saves me clipping one on a strap somewhere. There are a lot of packs these days that do not hold a water bottle and that seems to frustrate me. The other thing that is a necessity for me is it has a concealed carry pocket. As much as I like to carry my handgun in a belt holster, my job will not allow me to carry concealed at work so I can keep a handgun in this pack and both of us are satisfied. If you are looking for a great little pack you might check this out.
folder, a really sweet knife. But being out on the farm, I probably cut some baling twine and left it stuck in a hay bale somewhere. Well I always need a knife but I did not want to spend a bunch of money so I went to Amazon and looked for something reasonable. That’s when I saw the Eafengrow EF911 Folding Knife
, for the money it is a really great knife. It is not as smooth as the CRKT but it does work well. The price was $24.99 and works great for an EDC folding knife. The blade shape is not traditional but it turns out to be very functional. It was very sharp right out of the box and with a touch-up on my ceramic knife stone it was extremely sharp. The belt clip works very well, it holds this knife right where I want it in my pocket. I also wrote a review on this knife too back in December 2023 and that got my attention about this folding knife in early 2024.
and it has revolutionized the way I clean my guns. I wrote a review on 
Product Dimensions Diagram
horizontal slip pocket
CCW
webbing
mesh pocket
slip pocket
way to clean a gun is by using a cleaning rod. When I was young that was the only way to clean your gun so we did not question these rods. Cleaning rods do work great and now they are usually in the form of a one-piece coated rod or rods that screw together in sections to form a long cleaning rod. 
Whether they are one-piece or in sections they do a similar job in the end. A one piece rod is usually Teflon coated so it does not scratch the crown or the barrel. The cleaning rods that are in sections are usually made out of brass or aluminum and will not usually scratch your barrel. But it is a good idea to use a 
bore guide (protector) to protect your barrel crown when using these metal cleaning rods. You place them in the end of your barrel and then slip the cleaning rod inside the bore guide and into the barrel, this keeps the rod centered in the barrel and not scraping the barrel or crown of your gun. Cleaning rods can do a fine job as long as you are careful when using them.
OTIS Technology. They make high quality gun cleaning kits with excellent customer service to back it up. They produce every kind of gun cleaning kits that you might want, my favorite is the OTIS Tactical Gun Cleaning kit for rifles, shotguns and handguns. It has everything
you would want to clean your guns and do a very thorough job I might add. An advantage to the cable system is that you do not have to teardown your gun so that you can clean from breech to muzzle. Because the cable is flexible you can just open up the action and put your cable end into the breech and slide it down the barrel to the muzzle. A pretty cool way to clean your gun.
, add some bore cleaning solvent or CLP to the patch. place the opposite end of the cable into the barrel on the breech end push it through the barrel until the patch is at the end of the barrel. then draw it through the barrel, from breech to muzzle. 2) Remove slotted-end and put copper brush on the cable and draw through barrel from breech to barrel-end. Wait for a few minutes to let the chemicals work. 3) Then put the slotted tip back on along with a clean patch, as directed and draw the cable through the barrel from breech to muzzle and repeat this step until the patch comes out clean. End result is a clean gun.
. This holster is designed to go over the top of your vest, jacket or other outer garment. so once you get it adjusted, it fits like a glove. Unlike a shoulder holster you should not trim the excess straps to fit because depending on the season and your layers under the harness may change. The holster holds your handgun very securely and is in a position that you can get to it very easily. This is a holster that works well in most all outdoor activities, I use it when hiking, backpacking, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, 4-wheeler riding, farm chores to name a few. 
and keeps your handgun in a place that is easy to get to. I use this holster with my Glock 30 (.45ACP) and Glock 20 (10mm), and the nice thing is all you need to do is buy a new shell for each caliber handgun, one harness will work with all the different shells. My favorite use for this holster is backpacking, You just put on this chest holster and then put on your backpack and you are ready to go. When you get to a resting place just remove your backpack and your handgun stays where it needs to be. I always had a difficult time figuring out where to put my handgun when backpacking and then being able to get to it when you needed to or taking off your backpack and off came your handgun too. Another plus about this chest holster is that it is
It was a Taurus TCP, .380 ACP, two-tone beauti and I thought I found a great deal (see the photo at the right). I made an impulse buy! Not a good idea when you are talking about a handgun! I was an experienced shooter, I had already purchased quite a few firearms and I never thought I would buy on emotion. I did not look into the facts, the reviews, etc. I just bought a cute little gun. So to make a long story short it was not the best gun for me. In the rest of this article we will talk about many things about pocket pistols and then wrap things up with my final choice on the pocket pistol that I finally went with.
Using a handgun with these smaller calibers is better then having no handgun at all, but you need to look at each caliber from a self defense perspective before you place your life on the lines with one of these smaller calibers. 
. If you look at the picture to the right you will see what I mean. With a shorter case, you have less powder in the bullet and therefore less power in that cartridge. While the 9mm has much more power behind it, these pistols are also larger and may be less concealable. 
that covers most of the gun, including your trigger guard. When you carry a pistol in your pocket you need to make sure nothing else is in your pocket so to get in your way of the gun. This holster covers the shape of the gun so it will not “print”. This means other people cannot see that you have a gun in your pocket because they cannot see the shape of your gun. When you carry this way you need to make sure your pants are not too tight and that your pocket has enough room for your gun and holster. If you look at the holster it has a point on the top end and a hook on the bottom end of the holster. This aids in stripping the holster from your pocket as the weapon is drawn from your pocket.
. It needs to fit your handgun and securely clip on to your belt. The holster must cover your trigger guard and keep the handgun in the holster until you are ready to draw it. There is a retention screw on the back end of the holster where you can tighten the holster so the weapon will not fall out. This is a holster that I found on Amazon but it is a pretty good holster for the money.
. This little handgun has great reviews and many people feel this is the best pocket pistol on the market. This is a .380 ACP caliber and it holds 10 rounds in the magazine. They also have a 12 round magazine but I do not like the base plate on that magazine. I added a Pearce grip extension and it gives me a better grip on the pistol. it fits my fingers better and gives me better control of the pistol. The Taurus TCP only held 6 bullets in the magazine so the Ruger almost doubles the capacity and that’s a good thing. More capacity in a similar size package. This
, what a nice little holster that can be slipped in your front pocket. As I said before, it almost disappears in your pocket. It is an excellent combination for this pocket pistol to be concealed. Once this is in your pocket you can have your hand on the grip and it cannot be observed until you pull the pistol out of your pocket and put it into action. Very slick and concealed. These pocket holster by Aholster work great and they will hook on the front of the holster when pulling it out of your pocket or catch on the bottom hook as pressure is applied on the bottom of the holster.
. It is such a small package that it melts into your waistband and you hardly know that it is there. But keep in mind that even though it is small you still need to use a cover garment when carrying this pistol in a IWB holster. That’s why I like the pocket holster better for such a small gun. As a rule If I am going to carry a gun in my waste band I would rather have a larger caliber, with a longer barrel that I shoot better. That being said there are times in the hot summer time where this small Ruger works best in my waist band.
But everyone knows that we should all carry a folding knife, or should we?
out there. It is safe, easy to conceal, and can be in a small package and placed in your pocket. For many years they have been known as pocket knives. It is easy to get in and out of your pocket for daily tasks and does not usually get in the way. Some of the folding knives have a locking mechanism which keeps it open until you wish to close it.
is much stronger and ridged since it is made out of a solid piece of steel, they can be used rougher and work stronger than a folder. They are more durable and hold up to the elements well because they do not have a folding mechanism as with a folding knife. A fixed-blade knife is easier to clean and maintain and can be deployed faster in a self defense situation.
. I have used it for many years and it is the handgun I am most comfortable with. Since it is considered a sub compact handgun, it has a 10-round, doubled stacked magazine that feeds the .45 ACP bullets very reliably. Compared to other concealed handguns it is a bit thick and heavier but I still like it.
, it is a smaller package and prints less with hot-weather clothing. So let me describe my warm-weather clothing, it is a pair of jeans and a tucked-in tee shirt with an untucked short-sleeved shirt as a cover garment. While the Glock 26 is small it still needs something to cover my IWB holster. It too has a 10-round, double stacked magazine for the 9mm bullets and that helps its concealability. But ever since I picked up the Glock 15 I am beginning the reconsider if it is the best handgun to use.
and while it is smaller than the Glock 30 it has a 15-round magazines which works out great is an adequate amount of firepower for a concealed carry firearm.. As I am getting older, smaller handguns feel better in my IWB holsters so this Glock 19 is beginning to seem like a better option for me these days. I replaced the stock plastic sights with XS Sights F8 night sights and they are really nice. They installed very easy and are very accurate. The Glock 19 holds 5 more rounds then the G26 and has a slightly longer barrel, that being said this makes the G19 a bit more accurate and has more firepower. This handgun still conceals very well so that is making me reconsider my gun of choice.
and is new to me, I do not carry it very much right now. I am still breaking it in and until I have fired 400-500 rounds through it without a reliability problem I will not use it for self defense. But so far I love the gun and it carries very well in my IWB holster. Now because these handguns are single action, they need to be carried “cocked and locked” and that brings up a whole bunch of other safety concerns. Will I address them in this article, probably not! Will I address them in another article, possibly! But if I cut to the chase right now and say when I have this pistol broke-in and I feel it is reliable, I will carry it “cocked and locked”!
and is a pocket pistol, this is also my warm weather concealed carry handgun. So the question comes up, if I have a Glock 26 that I just said was for warm weather then why would I want another one? Well in Colorado we have some fairly hot weather in the Summer and those days I cannot tolerate a cover garment as I sweat very badly. Therefore, thats why I have the MAX. With the right kinds of pants this little gun can be placed in a pocket holster and slipped in your pocket completely un-noticed. Some people might just not carry a pistol on those days when it is uncomfortable. But I would rather have a smaller handgun that can be carried during uncomfortable times and therefore be armed all the time. If you are interested in Pocket Pistols, look for my next article, “My Little Pocket Pistol”, It will have more details about these small guns.
I can only put on a 4-shot side saddle on my receiver and that limits my extra shotgun shells capacity.
until it is free from the end of the magazine and pull the barrel off, and set it aside.
just above the trigger and place it in a dish or safe container so it does not get lost. 
down and forward from the receiver and set it aside.
, two rails will become loose and they need to be set aside too.
so they will not get lost.
you can pull the forend grip out of the receiver and off of the magazine tube.
, as seen in the picture. My first choice would have been a bandsaw, but mine is out of commission right now.
I had a metal cutting blade in it so the cut would be very smooth. As I cut the synthetic forend grip I cut very slowly so I could keep control of the saw so it would not over-cut the grip.
, it really turned out great and if you did not know I changed it you would not know anything was different. 
to fit your receiver so it will be easy to put on, making sure that the serial number is visible and not covered up by the Velcro.
with alcohol to remove the dirt, oils, etc. that might cause the Velcro not to stick.
. Make sure you press all over the piece of Velcro so that the glue bonds to the receiver. (Leave it alone for a few hours so the glue sets well. It might be helpful to place a heavy book on top of the Velcro during those few hours).
, I like to have the loop facing forward so I can pull it off in one clean motion after racking the slide, then replace it with a full one.