Concealed Carry is a hot topic these days, most everyone has an opinion about this subject. If you have not figured it out, I am totally for concealed carry. Is it for everyone, Abosolutely Not! Is it for most people, Possibly! Is it for some people, Yes!
What makes concealed carry for some people, but not all people? I feel it comes down to the reason they want to carry a handgun. If they have a need to carry a handgun to feel tough or invincible, then maybe they should not apply for a CC Permit.
Concealed Carry is a privilege and should be handled that way. Some people say it is our right to carry concealed and that may be true to a certain degree. But if you understand that your concealed carry permit can be taken away if you break the laws in your state, that’s why I say it is a privilege, not a right.
OK, so you are considering getting your concealed carry permit, please think about the following topics before you do that.
Is Concealed Carry For You?
Just because you have a handgun does not mean you need to carry concealed. As I mentioned, carrying concealed is a privilege and you need to have that mindset in order to carry a handgun concealed. You need to be willing to follow the laws in your state concerning firearm carry and do all that is necessary to carry in a way that keeps your handgun concealed.
It is also important not to tell everyone that you carry a firearm, it is not their business to know this information and if you are ever in a confrontation where you have to use your firearm, surprising your perpetrator is half the battle.
What Gun Will You Use For Concealed Carry?
There are many handguns on the market and sometimes this makes your decision of what to carry very difficult. As you make your decision as to what firearm to carry, make sure it is a good quality firearms. There are many cheap handguns available that may not be a good choice and therefore do not go just by price.
Look at many brands of handguns so you can decide on the features that are important to you. Talk to your friends, read some gun reviews and read some gun forums to get some good information before you buy. Do you want an automatic or a revolver, What caliber do you want to shoot: .22, .380auto, 9mm, 38 spl., .357mag, .40, .45auto, etc. Do you want a manual safety, no manual safety, regular sights, night sights, long barrel, short barrel, rubber grips, wood grips, high capacity magazine or low capacity magazine, etc. The list goes on!
The best way to choose a firearm is to try it before you buy it. Whether it is a friends gun or one of those gun shops that have a range in their store. Shoot the handguns before you buy it. If you have never shot a gun before then get someone to show you gun safety before you put a live round in that handgun.
Once you have done the research, handled different brands of firearms, shot many different handguns and put together a list of what you want in a handgun, it is time to purchase your handgun. Go down to a good gun store, fill out the paperwork, pass the background check and purchase your handgun and pickup some ammo that the gun dealer recommends.
All the research you just did finding the right handgun is what you need to do to find the right ammunition for your handgun. Some guns like certain brands of ammo, don’t be afraid to experiment. Once you have figured this out, it is time to practice, practice, practice.
Are There Differences In Holsters?
There are many different holsters on the market, some that are mass-produced and some that are custom made. Some are made of leather and some are make of synthetic materials (Kydex, etc.). When I think of my ideal concealed carry holster, I think of two major characteristics. The first one is a closed trigger guard and the second is it must stay opened for re-holstering. A closed trigger guard means the trigger is covered by holster material so nothing can accidentally pull that trigger. Both of the above mentioned items increase the safety of your holster and for those considerations I do not compromise on!
There are some good mass produced holsters that work and they are a little cheaper, but they are harder to find. These are the holsters that are available at your local gun store. Many people like them and that’s OK. But I like custom holsters that fit your gun perfectly and you get it the way you order it. Are they more expensive – Yes, but they are worth it.
Some people like the look and feel of leather and with some breaking-in they can be really nice. One thing I have noticed with leather is that it wears the bluing off your gun fairly quickly. So if I was to have a leather holster, I would have a stainless steel finish on my handgun. Leather cannot rub off a stainless steel finish. I myself like Kydex holsters, it molds to my gun, has great retention, requires no break-in period and does not wear off the finish on my gun.
Once you understand holster issues I have mentioned then it is up to you to decide which one to purchase. Another thing to think about is what position will you wear this holster? I wrote another post a while back that talked about these issues so I will not talk about that now. If you are interested in those comments go to Everyday Carry Holsters – Which Do I Use? for more information.
Will Any Belt Work For Concealed Carry?
I have discussed this belt issue quite a bit in other posts and the reason is it’s very important. A thin leather dress belt or casual belt will not work when carrying a concealed weapon. It is important to have a thick leather or rigid tactical style belt that can hold up to the wear of carrying a handgun, magazine and anything else you might put on your belt. If you are unsure about what to choose, go to my product page, EDC Belts, and see what is there, that may help you to choose the belt you would like.
Does The Type Of Clothing Matter?
If you like wearing tight clothing then wearing a concealed handgun may not be for you. You will need the relaxed-fit type of wardrobe when carrying concealed. Depending on where you wear your holster will determine how you wear your clothes. For instance:
- If you wear wear it on your belt, outside your waistband (OWB) this will not usually change your pants size.
- If you wear your holster inside your waistband (IWB) then you will need an extra 2″ added to your waist size to make that work.
- If you wear a shoulder holster, you will need to wear a cover that is loose enought wear the handgun will not show through.
- If you wear an ankle holster then you will need to wear pants with loose enough lower legs that will hide your handgun.
- Whether you wear your handgun on your belt or in a shoulder holster, you will need to wear a cover garment that will hide your gun. Things like a vest, untucked shirt, coat or sweatshirt will all be necessary to cover your handgun. If your holster is designed for concealment, it will work best. Make sure they are loose enough so your gun does not “print” (show the outline of the gun through the fabric). Dark colors or material with prints on them usually work the best.
Some Other Things To Think About?
When you first begin to wear a concealed carry firearm, you feel pretty cool! You may even feel tough and able to take on anything. Try to resist those feelings. If you go around looking for trouble and get into something, you will probably be found guilty and may loose your concealed carry permit.
On the other hand, you may feel very unnatural and awkward, with this big “thing” on your hip. Relax and go through your normal day, you will get used to it.
Another thing that newly concealed carry permit holders do is constantly touch their handgun or they are adjusting their holster in public? This draws attention to themselvesand then if people look hard enough they are bound to notice you are carrying a handgun. That’s when the police get called and questions get asked and trouble can happen. One rule about concealed carry is you are not to show you are carrying concealed. If you do it is called brandishing your firearm, and that is against the law.
Putting It All Together
So there you have it, many things to thinks about before you get your concealed carry permit. My whole point to this article is do not just say I am going to get my concealed carry permit so I can carry a handgun legally and do it! It takes some planning! It takes some thought! It takes some research!
I will just say my favorite type of holster is on my belt and it is the inside the waistband (IWB) style. Once I decided on that I had to decide what type of belt attachment I would like. Well one very popular attachment is the belt clip so I bought one with my first IWB holster. They are very convenient to put on your belt, but they have one tiny flaw, they come off just as easy. And I will leave you with this sight picture. I was walking out of Kmart, about 10 feet from the exit door and I heard something hit the floor. I looked down and there was my Glock sitting inside the holster, right next to my feet. Boy was I embarrassed! I scooped up my handgun, stuck it under my arm and walked very fast out to my car without looking back. From that time on I always use belt loops. Why did I tel you that? Convenience is not always the best rule to live by.
If you have any questions about this post or anything related to Everyday Carry (EDC), feel free to leave a comment below and I will be happy to get back to you.
All the best,
Larry
Founder of EDC Essentials