What was your first CCW firearm and experience like?

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2agunner

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My first CCW gun was a Kimber 1911. At first it was kinda scary carrying in condition 1, cocked and locked mode. Of course, the gun is not going to discharge unless the safety is off and the trigger is pulled, but it still was a little unnerving because I had never a cocked and locked 1911 before. But, over time those feelings went away.

There's an interesting psychological phenomenon that happens when someone first carries a firearm. There's almost a feeling of invincibility that if something bad happens I can defend myself and everything is going to be alright. Of course, that doesn't always happen is real life, but the thought was there when first carrying. This sort of thing happens with rookie police officers that I can protect and serve the public now that I'm authorized by my governing authority and have the law on my side. They have to be very careful to not get overzealous in this stage of the psychological state of mind.

Criminals already know this phenomenon, but they don't care because they are criminals. Therefore, they use this to their advantage.

Even though my gun was fully concealed, I felt like people could still see me carrying a firearm. Almost, like everyone had X-ray vision. That was a weird feeling. I don't have that feeling anymore, but in the beginning it was there.

CCW is an awesome thing and a great memory and the fact that I didn't have to use my gun. It was a great experience all around.because of the freedom to legally carry in America given by the 2nd Amendment.
 
Kimber CDP. Galco Leather OWB holster. Started carrying in the winter.

I was lucky and went straight to professional training. Mostly because it was still intimidating to go to a range I've never been to. Pro training got me used to a few ranges. Learned right off the bat, how vulnerable we are, in the insanely long 2 or more seconds it takes to draw. HTH was part of that training because we're as likely to be caught off guard.

I also learned that the 1911 is by far the safest pistol to carry out there. My instructor was nice enough to teach me how detail strip it completely after class, and point out it's safeties. So I never was intimidated by C&L carry. And my lame Galco holster had a thumb break blocking the hammer anyways. (I was too safe)

Ammo, training fee's, food, and hotel can cost as much as two nice pistols, but it's far more valuable.

No amount of oil would keep it from rusting. Heavy. Kinda slow to draw. Unreliable. Mags ate the frame under the feed ramp. By spring, I knew I needed to find a better CCW, and switched to a Glock 23.3, IWB. Still that Kimber was insanely accurate with a .090 wide Dawson FO and a Heinie ledge rear. Right up there with high end 1911's three times it's cost. It just lacked the surface finish, durability, and reliability that a CCW needs.

Never worried about printing. Half of the east coast is too ignorant to spot a pistol out in the open. The other half doesn't care. Now a days it's too easy. Everyone has phones on their belts.
 
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I bought a Glock 23 from a buddy as a CC gun, but after practicing with it and carrying it around the house I knew it was far too large for me to ever carry in public. So I bought an LCP as my first real CC gun. And I honestly don’t remember what it was like carrying at first. I do know I was aware of it but that’s not a gun that’s easy to spot to begin with, and originally I carried it in a wallet holster in my back pocket that basically made it invisible. I even got a pat down from security once at an event with it on me and got the thumbs up to be let through the gate.
 
S&W 4013 in an Alessi Talon IWB. Took a couple of classes from Mas Ayoob at LFI around the same time. It was very good training on the practicalities of concealed carry as well as the legal implications.

I lived in Central NY state at the time, where my work and the weather conditions meant I typically had a light jacket or sport coat for concealment. When too warm for a jacket, I could still wear an open short-sleeved sport shirt over a t-shirt.

I think the training went a long way to helping me feel comfortable, but I do still remember how awkward I felt at first. It became second nature, though. I don't still have the 4013. Now I rotate through several different options depending on situation, weather, and dress. The largest is a Glock 23, the smallest a Ruger LCP. Even have a couple of revolvers in the rotation.
 
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Steel frame sig p226.
Weighed 42oz.

Got a Galco belt and a Kirkpatrick iwb holster.

Darn thing is heavy but i woww it everyday as diligent as i could.
It was not comfortable. At. All.

I struggled with it for about a year until i picked up a p239.
 
S&W 469, originally just tucked into my waistband. I was a dumb young man then, but did at least eventually get a cheap holster. Not long after, I sold it for something that fit me and wasn't used until it shot low no matter what I did.

For a short while, carrying a loaded gun worried me. I quickly got used to that (DA/SA with a decocker, after all) and it took me longer to stop feeling like everyone was going to notice it.
After that, it was just a reassuring weight. Nothing to get me taking any more risks, but a paddle if I found myself up a creek.
 
Beretta 92FS, in waistband, or cheap "universal" holster. Tried a shoulder rig, didn't like having to keep a jacket on. Shot the pistol well, but it was oversized for CCW at 21.
 
Kahr P9 in a Galco IWB suede holster. Terrible holster, objectively speaking, but it was comfortable enough. I was a terrible shot with it, though.
 
Colt 1911 govt model, in a custom made vertical shoulder holster. (no one made commercial left handed shoulder rigs back then, if you were left handed, custom was the only game in town.)

I carried it condition three.

Never could make myself holster a chamber loaded, cocked weapon.
 
Springfield Armory 1911 Mil-Spec, parkerized version. In a cheapo OWB holster, probably an Uncle Mike's. It was winter so easy to conceal

But i was somewhat paranoid for the first few weeks. I probably drew more attention to myself being paranoid than I would have if I were open carrying. I sold the 1911 about 6 months later and started carrying an XD .45. The I bought an XDS a few years later. I carry the XD mainly but carry the XDS in the summer.
 
My first ccw was a S&W 642 5 shot snubbie in 38 special. I could not hit the side of a barn. The trigger was awful heavy.
Today, I carry a glock 26, with a nice 5.5 lb trigger, 10 round capacity, and it is quite accurate for a small gun the same size as the 642.
 
My first carry weapon was a .38 DAO Enfield from WWII that I started using at age 13. Usually, it was open carried, but for extra discretion while hiking, it was carried in a shoulder pouch, not unlike a modern Maxpedition bag.
 
2agunner said:
What was your first CCW firearm and experience like?
Click to expand...
Ulm/Do(nau) Walther PPK/S in 1975 carried in a Roy Baker black leather pancake holster (which I still have and use with my mid-80s PPK :))

I must have missed that "invincibility" phase but I did spend several months sorting out a proper perspective/mindset.

The 4 things that I knew for sure, going in;
[1] I am not a cop (so this CWP is for the protection of me & mine),
[2] I never want to shoot anyone,
[3] I do not wish to be murdered or maimed by some miscreant and
[4] #3 always trumps #2.
 
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Walther P99. And I still have it. Bought it brand new when I walked into the gun shop on my 21st birthday. Had a cheap nylon OWB holster and I walked out of the store carrying it. Just with no ammo. Over time I found better and more comfortable holster and belt options. Took awhile to get over the "everyone sees me carrying a gun" phase. Eventually I worried about that less and focused more on how noticeable am I? Is my weapon printing?
 
S&W model 10 in a Galco Highrise holster, still have it. It will outlast me but I will probably be buried with it. I carried OWB unconcealed as is often preferred in Kansas. I carried as an armed security guard on an armored truck and only once had my licensure scrutinized by an LEO. He took great pains to take every round out of my weapon and threw them in the grass on the side of the road. He about wet himself when I inserted a spare mag and went condition one before he got back to his cruiser. I never knew why he even stopped me. Never took my KDL or insurance.
 
I had used my Colt Series 70 for IPSC competitions for 10 years. Switched from OWB to IWB with no problem at all.
 
We had "conceal carry" pass around 8-years ago here in Wisconsin. Before that, it was "open carry" which caused quite a stir among many city dwellers, so I'm sorta glad we can keep the 'issue' sorta secret these days.
Since Day 1, I've been carrying my Glock in a Kirkpatrick elk-hide lined hip holster. Sometimes I forget it's even there, and have gone into the bank or post office with it. Not supposed to do that:

FmAEcOdl.jpg
 
Detective Special carried in a Bianchi 3 (IWB) It was a good set up but I traded it in for a Centennial after a double homicide gave me the desire for something faster to get into action.
 
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Jennings J22. This was when I first was becoming interested in guns and just beginning to experiment with pocket carry. It was quickly replaced with an AMT DAO380 and the rest is history.
 
17 years old, Remington Rand stuck in my waistband, and no, not nervous. Felt alive.
 
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