Newbie to Concealed Carry

You will get used to the fit and feel of a handgun on your person. I suggest you take some professional classes, I also suggest you begin with Mas Ayoob's MAG 40. Read his books on concealed carry.

First time I carried in public I thought everybody would notice, and I was a little nervous. The feeling passed pretty quick.

BTW....being skinny makes carrying easier. Take it from somebody who is.....somewhat fluffier than normal.

if you want to see a neat holster go to:

smartcarry.com/reviews.html

there are a number of videos to watch, but look at the 3rd in the list by Tim Schmidt, USCCA. i think he's got a neat point to make. looks like you can carry a fairly good-sized weapon and the mag pocket is slick. think i'm gonna get as soon as i can afford it. reasonably priced too!

I have a SmartCarry holster, worn it two or three times. I may use it again here and there as the need arises but, for me anyway, it's not an every day holster.

I have spoken with the guy who owns the business though. Charlie. Really friendly, retired Marine (like me).

mingansr said:

if you want to see a neat holster go to:

smartcarry.com/reviews.html

there are a number of videos to watch, but look at the 3rd in the list by Tim Schmidt, USCCA. i think he's got a neat point to make. looks like you can carry a fairly good-sized weapon and the mag pocket is slick. think i'm gonna get as soon as i can afford it. reasonably priced too!

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That holster looks great except for a couple of things: 1)it would be impossible to walk up to a urinal and use it without some serious adjustments and exposure to the concealed part of the concealed carry and 2) I don't believe that carrying a large pistol that way would be comfortable sitting for any period of time. I'd rather drop a full-size 1911 in my pocket.

I did not read all the post so forgive me if I repeat someone else. I went through several phases when I decided to carry. I finally decided on a manly leather purse with a long strap that basically looks like I am carrying a camera. Have been asked more than once what type of camera I have but I just say I carry some extra personal belongings.

In the car the purse rides next to me and is unzipped; the purse has 5 mags loaded and a copy of my CHL with contact info. The only decision I have to make about carrying is do I go zipped or unzipped into a location.

I have played out in my mind all kinds of threats and I do realize not all threat bases with this option are covered but for me at this stage it is less of a hassle carry option for me.

I was nervous at first that someone would see it and wig-out. Didn't want the hassle of dealing with panicky ninnies. I carried IWB.
I quickly learned no one is paying attention. I started open carrying most of the time. Still very few people paying attention. If anyone has been alarmed by it, they've kept it to themselves.
Now I carry OWB in a Serpa. It's much more comfortable, much easier to access should I need to, and using the paddle, easy to remove and replace the holster with the gun in it should I need to go into a place that restricts firearms. I no longer worry or care if someone will see it. If my shirt or jacket hangs over it, fine. If it rides up over it, oh well. (I recognize open carry is not legal in all parts of CO, and I don't know if there's a penalty for accidental exposure.)

Get a dependable holster, and get a sturdy, stiff belt.

I decided to carry. I finally decided on a manly leather purse with a long strap

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Sky: I would be concerned about a purse-snatcher, or setting it down and forgetting it. Do you wear the strap across your body?

Sky: I would be concerned about a purse-snatcher, or setting it down and forgetting it. Do you wear the strap across your body?

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Yes I wear the case on my right side and the wide leather strap rest on my left shoulder. I was initially worried about the snatcher thing but figure they will probably have to take my head off to get this case; it is very sturdy and was purchased overseas. The case is actually very secure yet can be shot through if needed. Is it a perfect option for all occasions,,,,,,,most assuredly not, but like I said it works for me with the least amount of hassle and discomfort. Going to the restroom, eating, shopping and bending over or 'whatever' it just works for me and is now just about second nature as far as such things can be.

As far as leaving it someplace.....I have not had that pleasure 'yet' but, as I said the bag contains all the contact info and copy of license; my wife is always watching me so she is my fall back......I am retired so where ever I am she is too and to be honest, I like it that way.... I do remove the case when eating (sometimes) and it rest next to me unzipped about half the time depending on where I am in the eatery. The strap allows the case to ride from my 6 to any position upfront so sometimes it just lays in my lap over the napkin.

I feel I am quicker getting my hand (s) on the weapon than if I carried in a holster under my shirt.....Just a personal option that works for me. If some bad guy wanted to take my life along with the wallet I just reach in the case as if retrieving money an do whatever I have to do for the A team to protect me and mine. If I ever had to shoot they would never see the gun unless I wanted them to with some type of display.

Because I can't carry at work, my pistol stays in the car most of the day. I put my holster on when leaving work in the afternoon, unless I'm going straight home. To move my pistol from the house to the car or vice versa, I use this laptop case designed for concealed carry: http://www.GunSupplyStore.com/products/CONCEALMENT-BRIEFCASE-FOR-LAPTOP-TS%2dLT.html

I have also carried like this once or twice when a holster on-body was not practical, but doing so as a primary carry method seems unworkable for me. Still, the bag linked above is useful in its own right, even without the concealed carry feature.

I've been carrying since the late '80s, and for me it's been a journey. I started (nervously ) with a Combat Commander IWB, and over the years have experimented with waist packs, shoulder holsters and ankle holsters using a variety of guns, of course.
What I finally settled on is a J-frame/ holster in my front trouser pocket, and a speed strip reload in the opposite pocket. Down here in Alabama, summers are hot and winters are mild, so cover garments can be problematic. For real cold weather, I have a heavy leather coat with pass-through slits to reach my trouser pockets. Another advantage of pocket carry is that I can slip my hand into the pocket and grasp the gun if necessary, and be prepared to draw without appearing threatening.

aeriedad quoted

I have a SmartCarry holster, worn it two or three times. I may use it again here and there as the need arises but, for me anyway, it's not an every day holster.

I have spoken with the guy who owns the business though. Charlie. Really friendly, retired Marine (like me).
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why did you quit weating smartcarry, aeriedad? looks like i could carry my xd 40, 4" bbl in that thing with a little baggy on the pants, which is the case in any event. i might buy it, try it, and i can always sell on craigslist or armslist if need be, eh? whaddaya think, man?

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At first I felt like everyone was looking at me or could see my weapon though that was completely impossible. I was also really nervous around cops, and I had never been previously.

After 21 years of daily concealed carry I can honestly say that nobody is ever going to notice your hardware unless you uncover it completely and even if they do they aren't going to say or do anything about it. That said, if you do accidentally uncover it and somebody notices just nod your head at them and go back to whatever you were doing. They'll probably assume you're a cop.

You've already ordered a good gun belt and that is a great first step. I've carried just about every way there is over the years. What I'll say about what works best is that IWB in the 3:00-5:00 range is the most popular by a gigantic margin for a really good reason: For the vast majority of people it works the best. I carry an XD45C in a Comp-Tac MTAC fully adjustable hybrid holster. I've owned lots of holsters and tried on dozens more and this is hands-down the best way to carry IWB in my opinion. There are highly touted cheaper versions of this holster all over the place but the quality of this piece really is second to none.

Something that any future CCWer should consider and practice depending on their method of carry is what to do in public restrooms. Whatever you decide to do you should practice at home before carrying in public. You can find much advice, including mine, on this subject in several threads on this forum.

The suggestion to sit down slowly so your weapon doesn't bonk whatever you're sitting on was a good one. I do that but didn't even realize it much less think of suggesting it.

I also pull the bottom of my shirt down with both hands as I'm standing up. It looks totally natural as people do it all the time.

When you sit in a restaurant booth try to not sit on the outside with your weapon toward the outside. When sitting some weapons carried IWB print horribly when viewed from the side. If you pucker your shirt just right as you sit it will be invisible from any angle but it's tricky to do.

You should definitely be as non-confrontational when carrying as you can stand to be. Remember that any fight you get into is, by definition, a gun fight since you brought the gun. There is potential for you or another party to use it whether that happens or not. Someday, somewhere you're going to need to back down from an argument where you are clearly right and the other guy is trying to pick a fight. Be prepared for this and remember that any day that ends with you and everybody around you still breathing is a good one.

If you are forced to use your weapon in self defense do not under any circumstances freak out and run away afterwards. Call 911 as soon as it is safe to do so.

mingansr said:

why did you quit weating smartcarry, aeriedad? looks like i could carry my xd 40, 4" bbl in that thing with a little baggy on the pants, which is the case in any event. i might buy it, try it, and i can always sell on craigslist or armslist if need be, eh? whaddaya think, man?

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I don't think I have quit wearing the SmartCarry, it's just that I never considered it an every day holster in the first place. If you're wearing a belt, particularly a good gun belt, drawing and re-holstering with a SmartCarry is difficult. It's much easier if you're just wearing sweatpants or gym shorts. It's not at all easy to draw while seated, not matter what you're wearing. I don't wear sweatpants or gym shorts too often, so a belt and Milt Sparks Versa Max 2 holster works much better for me.

When sitting, particularly in blue jeans or normal-fitting pants/shorts, SmartCarry can be a little uncomfortable. Gym shorts or sweatpants will work better.

These are my experiences carrying a Kimber 1911 w/4" bbl. I'm not getting rid of the SmartCarry because I'll probably use it again, though it will never be my every day holster.

I also carry a Rami 2075. I have a crossbreed easy tuck for it, but it moves around on me a lot. I just ordered a Super tuck in order to have two clips to hold it in place. I also have a Para P-12 and a SW CS40 that I have IWB holsters made by Tommy Theis that I LOVE, but he doesn't offer one for the Rami yet.