THR has always attracted defensive shooters of all skill levels, but particularly new shooters, and even more so in recent months. I'm starting this thread in the hopes that we can pass along lessons learned from carrying, and I'm hoping everyone from newbies to long-time veterans will chime in if they have any tips. Idea being, maybe someone else can save on hassle, time, and money when they're just starting out by not making the same mistakes we did. That said, I know full well that my lessons learned from mistakes are going to be daily tactics for others. Just keep respect in mind, and remember that each of us have formed different habits... and barring any unsafe acts, there's really nothing wrong with that.
Here's what I would do differently if I was starting over:
1) Get a good leather gun belt. It's unfair to put any holster to the test if it's not supported by quality leather that will hold it in place and make carrying more comfortable.
2) Don't skimp on holsters. Forget the nylon "one size fits all." Know the difference between Kydex and injection-molded plastic. Know that there's a reason some companies charge more, and usually that reason is you get what you pay for.
3) The 5.11 Tactical Vest.
Try not to laugh at me too hard on this one. I still wear it when hiking, camping, going on walkabouts, etc. However, for day to day urban use it looks out of place, makes me feel out of place, and having a holster in the lining of the vest makes it drag horribly to one side.
4) This one applies to a lot more than just guns, but the sooner you open yourself up to the idea that there's a lot you don't know, more you'll learn, and faster too. Never take one opinion as gospel on CCW issues, but realize that when certain people talk about certain subjects, their opinions ought to be given considerable weight. There's a lot more than one way to go about training and equipping to live a prepared lifestyle. Take in a lot - read, train, talk to others on the range, and see what they've got going on. Take the best of it and adopt it. Take the worst of it and orphan it. It really is okay to admit you don't know something and ask, or dive in and do your own research.
5) Take care of your equipment. Learn it inside and out. Spend a weekend afternoon breaking your pistol down to the guts and learning the components. Proper care and feeding means it'll be there for you when you need it.
6) Don't skip getting a .22 pistol. I waited about 5 years after I started shooting handguns to get one because I only wanted pistols that could serve "serious" purposes. Turns out I can spend a couple bucks for an afternoon at the range and get as much serious practice and fun as if I were shooting a larger handgun.
7) If you're going to use your range bag as a carry-on for flying, scrub it thoroughly for loose ammunition to avoid long and embarrassing delays at the TSA checkpoint. :banghead:
And what I'm glad I've done in my history of handgunnery:
1) Shoot a lot of guns. Throughout the time that I was a poor college student and could only afford to own one or two at a time, I was selling or trading a handgun every few months to try something new. I don't like having gotten rid of some good ones, but it was worth it for having gotten to try a larger sample of what's out there. Try the different types - DA/SA, revolvers, striker-fired, single action autos/revolvers.
If a shooter in the lane next to you at the range is showing safe habits, offer to let them try running a magazine or cylinder through your weapon; this will inevitably lead to him or her returning the favor.
2) If you buy a box or two of ammo every time you go through the doors of a place that sells it, you'll always have rounds on hand when you're ready to go to the range. I know this harder now than it used to be, but this too shall pass.
3) Have a dedicated range bag. Doesn't need to have a fancy logo on the side - mine is a yellow backpack that says Jansport. Keep your eyes, ears, targets, and stapler ready to go. You never know when you might get off work early enough to go plink.
4) Glocks blow up, SIGs have a high bore axis, Beretta locking blocks break, Ruger is anti-gun, 1911s are unreliable, and HK hates you. Get over it, and go with what works for you.
5) Shoot competitions. IDPA, IPSC, 3-Gun, Bullseye, steel. Get out and meet people interested in what you're interested in, test yourself, and have some fun.
6) Leave the range cleaner than you found it. If it's an outdoor range, bring a garbage bag and help clean up after the scum who's moms didn't teach them any better. A lot of good places to shoot are getting shut down because this, so even though it's utterly unfair, do your part to keep the sport alive.
Here's what I would do differently if I was starting over:
1) Get a good leather gun belt. It's unfair to put any holster to the test if it's not supported by quality leather that will hold it in place and make carrying more comfortable.
2) Don't skimp on holsters. Forget the nylon "one size fits all." Know the difference between Kydex and injection-molded plastic. Know that there's a reason some companies charge more, and usually that reason is you get what you pay for.
3) The 5.11 Tactical Vest.
Try not to laugh at me too hard on this one. I still wear it when hiking, camping, going on walkabouts, etc. However, for day to day urban use it looks out of place, makes me feel out of place, and having a holster in the lining of the vest makes it drag horribly to one side.4) This one applies to a lot more than just guns, but the sooner you open yourself up to the idea that there's a lot you don't know, more you'll learn, and faster too. Never take one opinion as gospel on CCW issues, but realize that when certain people talk about certain subjects, their opinions ought to be given considerable weight. There's a lot more than one way to go about training and equipping to live a prepared lifestyle. Take in a lot - read, train, talk to others on the range, and see what they've got going on. Take the best of it and adopt it. Take the worst of it and orphan it. It really is okay to admit you don't know something and ask, or dive in and do your own research.
5) Take care of your equipment. Learn it inside and out. Spend a weekend afternoon breaking your pistol down to the guts and learning the components. Proper care and feeding means it'll be there for you when you need it.
6) Don't skip getting a .22 pistol. I waited about 5 years after I started shooting handguns to get one because I only wanted pistols that could serve "serious" purposes. Turns out I can spend a couple bucks for an afternoon at the range and get as much serious practice and fun as if I were shooting a larger handgun.
7) If you're going to use your range bag as a carry-on for flying, scrub it thoroughly for loose ammunition to avoid long and embarrassing delays at the TSA checkpoint. :banghead:
And what I'm glad I've done in my history of handgunnery:
1) Shoot a lot of guns. Throughout the time that I was a poor college student and could only afford to own one or two at a time, I was selling or trading a handgun every few months to try something new. I don't like having gotten rid of some good ones, but it was worth it for having gotten to try a larger sample of what's out there. Try the different types - DA/SA, revolvers, striker-fired, single action autos/revolvers.
If a shooter in the lane next to you at the range is showing safe habits, offer to let them try running a magazine or cylinder through your weapon; this will inevitably lead to him or her returning the favor.
2) If you buy a box or two of ammo every time you go through the doors of a place that sells it, you'll always have rounds on hand when you're ready to go to the range. I know this harder now than it used to be, but this too shall pass.
3) Have a dedicated range bag. Doesn't need to have a fancy logo on the side - mine is a yellow backpack that says Jansport. Keep your eyes, ears, targets, and stapler ready to go. You never know when you might get off work early enough to go plink.
4) Glocks blow up, SIGs have a high bore axis, Beretta locking blocks break, Ruger is anti-gun, 1911s are unreliable, and HK hates you. Get over it, and go with what works for you.
5) Shoot competitions. IDPA, IPSC, 3-Gun, Bullseye, steel. Get out and meet people interested in what you're interested in, test yourself, and have some fun.
6) Leave the range cleaner than you found it. If it's an outdoor range, bring a garbage bag and help clean up after the scum who's moms didn't teach them any better. A lot of good places to shoot are getting shut down because this, so even though it's utterly unfair, do your part to keep the sport alive.
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