A lot of good comments here! I really liked what Five had to say. I love researching guns, buying them, etc but I've come to some conclusions:
1. Many carry way more than their actual risk would ever require. I.e., they're way overgunned. If they're comfortable and like it, great, but I think the vast majority get tired of the weight and how uncomfortable. I look at it this way, how many times have you heard we should always carry a gun for the same reasons we always carry a spare tire? I appreciate the idea they're attempting to convey by this but truthfully, I have 4 tires on my car but only carry one spare. The odds are part of a risk assessment. If I was going to travel the Alaskan highway I'd likely carry two. Same goes for a gun. Some guys want to be ready to take on a whole gang. I think that's neat for them but way unpractical for me.
2. Any gun is better than my fists so It's more important that I have something, having said that, it has to be easy enough. for me that means:
- one gun for IWB, still has to be thin and not print; must have a good quality IWB because it really helps.
- one gun for true pocket carry becasue I never have untucked shirts
3. One of the single greatest factors regarding concealed carry is the cover garment. Other than pocket and ankle (who really can carry comfortably on the ankle sure beats me) you have to have a cover garment. If you wear T-shirts or unbottoned untucked shirts you're golden! Many of us don't. I'm a pastor and a business professional so others expect a certain dress and I do care what other's think to a degree so I believe the cover garment poses a HUGE issue for many of us.
So, figure out one pocket holster that is SUPER light, thin, etc. I had a P3AT but every now and then it stovepipes or fails to extract so I'm using a J frame S&W but that feels bulky to me in dress pants, anyway, if I carry that in an IWB, that Airweight disappears and is so light on a good belt that I don't notice it.
Figure this part out and you'll most likely have a gun more often but won't go crazy carrying it. And then FORGET all the posts from others about needing 10 rounds plus two mags, etc. unless you do a risk assessment and decided to move to East St. Louis.
Now after that end of it is done and you want to, get a thin CCW 9mm or .40 with a holster that'll do it IWB for you and then STOP, count it good, maybe stop reading forums for a month
to keep the temptation down, and live a life.
I'm with you and tend to get obsessed with each purchase.
Anyway I hope you find peace in all this.
God Bless
Gideon
1. Many carry way more than their actual risk would ever require. I.e., they're way overgunned. If they're comfortable and like it, great, but I think the vast majority get tired of the weight and how uncomfortable. I look at it this way, how many times have you heard we should always carry a gun for the same reasons we always carry a spare tire? I appreciate the idea they're attempting to convey by this but truthfully, I have 4 tires on my car but only carry one spare. The odds are part of a risk assessment. If I was going to travel the Alaskan highway I'd likely carry two. Same goes for a gun. Some guys want to be ready to take on a whole gang. I think that's neat for them but way unpractical for me.
2. Any gun is better than my fists so It's more important that I have something, having said that, it has to be easy enough. for me that means:
- one gun for IWB, still has to be thin and not print; must have a good quality IWB because it really helps.
- one gun for true pocket carry becasue I never have untucked shirts
3. One of the single greatest factors regarding concealed carry is the cover garment. Other than pocket and ankle (who really can carry comfortably on the ankle sure beats me) you have to have a cover garment. If you wear T-shirts or unbottoned untucked shirts you're golden! Many of us don't. I'm a pastor and a business professional so others expect a certain dress and I do care what other's think to a degree so I believe the cover garment poses a HUGE issue for many of us.
So, figure out one pocket holster that is SUPER light, thin, etc. I had a P3AT but every now and then it stovepipes or fails to extract so I'm using a J frame S&W but that feels bulky to me in dress pants, anyway, if I carry that in an IWB, that Airweight disappears and is so light on a good belt that I don't notice it.
Figure this part out and you'll most likely have a gun more often but won't go crazy carrying it. And then FORGET all the posts from others about needing 10 rounds plus two mags, etc. unless you do a risk assessment and decided to move to East St. Louis.
Now after that end of it is done and you want to, get a thin CCW 9mm or .40 with a holster that'll do it IWB for you and then STOP, count it good, maybe stop reading forums for a month
to keep the temptation down, and live a life.I'm with you and tend to get obsessed with each purchase.
Anyway I hope you find peace in all this.
God Bless
Gideon