Some thoughts on carry from a VERY occasional carrier

[chaim]

I live in MD where CCW is virtually impossible. However, a FL non-resident permit isn't too hard to get, and MD is near several CCW states. So, it is rare that I carry outside the house, but it does happen.

Anyway, here are some thoughts from a recent carry session, from a very occasional CCWer:

-Lighter is better, except when it isn't.

Generally, a lighter gun for a longer period of carry is better, and it also makes it more likely we'll eventually forget about the gun. People who can carry pretty much everyday get used to it and don't really notice the gun. Us occasional carriers don't ever get used to it, so a lighter gun helps us not notice so much. For everyone it can be more pleasant after a long carry session.

When isn't lighter better, if you are like me and usually keep a lot of stuff in your pocket a lighter pocket carry gun may not be as good. I thought lighter would definately be better for this application, until I did it outside the home. When I leave the house I usually have a lot in my right pocket (cell phone, kleenex, 1-3 pens, knife, pepper spray, sometimes some papers, when at work I'll have medical gloves, etc) so it is full and weighted down. I feel naked leaving the house without that lump and weight in my pocket. Thus, I felt far more obvious when I went out with my 15oz S&W 442 in my pocket than when I left with my 21oz Taurus 85CH. Now, in dress pants I can see the lighter gun being an advantage (lighter weight material means a heavier gun may print more), but in casual slacks (Dockers, Polo, and lots of other brands) heavier is better for me and maybe for some of you.

-Carrying around the house feels far different than carrying outside the house. I often carry around the house. I figured that would help me be used to carrying around a firearm. I am comfortable with the gun concealed around the house and rarely notice it. Almost as soon as I walked out the door I felt like everyone knew I was carrying a gun. Sure, it is likely that I noticed the weight of the gun less than I would have, and I knew it was well concealed, because of my experience carrying around the house, BUT probably the only way to really get used to carrying in public, and to get rid of the "everyone knows" thoughts, is to carry in public.

-It really felt empowering to know that I was actually as fully prepared as possible for any attack. I still had my less-lethal pepper spray/CS gas dispenser, I had a knife, and now I also had a J-frame in my pocket. It was also nice to be truly excercising my rights as a US citizen, rights that the state of MD chooses not to recognize.

-Even though I was doing nothing wrong, coming from MD where carry is illegal, I felt like I was and got nervous whenever I saw a cop. I found myself driving an average of about 5MPH slower than usual, I was doubly careful to follow all traffic laws, and generally was acting like a teenager doing something he shouldn't be and I was doing nothing wrong. MD conditions you well.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Before I left MD for good in 1966 I always carried a dirty GI 1911A1 45 in the glove box, along with a half box of GI hardball and some shot targets in the trunk.
Better excuse for having the gun than none at all.

My Wife and I moved to Texas where I was a Army helicopter instructor until the early 70's when the Army closed the school.

We came back to Baltimore for a couple weeks because I could go to work for IBM. A friend assured me I had the job.

After about a week I told my friend, "Thanks but I used to carry a 45 in the car but now I feel like I've got to mount a machine gun on the car hood. I can't go back to living like this. I'd rather starve in Texas than live here again."

And I understand the MD gun laws are even worse now.

 

[Don't Tread On Me]

The greatest advice about a concealed carry guns is:


Find a gun that fits around you and your lifestyle, do not try and fit your life and lifestyle around the gun.


That is the greatest truth ever. Most people rationalize the purchase of a large CC handgun by thinking they can adjust the method of carry, or change their dress, or somehow get used to it.


Almost never works out. If something about carrying a gun bothers you - chances are you'll start leaving it home. That's error #1. Any gun that you can carry 99% or more of the time, is far superior to some larger gun that you carry 50% of the time because its too much of a pain to strap on the holster, or your slacks are too thin to conceal it, or its too heavy for the particular belt your wearing, or for comfort reasons etc.....


My #1 carry gun is a Kel-Tec .380 in Chrome. Because it is so small, it gets carried 100% of the time with the exception of places where it is unlawful to carry. It doesn't care about what I wear because it's so small.

Other guns I own can be carried too, but not 100% of the time. The primary carry gun must be one that will be with you all the time. If winter hits and you have large coats, then go for the big, not-so-easy to conceal handgun in a holster under the large coats/sweaters. But if you determine that to be the main-carry gun, consider what you'll be wearing throughout the year, and in different situations. Can you carry it with shorts and a thin t-shirt? Can you carry it in dress slacks and a button up shirt tucked in? Can you carry it with a suit on?


Rule #1 is: Having a gun is better than not having a gun. Caliber debates and all that are secondary.

 

[K-Romulus]

similar thoughts

I had a VA CCW permit for a good three years before moving to MD. At first, I wore the unloaded gun around the house in an IWB to get used to the feel. After I felt comfortable with knowing what to expect during normal movement (bending, reaching, walking, sitting down, etc.) I took it outdoors. . . I was truly under the impression that everyone "knew" and was staring at me . .. talk about paranoid!

Like you said, after a few times, I realized that most people just don't pay attention. People have posted here about OWB not even registering on the radar of the public unless pointed out. Carrying around NoVA, I am positive someone would have called the police if they could tell I was CCWing.

But, I found that you can lose this confidence if you don't carry regularly. I like kydex, so an IWB worn empty around the house, and around MD, keeps the edge sharp, so to speak, because you still get the CCW hip pressure from a solid holster (unlike a soft leather holster). I was worried about acting like a "nut" walking around with an empty IWB holster, but who is going to know? After a couple of trips to the local Giant, it has again become "no big deal." I've CCW'd at the inlaws in Philly, and it was like I was back in VA: no big deal, in some part due to the familiarity from "holster carry."

I just have to be sure not to get frisked for some reason . . . wouldn't that be an interesting conversation with the MoCo Police?

 

[chaim]

Well, I was thinking about the heavier gun feeling better in my pocket than the lighter gun due to usually having a lot of junk in my pocket, and I'm thinking in two different directions.

I may go with it and get the cheaper Kahr MK9 instead of the lighter PM9 and I may possibly sell the 442 (I find it uncomfortable to shoot anyway). I'll just have to go with a lighter weight IWB gun instead of a heavier one (like my Taurus PT140 M. Pro instead of a 1911) so the overall weight doesn't drag down my pants when I carry a primary and backup. Otherwise, when I carry a backup I can find an alternative placement for my backup gun, like ankle carry, so I can carry a larger gun IWB at times (the problem with this is being about 80LBS overweight means my calves are big enough to make ankle carry a problem and a belly band would likely be a problem as well). For when I'm wearing my dress pants I could keep the 442 and put up with the lighter feeling (it may cause me less uneasiness anyway since I usually don't keep as much in my pockets when wearing dress pants as when I'm wearing casual slacks). Alternatively, usually I wear a suit, sport coat, or blazer when wearing dress pants, so I could just go with an IWB holster with a heavier gun and forget the pocket gun altogether.

The other option is to get used to going with less in my pockets. I could keep more in my left pocket, carry less stuff around, or get a "man purse" (maybe carry a zippered planner all the time) for most of the stuff I usually keep in my right pocket. That way when I carry a light weight gun in my pocket it won't be such an adjustment. An additional advantage is that when I do carry a gun there I can't have anything else in my pocket anyway so I'll always be going around the way I would with a gun in my pocket.

I was truly under the impression that everyone "knew" and was staring at me...

after a few times, I realized that most people just don't pay attention...

But, I found that you can lose this confidence if you don't carry regularly. I like kydex, so an IWB worn empty around the house, and around MD, keeps the edge sharp, so to speak, because you still get the CCW hip pressure from a solid holster (unlike a soft leather holster)... After a couple of trips to the local Giant, it has again become "no big deal." I've CCW'd at the inlaws in Philly, and it was like I was back in VA: no big deal, in some part due to the familiarity from "holster carry."

That's a good idea I never thought of, and I think it would be better than carrying around the house for forming comfort with carrying in public (I'll still carry around the house often for HD purposes of course). I do have a cheap kydex Uncle Mike's for my 1911 and a cheap plastic Fobus for my CZ 75B. Maybe I should get one for my primary carry gun and carry method (IWB for my Taurus PT140 M. Pro) to keep things as comparable as possible. Though, the larger holster for the larger gun (carried OWB) would keep me more used to keeping something concealed since keeping an IWB holster concealed with no gun in it would not be much of a challenge.

 

[carnaby]

it's called Printophobia! Heh

 

[TallPine]

Actually, I get nervous when I'm not carrying

It just feels so weird, and I walk around leaning to port

 

[Blue Jays]

Hi All-

Most non-gunnies are so obliviously living life in permanent Condition White fashion that they wouldn't notice a fluorescent .357 Magnum duct-taped to our foreheads.

With that in mind, stop adjusting, poking, and prodding sidearms that doesn't need adjustment. If the covering garment is serviceable, there shouldn't be any problems that would call attention to a truly concealed firearm. Enjoy!

~ Blue Jays ~

 

[ball3006]

I carry a Kel Tec 3AT.....

and a Steyr 40S. The KT goes in my pocket and the Steyr goes in my small man-purse. I dress very casual, jeans/sweatpants/shorts so the purse does not look out of place. I cannot carry at work so I don't worry about a carry system in business casual clothes. I see so many guys stating they carry a hot rod 1911 with high octane ammo. I tried a 1911 once and it lasted about a week.........chris3

 

[carnaby]

I carry a kimber ultra II. Good little carry gun. I'm switching to a full size 1911 pretty soon, for the 1911 platform, carrying IWB with full size or compact doesn't make much difference, oddly enough. I tried carrying a beretta 96 and it was way to fat.

No high octane ammo, just regular.

 

[Hemicuda]

being a big guy, i can carry almost ANYTHING... no problems with a Smith 4506 at 4 - o - clock, in a Galco Jak-Slide... (or even a TC Contender with a 10" 45/410 bbl, in shoulder leather, under a coat)

biggest thing was realizing that people just do not SEE guns... and i carry VERY egularly...

 

[rudolf]

If it is legal where you live you might carry a fixed blade knife on your right hip. That gives you about all the training of not flashing it and not constantly pushing it into the right position that you need when carrying a concealed gun.

I'm not talking about self defence use here, just about getting used to carrying.

 

[Walter]

M2Carbine wrote

My Wife and I moved to Texas where I was a Army helicopter instructor until the early 70's when the Army closed the school.

After about a week I told my friend, "Thanks but I used to carry a 45 in the car but now I feel like I've got to mount a machine gun on the car hood. I can't go back to living like this. I'd rather starve in Texas than live here again."

Just curious, did you end up back in Mineral wells, or someplace else?

Walter

 

[Zen21Tao]

I am a Florida resident with a CCW and am glad to see that my state can help fulfill your gun needs when your own state wants to treat you worse than a criminal when it comes to your constitutional rights.

As for carry option consider single stack vs double stack. I carry both a Sig P239 in 40 S&W and a Glock 29 10mm in an IWB holsters. The being a single stack makes the Sig more comfortable and not print as bad but it only has 7 rounds compared to 10rnds in my Glock 29. I also have an AMT Backup in .45 ACP that I occasionally use as a pocket pistol. Its main down side is that its weighty for such a small pistol.