What's minimum recommended equipment for CCW

[DMK]

Obviously gun, ammo is all that is really needed for a best case scenario, but what is the minimum equipment that one should carry on a daily basis?

ID and CCL - Need to carry both my permit and another form of ID in NC at least. I make it a habit. Grab gun, grab wallet.

Good holster and belt - I think a good quality holter and stiff belt can make almost anything concealable. I've tried those cheap nylon jobs, but after buying some nice leather and Kydex holsters, even my full size Govt. and CZ-75 are comfortable. I'll never go cheap there again.

Cell Phone - If you even find yourself in trouble, you can call for help. Maybe you'll get lucky and the cavalry will arrive before the situation requires the use of deadly force. Either way, make sure you make it clear that you are the victim and the other party is the threat. My cell phone is with me 24/7.

Spare magazine - I usually carry a spare with my 1911s since 8 rounds doesn't seem like that much, plus with those thin single stacks, it's easy to carry a spare. I don't usually carry a spare 15 rounder when concealing my CZ-75 though.

Pepper Spray - I always carry a little pocket canister whether I'm armed or not. Even if I am armed, perhaps this little guy will give me the opportunity to break contact without resorting to drawing my weapon.

Flashlight - Like the pepper spray, I always carry a bright flashlight, day or night. Ever been in the middle of a large, cluttered, windowless building when the power goes out? It's not fun. This has a multitude of uses, target identification being but one of them.

Pocket knife - A fellow here on the forum mentioned once that it might be a good idea to carry a knife where you can get it with your off hand. It may be a useful weapon if someone were to try and seperate you from your CCW.

Comments, suggestions?

 

[Gerald McDonald]

Pistol/holster/CCL. Thats all I carry, dont always use a holster, pocket carry is fine with some handguns.

 

[sm]

Minimum

Engage brain ( mindset, SA...)
Licenses ( DL and permits...for me its multiple permits)
Gun (loaded and rd chambered)

Like Gerald , often all I carry...just ran a errand, keys and $ only thing else I took. Knife was already clipped to jeans pocket...there is one in the truck tho'...small ASP on keyring. I travel light, simple often. extra mag(s) stays in truck.

 

[Dr.Rob]

License & ID, loaded handgun, rubberbands.



(Seriously a good belt/holster is a must even when pocket carrying)

Cell phone is a good idea too.

 

[Quintin Likely]

Spare magazine - I usually carry a spare with my 1911s since 8 rounds doesn't seem like that much, plus with those thin single stacks, it's easy to carry a spare. I don't usually carry a spare 15 rounder when concealing my CZ-75 though.

Spare magazine is a good idea regardless of weapon capacity. It's not so much that you might run out of ammo during a gun fight, you may have to solve a magazine related malfunction...Murphy does like to ruin people's days at the worst possible times.

 

[10-Ring]

Yes, pistol & ammo at a bare minimum But also, a good belt, holster, license, spare mag, & cell phone.
Yeah, the pepper spray, BUG, extra ammo for bug, light, folding knife, & bat-catapolt are optional

 

[P95Carry]

Gun and ammo of course .. and probably holster. Spare mag for auto yeah .. Murphy insurance.

But most of all .... and top of list ....

Correct and responsible ''mindset'' The rest is no good without this ... even to point of being a liability. (IMO)

 

[JPM70535]

G other un and Ammo. Holster?, sometimes yes, sometimes no. ID?, always. Only other always on board equipment? small pocket knife (automatic aka switchblade) in left front pocket. Perfectly legal under Fl.CCW permit. Cell phone? about 50% of time.

If I tried to carry every item recommended by every expert, would not be able to move and would look like pillsbury dough boy.

 

[Mad Man]

Clothes?

 

[jacketch]

I would put a good, sensible pair of shoes up at the top of the list.

The last fight I lost was because I slipped running around a corner

 

[P95Carry]

jacketch's comment reminds me .... tho straying a tad from topic ...... how much of a joke it seems when in movies, guys (good guys particularly) .. clump around in shoes that advertise their exact location and ... probably have a coefficient of friction too small to measure!

Grippy (and quiet) rubber soles for me these days . always.

 

[E=MC^2]

Cell phones are necessary.

LE will be getting calls like, "Send the police! Someone is shooting people over here!". You can be sure a description of you and your clothing has been given to the police, should you be the victor, even though you're the good guy. You don't want some rookie showing up with his finger on the trigger of his Glock thinking you're the BG.

Get your information over the air immediatly after it's safe to do so. Let LE know who you are, what you're wearing, and where the firearm will be when officers arrive.

 

[XavierBreath]

Alert mind
Empty hands if at all possible
Loaded Gun
Ammo in spare magazine
Holster if needed
Clothes
License
Attorney's card

A cell phone would be a great idea as well, although I often do not carry one. Ditto for the flashlight and other gear.

 

[jamz]

OK, let's see now....

Wallet,
Holster and weapon,
Spare magazine,
Cell phone,
Flashlight,
Pepper spray,
Knife.

DMK, do you wear a backpack or something? I would have no idea how to arrange all this stuff. I can barely stand a cell phone and pager. (Tho I used to have a small knife and flashlight on my keychain)

 

[kentucky bucky]

A little ole gun and a big ole pocket.








He said minimal!

 

[DMK]

DMK, do you wear a backpack or something? I would have no idea how to arrange all this stuff.

Nope. Jeans or Dockers type pants. Everything in pockets except the pistol IWB, a spare magazine in a pouch on the belt and the cell phone usually goes in a breast shirt pocket.

You know that most pants have at least 4 pockets. How many do you use?

Now if I'm wearing my leather jacket, that's 6 more pockets. I can really carry some stuff then.

 

[goon]

Things get downright crowded when I carry.
I always have my wallet and my 4" Case in my right pocket, and my keys and my leatherman in my left.
When I carry, I stick the SIG in the holster and stick the mag in my left pocket. It sort of stands out from the other stuff, so it ain't that hard to find.
Plus, if I shoot more than 9 rounds of ammo at someone, I am probably in bigger trouble than one more mag will get me out of.
Having said that, I rarely carry.
Mostly only to the range, in the woods, and just enough to stay comfortable with a loaded gun on my hip.

 

[TonyB]

Here's what I carry if it helps....
Knife:front pocket
Sp101 strong side OWB
Speedloader in front strong side pocket
Speed loader in jacket pocket
Keys on belt
Pager
hankie(thanks Dad)
comb(never used)
money clip(weak front pocket)
Somrtimes I think I'd weigh less w/out the comb........
For just CCW....gun and extra ammo(magazine or speedloader)...
I'm also thinking about a pocket gun as back up..........someday.......after the holidays....maybe.....I need 3 jobs...

 

[BerettaNut92]

Your keys. Don't leave home without them.

Because if you did, you wouldn't be able to get very far since you can't start your car, and how do you expect to get back in, silly?

Minimum: Gun, belt, papers, keys, phone.
Optional: Extra mags, notepad, pen, Surefire, knife, 1 qt water, first aid kit, pepper spray, multitool.

 

[Smoke]

Lots of things are "good ideas".

All you need: gun, ID's, CHL.

 

[Bravo11]

I always carry billfold, keys and knife but when I CCW I add a
handgun/holster. I don't get carrying all that other stuff like pepper spray, flashlite, multi-tool.

 

[Majic]

Hopefully everybody carries their most valuable concealed weapon with them all the time. Their BRAIN.

 

[Bainx]

megcatia--

pepper spray for those situations where you can not use a firearm such as:

Bad guy comes up to Bainx "I'm gonna whup your a**!"
Bainx responds with spray to face and states "Oh no you're not!"
I would much rather spray and walk off than to trade punches with Bubba and lose teeth.

flashlight [Surefire]--shined into bad guy's eyes, he ain't gonna see nothing but stars for a minute or so. Meantime, you beat-feet.

multi-tool-- if I had a dollar for everytime I used one, I would be retired by now.

 

[Bravo11]

Bainx,
I agree that all the items are very useful but where do you draw the line?

 

[Mil Novecientos Once]

What's minimum recommended equipment for CCW

Here is my list:
1. 1911
2. two spare mags
3. wallet (Id's and license)
4. keys
5. pen, it can be used to stab if they get close and personal

I don't think that you should need anything else. Unless you want to be Batman.