What do you really want to know about concealed carry?
I apologize if I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that everyone reading this column has the same level of interest in concealed carry as I do. I’ve been doing this for a long time. When I say that, I mean not only have I been carrying a gun for a long time, but I have also been studying, reading about and training to improve my skills every single day. It’s easy to do when it is part of your job. As a result, I sometimes slip into that place where I’m just talking away about recoil spring tension, active or passive weapon retention or muzzle velocity and bullet grain weight and forget that not everyone knows or cares about those nuances of concealed carry. So, let’s get back to the basics for a minute.
What do you need and when can you use it?
For effective concealed carry, you NEED — I mean really need — a couple things. First up is a gun, of course. But what kind of gun is best? If you are working with a firearms trainer who says you must have a Glock or you must have a 1911 or you must have a revolver, please walk away from that person and seek competent instruction.
What you must have is a reliable handgun that is comfortable in your hand and is of a size and weight that allows you to carry it comfortably all day, every day. Finding such a gun is a matter of trial and error. We at Concealed Carry Magazine can guide you with accurate and objective information about different firearms, but we cannot and will not tell you what you must have. Do some research, then go to a gun store or gun show and put your hands on several different guns. See which one feels just right in your hand. When you find something that feels right, go to a range that allows you to rent handguns and try that gun and a few different guns to see how they feel as you fire them.
If you find one you like, stick with it. But keep trying others. If you find one you like better, sell the first gun and buy a different gun. The, make, model and caliber doesn’t matter so much. What matters is that you are comfortable carrying and shooting the gun and that it goes bang every time you pull the trigger.
You will also need a holster. Please do not carry your gun without a holster. Your holster should securely hold your gun in place and cover the trigger and trigger guard to keep anything from getting in there. Even if you choose off-body carry, like a purse or briefcase, please buy a holster that holds your gun securely inside your chosen mechanism of carry.
Next up is ammo. For self-defense, buy hollow-point ammo from a reputable source. You are not buying hollow-points to “do more damage.” You are buying hollow-points to reduce the chance of pass-through shots. So, in reality, you are choosing ammo that does less damage, because you are only damaging the bad guy you are shooting at — not anything else if the bullet happens to pass through the bad guy. We will, of course, talk more about target isolation as it applies to defensive shooting, but know right now that you want to keep all your bullets inside the bad guy and hollow-points work best for that.
So there you have it: the true basics of a concealed carry kit. These tools, combined with good training and a proper mindset, will get you started.
Concealed carry is complicated enough; let’s start by keeping it simple and then move deeper into the weeds as you get more comfortable carrying your gun every day.
Stay safe. Train hard.
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/many-weapons-carry/
