The following is a guest post from a contact that works for IDF Holsters. I agree with everything he says about carrying a concealed weapon and want to add one more piece of advice. The operative word is concealed. Every now and then, I run across someone who doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the word. They like to impress others with the fact they are carrying. This is stupid for several reasons, but the main one is you are giving away your biggest advantage, surprise. Your weapon should be concealed but accessible. Follow the advice in this article, get a good holster and dress right.
Howard
Top Things You Should Avoid When You Carry a Concealed Weapon
Carrying a concealed weapon involves a lot of responsibility, taking care to follow safety precautions and practicing effective self-defense skills. Because of the weight of responsibility, concealed carriers have to practice great care at all times. Here, we’ve listed the top things you should avoid when you conceal carry.
Not getting a high quality holster
Buying an inexpensive holster is not necessarily a bad thing, but using a poorly made one is. There are a lot of options for great holsters around that are of high quality yet not necessarily overpriced. Make sure that the holster you are using for concealed carry fits your needs well and does not sacrifice safety or reliability.
Whatever material your holster is made of, just make sure that it is able to retain your weapon properly and it gives you enough comfort for wearing. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of holsters. Certain kinds may not work so well for you, so it’s important to find the one that best fits your lifestyle and corresponds well with your preferred carry position.
Not being prepared enough
It’s a bad habit for concealed carriers to have to assume that they are much more skilled than any hostile force they may encounter. This can result in a lax attitude and can spell disaster in a self-defense situation.
Never underestimate your opponent’s skills and never overestimate your abilities. Observing the proper amount of caution is what’s best with your concealed weapon, so be sure to practice your skills and have the right mindset so you’ll be prepared enough.
Not storing your firearm securely
When you don’t have your weapon on you, always make sure that you keep it stored and locked away securely. This would prevent any accidents or dangerous situations, such as having someone else spot the weapon, which could result in mishandling or misfiring.
Getting involved in conflicts
Self-defense is the core purpose of having a concealed carry weapon. Defending one’s life, those of loved ones, and the lives of innocent people when endangered by a hostile force is what conceal carriers value.
However, there are consequences which you need to anticipate and accept when you use your weapon in any given situation. This is why you need to try and avoid conflicts for as much as possible. Keep in mind that there will always be consequences when you use your weapon.
Not wearing proper clothing
Wearing your concealed weapon entails a change in the way you dress, but it does not necessarily mean that you have to wear loose shirts and shorts all the time. The key is to find a balance and adjust things accordingly.
Make sure that your clothes can accommodate your weapon well. The top thing to remember is you should keep your gun concealed and not call attention on yourself through printing or fingering your weapon.
Carrying a concealed weapon requires a great deal of responsibility, not just for your safety, but for those around you. This would mean not threatening anyone with a weapon that looks obvious or giving anyone any reason for suspicion or panic. For this reason, you need to make sure you have the proper holster and keep things where they should be.
Darned good notes to take to heart (Howard?). I’d like to add a couple of few.
Once you make the decision and do whatever legality is required in your area, you should carry daily. To make it a habit. I realized that when you mentioned ‘fingering’ a weapon that that is one thing I rarely do. Why? I’ve carried for over 40 years and doing so is just a part of getting dressed for me. I don’t finger my socks (unless the elastic is blown perhaps); so?, the same applies to my firearm.
A common mistake is to think you need to carry a ‘cannon’. What is needed for carry on a daily basis is a firearm that can take the abuse of your life, not get in the way of your work, not be noticed by others or even you moment to moment. Again, what a person needs to find is a balance between the normal life they lead and the firearm they carry. Size in the long run won’t matter. Having a means to defend one’s self is all that counts.
The same issue goes for reloads. Unless you’re entering a war-zone, you really don’t need more than one reload at best. I’ve known many persons who don’t carry any additional ammunition that what is in the sidearm. You’re not in all likelihood going to be getting into a protracted fire-fight.
You need a firearm that as I said can take the abuse of your life. I work near or on the Gulf of Mexico – daily. That means heat, sweat, salt-air, extreme humidity, the dust, lint and debris that enter my pockets and into my clothes. My firearm is abused due to this daily. Any person who carries needs to get into another habit – of when disarming at the end of the day at home, giving at least a cursory ‘once-over’ to their gun of choice. Cycle the hammer, literally blow out the barrel of any b.s. that may’ve gotten into it. Look for dryness of the action or a new spot of rust. It only takes a few seconds to at least check. Coupled with the daily check one should at least weekly give the old girl a nice cleaning. She may’ve just sat there in her seat; but, she was there for you all week long.
One big final point – NEVER brandish. Not even to show it to a friend. The only time you should ever draw your firearm is in earnestness or when asked by another person to see it – a request originating and of their own creation. Such is the law in many states.
I carried 11, mostly stainless, in hot climates. Don’t touch it, unless you intend to. Period. Then, if possible, hide while you present. Up and ready deters 75% more than talking.
I agree with Heartless that if you live in a “shall issue” state and elect to carry, that you should do so daily. You should also seek suitable training.
In the event that you must enter an area where carrying your personal firearm is not permitted, such as a post office, school or airport, you will need a secure, lockable storage container in your vehicle. A cased handgun simply locked in your vehicle trunk is not secure. Furthermore, if you have NRA or other stickers on your car, the unoccupied vehicle is more likely to be targeted for theft to gain access to any weapon which may be stored in it.
I use a Tuflock weapon storage box of the type commonly installed in public safety vehicles. These cost about $200 and should be professionally installed by a police equipment supplier or your new car dealer. Having one is absolutely necessary to avoid possible arrest if you must drive through a state which does not recognize your carry permit. For info on suitable storage containers see:
https://www.fleetsafety.com/mini-tufloc-storage-lock-box/
i carry a lcp most of the time in a home made kydex pocket holster. i ‘ve carried daily for years and Heartless has some other good advice. nobody has ever noticed.
always follow the law, too. and stop sneaking your gun into places the law says you aren’t supposed to. have an easy car and home safe system for stashing your pistol; it’ll cost you another $75 bucks or so, big whoop. learn some hand to hand and have some alternate options (CS spray) if you’re that worried.
Avoid post offices and their premises.