Armed And Ready

This concealment sweater from Tactica Defense features a pass-through
pocket allowing access to a belly band or corset holster.

Every newcomer to concealed carry has a story, something motivated them to want to carry a gun. Perhaps it was a scare — something they experienced personally or to someone they know — that made them appreciate vulnerability. Sadly, time passes, and for many the scare wears off and they no longer carry. Why? It can be a pain in the butt! There are some serious obstacles to overcome if you’re going to make daily carry of a handgun part of your life. I like to break these down into two principal areas: software and hardware.

The software challenges to daily carry are commitment, awareness, practice and legal protection. The hardware challenges are the gun, ammunition, carry method and gun care. Throw into the mix whatever training and license your state requires and you can see it’s no decision to make lightly. Even if you live in a constitutional carry state requiring no license to carry, doing so without some type of training is naïve and dangerous. Even if you grew up hunting and shooting, carrying a gun for self-defense is a whole ’nother ball game.

Commitment

Imagine a scenario where someone very close to you is killed or injured. You could have prevented it, if only you hadn’t left the handgun you normally carry behind just this one time. We can all think of reasons why this might be the case, but it usually boils down to lack of commitment.

If you aren’t familiar with the sheepdog analogy, please Google “Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs — Dave Grossman.” If I could, I’d make this essay required reading for anyone who wants to carry a gun. If after reading this you decide you’re not a sheep and not a predator, but a sheepdog, you’ll understand why going unarmed isn’t an option. And, because none of us has a crystal ball, if we’re going to do this thing, it’s got to be all the time. You can’t decide when and where the bad guys are going to show up. That’s on them.

Cellphones are among the many distractions that compromise our
awareness of potential threats when we’re in public.

Awareness

Just having a gun isn’t going to protect you. As a sheepdog, you must be diligent — like my little Pomeranian who can go from sound asleep to full bark in about half a second when a threatening noise is heard around our house.

A sheepdog doesn’t bury its head in a cellphone, texting or posting to Facebook, while a potential assault is lurking just over your shoulder. Paying attention to your surroundings and playing “what if” scenarios in your mind just might enable you to take necessary action to protect yourself and your loved ones. To practice awareness, think of yourself as a potential target wherever you go. Hopefully this thought process will help you stay away from places where you know danger lurks, but keep an eye open everywhere for possible escape routes, for suspicious looking people and for areas of approach that are not open enough to give you time to react to an attack.

Drawing from concealment when being threatened doesn’t just happen.
It takes practice and diligence. Photo: Alien Gear Holsters

Practice

In addition to practicing awareness, it’s critical to practice how you will respond to a threat. In the security of your home and with an unloaded gun, practice drawing your gun from its hiding place and getting it on target. Practice this over and over until it becomes second nature. Break it down into steps: uncover, grasp, pull, rotate, join both hands, extend, aim and fire. It’s a lot of stuff to do in the one or two seconds you might have before you’re dead. Practice doing it smoothly and the speed will come.

S&W Shield in a Bullard Leather Co. Dual Carry Holster that can
be configured for IWB or OWB (shown here in OWB configuration).

Legal Protection

If you’re ever in a situation where you must use your gun for self-defense, there’s a possibility you’ll be charged with a crime and sued in civil court. It’s not fair, but it’s the world we live in. Unless you’re independently wealthy, look into the various organizations such as U.S. LawShield, Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network and others. Find the one best for you and join. If you pull your gun for defense, even if you don’t shoot it, call your legal defense representative before you engage in any question-and-answer session with police.

You can conceal any of these guns with a little effort. Pick one you can
handle and shoot well that’s effective for defense. Shown here: SIG SAUER
P229 Legion, Ruger Security 9C, Springfield XDM, Taurus PT 738, S&W Shield PC 2.0.

The Gun

So many guns are picked because they’re easy to carry. Carrying is not what’s going to save your life — using it to positive effect is. Small and lightweight guns are difficult to shoot and may not have enough power to stop a threat quickly. Those little guns you see advertised everywhere may work as a backup for a seasoned veteran, but as a primary gun they have three downsides: They’re hard to hold, painful to shoot and they don’t hold much ammo.

The pain comes from recoil and the inability to mitigate it with a good, strong grip. You might be okay with five or six rounds if the caliber is substantial enough to do the job and if you don’t shoot it all without hitting anything. When in fear for your life, in circumstances for which you’ve never been prepared, a panic-stricken finger on the trigger could easily empty your gun without success. Not only could it happen, it’s a likely scenario unless you have a cool head and train for hostile encounters regularly. Also, bad guys can run in packs. Capacity might matter.

Select a major brand with a proven track record. Buy a sufficient caliber. Start by trying guns chambered in 9mm. If you can’t find a 9mm you can hold and shoot effectively, a .380 should be your minimum caliber choice for defense. Most gun ranges have loaner guns in popular brands and models. Shoot as many different guns as you can before making a purchase.

If you have small hands and a slender body style, you’ll most likely find a gun you like within the marketing category known as “single-stack nines.” Every major brand has one of these. My favorite single-stack design has been around more than a hundred years: a 1911 in 9mm such as the Colt Lightweight XSE or the Ruger LW Commander. Those of us with a little more room and the ability to wear loose clothes may find a medium-sized, double-stack semi-auto just the ticket.

This TecGrip Pocket Holster from Blackhawk is an inexpensive and effective
way to protect the trigger and keep the gun upright while using pocket carry.

Ammunition

There’s practice ammunition, usually labeled FMJ or Full Metal Jacket, and defensive ammunition, usually labeled JHP or Jacketed Hollow Point. Other types exist, but if you’re new to all of this pick a name brand JHP ammo to start with. Make sure your gun shoots it reliably. It’s okay to practice with FMJ but shoot enough of your defensive ammo to ensure you can handle the recoil and your gun operates flawlessly with it. Later you can fine-tune your ammo choices.

This fanny pack from ComfortTac conceals a handgun and
helps with other daily essentials too.

This Alien Gear IWB holster features a generous and waterproof
backpanel for stability and comfort. Photo: Alien Gear Holsters

A ComfortTac Belly Band Holster will work in many different wardrobe configurations.

A good gun belt such as this one from 5.11 Tactical is
essential for secure belted holster carry.

Carry Method

A gun you can’t access quickly is worthless. For most of us, having the gun somewhere around our waistline is going to be the most comfortable and the most accessible place we can carry. Where on your waistline is mostly a case of what is most comfortable for you.
When carrying a gun in a holster that attaches to a belt, the type of belt matters. It needs to be a sturdy belt with some thickness to it, ideally a belt made for carrying a gun. CrossBreed Holsters, MTR Custom Leather and 5.11 Tactical are among the manufacturers that make good gun belts. I have worn and liked holsters from Alien Gear, Bianchi, Bullard Leather, CrossBreed, DeSantis and MTR Custom Leather. These are all quality holsters and my only reason for trying the different ones is because of the nature of my business — testing and making recommendations.

I’m a big guy, so it’s easy for me to conceal around my waistline. You don’t have to be big for a good inside-the-waistband holster to work for you. In concealed carry classes I taught with two other instructors, we would make it a point to wear two or three guns apiece, all concealed. When it came time to talk to the class about concealment options, I’d show off my guns, followed by the other two showing off theirs. I was the big guy; one of the others was what I call normal size and the other was rail thin. When the class saw the skinny guy with a 1911 on his left hip and a full-size double-stack on his right hip, they were caught totally off guard.

None of us were the least bit uncomfortable carrying those guns because we had good carry rigs — a holster that fit the gun attached to a solid gun belt. We wore everyday polo-type shirts or button-up shirts with our shirttails out. Sometimes one or the other of us would tuck in our shirttails because we were wearing tuckable holsters. Inside or outside the waistband, strong-side or appendix carry will work if you have the luxury of being able to wear your shirttail out. If you don’t, a tuckable IWB holster will do the job.

Some of you will need to buy pants an inch or two larger than normal for IWB carry. Sometimes a vest is the answer, but I don’t recommend wearing a “shoot me first” tactical vest with street clothing. There are good concealment vests that look like everyday dress or casual wear.

I wear polo shirts by Propper. This company has men’s and women’s clothing that is comfortable, wrinkle and snag free, and somewhat tactical without looking so. Once I started wearing their shirts, I gradually changed my wardrobe over to their clothing. Tactica Fashion also features excellent clothing for women designed for everyday concealed carry.

Some of you wear scrubs, overalls or some other outfit prohibiting a belt. Also, a lot of outfits you ladies wear don’t have an option for a belt. Two types of carry will usually work in those cases. One is a belly band. This is an elastic band designed to fit around your body, above or below the waistline, with one or more pockets for your firearm. One of my clients is a realtor who dresses nicely for work, usually in a pantsuit or a skirt and blouse. She uses a ComfortTac belly band holster to carry her S&W Shield and a spare magazine. An advantage to this kind of carry is it works with practically any kind of dress.

The other option for beltless carry involves using one of several types of specialty holsters using compression in the waistband, or friction from the pocket if used as a pocket holster. Holsters by Blackhawk or Uncle Mike are lightweight, with or without clips, that can be used as either pocket or IWB holsters.

A good gun-cleaning kit isn’t just for show. A firearm is a tool that must
perform in any circumstance, so careful maintenance is essential.

Gun Care

A gun that won’t fire every single time you pull the trigger cannot be counted on to save your life. You’ve selected a good gun, do your part by keeping it clean and lubricated. Gun-cleaning kits by Hoppe’s No. 9 will have all you need to clean your handgun, including how-to tips. Your gun’s manual will have instructions particular to your gun. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning and lubricating and you should be fine. Shoot your carry gun often enough to ensure it will be ready when you are.

You can do this! Choose the right gun and become safe and proficient with it. Find the carry method that works for you and make the necessary wardrobe changes to accommodate it. Practice drawing and firing from concealment. If your range won’t let you do this, practice dry firing from concealment at home. Pay attention to your surroundings and play “what if” scenarios in your mind.

Make this your mantra concerning your gun: “I never leave home without it.” Someday, somewhere, you may save your life or the life of someone very dear to you.

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