Ayoob: How You’d Lose Your CCW (and How to Stop It)

[Mr. Untactical]

There are gun belts that are leather covered to look like dress belts. many of them have nice belt buckles also.

My Anson dress belt has been in near daily use for at least 3 years. It's 1.5" black and looks like any other dress belt with a stylish buckle (they have a decent selection). It's a ratchet belt, too, so I can easily expand it, mount my IWB holster and then ratchet it tight. I think Kore makes dress gun belts too, but not sure how either would hold up as a full duty belt with spare mags, cuffs, etc. But for my Springfield XD Mod.2 subcompact in a Muddy River Tactical kydex IWB, it works great.

 

[Bassbob]

My Anson dress belt has been in near daily use for at least 3 years. It's 1.5" black and looks like any other dress belt with a stylish buckle (they have a decent selection). It's a ratchet belt, too, so I can easily expand it, mount my IWB holster and then ratchet it tight. I think Kore makes dress gun belts too, but not sure how either would hold up as a full duty belt with spare mags, cuffs, etc. But for my Springfield XD Mod.2 subcompact in a Muddy River Tactical kydex IWB, it works great.

I used Kore belts ( not dress belts, just the regular black ones) and MRT kydex too. Mostly appendix these days, but I have a couple MRT OWB holsters for cooler weather.

 

[fouraceswes]

I am new here, I don't think I even did an intro. I have been around guns all my life and have always been a competent shooter. I am in my mid-fifties and began concealed carry about six months ago so I don't have any experience compared to the author of this article. I did read up on local and state ordinances and laws regarding self defense and read a bunch of articles from some experts including Mr Ayoob. I have formulated my philosophy on concealed carry and gun ownership in general as a result of these experiences. I worked for the federal government for a bit so I use easy to remember acronyms for this philosophy.

MYOB- Mind Your Own Business. One might even add an "F" in there for emphasis. This acronym is made more funny in this instance because this reminds me of the word Ayoob.) This is not just when your neighbor starts beating his/her spouse at 3am. I see a guy with a gun on his hip and I keep an eye on him, keep him in front of me and I damn sure I don't engage him in what could be perceived a a self righteous conversation about his lack of concealment. He might be in a bad mood and tell me to mind my own business (ooo!) or worse. What if he is a criminal and is just about to rob the place? He shoots me first, especially since I have not been practicing my quick draw.

STFU- I think that everyone knows this one by now. Shut the eff up! Guy cuts you off at a light, STFU. Guy asks "What are you looking at?" Smile and STFU. My girlfriend missed the turn to the local restaurant? Not my responsibility to tell her if she has her GPS on. See a guy carrying an badly concealed handgun, STFU and keep him in front of you and an eye on him. Its not your business. What if he is an equally self righteous off duty cop who has not had enough coffee today and lights you up, call his buddies and then YOU become the guy with the gun who us getting the questions.

DOTD- Don't open the door. Somebody is pounding on your door at 3am? Call the cops! Your neighbor is pounding on his/her spouse? DOTD, call the cops. The COPS are pounding on your door??!! DON'T OPEN THE DOOR, call the other cops! You are a law abiding citizen with a permit to carry because you are squeeky clean, they probably have the wrong house. The part that goes along with the story about the dog and the 1911 is the folowing: you are "opening the door" to a conversation you might not want to have. What if the guy mistakes your sincere desire to help him with an egotistical disrespect?

I guess a lot of my point here is that it is not MY responsibility to educate some stranger with an unconcealed weapon about how he should be more careful, dumb is just gonna be dumb, irresponsible is just gonna be irresponsible. Just because I have five billion years of gun concealing experience (or in my case five minutes) does not mean I need to be Mr Random Teacher on the street. Likely no one wants to hear it. What people do with their guns and don't do with their guns is not my business unless they are ASKING me my opinion or pointing it at me. I am not my brother's keeper, and I feel a lot safer keeping MY opinions concealed.

PS: M Ayoob has a lot of great advice and a ton of experience I don't have.

 

[somorris]

Welcome to the forum, Fouraceswes!