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How To Carry a Concealed Pistol Comfortably and Confidently for the First Time

Talyn

SAINT
Founding Member
Carrying a gun will be a unique experience, and there’s no one way of doing it that works for everyone. Here are a few tips and tricks to help first-time concealed carriers be more successful in the early stages of carry.


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Carrying a gun will be a unique experience, and there’s no one way of doing it that works for everyone. Here are a few tips and tricks to help first-time concealed carriers be more successful in the early stages of carry.


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Im 75, im going to defer to the younger crowd. Too many words and my head explodes
 
Just to remind some that there's a wide range of experience levels by folks that frequent this website so what may be old news to some, maybe very useful to others.

If some posts are redundant for some just move on...

My .02
We all know what your point is brother and I think it is a public service to new members and less experienced shooters.

I still read all that stuff because different POVs and new stuff pops up all the time. The more I learn the more I realize I have a whole lot to learn.
 
It can be tough for a newbie, esp someone with limited knowledge. Somebody (with good intentions) will mention “X” is a great carry pistol, without considering the other person’s size, style of dress, physical ability, , etc etc. There is no One answer (otherwise we’d all be carrying the same pistol). Everything is a compromise-the smaller and light a handgun, the easier it is to carry and the harder it is to learn to shoot well I encourage those I teach to try a bunch of different options before purchasing anything (and if one of mine still won’t fit we head to a local range with rentals. Those of us who are into firearms need to be open, helpful, and welcoming to the new folks. Way too often the local gun guru or shop owner says “this is what you need” before ever letting a person get to know and be comfortable with firearms. Take the time to help the new folks-they WILL appreciate and you may wind up with a new shooting buddy👍
 
We all know what your point is brother and I think it is a public service to new members and less experienced shooters.

I still read all that stuff because different POVs and new stuff pops up all the time. The more I learn the more I realize I have a whole lot to learn.
AMEN!
And the older I get the dumber I feel. I learn something new every day. Not always earth shattering. Because things change and like Bassbob I read all the stuff and much else. The ones that scare the :poop: out of me are the ones that KNOW everything already.
 
I’ll read redundant firearms and hunting info over the “news” any day of the week
Same here. I have been a firearms enthusiast for many years but probably am not as knowledgeable as many of you guys and gals. But I am smart enough to research anything that I read on the intrawebz before making any decisions on new purchases or techniques.
Lots of good info on this site.
 
Remember, you can fix ignorance by education. Stupid? Ya can’t do anything with that. I was in the LGS BS’ing with the guys a while back. A couple young dudes came bopping in and are eyeballing everything. An older guy comes in the a 1911 on his belt (cocked and locked). The pups get a bit wide eyed. The old guy buys a couple boxes of .45 acp and leaves. The hound guys start immediately talking “did you see that!” “His gun was cocked”, “that thing could go off at any moment”. Shop owner rolls his eyes, grins at me and says to the young dude “what do you carry?” Answer: “Sig 365-appendix carry”. Shop owner: You do know that before that old man’s Colt will fire THREE things have to happen (1) he has to have a firing grip on the pistol (2) he has move the safety to the off position and (3) he has to pull the trigger. For your Sig to fire you merely have pull or bump the trigger”. The deer in the headlights look on the kids face was priceless😊. He had NO clue.
 
I first started carrying a concealed handgun legally in 2007. I had no experience with concealed carry and not much relevant experience with handguns.

I looked on the internet for advice and I ended up at THR.

One of the first things that I read about was something called The Walmart Walk. Apparently the idea was to strap on your new handgun and go walk around Walmart. It was Immersion Therapy, the idea being that you would realize by doing that that your concealed handgun didn't glow in the dark and not everybody in the store knew you were carrying a gun.

The only thing that I can probably add to this discussion is it one of the biggest lessons that I learned when I first started carrying was go buy the good holster first.

I wasted a lot of money on cheap nylon holsters before I finally talked my wife into letting me buy a Galco holster.

I realize that Galco is not a premium brand but it is at least a good entry level holster and it was certainly better quality than the Fobus holsters I was buying.

I only have two guns in my "Carry Rotation" but when I bought both of them I ordered a Kramer Leather holster for each pistol the day I bought the gun.

I think I learned a lot from carrying a gun at work. At work I had to open carry but it was just there and everybody knew it and after a while it became a real non-event. Except for when I had some idiot client employee who either wanted to know why I thought I needed to carry a gun at work (Because your employer told me to. If you have an issue with that take it up with them) or let me know that he knew it wasn't loaded or that it wasn't real.

I don't think any client employee ever tried to take it from me. I heard somebody tried that with a guard on another site and got their wrist broke but since I didn't see it I can't verify it.

And finally, in case anybody's wondering (and you're probably not) this is the song that was playing on the radio my other first time.


It's funny how my mind goes there every time I hear this song
 
Honestly the biggest thing about ccw comfort for me, has been gun width and belt. I recently update to a Kore belt and man, it makes a huge difference at least for me. I love that you can make minor adjustments quickly rather then punching new holes in leather and adjust by buckle. It’s been a huge game changer for me.

I have tried appendix, 5 o’clock, and everything in between. The only one I have find truly works for me is around 3 o’clock. Which probably why I liked carrying 1911 over my double stacks for awhile, until the p365 lineup. The thinness of the gun makes a huge difference at this location. Even when I carry the xmacro with threaded barrel, comp, and light, it doesn’t carry all that much different then my little p365 other then longer grip. Have to size my shirt up to an xl to cover macro. If I took the light off for ccw I might now have too though so I might order a new holster to test it out. Even having a wing at this location makes a difference for me.
 
Honestly the biggest thing about ccw comfort for me, has been gun width and belt. I recently update to a Kore belt and man, it makes a huge difference at least for me. I love that you can make minor adjustments quickly rather then punching new holes in leather and adjust by buckle. It’s been a huge game changer for me.

I have tried appendix, 5 o’clock, and everything in between. The only one I have find truly works for me is around 3 o’clock. Which probably why I liked carrying 1911 over my double stacks for awhile, until the p365 lineup. The thinness of the gun makes a huge difference at this location. Even when I carry the xmacro with threaded barrel, comp, and light, it doesn’t carry all that much different then my little p365 other then longer grip. Have to size my shirt up to an xl to cover macro. If I took the light off for ccw I might now have too though so I might order a new holster to test it out. Even having a wing at this location makes a difference for me.
I switched to Kore belts a couple years ago. Definitely a game changer. I recently took to carrying appendix as well. Another game changer. The P365 AIWB is about as good as it gets comfort wise. I substitute a Masada Slim for the Sig, but they are the same size more or less. I think the IWI might be a little thinner than the Sig.
 
I first started carrying a concealed handgun legally in 2007. I had no experience with concealed carry and not much relevant experience with handguns.

I looked on the internet for advice and I ended up at THR.

One of the first things that I read about was something called The Walmart Walk. Apparently the idea was to strap on your new handgun and go walk around Walmart. It was Immersion Therapy, the idea being that you would realize by doing that that your concealed handgun didn't glow in the dark and not everybody in the store knew you were carrying a gun.

The only thing that I can probably add to this discussion is it one of the biggest lessons that I learned when I first started carrying was go buy the good holster first.

I wasted a lot of money on cheap nylon holsters before I finally talked my wife into letting me buy a Galco holster.

I realize that Galco is not a premium brand but it is at least a good entry level holster and it was certainly better quality than the Fobus holsters I was buying.

I only have two guns in my "Carry Rotation" but when I bought both of them I ordered a Kramer Leather holster for each pistol the day I bought the gun.

I think I learned a lot from carrying a gun at work. At work I had to open carry but it was just there and everybody knew it and after a while it became a real non-event. Except for when I had some idiot client employee who either wanted to know why I thought I needed to carry a gun at work (Because your employer told me to. If you have an issue with that take it up with them) or let me know that he knew it wasn't loaded or that it wasn't real.

I don't think any client employee ever tried to take it from me. I heard somebody tried that with a guard on another site and got their wrist broke but since I didn't see it I can't verify it.

And finally, in case anybody's wondering (and you're probably not) this is the song that was playing on the radio my other first time.


It's funny how my mind goes there every time I hear this song
Just Between You and Me by April Wine was on the radio my first time. I was 11.
 
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