You’ve obtained your concealed carry permit, selected a firearm, and purchased a holster that fits. You’re ready to go out in public, right? Not so fast. These four tips will help you carry your concealed firearm comfortably, confidently and discreetly.
#4: Practice, Practice, Practice
Even though you earned your concealed carry permit, you’re not ready to carry concealed until you’ve trained extensively with your CCW. You may know the basics of gun safety, but some of the most important skills you need for defensive carry can only be obtained on the range.
Shooting a few rounds doesn’t cut it. Responsible gun owners who carry concealed are constantly improving their mental and physical skills.
The purpose of carrying concealed is to protect yourself in case your life is in danger. Therefore, it is important that you prepare for a real-world self-defense situation and practice shooting with self-defense ammunition. You don’t want to wait until you’re faced with a real threat to find out that your self-defense ammunition doesn’t work with your firearm.
#3: Don’t Draw Attention to Yourself
If you’ve never carried concealed before, chances are that you’ll feel self-conscious the first time you leave home with your gun at your side. Make sure you have a holster that fits properly and that your clothes are loose enough to cover your CCW.
If your clothes are too tight or sheer, the shape of your weapon may be apparent, making it obvious to everyone around that you’re carrying a firearm.
When you first start carrying concealed, you’ll probably be tempted to touch your firearm to make sure it’s still where it’s supposed to be. Reaching for your CCW only serves to draw attention to the fact that you’re carrying. If your holster’s doing its job, you shouldn’t need to adjust your firearm.
If absolutely must check your CCW, find a private space free from distraction and away from people to do so.
#2: Carry the Same CCW Everyday
Shooting with different weapons at the firing range is a great way to try out different firearms. However, if you’re carrying concealed, you’ll want to carry a CCW you can count on. There are only so many hours you can reasonably train, and you can’t develop mastery for every firearm.
In a self-defense situation, you need to act quickly. When faced with imminent danger, you’ll be better off if you can rely on muscle memory to fire a familiar handgun.
Select a handgun that has sufficient stopping power to make you feel confident, but which is also comfortable enough to carry daily.
#1: Know the Laws
If you’re going to carry concealed, you’d better familiarize yourself with the laws of every place you go. Research federal, state and local laws to find out where you’re allowed to carry, and if there are places it is illegal to bring a CCW.
If you’re traveling to a different state, make sure that state recognizes your concealed carry permit.
Get these tips down and you’ll be carrying with confidence.
