What I Wish I Knew - Concealed Carry

[Mallardsx2]

The only thing you truly need to know is that if you shoot somebody with a .22 OR a .45, they are going to leave you alone immediately. Lol


So don’t get hung up on calibers.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Don't Leave your pistol in the bathroom at the big box store. I can think of 1/2 dozen times my squad got dispatched to that one over my career. Your pistol will go into evidence if the police recover it.

 

[Addicting]

As a former Leo and a retired military guy I quit carrying. There is a sense of nervousness I had with so many rules and no carry places. It was making my day not as enjoyable if I can’t do what I need to without worrying a little.

I took a few active shooter classes and with my Leo training I feel comfortable going day to day without the need of a firearm.

So I would encourage you to go thru the classes and learn the responsibility you are going to have. Put a large bolt or nut in your pocket/waistband and go about your week treating it as if it were a firearm. Does your life get impacted positively or negatively and make your carry decisions from there.

 

[Hunting Wife]

I don’t imagine any amount of insurance on the planet will help you, should you decide to follow the “ignore the signs” advice above.

 

[MTLabrador]

The only thing you truly need to know is that if you shoot somebody with a .22 OR a .45, they are going to leave you alone immediately. Lol


So don’t get hung up on calibers.

That’s not how this works. That’s not how any of this works.

 

[Mallardsx2]

That’s not how this works. That’s not how any of this works.

Oooooook.

 

[longbow51]

In your concealed carry class, ideally part of it will be taught by an attorney skilled in criminal law.

He/she will know the difference between lawful and unlawful force.

And statutory (re the Illinois law referenced above), where you simply don't, or you're breaking the law, to the store owner who slaps up a sign. They can ask you to leave, and you must comply, but that's it, in Montana at least. But this varies considerably by state.

My sister recently went through this after a couple of dodgy encounters near Houston.

I told her to get whatever pistol felt good. She ended up with a Sig P365 (small hands), but you might choose something completely different.

But, it shouldn't be a .22, sorry. You're only going to fire if it's life or death. So, 9mm for most, and practice with anything, but carry the ammo the LEOs carry, Speer Gold Dot, Winchester Defender, whatever shoots best in your pistol. And never carry reloads.

 

[PorterHouse]

Find that intersection of small enough to conceal relatively easily, but still large enough to shoot well and be willing to practice with it (H&K P30SK for me). Small pistols are not fun to shoot for extended periods of time and are much harder to shoot well than something with a longer sight radius.

As others have said, know the regs and seriously ask yourself if you’d be willing to pull the trigger if it came down to it!

It’s such a huge market. Plenty of options is a good thing for the consumer, but can also be overwhelming. Between pistol options, holster options, etc., don’t be surprised if it takes you a bit to land on a setup that works for you.

 

[VikingsGuy]

..I carry everywhere and I ignore all those stupid signs,

Federal buildings? Airports? Schools? Hope you look good in stripes.

 

[rwc101]

Seen way too many police videos of guys eating multiple rounds and still fighting to go with a .22.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

So basically you already know it all

Enough said

Did you understand the actual question before making this comment? OF course not...My comment does not make me a know it all, it just state that no, there is nothing I wish I knew going in that I don't know now.

 

[Willy Dee]

I recently started carrying. I picked a DAO revolver for simplicity under duress. Everyone has their personal preference.

I’ll second reviewing use of force laws in your state. WAY too many people out there with guns thinking they are going to use them in scenarios that are completely inappropriate, unnecessarily dangerous, or both.

I carry a revolver as well. Started with a Glock 19, but I really like the simplicity and portability of a revolver. I rotate between a 3 inch K6s and a sp101. I am about to pick up a stainless Ruger Speed Six that I am excited about. It also compliments my aim of concealed carry which is to protect myself and my family and to break contact as quickly as possible. As callous as it may seem, I am weary to come to the aid of others. My family and my well-being is my priority. I agree that there is a culture that emboldens people to act foolishly.

 

[RemingtonRules]

Practice drawing and shooting. It is not a god given trait and many do not realize how challenging it is to do it at speed and on target.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

1. If you have to use it, it will be one of the worst days of your life.
2. Most of the people who will be most excited to give you advice have zero real experience, so be mindful of who listen to (this includes concealed carry instructors).
3. I feel like the more you know, the less cavalier you are about it.
4. Keep it simple. Do a little research into what real professionals carry. Here is a hint, if you are planning to carry something other than a small frame striker fired pistol in a IWB kydex holster (appendix or hip), you are probably over-thinking it.
5. If you can carry with a light on your gun, I would. Positive ID is critical.

If I was buying a pistol now, it would be a Glock 43x, Shield S15 magazine (15rnd), a compact light on the rail, and a good IWB kydex.

 

[nettereo16]

Get a good belt! It makes a huge difference in terms of comfort & support.
I have a Blue Force velcro. Hank's makes good reinforced leather belts.

 

[Tikka06]

I have carried for a long time, but don’t carry every day either. I think the best thing you can do is don’t rush into anything. First I would look into the laws wherever you are and even reach out to local law enforcement for advice. Then I would decide on a handgun. If you are going to leave it in the car, some do, I would get a medium or full sized pistol(Glock 19/17 or Sig 320). If you plan on carrying it all the time I would go for a compact frame, Glock 43/Sig 365 sized. Then obviously get your permit. But before you ever carried in public you need training. Serious training. You don’t want to be a liability to yourself or the public. There are lots of good training resources available. I would advise you to get in person training up front and then stay fresh by using online resources, YouTube is full of good stuff. Lastly is practice, practice, practice. The body will not go where the mind has not been so developing muscle memory and sound fundamentals are paramount.

 

[Redman]

Some have touched on it here but didn't go into great detail. The bullet does the work just like for hunting. Except you don't want over penitration. The last thing you want is to kill or injure an innocent bystander because you blew through your target by using the wrong bullet. You also don't want to shoot them with something less adequate and just piss them off and get yourself and others killed. A lot of people carry 9mm but the wrong bullet will go right through walls after going through the target. The right bullet will put them down. .45 ACP is a great personal defense round and tends not to over penitrate even with less than desirable bullets.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

If you are looking for good videos to get you pointed in the right direction. Pat McNamara is probably the most realistic, and a ton of real world experience. He cuts through a lot of the rangism BS. John McPhee is good too.

Be brilliant at the basics (grip, draw cycle, sight alignment, trigger manipulation). There are lots of tool bags out there trying to sell a bunch of range commando garbage.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Some have touched on it here but didn't go into great detail. The bullet does the work just like for hunting. Except you don't want over penitration. The last thing you want is to kill or injure an innocent bystander because you blew through your target by using the wrong bullet. You also don't want to shoot them with something less adequate and just piss them off and get yourself and others killed. A lot of people carry 9mm but the wrong bullet will go right through walls after going through the target. The right bullet will put them down. .45 ACP is a great personal defense round and tends not to over penitrate even with less than desirable bullets.

Respectfully, this is bullshit. A 230grn .45 over penetrates just as bad. If you are shooting a pistol, it will over penetrate at fighting distances. There are very specific bullets developed to prevent over penetration if you are really concerned about it. A 9mm with a well constructed HP bullet (Hydrashoks or the like) is largely what the pros use. Nothing wrong with a .45, but it cuts your capacity way down, and in a real fight, you are going to miss way more than you hit. Regardless of what you think. The 2-way range is a whole different place...

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I recently started carrying. I picked a DAO revolver for simplicity under duress. Everyone has their personal preference.

I’ll second reviewing use of force laws in your state. WAY too many people out there with guns thinking they are going to use them in scenarios that are completely inappropriate, unnecessarily dangerous, or both.

+

Use of force laws are wildly different in various states + legal firearms + rules and regs in general so I would be warry about carrying across state lines. (peaceable travel notwithstanding).