New to CCW--Tips?

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I'll be getting my CCW soon. Any tips for an experienced shooter new to carrying concealed?

These things I already know will need special attention:

* The Four Rules
* Local law
* Regular practice
* Use of a quality holster

But beyond those? Any sorts of practical things you didn't think of as a first-timer but learned through experience? Thanks.
 
You don't say where you are. It is hard to know the laws pertaining to your locality without more info, but here is a start: Google Gun Laws for __________ - whatever your state is. Look for the link that ends in ---state.us or .gov. It may be the state police site or AG's office or something similar.

Holsters are a personal choice, although you want one that has a trigger guard as well as is comfortable to wear. There are good quality leather and kydex holsters. Find the one that fits your gun best.
 
I already have copies of the relevant statutes and took a course that covered them.
 
Congratulations!

Y'know, it's become so second nature to me that I wouldn't know any "tips" any more... kinda strange, when you think about it.

Like asking about "tips" on wearing your shoes.

I'd be curious about other folks' answers, though.

(And yes, it's usually helpful to know at least the State a querent lives in, either in the profile or directly when asking a question. Just a general idea, not GPS coordinates or anything too specific.)
 
Been carrying for 30 years.
1) Buy shirts one size larger than you need. You don't look as sharp but no one looks at a guy with an untucked shirt a little too big. Watch out for sudden wind gusts or reaching for that last bottle of fruit juice on the top shelf at the Piggly-Wiggly.
2) IWB is the way to go. Nothing below the belt line to show.
3) Carry as much gun as possible without being uncomfortable.
4) Behave yourself in public and mind your own business. We ain't "quasi-cops".
Joe
 
The #1 thing I could say, is keep your gun out of Government buildings. The big boys play for keeps. There is no "I forgot I was wearing it."
 
Officer, are you detaining me or am I free to go?

I do not consent to any searches.

I do not wish to make any statement W/ out my attorney present.
 
What Pharmer said in post #6. To which I will add:

Make sure before you strap that piece on that you've made the choice that if you ever have to use it you will - use it that is. If you have to pull it to defend your life or the lives of others and don't have the will to pull the trigger then don't carry it. You absolutely MUST know that you can do what is necessary if the time ever comes. That's a personal battle that must be won before you ever holster your gun and enter the public domain with it.

Why must you win that mental battle? Because if the time ever comes (and we all hope it never does) and you haven't internalized the decision to shoot if needed thenwhen the time to take action actually does come there is a very high probability you will hesitate. AND hesitation may get you or those with you killed. If it doesn't then the mental anguish you'll suffer from having to take a human life may be more than you can bear. Be sure, absolutely sure that you can take a human life if necessary or don't strap on that gun. Acquiring what many call a warrior's mindset will not eliminate any post incident anguish but it will definitely help to assuage it.

Once you've won the mental battle and are sure you have the mindset to kill if necessary and aren't just carrying dutch courage on your hip having the license won't do any good until you actually do start carrying. Carry everywhere you can. Get comfortable with it, so comfortable that you don't even realize you're doing it. That doesn't mean you've lapsed into condition white though; it just means the weapon has become a part of you; so much a part of you that if you ever have a lapse and forget the gun and leave the house without it you immediately know something's not right and figure what that is pretty darn quickly.

Getting the license is just the 1st step. Good luck to you.
 
Decide how "open" you are going to be about letting people know that you carry.

Remember, you may trust your friends... but do you know and trust their friends. And be assured... once you let one person know... sooner or later everyone will know.

We had good friends who's wife was paranoid about guns so I was trying to work with her to help her understand that guns are not evil. Since she highly respects my wife I told her about my sweetheart's CCW.

A few weeks later, while my wife was standing in a bank line the hubby walks in and stands behind her. And in a very loud voice said, "good thing no one is going to rob the bank or you'll have to take your gun out and shoot them."

My sweetie was not amused.
 
"Practice" is for more than shooting.

Lot's of people have been "outed" as a gun carrier because they didn't know how to handle hugging people ranging from the five year old niece to the elder sister-in-the-Lord at church.

Work with someone to develope a good technique that works for you.
 
Any tips for an experienced shooter new to carrying concealed?
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Not exactly what "experienced" entails in your case, but since you're new to CC might I suggest lots of articles by Massad Ayoob?
I'm sure you'll get a lot of suggestions AFA hardware, but if you've decided to CC it never hurts to know the rules of the game. Lots of Ayoob's articles will cover both the confrontation and legal aftermath.
I know he writes articles for a lot of magazines-only one I get at the time is Combat Handguns, in which he has an article every issue.

I see over at Amazon he's coming out with The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry-I plan on getting it as soon as it's released.
 
Watch out for the fidget factor!

If you bought a good holster and belt, the gun is where you put it and isn't going anywhere and you have assured yourself of that in the privacy of your home: quit touching it to be sure.

If you are wearing an adequate cover garment, it is both covering the gun and staying put and you have assured yourself of that at home, too: quit tugging at it! (Note that the observant will see that you only tug one side...)

If holstering on your belt, buy a belt that will stay put, not needing to be hitched up very often. (The sidedness argument applies to belt hoisting, too.)

With good gear and clothing you will soon enough become comfortable with carrying.
 
Not really a CCW tip, but I thought I should share anyway:

Make a "cheat sheet" of the laws that apply, just the relevant statutes and the basics of them. Use a computer to type them with size8 font or similar, and the smaller you can make it the better. If you can get it down to credit card size it would be best, then it wont take up much space. Then have it laminated, and stick it in your wallet.

It wont substitute you actually knowing the statutes, but if you ever get in an argument, it's a pretty good thing to take out as reference. I find it's usually a lot more convincing than just citing the statutes from memory. People will think they know more then you, but if you show it written down, even if you made the card yourself, it carries more weight.
Since we cant CCW here, I never used it for that purpose, but I have however used it to write down fishing regulations when I went fishing in places where I knew I might get into an argument.

You can also make another card with useful information, like different numbers, contact persons, lawyers, maybe license numbers, etc...
 
Be careful when you drop trow, I sent my revolver across the bathroom floor in the beginning, after feeling dumb for lil while I have been very aware of it ever since.
 
4) Behave yourself in public and mind your own business. We ain't "quasi-cops".
Click to expand...

That deserved to be said again...VERY good "tip".

And if you are not mentally prepared to use it if the need arises...don't leave the house with it, it will do you more harm than good.

A quality belt is just as important as a quality holster (maybe even more so).
 
I stapled my lawyer's business card to the CCW card as a quick reminder to both myself and any others who might have a need to look at it that there are certain rights that I retain.
 
Get a full length mirror... see if you can tell your have a weapon. ( make sure to move around alot) Most people do a very poor job of concealing thier weapon.
 
ALL of this advice has been very good. You should probably print it out and read it once a week for the first few months you carry. I particularly want to emphasis what JackBurtonJr said:

Remember, you may trust your friends... but do you know and trust their friends. And be assured... once you let one person know... sooner or later everyone will know.
Click to expand...

This FOR SURE will happen if you spread it around you're "packing". And by spreading it around I mean telling just one other person.
 
Thnk you to the member that post the link to that very nice belt. i have been looking for a quality gun belt for a while those look perfect and looks like they will last forever! "Thank You"
 
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