Revolver as conceal carry

[Onewildhoss]

Hello, I am new here and hoping you guys can help ease some of my apprehension with carrying a loaded revolver.
I have a Ruger sp101 357 and also a S&W .38. The 38 has a laser sight on the grip which must be turned on. Fun for target shooting, extremely impractical for actual self defense.
I have handled several weapons from shotguns, rifles, revolvers and semi auto pistols. I have always been taught to make sure my weapon is unloaded when not in use. At home, our guns and ammo are stored separately.
I want to get my conceal carry permit. I definitely believe the times we live in warrant the need for protection. My issue is that I am having a hard time with the idea of carrying a loaded weapon either on my person or in my purse. It goes against everything I've ever been taught.
I have read that many hand guns are being manufactured with a safety drop. This makes me feel a little better. I'm just worried about accidental discharge. Also in the event I cant carry into a prohibited area (a court house or government building for example) the idea of leaving my gun in my vehicle unattended seems EXTREMELY irresponsible.
I've discussed this with my husband who basically waves off these fears and tells me it will be fine. I guess I'm looking for more people with experience actually carrying to also tell me it's fine. Or to give me their experience and advice.

Ps, I live in rural Nebraska, but commute into omaha frequently.

 

[adcoch1]

First of all welcome to the high road! Getting your concealed carry license is a great idea and a big responsibility. I believe everyone capable of that responsibility should have one and should carry. The trick is finding a carry gun and holster system that you can be confident in. Making sure that whatever firearm you decide on (either of your revolvers would be great) that your holster offers confidence by completely covering the trigger (no accidentally snagging the trigger) and securely holding the firearm( so it doesn't fall out). Both of these features can alleviate concern about accidents.
The leaving it in the car thing can be solved with a simple car safe, they can be had for a fair price, just lock it up in the car if you have to.
It is a big mental shift to take back the responsibility for your personal security, but with the right tools you can be confident and secure at the same time. Good luck!

 

[Tallball]

Modern handguns are "drop safe". They can't go off because they fall or get bumped. They only go off if the trigger is pulled. As long as you keep your loaded handgun in a holster that covers the trigger, you'll be fine. I often carry revolvers. They are my preference, actually.

Welcome to the High Road.

 

[Onewildhoss]

Thank you so much for your input! . I had not given much thought to the holster. This makes perfect sense! I had not considered the holster as part of the security of carrying. In my mind the holster was simply there to hold it.
I did look at car safes yesterday in Scheels.
If I drive my pickup I have the ability to lock the lower part of the console. It looks like part of the seat so wouldnt be a place someone would likely look if they were breaking in. Of course I could be wrong about that. Its large enough though that I think it could accommodate a small safe as well. The car is a different story. I would definitely need a safe for it.

I have three teenage daughters. 2 of them shoot as well. I'm hoping to encourage all three of them to get their carry permits as well once they are old enough and responsible enough. It's a scary world out there these days.

 

[Spats McGee]

Welcome to THR, onewildhoss! We've got a lot of concealed carriers here, and I think that you'll find that most of us have dealt with many of the same issues.

Hello, I am new here and hoping you guys can help ease some of my apprehension with carrying a loaded revolver.
I have a Ruger sp101 357 and also a S&W .38. The 38 has a laser sight on the grip which must be turned on. Fun for target shooting, extremely impractical for actual self defense.

I don't carry either of those, but you'd be far from alone in CC-ing one of them. I do conceal carry a Ruger LCR quite a bit. There's nothing wrong with carrying a revolver for CC.

I have handled several weapons from shotguns, rifles, revolvers and semi auto pistols. I have always been taught to make sure my weapon is unloaded when not in use. At home, our guns and ammo are stored separately. I want to get my conceal carry permit. I definitely believe the times we live in warrant the need for protection. My issue is that I am having a hard time with the idea of carrying a loaded weapon either on my person or in my purse. It goes against everything I've ever been taught.

It sounds to me like you've been taught pretty decent gun safety practices. For those of us who have never been military or law enforcement, the idea of carrying a loaded gun around may seem rather alien, but you get used to it. It's going to seem strange for a while, but that's not unusual.

I have read that many hand guns are being manufactured with a safety drop. This makes me feel a little better. I'm just worried about accidental discharge.

I'm not an engineer. Not by a long shot. That said, it's my understanding that virtually all new-manufacture firearms in the U.S. have a certain degree of "drop safety." They're designed that way, and if a pistol is found not to be drop safe, we usually hear about it on these boards in pretty short order.

Also in the event I cant carry into a prohibited area (a court house or government building for example) the idea of leaving my gun in my vehicle unattended seems EXTREMELY irresponsible.

I have to go into government buildings and leave my pistol behind every day. I use a small car safe, sort of like this one. It's not perfect, but it's cabled to the seat posts, so that a would-be thief would have to get into my car, find the safe, and then get it either unhooked or open to get my gun.

I've discussed this with my husband who basically waves off these fears and tells me it will be fine. I guess I'm looking for more people with experience actually carrying to also tell me it's fine. Or to give me their experience and advice.

Ps, I live in rural Nebraska, but commute into omaha frequently.

If you're going to carry, then you have to deal with those fears. I'm going to suggest some reading over at The Cornered Cat. Kathy Jackson is a professional author and trainer, and that's her site. I suspect that, in the long run, your husband is right and "it will all be fine," but there's a road that you have to travel between here and there, and it involves getting all of the necessary information and training.

 

[Varminterror]

Security boxes and gunsafes designed to be installed into vehicles ARE readily available to allow you to secure your firearm in your vehicle.

Carrying a loaded firearm for defense does NOT violate the fundamental firearms safety rule - Always keep your gun unloaded until ready for use. Defensive carry IS the use. The responsibility should ALWAYS weigh on your mind when carrying. Complacency kills. You should NEVER forget your gun is there, and never forget it is loaded. When carried, the firearm is in use.

By your statements, it sounds like you currently own a FEAR of a loaded firearm, rather than a healthy sense of respect and responsibility. A loaded firearm, in and of itself, is not dangerous. Misuse of, complacency with, or irresponsible apathy towards a loaded firearm is dangerous. If you don't yet possess the knowledge, skills, and attitude to safely carry a concealed firearm for self defense, there are many opportunities and options to seek training and thereafter practice to gain them. I recommend the NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting course, the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification program, and the Nebraska Concealed Handgun Permit course at a minimum. The NRA also offers Personal Protection Inside the Home, Personal Protection Outside of the home, and Defensive Pistol, as well as their new Carry Guard training program. The Defensive Pistol course is being phased out and the Carry Guard program phased in, but there aren't many options in the Midwest yet for the latter, so the former is hanging on, temporarily. The network and mechanics to develop us instructors for the Carry Guard program is very different than the past programs, so it's growing much more slowly than it should/could. Both the Defensive Pistol and Carry Guard systems are good supplementary training opportunities to the 3 steps I recommended above. The NRA Basics of Pistol shooting course is a training opportunity for handgun fundamentals. The Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification program is a practice opportunity to apply that fundamental training in a progressive challenge system to track your progress. The Nebraska State required Concealed Handgun Permit course is really more an education on laws, a little reinforcement of fundamental techniques, and a test of your ability to apply the fundamentals. Developing the knowledge, skills, and attitude to carry your firearm daily takes a lot more than just a few hours in a classroom. You only get out what you put in.

 

[Dibbs]

Welcome to The High Road. Once you carry for a while, you'll become more familiar and
comfortable with it. You just have to consider that when you're carrying a pistol, even though
you are not shooting it, it's still "in use", and therefore loaded.

 

[Onewildhoss]

Thank you so much, and thank you for the references to check out. I really appreciate that!!

 

[CoalTrain49]

Welcome to THR. Lots of people carry here including me. I just lock the gun in my glove box when I can't carry it someplace. If you don't have one a lock box will work.

No worries about AD with a revolver. Probably the safest firearm to carry. Second would be a pistol like a S&W Shield with a safety. Third would be a DA/SA pistol like a Sig. Last would be a pistol like a Glock which has no safety. JMO and I'm sure many folks will disagree, we all have our favorites. I believe the big sellers these days are strikers with safeties and revolvers like a 642.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/mp-9-shield-0

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/model-642-ls-ladysmith-0

The main thing is that you train with whatever you decide to carry. No substitute for that. I train at least once a month with my EDC. I carry a Sig P-239 but that's a personal choice.

And buy some insurance. It's like driving a car.

 

[Onewildhoss]

Varminterror-
I think you've probably hit the nail on the head. When it comes down to it, I've likely got a fear of a loaded weapon.
I will look in to the classes you've mentioned. One of the things that bothers me about the conceal classes, is how many people (mostly women) are underprepared for the responsibility. The idea that an 8 hour class with 6hours of classroom work learning gun laws, and 2 hours of range practice, makes these people feel capable of defending themselves or others is scary on its own. My brother in law is an example of this. He may have grown up around guns, but his handling of them is not what I'd consider safe. I know some people who get their permit and then dont practice at a range on even a semi regular basis. I wonder why more classes are not pre requisite for conceal carry classes.
Anyway, thank you again. I will look into the classes you've suggested. I'm pretty sure the gun range I go to offers several classes as well. I will look in to those also.

 

[IlikeSA]

As others have said, welcome to THR. I have carried semi-auto's and wheelgun's for the past 16 years, and there are plenty of others here as well. If you are concerned with carrying while loaded, think of all the law enforcement officers who have carried a revolver for years without it ever going off in their holster.

I would encourage you to go to a range near you and ask if there are women-specific firearms courses, to help you get more acquainted with your revolvers, carrying a firearm, and the laws. If you do carry, I would suggest a good holster and learning to shoot without the laser. It is a nice feature, but it should be secondary to learning to shoot with the iron sights.

I would also recommend reading what you can on the topic. Some good websites are:

http://www.grantcunningham.com/ he's a revolver-focused gunsmith and self-defense guy. Some of the articles are really good.
revolverguy.com this website has various articles about self-defense, revolvers, revolver holsters, and techniques for using a revolver for self defense.
https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/ Chris, the owner, has done a lot of studies on revolvers and revolver techniques, as well as general training drills. He also has some good studies on revolver ammunition. You'll have to sort through the articles.

 

[AZAndy]

You might want to have a look at Cornered Cat, which is a nice collection of advice for women by a female firearms instructor. Check out the holster section for making concealed carry work for women-- since females are differently shaped than men (or so I'm told), stuff that works for me might not work for you.

An SP-101 is a fine choice, I think. Please do let us know how you get along!

 

[bersaguy]

If I'm not mistaken, your SP101 has a transfer bar safety, which means there is no way the hammer can contact the firing pin without the trigger being pulled all the way to the rear. You could drop that revolver out of a 10 story window, have it land right on the hammer, and it would not discharge. Becoming comfortable carrying a loaded weapon takes some time, at least it did for me. My first CCW had a long double action trigger, magazine disconnect(would not fire without magazine inserted) and a thumb safety. On top of that, when i first started carrying, i carried with an empty chamber. Over the years I've carried different guns with different safety features, and now currently carry a double action only with no thumb safety with a loaded chamber, for the most part.
Training, practice, familiarization are very important. A good holster is also very important. I would suggest carrying on your person as opposed to in your purse if at all possible

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Welcome to THR. You have and will get good advice here. It's normal to be apprehensive about concealed carry at first. The fact that you recognize the poor gun handling of others tells me you're already ahead of the curve.

 

[somethingbenign]

Welcome. I'm actually transitioning to shooting and carrying revolvers myself for a few reasons. I remember that apprehension about carrying and currently fight my family on their apprehension. I don't really remember the details of how I got past that but I just started carrying around the house for a few weeks or months and eventually got comfortable, I'm hoping the same happens with my extended family but doubt it. As for the concerns about guns being drop safe I did the really nerdy thing and started watching disassembly videos of different handguns and learned how they are designed. A bunch of modern handguns are designed around the idea of locking the firing pin in place until the trigger is pulled so as long as the trigger is protected then the gun cannot fire. This is where a good holster comes into play, I'd argue that a holster is a more important part of carrying than the gun itself.

As for leaving a gun in the car I have to do so a couple times a week for class. I have a small car safe that is tied to my seats with a cable. Will it prevent the most determined thieves? No but it will slow them down enough to discourage them and I make a point of parking in the well lit parts of parking lots for general security.

Edit: Forgot to add I'm in Omaha myself, if you need any advice about things locally don't hesitate to send me a message. There are quite a few good ranges with decent classes from what I can tell and a couple of local holster makers that do really good work.

 

[RealGun]

Hello, I am new here and hoping you guys can help ease some of my apprehension with carrying a loaded revolver.
I have a Ruger sp101 357 and also a S&W .38. The 38 has a laser sight on the grip which must be turned on. Fun for target shooting, extremely impractical for actual self defense.
I have handled several weapons from shotguns, rifles, revolvers and semi auto pistols. I have always been taught to make sure my weapon is unloaded when not in use. At home, our guns and ammo are stored separately.
I want to get my conceal carry permit. I definitely believe the times we live in warrant the need for protection. My issue is that I am having a hard time with the idea of carrying a loaded weapon either on my person or in my purse. It goes against everything I've ever been taught.
I have read that many hand guns are being manufactured with a safety drop. This makes me feel a little better. I'm just worried about accidental discharge. Also in the event I cant carry into a prohibited area (a court house or government building for example) the idea of leaving my gun in my vehicle unattended seems EXTREMELY irresponsible.
I've discussed this with my husband who basically waves off these fears and tells me it will be fine. I guess I'm looking for more people with experience actually carrying to also tell me it's fine. Or to give me their experience and advice.

Ps, I live in rural Nebraska, but commute into omaha frequently.

Carrying on your person controls how you dress. Carrying in your purse controls what type of purse. The gun should not be left to fall out of an ordinary purse. What may be better is a go bag or backpack, whatever will always be within reach and which you will guard carefully from being snatched. There have to be accommodations and perhaps inconveniences at some level. What also comes with it is an awareness of gun-free zones and not going there with your firearm. I avoid the Clemson campus, for example, and I cannot (legally) be on Post Office or school property with the gun even stored securely in my vehicle. You have to watch for signs on the doors of buildings, typically anything government. When I go to the County Admin building to pay a tax or something, my gun stays in my car.

It took me a long time to warm up to the idea of carrying a cocked-and-locked 1911,, but I came to understand that a lot has to happen for a gun like that to fire. What I carry in recent years is one of your SP101s in warmer weather, and it is not a concern. I prefer the thumb break holster, which cover trigger and restricts the hammer, but that's mostly a concern about the gun staying put, while easy enough to draw.

If it's lighter in weight and a snub, the 38 would make the better purse gun, I think. I have one in my go bag as one I can reach while driving, and my primary is not accessible in a seated position with seat belt or outerwear.

 

[BlueHeelerFl]

Welcome to THR, as others have stated modern revolvers are incredibly safe. You could hit the hammer on your Ruger or S&W with an actual hammer and they will not go off.

I use a car safe with the cable to wrap around the seat struts. I also store my wallet when I go to the gym (my small car has no locking storage in it and the car's computers are under the front seats). I found a colored towel or throw blanket that matches the floor color camouflages the safe and breaks up its shape. At night its almost invisible and during the day a casual glance won't even notice it.

 

[Barry loyd]

Welcome. I carry the SP101’s big brother the GP100 with a 4in barrel. I chose a revolver because of simplicity and safety. As long as the holster covers the trigger well it is very safe. I carry outside the waist band due to being the most comfortable for me. The most dangerous time when carrying a gun is holstering and drawing. It’s at those time that our fingers get to the trigger before we’re ready.

 

[jar]

Although I own both revolvers and pistols my preferred carry handgun is a small revolver. When carried two other things are also always part of the package, a good sturdy belt and a holster. It might be a pocket holster or a suspended holster (a holster meant to be on or in a belt or shoulder rig) but in either case I look for a couple things. First it should be a form fitted holster designed for that particular style or model gun. I am most comfortable with the retention holsters. If it's an open hammered type revolver I prefer a strap that goes over the hammer and if it is a revolver with a covered hammer then a strap that covers the trigger. The goal is twofold, to make sure the gun staying in the holster until I decide for it to come out and to make sure it cannot get fired accidentally by something catching the trigger itself.

S&W Airweight in an Alessi pocket holster:


and in a Hunter on the belt with strap over the trigger guard:



a Colt Detective Special in a Craft/Vega thumb break style holster:


and in my old Alessi pancake style holster: (wearing this rig today)


finally a Taurus 605 in a Gould & Goodrich paddle style holster:


​

The paddle style holster is a good choice if there will be times you want to leave the gun in your car since it can be put on or taken off without undoing a belt. The Hunter style holster also allows easy off/on. And of course the pocket holster is equally happy as a safe holster or purse holster.

 

[John Joseph]

Lots of good advice already. Turn your fear of carrying a loaded weapon into respect and ensure that you have complete control over your revolver at all times and you should do just fine. In situations where you must leave your revolver in the car or truck, explore ways of discreetly transferring it from your person into an appropriate locking compartment.

 

[EmGeeGeorge]

1. As above time 1,000...
Training is fundamental. And refresh perishable skills. On the regular.
See if there is a (respectable) company that offers a top-to-bottom personal protection pistol course. Out here in WA there’s a group called Insights that offers everything from basic to advanced pistol courses. Mix in an unarmed self defense class with some retention training and you could be good in just a few days. I’m sure there’s something out your way with equivalent courses.

2. My wife has a Dene Adams corset holster; there are lots of good on body carry systems so no reason to purse carry. If you have to I’d recommend always having a cross shoulder purse, never leave that unattended, in a shopping cart, a counter, changing room floor, etc.

3. There are little mini safes that hold a pistol and have a cable that goes around the metal framework under the seat. Key and combo lock in many varieties. It’s not completely theft proof but it’s a deterrent, slows bad actors down, and it’d keep curious kids from accessing the firearm.

4. There’s a book, “Gift of Fear” by Gavin De Becker. It’s a good read. Following a lot of the principles in it could keep you from ever needing to use the firearm by helping you avoid the situations/recognize dangers.
He’s not pro-gun, so keep that in mind but there are good lessons in it, especially for folks accustomed to being accommodating to others to the degree that it could put you in danger.

 

[farm23]

My wife carries a DAO [double action only] so she does not have to think about cocking a hammer or not. She uses a purse with a built in compartment to hold the revolver. I also carry a revolver most of the time.so your Ruger SP101 is fine.

 

[WrongHanded]

Hello, I am new here and hoping you guys can help ease some of my apprehension with carrying a loaded revolver.
I have a Ruger sp101 357 and also a S&W .38. The 38 has a laser sight on the grip which must be turned on. Fun for target shooting, extremely impractical for actual self defense.
I have handled several weapons from shotguns, rifles, revolvers and semi auto pistols. I have always been taught to make sure my weapon is unloaded when not in use. At home, our guns and ammo are stored separately.
I want to get my conceal carry permit. I definitely believe the times we live in warrant the need for protection. My issue is that I am having a hard time with the idea of carrying a loaded weapon either on my person or in my purse. It goes against everything I've ever been taught.
I have read that many hand guns are being manufactured with a safety drop. This makes me feel a little better. I'm just worried about accidental discharge. Also in the event I cant carry into a prohibited area (a court house or government building for example) the idea of leaving my gun in my vehicle unattended seems EXTREMELY irresponsible.
I've discussed this with my husband who basically waves off these fears and tells me it will be fine. I guess I'm looking for more people with experience actually carrying to also tell me it's fine. Or to give me their experience and advice.

Ps, I live in rural Nebraska, but commute into omaha frequently.

The SP101 has a transfer bar, which requires the trigger to be pulled rearward to engage it. This has already been mentioned, but it seems worth repeating. If you want to know what internal safety mechanisms a particular firearm has, post up the make and model. Someone will be able to help.

My guns are loaded whenever they are in a position to be used. If they are locked in a safe in the basement they are unloaded because I cannot easily access them quickly. All my other guns, whether in keypad-lock safes or hidden elsewhere around the house, are loaded. We don't have kids, we don't have visitors often, and an unloaded gun isn't much use for defense. This is neither right, nor is it wrong. It's just my choice. And yes, my wife likes having loaded guns easily accessible too.

I carry and handle multiple loaded guns every day. It's perfectly safe provided you respect the potential energy you are handling. I also don't use a safe or lockbox in my car. I hide my gun in the vehicle, amongst a bunch of clutter. If I'm not willing to park there with a loaded gun left hidden in the vehicle, I'm not willing to leave my vehicle there.

Some people may view the way I treat guns as dangerous or irresponsible. But some will think it's perfectly acceptable. You have to decide what's right for you. I'm just sharing what I choose to do, to give you yet another point of view.

 

[Telekinesis]

Welcome to THR. Being nervous about a loaded weapon when you first make the transition from casual shooting mindset to a defensive mindset is normal. It takes a bit of time and experience, but eventually you will get to the point of it being normal for the gun to always be loaded.

On the holster, make sure it covers the trigger guard AND that it stays open without the gun. That way you can reholster the firearm without having to use your other hand to hold open the holster (what usually happens is that the hand holding the holster open gets muzzled at some point during the reholstering process). Expect to pay $50-100 for a good holster. A cheap Uncle Mike's holster from Walmart won't cut it. As a bonus, the more expensive holster is usually designed by someone who carries and shoots regularly, so it should be more comfortable and durable.

One of the things that bothers me about the conceal classes, is how many people (mostly women) are underprepared for the responsibility. The idea that an 8 hour class with 6hours of classroom work learning gun laws, and 2 hours of range practice, makes these people feel capable of defending themselves or others is scary on its own.

I wonder why more classes are not pre requisite for conceal carry classes.

There is a bit of a misconception about the classes required to get a carry permit. They are not designed to teach you how to shoot and they're not designed to teach you anything about the implementation of the firearm (there's a LOT more to defensive shooting than just lining up the sights and pulling the trigger). About the only thing these classes are designed to do is run you through a high level view of the state's lethal force laws (and some of the classes are better than others).

I think it is incumbent on every person who carries or uses firearms for defense to get GOOD training on shooting, carrying, and tactics (among a lot of other things). Once you have the basics of gun handling and shooting, I would highly recommend taking classes from nationally known instructors like Tactical Response, Thunder Ranch, Valor Ridge, or Shivworks. The Shivworks ECQC is an excellent class combining standard combatives with firearms using force on force drills, but I would recommend doing a basic defensive class first so you have a good foundation.

You have already touched on one very important point, which is mindset. A lot of people look at a gun like a talisman and think "as long as I carry this, nothing bad will happen to me". In reality, the gun is just a tool and we carry it because it is the most effective tool available. The correct mindset is "if something happens and I have no other way to avoid it, I have the tools and the skills to protect myself".

While I do think everyone should get as much training as they can, I do NOT think it should be a legal hurdle before you are allowed to carry. The ability to defend yourself is one of the most basic laws of nature, and is something that should not be limited to just the people who can afford the cost and have the ability to take the time off work to take however much training is required by the government.

Think of the reading tests used by southern states post-civil war to determine if someone was able to vote. On the surface, it seems reasonable that you want the people voting to be able to read the ballot (or shooters to be well trained). However, it was implemented in a way that only a select group with the right skin color (or the right amount of disposable time and income for our gun parallel) would be able to pass the test and be able to exercise their rights.

You can't take someone with no experience and turn them into a really good, competent defensive shooter with the right mindset and legal knowledge in an 8 hour class. You can't do it in a 16 hour weekend class either. You'd probably need a week at minimum to take someone from zero knowledge to good in all the different aspects that make for a good defensive shooter (from basic weapons handling to retention shooting, movement while shooting, drawing from concealment, malfunction drills, holstered weapon retention, low light, unknown contacts, and a whole bunch of other topics). A 5 day class like this with good teaching is going to be about $1500 or so, and they'll either loose a quarter of their monthly income or burn a bunch of their vacation days to take it. Sounds like a reasonable cost for a piece of paper that says someone can carry a gun, right?

I'm not trying to be mean at all, but we do have to look at the bigger picture when thinking "there ought to be a law!"

 

[George P]

If you're going to carry, then you have to deal with those fears. I'm going to suggest some reading over at The Cornered Cat. Kathy Jackson is a professional author and trainer, and that's her site. I suspect that, in the long run, your husband is right and "it will all be fine," but there's a road that you have to travel between here and there, and it involves getting all of the necessary information and training.

Excellent site, not just for you but for your husband as well.