I was thinking about this post yesterday when I was talking with a coworker about carrying. This post from Buddy Borepatch got me motivated.
I didn’t have a round in the chamber. I was a bit nervous, it being really the first real time and all. Obviously, you carry a pistol for the unexpected, and so this was way suboptimal. Once I’m more used to this, I expect that cocked and locked will be the norm.
This is a totally understandable and reasonable step, as well as understanding of the potential risks.
Now first up given that I’m a prisoner of Massachusetts I had the desire to carry, as well as all the carry gear well before I moved to a town that would permit lawful citizens to carry. Still my actions work for anybody.
Step 1:Get a gun and a carry rig. BTW don’t go buy an IWB rig if all your pants are really snug, or any other such rig that would require you to buy an entire new wardrobe to begin carrying. Look at how you dress, and plan your carry around that. If you need to modify your clothes buying from then on, that’s fine. Like now I don’t buy sweatshirts I can’t conceal and draw a shoulder holster from anymore, but when I first started carrying there were only a handful of sweatshirts I regularly wore wouldn’t work with my holster.
Step 2Carry with a snap-cap. You should have snap caps for your preferred carry gun(s) they’re great for training and general safety. Not only do they protect the parts of your gun from dry firing (which is a moot point in most guns, but it can’t hurt) but also when you KNOW your gun is stuffed full of dummy rounds you know that no live rounds can get into your gun. Still load up your gun with snap caps as if you are loading your gun for carry. Use your decocker or safety just as you plan to use it for carry, then carry around your house. You carry as long as it takes for you to realize that the round in the chamber is NEVER going to meet Mr. Firing pin unless you pull the trigger.
It doesn’t take as long as you might think.
Also make sure you use the bathroom while carrying, both #1 and #2. You shouldn’t have any serious troubles using the toilet with your carry gear. You never know when Nature might call, so don’t make it harder on yourself if you’re carrying a gun.
Then you should practice your draw stroke. Do it from every position you can think of. Standing, sitting, and practice moving. At this point you may want to modify your carry method. If you have a gun that is DA/SA with a decocking safety (either one that decocks on safe like a Beretta 92, or a gun that can either run cocked-and-locked or DA with or without the safety like an H&K or the FNP Pistols) you may find that flicking that safety off in a smooth draw isn’t as easy as you thought, so maybe DA with the safety off might be the way to go. You may find that sometimes the safety gets bumped on or off, so maybe safety-on is a more efficient mode for you.
If you think Condition 3 (empty Chamber) is a good idea, this is about the time you’ll discover its a horrible way to carry a gun.
Step 3 Ease into it. Start carrying with live ammo exactly how you have decided is the best method to carry. Carry to the gun club or gun shop. Carry on short outings, carry to places where you’re in and out. Carry to friend’s houses. Get used to it. This is also where you enlist your friends. If they don’t know what and how you’re carrying ask them to spot your gun. Or show them your holster after you’ve been spending time with them for a while (This of course assumes your friends are cool with carry) If you have friends that AREN’T cool with carry, hang out with them for a while while carrying and SAY NOTHING. People who don’t like carry are the best judges, because unlike people who DO carry they aren’t hyper sensitive to printing.
Look its impossible to 100% hide a gun. EVERYTHING prints, from your carry gun, to your wallet, to your phone, to your Chapstick. Still if you can JUST HAPPEN to see the point of your gun grip through your shirt, what does that look like? Nothing, really. Most people won’t even see it, and if they do they might just dismiss it to a funny shadow. Meanwhile when your lycra tank top CLINGS to your gun grip like Reynold’s Wrap so they can read the GLOCK Logo through your shirt, or if when you reach for something on the top grocery shelf you can see your muzzle or holster peeking out, that’s a problem.
Step 4 Notice above I spent a LOT of time talking about conceal carry? Yeah well I needed to get here first. Step 4 is start carrying ALL THE TIME! You need to go out to get a pack of smokes at 10pm, or decide to run out with the kids after dinner for ice cream after dinner, carry your gun. Carry at work (if your company doesn’t have a policy against it), carry on the weekend.
Get REALLY comfortable with carry. After you’re in the comfort zone this is when I think would be the best point to start open carrying.
My rational is most people don’t even notice, and many of the people who DO notice don’t care. But you WILL encounter people who will be curious about your gun, and given that Open Carry is a controversial subject, it would be ideal that you be the best ambassador for the cause.
I’m not saying its right, just saying it is. Imagine that if there were bigots attempting to ban driving, would you want a 16 or 17 year old new driver to be the spokesperson for the cause?
And of course carry your damn gun! It doesn’t do you any good locked up at home, and I think we all know by now that you carrying a gun is a good idea all around!
