Taking the course and getting a concealed carry permit can be the first step to personal protection, a new career in law enforcement, or exercising the right to take your gun wherever you go, but it shouldn’t be. not be the last. These Lone Star Holsters concealed carry tips will help you avoid awkward situations in public, maintain safety at all times, and make you a more confident carry overall.
Be comfortable with concealed carry at home.
You may be looking forward to hitting the streets with your concealed weapon now that you have the chance. However, you will soon realize that there are many subtle nuances in a confident carry that you only learn by doing. It’s best that you conduct this practice proactively in private so that you don’t fumble around with your weapon in public. First, work out on your basic movements – standing, bending, reaching, turning, and sitting. Understand how and when the gun moves with you.
Practice getting in and out of the car. Practice drawing from concealment and figure out which carry position feels most natural to you. Try on different clothes to see what works best. One of the most common beginner mistakes is touching or adjusting a concealed weapon in a public place. If you notice the gun moving, go to the restroom to make the adjustment without drawing attention to yourself. Practicing at home will make you more comfortable and confident.
Then take it to the range. The range is the perfect place to graduate once you’ve perfected the art of practicing concealed carry at home. There’s no shame in taking baby steps. It’s better than being that FBI agent who lost his concealed weapon when he turned around at the bar and accidentally shot someone. At the range, you want to go from dry-firing to live-firing.
Bring your license and know the law.
If you are a civilian, you will still face certain restrictions as to where you can or cannot go with your concealed firearm. For most people, with the exception of law enforcement and military officials, “no go” areas include:
- Municipal, county, state, or federal structures.
- Meetings are conducted by elected or appointed officials.
- Detention facilities where people are detained, processed, or placed under house arrest.
- Elementary or secondary schools.
- Professional and amateur sporting events, theaters, and concerts.
- Always bring your license with you just in case but keep it in a separate pocket from your firearm.
Don’t end up with a drawer full of concealed carry cases.
A hard lesson learned is that all concealed carry cases are NOT created equal. Concealed Nation put it this way: Selecting a firearm and its associated holster can be a formidable task, and you make sure to end up with a drawer full of custom leather holsters until you discover the one that suits you. They add, “So many people decide to leave their firearms at home because they don’t like the feel of their holster.” First and foremost, check out the Lone Star Holsters Leather Concealed Carry Cases. We believe nothing beats the look, feel and smell of heavyweight native cowhide leather fresh out of the box. Our products are designed for all-day carry and easy access, yet attach securely to a quality leather belt, so you won’t have to worry about your weapon dropping or being wielded inadvertently.
Only draw your weapon if you are ready to fire.
Perhaps the most difficult aspect of concealed carry is determining when and how you will exercise your rights. Just because you can carry a weapon doesn’t mean you have to use it. If you witness a crime being committed, you might draw your gun to save the day. If the attacker threatened to hurt or kill innocent people, you may think that using your weapon is worth it. Yet, you can also create a gunfight situation that makes things worse, depending on where you are or what’s going on. It is useless to bluff with a concealed weapon.
When faced with a deadly threat, only fire the weapon if you are ready to pull the trigger. You must make the decision to shoot and possibly kill an attacker to prevent yourself or others from hurting you. You should also be aware that firing your weapon and engaging attackers can result in melee combat. In an analysis of self-protection videos by a former Marine Corps intelligence officer, more than a third of scenarios involved physical contact during the firefight. In the majority of cases, there were two attackers. You might shoot an assailant multiple times and still have to fight, so understand that your life may depend on your gun retention skills.
Maximize your load capacity.
Keep your magazine filled to capacity and bring a few extra rounds with you if you are carrying for protection. The best stats we have suggest that it takes an average of 2-3 handgun hits to the vital area to incapacitate an attacker. Under duress, it’s not uncommon to drop to 50% accuracy from firing on the range – and that’s generous. Imagine you are carrying a six-round pistol.
You chamber around and don’t bother finishing it. After being attacked, you fire three bullets at the attacker. Now you have no margin for error. Then another attacker jumps. Not everyone can or wants to carry a large, high-capacity pistol, but for most small handguns, with the right 1911 shoulder holster, the extra ammo won’t cost you any comfort or concealment – just a fraction second in loading time.
