Proper way or how do you carry your ccw? and where

H

hollywood_cook

Inactive
Not to sound stupid, but more of curiousity, how do you individuals carry your ccw. I know it is "Concealed" which I assume it means out of sight., but le'ts say in the summer when it is 100 deg. outside than I would think it wouldn't be concealed or if it was than it would be obvious by the bulge, or am I overlooking something.

Also do you carry it everywhere. I am looking at getting my CCW but to be honest kinda timid about the whole idea, of getting in trouble for going into Wal-Mart, or a restaurant, or forget I have it with me and go into bank or post office.

So just curious on how you individuals do it.
 
Hollywood,

You have to give your carry system some thought, and then it isn't so bad at all. You start with the basics. You get yourself a heavy duty holster belt and a good holster (strong side behind the hip is a good start).

Then you think about concealing when you shop for clothes For instance, you buy jackets that are thigh length instead of waist length. You get them without elastic around the bottom. If you want to carry IWB, you get pants a couple inches larger then usual. You buy button-down shirts that are tailored so you can wear them outside the pants and over your weapon. Sports jackets and the like work - as well as vests, like a photog for warmer climates, fleece for cooler, & even T-shirts a size or 2 larger will conceal most CCW weapons. Most cases it is a simple thing of just buying a size larger, or a bit longer. In summer, the...'easiest' & comfortable solution used to be a fanny pack holster. Other choices may be better these days, I just use the larger t-shirt or light vest and deal with it.

Once you are dressed and packing, you leave the gun alone, you don't pat it in public, or re-adjust it etc. You don't bend over at the waist but squat. You will be amazed at how little most people notice, esp these days with cell phones and blackberries hanging off everyone.

You still must always remain responsible - things like walking armed into a post office or school can really get you screwed. You must learn what is allowed and what isn't in your state/city, etc. Getting drunk while packing ain't a good idea. You have to remember you're packing when using the bathroom, so your piece doesn't hit the deck when you go to drop your drawers, and DON'T EVER leave your gun on the back of the toilet! (seen that a couple times).

I carry strong side OWB behind my hip. A vest usually when warm, even a t-shirt when hot. I do have a IWB holster coming, which I am really looking forward to trying out - it will go on & off w/o taking my belt, and the gun (Commander) should really dissapear.

HTH!
 
I also advise you to make sure you go to the range a few times while carrying the way you are going to. See how long it really takes you to access your CCW weapon, and if its too slow. Make sure you are very comfortable with it, to the point its totally natural.
 
I either use a www.crossbreedhosters.com IWB rig for my 1911 or put my Firestar in my www.smartcarry.com

I use a tuckable (meaning you can tuck you shirt in) IWB but will sometimes leave the shirt out. The summer is no problem thanks to Hawaian type shirts and other untucked shirts.

I carry everywhere legal and do not think twice about it. Learn the laws of your state at www.packing.org The odds are that you are not going to "get into trouble" for carrying at a restaurant or Walmart. Most states, even if the places are posted, will only see you charged with tresspassing IF the gun is noticed and if, after it is noticed, you refuse to leave when requested to do so by the management.

One more thing, check out anything by Massad Ayoob, especially the 5th Edition book of Comabt Handgunnery. It is in most Borders and is avaialble at www.amazon.com. It answers most of the questions you have.
 
Erik,

I never thought about it, as it isn't an issue in NY. I did read a thread here about it being illegal. I will look it up now to know for sure.

"It is no secret that lots of wrong information on firearms laws is propagated by the Internet and by word of mouth. In my experience, one of the most prevalent myths is that it is a federal offense to carry a firearm in a United States Post Office even if you have a permit or license to carry. As a general proposition, this is simply not the case. While state law or carry permit restrictions may prohibit carry in a Post Office, I have yet to locate a federal law that actually criminalizes such conduct where state law and permit regulations allow it.

The statute tossed out in support of the proposition that carry in a post office is illegal is 18 U.S.C. § 930. This statute is also cited in posters typically displayed in federal facilities giving notice that carrying firearms in the facility is a crime. The posters do not even mention the exception to the law that applies to those private citizens who lawfully carry handguns.
 
Where you may legally carry is different from one state to the next. For example, in Oregon it is perfectly legal for a CCW holder to carry a concealed weapon into a public school. In Washington, a CCW holder can carry to pick up a student, but not into the buildings themselves. But in many states, being armed on school property is absolutely forbidden. There is a wide variation in the types and number of places a CCW holder may legally carry, and the other thing that varies from one state to the next is the level of offense for carrying where you're not supposed to.

If you want to get a CCW, you must find out exactly where you may and may not legally carry according to your state law. You can do the research online, but don't take anyone else's word for it -- look up the laws and read them for yourself.

Just like the laws about where you can carry will vary from one state to another, they'll also vary about how concealed the weapon must be, and about the punishment (if any) for not being well concealed. In some states, "printing" -- allowing the outline of your gun to be seen -- is against the law. In some states completely open carry is legal, so it doesn't matter if you print or not. Some states don't define how concealed the weapon must be, or use such a vague definition it would be hard to know if your not-entirely-invisible gun is legal or not.

The best rule is that if you're going to carry a concealed weapon, it is best if it is really concealed, and doesn't print or otherwise telegraph its presence in any way. That way you will know you are within the law, no matter where you live.

It is not difficult to conceal a handgun so well that no one else will know you have it. I have carried my Glock 26 for six years now and the only person who's ever caught me carrying was my mother (she hugged me... :rolleyes: )

Here is how to conceal a weapon on the belt (there are other places!).

First, you must choose a gun that is not too big. Trying to conceal a too-large handgun is probably the most common mistake people make. Guns that are too large are hard to conceal, uncomfortable to carry, and generally just such a hassle that people end up not carrying at all ("I'm just running to the store ...")

Then you need a good holster. The holster must hold the gun securely; if the gun can just "fall out" of the holster when the holster is held upside down, it is too loose. The holster is designed to be worn either inside the waistband of your trousers (IWB) or outside it (OWB). If it is IWB, your trousers have to be loose enough around the waist to make room for you and the gun. If OWB, your cover garment will have to be longer, looser, and more forgiving. The holster must be made of good material and must attach securely to the belt.

The belt should be wide and sturdy. It is possible to carry a holstered gun while wearing a flimsy dress belt, but it is neither comfortable nor secure. If it is uncomfortable, you will tug at it and adjust it continuously, thus giving away its presence. If it is not secure, it is more likely to flop out of place and print or otherwise give itself away.

Finally, you need a good cover garment. The cover garment can be any color, but darker colors conceal better than lighter ones; prints conceal better than solids; and thicker material is more forgiving than thinner material. The garment must not be too tight. If you are carrying IWB, or have a short-barrelled handgun carried OWB, you use an oversized, loose tee shirt by itself. More commonly, young guys use a tucked in tee shirt and an untucked, unbuttoned overshirt; old guys often wear a tucked in shirt and a vest or jacket. Women can use untucked blouses, loose sweaters, or feminine vests.

HTH.

pax
 
Not to sound stupid, but more of curiousity, how do you individuals carry your ccw. I know it is "Concealed" which I assume it means out of sight., but le'ts say in the summer when it is 100 deg. outside than I would think it wouldn't be concealed or if it was than it would be obvious by the bulge, or am I overlooking something.
Click to expand...

Do you see a bulge?
pagerpal9.jpg


BTW, you're looking at this:
pagerpal1.jpg



Also do you carry it everywhere.
Click to expand...
What use is it if you don't carry it everywhere?

Dex
firedevil_smiley.gif
 
I skimmed a lot, but the advice I saw was all good. I'll just add this.

I bought a IWB holster for my Beretta Cougar .45 before I sold it (the gun). I now have a HKUSP (.45). A minor mod to the holster allowed the USP to fit. Nothing snags and the trigger is covered.

Now, the USP (and the Cougar) is getting on the big side for CC. And when I first put the holster on, i figured it to be very awkward.

I've been using it for about a month now, and there's nothing to it. When I'm leaving home I put it on whatever shorts or pants I'm wearing with a standard belt. I'm sure a heavy-duty belt would be better, but my slightly thick dress belt is just fine.

I wear a lightweight dark colored button shirt non-tucked. If the shirt covers halfway down your pockets, it'll cover the grip even with a little waist-bending.

And even though my arm sometimes snags the grip, making me think it's making my shirt protrude, nobody, not even LEOs I pass in Publix, seems to notice. It looks enormous laying on the table by itself, but it's invisible when worn.

At first I thought I could get away with keeping it in a side pocket. Forget it. The 2nd time I tried that lazy solution, I went to a movie restroom. The lack of a belt allowed me to forget the weight of the gun, and it turned out my button was undone. Down went the shorts. Luckily I was there alone. With the holster (at least the IWB) you need a belt, and you have to consciously undo the belt to risk that happening.

Even though the holster feels a little odd at first, the beauty of it is it doesn't change by sitting down, even in a car. In a pocket, the gun's comfortable till I sit, then something always pinches me.

So do get a good holster. It's likely to cost you $100, but do it.

When out, you'll have to figure out how you are going to manage the gun in advance. If I'm going to the bank or PO (or lately to the police station or courthouse), Ill take it out and put it in the glove box so I can leave it in the car without putting on a show at my destination. Otherwise I leave it in the holster unless I feel antsy about where I'm driving through, in which case it goes on the seat beside me under my jacket or a folder.

I just now started carrying with a round chambered while in the holster. For me it was a big process. First get used to the holster being there. Then get used to the gun being in it with no round chambered, making sure for a week or 2 that nothing wicked happens when inserting/removing the gun, sitting down, bending over, etc.

Then, when I feel confident that the holster isnt going to shoot me, I start carrying with a round chambered.

If you get a new holster and wear the gun in it, keep an eye on it for maybe a month of wear. My holster had to wear in a little, and even though it didn't happen to me, it's possible that a holster that doesn't snag the gun's controls (safety, etc.) might start doing so as it softens a little after some wear.

The hardest habit for me to break is using my hand to check to see if the shirt's still over the grip. But it always is.
 
It looks like most areas are covered. I advocate installation of a lock box in every vehicle owned. I have had nightmares about my vehicle being stolen with my gun easily accessible. Good lock boxes are available for $100 +/-, it has been cheap peace of mind for me.
 
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