Free Republic Gun Club – Concealed Means Concealed

8/5/08 | self

[Pistolshot]

Free Republic Gun Club – Concealed Means Concealed

You finally have your CCW permit. Now what?
You’ve qualified, shot the course of fire, did all the paperwork, made the conscious decision to protect yourself. Now what? Holsters.

The one mistake I see novice CCW permit holders make is the ‘hand-check. They consciously keep reaching for where the gun is in its holster. It’s a dead giveaway. I have more than once walked up to a permit holder and ask them why they keep checking to see if the gun is still there. If it’s in a secure holster and you’ve done the job of checking the mirror that, yes, it is concealed.

LEAVE IT ALONE.

Concealed mean the ability to hide a weapon where it can be reached and employed in the quickest manner possible. THAT NO ONE ELSE KNOWS IS THERE..

Deep concealment is for law enforcement, so let’s dispense with the ankle holsters, waist band, bra, garter, and other deep concealment holsters. They are S L O W. Slow to access and slow if you need it right now.

For anyone who has a CCW permit, you’ve had to make a lot of choices. What kind of gun to carry, caliber, and especially, how to carry it and still have it quickly accessible. What I am going to talk about today are holsters. The one item you can never have too many for carry.

We all have our favorites or the ones we rely on for almost every day usage. But there is a difference between carrying in cooler northern environments and the hot desert of the Southwest, between the jeans and a shirt and a suit or in the case of women, dresses, skirts, and blouses. The environment alone will determine what you carry as well as how. For most guys a good strong side holster inside the waist will be sufficient such as the Summer Special

or the Milt Sparks Executive Companion

My favorite for autos is the Biachi Pistol Pocket.

The PP covers just about everything I need in a good IWB holster and has one feature that has me sold on it for all my autos. The buckle has a swivel to change the cant of the holster. It can be shifted to crossdraw or deep behind the hip. It has a nice thumbsnap to help with keeping the weapon secure at any angle or even a tumble if you fall.

Ok, so these are a little more pricey that you’d like to spend on a IWB holster. Well, Galco has this little number.

It covers the tire weapon and is secure.

What about revolvers?

Also from Galco.
But a word of caution on IWB for revolvers. The cylinder is going to poke and rub against you. It will be uncomfortable. For revolvers I suggest a high rise thumbsnap such as the Bianchi Black widow.

Now, I didn’t forget the ladies. Galco has a couple of holster purses that work well with almost any size firearm.

These are not the only modes of carry. There are crossdraw, shoulder, ankle, small of the back or pocket holsters depending on what you want to carry. The crossdraw has you reaching across your body, similarly the shoulder rig does the same. Both modes are secure, but both have extreme drawbacks. If you are wider around the middle, or especially endowed on top, a shoulder rig or the crossdraw may not be your best choice.

Pocket holsters are great for the mouse guns or something along the Kahr/Kel-Tec lines, but for anything bigger, a proper holster should be employed.

Small of the back holster are nice IF you are not driving. Something about even a small pistol sticking you in the back while driving down the highway doesn’t sound too appealing. Fanny packs are out there, but a word of caution. Most law-enforcement officers pick them out quickly and a LOT of the criminal element take a fanny pack as a challenge.

These are not the only choices you have in a holster, just the ones I would recommend. You can find holsters almost anyplace, garage sales, flea-markets, and especially gunshows. I, personally have about 100 different types of holsters. Some work well…..others….well….they make good examples of what not to wear.

What do you like to use? Remember this is for concealment.

Enjoy

JOIN THE FR GUN CLUB PING LIST HERE!!!

[Shooter 2.5]

Fanny packs are great for outdoor activities like canoeing, biking, etc.

[hiredhand]

Before everybody digresses into pettiness about holster and handgun choice, this should be reviewed...REGULARLY. Mark Moritz' rules of gunfighting. :-)

1. Have a gun.
   
   1. Preferably, have at least two guns.
   2. Bring all of your friends who have guns.
   
   
2. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive.
   
   1. "Why did you shoot only once? There's no additional paperwork for shooting someone twice!" -- Firearms Instructor P.O.J.D., MOS debriefing after a shooting.
   2. Bring ammo.
      
      1. The right ammo.
      2. Lots of it.
   
   
3. Only hits count. The only thing worse than a miss is a slow miss.
   
4. If your shooting stance is good, you're probably not moving fast enough or using cover correctly.
   
5. Proximity negates skill. Distance is your friend. (Lateral and diagonal movement are preferred.)
   
6. If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun… and a friend with a long gun.
   
7. In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance or tactics. They will only remember who lived.
   
8. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating, reloading and running.
   
9. Accuracy is relative: most combat shooting standards will be more dependent on "pucker factor" than the inherent accuracy of the gun. Use a gun that works every time. "All skill is in vain when an Angel pisses in the flintlock of your musket."
   
10. Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.
    
11. Always cheat, always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.
    
    1. If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn't plan your mission properly."

This is the law:

• The purpose of fighting is to win.
• There is no possible victory in defense.
• The sword is more important than the shield and skill is more important than either.
• The final weapon is the brain.
• All else is supplemental.

- John Steinbeck (courtesy of Ken Campbell)

12. Have a plan.
    
    1. Have a back-up plan, because the first one won't work.
    
    
13. Use cover or concealment as much as possible.
    
14. Flank your adversary when possible. Protect your own flank.
    
15. Don't drop your guard.
    
16. Always perform a tactical reload and then threat scan 360 degrees.
    
17. Watch their hands. Hands kill. (In God we trust. Everyone else, keep your hands where I can see them.)
    
18. Decide to be aggressive enough, quickly enough.
    
19. The faster you finish the fight, the less shot you will get.
    
20. Be polite. Be professional. But… have a plan to kill everyone you meet.
    
21. Be courteous to everyone. Friendly to no one.
    
22. Your number one option for Personal Security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.
    
23. Do not attend a gun fight with a handgun whose caliber does not start with a "4."
    
    1. Nothing handheld is a reliable stopper.
    
    
24. Carry the same gun in the same place all the time.

[MHGinTN]

That was a fun read ... instructive, too.

[Squantos]

Whooo Hoooo !

A convert !.........:o)

[B4Ranch]

After almost 40 years of using this type holster Shoulder holster/upside down, I prefer it to every other one that I own. I can shoot a man attacking me from behind without having to get him off my back. I turn my body to align it with the target thereby reducing the mass area for the other person to aim at. My problem with hip holsters is that if someone knows you have it on and have practiced for just 15 minutes, they can disarm you before you know it. I'm not saying they would have their hands properly aligned to use your weapon quickly but they can throw your weapon away from the immediate area thereby preventing you from using it. That is not the case with the holster I prefer.

[NFHale]

“...Wow...talking about a subject virtually guaranteed to start a “religious” war!...”

and

“Before everybody digresses into pettiness about holster and handgun choice...”

This is very, very easy to avoid....Just assume that I’m right, and we can all move on from there! HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

(I crack myself up...I really do...)

[NFHale]

“...Fanny packs are great for outdoor activities like canoeing, biking, etc.

If that’s your methodology, go for it! As long as you can get to it when you need it, that’s all that matters.

I personally don’t like them. When outdooring-it, I’ll opt for the pocket carry. Do lots of outdoor activities, and I’ve found that pocket carry doesn’t impede anything.

Plus, it doesn’t advertise that I’m armed. But that’s just my preference.

[NFHale]

“Mark Moritz’ rules of gunfighting”

Great post HH. Thanks!!!
The Halemeister

[MileHi]

Be polite. Be professional. But… have a plan to kill everyone you meet. I read that somewhere before...{:0)

[MileHi]

Thin built, jeans and t-shirt guys are a tough fit for full sized carry...

No $hit...

[Squantos]

I agree.....I’m right every time !.............Who is I’m Right ?

New Eco Friendly Glock 31 came in to my gunrunner this PM ! It’s Olive Drab OD so bunny huggers will approve ! Headed to the range tomorrow afternoon after my dentist appointment !

300 rounds of blazer CCI 125gr and 158gr 357SIG range ammo to test function and 200 rounds of 125gr Gold Dot to play and zero with. I was gonna get a pink glock like Eakers but he gets really bitchy if someone wears same color to the range as he does........

[MileHi]

My dad was a cop and I bought that for him to carry his Colt Detective Special back in about ‘77. Nice rig. Hell, I wasn’t really a shooter yet but I knew that was the cool rig for a guy in a suit and Raybans.

[Lurker]

Since the laws of my State forbid the carrying of a 'loaded firearm concealed upon ones person', I have done the next best thing.

I have a small fanny pack into which goes my unloaded Sig Sauer P230. 1 loaded magazine goes into my front left pocket, and one in my back left pocket.

After lots of practice I can have the weapon out of the fanny pack, loaded, and brought to bear on a target in less than 3 seconds.

Is it ideal? Nope.

Does it comply with the letter of the laws of my State which say: "Unloaded and completely enclosed in a case."

Yep.

Is it better than a pointy stick, pepper spray, or harsh language?

You betcha.

So until IL is dragged kicking and screaming into compliance with Heller, it's what I'll do. And I'll keep my damned mouth shut about it, too.

L

[Shooter 2.5]

The woman who demonstrated the “made for firearms fanny pack” had a less than two seconds draw. The carry pistol is on my profile page. A spare magazine is in the outer pouch.

The only time I use it is when I'm biking or canoing. The other times, the Springfield is in a IWB Galco Royal Guard under a tshirt or Hawaiian shirt. The belt is by The Wilderness and the spare magazine pouch is made by Bianci when they were still under their own brand name.

[NFHale]

Gee...YOU get to go shoot...I get to go to work to pay bills....

Something just doesn’t seem right there.....

[Squantos]

Hey yer talking to a person that carries chamber empty magazine full cavalry / mexican style !

I have been packing a Glock 20 in 10MM that way for a few years now and just picked up a G31 as stated above. Going to hit the range and test it on some car bodies to see if penetration is a problem. Still the elusive 88 magnum that shoots through schools is sought as well !

All in a days work !.........Stay safe !

I am out for the night ya’ll !

[NFHale]

“...a less than two seconds draw...”

That’s pretty damned fast...I like it.

Like the carry piece too. Your profile page is excellent.

I wear Union Bay cargo shorts/BDU shorts most of the summer - they are baggy enough not to print, and they hold the Smith nicely.

Whatever works best for ya!

[Squantos]

I guess ya don’t want to know how much of your tax dollars I spend every day on goobermint ranges do ya ...........:o)

But tomorrow’s range time is on my dime ! As stated Dentist in the AM and PM shoot and scoot later !

Stay safe !!!........Nite !

[Lurker]

That 10 mil shouldn't have much problem with a standard car body. Of course you have to realize that once your bullet hits anything there's absolutely no telling which direction it's going to fly to.

Hitting literally anything will cause a bullet to fly in any which direction. I've seen .50 cal bullets tumble after striking twigs you could snap between two fingers.

So if you're shooting at a vehicle with bad guys in it, the old maxim "when in doubt, empty the magazine' is good advice.

Have a good one my friend.

L

[NFHale]

Ha! Enjoy!!!

Better yet - Skip the dentist and go straight to the range!!!!