12 Important Reminders For Concealed Carriers

March 15, 2016 by Online Carry Training

This article is for all types of concealed carriers; experienced or not. There are 12 important reminders listed here and some may think that these are all boring, but take the time to read this as it will remind you of all the basic yet taken-for-granted things that can make your CC a success.

There are things that we already know and do that most of time but may not notice we are neglecting them. This basic checklist will help you review from time to time so that you will always remember the important things that can be neglected. This can also help improve your CC and security.

1. MOTIVATE YOURSELF WITH AN APPROPRIATE MINDSET.

Being a concealed carrier takes a lot of responsibility and accountability. A proper mindset for concealed carrying is therefore important so that you can avoid putting yourself into conflicts. Just because you have that weapon does not mean you also have the power to confront and control others. Discipline yourself. Motivate yourself to protect you and your family, and not to show everyone how excellent you are with shooting.

That gun serves to be used for trouble only, and not to protect the whole word and solve all its problems. Nor does it make you cool. So you should remind yourself that you have to abide by the laws and accept responsibility for yourself and your family. Jut because you are allowed to carry a deadly weapon does not mean you can act like police and law enforcers.

When possible, avoid conflicts by simply turning away and leaving the area. This is not showing how weak and cowardly you are, but rather, it is showing how intelligent and responsible you are to think first of all the things that may be affected. The best way you can win is by avoiding a fight.

If you know you are carrying concealed, make an effort to stay away from any kind of fight, because introducing a gun to your enemy will give you no good result. Deadly force should always be your last resort. The gun is just a protection tool, the real weapon is your mind. Being armed is not enough, you should also be mentally prepared.

2. CONTINUE TO ENHANCE YOUR SKILLS WITH TRAINING.

When you train, make sure that you will learn the basics, important topics, safety precautions and different techniques in concealed carrying. You can use them all in a real situation when you are facing a defensive encounter.

There should be regular practice and education. They will help keep your skills and knowledge updated. Regular practice will also help in conditioning your body and mind for the possible encounter. You will be able to develop the muscle memory that you can rely on in case there is an emergency.

Avoid practicing for short 45-minute periods or the quickie course. You will only get minimal training with this one and this can pose harm to you. You will not learn all the fundamentals and techniques that are important for protecting yourself and others. Hands-on firing usually does have a personal guide and instructors to teach you all the skills you need.

If you just have attended a relevant training course five years ago or more,you should enroll yourself in some refresher courses to improve your methods and techniques. You should also undergo new training if you owned a shotgun or rifle before and have plans of switching to a handgun. As much as possible, attend a refresher course and key topics training once a year. They will increase your preparedness and ability to respond to high stress environments.

Topics including gun malfunction solutions, proper holstering, controlling the speed of the trigger, gun laws of the state, cover and concealment importance, difference in shooting while moving and standing, shooting more than one target, shooting with a weak or strong hand, first aid treatments, reloading a gun under stress, scanning the environment for threats and the tactical flashlight uses should not be taken for granted. These are small topics and they may not be used very often, but you cannot expect when you’ll need your skills for those.

3. INCREASE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPECIFIC LAWS OF YOUR STATE AND JURISDICTION.

It will be safer if you know what specific situations your state allows you to fire your gun in. Some states will not allow the use of deadly force in a few situations, while others do not even allow civilians to carry concealed guns. For some cases, you are required to show your concealed carry permit to the police and describe everything especially if a defensive encounter just happened. There are lots of responsibilities that gun owners should know, so make sure that you seek out and study the updated laws and requirements for handguns in your state.

4. YOU SHOULD CARRY REGULARLY.

After all the hardships, time, effort and money needed just to obtain a concealed carry permit, still, some carriers do not carry all the time and just choose to have their pistols on the days they feel like carrying it. They will only have their guns on them when they are going to a place where they think is at-risk for threats. This is a no-no for every carrier. If you have a valid license, and are legally permitted to carry one, then do so all the time. Nowadays, all kinds of places and situations are considered dangerous and prone to threat, including malls, parties, villages, schools, parks and even churches.

Some carriers may think that they do not want to have problems with traveling to other states and in transporting just because of their handguns. Another reason is that they do not feel comfortable when carrying a gun. Most carriers will complain that the holster is rubbing on their skin, or the gun does not fit perfectly in the holster; the gun goes through and can be seen when wearing a t-shirt and shorts; the belt they wear does not support the holster well; they have big tummies and so on. If these are your problems, then why not change your holster, or choose another belt, or have a shorter gun, or change your carrying position. There are countless solutions for all your complaints. After all, it is better to have a gun with you than to leave it at your house or in your car. You cannot predict when you’ll need it; it’s better to sacrifice a little and be safe than be sorry.

5. AVOID TOO MUCH ADJUSTING AND CHECKING OF YOUR PISTOL.

Some carriers may feel conscious everytime they are going out. They worry too much if the shirt covers the gun properly or if the gun is properly positioned on the holster. As a result, they will adjust the handgun and check if it is secured on place. This is a very bad habit. Why? Because this can draw people or even an attacker’s attention to you and your concealed pistol! You may look suspicious to others and to the police.

You should always relax and avoid touching the concealed gun. And for you to do this, you should always have a secured belt, good holster, proper clothes and cover. Do not wear tight or form fitting clothes and even light-colored shits and pants. If you are to buy new pants, choose one that is one or two sizes bigger than your normal size. This will allowspace for the in-waistband-carry. You may look baggy whenever you carry a concealed handgun, but this will be for your safety, right?

6. USE YOUR OWN AMMO AND CARRY PISTOL DURING PRACTICE.

It is important to use the carry pistol and ammo that you own during training and practice. How you perform during the practice will affect the way you will react on defensive situations and combat encounters. If you are very familiar with your own gun, ammo, holster and other things that you will use, you can successfully handle them and you will not have so much trouble during an encounter.

Drills and practice once or more a month should be enough to keep you acquainted with all the characteristics and functions of your equipment. With regular practice, the activity will become part of your habit and routine, and they will be retained in your subconscious so that when the time comes, it will be easy for you to rely on them to protect yourself.

With regular training, you will also be able to determine if the gun you are carrying is really appropriate for you. At some point, you may realize that it is difficult for you to handle a large gun. Or you may find out that it is difficult for your body to conceal the gun that you currently use. In addition you will also learn the amount of clothing you will need depending on the size of your pistol.

7. SELECT YOUR HOLSTER PROPERLY.

Choosing a quality holster from a reputable brand is important for a concealed carrier like you. You should select a holster that is made specifically for the gun you have. Yes, a nylon holster can hold your gun inside a range bag, but if you need to carry the gun, you should choose a holster that fits perfectly to it. If the holster fits perfectly, you can easily draw or put your gun onto it. You can also reach for and conceal it without difficulties.

A custom-fit holster will conceal your gun properly and give protection to the trigger to avoid contact with your body and accidentally pulling it. A good holster can hold your gun even though you are walking or moving. You can buy a properly-designed holster for as low as $10. Some stores even put them on sale for $5. If you are planning to buy one that you want to last longer, be prepared to spend at least 10 percent of the price of your handgun. That may be expensive, but you can be sure that you will be safe and comfortable with your holster.

Inside-the-Waistband (IWB) holsters can provide more concealment, just as long as you choose an appropriate one for you. This is because it can make you feel uncomfortable especially if you do not use pants and belt that are not one or more sizes larger than the one you normally use. Many carriers also prefer to use the Outside-the-Waistband (OWB) holsters, because they are more comfortable to wear. But then, they do not provide too much concealment, and you may need additional clothing which will make your access to the gun more difficult. So, as a concealed carrier, you will be the one to choose according to your own preference.

8. CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE GUN BELT.

Now this one is common sense. A proper gun belt will provide more support for you handgun, especially if your holster does not fit perfectly to it. A gun belt is one of the most important accessories that a gun owner must have. The support is needed to make sure that the gun will stay on its place and to avoid injury to you and the people around you.

A leather gun belt is highly recommended as it helps keep the gun from moving. Aside from being durable, this is also comfortable to wear. A leather-made belt will not sag or roll up when worn, and it can give support for your pants as well. You will know which leather gun belt is of high quality by looking at its price, and it is better to invest in a pricey gun belt than buy a flimsy one for $15.

9. SELECT THE PROPER COVER GARMENTS.

In choosing your clothes and covering garments, there are many things that you should consider including the temperature, your lifestyle and your activities. For some places, wearing the same type of clothes for the whole year would be okay, but for other places, you will need to alter your style as the seasons change. This can be very annoying at times, but you’ve got not choice but to adapt.

The clothes and covering garments you should use will depend on the size of gun that you will carry and your body type. If you are thin, it will not be very stylish to wear large and baggy clothing for easy concealment, but that’s just fine. Switching from Outside-the-Waistband holster to Inside-the-Waistband holster may also help. Smaller guns are easier to conceal even with the Outside-the-Waistband so you should try using smaller firearm models that have been released recently.

But if you are lucky enough to be living in one of the 42 states that allow open carrying, you should make sure that your gun is not too easy to be taken away from you. Since concealed carrying is now allowed in all 50 states, open carry is not a good idea for you. Other people around you may not feel comfortable seeing you with a gun on your body, but this is still a personal choice. Whether you would like to display your gun or conceal it, make sure that you are familiar with the method of carrying you are using because some CC methods will require more cover and will make it hard for you to reach for your gun. Regular practice let you get used to every type of clothing.

10. BE WARY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE SITUATION.

Situational awareness is one of the critical things in any environment. This involves being cautious of all the things and people around and knowing the variables in your surroundings. Once you arrive at a place, do a quick observation and assessment of the environment. You can use Cooper’s 4 Color Codes of Awareness, the Boyd’s OODA Loop or the NRA’s Unaware-Aware-Alert-Alarm system. This is easier said than done. It will actually take a lot of practice and skils for you to get this task perfect.

In a stressful situation, situational awareness can be very challenging. Studies show that when a person is under stress, his concentration and thinking become narrow, which make him focus on only a few things. Narrow thinking and concentration will cause you not to pay attention to all the possible threats in your surroundings. Situational awareness is taught to law enforcement and members of the military force, but everyone should develop this important skill. When you encounter a life-threatening situation, an aware mind can get rid of a threat and can save your own or others’ lives.

11. KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR HANDGUN

You should understand everything from the magazine release, controls, external safety to the operation and everything that concerns your handgun. Some people believe that you need at least 3,000 to 5,000 repetitions of an action before you can develop muscle memory. Muscle memory pertains to your subconscious reaction when exposed to an external stimuli. Others would say you need 8,000 repetitions, so what you really need is to practice more to get your body used to it.

Whenever you practice, make sure that you do everything right. If you continue to perform a skill in the wrong way, the muscle memory will work and you will subconsciously react with the same manner on a real situation. If you are starting to learn a new technique, take your time. Pay attention to all the details and take it slow. Let your body identify what’s right and wrong.

12. DO NOT FORGET TO PRACTICE REGULARLY… AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU IMPROVE WITH EACH PRACTICE.

For each practice, analyze you current skills and determine the areas that need improvement. There are specific drills that you can use that focus on a certain skill. Remember: you should not be overconfident with the skills that you have now. There is always something new to learn and there is always a skill to improve. If you fail to practice, some of the basics that you know may be forgotten.

Try to complete at least one refresher course each year. Dry firing at home can be of help as well, especially if you do not have enough time to go to the range on a regular basis. Snap caps must be used at home, and your gun must be unloaded. Skills that you could practice at home include grip and trigger control, reloading of magazines, dealing with gun malfunctions, aiming and alignment. But still, you should recognize that dry firing is nothing compared to live firing. If you do not practice on the range, your skills and performance will deteriorate. Have a scheduled monthly shooting session ahead of time to make sure that you will be prepared for violent encounters.