rear sight

Wow, a month has gone by, and I have hardly noticed. Time for some thoughts, I suppose (and, as usual for me, they are rather long-winded).
1. Carrying a firearm in a concealed manner about your daily business is a significant, weighty decision, and not one to be taken lightly or by everyone. You heard me right – not everyone should carry a firearm. Hoplophobes are fond of making the straw-man argument that we pro-firearm-rights folks are trying to arm everyone in the country, when the reality is that almost no one holds that viewpoint seriously. Most of us understand that carrying a firearm encumbers the carrier with a massive amount of responsibility and accountability, and that is not something everyone would feel comfortable with, or be willing to accept. Honestly, that is shiny by me – I certainly can understand. But, what I am trying to drive towards is that if you are considering carrying a concealed firearm, think long and hard about it. There are cultural/societal ramifications (what will your family/friends think when they find out, much less a stranger on the street should he/she somehow discover your firearm), legal ramifications (even if you shooting someone is ruled lawful self defense, you could still be facing civil charges from the aggressor or his family/estate – ain’t modern laws grand?), monetary ramifications (after all, the firearm, ammunition, and training all cost money), and a whole host of other interesting consequences, unintended or intentional. Be sure you know what you are getting into, because once the bullet leaves the firearm, there is certainly no calling it back. This is especially important, since there is little to no point in carrying a firearm if you are unwilling to actually send that round downrange should the situation call for it, and you may as well save yourself the time and money of not doing so. Everything has consequences, and just like everything in life, ensure you are willing to accept all the consequences of all your actions before you execute them.
2. Know the laws of the state you are in, especially since they may not necessarily be the same as the state you got your permit in. You travel, you go to other states, their laws are almost definitely different than your state’s, and you are subject to the laws of whatever state you find yourself in. Ignorance is no excuse. For those of you in Tennessee with me, Les Jones has a great, plain-english break-down of most of Tennessee’s handgun carry permit laws. For those of you who live in other states (and even here in TN), please check your respective states’ penal/criminal/state codes, and all of their associated paperwork. For instance, in Tennessee, the permit issued is a “handgun carry permit”, and does not specify whether you can carry the firearm in a concealed manner, or openly. However, in Florida, where I got my first permit, the license actually says “Concealed Weapon or Firearm License”, and open carry is not legal with or without a license. Other states have even different laws, and those just cover whether or not you have to conceal the firearm or you can openly carry it. Additional points of consideration are local/town/city/state government buildings, bars, restaurants that serve alcohol, parks, schools, different ways that businesses can post “no guns allowed”, etc. …And these thoughts only address where you can carry the firearm – we have not even touched regulations, restrictions, and laws addressing how and when you can employ the firearm, and what you might have to do first. Just like understanding yourself is a vital step in the decision process, you need to thoroughly understand your state’s laws and regulations before you start carrying a firearm.
3. Hardware matters. A lot of time and thought should be spent determining which firearm you want to use as your carry piece (caliber, ammunition capacity, weight, design, materials, safeties, etc.), but an almost equal amount of consideration should be given as to the support equipment for it. I thought I could get away with carrying my Walther PPS on a single-ply Fossil leather belt. I was wrong. I do not think I hurt the belt any (it was already a little too large, so any stretching that might have occurred was hard to notice), but it was obvoiusly not a secure means of transportation. Furthermore, I thought a single-clip holster was enough to support the weight and size of the Walther PPS. I was right on that point, but only after I got the right belt to support the holster, and it was still something of a close call. For any firearm larger or weightier, I would definitely recommend two clips or loops. I eventually purchased a 5.11 Tactical belt, and have been happy with both it and my holster ever since, but just let it be said that careful thought is required. By way of holsters, I recommend leather, but that is nothing more than a personal taste. If you go the Kydex route, I would at least recommend that the portion of the holster that comes in contact with your skin (assuming you are carrying IWB) be leather (like what Crossbreed does), at least for comfort reasons. As mentioned, I would recommend two anchor points for anything larger than a Walther PPS, and for IWB, I definitely like over-the-belt clips, as opposed to snap-loops or other options. Just makes things easier to mount in the morning, since you just slip the clip over your pants and belt, rather than try and thread your belt through the holster or some other option. (By way of a specific holster recommendation, I suggest going with my supplier – Holsters By Eric Leatherworks. Personalized service, quick turnaround, and good products.) Beyond that, I have just the standard suggestions (open holster bottom (it lets any debris out, rather than bunching up at the bottom of the holster), sight channels, etc.). As for belts, I strongly recommend at least two-ply leather at the absolute minimum, with the addition of some kind of stiffening material if you can find it (some people use one thing, some people use another, etc.). Otherwise, either find a belt you and your holster can try on, or follow the measurement instructions of the various companies explicitly. And, of course, get a belt that is the right width for your holster (typically, 1.5 inches), otherwise it simply will not wear right.
4. It is not as obvious as you might think. Speaking as a newbie to carrying firearms, I was constantly worried about being “discovered” for the first few weeks. And then I realized that most people are not that observant. Hell, I am not that observant. And if someone really does notice something under your shirt, they will probably just write it off as a wrinkle, or your cell phone, or whatnot. So stop being nervous, and stop being self-conscious – your firearm is only as obvious as you make it.
5. By the same token, clothing matters. If you wear too-tight of a shirt, your firearm will print no matter how much you might not want it to, or how good your holster/belt combination is. In some states (like here in Tennessee), that is not a problem. In some, it is. Regardless of where you are, though, if someone picks you out and calls the cops with a frantic “There’s a man with a gun!”, your life is bound to get a little more interesting for the next few hours. Additionally, while the tightness of your clothing may or may not matter depending on your build and other aspects, the shortness of it does. Bending over, reaching for things, twisting your torso – all these things, and more, cause your shirt to ride up, and while a funny lump under your clothes can simply be written off, an obvious firearm, in all its glory, is a lot harder to ignore. Again, this depends on the state, but, in some states, exposing your firearm unintentionally is a crime… in some states, even printing is a crime. Now that the weather is turning a bit cooler, life is easier – a sweatshirt, vest, or jacket is an instant concealment, but care should still be exercised in assembling your wardrobe. Oh, and in case it was not obvious, carrying a firearm inside your waistband will add between 1 and 3 inches to your waist circumference, depending on firearm and your body type. Pants should be chosen or worn accordingly.
I think that is all/enough for now. If anything else comes to mind, I will be sure to post it (as if you did not already know that).