Everything You Need To Know About Concealed Carry in Public

May 25, 2022

Have you been considering concealed and carry? If so, it’s important to prepare appropriately to carry in public. From your gear and education to communication, read more to learn everything you need to know about concealed carry in public. Don’t choose to learn concealed carry by trial and error, as this could come at a cost. Of course, those who’ve carried for years can still make mistakes from time to time. However, putting your best foot forward and educating yourself will help give you the best chance possible.

Take Classes

CCW classes are a pivotal moment in your firearms education. Keep in mind that these classes are not typically firearms training. Instead, they’ll help you learn about the laws specific to your state. Learning these laws will help you to acquire a permit in the first place. This class should want to truly prepare you for carrying and not rush through the material. If this is not the case for you, consider switching classes so you feel prepared. The most important aspect to keep in mind is to keep an ‘always learning’ mentality. Law and regulations are always changing, and you’ll always want to feel on top of your game if a crisis happens. If ten years go by since your last class, you’ll want to continually refresh your skills throughout these years.

Carry Often

It’s no secret that the world isn’t always a safe place. This is a proponent of why you want to get your concealed carry permit. However, don’t fall into the trap of getting your license and not actually carrying your firearm with you. Even if it’s running to the gas station, things happen when you least expect them. Always being prepared will contribute to your and your loved one’s safety. And as mentioned above, the more you carry, the more you’ll get used to concealed carry behavior and safety protocols. Keep these skills sharp, so you don’t lose them over time.

Invest in Proper Clothing

It’s an exciting time when you first start to conceal carry. However, it can be tempting to allow printing or exposure of the firearm to communicate to others you have a firearm on you. Unfortunately, this is not a wise decision, and you should try to avoid making this mistake as much as possible. Although sending a message to true threats sounds like a good idea, you’ll be sending a threat message to everyday passersbys as well. In turn, you can be seen as a threat yourself. Others can see the visibility of a firearm as an attempt to intimidate and threaten, rather than protect and save. To fix this issue, invest in proper concealed carry apparel from places like tactical gear stores. Remain respectful of those around you and remain concealed.

Don’t Finger Check

Finger checking can be easy to do when you carry. This can look like reaching down or around to see if your firearm is still there. If you have a proper and secure holster, there shouldn’t be a doubt in your mind that your firearm isn’t there. Have trust in your holster, and if you don’t, consider changing holsters that are more secure around your firearm and body. Wearing your holster and firearm around the house can help you get used to carrying your gun and trusting the holster itself. Remember, when you touch your firearm in public, even if you’re just checking to see if it’s still there, you could be flagged as a threat. Strangers passing by take extreme safety measures if they think you are in fact a threat. On the other hand, they could think there’s a different threat nearby. You touching your gun communicates that an emergency situation is happening. As the moral of the story, don’t touch your firearm in public. If you have to adjust something around, do so in the bathroom or at home.

Proper Holster

As mentioned, the proper holster is an important aspect of your concealed carry experience. Stepping into your local gun supply store will allow you to try different holsters to decide which you like best. Whether you choose leather, nylon, or kydex as your preferred holster material, make sure it’s one you want to keep for a while. You don’t want to switch firearms or holsters for concealed carry often. If you can keep the same ones as long as possible, do so. This is so that you can get used to using and carrying the same equipment. In the case of a crisis, your mind can go on autopilot instead of remembering how to use the new gear. On the other hand, if you choose to carry off your body and use a CCW backpack, for example, you’ll want to ensure a proper fit for your firearm. Don’t let the gun float around in the backpack. Not only is this not as safe, but it will be more difficult to reach in the event of an emergency. You want to know exactly where the gun is and be able to pull it out of its secured position with ease.

Practice Shooting

A crisis is not the time to shoot with specific ammo for the first time. Take the time to practice with several different SD (self-defense) ammo and find one you like best. This ammo is more expensive than your standard bullets, but the extra investment is well worth it. You’ll want to have faith that your ammo accomplishes the job without jamming or ruining your firearm from a squib. On this note, it may not be the best choice to reload your firearm ammo. Although you may do a great job, it’s a lot of pressure to place on yourself. If something goes wrong in public and your ammo doesn’t work, you’ll feel like the results of a poor scenario fall on your shoulders.

Mindset

Your mindset is one of the several most important tips in this article on everything you need to know about concealed carry in public. You must be responsible and carry not to cause conflict, but to diffuse conflict. At the same time, be prepared to do what you may not want to do—this means protecting your family and loved ones at all costs. However, wait until you are positive that there is a threat worth pulling your firearm for. If there’s not actually a threat, you could face serious charges for pulling a firearm. If you must shoot, call the police afterward and share with them your name and that you shot a firearm because you feared your safety from a threat. Tell them you have a concealed carry permit. While you wait for them, have your firearm sitting down in front of you with your hands up in the air. If you don’t follow these steps, you could face legal woes as a result of protecting yourself and your loved ones.

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