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January 10, 2013, 12:01 PM | #1 |
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Thinking about concealed carry, but have concerns
With all of the stuff that's been going on, I've been thinking about getting a concealed carry permit. I would be carrying my S&W 4006, it's a little heavy but seeing as it's my only pistol as of now it will have to do. I have some questions before I decide to carry though. My first being, how can I concealed carry as discretely as possible? There seems to be a lot of paranoia about guns these days, and the last thing I want to do is draw attention to the fact that I have one. My second question is, I doubt it will ever happen, but if I actually have to use my pistol, how would I be able to aim accurately? Most likely I'd have an adrenaline rush which would probably make my aim a little shaky, and the last thing I'd want to do is miss and possibly hurt someone else. My last question for now is what if there is someone with body armor? It seems like a lot of shootings involve a suspect with body armor, what would .40 S&W do against body armor? I know this post is a little long, but they are very real concerns of mine, so I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this and respond.
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I don't always go to the range, but when I do, I prefer dosAKs. They say 5 out of 4 people are bad at math. |
January 10, 2013, 12:37 PM | #2 |
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Dress around the gun !
Get GOOD TRAINING !! any cost would be an investment well worth it !! PRACTICE !
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And Watson , bring your revolver ! |
January 10, 2013, 12:42 PM | #3 |
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^^^This^^^
And practice head shots.
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January 10, 2013, 12:50 PM | #4 |
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Training of course.
Just like in close calls when driving, you act first THEN have your adrenaline breakdown because you act based on training. (At least that's how I hope it happens. I've had close calls when driving over 40 years but haven't yet had to draw a firearm.) |
January 10, 2013, 12:51 PM | #5 |
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I'll repeat what Mete said...
If that's the only gun you have, you'll have to make due. Get a good GUN belt (not a flimsy belt from a department store), and a good IWB (Inside the Waistband) holster. In most cases, with that, a T-Shirt, or any kind of loose (untucked) shirt will conceal the gun very well. Get training. Take a CCW course. Take a Defensive handgun course. Compete in IPSC or IDPA practical matches. In addition, I recommend the Gun Digest Book on Concealed Carry by Massad Ayoob. It's a very informative book, and it should have answers to 90% of the questions you might have. You can get it on Amazon, and there is an eBook version of it. |
January 10, 2013, 01:19 PM | #6 | |||
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Quote:
You have to research your options and decide for yourself. I have carried a full size 1911 for about 30 years in an Inside The Waistband (IWB) holster. This works for me. Quote:
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As to body armor, if I remember correctly Class II-A and stronger body armor is supposed to stop all .40 S&W bullets.
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NRA Life Member - Orange Gunsite Member - NRA Certified Pistol Instructor "When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society,
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January 10, 2013, 01:19 PM | #7 | |
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Quote:
In my view, basic competency for carrying a gun for self defense involves:
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January 10, 2013, 01:48 PM | #8 |
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thanks for all the replies I've already gotten, they all help. Taking some sort of course regarding concealed carry sounds good to me, i'll definitely try and sign up for one before I get a permit. As for practicing, I've been using my 4006 a little more lately, and have noticed that my accuracy with it has been steadily increasing.
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I don't always go to the range, but when I do, I prefer dosAKs. They say 5 out of 4 people are bad at math. |
January 10, 2013, 02:45 PM | #9 | |
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Quote:
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January 10, 2013, 02:58 PM | #10 |
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Agreed, don't do anything until you get some professional training.
On a side note, a 40S&W is a bit much for a first handgun. Snappy recoil will make it tough to overcome a flinch for a new shooter.if there's any way to trade for a 9mm, I would do so. |
January 10, 2013, 04:03 PM | #11 | |
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Quote:
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I don't always go to the range, but when I do, I prefer dosAKs. They say 5 out of 4 people are bad at math. |
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January 10, 2013, 05:34 PM | #12 |
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As others have noted, training, practice, and dress around the gun. An honest-to-goodness gun belt and quality holster go a long way towards making the act of carrying comfortable and concealable.
On your first couple of outings, you'll expect someone to yell "OHMYGODHESGOTAGUN!" at any minute. It won't happen. Pretty soon, you'll come to realize that you could carry anything up to and including the size of a moped under your coat, and nobody is likely to notice. In this day and age, folks have all kinds of cell phones, ipods, ipaids, mp3 players, etc. hanging from their belts, so nobody notices one extra lump. My lumps just happen to be a semiauto and an extra magazine, rather than an electronic gizmo.
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January 10, 2013, 05:47 PM | #13 |
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When you’re new to CC, you feel like there’s a big sign over your head that says “GUN!!” The feeling will pass.
I wear cargo shorts all the time and wear a sleeveless T-shirt with an unbuttoned sports shirt over the gun. I started off with Hawaiian shirts because I thought the pattern would make the 1911 or Glock 17 I wore in OWB holsters less noticeable. That was a waste of time. No one’s looking for guns. No one’s going to notice any bulges under your clothes. The truth is, unless you’re a supermodel or on fire, you might as well be invisible. No one’s going to look at you at all. These days, I wear a lot of open monochrome shirts over a 19-round XDm 9mm with a C-More STS red dot sight. I use the plastic paddle holster that came with the gun. It’s a pretty big package on my 143 lb frame, but no one ever notices. |
January 11, 2013, 01:17 PM | #14 |
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Well again, thanks for all of the advice guys. Much appreciated.
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I don't always go to the range, but when I do, I prefer dosAKs. They say 5 out of 4 people are bad at math. |
January 11, 2013, 01:25 PM | #15 | |
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Unless you want to wear really baggy clothes, a heavy, duty sized gun is not going to hide very well. ...and if you want a hi-cap gun, you'd better get after it, before thay are not available to private Citizens. |
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January 11, 2013, 05:22 PM | #16 | |||
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Last edited by Aguila Blanca; January 11, 2013 at 11:33 PM. Reason: Multiple typos |
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January 11, 2013, 11:16 PM | #17 | |
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"In the event you NEED your gun, you will not rise to the occasion, but will sink to the level of your training. Train accordingly." You need to practice your presentation (draw and aim/draw and point, as the situation dictates) enough that it becomes a reflex-so you can do it without thinking..... the muscles just do the right thing out of sheer habit. I Carry a 1911 style pistol, and sweeping the safety off is so ingrained that when using a revolver at a bowling pin match, my thumb flicks the non-existant safety as i bring the gun up from the table ...... I "know" there's no safety there, but my thumb does not seem to care..... |
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January 12, 2013, 12:31 AM | #18 |
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'Dress around the gun' is good advice, above. A warm jacket or sport coat for cool weather, a suit jacket for warmer weather. Cargo pants with big pockets works, too. You're not going to be able to run around in T-shirt and shorts.
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January 12, 2013, 01:20 AM | #19 | |
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here is a good article on CCW technique: https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/ccm...s-big-trouble/
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January 12, 2013, 10:33 AM | #20 |
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Not a big fan of paddles. Aside from the extra bulk, they can have a nasty tendency of coming off the belt with the gun, during the draw. The better ones will have a very aggressive hook under the belt, or a slot the belt threads through, but some are not that well made.
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January 12, 2013, 10:38 AM | #21 |
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jimbob86, really baggy is subjective. I have no trouble concealing a 1911 IWB, with either a shirt or sweatshirt loose over the gun (and a t-shirt between myself and the gun), or under a jacket.
I typically go for chamois shirts in colder weather, and hiking/fishing shirts in warmer weather. If it gets really hot, t-shirt weather, then one of my smaller guns may come into play. |
January 12, 2013, 11:04 AM | #22 | |
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One thing about the 5" 1911 IWB- though it is large and heavy, it is very flat, and the grip is generally smaller than most double stacks ..... even for a large gun, it carries better than many guns that are much lighter and smaller, because it is thinner. When I first started Carrying (5" steel framed 1911a1 in .45ACP), many people with more experience told me I'd eventually get a smaller gun ..... I told them stuff like "It's supposed to be comforting, not comfortable." ..... As soon as I could afford it, I got a smaller 1911 in a caliber that was more comfortable to Carry and cheaper to feed for practice (and now I reload 9mm). |
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January 12, 2013, 11:15 AM | #23 |
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I really don't mind the weight. Then again, I have good gear (and assume you do, too, jimbob86).
A 1.5" Andrews Leather gunbelt distributes well and minimizes flex. My new one is tiger shark leather, so it is extra rigid and virtually indestructible. For the OP, flimsy belts sag, and let the gun flop around. This is uncomfortable, and is bad for concealment. A good carry rig (belt, holster, mag pouch if applicable) is a very good investment. |
January 12, 2013, 11:27 AM | #24 | |
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January 12, 2013, 11:44 AM | #25 | |
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I also found that with nearly 3 1/2 pounds of gun and ammo on me, I was decidedly negatively buoyant in water ...... but that's another story for another day...... |
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