The suit and tie
There are always multiple ways of carrying a concealed firearm. If you can really carry a full size auto all day and feel comfortable that good for you, but there are environments that many of us will get in where concealing a firearm is difficult. Keep in mind that not everyone of us is carrying a gun in an environment where we’re dealing with friendlies. There are plenty of places we can carry where a woman may bump into us and know she hit a Sig Sauer 9mm, but in other places you’ll get, “what is that, are you carrying a gun?”
The Galco Holster Miami Vice style may look cool on TV, but that is going to be easy to spot if we have to move around a lot and take off a jacket. Weddings are usually the harder environments to carry when concealment is of the utmost importance. You will be in a room that will get hotter and the jacket you are wearing is going to become very uncomfortable at some point. IWB is going to be ruled out if you have a tucked in shirt and you’re mostly out of options. Galco holsters in the ankle configuration are a very good option for wedding environments. Pocket carry is always a good suit and tie option, but an ankle holster with a light frame revolver is something worth considering.
If you feel comfortable carrying the same handgun all year long, you may be in the minority. Many feel the need to get into a summer/ winter carry routine and I feel that is fairly common. Carrying a fiream IWB in the depth of winter may mean your gun is under 2 or 3 layers of clothing which can mean murphys law may come quicker.
Suggestion for CCW are always need to be preceded by “for what environment”. Yes defending yourself from a BG is why you are carrying, but there are so many ways to carry a firearm that there is not a do everything gun. We don’t want to carry the smallest capacity and caliber into known hostile environments, but we have to be careful we aren’t overdueing it. What do I mean? I know what to look for when I am wondering if somebody might be packing. I’ve seen gangsters and drug dealers adjust their pants in the same spot and seem to move things which is a dead giveaway that they are packing.
Any experienced and well trainied CCW holder will tell you that it may be wise to change your holster or carry gun during the change in seasons. I’ve spotted more than a few CCW holders out in the open when it was pretty obvious that the machismo took the best of them and they just had to keep carrying that 1911 IWB at 5 o’clock in the summer months as they were 5’7″ and didn’t realize that when they were standing in line at the super market that I could see the T-shirt bunched up around the belt line.
The concealed carry market is exploding with various tactical apparel and holster designs. Most gun owners that are not in law enforcement have the ability to select whichever firearm suits there comfort level and that will change depending on the environement they are in. Sometimes the idea of getting a $150 or higher shoulder holster sounds like fun and you can announce to everyone in the room that you are carrying a full size handgun, but that’s not really concealment. It’s hard to really give suggestions on what is best for concealment, because some of the best shooters I know carry a small auto or revolver in a pocket and I wouldn’t want to mess with them.
Some users like to bash the clip on holster designs and the reality is that a clip on isn’t as secure as a paddle or belt design, but if you match the right belt to a holter, it is a fine CCW option, especially if you are going to be taking the gun and holster off while you are out. I personally prefer the vertical shoulder holster design, but I’ve been tempted to wear the Galco Miami Classic holster on occassion. They are defanitely one of the nicest shoulder holsters out there.
Uncle Mikes holsters have been around for a long time and I know some people have it in for them because they aren’t very expensive and many of them are made out of Nylon. After being in the gun industry for so many years, I’m starting to be amazed at the number of people I have respect for that are walking around with 38 Specials and 32ACP pocket guns and believe me, they aren’t underpowered. The experts don’t always carry the most expensive holsters and gear, sometimes they just use when is neccessary and don’t waste money.
There seems to be a big transition in the Law Enforcement community to leg holsters. Its kind of funny how the old western look disappeared for a few decades but now it’s back again. If we all road around on horses we’d probable agree that carrying a sidearm on a leg holster is appropriate and its not just for the cool Han Solo look.
If you are searching the web for a gun holster for a training class or you are looking for your first CCW Holster and your looking for a paddle holster or OWB holster, Fobus holsters are the staple for gun owners. There are always critics of various holster designs, but for those looking to carry a gun, the Fobus Paddle holster is a very comfortable and reliablie firearm retention device. Fobus holsters are excellent for carrying full size autos. From my own experience, most people prefer to train with full size autos for accuracy and capacity reasons and carrying a gun IWB is pretty much a problem for most operators.
There area a lot of good upgrades one can do to a firearm, a fighting rifle should be customized to fit an operator. Advanced Technology makes some quick and easy upgrades for your shotgun or carbine that can give you better grip or balance. Shotgun shell holders on the buttstock or riding side saddle is a practical tactical upgrade you can do on your remington 870. The fiberforce stock for the MAK90 is a way to legally get around some firearm bans and are a big step up compared to the stupid thumbhole stocks. Attach a rifle sling that fits yoru purpose from Blue Force Gear, they come in 1 point, 2 point and 3 point attachements. Minor firearm modifications make need to be done to attache rifle slings, but do some research on various rifle sling configurations to see what works for you.