There are currently Concealed Carry or Self Defense laws in almost every state, which allows the average citizen to carry a handgun for self protection. I highly recommend that anyone who can legally carry a firearm does. Those that assume that the police have the ability to be everywhere at all times are foolish, and may encounter a situation where they are forced to protect themselves. Criminals go armed all of the time, and will not hesitate to attack the innocent with whatever weapon they have. Find the means for your own protection!
General Information Getting a permit in most states is very easy. There are some restrictions such as in most states the applicant may not have a felony conviction or a serious criminal background (make sense!), and applicants must be mentally able to carry a firearm (no serious mental illnesses). Otherwise, in most states the applicant will simply attend a course (ususally about a day long) and at the end of the course will have the ability to either carry, or submit paperwork to the resident state that will result in getting a permit. USSA teaches a concealed carry class every month so if you are a resident of Oklahoma, please visit their site to sign up. Beware of shady instructors and institutions out there that inflate the cost of getting a permit (most states limit the price companies can charge for the class). After getting your permit, the real work starts. First of all, most carry permit classes are very inadequate as a means to learn real self-defense principles. I HIGHLY recommend that you seek out additional training after your intial class. Self defense with a firearm is usually dramatic, and very violent, so make sure you are prepared! There are several good resources that list information pertaining to carrying concealed. Some you may want to visit:
http://www.handgunlaw.us/
http://www.carryconcealed.net
Firearms Selection and Training for Concealed Carry This is usually the first question we get after we run a concealed carry course: What handgun do you recommend? Another good question that normally arises is: How should I carry it? Both questions are valid, and here is how we anser them:
Q: What handgun do you recommend?
A: There is one perfect handgun, but there are alot of good choices. The choice that one makes largely depends on the person. Factors such as hand size, strength, experience shooting, occupation, etc. will all effect what firearm is a good choice. We do recommend that during the firearm selection process, the purchaser attempt to visit a store or range that allows them to try potential firearms out. A bit part of picking the right gun is finding one that you can shoot accurately, and even much more importantly one that works 100% of the time. Note that I did not say 99% of the time! I believe that if you can't fire 1000 rounds malfunction free without cleaning the gun (over several sessions) you don't have a gun that is reliable. NOTHING matters as much as reliability!
Q: What is the best holster to carry with?
A: The one you will use each and every day! Seriously though, I recommend finding a holster (or maybe 2) that will allow you to use the same type of carry method all of the time. Obviously, this doesn't always work when you travel and carry in different situations and climates, but you should work hard to keep you carry methods as consistent as possible. If you ever have to access your firearm, you have to be able to get it out quickly and smoothly, and you will reach for the place you normally carry the gun (so don't switch gun positions!). Other than that, concealment and retention are my two next biggest priorities. The gun MUST stay hidden, and keeping the gun concealed may allow you to avoid someone trying to take it away from you (because they won't know it is there). Retention is the next issue. For us civilians (and anyone else carrying concealed) if we end up in a fight that we may have to use a firearm, it will more than likely start from a physical fight were we are in a F.U.T. (fowled up tangle). In this situation, it is critical that we have a holster that will withstand the physical abuse that comes with a full contact fight, as well as the force of our weapon retention techniques. One rule I follow: Try to break it! If you can break in in training, then it will definetly break in a fight. The only holsters other than quality duty holsters that I have found to stand up to this test are strong leather snap holsters and some inside the waist band holsters. And finally, above and beyond all else......train with your gear however you plan to fight from it!
Q: Will getting my concealed carry permit give me the training I need to defend myself?
A: NO! Most states have a concealed carry course that is only designed to do one thing: LImit thier liability in allowing citizens to carry conealed firearms! The DO NOT train you to defend yourself. Understand this clearly, even if you go to someplace other than USSA (my favorite training academy), you MUST get additional training that will teach you all of the necessary skills you will need to defend yourself with a handgun. PLEASE get additional training!
Mike Seeklander
This is a really cool picture....but I normally don't carry with this type of holster (or this gun). I have to teach with mulitple guns and holster types, but if I did not, I would stick to one gun and rig. I recommend the same for those of you who carry concealed.
Click image to go to Shooting-Performance home page!
