Concealed Carry Basics - A GunLink Series

[GunLink]

Carrying a weapon is a practice as old as mankind itself - from rocks to pointy sticks to swords to firearms - with accepted practices varying widely throughout time and across cultures. Today, the practice that probably comes to mind first is that of carrying a handgun, either openly or concealed. That only makes sense, as this practice only continues to grow as more and more people recognize that they are responsible for their own safety and that of their loved ones.

According to a study published last year by Dr. John Lott, the number of concealed handgun permits in the US had by that point surpassed 17.25 million, representing a 273% increase since 2007. This is a number that has continued to grow throughout the decades and shows no signs of slowing down. CCW permits have grown from 2.7 million in 1999 to 4.6 million in 2007, nearly doubling to 8 million in 2011, 11.1 million in 2014, to the 17.25 million that the study found by summer 2018. Put another way, 7.14% of American adults have been licensed to carry a firearm.

These numbers do not even include all of the people who lawfully carry a concealed weapon in one of the 16 states that have passed permit-less "Constitutional Carry" or any of those who choose not to conceal in the 32 permissive open carry states.

In this multi-part series on The GunLink Blog, we will explore a number of factors of interest for those who are new to concealed (or open) carry as well as for those who are interested in getting started or just curious about it.  We will cover topics including selecting the right firearm and other gear, to situational awareness and the concealed carry mindset, to ammunition selection.

Before we delve into all of that, if you are starting from scratch, check out the Firearms 101 thread for some bare-bones basics about what firearms are, how they work, commonly used acronyms, and more. Also, be sure to learn, understand, and always follow the Four Laws of Gun Safety.

If you have any questions, comments, tips, tricks, or topic suggestions, along the way, do not hesitate to join the discussion and ask them in the forum threads or GunLink Blog comments section.


Concealed Carry Basics Part 1: Choosing the Right Firearm - In the first installment, we address a number of factors to consider when choosing a firearm to carry. This not a "which gun to buy" article but, rather, an overview of how to make sure that you find one that will work well for you.

[GunLink]

Concealed Carry Basics Part 1: Choosing the Right Firearm - This is the first installment in the GunLink Concealed Carry Basics series. Carrying a firearm on your person is as simple as… well, as carrying a firearm on your person. It is not rocket science – people have been carrying firearms for protection since there have been firearms – but there are pieces of information that you pick up along the way that make the practice easier, safer, and more effective. With a couple combined decades of carry experience among us, the GunLink team hopes to share some of that information with you to help make the process easier.

This article is not a primer on what specific firearm is best or which one you should get. Rather, it lays out a number of considerations that you need to make when choosing the best firearm for you and your situation, as well as what NOT to do. (read more...)

[rutlege]

P365 does what I need. Very small and 11 rounds 9mm.

[GunLink]

Concealed Carry Basics Part 2: Holster Options - This is the second installment in the Concealed Carry Basics series. In Part 1, we addressed the factors involved in choosing the right firearm for you to carry. As we mentioned there, people have been carrying firearms for protection since there have been firearms. The practice can be as simple as literally carrying it (like, in your hands) or tucking it into your waistband. However, the first method will likely (at best) lead to a chat with Officer Friendly after he gets a MWaG (man with a gun) call while the second might lead to such pleasantries as a surprise vasectomy. Therefore we strongly recommend not using either method for your EDC.

Many, if not most, folks who endeavor to carry a firearm tend to go through a number of holsters before they find the one that works best for them (or, worse, end up using a bad holster). Thus they end up having to try to sell their used holsters or having the proverbial box o’ holsters tucked away into the back of their closets. Good holsters can be somewhat pricey and a box of pricey holsters can add up pretty quickly to real money.   (read more...)