Cyklopz

Approximately how much prep, and what kind, did you do before starting to carry? Trips to the range, rounds fired, carry around the house time etc.? Did you do some empty holster carrying first to help build a new mindset and awareness level?

Just curious.

Thanks.

Cy

mlr1m

No special prep with the gun. Thats because I have been shooting since grade school. If you need to I would get very comfortable with your chosen firearm. Fire it enough to get comfortable as well as to make sure its reliable. Many autos need to be broke in.

As for how I was gonna carry I did plenty of reading. I was lucky to have some friends with 1911's and I borrowed different holsters from them to see which ones were comfortable and sturdy.
For me the holster was the big decision. It will make all the difference when you carry. BTW I picked the Milt Sparks II.

Michael

Tally XD

Well, for me, I am of the "older" crowd in age, so it is not new to me to handle a gun of any kind.

I grew up with shotguns in the house, I am former military and I have owned guns myself since I have been out of the military.

However, my advice is to be very familiar with the gun you choose to carry. You should be able to find it, unholster it and operate it in the dark, blindfolded.

Unload it (make certain its empty!) and carry it around your house and property. Get used to it being there and how to access it. Dry fire it a lot. Draw and aim.

Get to a range often. There is no substitute for using it live fire. You should be very accurate with it (self defense accurate, not pistol match accurate) and comfortable using it.

Get some self defense training if you can afford it.

Most of all, if you are going to carry it, you should be very certain you will USE IT if needed.

__________________
You have a right to self defense . . . vote AGAINST Barack Obama!

Cyklopz

I've been getting comfortable with the pistol. About 1200-1400 rounds through it at the range so far over about 10 trips. I'll make several more trips to various ranges by the time I have the CCDW in hand. And also I have cleaned the weapon numerous times as well so I'm learning that functionality as well. I've been working on good finger placement/control while around the house which seems to be coming along nicely (off trigger along slide).

I know a good holster can take some time to find but overall it seems like awareness is a biggie and not as easy to build as one might think. Maybe it's just me. I'm trying to work on being aware while not looking paranoid or aggressive!

EDIT: Speaking of accurate, here in KY they use a B-21 target which is quite large. I asked where on the target the 11/20 hits had to be and several instructors have said "anywhere in the black"! I was shocked to learn that so little accuracy is required at 21 feet. At least that is one part of the test I think I can pass (maybe even blindfolded).

Cy

Thumper

I do a lot of shooting of my chosen weapon before I start carrying it. I also like to do some empty weapon draw and fire from my IWB holster before I repeat the same with live ammo. Just my preference I guess.

__________________
ALWAYS carry! - NEVER tell!

SleepingZ

I was raised around guns, so I was quite comfortable with CCW. The only thing I had to work on is having a CCW weapon that did not have a manual safety on it. My first CCW gun was a XD, and the idea of carrying it with-out a safety was very new to me and made me a little nervous. Now I will not carry a CCW weapon with a safety.


Z

__________________
You can run & hide, but it will take them that much longer to find your body

cwblanco

To begin with, I will assume that you have done a lot of reading, and of course have a good grasp of the safety rules - always an absolute must. Have more than a casual familiarity your handgun -- everything from loading to disassemby and reassembly. More familiarization including dry firing, and repeated loading, chambering, unloading, and then of course, range firing to the extent that your time and budget will permit.

Walking around with an empty holster is akin to non-swimmer developing a swimming mindset by wearing his bathing suit without getting into the water. The bathing suit does not develop the "mindset." It is the conquering of the "real water" that develops the mindset.

At least initially, open carry is a snap when compared to concealed carry which is an art in and of itself. Confidence in carrying concealed comes from frequently carrying the real thing, and overcoming the feeling that everyone knows that you are carrying. Without proper concealed carry clothing and a proper holster, it is difficult to develop this confidence. The more you carry, the less sef-conscious you become, and eventually you are totally at home with the concealed carry environment.

Agave

I've been carrying *something* around the farm since I was about 12. The day I got my permission slip, the farm got really big.

__________________
The preceding post may contain sarcasm; it's just better that way. However, it is still intended with construction and with the Love of my L-rd Y'shua.

"Wherever I go, everyone is a little safer because I am there; anyone in need has a friend." -Capt. Jack Hoban, USMC

Rcher

U.S. Navy Seabees. Out Conus, I carried a hammer on one side and a .45 on the other. I've been around guns my whole life.

__________________
Someday, someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.

SC Dave

I'm about 30 days from getting my CWP, here in SC it's about 90 days start to finish. I got my UBG Striker this week so I have been wearing it around the house with my Bersa 9 UC. The UBG is a nice holster and wears well, I fell asleep on the couch the other night wearing it.

Dave