Poogsdad
11-15-2007, 02:31 PM
The following are some excerpts from http://www.calccw.com.
Only a few of the comments below are mine, most are from people who are a lot smarter than I am at CalCCW.com:
1. "Over time it will be like wearing a watch...you only notice when it's missing".
2. "After a while you will get comfortable. Around the two week mark things started getting a lot better for me".
3. "Don't overdo the 'sitting in the corner deal trying to hide it deal'. The 'clunk' of your gun's butt or frame hitting the seat or the wall may send the wrong message to the wrong folks".
4. "Restroom. Others here may disagree, but I say practice 'doing your thing' without placing the gun on the tank. Folks have walked away without their guns just to find out later. Not a good thing. A holstered gun is a safe gun".
5. "Constantly checking your shirt and hitching your pants will give you away more than actual "printing" ever will. The less you do of it, the better. If you're still worried, an occasional casual check to make sure your shirt is hanging the way it should is probably more than sufficient".
6. "Trust your gear and be aware of your surroundings".
7. "Always be aware. The day you aren't is the day you "Flash"".
8. "Don't worry about anyone noticing. As already mentioned, most people are too busy being "obliviots" to even notice a wrinkle or bulge under your shirt".
9. "Do be careful about people that "rub" up against you in line, escalators, etc etc etc. I turn my body to prevent the wayward idiot from touching metal. It also prevents kids from whacking their heads on your piece, crying to mommy and daddy, thereby starting the inevitable questioning".
10. "You can also strategically drop your arm and conduct a "block" maneuver. Again, awareness. You'll get used to it".
11. "I take the rude/aggressive approach in confined places like elevators. *ding*, doors open, I make a beeline for the back corners. Not quite the push-and-shove technique, but you'll get the hang of it"!
12. "You may end up changing fashion styles to accomodate. For what it's worth, try not to sacrifice caliber/size simply to accomodate clothing. If you do it beyond when it's necessary, you'll most likely never go back. Trust me, there's no better feeling than pulling out your 'ol trusty piece as opposed to that little 5-shot .38 2" you carry because it's more "comfortable." Use your brain when you choose the tool for the job".
13. "Take a spare reload!!!!! Magazine, speed loader, speed strip, whatever it may be: Take it with you"!!!!!
14. "I don't use public urinals, stalls work better for obvious reasons. If you have a "Code Brown" emergency, put your piece inside your pants. The biggest risk you run here is a brown-stain mark on your slide as opposed to that sinking feeling when you realize you left it on the tank/toilet roll holder".
15. "Also, as already mentioned, be careful what you lean up against. You wouldn't believe how loud of a "clunk" your piece will make against a glass display case, even if it's under a medium thickness jacket. With the proliferation of cellphones, the old "Pager" excuse just doesn't work so well anymore".
16. "Enjoy. Be responsible and above all else, be aware".
17. "As has already been said by many "It will get easier over time"".
18. "Carry your weapon/weapons as often as possible and everywhere you can legally do so. Over time your comfort level will grow and you will become less self conscious about carrying a concealed firearm".
19. "An old Federal Officer I once knew told us that "The best way to carry a concealed fiream is to not act like you are carrying a concealed firearm". This is sometimes easier said than done but it will happen over time with practice".
20. "If you regularly wear a hat or carry something in your hand or elsewere on your body openly, these items can serve to draw the attention of someone looking at you away from where you may be carrying your weapon or any behaviors that may indicate you are carrying a firearm".
21. "I am a cowboy action shooter and disable veteren. I routinely wear a cowboy hat and boots. I also walk with a cane. Invariably, these are the first things people see and focus on when I walk into a room or approach them in public. For people who have just met me or only know me casually, they also tend to be the things they continue to focus on and remember".
22. "Assuming you do not do anything to attract attention, you will realize that most of the people around you will have no idea you are carrying".
23. "I never forget I am carrying, and I only have a few comments to add...carry a newspaper or magazine or hat to the restroom, handy to drape over your gun just in case your trousers get seen, also try to seek out the stall with a wall on your carry side. Never remove your gun from the holster, especially to put on a toilet tank (shudder)".
24. "Blocking my kids from running smack into a 40 oz chunk of steel took some practice, but they learned and so did I".
25. "Patterned shirts sort of disguise the printing better than a freshly pressed solid color shirt--even if its wrinkled its better".
26. "NEVER fiddle with or touch your gun/holster, thats a big giveaway, even if you are dying to hitch it up and its dreadfully uncomfortable, just wait and suffer".
27. "Avoid huggers, i never liked this much, so its easy to avoid the office huggers, gack"!
28. "I know on a lot of CCW sites the tradition is to go get Nachos at Wally World on your first day carrying. You show up, walk around the store for a while, maybe buy some ammo and then hit the nachos. Or in OC French Frys at McDonalds. LOL When nobody notices and freaks out it brings a level of comfort. But yeah it gets easier with time".
29. "Also go in front of a mirror with your rig on. Reach up, down, twist, turn and notice even then it is rare if at all your CCW will show".
30. "Someone also mentioned hugging. Work on the tactical hug where you race the person for the low position! BTW Hard with little ones. On those I just leave one arm down against the CCW".
31. "Try to set up yourself up with lots of options. You don't always have to carry IWB".
32. "Probably the worst thing after passing the class was the first time in public...."
33. "After a few months I wouldn't even consider leaving the house without it. Like several have said, ( if you are serious) you become much more aware of your surroundings. And you become aware that not everyone else is".
34. "The second or third day after I got my CCW I headed for the mall to get used to it. Concealed is just that, concealed. Even with my OWB holster that did print a little, no one pointed or screamed or anything".
35. "My biggest oops was a trip to the Restaurant. My pants were to tight for the IWB so I had the OWB on and a t-shirt and over-shirt so no problem right... When I went to sit down the back of the chair caught both shirts and up my back they went. I was sitting in the isle seat and their had to be 20 or so folks behind me. Stood back up fixed my shirts and life went on".
I hope these suggestions are helpfull and that you all have safe and un-eventfull CCW experiences.
Thanks,
Only a few of the comments below are mine, most are from people who are a lot smarter than I am at CalCCW.com:
1. "Over time it will be like wearing a watch...you only notice when it's missing".
2. "After a while you will get comfortable. Around the two week mark things started getting a lot better for me".
3. "Don't overdo the 'sitting in the corner deal trying to hide it deal'. The 'clunk' of your gun's butt or frame hitting the seat or the wall may send the wrong message to the wrong folks".
4. "Restroom. Others here may disagree, but I say practice 'doing your thing' without placing the gun on the tank. Folks have walked away without their guns just to find out later. Not a good thing. A holstered gun is a safe gun".
5. "Constantly checking your shirt and hitching your pants will give you away more than actual "printing" ever will. The less you do of it, the better. If you're still worried, an occasional casual check to make sure your shirt is hanging the way it should is probably more than sufficient".
6. "Trust your gear and be aware of your surroundings".
7. "Always be aware. The day you aren't is the day you "Flash"".
8. "Don't worry about anyone noticing. As already mentioned, most people are too busy being "obliviots" to even notice a wrinkle or bulge under your shirt".
9. "Do be careful about people that "rub" up against you in line, escalators, etc etc etc. I turn my body to prevent the wayward idiot from touching metal. It also prevents kids from whacking their heads on your piece, crying to mommy and daddy, thereby starting the inevitable questioning".
10. "You can also strategically drop your arm and conduct a "block" maneuver. Again, awareness. You'll get used to it".
11. "I take the rude/aggressive approach in confined places like elevators. *ding*, doors open, I make a beeline for the back corners. Not quite the push-and-shove technique, but you'll get the hang of it"!
12. "You may end up changing fashion styles to accomodate. For what it's worth, try not to sacrifice caliber/size simply to accomodate clothing. If you do it beyond when it's necessary, you'll most likely never go back. Trust me, there's no better feeling than pulling out your 'ol trusty piece as opposed to that little 5-shot .38 2" you carry because it's more "comfortable." Use your brain when you choose the tool for the job".
13. "Take a spare reload!!!!! Magazine, speed loader, speed strip, whatever it may be: Take it with you"!!!!!
14. "I don't use public urinals, stalls work better for obvious reasons. If you have a "Code Brown" emergency, put your piece inside your pants. The biggest risk you run here is a brown-stain mark on your slide as opposed to that sinking feeling when you realize you left it on the tank/toilet roll holder".
15. "Also, as already mentioned, be careful what you lean up against. You wouldn't believe how loud of a "clunk" your piece will make against a glass display case, even if it's under a medium thickness jacket. With the proliferation of cellphones, the old "Pager" excuse just doesn't work so well anymore".
16. "Enjoy. Be responsible and above all else, be aware".
17. "As has already been said by many "It will get easier over time"".
18. "Carry your weapon/weapons as often as possible and everywhere you can legally do so. Over time your comfort level will grow and you will become less self conscious about carrying a concealed firearm".
19. "An old Federal Officer I once knew told us that "The best way to carry a concealed fiream is to not act like you are carrying a concealed firearm". This is sometimes easier said than done but it will happen over time with practice".
20. "If you regularly wear a hat or carry something in your hand or elsewere on your body openly, these items can serve to draw the attention of someone looking at you away from where you may be carrying your weapon or any behaviors that may indicate you are carrying a firearm".
21. "I am a cowboy action shooter and disable veteren. I routinely wear a cowboy hat and boots. I also walk with a cane. Invariably, these are the first things people see and focus on when I walk into a room or approach them in public. For people who have just met me or only know me casually, they also tend to be the things they continue to focus on and remember".
22. "Assuming you do not do anything to attract attention, you will realize that most of the people around you will have no idea you are carrying".
23. "I never forget I am carrying, and I only have a few comments to add...carry a newspaper or magazine or hat to the restroom, handy to drape over your gun just in case your trousers get seen, also try to seek out the stall with a wall on your carry side. Never remove your gun from the holster, especially to put on a toilet tank (shudder)".
24. "Blocking my kids from running smack into a 40 oz chunk of steel took some practice, but they learned and so did I".
25. "Patterned shirts sort of disguise the printing better than a freshly pressed solid color shirt--even if its wrinkled its better".
26. "NEVER fiddle with or touch your gun/holster, thats a big giveaway, even if you are dying to hitch it up and its dreadfully uncomfortable, just wait and suffer".
27. "Avoid huggers, i never liked this much, so its easy to avoid the office huggers, gack"!
28. "I know on a lot of CCW sites the tradition is to go get Nachos at Wally World on your first day carrying. You show up, walk around the store for a while, maybe buy some ammo and then hit the nachos. Or in OC French Frys at McDonalds. LOL When nobody notices and freaks out it brings a level of comfort. But yeah it gets easier with time".
29. "Also go in front of a mirror with your rig on. Reach up, down, twist, turn and notice even then it is rare if at all your CCW will show".
30. "Someone also mentioned hugging. Work on the tactical hug where you race the person for the low position! BTW Hard with little ones. On those I just leave one arm down against the CCW".
31. "Try to set up yourself up with lots of options. You don't always have to carry IWB".
32. "Probably the worst thing after passing the class was the first time in public...."
33. "After a few months I wouldn't even consider leaving the house without it. Like several have said, ( if you are serious) you become much more aware of your surroundings. And you become aware that not everyone else is".
34. "The second or third day after I got my CCW I headed for the mall to get used to it. Concealed is just that, concealed. Even with my OWB holster that did print a little, no one pointed or screamed or anything".
35. "My biggest oops was a trip to the Restaurant. My pants were to tight for the IWB so I had the OWB on and a t-shirt and over-shirt so no problem right... When I went to sit down the back of the chair caught both shirts and up my back they went. I was sitting in the isle seat and their had to be 20 or so folks behind me. Stood back up fixed my shirts and life went on".
I hope these suggestions are helpfull and that you all have safe and un-eventfull CCW experiences.
Thanks,