Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 20 years carrying

Just realized that it was 20 years ago that I started carrying. That got me thinking about what I've learned in that time. Thought I'd share.

Over the past two decades, I've carried while living and working in over 10 states. I've carried everything from a full-size 1911, Glock, K- and L-frames, and even Ruger single-actions, all the way down to stuff as small as a Kel-Tex .32 and a .38 Derringer. I've carried open and concealed, and I'll admit that at times/locations, I've carried in spite of what the ridiculous laws were in some jurisdictions. I've carried open and concealed.

Here are the things that I've distilled down. Some of this might make sense ; some might not make much sense at all.

1) Jurisdictions matter. If you value your ability to defend yourself and your family, and you value your Constitutionally protected rights, then living where those things are also valued makes a difference.

2) Voting matters. See above.

3) Carrying every day is what matters. The .45 in your truck or on your nightstand does you no good and is a helluva lot less than the .32 in your pocket. Find something that you CAN carry every day, and carry it. Every day. I have several that I trade in and out of the rotation, but I carry at least one every day.

4) Reliability matters. A used, dead-reliable pistol without any "prestige" is a helluva lot better than a brand new, fancy, unproven or unreliable pistol. I've owned some high-dollar, "prestigious" makers that just didn't prove reliable. They are gone. I carry a couple less prestigious pistols that have never failed me and that I trust. If the time ever comes that I have to use one, the make won't matter but the reliability will.

5) K.I.S.S. matters. Carrying and using a pistol that you carry should not require a lot of thinking. It should be natural, and it should be instinctive. We're fortunate to live in an era with a lot of very simple, very reliable pistols. From Centennial J-frames to Glocks and M&Ps, this doesn't have to be difficult. If you can and choose to carry a 1911 or a BHP or something else that requires a lot of practice to master, then that's a great choice - if you dedicate yourself to mastery and practice. If not, then choose something more simple and easier to master with less effort. FYI - I carry a BHP quite often, and a 1911 fairly regularly. I put a lot of rounds through them, and I trust them and myself with them. A Glock or an M&P or similar is easier. A revolver is easier yet.

6) Ammunition matters. The bullet is what does the dirty work. Choose well. For me, I've found a very easy way to choose is to check with local LEOs carry. There are generally a couple or more local agencies (sheriff's offices, town/city PDs, state police), so you have a few choices. You're hard pressed to choose poorly if you find one of those loads that works reliably in your pistol.

7) Holsters matter, and belts matter more. A good holster makes carry easy. A great holster makes carry comfortable. A poor belt renders even the best holster nearly worthless. Money spent on these two items is money very well spent.

8) Open carry matters. You may never choose to carry open, but it makes a huge difference. Open carry lawful means that even if you slip up and "show", or you're seen putting the holster on, or the pistol in, etc., then you're covered. I've found that it also makes a huge difference in flexibility. Being able to carry open means you have options. It also makes carry much more "socially acceptable". I currently live in a jurisdiction and an area where OC is widely accepted and practiced. I seen a lot of people carrying daily, and no one pays them any attention at all.

9) "Other stuff" matters. I try not to carry a "bat belt" worth of schit. In addition to the pistol, I carry a wallet, watch, cellphone, good lock blade, and either an SAK or a small multi-tool. There is a very small, very powerful light that I'm also carrying now and I think it is earning a permanent spot. That's it.

10) "Bragging rights" don't matter. If you carry something that works for you, that you carry every single day, that is reliable for you, and that you are confident in and trust, then what someone else thinks of it doesn't matter.

does this mean you'll stop giving me schit about the colt?

Do you REALLY bet your ass on a .25ACP?

I'm betting my ass on the 9mm at 4 oclock.

the 25 is ballast so I can walk near straight

started carrying when I was 15. 4 inch barrel Colt .38, stuffed in my pants. Guess that would be some 54 years of carrying.

Points above are well taken. Simple, reliable, effective, consistent. That means the weapon, load, holster and belt. All play a part.

Laughing. Gotcha.

good post!

DAMN, I did the same thing, only 59 years ago. It was a 4" colt Cobra and now resides in my daughters safe, yep still in the family. Grandpa bought it in 1952 and gave it to me when I turned 15 to carry while fishing and hunting, I carried it a bit more often!

All valid points and good advice. I have had folks tell me I was carrying useless "mouse gun" more than once, my stock answer was always "OK, can I shoot you with it right now?". They always answered with an emphatic NO!

Funny that eh?

Yeah, but at least you don't carry a .25ACP.

Well said. Good post.

Very practical advise.

Thank you for the pointers sir.

Never steered me wrong before, and I'll be making sure to get a good belt for carry in the very near future.

Yep. Good common sense stuff.

That can't possibly be true, it goes against everything stated in this thread (insert sarcasm here):
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/9830212/Open_Carry_vs._CC#Post9830212

I started carrying at 14 years old and started with a Model 10 4 inch and 36 2 inch . My favorite load was the Winchester 158 gr SWC some ended up calling the FBI load

i have a couple of .25acp's, a colt and a walther.

i started carrying a .22 oc probably around age 11. Course just about every other boy in town was doing the same thing. Nobody thought it was odd or unusual.
I never had a thought of it as self protection against humans, it was for rabbits, stuff like that.

Hell yeah! brother...

I should add a little bit about that walther, it was delivered to me by the widow of a guy that had been in the rainbow division during WWII. The extractor and firing pin had been removed at her insistence. Came with a pancake german shoulder holster. Those little guys were only issued to high ranking gooberment officials and high ranking nazi's. They carried them mostly for cerimonial functions most likely. My problem was finding the parts to relight it. This particular model was only made for a few months circa 1934.. I even got a email from a walther, at walther in Germany stating he didn't know where to get the parts. So i had a machinest gunsmith friend make them. When he had it done, he said it was one of the few guns he had worked on that he thought about saying he "lost" it.
I pulled out a single shot .22short colt derringer made by ulberti today. Threw it in a pants pocket. Ain't much of a gun, but it's for that "get out of my face moment" as somebody said. They all have their place.