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Questions about concealed carry...

MaggieD

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Illinois just signed legislation that allows concealed carry. Until this forum, I didn't realize how restrictive our gun rights were here in Illinois. I'm glad for this and will probably get a permit to carry. It requires sixteen hours of instruction. I'm looking forward to it.

I have a .38 Special I shoot maybe twice or three times a year. I'm going to purchase another gun for carry. What recommendations do you have? I don't want to carry it in my purse. I know some women do...I know them...but I don't think it's handy or secure that way. Apt to be stolen. So I'm thinking I'll have a holster. Recommendations for that?

How should I evaluate 16-hour classes that may be available? What do I want to make sure a class covers?

So, your recommendations for type of gun to purchase for carry...type of holster...and things you think a 16-hour class should cover. Thanks!!!

Edit: Oh! And I'm going to feel safer on the streets of Metro Chicago thanks to that legislation. Not because I'm carrying a gun . . . but because people far better trained and brave than I will be carrying one as well.
 
I think you are carrying for your peace of mind. If you do not want to carry a 38 then I guess I would say some revolver since they are the easiest to maintain/clean. Your 38 sounds fine to me though.
 
Illinois just signed legislation that allows concealed carry. Until this forum, I didn't realize how restrictive our gun rights were here in Illinois. I'm glad for this and will probably get a permit to carry. It requires sixteen hours of instruction. I'm looking forward to it.

I have a .38 Special I shoot maybe twice or three times a year. I'm going to purchase another gun for carry. What recommendations do you have? I don't want to carry it in my purse. I know some women do...I know them...but I don't think it's handy or secure that way. Apt to be stolen. So I'm thinking I'll have a holster. Recommendations for that?

How should I evaluate 16-hour classes that may be available? What do I want to make sure a class covers?

So, your recommendations for type of gun to purchase for carry...type of holster...and things you think a 16-hour class should cover. Thanks!!!

Edit: Oh! And I'm going to feel safer on the streets of Metro Chicago thanks to that legislation. Not because I'm carrying a gun . . . but because people far better trained and brave than I will be carrying one as well.

I suggest you wait until you have taken the course and talked to instructors to decide about equipment and the type of gun to use. It depends in part on how you like to dress, your body habitus, your performance and comfort with various kinds of draws, and so on. There is a wide range of solutions.
 
Imo, the most important information to be covered in CCP classes is the legal aspects of carrying. YOu need to know exactly what the laws are, and how to cover yourself, and how not to do something that you will later regret, should a crisis situation ever occur. Safety and legal aspects are essential.
 
Make sure your weapon is rated for +P ammo and carry it.
I carry a S&W 2" J frame Airweight alot.
Best part of that gun is its LOUD.
Otherwise if you are not real familier with a semi, try to find something that is double action that you can safely leave a round in the chamber and fire without having to take a safety off or ****.
I also carry from time to time a 1911, but that is single action. Once drawn, you have to drop the safety before firing.
If space is an issue, look at the Kel Tec and its competitors made by S&W or a smaller Glock.
 
Imo, the most important information to be covered in CCP classes is the legal aspects of carrying. YOu need to know exactly what the laws are, and how to cover yourself, and how not to do something that you will later regret, should a crisis situation ever occur. Safety and legal aspects are essential.

Good point, because once you clear leather. Your life will change, and maybe not for the better.
 
I suggest you wait until you have taken the course and talked to instructors to decide about equipment and the type of gun to use. It depends in part on how you like to dress, your body habitus, your performance and comfort with various kinds of draws, and so on. There is a wide range of solutions.

Good instructors will not push any type of gun, rather tell students to try out as many different ones as they can to find a good fit.
 
Go here:

www.corneredcat.com

Kathy Jackson is a legend for her commitment on female needs for concealed carry.
 


Bah....forgot I hit "post".

OK, that video gives you some basics on holster types and where to carry but, unless I missed it, she left out a couple of things.
1. Your holster should stay open after you draw or else it's going to be a pain to get the firearm back in the holster one handed and without looking. Stay away from plain nylon pouches. They're cheap but not particularly practical.
2. I HIGHLY recommend holsters that cover the trigger and have enough material to provide a buffer between the hammer and your skin. Having a hammer and/pr beavertail digging into your side all day sucks.
3. Drawing from your ankle or inner thigh (I'd guess) is EXTREMELY awkward and I'd only carry that way as an absolute last resort.
 
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Ummmm, ouch, ummmm, no that wouldn't work for me. :lol:

The video is actually pretty good as she covers LOTS of options and holster styles. I'm not a big fan of some of her choices but concealed carry tends to be a fairly personal thing. There are just too many body styles and clothing requirements to have a "one size fits all".
 
The video is actually pretty good as she covers LOTS of options and holster styles. I'm not a big fan of some of her choices but concealed carry tends to be a fairly personal thing. There are just too many body styles and clothing requirements to have a "one size fits all".

Lol- I was just referring to having a gun tucked down the front of my jeans. Yikes. :lol:
The video is good though. :)
 
How should I evaluate 16-hour classes that may be available? What do I want to make sure a class covers?

If you carry make sure you know, when you can shoot to kill. Otherwise you can get in trouble.
 
Please let me Like this a thousand times.

Thank you! That site is awesome.

Told ya!

I have been reading her stuff on gun boards for years.

She is one very, very sharp person - and she has helped thousands of folks, especially women.

ETA - I am very pleased that it was helpful!
 
Lol- I was just referring to having a gun tucked down the front of my jeans. Yikes. :lol:
The video is good though. :)

Yeah. I always laugh when I see some actor do that in a movie. It works great until you actually have to move.
 
Illinois just signed legislation that allows concealed carry. Until this forum, I didn't realize how restrictive our gun rights were here in Illinois. I'm glad for this and will probably get a permit to carry. It requires sixteen hours of instruction. I'm looking forward to it.

I have a .38 Special I shoot maybe twice or three times a year. I'm going to purchase another gun for carry. What recommendations do you have? I don't want to carry it in my purse. I know some women do...I know them...but I don't think it's handy or secure that way. Apt to be stolen. So I'm thinking I'll have a holster. Recommendations for that?

How should I evaluate 16-hour classes that may be available? What do I want to make sure a class covers?

So, your recommendations for type of gun to purchase for carry...type of holster...and things you think a 16-hour class should cover. Thanks!!!

Edit: Oh! And I'm going to feel safer on the streets of Metro Chicago thanks to that legislation. Not because I'm carrying a gun . . . but because people far better trained and brave than I will be carrying one as well.

Find the gun you can shoot well. Nothing wrong with a .38 special snub. I sometimes carry a .380 pocket gun. Remember that the smaller guns sometimes are harder to handle. Just find the right size for your hands and something you use proficiently. For holsters: DO NOT GET ANY HOLSTER. Holsters for men are vastly different. We are built different. They make female holsters. Check this out:

http://youtu.be/ogGBPVk5GQk
 
You are going to get a lot of advice on this question, and it will vary considerably.

First, there are those who will insist on a revolver, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. Revolvers are simpler and therefore have fewer things to fumble with (like manual safeties and having to rack the slide to load). The downside is (usually) fewer rounds available and they tend to be more bulky. So depending on how you intend to carry that could be a problem. I don't have any revolvers but there some excellent choices out there including "hammerless" designs (they actually do have a hammer but it is recessed which means there is nothing to snag on your draw).

Next there are semi autos with manual safeties. I have two of these. Not a big deal if you practice with it, clicking off the safety becomes second nature. But if you are not going to be practicing much with it you may forget to disengage the safety when you are under pressure, and nothing says "oh ****" like a pistol that goes "click" when you want it to go "bang". The advantage is you can comfortably carry one of these with the safety on and a round chambered. Capacity for a semi auto is stated as the capacity of the magazine. So you may see, like with my favorite carry, a KelTec P32, that it will be stated as 7+1, which means 7 in the mag and one in the chamber. But the P32 does not have a manual safety, for that reason I don't recommend carrying it chambered. This means you will have to draw it and rack the slide to put a round in it.

There are other safeties for semi autos. Glocks do not have a manual safety. Instead they have a "double trigger" which means putting your finger on the trigger disables the safety and it will not fire if chambered and dropped. I have one of these, I carry it in a Blackhawk holster that covers the trigger and has a finger release button you need to depress to draw it. Now, that may seem like a pain, but then it comes to practice again. When you go to draw you should have your hand around the grip and your trigger finger will be straight forward NEXT to the trigger gaurd, which, with the Blackhawk is going to put your finger right on that release. So the holster becomes your manual safety. You can carry it loaded +1, as soon as you clear the holster you are ready to go.

The downside of the Glock for me is that it is bulky. This is largely due to the magazine being a "double stack" which means increased capacity, but a wider grip. I'm not a real big guy and if I try to carry mine on my hip with just a t-shirt I am "printing", which means you can see the shape of the pistol thru my shirt. Not exactly "concealed".

Recently I have been considering the Springfield Armory XDS in .45acp. The XD is a similiar design to the Glock, but has a grip safety, which means when you grab it you disengage the safety lever on the back of the grip automatically. It also has a manual safety, which I find redundant because it has the same double trigger setup as the Glock. The downside of this pistol is it is a "single stack". The S stands for slim, they accomplish this by having all the rounds in the mag straight up and down. Without an extended mag (which for me defeats the whole idea of concealed anyway) it holds 5+1, which is fine for me because that is 6 rounds of .45acp. That's a lot of stopping power, and the pistol is so narrow and light that it carries better than my Walther P22.

Next will be caliber. There are those who will tell you you have to have a big round, something like a .40 or .45, some will even suggest a 9mm is not enough, but I disagree. The right caliber is the one you are carrying, every time. If you get a big 44 Magnum revolver you will not carry it, which means when you need it it will not be there. At least initially, disregard caliber until you find something you can comfortably carry. Hence my .32acp. It weights 6.6 ounces empty, the lightest carry pistol on the market. Mine has a pocket clip on it, so it sits in my pants pocket, all you can see is the clip that makes it look like a pocket knife, and it is so light I often forget I have it on me. If you want a little more power, they make the same one in 380.

Statistically there is no such thing as a one round pistol caliber. People will say you need something big to take your opponent down with one shot. In reality this doesn't happen much. Keep in mind you are going to be close. Defensive shooting happen at 21 feet or less, what is considered contact range. Shoot someone from farther away and your self defense argument goes out the window. Small calibers such as 22lr, 25acp (a horrible choice) and 32acp have a kill ratio of about 1.3 rounds, which means you will be shooting twice to beat the stats. This is better than intermediate rounds such as 380 (which is really a 9mm with a lighter bullet and a little less powder, a 380 is 9x17mm, a 9mm is 9x19mm) is more like 1.6 rounds. The reason is that the little ones are usually used at a closer distance so there is less chance of missing. Even big rounds like 38 Special, .357, .40 and .45acp have a ratio of 1.1. They hit a lot harder, but statistically you will still need more than one round.

Which brings us to the last variable: follow up shots. The smaller and lighter the pistol the more recoil you will feel, which means more difficult to get back on target. Likewise the more powerful the round the more recoil, same thing. I want easy conceal, decent power, and easy follow up, which is why I like my P32. The 380 version of it is the same size but has more "snap" to it, which means harder to get back on target. The 380 holds 6+1, the .32 holds 7+1. Damage wise at close range there is very little difference between .32 and 380, but the .32 is faster back on target and carries one more round.

A lot of info, I know. But it is an important decision and too often you will just get "I like my......." without any pros and cons. My subcompact Glock is a .357 Sig, which is a hell of a round. The pistol is light but bulky, so I rarely carry it unless it is jacket weather. I love my Walther P22, easy to carry but a bit underpowered, although I overcome that with some hot rounds. It is easily my favor pistol to shoot and is my prefered range pistol. My P32 KelTec is light, hides extremely well and gives me enough power to make me comfortable carrying it. And like I said, the best caliber it the one you have on you.
 
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You are going to get a lot of advice on this question, and it will vary considerably.

First, there are those who will insist on a revolver, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. Revolvers are simpler and therefore have fewer things to fumble with (like manual safeties and having to rack the slide to load). The downside is (usually) fewer rounds available and they tend to be more bulky. So depending on how you intend to carry that could be a problem. I don't have any revolvers but there some excellent choices out there including "hammerless" designs (they actually do have a hammer but it is recessed which means there is nothing to snag on your draw).

Next there are semi autos with manual safeties. I have two of these. Not a big deal if you practice with it, clicking off the safety becomes second nature. But if you are not going to be practicing much with it you may forget to disengage the safety when you are under pressure, and nothing says "oh ****" like a pistol that goes "click" when you want it to go "bang". The advantage is you can comfortably carry one of these with the safety on and a round chambered. Capacity for a semi auto is stated as the capacity of the magazine. So you may see, like with my favorite carry, a KelTec P32, that it will be stated as 7+1, which means 7 in the mag and one in the chamber. But the P32 does not have a manual safety, for that reason I don't recommend carrying it chambered. This means you will have to draw it and rack the slide to put a round in it.

There are other safeties for semi autos. Glocks do not have a manual safety. Instead they have a "double trigger" which means putting your finger on the trigger disables the safety and it will not fire if chambered and dropped. I have one of these, I carry it in a Blackhawk holster that covers the trigger and has a finger release button you need to depress to draw it. Now, that may seem like a pain, but then it comes to practice again. When you go to draw you should have your hand around the grip and your trigger finger will be straight forward NEXT to the trigger gaurd, which, with the Blackhawk is going to put your finger right on that release. So the holster becomes your manual safety. You can carry it loaded +1, as soon as you clear the holster you are ready to go.

The downside of the Glock for me is that it is bulky. This is largely due to the magazine being a "double stack" which means increased capacity, but a wider grip. I'm not a real big guy and if I they to carry mine on my hip with just a t-shirt I am "printing", which means you can see the shape of the pistol thru my shirt. Not exactly "concealed".

Recently I have been considering the Springfield Armory XDS in .45acp. The XD is a similiar design to the Glock, but has a grip safety, which means when you grab it you disengage the safety level on the back of the grip automatically. It also has a manual safety, which I find redundant because it has the same double trigger setup as the Glock. The downside of this pistol is it is a "single stack". The S stands for slim, they accomplish this by having all the rounds in the mag straight up and down. Without an extended mag (which for me defeats the whole idea of concealed anyway) it holds 5+1, which is fine for me because that is 6 rounds of .45acp. That's a lot of stopping power, and the pistol is so narrow and light that it carries better than my Walther P22.

Next will be caliber. There are those who will tell you you have to have a big round, something like a .40 or .45, some will even suggest a 9mm is not enough, but I disagree. The right caliber is the one you are carrying, every time. If you get a big 44 Magnum revolver you will not carry it, which means when you need it it will not be there. At least initially, disregard caliber until you find something you can comfortably carry. Hence my .32acp. It weights 6.6 ounces empty, the lightest carry pistol on the market. Mine has a pocket clip on it, so it sits in my pants pocket, all you can see is the clip that makes it look like a pocket knife, and it is so light I often forget I have it on me. If you want a little more power, they make the same one in 380.

Statistically there is no such thing as a one round pistol caliber. People will say you need something big to take your opponent down with one shot. In reality this doesn't happen much. Keep in mind you are going to be close. Defensive shooting happen at 21 feet or less, what is considered contact range. Shoot someone from farther away and your self defense argument goes out the window. Small calibers such as 22lr, 25acp (a horrible choice) and 32acp have a kill ratio of about 1.3 rounds, which means you will be shooting twice to beat the stats. This is better than intermediate rounds such as 380 (which is really a 9mm with a lighter bullet and a little less powder, a 380 is 9x17mm, a 9mm is 9x19mm) is more like 1.6 rounds. The reason is that the little ones are usually used at a closer distance so there is less chance of missing. Even big rounds like 38 Special, .357, .40 and .45acp have a ratio of 1.1. They hit a lot harder, but statistically you will still need more than one round.

Which brings us to the last variable: follow up shots. The smaller and lighter the pistol the more recoil you will feel, which means more difficult to get back on target. Likewise the more powerful the round the more recoil, same thing. I want easy conceal, decent power, and easy follow up, which is why I like my P32. The 380 version of it is the same size but has more "snap" to it, which means harder to get back on target. The 380 holds 6+1, the .32 holds 7+1. Damage wise at close range there is very little difference between .32 and 380, but the .32 is faster back on target and carries one more round.

A lot of info, I know. But it is an important decision and too often you will just get "I like my......." without any pros and cons. My subcompact Glock is a .357 Sig, which is a hell of a round. The pistol is light but bulky, so I rarely carry it unless it is jacket weather. I love my Walther P22, easy to carry but a bit underpowered, although I overcome that with some hot rounds. It is easily my favor pistol to shoot and is my prefered range pistol. My P32 KelTec is light, hides extremely well and gives me enough power to make me comfortable carrying it. And like I said, the best caliber it the one you have on you.

Lots of good information here. Several posters have mentioned the KelTec. I'd already found it, and like hearing a motion seconded. ;) At 6.6 ounces, it really IS light. Wow. That one's certainly going to be one I try.

Thanks for all the info!
 
I suggest you wait until you have taken the course and talked to instructors to decide about equipment and the type of gun to use. It depends in part on how you like to dress, your body habitus, your performance and comfort with various kinds of draws, and so on. There is a wide range of solutions.

Well said. I don't concealed carry often because we can open carry here in Virginia. But in my days working intelligence, a .40 cal glock was my weapon of choice, though any well rounded 9mm was a close second, as far as concealed is concerned.
 
I favor revolvers over autoloaders because of their simplicity. My concealed carry is a Ruger LCR, and I would recommend it, Virtually no chance of accidently leaving one in the chamber. Light and easily concealed. The LCR will fit easily in a purse or in many pockets. There are no safeties to worry about, and no hammer to catch in clothing. Draw, point, and fire.

There is a lazer version, and a .357 version. If you are comfortable with the.38, it is a good personal protection round. The lazer version has a lot of advantages.

Holster wise, depends on what you will do with the gun. I might buy something cheap until I tried a few. To cover all carries, you might need more than one.
 
Lots of good information here. Several posters have mentioned the KelTec. I'd already found it, and like hearing a motion seconded. ;) At 6.6 ounces, it really IS light. Wow. That one's certainly going to be one I try.

Thanks for all the info!

I snapped a couple of pics of mine with my pocket knife for size comparison, I'll have to get those up a little later, I have three service appointments back to back to handle first. But just for an idea how well it conceals, My wife and I recently spent a weekend in Asheville NC walking around the shops. I carried it the whole weekend, right pocket. she typically walks on my right side (not sure if there even is a reason or what it might be), it was raining and we were sharing an umbrella. The whole weekend she never knew I had it. When we were leaving to come home I took it out of my pocket and put it in the center console. She looked at me and asked if if I had had it with me the whole time, which of course I had. There is carry, there is concealed, and then there is both.
 
My suggestion is a Ruger LC9. It's small, light and powerful. They also are not too expensive.
 
Maggie, my quick recomendations.....

Gun..... Snub nosed revolver in .38Spl or .357 mag. I personally like the Smith & Wesson J Frame revolvers but find what fits well in your hand and what points well as you bring it up.

Holster..... Inside the Waistband or Small of the Back style. I don't know what your body type is but women with hips tend to find strong-side belt holsters problematic. Again, try a couple things out at your local gun shop and see what is comfortable for you. Make sure it's going to stay concealed as well.

Training..... Find someone who has been a LEO and/or who has real world experience. If they look like they're trying to teach something you'd see in a movie, run away.

I carry regularly and would be more than happy to talk to you privately about this as well, if you want.
 
Some very good advice on here.

A few suggestions. On the course. First..I would look for a course with a lot of trigger time. Some classes are more in line with folks that are VERY familiar with weapons but need to know the laws, situational awareness etc. No offense.. but it seems to me, that you might not have a lot of good trigger time.. and I think having a range based course would be beneficial.
Another suggestion would be not to stop there. That's one of the issues that I have with some gun classes... it almost seems that folks think "one and done"... you are going to be carrying and possibly using a weapon that can kill. Please don't have the expectation that one 16 hour course will do it. Take that course.. get your permit but also take more classes, get in a shooting club and spend a lot more time learning to safely handle a weapon. Be sure when the chips are down, you can perform

A suggestion on weapons. You will hear a lot of opinions. but I think there are two good rules to follow.

1. Choose a caliber that you shoot well and enjoy shooting. If you don't like shooting a 38, or 9mm because they are too loud or kick to hard... you will not go out and shoot them. And to be proficient with a handgun.. you need to practice. Putting 5 .22 shots into a perps chest cavity is better than 5 misses from a .45

One caveat is the .38 If you can shoot a .38 comfortably. Buy a .357 and you can shoot .38 to practice and carry the hotter .357 for self defense.

After a caliber choice.. choose a style of gun that works for you and feels comfortable in the hand. Revolvers are very simple, and a good choice for those starting out. However, they do not have a flat profile of a semi auto .

2. Choose a firearm that you can COMFORTABLY conceal in all the clothes... (and remember seasonal changes) in which you want to carry. The weapon that fits good in the store.. might not be the best for walking to your car after a movie date. :mrgreen: If the gun doesn't carry well.. you won't carry it.

I think a lot of folks that carry often.. end up with a variety of weapons for different situations. However, pick the weapon that does most clothing well.

Some thoughts to get you started. If you can handle .38 well...
In revolvers... The LCR in revolver or ladysmith are very comfortable and easy to conceal. The ruger sp1o1 is also a great gun but bulkier.

In small semi autos, I carry a S and W bodyguard. It fits in the pockets of my professional clothes and in a pocket holdster, looks like a cell phone.

The subcompact Glock is also a very nice weapon but definitely larger than the body guard.
 
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