SHOP Talk: Concealed Carry Tips
In this episode of SHOP Talk, Riley gives us some concealed carry tips. For example, he comes right out of the gate talking about printing and the kind of clothes you're wearing.
Concealed Carry Clothing Tips:
One thing about concealed carry that I don't think many people think about, is that concealed carry is a lifestyle change from the norm. The main reason behind this, is more thought is needed about what you're wearing.
Just going to the store, buying a shirt or jeans, and throwing them onto your body expecting an excellent turnout may or may not be realistic.
Can it happen? Sure it can. I personally don't subscribe to the “concealed carry clothing” thing and don't buy any particular concealed carry-specific clothing for myself.
If that's what you want to do, that's fine. The main thing to remember, is that you need to practice and be comfortable with your chosen clothing.
Something I don't want to see is someone practice with breakaway buttons (snaps) on their expensive concealed carry shirt, but they only own one of those shirts and never practice with the rest of their clothing.
If you practice for the button down shirt but the next day carry with a regular polo or t-shirt on, you may have now changed the way you clear your garment. Therefore, I come from the frame of mind that if you're going to buy one of those shirts, they should be consistent–which gets expensive if you're going to buy a concealed carry wardrobe.
I won't tell you what to do, but I have made sure that I can get my gun out in all manner of clothing I own. That said, to make things easier I wear black polo shirts on an almost daily basis whenever I go out because it's consistent and how I'm most comfortable.
I've chosen black because, as spoken about in the SHOP Talk video, it helps to hide the gun better as black fabric shows less shadowing around the bulge of the gun. This allows me to carry a bigger gun IWB at the 4 O'clock position.
Break-in time:
This is something not spoken about nearly enough, and is something I try to tell people when I find out they're new to concealed carry. Carrying a gun on your person is something your body has to get used to.
Remember, this is a lifestyle change and you won't get used to it overnight. In fact, as a gun and gear reviewer, I have to try out many more different types of gear and guns than the average person does.
Because of this, I have grown accustomed to wearing this gear around my house-only-for about a week before I take it out of the house. I wear new holsters this way, new guns, mag carriers, etc. My body needs to get used to how this new piece of gear feels before I commit to wearing it outside.
When I first started carrying concealed I wore my gun around my house, only, to get used to having a gun on me. From there, I would take my kids or dog out on a walk and get used to walking around with the gun.
During this period of time when I broke my body in to carrying a concealed gun I practiced drawing the gun and presenting to target in the comfort of my home.
All of this got me used to carrying a gun and I always recommend new gun carriers do the same thing.
I've rambled on enough, here is the concealed carry tips SHOP Talk video:
It's worth the price, even if just as a refresher to what you already learned and may have forgotten.
What concealed carry tips do you have?
“lifestyle change” is perhaps one of the better comments regarding this subject. Lifestyle adjustment might be more accurate though. For instance, if you currently wear ‘skinny jeans’ you will probably need to change to a different fit – I certainly can’t figure out how you could use an ankle holster with them. One also needs to be aware of their body conformation (how you are assembled) – I personally absolutely cannot do appendix carry – I am what is known as short waisted in sewing circles – it simply will not work.
Last comment – weather makes a big difference – I would roast in black polo shirts in South Texas – YMMV.
Shirts with a bussy pattern like the plaid shirt will also help ‘break-up’ a fold or printing pattern.
John with all respect and as this is how I make my living, I disagree with your assertion that the individual needs to change the way they buy clothes. For background I run a concealed carry shop in Southern California and am known for fitting clients much as a tailor would clothing, I have also been called on by both the California Gang Task Force and the Wisconsin Gang Task Force to work with their members on concealment.
Most of us own dozens of pairs of shorts, pants, perhaps dress suits with literally thousands of dollars invested in clothing at the time we come to carry concealed. Your carry has to work with it all. Surprisingly most of us don’t wear eurofit shirts or skinny jeans and spandex. Women require more work than men.
if your carrying at 3:30 or Appendix (8:30 if a lefty) clearing your shirt is essentially the same and should be practiced one handed. Jackets, cold weather clothing have a greater effect than shirts unless your wearing a onesie.
The key factor that hampers most CCW / CCP are that they don’t understand the dynamic of holster choice / design and weapon choice. The holster selection is different if your a hospice nurse or doctor wearing scrubs, vs a businessman wearing a $4,000 tailored Armani or Hugo Boss suit. A pastor in liturgical robes, or an orthodox Rabi have prescribed clothing that needs to be worked around. 98% of women I have helped don’t wear belts and never will, they can carry on body, and don’t need a belt as an example.
People have a brand, a style and to the greatest extent possible the holster fitter and trainer should work to leave this totally unchanged so that people around the carrier are not alerted. A secretary who would notice a change in nail color or hair style will pick up a clothing change.
If the person is just ordering off the internet or picking up a holster at the gun show rather than being fitted to what they wear, and their lifestyle it will be hit and miss. Will baggy T-shirts hide more yes, but if you have always been raised from your junior athletic days to have some pride tuck your shirt in, you won’t be comfortable, and everyone who knows you will wonder what happened.
With all respects there are ways to conceal on most people with what they have, if that person is a woman who wears short shorts and a crop top the solution will be either a Sig 238, the like or off body, (similar for a short black dress) but it can be done.
It’s not hard to conceal a gun on most dressed human beings. Add “comfortable” to the equation and it’s an entirely different dynamic.