Expert Advice on one of the most important decisions you'll ever make

By Dave Spaulding

The decision to carry a weapon concealed should not be taken lightly.  For some, such as law enforcement officers or members of certain military units, carrying a covert handgun is just part of the job.  But for the legally armed citizen, it is a choice that should be made only after careful consideration.

Carrying a firearm on one's person is a lifestyle commitment.  I have no idea how many times I have heard a person who has applied for their concealed carry permit say:  "Oh, I won't actually shoot anybody.  I just want to have the gun to scare them away."  This person has made a huge mistake.  Criminals see you as a means to an end, not as a human being with feelings and family.  They will hurt or kill you in less time than it just took you to read this paragraph.

The fact is, a handgun fight is quick close, pandemonium-filled and bloody, and anyone who is considering carrying a handgun for such purposes must ask himself if he is up to the task of close quarters combat.  If not, then the gun will likely be used against him when he draws it to try to scare away an attacker.  Over the last 30 years (seven of which were spent working in the county jail), I have spoken with my share of criminals, and the one thing I can assure you is that they are not afraid of guns but are  afraid of the willing person with a gun.  And trust me -- they know the difference between the willing and those who posture.

So if you've decided that you're mentally ready to carry a gun to protect yourself, it's time to consider the system that is concealed carry:  handgun, holster, support/suspension system (belt), spare magazine or speed loader, some type of cutting tool like a folding knife and a compact but powerful flashlight.

The first thing you need to select is the handgun because the other equipment will be somewhat dependent on that choice.  Pick a sidearm with the understanding that it is a defensive weapon that cannot be counted on to stop a determined opponent with one or two hits, regardless of caliber.

I'm going to avoid the stopping-power debate, but I will say it has been my experience that a bigger bullet is a better bullet.  At the same time, a bigger, heavier bullet will create more felt recoil, especially when contained in the light, compact package that will likely be used for concealed carry.  If the gun is so powerful you cannot provide quick follow-up shots (no more than half a second between shots, a third even better) and hit, say, an eight - or even 12-inch square, then select a caliber that you can do it with.

I would not choose a gun less than 9mm/.38 Special in caliber.  History has shown that people shot with the .22, .25, .32 and even the .380 continue to fight without even knowing they are shot.  While this can happen with larger handgun calibers, too, it is less likely.

You also want to select a pistol or revolver that fills your shooting hand completely so you can control the gun during rapid fire.  Short grips may be easier to conceal, but they are also harder for most people to shoot.

Next, decide where you're going to carry the handgun.  The biggest mistake many people make is to conceal the gun too deeply, making quick deployment problematic if not impossible.

The dynamics of handgun conflict are this:  You should be able to draw your firearm in two seconds or less and get a solid hit on a moving target while you are also moving.  If the gun is tucked so deeply that you cannot achieve the first step, then your gun is really just a fashion accessory and it might as well be at home.

Quick access means that you will have to dress for concealment and not try to hide the gun under clothing that you may have worn before you made the concealed carry decision.  Think about where you travel, work and live, and then dress appropriately around the gun and the selected concealment location on your body.

Clothing considerations must be based on the environment, which includes weather as well as locale.  The vest or jacket that is normal on your way to work may not be right in a tourist area, where jackets are rare but fanny packs are everywhere.

While we gun people think of the fanny pack or related "belt boxes" as holsters, the majority of the citizenry think of them as a way to conveniently carry credit cards, cash, baby supplies or a camera.  Shift the fanny pack to a similar place as your regular carry location and practice with it.  Clothing considerations should be based on blending in to what is normal as well as providing a reasonable level of concealment.  It's a compromise, folks; the gun must be hidden but also accessible.

Since the gun must be drawn quickly and easily, the best concealment location will be someplace near the shooting hand.  Think about where your primary hand is located as you go through your daily routine.  The waistline at the front of the body offers the shortest travel distance for the shooting hand, but since the weapon must be concealed under a garment, shifting the gun around to the side of the body helps keep the gun away from prying eyes.  How far around the body is up to the user based on body style and flexibility.

A handgun can be held only so close to the torso, and a semi-auto pistol will be flatter than a revolver, but a quality holster will go a long way toward hiding the gun.  For example, a dual slot holster - commonly called a pancake holster - will pull the gun in tighter than will a pouch holster with a single loop stitched to the rear.  This is because inward pressure is applied to the entire body of the holster instead of just the suspension point.  The thickness of the holster material will also come into play, as it will add bulk to the package being suspended from the belt.