16 Concealed Carry Mistakes That Could Kill You

Wanna skip ahead?

Here are the main resources you will read about –

–> Conceal Carry “Loophole” that allows you to legally carry in 28 states

–> The Best Concealed Carry (CCW) Holster We’ve Ever Tried

 

1. Not Carrying Extra Ammunition

It isn’t just a question of accuracy but also one of tactics and strategy. Multiple assailants, shooting from and toward cover, and dealing with the nerves are all good reasons to pack as much ammunition as you can.

2. Not Having A Permit

Some people in the industry feel that the 2nd amendment is their permit. While we agree on principle the law doesn’t work that way. Getting the permit is the best way to ensure you are legal and educated. Learn more about how to obtain your permit: “How to Get a Permit Valid In Your State.”

3. Not Leveraging Dry Fire Practice

Ammunition is expensive and so is the range fee, the gas in your car, and your time. Save a little money and increase your muscle memory with dry fire training. Use either an unloaded and inspected firearm or a laser simulation firearm and get it done at home or wherever you want to train. Learn more: Dry Fire Training With Laser Simulation

4. Not Practicing Drawing From Concealed

When you get a chance to do self-defense training don’t waste it by drawing from a hip or OWB holster. Use the actual concealed carry holster you carry with so as to ensure you are building the right kind of muscle memory.

5. Thinking You Are A Hero

You have not been deputized and don’t have an obligation to put yourself in harms way in order to stop petty criminals. Let the police do their job and you do yours! It is good to help others and protect life but learn where to draw the line.

6. Adjusting Your Pants

Adding a 1 to 2 pound gun with ammunition inside of your waistband doesn’t feel very normal. It makes you itch, sometimes literally, and that leads you to fiddle with your belt line and pants trying to find a more comfortable position.

7. Buying a Cheap Holster

Holsters serve to make the firearm safe, secure, and available. These 3 things are of utmost importance and trusting them to a foreign made piece of junk isn’t a good idea. I’ve made this mistake before and had my firearm drop inside my pants down my pant leg. Can you say embarrassing?! Click here to see the holster we recommend over all others.

8. Not Carrying Every Day

The absolute number 1 mistake of permit holders is not carrying the concealed gun to begin with. If I had to guess, only 5% of my past concealed carry students actually carry a firearm daily. This is tragic. If you are among those that don’t carry every day it is time to re-commit.

9. Drawing the Gun Wrong

A good draw includes a set of key fundamentals that emphasize safety, speed, and muscle memory. Are you sure you are doing it right? I recommend appendix carry for almost all situations. Drawing from all back positions is incredibly uncomfortable and slow in my opinion. The key is to try different positions and ask other conceal carriers that have the same body build as you what works for them the best.

 

10. Not Carrying At the House

The number one place where you are likely to need that firearm in self-defense is in your own home. There is a 1 in 197 chance that you will experience a home invasion this year. Why would you put the gun away when you come home?

11. Only Training For Marksmanship

You can practice pulling a trigger and hitting center target until you a blue in the face but unless you also train the draw, grip, stance, reload, malfunction clearing, etc you aren’t really prepared for the encounter.

12. Wearing the Wrong Clothing

Lets face it; carrying concealed just isn’t fashionable. Start by valuing the gun over the style and work around the “self-defense” tool first.

13. Checking On the Gun

Yes, there is a 1-2 pound thing on your body that wasn’t there before. Its tempting to keep checking on it and making sure its still where you left it… but its a bad habit that you need to get rid of early on.

14. Using Multiple Carry Holster Systems

It can be really difficult to create strong muscle memory if you don’t wear the same holster each day. Pick the concealed carry system that will work for you EVERY day and stick with it.

15. Using A Poor Quality or Ill Suited Belt

If the gun holster is depending on the belt for stability you should use a belt that is strong and built for the purpose

16. Telling Others About or Showing Off Your Gun or Permit

I HATE this one!!! Please DO NOT be this person. It’s called CONCEALED carry for a reason. You don’t talk about it or show it off. It is ok to be excited and proud of getting that new gun or permit… but keep it to yourself.

Recap – Conceal Carry is Awesome and I see it as more of a responsibility to myself and my family than anything. You simply can’t count on others to protect yourself.

Here are the resources again.

–> Conceal Carry “Loophole” that allows you to legally carry in 28 states

–> The Best Concealed Carry (CCW) Holster We’ve Ever Tried