You took the class and you bought the gun. Now it’s time to figure out how to carry concealed. This may not be the easiest task, both legally and logistically, because each person’s situation varies a great deal and thus each person must figure out what will work for them. Therefore, you’ll also hear conflicting advice, even from experts. Yet we find it’s still useful to hear what knowledgeable gun owners have to say, so you can consider their rationale as you make your choices.
Name: Grace
Age: 35
Occupation: NRA instructor
Grace carries a SIG Sauer P365XL in a “We the People” kydex-style, inside-the-waistband holster equipped with a Holosun red-dot optic and a Streamlight TLR-7 Sub flashlight.
“My usual carry gun is a SIG P365XL equipped with a Holosun red dot and TLR-7 Sub flashlight. I didn’t use a red dot or flashlight until recent years when I succumbed to the peer pressure of my Marine Corp shooting-range coworkers. While I always have multiple spare magazines and mag pouches on my backpack and in my car, I’m not always wearing one. I fully admit that it’s ideal to carry one, but I’m only 5 foot, 5 inches tall and concealable real estate is limited.
“My preferred carry method has always been appendix. I find it to be the most comfortable and easiest to conceal—and it offers the quickest draw. Appendix carry also makes it more difficult for a potential attacker to disarm you. The only drawback to appendix carry is that tucking in your shirt or wearing tight, form-fitting clothes becomes difficult unless you are also wearing a jacket or overshirt. Nonetheless, over 85% of self-defense shootings occur at seven yards or less. Carrying at the appendix offers the fastest retrieval and highest odds of victory, so it will continue to be my preferred carry method.”
Name: Jay
Age: 53
Occupation: Executive Editor of NRA’s Shooting Illustrated magazine
Jay carries a Lone Wolf Dusk 19 (9 mm) with a Trijicon RMR HD red-dot optic in a KSG Armory Lexington kydex in-the-waistband holster at the 1 o’clock position. He also carries a spare magazine in a Tulster Echo magazine carrier, POM pepper spray and a Buck Trace Ops knife, all secured via the Magpul Tejas Gun Belt 2.0. He told us he keeps medical kits nearby but not usually on his person.
“The biggest reason for each of these selections boils down to familiarity with the gear, knowledge of the brand and reputation/
experience using other items from the same manufacturers. I’ve used Lone Wolf products for a long time and found them to work well, and I’ve put quite a few rounds through this Dusk 19, giving me confidence in its performance. The Trijicon RMR HD is, well, a Trijicon. The Lexington holster from KSG Armory just happened to be set up exactly the way I like it: DCC monoblock clips are a personal favorite of mine, because they lie flat against the body rather than jutting out like some of the larger polymer clips; there’s ample room for a generous foam wedge to help cushion the body and angle the muzzle away from soft, fleshy bits. The Tulster Echo magazine carrier is adjustable for magazines of different sizes, which is useful when swapping between Glock-based polymer magazines (like the Magpul PMags) and metal versions like those for the Smith & Wesson M&P series. Magpul’s Tejas belt is ridiculously overbuilt, which means it holds everything in place very well, but it can be difficult to thread through certain holster slots or pants’ belt loops. Everything is a tradeoff!”
Name: Roger
Age: 68
Occupation: Retired software engineer; NRA instructor, coach, & range officer (mostly handgun); USPCA competitor
Roger carries a Glock 43 in a Crossbreed in-the-waistband holster or a DeSantis SuperFly pocket holster.
“At the time when I started—30 years ago—I found the simplest and fastest way for me is pocket carry. And when I use that, my 5.11 Pro Ripstop pants are part of the system because they work with the DeSantis pocket holster and have a perfect pocket for the magazine to slip into on the left leg, like a knife pocket. Any carry situation is a compromise, but the best carry gun is the one you’ll actually carry. I sometimes carry in the waistband and I’m considering whether to switch the gun for something with more capacity.
“There are a number of tests I run a gun through for concealed carry. I run a minimum of 20 but more likely 50 rounds of whatever carry ammo I’m going to use to make sure it’s going to run 100%. I shoot ball ammo first to dirty up the gun, but you need to run your carry ammo. Then I like to hold the gun completely wrong to be certain it will still perform.
“Another thing to consider is that, if you have to use it, you may never see that particular gun again. You can’t get something cheap because it needs to be reliable, but you don’t want it to be incredibly expensive in case it gets confiscated. I use iron sights. If the target is illuminated enough to know it’s a valid target, then you can get your sights fairly close as well.”
Name: Julie
Age: 65
Occupation: NRA pistol and rifle instructor; Armed Women of America chapter leader and instructor
Julie carries a SIG Sauer P365 (9 mm) in a kydex holster attached via hook-and-loop patches in the dedicated concealed-carry compartment of a Travelon waist pack. She also carries a spare magazine attached in the same manner in the same compartment, plus bleed gauze, a tourniquet and a flashlight in a separate compartment.
“I’ve been carrying for more than eight years. I like this carry method because I don’t have to dress around the gun or worry about the gun printing. I can wear it inside or outside during any season. The gun stays in front of me so I can draw it out of the pack easily and quickly. I can wear a seatbelt with it comfortably in the car and have access to the gun in my vehicle if needed. It is always on so I can’t misplace it. The pack I wear also has a slash-resistant strap and RFID protection, which I highly recommend.”
Name: Mel
Age: 48
Occupation: Managing Editor, NRA A1F
Mel carries a Ruger LCR .327 Fed. Mag. revolver in a purse or bag.
“I carry a variety of guns in a variety of ways, but, being a rather small person at 5 feet tall, I find it very difficult to carry on-body, so I often conceal in a purse or bag. I have a variety of bags to fit every occasion, but most are from Hiding Hilda. They are consistent only in that they have a dedicated carry compartment that I put a hook-and-loop holster into, so I can switch that holster out into any purse or bag.
“For purse carry, a hammerless revolver is a decent choice. You can slide your hand into the purse if you’re concerned about a situation so you aren’t brandishing but you’re ready, and you can fire a hammerless revolver right in the purse because no slide action is needed. Revolvers are also extremely reliable, and this one accepts several varieties of ammunition (.32 S&W Long, .32 H & R Mag. and .327 Fed. Mag.). Your big tradeoff is the lower capacity, of course. And this any-bag setup has significant downsides—it lacks consistency in drawing; it’s considerably slower to access; someone could steal the thing; and you must never set it down. Most of the ones I use have an option to lock the zippers closed if I were really desperate to set it down, but I’ve never used this; I’d rather lock the gun up in a vehicle safe if I can’t keep the purse on me for some reason.”
