Anyone feel odd the first time they carried?

[mississippi revolverman]

Filbird

Understand you feeling. I started in Law Enforcment at 21 and carried a weapon always. Later I got out and slowed down on the practice of carrying . Once moved to Fl got my CCW and started carrying again. Little odd at first but you get use to it.

I had a moment one Sunday morning walking the dog down an alley. I made the guy and knew he was about to make his move. When my hand slid under my shirt and I felt the grips of the model 36 I looked him eye to eye. Had been avoiding eye contact prior to that. He quickly moved to the other side of the road and picked up his pace. It is that quick and easy for "them"

Read you other post and respect you understanding of carrying and feel you will do the right thing

 

[Crazy K38]

Well I can't get my ccw till my 21st birthday in December, but I do carry concealed around my house all day everyday, and sadly enough you would think eventually someone would notice a S&W model 15 4" in a black sheep belt holster poking off my side but noone has, and I got that feelin for a while too especially around company, but not really an afraid feeling but kind of like when you know a secret and you can't tell anyone, kind of empowered and confident. But I do enjoy it and I really dread having to take it off to go to the store or wherever, a few times I have been tempted to just leave it on, but knowing my luck an officer would notice I am carrying heavy and well.....

 

[Gutpile Charlie]

First time I carried, I thought everyone in the whole world could make me.

Now...I'll go all day and "forget" I've got heat in my pocket.

I always "check" before I enter a restricted zone, but for the most part, I don't even notice. I carry 24/7, in home, away, dressed or .....nekid! (OMG that's not a pretty sight!

)

 

[cshoff]

As you said earlier, Filbird, it would be more odd if you didn't feel odd the first time or two that you carry your concealed handgun with your permit in your pocket.

First off, you made the committment to invest the time and money into getting whatever training was required and to dot all of your "I's" and cross all of you "T's" to make sure you are legal. This isn't something you've entered into lightly. Furthermore, you have more time, consideration, and money invested in finding the right carry gun, the right holster, the right belt, other accessories, and reliable defensive ammunition. In short, you have a lot of emotional sweat equity invested here, likely many hours. Of course it's only normal to feel proud, nervous, anxious, and empowered when you step out into the world and you realize that all of that time and money is now coming to a "climax", so to speak.

Just remember to stay confident, stay discrete, and do your best to always avoid potentially dangerous situations. Also remember what a couple of the other posters said in this thread; the vast majority of people you encounter will have no idea you are carrying and will not even be thinking about trying to "make" you. Most folks, unfortunately, walk around in a state of complete unawareness.

 

[G-ManBart]

It never felt odd to me but I've had guns on/around me since I can remember. Honestly, it was more of a relief than anything else. R,

 

[Jeb Stonewall]

Originally posted by G-ManBart:
It never felt odd to me but I've had guns on/around me since I can remember. Honestly, it was more of a relief than anything else. R,

Same here!
It was more of a relaxed feeling knowing I didn't have to worry about getting busted for carrying without a lic.

 

[NKJ nut]

It has been a long time since I first start carrying. But yes I was very concerned about that Baby Browning creating a bulge

 

[USAF385]

It was winter when I first started to carry. I carried a 681 in a shoulder holster underneath my coat. Perhaps it made me feel better because I knew it was near impossible to see I was carrying. As the weather started to get warmer, I slowly transitioned to a 642 IWB. By then I was used to carrying.

You may feel people are looking at you, but it's in your head. A great story I read a while ago dealt with the issue of self consciousness:

Pretty much a group of researchers got together a handful of volunteers. What they told the volunteers was they would be participating in a study to see how the public reacted to people with scars or other disfigurement. They applied makeup to the volunteers to give them bad burns or scars on the face. They let them see how their new face looked and sent them out into the public. Before they got outside though, someone came buy to "touch up" the makeup... but really they removed it entirely. So these volunteers were out in public looking the same as they do everyday, but THINKING they had scars or burns or whatever on their face. All the volunteers returned with reports that they received a lot more looks than usual.

The point: It was all in their head.

My point: You may think that you're getting looks, but most of it will be in your head.

 

[keith44spl]

It's kinda like wearin' long pants,
I can't remember when I didn't...

Su Amigo,
Dave

 

[bigt5150]

First time I carried I felt very self conscious and almost paranoid that everybody was looking at me. I guess part of it was also that the holster belt combination sucked so it didn't feel good or right. Once I found the right belt, from the beltman.net of course, and the right holster(mitch rosen) as well getting used to carrying, it all became almost second nature. Don't worry, you'll get there. Good Luck.

 

[Firehouse]

Originally posted by Gutpile Charlie:
First time I carried, I thought everyone in the whole world could make me.

Now...I'll go all day and "forget" I've got heat in my pocket.

I always "check" before I enter a restricted zone, but for the most part, I don't even notice. I carry 24/7, in home, away, dressed or .....nekid! (OMG that's not a pretty sight!

)

I just don't want to know where you have it when your naked!

 

[38-44HD45]

It's been so long since that first carry excursion, I don't even recall what it felt like, but since it wasn't quite legal for me at the time, I suspect that I was a little uncomfortable for awhile.

Now, it feels REALLY strange NOT to be carrying!

As photo noted, in many places, whether open carry is legal or not, most folks don't pay much attention to someone carrying, and just assume that one is LE, if he's carrying.

 

[daimondjim]

I've been carrying for a couple years, in a small town, rural area of NW Ohio. I felt completely confident with a NAA 22 mag with folding handle/holster, front pant pocket, or shirt pocket, soon completely unaware of it's presence. One day while in a dept. store talking to a lady clerk, I said, I'll call and check, pulled out the little piece thinking it was my phone. She saw it and smiled as I about p--d my pants, she said it's OK, and continued to convince me to purchase the item we were discussing. Naturally I bought it, (a 49cc scooter). It is so natural to carry that sometimes I have to touch it to notice that it's there, traded the 22 mag for a 380 auto though, and forget it is there too. Hope I never do that again, but the 380 is enough bigger that I probably won't confuse it for the phone again. Jim <><

 

[feralmerril]

I am sort of a paradox here. I have a lot of handguns, the intrest and a ccw. Yet I really dont carry that much of the time. I carried over 35 years on my guard job, and probley close to 45 to 50 on and off the jobs. I am retired in a safe area. When I go somewhere I do at least have one in my vehicle if not on me. So I really can hardly remember felling self concious about it. I do remember the first time. I was about a 14 year old kid and my uncle found a old U.S. Arms company .22 revolver in some junk and gave it to me. It was in parts in a bucket. I couldnt find the part that made it double action, but it still would shoot single action. I carried it awhile in a old bomber jacket. He was nobodys fool and came over one day and "made" me instantly!
When I do choose to pack, I just throw a snub in my pocket and hardly give it another thought.
I get in the boonies a lot rideing quad. A big part of my life. Then I carry a belt gun. However if I am around people I usualy drape a shirt over it or take it off and put it in the scoot boot. A friend of mine that I ride with wears a smith 9mm. He doesnt care, and I have walked into resturants with him openly carrying it, and no one has yet to say anything. However, I am more discreat, I at least will take mine off when we get to populated areas. On the trails, I dont think about it.

 

[xopher88x]

I started carrying around the house and in the yard a week or two before my first day of public carry which was March 21 2009. So "the feeling" is still fresh for me, and I still get "the feeling" in new situations, although it's become fewer and further between. I don't even know what "the feeling" is exactly. Initially it was a hyper-awareness of 'loaded gun, loaded gun, loaded gun' every time I would bend or stretch or do something else that would bring it to my attention. That is something I wanted to be over by the time I carried in public. Because I figured that when in public, I need to be aware of what's going on around me. If I'm focused on 'loaded gun. am I printing? is he staring at my waist band?' I'm defeating the purpose of carrying at all. Anyway... that's my two cents.

Back to "the feeling". I got it that first Sunday I was carrying in church. I got it the first time I was around family members (and their children). I got it the first time I was with friends and in their homes. I got it when I arrived at work that first Monday AM.

What started to happen for me was, as my senses became sharper I started to realize that people are mostly oblivious. I know I'm kind of re-stating what's already been said by far more experienced posters than me but it's all true.

I live in a state where concealed means 100% absolutely concealed. Through my carry methods and choice of weapon, I am able to make certain that I'm not able to be made.

As a recommendation, I would carry around the house for a while. For me it was a couple weeks. I think that allowed the weapon and holster to "settle in" as a system. Anyway, I hope that helps. Long story short, yes, you will feel different and yes, that is normal.

 

[Bobwtn]

I was age 20 when I first carried as a police officer. When in uniform at first I even felt everyone was looking at me due to being part of a minority participant in the town while working. No racial thing, I was a minority in that I was the only cop on duty, so I was only one visible packing legal ( no permits back in the 70's) and off duty, it was odd at first. I learned from other officers and by trial and error, how to buy certain clothes just as we try to buy certain holsters, all with the goal of concealment. New cops often are taught and reminded often, a gun does not make them tougher and it is not to be used to settle disputes, except as a last resort. Don't worry too much, adjust your current clothing, such as buying a coat a size up or something similar, especially if you carry a full size auto and extra mags in a shoulder system. Most of the time, I just carry a 5 shot 38 snubbie in my front pocket.

 

[bmcgilvray]

No, but I felt entirely too smug toting a .45 automatic beneath the three-piece suit that was popular back in the day...and no one knew!