EDC Tips

[CB3]

Roughly 1,045 years of EDC admitted to by posters in this thread. This does not include those who preferred to say something nebulous like “lots”.

43/60 posts actually contained poster tips, although some contained multiple tips. A few tips have been repeated.

Tips:

Dry practice is necessary and helpful and should be done regularly. For revolvers DA trigger pulls are endless and pretty realistic.

For SA or DA/SA pistols, not so much. One trigger pull is all you get with any realism. Practicing multiple shots on one target is important, and practicing shooting multiple targets is important.

For those who carry S&W’s that take standard M&P mags, I have found a great product I use regularly: Dry Fire Mag(.com). It allows multiple trigger pulls very close to my real trigger feel without running the slide/cocking the striker. They are available for some other pistols too, especially Glocks.

However, nothing ingrains safety and competence more than actual loaded carry, draw, and firing. Since many ranges don’t allow this type of shooting, I believe a lot of concealed carriers don’t practice it enough. One nearby range requires a class they teach for holster certification. Each time I shoot now they give me my “drawing from the holster” card that I post with me on my lane, and I can practice from any carry position I want.

Training courses are the best way to practice firing from concealment, under instruction and supervision. However, many courses restrict the type of carry they allow. I have attended only 1/8 handgun self defense courses that allowed me to carry AIWB, but all loaded practice is helpful. I have heard of only two that teach pocket carry and neither was within 1,000 miles of me.

Remember that speed comes after precision. Break down all the steps from concealment through hitting where you aim and do each slowly, repetitively, until it is right and natural, dry. Then speed up. Laser cartridges and targets help a lot with this.

Then do the same thing loaded. Slow. KISS at first. Then speed up. Use a timer, even an app on your phone.

Make practice interesting. Use photo targets. Practice in different places. Seated. Kneeling. With movement. Point shoot. Aimed fire. Longer range stuff (20+ yards). One handed. Off hand. Both hands. Head shots. Hostage shots. Shooting around barriers. For each of the guns you carry, from each position you carry.

Training courses put most of this together for you with many reps, and you get the benefit of learning not only from instructors (check out their competency beforehand) and other students. They have always been worth the time effort and $$$ for me.

 

[Mike_Fontenot]

For revolvers DA trigger pulls are endless and pretty realistic.

I don't understand your meaning of "realistic" here, and later in your post. Why is SA not realistic?

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

Every day since May 66-May 69, again every day since 81. During this
time I have carried 1911's in .38 super and ,45, today an N frame .44 special. Also most of the time a mouse gun as backup .22 mag.
Always in a outside holster, shoulder and waist band. Mouse gun in
a scalloped top cowboy boot. Truck gun a sawed off dbl 12 gauge
which I sold and should have kept.
When shooting I always do some point shooting at about 15-20 feet. My
thoughts on that is time involved in using sights to aim may not be
available. As we age we tend to slow down from our prime.
I vote against vest in warm/hot weather, to much attention garnered.

 

[CB3]

I don't understand your meaning of "realistic" here, and later in your post. Why is SA not realistic?

A realistic dry trigger press will have some take up, hit a wall, and progress through pulling until the firing mechanism actuates, but there is no actual firing.

Pulling a trigger on a loaded gun fires it. The gun feels different because of that firing compared to dry practice with no firing.

DAO guns (revolvers and a few others) that allow you to keep pulling the trigger in dry practice and actuating the firing mechanism repeatedly are good for training.

A SA (striker fired or most semi-auto pistols) depend on slide movement to reset the firing mechanism, so you can only get one dry practice press (without recoil) that is realistic. Subsequent trigger presses do not have a realistic feel with take up, wall, actuation, unless one manually works the slide to reset the trigger. Without resetting the trigger, it just travels with no resistance. This is not realistic.

Any subsequent realistic trigger presses require operating the slide to reset the firing mechanism—not something you do when actually firing.

 

[rockquarry]

I have no idea what a realistic trigger press is, but perhaps it's best to avoid dry firing if at all possible. I think most of us will derive far more benefit from shooting live ammo and working on shooting technique and skill at the same time. Maybe it's a bit difficult for some of us to do that in light of the shortages, but it seems the advantages far outweigh dry firing.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Snap-caps are your friends:

 

[Univibe]

23 years, every day, from pajamas-off until pajamas-on. Started with an ultralight 360sc .357 snubby in my front pocket. It's still there, but I soon added a bigger gun in a homemade under-the-shirt vertical cloth shoulder holster rig. First big gun was a 5" 10mm Kimber 1911. Last 5 years has been a 5" 629 "Classic" 629 .44mag, shooting 240gr JHP Underwoods. I use a VERY relaxed grip, with relaxed wrists, elbows, and shoulders ... no pain or bruising that way. I shoot strictly single action, with a 3 lb trigger-pull. My objective is to shoot a very small number of very powerful rounds, hitting what I'm aiming at.

Sounds good in Grizzly country.

But in the real world you find yourself shooting a larger number of less "powerful," but equally effective rounds, e.g. 9mm.

 

[crazyphil]

In my post #37 I mentioned the importance of speed getting your gun
out and into action. If you carry concealed you should do some practice
of your quick draw wearing the clothing that you typically wear. I was
reading a magazine article by Dave Spaulding titled "What really happens
in a GUNFIGHT?" Here is a small excerpt: "FBI Special Agent Melvin Purvis
tore all the buttons off the waistcoat of his three-piece suit in trying to
draw his gun on the night he and his fellow agents closed in on John Dillinger."
You don't need a surprise like that when you need to defend
yourself.

 

[BE Mike]

Once in a while, I shoot my pocket carry pistol, filled with lint (I don't keep it immaculate) right out of my pocket on the range. That keeps my trust at a high level. So far, not one failure with the Sig P365.

 

[mtgianni]

I have no idea what a realistic trigger press is, but perhaps it's best to avoid dry firing if at all possible. I think most of us will derive far more benefit from shooting live ammo and working on shooting technique and skill at the same time. Maybe it's a bit difficult for some of us to do that in light of the shortages, but it seems the advantages far outweigh dry firing.

The advantage of dry firing vs live practice is that you need not be at the range. Nothing is a substitute for range time but dry fire can keep you sharp in between trips.

 

[Old Corp]

For many, and I may be included, when cooler weather approaches, you can get by with carrying any size handgun you wish.

Printing? Phfffttt!!
No one cares about 'printing'! If you're old enough, that would be easily dismissed as some sort of colostomy attachment, or loop an O2 line over your shoulder and voila'! you're carrying your porta-oxygen. No problems!

 

[Mike_Fontenot]

(I said: My objective is to shoot a very small number of very powerful rounds, hitting what I'm aiming at.)

Sounds good in Grizzly country.

But in the real world you find yourself shooting a larger number of less "powerful," but equally effective rounds, e.g. 9mm.

I think my objective is the right one for "bad-guy country" also. I'm responsible for every bullet that leaves my barrel. I want to minimize that number of bullets ... no "spray and pray" for me. To do that, I want a bullet that is very likely to stop a bad guy instantly, provided I hit where I'm aiming. If I can do that, any other bad guys that are there will likely run away. If not, I've got 5 rounds left.

 

[Kid44]

Carry the same

gun always if possible, it helps you become very familiar and comfortable with it. "Beware the man with one gun, he is probably very good with it"

 

[Univibe]

I think my objective is the right one for "bad-guy country" also. I'm responsible for every bullet that leaves my barrel. I want to minimize that number of bullets ... no "spray and pray" for me. To do that, I want a bullet that is very likely to stop a bad guy instantly, provided I hit where I'm aiming. If I can do that, any other bad guys that are there will likely run away. If not, I've got 5 rounds left.

Anything 9mm NATO or bigger will do this, if and only if you do your part. EDC guys should ignore bullet type, weight, frontal area, and all that. Either a bullet hits the vitals or it doesn't.

And after I fire one shot, I want 15 more, not five.

G19 > any revolver.

 

[pharmer]

I'm really not qualified to tell others how to do it, but......I've been carrying a gun a long time in a hot swamp. I've had a Florida permit since 1988. So:
1) Big shirts, I look like a hobo in a 2XL but that's the point.
2) A gun that is 100% reliable, even if it isn't the one you shoot best.
I've carried the 6906 almost daily for 27 years; it's 100% and I'm likely to have it with me. I have 5 magazines for it and another 8 or so 5906 mags loaded and stashed where I might need them.
Recently, I was forced to drag an 02 tank around when out of the house. Since I had only one hand free I switched to a 5 shot Jframe with speedloaders stashed around (like I could use them in that condition).
3) Don't get too fat. No disrespect intended but I have gained 10# sitting around since the Covid tried to kill me. When I slide the 6906 in my waistband it's OK until I sit down, then it's like a Boa Constrictor has got me. Someday soon I hope to be able to go further than the mailbox without gasping for breath.
4) Don't mess with your gun when you are out in public. If'n you need to, you shoulda done before leaving the house.
5) Probably most important: We ain't the "quasi-police" as the instructor said (Florida had 4hr range+ 4hr classroom requirement originally) to us. "You strap on a gun and you become your 'brother's keeper'." I have always remembered his words and acted accordingly.
It's too bad we live in a society that each day seems to require more vigilance and "strategic pre-planning." Don't see that as improving soon. Joe

 

[sipowicz]

Cut the bottom button off your concealed cover shirts.

I wear covering shirts untucked. I have found having the bottom button undone makes for a cleaner, wider opening when moving the covering shirt to access my AIWB gun. That undone button doesn’t look right, perhaps even being a small signal that I may be carrying to those who might guess.

You give people way too much credit. 99.999% will just think you lost the button. And most likely 99.99999% will never notice it’s not there. Those of us who carry daily have a keen sense of situational awareness by the mere fact we chose to strap a gun on. The rest of the planet is busy sending pictures of their tuna salad sandwiches to friends on Instagram.

So Leave the button…take the cannoli.

 

[Smoke]

I've been carrying since Feb 10 1995 (my last day in the Army was Feb 9).

Being a Retired Career Security Guard,(As opposed to a high speed, low drag, operator) I'm only going to say two things and I'm only going to tell you I do, YMMV.

1. Unless I'm going someplace where it is illegal for me to even have a gun in my car, l don't leave home unarmed.

2. I started out carrying an all steel CZ75B, them an Aluminum framed 4006, then a 6906, then an M&PFS9, then(sometimes still) a Glock 19 and now mostly a Glock26. Each lighter than the last.

It's going to happen, you're going to get old, that all steel gun is going to get heavy. Pick the light gun now.

Y'all have fun now.

 

[steelslaver]

You give people way too much credit. 99.999% will just think you lost the button. And most likely 99.99999% will never notice it’s not there. Those of us who carry daily have a keen sense of situational awareness by the mere fact we chose to strap a gun on. The rest of the planet is busy sending pictures of their tuna salad sandwiches to friends on Instagram.

So Leave the button…take the cannoli.

Many people will not even see an openly carried gun. Was in a restaurant and guy at next table had a semi in holster on belt for world to see, wife did not until I brought it to her attention and had to direct her view. Garage sale, maybe a 20x 24 garage with several tables, young guy, open carrying revolver in a shoulder holster, with a knife just below it. Later in the car when asked neither wife nor mother in law notices despite being close to the guy for about 10 minutes.

About 1/2 the population wouldn't notice you wheeling a cannon down isle 5 at the grocery store let alone a slight bulge in your shirt or the tip of a holster peaking out.

 

[Mike_Fontenot]

It's going to happen, you're going to get old, that all steel gun is going to get heavy. Pick the light gun now.

I'm 78 years old, and just a rickidy old codger. But I carry an all-steel 5" "Classic" N-Frame 629 .44mag, every day, from pajamas-off until pajamas-on. In a homemade, under-the-shirt vertical cloth shoulder holster rig. It's comfortable, and well-concealed. And I'm not a big guy ... in my old age, I've shrunk down from 5' 11" and 165 lbs, to 5' 6" and 125 lbs.

 

[Protected One]

I think the wisdom of the combined experiences of our members could benefit old and new concealed carriers. For giggles, as we post, throw in the number of years you have carried concealed so we can get an approximate aggregate. I’ll bet it is in the very high hundreds.

So I’ll start. I have carried concealed almost every day for 28 years.

My first tip:

Cut the bottom button off your concealed cover shirts.

I wear covering shirts untucked. I have found having the bottom button undone makes for a cleaner, wider opening when moving the covering shirt to access my AIWB gun. That undone button doesn’t look right, perhaps even being a small signal that I may be carrying to those who might guess. The small button hole left behind is about invisible. Getting to your concealed handgun (or knife or whatever) cleanly and quickly is the first physical step to getting your gun on target and landing the first hit in a fight.

I almost never get tangled up with my shirt on the draw since I’ve done this. Try it with one shirt first and practice. If you keep the button you can sew it back on if it does not work for you.

Or you could just not button it.