Kevin Michalowski, Executive Editor of the Concealed Carry Magazine, posted this video about 5 years ago on the variety of ways you can concealed carry. It was an educational piece for another org, but Kevin was happy to share it with us here.
That video must be a few years old. You look slimmer in your more recent Into the Fray’s.
I prefer more of a kidney carry position. I do have one cross-body bag that I use for carrying off body. Still not 100% comfortable with that, but we all start somewhere.
I carry at my 4 o’clock position. Pennsylvania allows open carry and being I’m partially paralyzed on my left I prefer open carry. It’s more of a challenge getting to my firearm if I were to need it. If I were to carry it concealed it may sound strange to some but I would like to use an over the shoulder. Easy to conceal and easy to get to.
@ShawnT Glad you’ve got a way to carry that works well for you. What holster do you recommend for open carrying? And do you got a lot of strange looks open carrying?
@Dawn, I get questions. Why do you have a gun? Is the best question, which has a lot of answers. I get asked what kind of gun? Caliber, how to get licensed to carry, if it’s expensive, hard? It’s something that definitely gives conversation of all sorts. I use a Fobus OWB, or a Versacarry 2018 Commander holster which is excellent for both open and concealed. I would like to try the Alien Gear holsters or an over the shoulder.
Sounds like the questions have been very positive and have given you opportunities to educate people on firearms and self-defense, Shawn! That’s awesome!
The more people are educated about firearms, the less fear they have of them - don’t you think? Some of my family friends are very anti-guns. The more I’ve educated them on the safety and self-defense aspects, the less anti-gun they’ve become. Granted they’re not all pro-gun at this point, but they’re much more open minded and willing to discuss guns now.
@Dawn, that’s very true. The more open the community can be about guns the better it is for the carry community. If questions aren’t asked answers can’t be given. I’ve had a few people look at it differently when they can see themselves in a different situation. When you put them in a position when they have to think about what they would do in a situation or how they would feel in a situation? Their response a majority of the time is “I never thought about it like that.”
“I never thought about it like that” is something I’ve heard a lot too. And especially if they’re parents, I ask why they haven’t? That starts them on a whole new journey of self-defense discovery.
If they’re not willing to protect themselves at all costs, what about their children? My kids made the difference when I started my self-defense journey. I had no doubt I would do everything I could to protect them - so I decided I’d better get trained to do so!
Absolutely. I always been one to believe my hands would help. After my stroke in 2011 my hands weren’t as fast and I wasn’t as balanced, when I looked at my kids and seen they needed not only a Father but also a protector, it changed my entire view.
4 o’clock inside the waistband 90% of the time. I will occasionally go outside the waistband. My clothing style is simple. Im a jeans and Carhartt T-shirt guy. I do have a tuckable holster from FlashBang that I wear when I dress nice for weddings, or funerals, or the occasional “dressy” date with the wife.
I carry IWB behind my right hip. I’m thin and it’s much more comfortable to carry that way for me. Plus it feels natural. Though I do want to start checking into getting a holster for small of back, which will take some getting used to if I do it.
All my guns are too big for appendix, and I don’t like the feel of appendix anyways (probably because my guns are too big for it).
Also, is the S&W M&P 2.0 any good? It’s supposed to be S&W’s newest compact in the M&P line right (I don’t keep up much with S&W)?
How I carry is based truthfully on my need that day. I plan my carry for the environments that I am going to be in. Ninety nine percent of the time, I carry IWB at the 7:30 position (I am a left handed shooter). But, on occasion I may switch to either a shoulder holster or a concealed carry vest or jacket. I train in every way that I carry because sometimes, I carry two weapons and it keeps my muscle memory fresh.
Not at all, my primary is commonly between 2 and 5, it varies depending on my attire and comfort. I believe in having a variety of different ways to carry and be practiced in strong and weak handed draws
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