Am I doing it wrong? Questions from a newbie...


G

gunobody

New member
Hi All,

Wife and I took a pistol safety course 7 months back and applied for our CCW permits a few weeks ago. I am not interested in guns by any means but I AM interested in the protection they provide. A few months back, the wife and I began to consider carrying. We prayed about it a good bit, talked about it a good bit, and read as many back-issues of Concealed Carry Magazine as we could mooch from a friend (we've since subscribed). We've spent time learning and discussing the realities of carrying and of having handguns in the house (we have 2 very little kids) and what it might mean should we have to use them (legally, morally, spiritually).

I have a 1911 that I'm sentimentally attached to (and an M1 Garand incidentally - I came to firearms by way of military history) and since its what I have, I plan to carry it now with plans to get something else as soon as budget permits. I plan to have a IWB Cleveland Holster ordered in a week or two. We're looking for a small practical and concealable pistol for the wife (approaching from the standpoint of "it won't do her any good if she doesn't carry it and can't conceal it") and have narrowed it down to a couple choices.

I hope to secure some additional training for us both in the coming months - in the meantime, we'll do dry-fire drills, get some additional range time (we've been a couple times with my 45 in the last month or two), and spend some time with some instructional DVDs (the same friend has lent us some stuff from Gabe Suarez that looks pretty good).

All that said, what are we forgetting? Or, as the title says, are we doing it wrong? I don't want to split hairs over which weapon to carry or which holster to buy but I'd love some feedback from those who carry and how our "journey" looks so far as compared to theirs. At what point do I begin being an active carry-er as opposed to being the arm-chair carry-er (which is what I am right now)?

Thanks in advance!
 

She needs to shoot different small handguns and decide which she likes. Look for a range that rents guns. If it is small and she doesn't like it, she still won't carry.
 
Congratulations on your decisions. It seems to me that you are taking logical, well thought out steps. I applaud you for that.

One thing that you should do is to concentrate on your situational awareness. Start now. Don't wait till you start to carry. Be aware of who is behind you. What direction is that person going? Where is the nearest and most accessible exit? How many people are around my wife and I? If I have to use a weapon in my current location, what is behind my possible target(s)? The more you develop your SA now, the better off you'll be if you do have to potentially deploy your weapon. SA is a skill that is seriously lacking in most people. You don't have to be armed to develop it.
 
Thanks. She has tried a couple already and narrowed it done to a couple. She wants to go back and shoot those again just to be sure. She loves my 1911 (and outshoots me without any effort) and said that if she could hide it, she'd carry it. I love this woman!
 
Its funny you mention that. When we started considering this whole endeavor, we started playing the SA game. We ask each other those same questions when we are out together. "Where's the best place to park in this lot?" "Where could a bad guy be here?" "How do I get out of here quickly?" While we don't always have the best answers, we're becoming much more aware of what we don't know. Now... if we could just get Masad Ayood to shadow us for a few weeks and whisper in our ears, we'd be golden!
 
It appears that you are attacking the subject in a manner to leave no stone unturned. This is NOT a bad thing and will expose you to a lot of information that will help you with this journey.
~
If I could make a suggestion it would be for you to relax and try enjoying the journey, it doesn't have to be all tedious and tenuous. You will find that the participants of the forum have a special kind of affection towards their weapons and enjoy the sport of shooting and what it brings to their lives beyond just a protection value.
~
Your path is to gain knowledge and becoming proficient with you firearms and you are doing a lot towards that end. The steps you have taken are admirable and beyond what most have done prior to actually carrying to become competent, as to when you should be an active carrier is in your hands. Once you are equipped and feel ready, you will need to take the next step of doing it.
~
Welcome to the forum and your epiphany to carry. God Bless
Dog
 
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I'd say finding your wife a gun she's comfortable with would be the sticking point. If she must have "smaller" than your .45 she must also realise that lighter weapons will in general produce more "kick" that a larger gun chambered for the same caliber round. If she likes your 1911 and has no trouble racking the slide, that doesn't mean she'll have the same success with a pocket pistol since there's less to grab hold to. Some women I have talked to prefer a revolver because you don't have to rack the slide, and one said she had "several" speed loaders ready to go in her purse (I believe they are called "moonclips")
-
Like XD40 said, have her try out guns before you committ.
 
Good points Dog. I experienced the same wave of information overload when I start riding motorcycles. I had a coworker that started riding with me and we both got some training together. One day we were riding in the car and we were talking about SA as it applied to riding a motorcycle as we came up on a pretty big and complicated intersection. He looked at me and said, "With all this crap to keep track of, when does riding actually become fun?"

He made a good point. In the end, once those safe and proficient riding techniques became "muscle memory" it didn't require so much "front of the brain" attention. I assume that the same happens with firearms and carrying. You don't sit there and dwell on things, weighing the pros and cons all the time. You just do it second nature. Right now its just all so new and there is SO much info out there (some useful but lots not) that the point of this post was kind of a "stand back and get my bearings" kind of thing.

Glad that we're not off-base here. And we ARE enjoying the ride as it were! Thanks again.
 
gunobody said:
Thanks. She has tried a couple already and narrowed it done to a couple. She wants to go back and shoot those again just to be sure. She loves my 1911 (and outshoots me without any effort) and said that if she could hide it, she'd carry it. I love this woman!
Click to expand...

Perhaps she could try a smaller 1911 style pistol
 
I applaud you for the steps you have taken since deciding to carry. You have been well thought out, well read, and logical.

I echo some other posters: SA can be a fun training exercise with your wife when you are out and about; don't always make firearms a tedious and arduous task, it can be quite enjoyable; always shoot a firearm first before buying if at all possible.

With that said, since she likes your 1911, she may love the Sig Sauer P238. It's a .380 in a 1911 style frame that is smaller. Loads 6+1 and an extended mag can be had for 7+1.
 
gunobody said:
Its funny you mention that. When we started considering this whole endeavor, we started playing the SA game. We ask each other those same questions when we are out together. "Where's the best place to park in this lot?" "Where could a bad guy be here?" "How do I get out of here quickly?"
Click to expand...

Just to elaborate on the parking lot situation 95% of the time I either pull straight through a parking spot or I back in to my parking spot. I like to park close but I also like to make sure if any situation arises I can leave quick. Also you are more aware of your surroundings when you pull up so it is EASIER AND SAFER to back into a spot than backing out of a spot. Just my 2 cents on that.

As far as everything else it seems you have your stuff together. I carry either OC or CC when I leave my house. As I type this at work on my computer I have my pistol in a OWB holster covered by my shirt. I carry to the store and to church. I like to stay close to exits and in the back while at places. I practice SA almost everywhere I go. Running through different scenarios all the time makes you more aware and can (I assume having never had a problem) lighten a bit the stress and worry if something was to happen.

Welcome to the club!

On a side note as I started reading your post I'm sure most others did the same thing when you said "I am not interested in guns by any means" started thinking why is he wanting to carry a gun. As long as you get comfortable and proficient with your gun then I am all for it. Some people should not carry a gun! Thanks for taking the steps to do it right!
 
gunobody said:
Hi All,

Wife and I took a pistol safety course 7 months back and applied for our CCW permits a few weeks ago. I am not interested in guns by any means but I AM interested in the protection they provide. A few months back, the wife and I began to consider carrying. We prayed about it a good bit, talked about it a good bit, and read as many back-issues of Concealed Carry Magazine as we could mooch from a friend (we've since subscribed). We've spent time learning and discussing the realities of carrying and of having handguns in the house (we have 2 very little kids) and what it might mean should we have to use them (legally, morally, spiritually).

I have a 1911 that I'm sentimentally attached to (and an M1 Garand incidentally - I came to firearms by way of military history) and since its what I have, I plan to carry it now with plans to get something else as soon as budget permits. I plan to have a IWB Cleveland Holster ordered in a week or two. We're looking for a small practical and concealable pistol for the wife (approaching from the standpoint of "it won't do her any good if she doesn't carry it and can't conceal it") and have narrowed it down to a couple choices.

I hope to secure some additional training for us both in the coming months - in the meantime, we'll do dry-fire drills, get some additional range time (we've been a couple times with my 45 in the last month or two), and spend some time with some instructional DVDs (the same friend has lent us some stuff from Gabe Suarez that looks pretty good).

All that said, what are we forgetting? Or, as the title says, are we doing it wrong? I don't want to split hairs over which weapon to carry or which holster to buy but I'd love some feedback from those who carry and how our "journey" looks so far as compared to theirs. At what point do I begin being an active carry-er as opposed to being the arm-chair carry-er (which is what I am right now)?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...


I cannot emphasize this more emphatically

GET SOME SELF DEFENSE TRAINING FROM A GOOD SD SPECIFIC TRAINER! this will cost you a few bucks but considering that you are going to spend many hundreds of dollars on your guns, learning how to use them is as important as buying them is, spend the money! the life you save could be your own.
Secondly once you have been with a trainer it is imperative that you practice the newly learned skills, and practice OFTEN!
good luck and stay safe
 
Congratulations as well. It looks like you are doing a great job now. I would suggest that you and your wife never get complacent, achieve the mark or goal that you have set and stop training, learning. It is easy to do. Keep up the good work. Stay safe.
 
Like TREO said, you may do well to look at the smaller, trimmed down 1911's, since you say she likes your 1911 and shoots it well. There are several makers that produce fine commander size or smaller 1911's.

Would probably be a good idea to have two weapons that have same-same operational controls and feel.

Kimber makes the ultra carry with 3" barrel, weighing only 25oz.... Link Removed

Sig makes a similar version... Link Removed

Colt makes the Defender ... Link Removed

and New Agent series... Link Removed

There's also others to look at, try out, and choose from...

Good Luck in your choices!
 
Sounds like you're on the right track. I echo what others have said. Also, never stop training and learning. No matter how much I "think" I know, I still read, read, read. I also watch a lot of CC shows and shows like them on the Sportsmans channels. Continued education on any issue of CC is extremely important. I'm glad you also subscribed to USA Carry. Stay safe and alert!
 
My Wife and I carry a pair of Ruger LCR 38spl+P revolvers. She is also able to shoot my 1911, but cannot rack the slide easily. With both of us carrying the same sidearm, we are both very familiar with the gun and carry the same ammo in the same speedloaders, and not moon clips, full speedloaders. What ever makes her comfortable and confident. Look at a RIA .45 in the commander series. I have one for carry. and love it. My Wife also shoots this gun with just a small amount of trouble with racking the slide, as she has weak wrists, and arthritis. Good luck and welcome to the wonderful world of self protection.
 
JimTh said:
Not interested in guns but you have a 1911 and an m1 garand? Are you lying to yourself or us?
Click to expand...

I guess I shouldn't mention the KAR98 Mauser I sold a few months ago. :)

Seriously though, perhaps a better way to say that is that I am interesting in the guns that I own or that will fit a specific need that I have. Outside that, I don't really have any interest in the latest Desert Eagle or hunting rifle scope.

Bear in mind, that I once said, "I only want ONE M1 Garand. Just for the historical connection." At one point, I was up to three... freakin' things are like Lays chips - you can't just eat one.
 
Like previously mentioned about the smaller 1911s, and the sig 238, you should also check out the newer sig 938. It is the same thing as the 238 (which is a colt mustang remake) but is chambered in 9mm and only a little bit bigger than the 238. The savings in buying 9mm ammo over the 380 alone is worth the swap.

They have several different models available. The SAS with the de-horned slide looks awesome. I got a two-tone with the hogue rubber grips, which are a little thicker than the wood but fits my hands better.

My wife likes my 1911 a whole lot, and the 938. You should should check one out.
 
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