Concealed Carry Corner: Top 3 Items To Stop Carrying Concealed

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about a beginner's guide to concealment jackets. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I wanted to talk about some of the biggest mistakes I see people make when starting to conceal a handgun, and rely on items that could be dangerous not only for you but innocent bystanders. Let's take a closer look at the top 3 items to stop carrying concealed.

1. Cheap Handguns For Self Defense

When it comes to your personal protection, I’ve never understood the idea of going with a cheap option in the concealed handgun market. Of course, certain individuals have a strict budget and can't afford firearms over $500 and look for something in the $200-400 range. There are a number of companies that make pistols for the budget-friendly shooter. The chances of using your firearm in a self-defense situation are extremely low, but if that situation is ever forced on me, I want to have the most reliable option available for my budget.

Personally, I would not go with a brand new option for a low price. Some of you may throw your hands up and say, “Well, what are we supposed to do, Matt?” The used market is absolutely in your favor for a new carry gun. Companies like Aim Surplus have LEO trade-ins and there are dozens of websites online that offer police trade-in pistols for half or even a quarter of the price they were when new. Just hopping in for a few minutes, I found a lightly used Glock 43 for $349.99 and typically, there will be sales as well, so you can get it for even cheaper if you spot it at the right time. I would look at a reliable model firearm used over an entry-level handgun for self-defense. I understand you may never have to use your firearm and if you do everything correctly, you never should. If that day comes, though, I will want the most reliable handgun I can possibly have over an entry-level firearm.

2. Universal Cloth Holsters

One of the most dangerous items that new carriers use is the universal style cloth holsters that will fit most modern carry pistols as an inside the waistband option. Although some see this as a quick fix when purchasing a carry gun, others just keep using these cloth holsters over time because they worked well in the short term, so they don't see a reason to swap them out. These holsters don't have a perfect fit to your carry gun, though, because they are designed to be universal and fit a variety of different platforms. These cloth holsters tend to wear out faster than kydex or leather holsters, which is the point where these holsters become extremely dangerous for the carrier.

There are a number of news articles online where a concealed carrier was sitting down and their carry gun discharged unintentionally. There are numerous accounts where an individual's handgun went off and ended up injuring himself and adding a hole to the side of his hip and in one case, his buttocks. These examples are exactly why it's important to get a holster that's made exactly for your firearm with no room for error or accidents. Some pick up a cloth universal holster to “hold them over,” and it's not safe at any point, even when they are new. I cannot urge people enough to plan ahead and order a premade holster offline, or have a bit of patience and once you decide on a model, order the holster and wait to carry it until the correct holster arrives. Trust me, you’ll be saving yourself the risk.

FMJ rounds are not designed to transfer energy, so when you fire them at a threat, you're essentially putting 9mm holes through people before the round exits the other side of the body and continues down range to potentially hurt innocent bystanders. There's no reason to carry ball ammo in a self-defense gun, and if I'm being honest, you make yourself more of a liability than an effective concealed carrier. You can usually pick up a box of self-defense ammo for $25, which is well worth the cost for peace of mind.

Overall Thoughts

This shouldn't be much of a surprise to some of you, but you would be shocked at how many people will break at least one of these rules. It's important to have the right equipment and rounds if you want to effectively protect yourself. Although there's a very small percentage you'll ever need your handgun in a self-defense situation, there's certainly a chance it could happen. What do you guys think are other items to stop carrying or investing in when it comes to self-defense? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below. If you have questions about carrying concealed or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.

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