First concealed carry and it felt good

[fprintf]

I live and work in CT where concealed carry seems to be less of a hassle to get a permit for than some of the MA related posts I see. Nevertheless I was pretty nervous about taking my handgun out of the house concealed after reading all of the legal troubles I could be in for if someone found out I was carrying and called the police. I have always previously only taken it from the house to the range locked in the trunk.

But I have always wanted to carry. So last week I bought a DeSantis Cozy Partner IWB and started wearing it around the house to get used to it and break it in. Yesterday I needed to run an errand to the gas station and grocery store and really didn't feel like taking it off, so I just went out with it on. I checked several times over the past week to be sure I wasn't printing and this particular gun/holster (Sig P226) conceals well @ 5 o'clock with just a sweatshirt.

Anyway I did feel self conscious initially, more to be sure no one was staring at me. But after a while I got used to it.. It was pretty cool to do, even though I never really "forgot" it was there.

 

[gjones77]

I did the same yesterday, and mind you I jut bought my first firearm yesterday.

I wasn't self conscious at all, I have a license and the firearm (Ruger SR9) was under a wind shirt and a pea coat.

None the less, felt natural, wife was more nervous than I was.

 

[Loyalist]

Congrats! I'm CCW'ing these days with a P226 and a OWB Sig paddle holster and inside my winter jacket no one even notices.

 

[buketduder]

As long as you have your permit you are good...CT's Permit is not a Concealed Carry Permit...Recently this was admitted in Federal Court by the CT DA's office (Open Carry is Legal)

 

[Custom Buck]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Freedom

 

[vicpinto]

Did you go to Walmart?

 

[gjones77]

Did you go to Walmart?

I did actually

 

[MassMark]

You'll know you're there, when carrying your gun is no different a feeling than carrying your wallet, car keys, knife or money clip....Congrats all...

 

[GSG]

You'll know you're there, when carrying your gun is no different a feeling than carrying your wallet, car keys, knife or money clip....Congrats all...

Yup.

 

[drgrant]

You'll know you're there, when carrying your gun is no different a feeling than carrying your wallet, car keys, knife or money clip....Congrats all...

This..... with one extra thing I'll add... you'll REALLY know your there, when it feels odd to NOT carry a gun. For example over this weekend, when I have to go back to work on Monday (where I can't carry due to state law), it will literally feel "weird" leaving the house without a gun.

Once you carry enough it becomes second nature, and even feels wrong to NOT do it.

-Mike

 

[Bikerboy]

I just got my cc permit here in florida. In this climate it's a little harder to conceal.I have don hume iwb for my s&w 908 and I feel good with no hangups carrying except what bothers me a little is the charges that could be filed if someone does feel they saw my pistol and call the law. What could come of this? any help? I grew up in New Haven Ct. area, enjoy the northeast forum!

 

[JoeT]

I did the same yesterday, and mind you I jut bought my first firearm yesterday.

Congrats on buying your first gun. . . now this is just my opinion, but until you have proven that gun to be reliable, and you are comfortable shooting it, you shouldn't be carrying it.

Before a gun makes it to my belt and out in the real world, I have 500-600 trouble free rounds through it.

 

[gjones77]

Congrats on buying your first gun. . . now this is just my opinion, but until you have proven that gun to be reliable, and you are comfortable shooting it, you shouldn't be carrying it.

Before a gun makes it to my belt and out in the real world, I have 500-600 trouble free rounds through it.

I was USAF Security Police, so carrying and shooting isn't and issue, though you are right in the sense that I haven't taken it to the range yet.

 

[06LemansC6]

Did you go to Walmart?

Or Home Depot?


Why doesn't anyone ever go to the bank their first time?

 

[gjones77]

Or Home Depot?


Why doesn't anyone ever go to the bank their first time?

Actually, we did go to the bank, I just waited outside the bank as my wife ran in, I'm daring, but not that daring just yet.

 

[MXD]

Maybe I missed something but what is wrong with Walmart, Home depot or a bank? Do those places prohibit firearms on the property?

 

[vicpinto]

Maybe I missed something but what is wrong with Walmart, Home depot or a bank? Do those places prohibit firearms on the property?

Nothing at all. It just so happens to be the places where most people pop their CCW cherry.

 

[06LemansC6]

Nothing at all. It just so happens to be the places where most people pop their CCW cherry.

Well, most avoid the bank the first time. I've been to the bank several times and was not surrounded by man in blue suits. Last time I went there to open a new account, so I spent a fair amount of time there.

 

[usnma]

I was USAF Security Police, so carrying and shooting isn't and issue, though you are right in the sense that I haven't taken it to the range yet.

I dont think he was questioning your abilities. But like he said when I get a new pistol I wont carry it until I feel it is broken in enough and I am comfortable that the gun won't give me any issues. My XD needed some serious rounds through it before I would carry it.

 

[gjones77]

I dont think he was questioning your abilities. But like he said when I get a new pistol I wont carry it until I feel it is broken in enough and I am comfortable that the gun won't give me any issues. My XD needed some serious rounds through it before I would carry it.

With some guns I would be worried, but with it being a Ruger, known to eat anything you feed it without issue, and the general consensus of owners being the SR9 fits that bill.

I wasn't too worried carrying it while rolling the mean streets of Plymouth....

 

[06LemansC6]

I think I would still make sure I at least fired it before using it as a CCW.

 

[Loyalist]

This..... with one extra thing I'll add... you'll REALLY know your there, when it feels odd to NOT carry a gun. For example over this weekend, when I have to go back to work on Monday (where I can't carry due to state law), it will literally feel "weird" leaving the house without a gun.

Once you carry enough it becomes second nature, and even feels wrong to NOT do it.

-Mike

I hear ya on that one! Been carrying whenever I can these past 2 weeks and going back to work next week without carrying until the weekend is going to feel like going through withdrawal...

 

[Pomeraniac]

. . . you'll REALLY know your there, when it feels odd to NOT carry a gun. . . .

Once you carry enough it becomes second nature, and even feels wrong to NOT do it.

+1. Right on. I've been carrying concealed for more than 12 years and I feel absolutely nekkid without it.

My resolution for 2010 is to figure out a way to carry my Remington 870 concealed, too. *




*just kidding, just kidding. But I sure do wish I could.

 

[pernox]

My first time carrying, I went to Sears to return a digital camera I'd gotten as a gift for my wife. It wound up being an hour long debacle involving the salesmen from three departments, tech support and customer service from Sears as well as the manufacturer on the phone, and finally the store manager, who wasn't supposed to be there that day and came around wearing shorts and a wife beater, sweaty as hell from unloading a truck that he wasn't supposed to be unloading. Seems that the days of "this stopped working, can I have a new one?" are long gone and one must now involve half the damn village to exchange a camera.

I left with a brand new camera and a healthy knowledge that no one knew I was carrying.

Now I carry everywhere - feels weird going over the state line to NY and having to check my rights at the door. Almost like leaving the house even though you KNOW you left the oven on, or forgetting your pants.

 

[GSG]

I just got my cc permit here in florida. In this climate it's a little harder to conceal.I have don hume iwb for my s&w 908 and I feel good with no hangups carrying except what bothers me a little is the charges that could be filed if someone does feel they saw my pistol and call the law. What could come of this? any help? I grew up in New Haven Ct. area, enjoy the northeast forum!

If you dress right, you can conceal easily, I live in Florida too and carry whenever it's legal, no issues so far.

790.053 and 790.10 are both laws that you could run afoul of if your gun were exposed. Both are misdemeanors, but no one wants to get arrested.

Conceal it well, you should be fine.

ETA this is Florida law I'm referencing, and doesn't apply to Massachusetts.

 

[Bikerboy]

Thanks csg, I have a iwb holster and most always have a shirt loose enough to cover it. The laws you mentioned would'nt come into play with myself but just the common scenario of bending down at say a gas station and somebody spots gun and panics. Not a everyday occurance but just a thought.So many of us do carry so I feel ok.

 

[GSG]

Thanks csg, I have a iwb holster and most always have a shirt loose enough to cover it. The laws you mentioned would'nt come into play with myself but just the common scenario of bending down at say a gas station and somebody spots gun and panics. Not a everyday occurance but just a thought.So many of us do carry so I feel ok.

Not a problem. Keep it well concealed and you should be fine. If worst comes to worst you can leave the gun in your car if you're going to be doing a lot of movement at the gas station, since that's legal in Florida.