"When I first started carrying, I . . . . ."

[The Bubba Effect]

First carry was a Kimber Ultra Carry II in a $12 uncle mike's floppy rubber holster thing.

 

[Lectric102002]

Ditto what others said about belts. I used to carry both OC and CC using my dress belts. Bought a couple of 5.11 Tacticals and haven't had my usual dress belts on since. What a difference.

Also guilty of owning an Uncle Mike's flimsy IWB fabric holster. Gave it to the dog to play with.

 

[esrice]

I saved up for a Desert Eagle .44magnum. I cc'd in a nice black leather fanny pack/ belly bag.

Any pics?

 

[riverman67]

I carried a Jennings J22 in my backpocket for a few years. It was a back up gun,but a ****ing J22. What the hell was I thinking ?

 

[Lebowski]

While in college I crashed my bike on the way to class. On campus. In front of probably 50-75 students.

My gun came out of my $11 fabric holster, flew over my back and landed in the grass about 10 feet away.

Even though I was bleeding fairly badly from my elbow and leg I had to hobble over and stuff it and all my books in my backpack and push my now unrideable bike out of there as quickly as I could.

Buy good gear.

Not to try to guess your age, but this must have been some time ago.

I think nowadays that'd result in a campus (in Indiana) going on complete lockdown. Nevermind you or your potential injuries, there is a gunman on campus.

 

[Rhoadmar]

Any pics?

Unfortunately no. that was back in the mid 90's. I miss that gun. I had to sell to pay bills in 2000.

 

[Rookie]

I tried carrying small of back. I thought I was really cool, until I plopped down in a wooden chair.

I carried in a horizontal shoulder holster. Once again, I thought I was really cool, until I realized the barrel was right at my daughter's eye level.

So, I switched to IWB, without a holster. Didn't think I was cool, so I spent my hard earned money on good old Uncle Mike.

 

[chezuki]

Well we learn from our mistakes and all we can do is try to help others when they consider making the same ones. Looking back to my early days of gun ownership I remember how bad-ass I thought my brand new 870 looked after I replaced the functional stock with just a pistol grip. Also at that time, the ink wasn't yet dry on my LTCH and I was carrying a 5 shot Charter snubbie .38 SOB in a clip-on Uncle Mike's OWB holster as a primary. It banged my tailbone with every step.

I'll add a couple to mine from the other thread...

I too was late to the "good belt" party. I carried with a cheapo leather "work belt" from Walmart which certainly didn't help my crappy holster choice.

I also carried that 5 shot snub-nose with birdshot indexed as the first shot "in case I needed to fire a warning". This practice carried over from my mother from whom I inherited the snubby.

 

[Rookie]

One more...

I used to carry a Glock 19. I know...

 

[lbk]

I have carried for along time, started out with a s/w model 36 snub. Then I carried a model 19 , then a model 60 now back to a model 36 again.

 

[VERT]

Started carrying 20 years ago. First pistols were those loaned to my by my father. I Ruger MkI .22 pistol and an N Frame Model 57 Smith with 8 3/8" barrel. Found myself a nylon shoulder holster that fit both guns. During the summer I would just keep the guns in my truck. Luckily West Lafayette is cool and I could wear a jacket the rest of the year. Occasionally dad would let me borrow the Charter Arms Snubby and Uncle Mikes Nylon.

Turned 21 and bought myself an FEG Hi Power and would carry condition 2 or 3. Used a cheap IWB holster that I cut the bottom out of so that the barrel would fit. Carried that sucker right in the small of my back.

My first real carry gun was a Walther PPK and pancake style holster. That actually worked pretty well. Then I sold it when I moved to Michigan for graduate school.

I have had more then my fair share of bad belts and floppy holsters.

 

[lovemachine]

I bought a Glock 21 at the 1500 to carry. I was younger, and believed that the .45 was the best caliber. Bought a leather lefty holster while at the gun show, to carry small of the back.
I also bought a clip draw for it, but never used it.

Decided it was way to big to carry, so I sold some items on Craigslist and bought a Glock 19 and a Fobus paddle holster at Bradis.
Carried that way with a cheap workbelt from Walmart.

2 days later, found INGO. And started learning.

 

[Yup!]

My first carry gun was a pellet gun, tucked between the seats so it might have been visible. I didn't have a license.....

 

[9mmfan]

My first handgun was a Beretta 92 FS (it was the cool new army gun). Carried it Mexican style for the first couple months without a belt!. I blame Mel on Lethal Weapon.
I too had my share of cheap Uncle Mikes IWB holsters. Started on cheap leather holsters then eventually graduated to Galco holsters and belts.

I still use a cheap Uncle Mikes holster minus the clip for my bed gun (not, not THAT!). Shoulder holster is on standby if I have to go prowling in the middle of the night.

 

[arthrimus]

When I first started open carrying, I thought that cops and random people were going to harass me all the time.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I'm also guilty of the Uncle Mike's crappy holster newbie club. That lasted until I sat down and coughed out my revolver. Small of the back carry for awhile. Then the vest-for-concealment club. I didn't quite go to the photographer's vest, although I did consider it.

 

[gregkl]

I don't carry yet, but this looks to be a good learning thread.

If it fits in the intent of this thread, how about telling us what gun you carry along with the other comments. And how many different guns did you try before you settled on one in particular? And why?

I have heard about carrying what you are most familiar and shoot the best, etc. But I am not sure what I want to carry and whatever I decide, I will become proficient with it. So I would rather decide on the gun first, then learn how to shoot it well.

Otherwise I would have to carry my autoloader shotgun since that is the gun I shoot the best right now since I use it for Trap shooting.

 

[OWGEM]

Started with a nylon holster and normal belt. First time I loosened my pants to tuck shirt in the G19 fell to the ground. Don't go cheep on the belt or holster.

 

[Yellowjeep]

Same as everyone else. But also a reminder when you do spend good money on belt,holster, gun. Don't dive in off dock to save someone else's phone. Everything cleaned up ok just pissed me off when I realized it.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Thankfully I found some message boards BEFORE I carried much. (KTOG and CZ forum). I learned quite a bit. Learned I needed a decent holster and belt.

I carried a KT P11 in an IWB High Noon - but with a department store belt. I got away with a small gun + cheap belt for far too long!

I also learned that one should not forget the P11 in your work restroom...