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

[Throop210]

Just recently got a good belt.

 

[88E30M50]

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.

I actually own a photographers vest but never considered using it for concealment. I used to use it to carry all my camera gear at air shows. I don't do much photography now days and even if I did, would have to rethink the photo vest idea because I'd be carrying and would not want to be 'that' guy.

 

[Psode27]

Empty chamber for a very very short time. And that was with a Bulgarian Makarov in a cheap uncle mikes holster my dad had given me. That has since been remedied by a new gun(s), and some kydex. Things are much better! I wonder how many people on this forum have a cheap uncle mikes, or similar holster? Maybe a burn pile sometime? . I am still guilty of not having a great belt, but that's on the short list! Good thread!

 

[gregkl]

Empty chamber for a very very short time. And that was with a Bulgarian Makarov in a cheap uncle mikes holster my dad had given me. That has since been remedied by a new gun(s), and some kydex. Things are much better! I wonder how many people on this forum have a cheap uncle mikes, or similar holster? Maybe a burn pile sometime? . I am still guilty of not having a great belt, but that's on the short list! Good thread!

I guess it was from all the reading on INGO about the importance of having a good belt but I have been wearing one for about 4-5 months now every day.

And I don't have a holster....Or a gun to carry...

 

[countrylivn01]

carried with a cheap Uncle Mike's holster in small of back.

 

[Spike_351]

We've all been there. Something compelled us to buy a gun, and then we decided to carry it. And along the way we made some silly mistakes.

This was a tangent from another thread ( https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/handguns/319224-what-your-thoughts.html ) that I thought would be interesting on its own.

So what were some of the lessons you learned the hard way? Anything lurking in your gun-carrying past that you'd like to share with the rest of the class? Perhaps we can help those new to carrying avoid some of the common mistakes that first-time gun toters often make. And while there is lots of good advice to give, let's stick with the stuff you did first-hand.

Here are some gems from the other thread to get things started:

Carried my full size Jericho 941 in an ITac paddle holster (similar to fobus, and are the only company that makes a holster for this firearm that I'm aware of). There was no ability to conceal so I was forces to OC lol, being a skinny guy the damn thing stuck out far enough to be a standing arm rest. Not to mention how heavy the jericho's are. They are great firearms and dependable (owning 3 makes me a little biased) but I wish I would have known then what a difference the guns weight made.

 

[Ruger-9mm]

I too, carried in an Uncle Mike's "Universal" holster, but always with one in the pipe. Now that I'm back in the game, so to speak, I went for a Serpa holster this time that I do like. Needs adjustment still, but getting used to it.

I cured my wife of the carry without one chambered line of thought. Handed her the gun with only snap caps (we both verified) and walked towards her from 15 feet with a knife. She never could draw and chamber until I was right on her.

 

[Snapdragon]

I just got a good belt at the gun show last weekend, and the first time I put it through my Uncle Mike's holster (which was given to me), the plastic belt loop on the holster broke. So last night I ordered a leather holster worthy of my good belt and my Smith wheelgun. Now I'm GTG.

 

[ScouT6a]

First handgun that I carried was a full size Colt 1911. My belt carry was a short piece of shoestring with loops on both ends that my belt ran through. The string was then tucked into the pants and the muzzle slid into the resulting loop. I had read somewhere that this was how some gangsters carried in the roaring 20's.
Concealed carry in places that frowned on carry was accomplished in a black nylon fanny pack. Ahh, to be young and dumb again. Lol

 

[88E30M50]

Empty chamber for a very very short time. And that was with a Bulgarian Makarov in a cheap uncle mikes holster my dad had given me. That has since been remedied by a new gun(s), and some kydex. Things are much better! I wonder how many people on this forum have a cheap uncle mikes, or similar holster? Maybe a burn pile sometime? . I am still guilty of not having a great belt, but that's on the short list! Good thread!

What does everyone do with the crap holsters they bought when they first started to carry? I have a bunch in a drawer and the only use they get is occasionally, I'll need something to tuck a gun into during shipment or some such event. They are worse than useless for carry and I would never give one to a newbie to carrying unless the fool was just tucking it in his pants. Is there any way to repurpose them for vehicle carry maybe? I was up in the city tonight with a Glock 27 on my hip and was wishing I had a way of carrying in the truck that would keep the gun from flying around in case of an accident.

On the other hand, a crappy holster is still a crappy holster no matter how it's used if you use it to carry in some way. I should probably remember the lessons of years ago that filled that drawer with junk holsters and just go straight to buying a quality carry solution for the truck.

That still leaves the question of: What do you do with a drawer full of junk holsters?

 

[VERT]

Junk holsters might be good for the nightstand or to put the gun in to move it to the cleaning area. I put mine in a big plastic tote to take to class and show people a junk holster.

 

[Snapdragon]

Since mine is useless on a belt now, I'm going to keep it in the console of my Jeep for when I want to leave the gun in the car.

 

[Fordtough25]

I would say my worst mistake at the start was using a crappy belt. A 5" 1911 can and will make a belt sag as far as it can if it's not designed for a gun's weight. Epic fail. Lol

 

[sparkyfender]

I got my first license in the winter, and I carried a Beretta Tomcat in my jacket pocket.

That spring, I switched to a Kahr K9 and a decent leather belt and holster.

 

[Classic]

I was carrying an AMT .380 in my waistband without a holster. Went to the License Branch to renew my DL and as I was standing in line the little .380 slipped all the way down my pant leg and clattered to the floor. Luckily, no one looked around to see what the noise was. I reached down, picked it up and put it in my pocket. No one saw it but I never carried w/o a holster after that.

 

[lbk]

Follow up!
just purchase a Ruger LCP 380 for a carry pistol, love it

 

[calcot7]

That's a pretty funny visualization. Reminds me of the time I slide my motorcycle under an I.U. bus in between classes on Jordan. My pistol stayed in place but I sure felt stupid standing there waiting for the bus to drive away so I could get my bike back up. There was a lot of public ridicule and name calling that fine morning.

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.

 

[calcot7]

Man I thought I was the only one on this site cheap enough to buy an Uncle Mike's holster. Was I ever wrong. That company has made a fortune just from INGO members!

I am also guilty of the Uncle Mike's IWB floppy fabric holster like most of us. I carried a Glock 19 for a while using it. It is now my bedside gun. Now I carry a Beretta Nano with a 5.11 belt and the factory Beretta IWB holster, I'm sure that there are better holsters, but haven't taked the time to try them out yet.

 

[richardraw316]

Almost a year later and I find this thread. When I started carrying I hid it from everyone especially the cops. I guess I thought it would cause problems if they could see it. I carried empty in a fobus. One hard yank of the gun the sound of tearing muscles in my shoulder said keep looking. I bought a jeminez 380 and returned it the next day when I dropped it on the floor and the firing pin fell on an empty chamber. I listened to my dad when he told me to hold the shot gun two inches from my shoulder the first time I fired it. That was 26 years ago and I think I still have a bruise. Off the top of my head those are the ones that jump out at me. I'm sure I will think of some more soon.

 

[STEEL CORE]

First started carrying for my Uncle Sam back in the 70's, once came off a shift to find my issue .45 auto magazine had lost its floorplate spring, follower and five 230 ball cartridges somewheres during the night at FT Hood. Mag shell was still in the pistol, lucky I had been assigned to be the MP Duty Officers driver, and he was also my Company Commander so he was with me all night and shrugged it off and I didn't have to go through a ton of crap trying to explain to anyone at the arms room what happened.