In a perfect world, you could go about your business without ever worrying about your safety. While most people are good, the increasing number of violent incidents in public has led to a need for people to carry firearms. Concealed carry gives you the option of keeping your firearm hidden to avoid unnecessarily alarming others or giving your status as a handgun owner away to criminals. The firearms safety education professionals from Online Texas LTC, a premier provider of Texas online concealed carry classes, offer these tips to help you develop your skills and comply with the law while you get used to carrying a concealed weapon in public.
1. Choose to Carry Everywhere You Can
Practice makes perfect, and this is true with firearms training. You’ve chosen to get your concealed carry license for a reason, and you never know when you may need to use your weapon. Naturally, you’ll need to leave your firearm off your body during visits to schools and other places where concealed carry is prohibited, but taking your handgun whenever you can helps you get used to the feeling of having it on your body.
2. Check Yourself Out in the Mirror
With concealed carry, it’s best to avoid allowing others to see any trace of your firearm. While you might wear your firearm under your clothes, there’s always the possibility the outline of it will show through. Printing may or may not be considered showing your weapon, depending on where you are and how much of the outline is visible, but it’s better to watch out for it. When you’re wearing a different outfit, give yourself a good look in the mirror before you leave the house to make sure it isn’t seen.
3. Keep Your Hands Off
At first, you might find your thoughts constantly going to your firearm. This could cause you to feel like checking it to make sure it’s still secured. Constantly putting your hands in the location of the firearm could draw attention to it. Try to find something else to do with your hands if you feel the urge to fidget.
4. Find a Private Place to Make Adjustments
Until you find the perfect carrying angle and holster, you might discover you feel uncomfortable on occasion. If you feel the holster slipping, resist the urge to fix it right then and there, since this could cause you to reveal your weapon. Instead, find a bathroom or other place out of the public’s view to readjust your carrying method.
5. Practice Your Drawing Technique
Going to the shooting range regularly makes it more likely that your reaction will be automatic if you ever have to use your weapon. However, many people make the mistake of forgetting the importance of being able to draw their weapons efficiently. Come to the shooting range dressed like you would for concealed carry. Learning how to pull your weapon out from beneath your clothing is critical for being able to actively use it for self-protection.
6. Use Education to Develop Your Confidence
Doing anything new can generate some anxiety, and you’ll likely feel nervous the first few times you carry a concealed weapon in public. However, others might read your nervousness as suspicious behavior if it causes you to fidget or act like you’re hiding something. Continue to focus on developing your knowledge of firearms and your skills. Taking a training course gives you confidence you’re carrying your firearm correctly and know how to handle an emergency situation.
Whether you already own a firearm or you’re considering purchasing your first one, it’s essential to know the basics of concealed carry. Online Texas LTC is dedicated to providing the finest firearms training available. Whether you simply need to learn how to handle a gun and shoot safely or you want to take a Texas concealed carry class online, Online Texas LTC has what you need. Give us a call today at 512-675-2124.
