They stand right behind you in the checkout line of the grocery store. Many stroll past as you walk to your car after work. These people sit just across from you in the restaurant where you are enjoying dinner. These people are concealed carry proponents, and they are armed while still appearing to be just another face in the crowd. The concealed carry movement has expanded dramatically over the last several years. These people find it easy to carry concealed, yet there is a large percentage of gun owners that may be just cutting their teeth in the CCW world. With that in mind, it’s worth a few minutes of our time to look at what goes into CCW and how we can carry concealed in plain sight.

Concealed in Plain Sight

There are many components that go into successful CCW. First up we will talk about guns. The choices are many and growing. The CCW gun market has exploded with many manufacturers offering an entire line of concealed carry pistols. While the focus has been on micro pistols, I encourage you to also consider full size guns. With the proper gear and clothes they can easily be concealed. As a rule of thumb I suggest that the smallest caliber you carry is .380. This is considered by many to be the floor in regard to defensive power. At the top end I suggest no more than .45 ACP. A hand cannon may be a serious fight stopper, but the chore of carrying that gun is problematic.

Carry the Right Gun

The gun must also be very comfortable to shoot. If it isn’t, then you will tend to train less with it and that creates a huge problem. You MUST train with your CCW weapon. As with many things, I encourage you to go try several models before you buy.

Now you have a gun, let’s get you into a holster. There is no shortage of holster options in the CCW world. From exotic leathers to rigs designed to be attached to a bra, the choices are endless. Of all that is available the two most common are an inside the waistband holster (IWB) and an outside the waistband holster (OWB). There are a few items to consider in picking a holster. Comfort and durability are the top two. The loops and or belt fasteners of the rig need to be very well made and solid. This is where most holsters will fail as thin plastic clips break off.

While kydex seems to rule the roost right now, leather is a great option as well. If you go that route know that there is a breaking-in period and as with the kydex, it needs to be made well. I encourage you to try before you buy if possible. Go and try the holster on and walk around with it. Have a seat and see if it has any sharp or uncomfortable edges that show themselves. A well-made holster will be with you for years.

Dress Around Your Gun

Next up are clothes. The painful truth is that we need to dress around our gun. For those who are extremely fashion conscience this can be a pain, but it is a necessity. I get the most protests from ladies who like to wear the latest fashions which in most cases are not gun friendly. All I can say is that you need to make a choice. You can certainly still be stylish yet make concessions for the blaster on your hip.

For the most part pants need to be a bit larger than normal in the waist if you are going to carry with an inside the waistband style holster. Shirts need to provide sufficient room so your gun does not “print” or become obvious because the shirt is too tight. Cooler weather allows for the greatest asset we have which is a jacket.

Don’t Stand Out

It is important to remember that the idea of concealment goes beyond just your weapon. You need to conceal yourself as well. What I mean by this is that you should avoid standing out in a crowd. While your handgun may be concealed, your woodland camouflaged pants, infidel t-shirt and Glock hat tend to give it away a bit.

The check list is almost complete but there is one more thing we need to factor in – practice. I highly encourage you to practice drawing and shooting from your concealed carry rig. There are many moving parts including clearing your shirt away enough to get the gun out without interfering with the draw. This takes training and practice to do well. Carrying a gun is serious business and if you need to draw it, it will be a bad situation. You need to have mastered the fundamentals of not only carrying the gun, but getting it into the fight. Hopefully you will never have to use it, but it is better to be prepared than caught off guard. With some thought, practice, and training you can easily concealed in plain sight.

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