I like to say that just because you have a gun does not mean you are armed. The mind is the final weapon. Everything else is supplemental. I also believe that if you intend to carry, you need to be trained. If not, you are more of a liability than an asset.

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Appendix Carry

As a responsible and trained gun handler, it is your duty and responsibility to protect and serve—that is, protect yourself and your loved ones and serve your community. If you are a trained and responsible gun handler, you should be carrying wherever the law permits. You need to be your own first responder.

I am also not a fan of open carry. In my opinion, the message it sends is, “I am not trained and I have a gun.” I understand that this isn’t the case 100 percent of the time, but it reeks of amateur to me.

Making It Work

Regardless of how you carry, it should work for you. Whether you are an appendix-carry guy, or carry at 3 to 4 o’clock or at the small of your back, you must be able to conceal, deploy and employ your firearm.

I am typically an appendix-carry guy. Yes, I said “typically.” There are some who scoff at the thought of switching from appendix to 4 o’clock carry, but I do it with some frequency. A good example is when I am wearing a suit.

Some may find it unnerving to carry appendix where the business end of your everyday carry (EDC) gun is pointed directly at the business end of your manhood! Carrying appendix, in my opinion, is not for the novice gun handler. Proper repetitions of both the draw stroke and reholstering must be taken seriously and deliberately.

A Personal Choice

Where you carry is a personal choice that may be driven by how you are built, whether or not you are comfortable, speed of employment and your ability to conceal the weapon. I’m built for appendix carry, and the speed at which I deploy my EDC is not impeded by my garments. I also find it much more conducive to a clean draw stroke when I am behind the wheel of my car. Additionally, I’m of the belief that a confrontation is more likely to go physical than lethal. Consequently, I often train in close combat while wearing my EDC pistol. The appendix-carry position protects the gun better in this situation—preventing an attacker from taking it—while making the gun easier to access in a scuffle.

My appendix inside-the-waistband (AIWB) holster does not print as much as a 4 o’clock outside-the-waistband (OWB) holster, regardless of whether I am sitting or standing. Some may argue that one method of carry is faster on the draw than another. But I say that you are a product of your training.

Perform the appropriate amount of meaningful repetitions until you can deploy and employ your EDC intuitively, on a subconscious level, wherever you carry it.

This article is from the March-Arpil 2020 issue of Combat Handguns magazine. Grab your copy at OutdoorGroupStore.com. For digital editions, visit Amazon.