Concealed Carry Equipment Essentials

By Chris Chumita

It is easy to forget or overlook some of the equipment essentials when it comes to carrying a concealed handgun. Here a very quick and basic over view of some of the essential equipment. The topic of holster or handgun selection could easily fill up several hundred pages and still leave many important points out. So, let’s take a few minutes to review five pieces of essential equipment related concealed carry.

Handgun

It goes without saying that a handgun is one of the basic equipment essentials when it comes to concealed carry. What gun should you carry? That is a personal choice and cannot be answered with a blanket statement.

The handgun should be made by a reputable manufacturer and the specific handgun has to be reliable. The gun has to have been proven by YOU to be reliable after shooting a large number of rounds without malfunctioning.

The handgun should “fit” your hand and you should be able to shoot it proficiently. Do NOT buy and carry a handgun just because it is a popular police handgun, a friend has the model, or it is what Jack Bauer carried in a recent episode of “24.” The choice between a revolver and a semi-auto can be complex and is too in-depth to be discussed in this article.

The handgun should be chambered in a caliber that is recommended for self-defense. The smallest caliber that you should carry would be a .38 Special if you are carrying a revolver, and 380 ACP if carrying a semi-auto. However, it is recommended by defense experts that you should carry the largest round that you can shoot proficiently.

Extra Ammo

It only makes sense to carry extra ammunition. If you need a gun, you need to carry extra ammunition. In a real situation, there is a good chance that you will empty your gun and will need to reload. This is true whether you are carrying a revolver or a semi-auto. Another thing to consider is that a majority of semi-automatic gun malfunctions are magazine-related. That is why it is important to carry an extra magazine.

Holster

While gun owners often spend a large amount of time researching various handguns before purchasing one, they often don’t put any thought into the holster that they carry the handgun in. How often have you seen someone carrying a $700 handgun in a $15 holster?

Not all $15 holsters are bad, but they often don’t meet some of the important criteria when it comes to being a good concealed carry holster. In my opinion, a good concealed carry holster has to have several qualifications.

The first qualification is that the holster should be specifically fitted for the handgun that you are carrying. This ensures a proper fit for the gun and prevents the gun from moving around in the holster. There a several good “universal” holsters that are made to fit several models of guns, and I do not entirely rule them out.

The second qualification is that the holster should not move around once it is secured to your body. I have tried some low quality holsters where the holster moved a few inches during normal activity. At the very least, this can be uncomfortable. However, it can also lead to obvious profiling, or even falling out.

The third qualification is concealability. There are many concealed handgun license holders like myself who prefer to carry larger handguns. A good holster will aid in concealment of the handgun, even larger models.

The last qualification for a good concealed carry holster is that you should be able to reholster the handgun one-handed, and not have to loosen your belt.

Personally, I prefer inside-the waistband holsters, but there is nothing wrong with outside-the-waist-band holsters. When choosing an inside-the-waistband holster, look for a holster that allows you to tuck in your shirt while concealing the handgun.

My personal holster is a Crossbreed Super-Tuck Deluxe. It is an excellent “tuckable” inside-the-waistband holster. My Sig P229 seems to disappear into it, and it meets all of the above qualifications. After a short breaking in period, it became the most comfortable holster that I have ever used.

Belt

This has to be one of the most over-looked pieces of equipment when it comes to concealed carry. Using a high-quality belt makes a world of difference when it comes distributing the weight of the handgun, securing the holster, and comfort. The belt’s width should always be the width that was recommended by your holster’s manufacturer.

Cellular Phone

Is a cellular phone really a part of your essential concealed carry equipment? Without a doubt, it is. In fact, it is an extremely important piece of equipment. Anyone who carries a handgun should always carry a cellular phone.

The cellular phone allows you to call 911. This is not only important if you actually fired a shot. It is also extremely important if you scared away an attacker by pulling out your weapon. If you scare away an attacker by brandishing your gun, then you are now essentially in a race to call 911. If the thug calls first, he can claim that you approached him and threatened him with a handgun. He could provide a description of you and your handgun. At that point, the police will be looking for YOU as a suspect. Often, the person who makes the first report is the “victim” until proven otherwise.

So, if you carry a handgun, carry a cellular phone. Call 911 immediately even if you never fire a round.