A Safe Means to Store Your Gun<\/span><\/h3>\n\u201cSafe\u201d is a relative term. If you live alone or with stable, properly trained adults you can trust, \u201csafe\u201d might mean keeping a loaded pistol on the nightstand when not on your person. I live in Florida, though, and I have two teenaged sons. The law here states that all firearms must be kept secured from their prying, underage hands. As such, I keep my guns locked up when not in use, and my concealed carry pistol is either on me or is in a quick-access safe at my bedside. A few years ago, I wanted to see how fast I could get to a gun inside a quick-access safe if I really needed it. To my surprise, it was literally just as fast to pop open a safe and grab my gun as it was to rummage through my sock drawer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nSpare Magazines For Your Pistol<\/span><\/h3>\nPistol magazines get slammed into a gun and dropped onto the ground over and over again. Because of this, I consider them to be disposable items. Three extra magazines are, for me, the bare minimum to have on-hand for any pistol that I own. More magazines, though, are always better.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nMore Ammunition<\/span><\/h3>\nThis is a no-brainer. A pistol without ammunition is just a paperweight. Yes, you can get better at some pistol techniques with dry fire, but at some point the rubber will need to meet the road and you\u2019ll need to send rounds down range.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIn addition, I\u2019m always amazed at how many people buy a defensive pistol and then don\u2019t buy defensive ammunition for it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nQuick ammo primer: There are essentially two types of ammunition for handguns; solid full metal jacket bullets<\/a> (FMJ), which are most commonly used for target practice and plinking, and jacketed hollow-point ammunition<\/a> (JHP), which expands on impact. JHP ammunition is typically used for hunting and self-defense. In general, you want to use hollow points in a defensive gun because they increase the wounding power of a pistol round, which increases your chances of stopping a threat with fewer shots. However, smaller caliber guns (.380ACP or less) typically don\u2019t have enough power to penetrate deep enough to cause sufficient damage to stop a threat, so choose your ammo carefully.<\/span><\/p>\nWhatever brand of defensive ammo you choose to use in your defensive pistol, make sure it runs smoothly and reliably. Not all bullets are shaped the same, and minor variations in the curve of a round or the depth of the hollow point on the nose can have a big impact on your pistol\u2019s reliability. Shoot at least two boxes of your defensive ammo of choice just to make sure it will work when you need it the most.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHolsters and Gun Belts<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"Holsters](\"https:\/\/www.ammoman.com\/blog\/media\/concealed_carry_holsters-300x187.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>L to R: Leather OWB Holster, Kydex OWB Holster, Kydex IWB Holster<\/p><\/div>\n
Note that I said \u201cholsters,\u201d not \u201cholster.\u201d You don\u2019t own just one pair of shoes, do you? Same thing with holsters. You\u2019ll find out early on in your concealed carry journey that just one holster won\u2019t suffice. This is especially true if you take a class with your concealed carry gear. A good firearms class, one that has you drawing from the holster, will quickly show you what does and does not work with your holster of choice<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIn addition to this, you should get a good gun belt to hold everything on your waist. A good gun belt is one that is thicker, stiffer, and harder to twist than a dress belt or even a work belt. This stiffness allows the belt to be rigid on your waist and distributes the weight of your gun around your body. This, in turn, makes your gun easier to carry, which means you\u2019ll carry more often.<\/span><\/p>\nLess-Lethal Defensive Weapons<\/span><\/h3>\n
Spare Magazines For Your Pistol<\/span><\/h3>\nPistol magazines get slammed into a gun and dropped onto the ground over and over again. Because of this, I consider them to be disposable items. Three extra magazines are, for me, the bare minimum to have on-hand for any pistol that I own. More magazines, though, are always better.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nMore Ammunition<\/span><\/h3>\nThis is a no-brainer. A pistol without ammunition is just a paperweight. Yes, you can get better at some pistol techniques with dry fire, but at some point the rubber will need to meet the road and you\u2019ll need to send rounds down range.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIn addition, I\u2019m always amazed at how many people buy a defensive pistol and then don\u2019t buy defensive ammunition for it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nQuick ammo primer: There are essentially two types of ammunition for handguns; solid full metal jacket bullets<\/a> (FMJ), which are most commonly used for target practice and plinking, and jacketed hollow-point ammunition<\/a> (JHP), which expands on impact. JHP ammunition is typically used for hunting and self-defense. In general, you want to use hollow points in a defensive gun because they increase the wounding power of a pistol round, which increases your chances of stopping a threat with fewer shots. However, smaller caliber guns (.380ACP or less) typically don\u2019t have enough power to penetrate deep enough to cause sufficient damage to stop a threat, so choose your ammo carefully.<\/span><\/p>\nWhatever brand of defensive ammo you choose to use in your defensive pistol, make sure it runs smoothly and reliably. Not all bullets are shaped the same, and minor variations in the curve of a round or the depth of the hollow point on the nose can have a big impact on your pistol\u2019s reliability. Shoot at least two boxes of your defensive ammo of choice just to make sure it will work when you need it the most.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHolsters and Gun Belts<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/a>L to R: Leather OWB Holster, Kydex OWB Holster, Kydex IWB Holster<\/p><\/div>\n
Note that I said \u201cholsters,\u201d not \u201cholster.\u201d You don\u2019t own just one pair of shoes, do you? Same thing with holsters. You\u2019ll find out early on in your concealed carry journey that just one holster won\u2019t suffice. This is especially true if you take a class with your concealed carry gear. A good firearms class, one that has you drawing from the holster, will quickly show you what does and does not work with your holster of choice<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIn addition to this, you should get a good gun belt to hold everything on your waist. A good gun belt is one that is thicker, stiffer, and harder to twist than a dress belt or even a work belt. This stiffness allows the belt to be rigid on your waist and distributes the weight of your gun around your body. This, in turn, makes your gun easier to carry, which means you\u2019ll carry more often.<\/span><\/p>\nLess-Lethal Defensive Weapons<\/span><\/h3>\n
More Ammunition<\/span><\/h3>\nThis is a no-brainer. A pistol without ammunition is just a paperweight. Yes, you can get better at some pistol techniques with dry fire, but at some point the rubber will need to meet the road and you\u2019ll need to send rounds down range.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIn addition, I\u2019m always amazed at how many people buy a defensive pistol and then don\u2019t buy defensive ammunition for it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nQuick ammo primer: There are essentially two types of ammunition for handguns; solid full metal jacket bullets<\/a> (FMJ), which are most commonly used for target practice and plinking, and jacketed hollow-point ammunition<\/a> (JHP), which expands on impact. JHP ammunition is typically used for hunting and self-defense. In general, you want to use hollow points in a defensive gun because they increase the wounding power of a pistol round, which increases your chances of stopping a threat with fewer shots. However, smaller caliber guns (.380ACP or less) typically don\u2019t have enough power to penetrate deep enough to cause sufficient damage to stop a threat, so choose your ammo carefully.<\/span><\/p>\nWhatever brand of defensive ammo you choose to use in your defensive pistol, make sure it runs smoothly and reliably. Not all bullets are shaped the same, and minor variations in the curve of a round or the depth of the hollow point on the nose can have a big impact on your pistol\u2019s reliability. Shoot at least two boxes of your defensive ammo of choice just to make sure it will work when you need it the most.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHolsters and Gun Belts<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/a>L to R: Leather OWB Holster, Kydex OWB Holster, Kydex IWB Holster<\/p><\/div>\n
Note that I said \u201cholsters,\u201d not \u201cholster.\u201d You don\u2019t own just one pair of shoes, do you? Same thing with holsters. You\u2019ll find out early on in your concealed carry journey that just one holster won\u2019t suffice. This is especially true if you take a class with your concealed carry gear. A good firearms class, one that has you drawing from the holster, will quickly show you what does and does not work with your holster of choice<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIn addition to this, you should get a good gun belt to hold everything on your waist. A good gun belt is one that is thicker, stiffer, and harder to twist than a dress belt or even a work belt. This stiffness allows the belt to be rigid on your waist and distributes the weight of your gun around your body. This, in turn, makes your gun easier to carry, which means you\u2019ll carry more often.<\/span><\/p>\nLess-Lethal Defensive Weapons<\/span><\/h3>\n
In addition, I\u2019m always amazed at how many people buy a defensive pistol and then don\u2019t buy defensive ammunition for it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Quick ammo primer: There are essentially two types of ammunition for handguns; solid full metal jacket bullets<\/a> (FMJ), which are most commonly used for target practice and plinking, and jacketed hollow-point ammunition<\/a> (JHP), which expands on impact. JHP ammunition is typically used for hunting and self-defense. In general, you want to use hollow points in a defensive gun because they increase the wounding power of a pistol round, which increases your chances of stopping a threat with fewer shots. However, smaller caliber guns (.380ACP or less) typically don\u2019t have enough power to penetrate deep enough to cause sufficient damage to stop a threat, so choose your ammo carefully.<\/span><\/p>\n Whatever brand of defensive ammo you choose to use in your defensive pistol, make sure it runs smoothly and reliably. Not all bullets are shaped the same, and minor variations in the curve of a round or the depth of the hollow point on the nose can have a big impact on your pistol\u2019s reliability. Shoot at least two boxes of your defensive ammo of choice just to make sure it will work when you need it the most.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n L to R: Leather OWB Holster, Kydex OWB Holster, Kydex IWB Holster<\/p><\/div>\n Note that I said \u201cholsters,\u201d not \u201cholster.\u201d You don\u2019t own just one pair of shoes, do you? Same thing with holsters. You\u2019ll find out early on in your concealed carry journey that just one holster won\u2019t suffice. This is especially true if you take a class with your concealed carry gear. A good firearms class, one that has you drawing from the holster, will quickly show you what does and does not work with your holster of choice<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to this, you should get a good gun belt to hold everything on your waist. A good gun belt is one that is thicker, stiffer, and harder to twist than a dress belt or even a work belt. This stiffness allows the belt to be rigid on your waist and distributes the weight of your gun around your body. This, in turn, makes your gun easier to carry, which means you\u2019ll carry more often.<\/span><\/p>\nHolsters and Gun Belts<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Less-Lethal Defensive Weapons<\/span><\/h3>\n
![\"Covert](\"https:\/\/www.ammoman.com\/blog\/media\/covert_concealed_carry-300x230.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
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