Evolution of the Carry Mindset

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  • 88E30M50

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    I thought it would be interesting to discuss how our mindset around carry has evolved as our time with EDC of a firearm stretches out. Non LEO’s all experienced that initial carry stress where in our mind, everyone notices the gun. That feeling in the first couple of days of carry that feel like we are breaking some rule somewhere. But, we get better.

    I’m closing in on 20 years since getting my LTCH and there seem to be distinct phases of EDC for me. First was the “I’m doing something wrong and everybody is looking at me” phase. Then came the “Hardware trumps all and I need to find the perfect gun” phase. Now, it’s more of a “Don’t obsess over what’s on your hip, but just work to gain skill with it, whatever it is” phase.

    The first phase was silly once I realized that I’d have to tape the thing to my forehead to get most people to notice it. That second phase was an expensive one though. It did teach me the difference between a quality gun and a cheap gun. The current phase could be characterized as the ‘comfortable’ phase. I know what I like and I have full confidence in its ability to function. I’m not hardware focused now and am more interested in gaining skill with what I have over attempting to get better by getting better hardware.

    How has your EDC mindset progressed throughout the years?
     

    COOPADUP

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    I was never to overly concerned with the phase one scenario.
    Now phase 2 has always been in the forefront. Deciding on which piece either has the most comfort vs how well can you operate it.
    Phase 3 as noted, is always a constant that I would say a person should never consider finalized.
     

    chadm

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    I’ve been carrying since the 90s. My first couple of pistol purchases were under the Brady Bill. Sure don’t miss that or those 10 round mags.

    I don’t think people train enough with their EDC and that’s what worries me the most. Train with your edc. Shoot defensive carry ammo through to it to make sure it cycles. Know that if you ever have to draw under stress, you’ll wish you had some training and muscle memory kicking in.

    This topic also made me think of a couple of recent videos by Massad Ayoob about the difference between shooting to stop someone versus shooting to kill someone. Talks about how the latter helped condemn Amber Guyger (the police officer that shot a man in his own apartment thinking it was her apartment).



    Another great video about navigating a traffic stop with a gun. Massad makes some really great points about how to keep an officer comfortable.

     

    gregkl

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    I went through Phase 1 where I thought I had a neon sign pointing to my firearm even though I carry concealed. I was fairly self-conscious.

    I didn't really do much of Phase Two. I did do quite a bit of buying and selling years ago to "fine tune" my firearms not knowing if I would shoot matches or just do range time. This was a confusing time for me. More than once I bought a compact thinking it would be my one gun to do it all. Then I would realize I didn't want to carry it, so I might as well get the full size version of it only to switch back to the compact size. I finally said enough is enough Greg and settled on a compact and a sub-compact. So I have two guns for two purposes now. Though the compact might not be ideal if I shoot competitions, it will be what it will be.

    I discovered I prefer the sub-compact size for carrying and after a few years with a J-frame sized revolver, I bought my first Shield. I am now on Shield number three and that is what I carry.

    I also own a M&P 2.0 Compact that is just like a Shield, but larger. I shoot both when I go to the range and right now I shoot them equally well. The Compact has a dot and as soon as dot shooting is fairly ingrained in me, I'll put one on the Shield. I have thought about shooting the Shield exclusively this next season.

    I would say I'm well into Phase 3.
     

    Wstar425

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    I started open carrying in Wisconsin before and because you couldn’t legally carry concealed in any way, prior to 2011. Although then, the possibility of being declared a public disturbance if someone was offended was real, the way bigger takeaway was that nobody noticed. I did not venture into Madison or Milwaukee as such.

    I started carrying a P226 and still do today, tho now a SAO 226. I have purchased and carried others but always come back to the 226. One advantage of OC, in my opinion is that I can carry a bigger firearm that I probably shoot better, and holds more ammo if I don’t have to try and hide it.

    I forget the third topic. Don’t want to turn this into an OC argument, however it was a big part of my starting to carry a handgun. Edit: Not shooting/training as much as I did in WI. We had a range on our property there, here in NM no shooting in Bernalillo County except on a state sanctioned gun range. I heve enough property and a safe place, but can’t legally shoot on it. Plus ammo prices suck.

    Edit: Now that I’m in New Mexico and refuse to take the 16 hours of training to do what I’ve been doing for 15 years, AND REFUSE to pay the $450.00 in assorted fees I’ve just continued to OC. Laws are quite different between WI and NM but with Covid restrictions here it has mitigated it quite a bit. Not going out to eat nearly as much as we did in WI. NM is California two weeks later basically.
     
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    ditcherman

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    Very well stated OP, exactly how my journeys been, except that I would say I am trying to enjoy slowly that phase two while concentrating on phase three. In other words, I still get the hots for something new but I temper it, knowing I already have what works.
     

    jerrob

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    Not sure I went through those phases. I went into the Army right outta high school, after basic training it was off to MP school for my AIT. By the time I was a civilian again, the "funk" of having a pistol on me had long since worn off.
    My first CC was a 1911 because it felt familiar, afterwards, I progressed to smaller and higher quality handguns. I would've never thought I'd ended up carrying what I do now, a sub compact, 9 shot, DAO semi-auto.
     

    Trapper Jim

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    Interesting OP. Thanks for posting. I can write forever about the metamorphosis of EDC. But I will spare y’all.

    The very fact that a culture change has evolved in EDC exposes a new breed. For instance, many of us used guns as tools on the farm, hunting and sport shooting as a way of life. We had them in our trucks, tractors and small ones in our bibs. We played show and tell at the local eateries on a Saturday morning. Laid out on our table with coffee creamer and toast were the guns for show and handling as we ate our hash browns.

    We never heard the term EDC, for we had to carry the guns to use them for something almost everyday. So for me, there was no transition willies. In other words, mastering firearms was the goal, not specific cause.

    Specific cause gun owners (defense for example) constricts the user to bypass a lot of other life saving elements that one doesn’t see. We see this on the range everyday with the store bought equipment that the SC gun owner shows up with and doesn’t know how or why it works or doesn’t.

    You have to open the door to get into the car to experience driving. SC gun ownership is like concentrating on just and only opening the car door.

    Thank you for the post and as already mentioned, broaden your knowledge and skill set and EDC will be second nature.

    See you on the range.
    Trapper
     

    DRob

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    Started carrying in 1967 when my employer required me to, on or off duty. I never considered phase 1 because that off duty carry had damned well better be concealed. The one thought I've always carried is if you don't have reason to kill a person, you don't have reason to shoot 'em. Simple as that!
     

    88E30M50

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    I do wish that I had gotten to the third stage of not obsessing over the hardware, sooner. Over the course of a decade, I went through nearly a hundred carry guns of various flavors in the pursuit of the perfect carry gun. Despite having shot as many as 13k rounds a year, my highest round count gun only had about 4k put through it, with most never getting past 2k before being traded off for the next greatest thing.

    It was fun to be in the ‘gun a month’ club for a while but I’m glad it’s over. There were some truly horrid guns that passed through the collection back then, such as a PF9 and PPK. I do kind of miss the PPK though.

    Now, I know that what I have it not the best in the world but it works very well for me. It’s a high quality gun that has a strong reputation for reliability. It’s time to focus on other things in life now.
     
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    Specific cause gun owners (defense for example) constricts the user to bypass a lot of other life saving elements that one doesn’t see. We see this on the range everyday with the store bought equipment that the SC gun owner shows up with and doesn’t know how or why it works or doesn’t.

    Painting with a very broad brush there, aintcha boomer?

    I'm one of the many "SC" gun owners that will prove your assumptions wrong.
     

    ditcherman

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    Painting with a very broad brush there, aintcha boomer?

    I'm one of the many "SC" gun owners that will prove your assumptions wrong.
    Haha welcome to INGO.

    If he sees it, he sees it. He didn’t say everybody that buys too much stuff doesn’t know how to use it. You can’t deny many of us are gearheads, and as such may not know how to use all the shiny things we have acquired.
    Good on you if you are the exception.
     

    xwing

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    I started carrying out of state (after getting a UT non-res license, followed by a FL non-res license), since my home state at the time did not allow carry. When they started taking applications in late 2013, I signed up on day one. Both when I carried out-of-state and when I carried in the newly legal in-state, I definitely felt "everyone will notice me" and it was a big deal. Now it's more like grabbing my wallet or my car keys.
     

    breakingcontact

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    I think it's like any hobby or lifestyle. At first, you buy what your buddies have or what is new and shiny. Then you have to live with it for awhile and find out what works for you.
     

    Denny347

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    What phase is it where you hate carrying it? A quarter century as a copper has left me hating this ball and chain at times. This, coming from a firearms instructor of 20 years.
     

    bwframe

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    What phase is it where you hate carrying it? A quarter century as a copper has left me hating this ball and chain at times. This, coming from a firearms instructor of 20 years.

    Beats me. 44 years of carrying and I've never looked at the tools I have 24/7 as a ball and chain? If anything, I'm pretty weirded out on the extremely rare times that I cannot have them. :scratch:
     

    88E30M50

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    What phase is it where you hate carrying it? A quarter century as a copper has left me hating this ball and chain at times. This, coming from a firearms instructor of 20 years.

    Maybe this is what we should all aspire to. The true Zen level of carry where to want to carry is not the way. Similar to how people that seek power are generally those that should not have it.

    Or, Denny might just be tired. :)
     

    Squid556

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    Phase 1: rifle carry in truck

    Phase 2: handgun carry in truck

    Phase 3: getting license, carrying large frame iwb on rare occasions. Worried about printing constantly

    Phase 4: figuring out large guns suck, moved to pocket guns. Saw huge value in pocket guns, started carrying 24/7

    Phase 5: realized pocket guns are SUPPLEMENTAL to service sized guns, added a light weight glock 19 sized compact OWB concealed where practical. Pocket gun for work and formal attire.

    Unsure where it will go from here. I really feel like I've struck a great balance between the compact 9mm and the pocket 380. They complement each other so well that I don't feel the need for a 3rd type of carry gun. Unless you count the vehicle, in which case, a full sized light equipped 9mm lives in there.

    Two for concealed carry, one for the vehicle. Makes me feel quite covered for most occasions. IMG_20220303_034115_406.jpg
    20190801_135039.jpg
     
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