Do you carry your firearm with you wherever you go? If so, where do you keep it?  Is it in your purse?  Is it in a holster on your ankle? Do you use a waistband concealment holster to carry your firearm beneath your shirt or jacket, or perhaps in the waistband of your pants?

There are numerous ways to carry your firearm legally with a concealed weapons and firearms permit (CCW).  You can spend large sums on fancy holsters that “ensure your firearm’s availability.” Each carry system has its advantages, and individuals may prefer one over another. A critical question to consider is, “Have you trained with your firearm in the concealed manner you have chosen?”

The Ladies

The draw is an exceptionally important yet often overlooked aspect of carrying a firearm for personal protection.  For example, I conducted a training session for a women’s group of enthusiastic firearm owners.  Each of these ladies was very serious about using their firearms for protection, and most of them chose to carry their firearms in their purses.

At the beginning of the course, I verified that each weapon was unloaded and that there was no live ammunition on their person or in the training area.  I then had each participant place their firearm in their chosen carry position.  Once the weapons were secured, I continued with the legal issues training.

After completing a few sections of legal training, I asked each lady to stand and position their purses as they would when leaving the mall at night.  The women felt very secure knowing their weapons were in their purses for protection.

I walked the ladies through our building and back to the classroom while carrying their purses.  I then gave them three seconds to retrieve their weapons from their purses and position them for self-defense. Eighty percent of the ladies in the class were unable to ready their weapons in that timeframe.

The Gentleman

Right now, I bet the men reading this are thinking, “Figures.” Well, I conducted the same exercise with a group of men.  Some had ankle holsters, others had waistline retention systems, and one even had a shoulder holster.  When the men least expected it, I gave them a 3-second timeframe to get the firearm into action. Fifty percent of the men had difficulty getting the firearm out and into play.  In fact, one of the men dropped his firearm under the small amount of stress endured during the exercise.

The common issue with both groups was the false sense of security provided by merely having the firearm on their person.  They took their time selecting the ideal handgun and perhaps just as much time choosing the holster and carry position.  The recurring issue was that they neglected to train with the weapon in the chosen carry position and/or holster. Merely having the firearm with us is not sufficient.  We must train with the firearm in the selected holster and/or carry position.

The Training

The most common excuse for this training failure is that the range does not allow training with a loaded firearm from the selected holster or carry position.  The answer is simple: unload the firearm and train at home! We can train safely and effectively at home by simply unloading the weapon and performing our drawing exercises.

The first part of drawing training involves selecting an appropriate holster or carry mode and deciding where to carry the firearm on or about our person. Before choosing the holster or any retention/carry system, we must consider how and where we want to carry our firearm. Once we make this decision, we can begin evaluating the various systems currently available that will meet our needs. We should ensure that we take into account our weapon system, comfort, and the weapon’s accessibility.

After evaluating these factors, we will be ready to purchase our carry/retention system. Once we have chosen the system, we must train with it! We must take great care to ensure that the firearm is unloaded and that we follow all established safety rules, such as keeping the weapon pointed in a safe direction and maintaining proper trigger finger and muzzle disciplines. Then, we can begin slowly drawing the firearm from its concealed position and training on this process until it is comfortable and our speed develops over time.

Your safety is your responsibility, so take it seriously, train properly, and build the confidence that using your weapon for self-defense will become a conditioned part of who you are.