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/r/CCW FAQ

This will be moderated. Please do not put anything new unless it has been proposed and discussed in a thread. All answers need to link to a source or have a reference.

Intro Guide:

Styles:

Advice Threads for Female CCW:

My CCW Experience as a super skinny female

Good Holsters:

This list has been carefully created and curated using input from the subscribers of /r/CCW.

Female-Friendly Holsters:

Holster Manufacturers by Style

IWB

AIWB

OWB

Shoulder

Belly/Deep Concealment

Ankle

Pocket

Holster Makers by Material

Leather

Kydex/Polymer

Hybrid

Soft/Cloth Holsters

Common Acronyms

  • AIWB: Appendix, Inside Waistband
  • IWB: Inside Waistband
  • OWB: On/Outside Waistband
  • DGU: Defensive Gun Use
  • SD: Self-Defense
  • HD: Home-Defense
  • CCW: Carry(ing) Concealed Weapons

What Ammunition Should I Carry?

Carry defensive ammunition that performs well in your barrel length. FBI Ballistic Protocol calls for 12-18 inches of penetration into calibrated ballistic gel. As much as 0.5 inches difference between barrel length can dramatically affect ballistic gel penetration and performance. Ballistic gel is not a 1:1 ratio of penetration into a human torso. It is designed to mimic soft tissue, without bone.

YouTubers with good ballistic gel tests are,

Useful Videos:

Should I Carry with a Round in the Chamber?

Yes.

Does a Good Belt Really Matter?

Generally speaking- a good belt will turn a mediocre holster into an exceptional holster, while a bad belt will turn an exceptional holster into a very bad holster. A belt is designed to sit atop your hips and support the weight of your holster, loaded firearm, and pants. A flimsy belt will not perform this feat well, and your pants will slide down throughout the day. General symptoms of having a bad/flimsy belt are: a need to tighten your belt during the day, pull your pants up, or retreating to a restroom to tuck in your shirt and re-adjust your waistline. The best options are a racheting style gun belt because the finer degree of control over fastening generally improves comfort.

LEO Traffic Stops

Video: Massad Ayoob - What To Do During A Traffic Stop

  • Make sure you know if/when you are required to inform LEO that you're armed. CCW Laws by State

State Laws

Reciprocity

Note: make sure and check current laws prior to travel

Aftermath of Defensive Gun Use

Threads:

Videos:

Situational Awareness

Jeff Cooper's Color Code of Awareness - Well-established mindset/philosophy about awareness.

Video: Short Lecture- Situational Awareness

Carrying on a First Date

Threads:

Explaining CCW to family, friends, and S.O.

Thread: How Do You Explain To Family Or Friends Why You Carry

Children and Firearms

How to Use a Public Bathroom While Carrying

Threads:

Training

In addition to state-mandated minimums for a CCW permit, seek additional training in these three areas as well as joining leagues such as IDPA or USPSA for good general practice.

  • Prioritize these three types of training:
  1. Close Quarters: Statistically likely for a fight to take place at very close range.
  2. Vehicle Training: learn how to draw and fight from within your car, or while vehicles represent the only cover/concealment available (statistically likely to have an encounter while on the road).
  3. Low-Light/Night Training: Statistically likely to have an encounter at night or in darkened areas.

Self-Defense Insurance

Threads:

Alcohol and CCW

Thread: Going out with your CCW, avoid alcohol all together?

Leather Belt/Holster Maintenance

Thread: Leather holster upkeep?

Ambulances and Hospitals

Thread: What happens to my firearm if I'm brought to a hospital by ambulance?

Traveling with your Firearm

Commercial Airline Travel

General Information:

Individual Airline Policy Pages:

Traveling with your Firearm in General Aviation

Traveling with your Firearm in your personal vehicle

Traveling Greyhound or Amtrak with Firearms