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Started By
Message
re: Conceal Carry or Open Carry Questions
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:20 am to Mid Iowa Tiger
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:20 am to Mid Iowa Tiger
quote:
That is a laser sight. Some people like them, personally I don’t.
I train a lot with some guys in the 5th SFG (think green beret bad asses) and none of them have a laser on their sidearm. So do on their M4 or other long gun but not on a pistol.
If you use a red dot get really good with it - practice presenting your chosen weapon so you get a good site picture with your red dot.
As much high stress practice as you can do - do more. Any situation you need to pull a weapon with make your heart pound harder than you can imagine.
.
To me (and this is just my opinion) finding the dot slows me down and I train for high stress environments. (IE active killer situation)
I would prefer iron sight target acquisition. I would recommend High Vis sights though. It just makes the process a little easier. Not a must but definitely doesn't hurt.
For the average concealed carry person using it for personal protection, laser sights probably wouldn't be as big of an issue.
I just know if I ever have to use my weapon, I will need simple and efficient mechanics.
But again..... I'm carrying at work assuming that if I have to pull my weapon it's likely life or death and I'm engaging a shooter. For most folks you might have more time to decide.
I also will say, I'm probably putting more rounds down range in a year than most average CC guys are also.
That alone changes a lot of my suggestions, IE.... I carry hot with just the built in safeties.... I would recommed most CC folks that aren't as comfortable with thier firearm carry ready but not hot. Give your self time to make the consious decision to make your gun hot ... it could keep you from firing it when you should not!
Again, different people will have a different thought process here, but I've seen what people do with a weapon under stress.... not everyone makes great decisions.
(For reference HOT means one in the chamber. READY means loaded clip but empty chamber.)
Depending on the level of your gun's safety you might have a different preference.
This post was edited on 12/16/25 at 11:22 am
2
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:22 am to RetiredSaintsLsuFan
Be sure that if you go OWB you wear clothes to fully conceal your weapon. Even when reaching for stuff on a high shelf make sure the whole gun and holster are covered.
There are multiple instances of Nellie’s calling 911 because they caught a glimpse of someone’s gun as they reached for something.
If memory serves some dude got killed by cops walking out of a Sam’s Club because someone say his sidearm and called 911 and the police over reacted when they responded.
There are multiple instances of Nellie’s calling 911 because they caught a glimpse of someone’s gun as they reached for something.
If memory serves some dude got killed by cops walking out of a Sam’s Club because someone say his sidearm and called 911 and the police over reacted when they responded.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:25 am to ElDawgHawg
quote:
o me (and this is just my opinion) finding the dot slows me down
Same for me. The aperture on pistol red dots is really small and while I certainly shoot better with it when I have time but I struggle at shooting fast with it. Best I can tell, my normal habit when raising the gun is muzzle high, find the front sight, and start bringing it down as the gun comes fully up. With a red dot, it blocks the front sight and obviously the dot is out of the aperture until the sights are close. It's just a lot going on when most of the time, front sight mid target bang will work at close range.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:26 am to ElDawgHawg
quote:
To me (and this is just my opinion) finding the dot slows me down and I train for high stress environments. (IE active killer situation) I would prefer iron sight target acquisition.
It takes a lot of consistent practice before you’ll live your red dot.
It took me a few times of trying and quitting on it. The boogey men I train with kept pushing me back to it. Their encouragement and help finally got me over the hump.
They are a pain until they are second nature.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:56 am to Mid Iowa Tiger
Due to medication I am cold all the time. Most of the time during the colder months I wear a baggy hooded sweatshirt. I do plan on getting my CC permit, but I most likely will use an OWB holster instead of an IWB.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 12:23 pm to RetiredSaintsLsuFan
On a side note would a 380 be to small for self defense. I have been talking to my wife about getting a CC permit also and she would need something if I use the S&W shield 9mm.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 12:26 pm to RetiredSaintsLsuFan
No. If you need a gun, having a small gun is better than not having a gun.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 12:44 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
quote:
With a red dot, it blocks the front sight
It doesn't have to
Posted on 12/16/25 at 12:59 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
Our agency transitioned to 9mms with a red dot about a year and a half before I retired. Hated it. Could never get used to it. I just cheated and used the iron sights below it when I had to qualify at the range. That's probably more of an indictment on me being an old turd set in his ways than on the red dot system itself, though.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 1:08 pm to SoFla Tideroller
quote:
I just cheated and used the iron sights
Using the irons to find the dot is how I trained to use a dot when transitioning from irons. Eventually the muscle memory stuck and I was finding the dot almost instantly at presentation.
Now I suck at irons which isn't ideal
Posted on 12/16/25 at 1:18 pm to RetiredSaintsLsuFan
quote:
On a side note would a 380 be to small for self defense.
I'm with downshift, something is better than nothing.
That said, you may want to shoot a .380 before you decide. They are very snappy, more so than a 9mm to me. I do not enjoy shooting them.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 2:31 pm to bbvdd
One of my CSSO's carries a .380.
Wouldn't be my preference but it's fine for a CC gun
Wouldn't be my preference but it's fine for a CC gun
Posted on 12/16/25 at 2:59 pm to GRTiger
I guess what I meant to say is that when I'm looking for the front sight there is other stuff in the way.
I didn't really apply myself to getting good at it because I just don't get to shoot enough to do that. Without the practice, I found it was harder to shoot quickly with a red dot vs iron sights. Definitely shot better with the red dot when taking my time.
I didn't really apply myself to getting good at it because I just don't get to shoot enough to do that. Without the practice, I found it was harder to shoot quickly with a red dot vs iron sights. Definitely shot better with the red dot when taking my time.
Posted on 12/17/25 at 8:14 am to DownshiftAndFloorIt
Theoretically the iron sights and dot should line up if you are using the iron sights for your sight picture.
I would be worried that I would start to rely too much on the dot.
I'm about to get a couple of my dad's pistols as he's getting older and doesn't want as many weapons in the house. I think he has a red dot on his M&P Shield so I may try and put some rounds down range and see how it feels.
Last time I used a dot on a pistol if felt odd to me.
Love it on an AR type gun though.
I would be worried that I would start to rely too much on the dot.
I'm about to get a couple of my dad's pistols as he's getting older and doesn't want as many weapons in the house. I think he has a red dot on his M&P Shield so I may try and put some rounds down range and see how it feels.
Last time I used a dot on a pistol if felt odd to me.
Love it on an AR type gun though.
Posted on 12/17/25 at 8:27 am to bbvdd
quote:
That said, you may want to shoot a .380 before you decide. They are very snappy, more so than a 9mm to me. I do not enjoy shooting them.
P365-380 is very easy to shoot and much more pleasant than the 9mm. Not at all “snappy”. S&W bodyguard? That’s a snappy SOB. FWIW my wife shoots her p365-380 better than her full sized 9mm.
I personally wouldn’t hesitate to carry one… but for me it’s kind of like taking the .223 out to hunt deer when I’ve got a 25-06 available. It works, but why limit myself if I don’t have to.
Posted on 12/17/25 at 8:32 am to Mid Iowa Tiger
quote:
Even when reaching for stuff on a high shelf make sure the whole gun and holster are covered.
Reach with your off hand. Don’t bend over, crouch. Simple techniques to prevent advertising your CCW. It’s kind of funny though… all the air marshals I’ve seen (all 3 of them
) do not seem concerned with it. You’d think that’s the one place people are really going to freak out. 
Posted on 12/17/25 at 10:01 am to ElDawgHawg
quote:
Theoretically the iron sights and dot should line up if you are using the iron sights for your sight picture.
It does. On my Staccato with a Trijicon RMR HD, I can see the irons easily through the red dot, so it's like getting both options. On my Hellcat Pro with an EPS Carry, they are at the very bottom of the window and not ideal. However, I practice by finding the front iron sight, bringing it down to where it aligns with the rear and in the process, the dot will appear. At that point, it doesn't matter that they are a little obscured, I have the red dot. It's really not much different for me as far as a process.
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