New to CC and looking for tips.

I pocket carry a Glock 42 with a spare mag in the summer. In the winter I carry either a G43X or Sig P228.

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Did it take long to adjust to the feeling of having a gun on your person?

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It only takes a week or so if you do it daily

Eta: I carry a big gun with Jean's and a tshirt and the wife doesnt notice it. It's not nearly as conspicuous as you think. The only people who will notice it are people who are also carrying

That’s why only open carry.

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It definitely feels like everyone knows you're carrying when you first start

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Amen to this. You think the entire world knows and the truth is they are too busy snapchatting, Tik Tok'ing, and being oblivious. This isn't to say don't try your best to carry deep and blend in but that you'd be surprised how in-their-own-world most people are.

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How did you all get used to physically carrying cc? How did you decide between OWB, IWB or even pocket carry?

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Trial and error with time and experience. You'll learn some holsters suck, some guns suck to carry, and some carry methods are less-than-ideal. But the most common is IWB carry on your strong side (4-5 o'clock for righties, opposite for lefties).

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Did it take long to adjust to the feeling of having a gun on your person?

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It surprisingly doesn't take too long once you realize the gun isn't going to do anything you don't want it to do.

I've been teaching CC for a few years and always suggest carrying condition 3 (empty chamber, full mag) for a week to build confidence if you're nervous about it. As the gun is checked each time it comes off, the person carrying it realizes it won't act on its own and requires human input. Then the confidence can get high enough to carry with a round chambered, which is the ideal way to carry.

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I’ve had an m&p 2.0 compact for a while

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This is my main carry gun but I agree that the single stack will be easier to carry. If you need to ease into it to learn the ropes, the EC9S will be more comfortable in a wider variety of clothing.

The first time you walk outside with it, you will be paranoid and think that everyone knows. They really don't. You will always see your gun in the mirror because you know you have it and exactly where you have it. John Q Public doesn't have that information and is too focused on their own little world to notice that you're carrying unless you give him reason to. Unless you're printing really badly or accidentally flash your weapon, it's likely nobody will notice except maybe cops and other CWP holders.

Patterned shirts will be your friend if you're using an untucked shirt as your cover garment. It is camouflage for your weapon. Just like camouflage military uniforms break up the human form to make it easier to blend in, the patterns on a shirt can help to break up the outline of your weapon better than solid colors in the event you do print badly. I find that dark colors also tend to work better for me.

You just get used the weight of it. You go from feeling nothing but the pistol on you to just not registering it anymore after a while.

Just resign yourself to spending a couple of hundred bucks to find a holster you like. You're going to have to try different carry positions until you find the one you like best. Then, once you find your position, you may find that it takes a couple more holsters to find one that really works for you. Your body type and general way you dress may also dictate positions that you can't use. For instance, if you're a big ole boy, appendix carry may not be something you can realistically do. However, larger people may have an easier time concealing larger weapons in a hip carry than smaller people can. A 6'5" 350 lb man is likely going to have a much easier time concealing a 1911 there than a 5'2" 115 lb woman will. It's all about trying things out until you find what works for you and your weapon or, maybe, finding out that you just need a different weapon. Unfortunately, people often don't realize they hate a holster until they've worn it for a couple of weeks. On top of it, a lot of holsters are custom made and you can't return them anyway. I've got a box of holsters that were shitty for me, but probably are someone else's favorites. One of my every day holsters was freaking perfect at position and retention, but was hard Kydex with no backing on an IWB holster. It ended up making me bleed where it dug into my side all day when I first starting wearing it. I liked how it held my gun so much that I didn't toss it and ended up buying some 1/8" thick sticky sided neoprene to make my own backing and I wear it all the time now. Unfortunately, there are no hard and fast answers on this one. There are so many variables that finding out how to carry a gun comfortably enough that you'll actually carry it is a very personal thing that takes trial and error. It is what it is.

GET A GOOD GUN BELT(S). I don't necessarily mean a tacticool belt or something hideously designed to be JUST a gun belt. Though, if that's what you want, you do you. Rather, I mean that you should buy belts that are designed to carry the weight and support a pistol without bending or twisting. You can get dress belts that are gun belts, so you can find a gun belt to match whatever you're wearing. Don't just trust that your regular belt will work. Support and holster retention are important.

If you decide to carry IWB/appendix, be aware that you may find yourself needing to buy new pants. You may need an inch or two more than you otherwise would to comfortably fit the holster and keep it concealed. You'll learn pretty quickly which of your pants will work and which won't if you go with anything IWB.

ALWAYS carry an extra magazine. Personally, I carry two. Type 3 malfunctions are a bitch.

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GET A GOOD GUN BELT(S).

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I cannot recommend this blue alpha gear low profile gun belt enough, especially if you appendix carry. The belt is stiff and doesn't have a buckle that will protrude and make your carrying obvious.

Hi creolechef,
You ask some good questions. There've been a lot of good suggestions already. I don't know if my thoughts add anything of substance or not, but I'll try.

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How did you all get used to physically carrying cc?

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Depends on the gun, type of carry, belt and the holster. I started out w/ inside the waistband carry and a Springfield XD, Found I didn't like the width so moved to a 1911 in 45 ACP. Found I didn't' like the weight so went to a Kahr CW45. I carried that a pretty good while w/ IWB before I thought inside the pocket would be better because of work and dress requirements. I've pretty well narrowed things down now. At work it's a Kahr CW380 in a leather holster in the right front pocket. During leisure it's a Kimber Micro 9 in an OWB (usually) or IWB (sometimes) holster or a Kahr CM9 in the right front pocket or OWB. When I carry IWB, it's rarely w/ the shirt tucked. Physically getting used to cc is not a big thing as long as your gun's not too heavy, you've got a quality holster and you've got a belt designed for a holster. You may notice it when you're pocket carrying a heavier gun like the CM9 (while it's very light for a 9mm, it's kinda heavy for pocket carry) or if you carry a heavy, all steel gun like a 1911.

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How did you decide between OWB, IWB or even pocket carry? Did it take long to adjust to the feeling of having a gun on your person?

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It depends to some degree on what your needs are and how you can dress. Having carried for some time now, I'll say that OWB is the most comfortable way to cc. OTOH, some of that may have to do w/ my ever expanding waistline.

Get a good holster/belt combination and a light gun like your Ruger and after a little while you'll not notice it. I like leather holsters. When dressed less than casual, I like leather belts. For casual wear I like a nylon gun belt like the Wilderness Tactical Instructor Frequent Flyer Belt. I like Ronin leather belts. They've very reasonably price and good quality. For IWB holsters, I like the SideGuard "Tuck Clip" or "Tuck Snap." For OWB holsters, I like the quick detachable type such like the "SW Special" or a regular pancake holster w/ slots. I like my pocket holster to have projections to ensue the holster stays in the pocket during a draw. I always carry a spare loaded magazine inside a magazine holder inside my left front pocket.
Kahr CW380 w/ Pocket holster

Kimber Micro 9 in quick snap holster (SW Special from Ronin)


Give yourself some time to experiment w/ cc and become comfortable. Unless you make a mistake, no one's going to notice you're carrying. Accept that you'll probably make some changes and evolve w/ your holsters and method of carry over time. OWB seems especially intimidating to a newbie, but it's a really nice method to cc.

Get a good IWB holster... for the M&PC. Leather or Kydex, you will get use to either.

Carry it everywhere you can.

You will get use to it and nobody is going to see it.

Pocket carry is a nightmare and IMO should only be done as a last resort. Last time I pocket carried was a wedding. Try getting a good draw from your pocket, even the best holsters are not nearly as good as a IWB draw.

After a month or so you’ll feel naked without it and will forget you have it on you after leaving the house.

Also, nobody knows you’re carrying. You think they all notice but everybody is in their own world.

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What if you mainly wear cargo shorts and t-shirts?

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Well, you won’t have to worry about a girl finding it


I kid