Howdy - Another Newby -Decision Made

[RVVet]

Here goes.

Not new to weapons, not new to considering concealed permit - But, new to actually deciding to take steps to purchase a handgun and obtain concealed permit.

I am a searcher and researcher before taking action involving significant issues.

As a former Marine (CID), former federal agent, I have been comfortable and safety conscious about having weapons at home and carrying for duty. Carried a snubnose .38, 1911 .45, and graduated to a Glock 9mm before retirement. The only weapon I currently have is a 12g Winchester pump, the shortest sport model I could find at the time, purchased 2001. It has yet to be fired, but still looks and operates like new. Just not a committed gun enthusiast, but adamant about defense of family and self. The last time I carried a handgun for duty was 1996.

However, concealed carry is not something I take lightly, but at a very active and healthy age of 64, and about to become a full time RV'r, again: I have made the decision to do what I need to obtain a handgun and permit, and to learn about reciprocity laws for various states.

TexasCHLForum looks like a good place for continued research and searching for:
1. Most desirable handgun for defense.
2. Best handgun for concealed carry.
3. Best equipment needed to carry and conceal a handgun.
4. Legal/personal responsibility.
5. Training
6. Finally, location where to buy handgun/equipment, and obtain concealed training in Texas.

All that said, let the research continue.

[MoJo]

Welcome RVVet, The three guns you mentioned carrying during your Military/LE career are all great options for a concealed carry gun. There is no one "perfect" concealed carry gun nor is there a single "perfect" caliber. My recommendation is to continue your research and not to rush into a purchase. IMHO .38 Special or 9mm are the minimum calibers.

Your CHL class will answer many of your questions. Good luck in your quest.

eta: You didn't tell us where you live. It would make it easier to recommend an instructor.

[RoyGBiv]

Welcome.!!

I find it interesting that after a career spent carrying a gun you stopped so easily (seems so from your post) at retirement. I always had the impression that LE was a tougher habit to give up than cigarettes.

I'm sure you'll find the answers to your questions here, or at least well-intended opinions. The final choices about equipment and such are always up to the idiosyncrasies of the end user.

To get you started, the best (in my opinion) resource for up to date gun law information state by state is http://handgunlaw.us/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Again, welcome.

[Abraham]

I agree with MoJo.

There's no perfect concealed carry gun or caliber.

That said, "one" of the reasons I carry a 9mm (along with the fact that it's plenty powerful enough for self defense) is the cost of practice ammo. It's much more affordable than any other effective caliber. Better to practice often and be more likely to be accurate than miss with a larger caliber you can't afford to practice with...kinda of a cliche, but true none the less.

Another is recoil. 9mm is quite tolerable for almost anyone. My wife and granddaughters have no problems with it.

Plus, there are many high quality choices of self defense ammo available in 9mm.

[RVVet]

Welcome RVVet, The three guns you mentioned carrying during your Military/LE career are all great options for a concealed carry gun. There is no one "perfect" concealed carry gun nor is there a single "perfect" caliber. My recommendation is to continue your research and not to rush into a purchase. IMHO .38 Special or 9mm are the minimum calibers.

Your CHL class will answer many of your questions. Good luck in your quest.

eta: You didn't tell us where you live. It would make it easier to recommend an instructor.

Thanks for the feedback.

We just sold our home in Kerrville, TX, and doing Volunteer work in Del Rio. Can travel anywhere in Texas during April, not sure I want to wait until April to apply for permit.
Most likely will look for a Del Rio Class.,,,or ?

Looks like there are smaller 9mm available now than there were during my duty years. Will be looking for something comfortable, of minimal caliber, easily accessible and versatile for moving from one vehicle holster to another while traveling.

Again, thanks for the feedback.

[RVVet]

Welcome.!!

I find it interesting that after a career spent carrying a gun you stopped so easily (seems so from your post) at retirement. I always had the impression that LE was a tougher habit to give up than cigarettes.

I'm sure you'll find the answers to your questions here, or at least well-intended opinions. The final choices about equipment and such are always up to the idiosyncrasies of the end user.

To get you started, the best (in my opinion) resource for up to date gun law information state by state is http://handgunlaw.us/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Again, welcome.

Thanks for the info, I'll make the link a part of my research.

I never wore titles on my collar, and it takes years to replace the LEO syndrome with other distractions, but old habits are still hard to break. I always know where I am, and aware of surroundings, and still analyze folks at the initial meeting (that's a curse).

Again, thanks,,,this research may be enjoyable after-all.

Just pulled up the link for the handgunlaw site.....thanks for the great info. Looks like a lot of good info in one place. Thanks

OBTW,,,,woke up a several years after retirement and all of a sudden, I no longer had a pressure headache that I didn't know I had in the first place during those years in LE. Just thought the pressure headache was normal. That's when I knew I was cured. Living sure felt a lot better.

[Keith B]

Welcome to the forum!

You will find that concealed carry is more than likely different than how you carried for your work. Cover garments will hide larger guns, but are sometimes a hassle and too much in summer weather. Pocket carry also has advantages and challenges. The best bet for figuring out on body concealed Cary and what's right for you is just a combination of personal evaluation of your everyday lifestyle and experimentation. You will find body shape/size, type of clothes, where/when/why you carry all affect your choice. Bottom line it's not a simple thing. I personally have 3 different main carry choices depending on how I'm dressed. Goes from a sub-compact 9mm pocket gun to a full size 5" 1911 with a cover garment.

Welcome.!!

I find it interesting that after a career spent carrying a gun you stopped so easily (seems so from your post) at retirement. I always had the impression that LE was a tougher habit to give up than cigarettes.

I'm sure you'll find the answers to your questions here, or at least well-intended opinions. The final choices about equipment and such are always up to the idiosyncrasies of the end user.

To get you started, the best (in my opinion) resource for up to date gun law information state by state is http://handgunlaw.us/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Again, welcome.

My brother in law is a retired police chief and he rarely carries anywhere. It really depends on the individual and if they were carrying just for work or felt they should carry 7x24.

[The Annoyed Man]

TexasCHLForum looks like a good place for continued research and searching for:
1. Most desirable handgun for defense.
2. Best handgun for concealed carry.
3. Best equipment needed to carry and conceal a handgun.
4. Legal/personal responsibility.
5. Training
6. Finally, location where to buy handgun/equipment, and obtain concealed training in Texas.

First, welcome to the forum. You have indeed landed at the right place for learning about Texas CHL. There is a good mix here of regular Joes (and Janes) who carry daily, former and current LEOs, attorneys who are acquainted with the law (including the forum owner, who actually wrote the law), and 2nd Amendment activists.

In response to your list, and in order:

1. Generally speaking, the gun with the best combination of capacity and power. You mentioned having carried a duty Glock in 9mm toward the end of your career. I'm assuming a Glock 17 or 19? Either of those are excellent choices for home defense, but there are other choices which will serve you equally well. The S&W M&P series is a popular line, as well as the Springfield XD and XDm lines. These share the Glock features of being polymer framed, higher capacity, double stack, striker fired, possessed of some kind of internal safety system, and being extremely rugged and designed with "duty" in mind. In my home, we own examples of all three brands. They are all kept loaded all the time (no small kids to worry about), and they are fired regularly at a range to maintain familiarity.
   
   On the other hand, there is certainly nothing wrong with a good old single stack 1911 in .45 ACP, and some wouldn't consider the transition from 1911 to Glock to be "graduation," but that's subject enough for its own thread.........and I have a couple of those too!
2. That's a highly personal decision, and it goes without saying that what works for you might not work for me. What I have found which some others have too is that owning more than one gun—each purchased for a specific purpose—seems to work best. An example would be owning something larger of higher capacity that is belt carried AND owning a lightweight pocket gun for when deeper concealment is necessary. What those two guns look like will vary from person to person.
3. OK....now you've opened up a can of worms! I think that the one thing everyone agrees on regardless of favored holster brand or whether they choose inside or outside the waistband carry, is the absolute need for a real gunbelt. There are plenty of manufacturers who make them, and they can run the gamut from obvious duty belts to very nice looking dress belts, but the one thing they all have in common is being very rigid so that they can support the weight of the gun without sagging, and without letting your pants get pulled down in the process. One thing you'll likely find is that you'll realize at some point that you have a drawer full of perfectly serviceable holsters that you never use anymore because they don't meet your specific requirements well enough. Also, you'll probably wind up with a collection of several that you do use for specific purposes.....for instance a belt holster and a pocket holster that fit the same small framed semiauto or snubbie revolver.
4. For both the legal and personal responsibility aspects, you'll get a lot of it covered in your CHL class. Only a small portion of the time spent in class is devoted to the actual range qualification. The bulk of class time is spent on learning what the law allows and doesn't all, as well as subjects like conflict resolution, or the legality versus the personal morality of shooting in defense of property.....stuff like that. But as informative as the class is (twice now, for me), I have found that I've learned more in the long run by belonging to this forum. No matter how good the instructor is, they only have 10 hours of your time, and all the various aspects of the decision to carry a firearm are worth of deeper examination and introspection. With all the various personality types who belong to this forum, as well as their various levels of experience, and even the influences of their individual personal tastes in firearms and equipment, and their various philosophical outlooks, are all been very valuable to me in helping me to arrive at the understanding that I have today.........not that I'm perfect, but we're all on some kind of arc along which we hope to gain in personal wisdom and insight, right?
5. Training. Yes, get some if you can afford it. 'Nuff said.
6. Where to buy/obtain all of the above? Your profile doesn't mention what part of Texas you live in, but if you'd be willing to provide that, it is almost certain that there are forum members who live in your general area and who would be more than willing to point out all the best resources in your area.

Again, welcome to TexasCHLForum.

[RVVet]

I agree with MoJo.

There's no perfect concealed carry gun or caliber.

That said, "one" of the reasons I carry a 9mm (along with the fact that it's plenty powerful enough for self defense) is the cost of practice ammo. It's much more affordable than any other effective caliber. Better to practice often and be more likely to be accurate than miss with a larger caliber you can't afford to practice with...kinda of a cliche, but true none the less.

Another is recoil. 9mm is quite tolerable for almost anyone. My wife and granddaughters have no problems with it.

Plus, there are many high quality choices of self defense ammo available in 9mm.

Good info thanks,,,,would like DW to learn to shoot, but her interests are elsewhere, but the recoil is something to think about.

Also, the cost of the ammo for practicing is important. I just assumed (the mother of all screwups) that 9mm ammo was expensive, and a cost of doing or not doing business.

Hadn't looked at prices yet, but read that 9mm luger is ok, but that 9mm Nato ammo is a better quality. I am leaning towards 9mm, especially some to the smaller versions now available. I'd like to find an inexpensive but reliable 9mm, to use for occasional practice, etc. I looked briefly at the Kel Tec's that seem to come in at around $300, but not sure that's where I will end up. Don't want a squirt gun that won't squirt.

Thanks again for the input.

[RVVet]

Welcome to the forum!

You will find that concealed carry is more than likely different than how you carried for your work. Cover garments will hide larger guns, but are sometimes a hassle and too much in summer weather. Pocket carry also has advantages and challenges. The best bet for figuring out on body concealed Cary and what's right for you is just a combination of personal evaluation of your everyday lifestyle and experimentation. You will find body shape/size, type of clothes, where/when/why you carry all affect your choice. Bottom line it's not a simple thing. I personally have 3 different main carry choices depending on how I'm dressed. Goes from a sub-compact 9mm pocket gun to a full size 5" 1911 with a cover garment.

Those are things I'm also looking at,,,,even at 64, I'm a shorts and short sleever about 10 months out of the year when possible. Have a lot to think about, as far as when and where to carry, etc.......seems like our world goes crazier everyday.

Thanks for the input.

Welcome.!!

I find it interesting that after a career spent carrying a gun you stopped so easily (seems so from your post) at retirement. I always had the impression that LE was a tougher habit to give up than cigarettes.

I'm sure you'll find the answers to your questions here, or at least well-intended opinions. The final choices about equipment and such are always up to the idiosyncrasies of the end user.

To get you started, the best (in my opinion) resource for up to date gun law information state by state is http://handgunlaw.us/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Again, welcome.

My brother in law is a retired police chief and he rarely carries anywhere. It really depends on the individual and if they were carrying just for work or felt they should carry 7x24.

[RVVet]

TexasCHLForum looks like a good place for continued research and searching for:
1. Most desirable handgun for defense.
2. Best handgun for concealed carry.
3. Best equipment needed to carry and conceal a handgun.
4. Legal/personal responsibility.
5. Training
6. Finally, location where to buy handgun/equipment, and obtain concealed training in Texas.

First, welcome to the forum. You have indeed landed at the right place for learning about Texas CHL. There is a good mix here of regular Joes (and Janes) who carry daily, former and current LEOs, attorneys who are acquainted with the law (including the forum owner, who actually wrote the law), and 2nd Amendment activists.

In response to your list, and in order:

1. Generally speaking, the gun with the best combination of capacity and power. You mentioned having carried a duty Glock in 9mm toward the end of your career. I'm assuming a Glock 17 or 19? Either of those are excellent choices for home defense, but there are other choices which will serve you equally well. The S&W M&P series is a popular line, as well as the Springfield XD and XDm lines. These share the Glock features of being polymer framed, higher capacity, double stack, striker fired, possessed of some kind of internal safety system, and being extremely rugged and designed with "duty" in mind. In my home, we own examples of all three brands. They are all kept loaded all the time (no small kids to worry about), and they are fired regularly at a range to maintain familiarity.
   
   On the other hand, there is certainly nothing wrong with a good old single stack 1911 in .45 ACP, and some wouldn't consider the transition from 1911 to Glock to be "graduation," but that's subject enough for its own thread.........and I have a couple of those too!
2. That's a highly personal decision, and it goes without saying that what works for you might not work for me. What I have found which some others have too is that owning more than one gun—each purchased for a specific purpose—seems to work best. An example would be owning something larger of higher capacity that is belt carried AND owning a lightweight pocket gun for when deeper concealment is necessary. What those two guns look like will vary from person to person.
3. OK....now you've opened up a can of worms! I think that the one thing everyone agrees on regardless of favored holster brand or whether they choose inside or outside the waistband carry, is the absolute need for a real gunbelt. There are plenty of manufacturers who make them, and they can run the gamut from obvious duty belts to very nice looking dress belts, but the one thing they all have in common is being very rigid so that they can support the weight of the gun without sagging, and without letting your pants get pulled down in the process. One thing you'll likely find is that you'll realize at some point that you have a drawer full of perfectly serviceable holsters that you never use anymore because they don't meet your specific requirements well enough. Also, you'll probably wind up with a collection of several that you do use for specific purposes.....for instance a belt holster and a pocket holster that fit the same small framed semiauto or snubbie revolver.
4. For both the legal and personal responsibility aspects, you'll get a lot of it covered in your CHL class. Only a small portion of the time spent in class is devoted to the actual range qualification. The bulk of class time is spent on learning what the law allows and doesn't all, as well as subjects like conflict resolution, or the legality versus the personal morality of shooting in defense of property.....stuff like that. But as informative as the class is (twice now, for me), I have found that I've learned more in the long run by belonging to this forum. No matter how good the instructor is, they only have 10 hours of your time, and all the various aspects of the decision to carry a firearm are worth of deeper examination and introspection. With all the various personality types who belong to this forum, as well as their various levels of experience, and even the influences of their individual personal tastes in firearms and equipment, and their various philosophical outlooks, are all been very valuable to me in helping me to arrive at the understanding that I have today.........not that I'm perfect, but we're all on some kind of arc along which we hope to gain in personal wisdom and insight, right?
5. Training. Yes, get some if you can afford it. 'Nuff said.
6. Where to buy/obtain all of the above? Your profile doesn't mention what part of Texas you live in, but if you'd be willing to provide that, it is almost certain that there are forum members who live in your general area and who would be more than willing to point out all the best resources in your area.

Again, welcome to TexasCHLForum.

Thanks for the great info, looks like i landed at the right Forum. I didn't realize i would get this much feedback, with enough info to make my research easier.
I plan to book mark this thread and refer to it as I move forward.

The decision will be mine, but the great suggestions, advice and information received here will be a large part of what I ultimately decide.

We just sold our home in Kerrville and heading out fulltime Rv'n, and currently spending a few months in Del Rio before heading Northeast.

One concern is the reciprocity laws (thanks RoyGBiv for the link) due to travel, and the risks of traveling through various states with weapons. NY the state, not just the city,,,,appears not to be a very gun friendly state. Was planning an upstate visit, but after reviewing their gun law,,,,,wow!!!

Thanks for the detailed response, which will definitely aid me in this progression.

OBTW, not trying to open a can of worms or a can of kickit!

[RVVet]

Just simply, Thank You for the well thought out responses.

This is my first gun forum,,,,and initial impression is folks here are very different from some other non-gun related forums.

This is thought provoking and valuable information to me.

Thank You

John

[A-R]

John, welcome.

You definitely have the right mindset for CC and you'll fit in very well here on this forum.

And thank you, sincerely, for your years of public service.

[A-R]

You've already received good responses to your questions. I'll just add some good basics to remember.

The 4 key components of successful concealed carry (all must work together in unison, none more/less important than the other) in no particular order:

1. Gun - right combination of size/conceal ability and effectiveness (reliability, durability, caliber, shootability, capacity)

2. Holster - tight fitting to the body and rigid coverage of vital trigger area, good retention, and ability to both draw AND reholster one- handed from concealment

3. Belt - strong enough, tight enough, adjustable enough, comfortable enough to support weight of gun, spare mags, other essentials (phone, knife, flashlight) AND hold up your britches ... asking a lot of a belt, don't go cheap on this essential element

4. Cover garment/method ... comfortable, complete concealment, and ease/speed of draw/reholster

[The Annoyed Man]

We just sold our home in Kerrville and heading out fulltime Rv'n, and currently spending a few months in Del Rio before heading Northeast.

One concern is the reciprocity laws (thanks RoyGBiv for the link) due to travel, and the risks of traveling through various states with weapons. NY the state, not just the city,,,,appears not to be a very gun friendly state. Was planning an upstate visit, but after reviewing their gun law,,,,,wow!!!

Thanks for the detailed response, which will definitely aid me in this progression.

OBTW, not trying to open a can of worms or a can of kickit!

By the way, be aware that the states of New York and New Jersey have a documented track record of arresting and imprisoning travelers who are passing through those states and who SHOULD be under the protection of federal law in doing so. Even so, those states have ignored federal law and crushed the constitutional rights those poor individuals in the maw of their Godless commie crapulence. Even republican darling Chris Christie, who had the choice between pardon and commutation of sentence for one such unfortunate, chose to commute the sentence instead of pardoning him. Thus the felony conviction remains on his record, and he can never again keep or bear arms. His crime? He was moving from a gun-friendly state to New Jersey. He phoned the NJ State Police in advance to ask for what methods would make it legal for him to transport those guns into New Jersey to his new home. He followed their instructions to the letter, and they arrested him for being in violation and threw his butt in prison. Republican (in name only) Gov. Chris Christie took the coward's path.

I used to live in NYC 40 years ago. I'd never knowingly spend another penny there or in New Jersey for as long as I live. Fortunately, I've seen whatever those states have to offer, so I won't be missing anything by never going back. But it isn't just their laws which I seek to avoid, it's that I refuse to contribute a single penny to the wealth and economy of the poorly informed and marginally treasonous so-called "Americans" who have such a poor regard for the Constitution, and who keep reelecting the politicians who try to crush the rights of the rest of the nation (can you say "Mayor Bloomberg"?). It's one thing to travel in there living out of a suitcase and have to bail yourself out of jail......but if you're living and traveling in an RV and you get popped, you lose your home, not just the contents of your suitcase. And since they violate both their own laws and federal laws, you can't even rely on equal and predictable enforcement of the law to know what you can and cannot do. Personally, I would consider any foray into either of those two states to be a recon into enemy territory.

I wouldn't spit on 'em if they were on fire. Other than that, I have no particular opinion.....