Choosing a concealed carry handgun

Choosing a concealed carry handgun, or everyday carry gun (EDC), is a momentous choice first time around. In fact, it could be a life saver. EDC is the general term that refers to carrying your self-defence firearm in a concealed manner. Choosing the right firearm starts at the place where you’ve done your basic firearm training, because they can provide you with hands-on advice. After all, they gave you the feel and contributed towards developing that need to carry an EDC firearm. That’s why your firearms instructor would be able to clear all uncertainties there and then about choosing a concealed carry handgun.

Comfort contributes to confidence

Like sitting comfortably in your car seat, your handgun must feel first time right when you pick it up the right way. Thus the perfect grip literally sells the gun. Comfort in your hand and inside the holster receives the highest priority. This ensures that you get to the trigger first when you need it most. Importantly. the more you draw your firearm from the holster and pull the trigger, the better you become as muscle memory is established. Muscle memory is one of the body alarm elements as taught in our self-defence level 1, 2 and 3 courses. It's also one of the main default elements when you fall victim to crime or when under attack. However, having the requisite self-defence ability doesn’t merely entail practical skills. Which is why well-designed and -presented training builds confidence.

Self-defence happens at short range

Although a smaller and lighter EDC handgun contributes to easy concealment, the calibre doesn’t really matter when it comes to self-defence situations. Because the advantage actually lies in your ability to fire the first shot under stress. Self-defence training develops this heightened ability when you need it most. Usually, a self-defence situation occurs at short range (1-10 metres); therefore accuracy is less important. When defending yourself, the aim isn’t to harm or kill, but to be equipped with the ability to stand up for yourself, refusing to be a victim and to fight back when the need arises. Therefore, you’ll need considerable practise and training. “And the more often you shoot, the more comfortable you’ll be with your gun,” said Marksman’s Nest chief range officer Geoffrey Coetzee. Importantly, when choosing a concealed carry handgun, make sure that it’s both easy to load and pull the trigger mechanism.

Try them out

If you’re able to enroll for additional handgun training at a shooting range, go through the paces and try as many different techniques and scenarios as you can. Repeated scenario-based training builds your muscle memory. “You and you alone should decide what feels right for you,” Geoffrey added. “At Marksman’s Nest, we’ll make recommendations, but nothing beats personal experience. We have classes available for new gun owners and refresher courses for those who haven’t shot in a while. Crucially, our courses teach participants about the right way to handle a gun.”