Over the years, carrying a concealed firearm has become fairly easy for me with little worries of someone seeing my handgun. For the long-time carry crowd, carrying a firearm daily becomes second nature but it’s not always easy for everyone right out of the gate. There are oftentimes growing pains as well as lessons to be learned before it’s easy to carry a handgun. With the recent explosion in new gun owners, I have received a ton of questions about how to carry without worrying, so let’s dive into the world of worry-free carrying.

Start Simple

It’s always a safe bet to start at a point where you know you’re inside your own comfort zone. This may be getting familiar with your holster and carry setup in the comfort of your home before going out in public with a certain firearm. In the early days of carrying, I would carry a different style at home or doing yard work so if I ran into an issue or felt uncomfortable, I could fix it right there. People often ask me if it’s normal to have worries about carrying with one in the chamber or fears of printing. Both get easier with time but it takes consistency to overcome.

One of the easiest ways to carry worry-free though is keeping it simple with your carry loadout. Pocket carry is quite possibly one of the easiest ways to carry a firearm without the worry of printing under your shirt or having people see your firearm if you have to bend over throughout the day. Carrying inside your front pocket does have its drawbacks but overall it is one of the easiest stress-free ways to carry a concealed firearm. There are several companies who make universal pocket holsters that will give you some protection in your pocket from debris or obstructions that could get inside the trigger guard.

Limitations of Pocket Carry

One of the biggest drawbacks when it comes to pocket carry is the lack of space inside your front pocket. Because there is limited space inside your front pocket, oftentimes you can’t carry anything but a subcompact or micro-sized firearm. There are no options for a Glock 19 or similarly sized firearms when it comes to carrying in your pocket, but that limitation of firepower brings the confidence of carrying discreetly and comfortably all day. It’s ultimately a choice you’ll have to make whether you want a larger firearm which is harder to conceal or something a bit smaller that’s easier to carry on a daily basis. Typically the largest thing you can pocket carry is something like a Smith & Wesson Shield or Glock 43X.

As we all know, one of the toughest parts of carrying a small gun is the reduced size to shoot effectively at a quick pace. It’s more than possible with practice but for the average Joe who carries a firearm, having a small gun is sometimes very difficult to put multiple shots on target in quick succession. With everything in life, there are consequences to our choices. Whenever you’d decide to carry a certain firearm, you have to make choices that are best for your personal needs. Sometimes people decide to carry slightly larger firearms and conceal them while others want to have a firearm without worrying about printing and the hassle of carrying on your belt line.

Confidence is Key

If I had to describe the biggest factor to becoming comfortable with carrying a firearm concealed is to have confidence in yourself as well as your abilities with that firearm. You should always be wanting to progress and advance your skills as a shooter. As long as you make a solid attempt to conceal your firearm daily, there’s a good chance no one will ever notice since the majority of society doesn’t pay attention to printing. It’s still important to consider when carrying, but having the confidence to act like everything is normal will help alleviate any stress of getting caught.

Sometimes we have to remember that everything will work out and Murphy isn’t always going to get us. Over time, when your confidence is up and you feel comfortable to carry on your belt in something like an IWB holster, then I say go for it! It’s important to take baby steps and be as comfortable with carrying a firearm in public as possible.

Overall Thoughts

Out of all the carry styles, the one style that made me not worry about printing or anything else has to be pocket carry. It’s one of the easiest ways to carry a gun without changing your outfit or planning around a firearm. Pocket carry definitely has some limitations and drawbacks but it offers a lot when it comes to peace of mind. If you’re just getting into concealed carrying and need something to work up to carrying a larger firearm, pocket carry may be the ticket for you.

Let me know what you guys think about pocket carry in the comments below. I can’t tell you how many people have said it’s the lazy man’s carry style, but at the same time, it allows people to carry a firearm that might otherwise not. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. If you have questions about carrying or firearms in general, don’t hesitate to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there.

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