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How long did you take?
Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 4:03 pm
by dadoo
OK, I'm not asking how long it took to get your CHL, but how long did it take to get used to carrying your gun? I got my license about a year ago. Since that time I have had three different carry guns and a couple of different holsters to finally lose that selfconscious "everyone can see my gun"
I carry either a compact 1911 or a full size depending on what I'm wearing and it took about three months to stop resting my arm across the butt of the gun (

) and to quit adjusting it's position.
I have finally gotten comfortable with it, not that the gun itself ever gets completely comfortable, but I think it was Clint Smith who said carrying a gun should not be comfortable, it should be
comforting.
So how long did it all of you?
Re: How long did you take?
Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 4:13 pm
by The Annoyed Man
For the most part, I got used to it fairly quickly. The one thing that took longer was getting used to carrying on stage at church. For a while I wouldn't do it - not because of some moral objection, but because the sound crew sometimes helps us (musicians) set up our in-ear monitors, and I didn't want someone reaching up under my shirt tail to feed a wire down my back suddenly seeing my gun or backup magazine. Now I just make sure not to let myself get into that position, and I carry on stage too.
Once you get past being stared at by hundreds of people when you are carrying on stage and realize that nobody knows, you don't tend to worry too much about getting "made" in the anonymity of a Walmart.

Re: How long did you take?
Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 4:21 pm
by longhorn_92
The Annoyed Man wrote:For the most part, I got used to it fairly quickly. The one thing that took longer was getting used to carrying on stage at church. For a while I wouldn't do it - not because of some moral objection, but because the sound crew sometimes helps us (musicians) set up our in-ear monitors, and I didn't want someone reaching up under my shirt tail to feed a wire down my back suddenly seeing my gun or backup magazine. Now I just make sure not to let myself get into that position, and I carry on stage too.
Once you get past being stared at by hundreds of people when you are carrying on stage and
realize that nobody knows, you don't tend to worry too much about getting "made" in the anonymity of a Walmart. 
I agree. It took a couple of months before I lost that "Everyone Knows" mindset. The great thing about it is, that no one knows! I sometimes have to remind myself that I am carrying (because it is second nature) - and I have to chuckle that in such a large audience of people - they have NO CLUE...
Re: How long did you take?
Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 4:24 pm
by troglodyte
About 24 hours.
In all fairness I had done a lot of reading online and adjusted my wardrobe and thinking.
When it gets down to it, people just don't pay attention so its not that big a deal.
Re: How long did you take?
Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 4:30 pm
by Captain Matt
I was comfortable carrying in public right from the start. That's not to say I never worry about concealing with some types of clothes but it never felt strange to carry a gun.
Re: How long did you take?
Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 4:57 pm
by C-dub
Been carrying for 6+ years now and I'm pretty comfortable most of the time. I think the initial paranoia wore off after a couple of months. I've even had a friend of 4+ years tell me she was a little worried about an old boyfriend showing up and causing trouble. She started asking me if I knew anything about what the laws were concerning carrying a gun in a car without a license. She seemed really nervous and so I told her. She was shocked and relieved. I told her that in over 4 years she had never seen me when I wasn't carrying. It was kind of funny once she got over the initial shock. I don't think she's even thought about it since then.
BTW, never have seen the old boyfriend.
Re: How long did you take?
Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 5:56 pm
by bdickens
By the time I finally got my licence in the mail and made my Wally Walk, I was already used to it; I carried at home the whole time I was waiting.
Re: How long did you take?
Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 8:35 am
by suthdj
Yesterday I had a couple roofing contractors in my house, I decided to carry just to see how it felt as I don't have the CHL yet well besides me feeling like it was jumping up and down saying look at me one of the guys I felt was always looking at it, he could have just been looking past it but I don't know. I will have to run it past the ole lady to see if she can see it.
Re: How long did you take?
Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 8:55 am
by garcia946
I got used to mine pretty quick.Just a couple of days. Been everywhere I can carry without a second thought.
Feels good on me , only forgot it once in the 2 years Ive have my license.
Re: How long did you take?
Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 4:30 pm
by Cosmo 9
My plastic came with the big orange bike flag and holster attachment
