Just got my CHL and went out for the first time!

[Tex1961]

The fun walk is when you blow right through an illegal 30.06 sign

[PriestTheRunner]

The fun walk is when you blow right through an illegal / improperly printed 30.06 sign

True that!
(And FTFY, as posting an 'illegal' sign only applies to government buildings that are excluded by law. People can put up whatever gunbuster sign they want, and that's not illegal, just unenforceable).

[The Annoyed Man]

When did the Wally Walk go out of fashion? I recall being denied my man card in the early days of my membership here, on the grounds that my trip to a sushi bar was not enough of a test. So I went and did my Wally Walk, and posted pictures here to prove it. Then I got my man card back.



Man, that seems like a long time ago, but it was only about 11 years.

I did a Kroger walk yesterday, didn't think to take pictures though!

Here’s how it’s done: https://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic ... 16#p174316

[montgomery]

It will likely feel a bit different for awhile. If you're concealed carrying, you're usually paranoid about whether people can see it or not. The vast majority of people are totally oblivious to it, even if you're open carrying. One of the guys at breakfast was telling the story about having a conversation with someone face to face for several minutes. The guy never noticed he was open carrying.

Highly recommend drawing from concealment and dry fire practice, plus continuing education training from a reputable, qualified, professional firearms instructor.

[RicoTX]

Just went to the store carrying for the first time, felt different, but good
Any tips?

Congrats!
You'll get used to it. After a week or two you won't even really notice the gun yourself... it just becomes part of you.

[montgomery]

Make sure and get a good sturdy gun belt.

Somewhat agree. Lots of very experienced folks on this forum and you will glean good advice.

My views of belts from carrying all day every day for over 3 decades is simply this: obsess over having a high quality holster - one that gives enough friction for retention during normal activities like stooping, yet is durable enough to not pose reholstering issues due to wear or material fatigue.

I favor holsters over belt stiffness. A belt needs to be stiff enough to carry the weight of the loaded firearm and holster without drooping away from your body. The stiffest belt in the world is useless if it is worn loose. A loose gun belt during draw results in lifting the entire holster until the top of the belt hits the top of the belt loop on your trousers. And if the trousers are loose fitting at the waist, the firearms will remain in the holster until the seam of your pants hits you between the legs to stop upward movement. It is at this time, the firearm in a properly fitting holster will become separated from the holster. This translates into lost time.

An adequately cinched up belt eliminates this "lift dwell" during draw so the firearm clears the holster sooner. Proper cinching second to a proper holster. Belt stiffness is important, but is my last consideration.

Having run full size guns with double mags on Jones Tactical riggers belts (not stiff) and shooters belts (incredibly stiff) properly cinched with a high quality custom kydex holster, I notice zero difference in draw times. And no drooping with the thinner riggers belt.

Same with Hank's leather belts - no difference in draw times and no droop between the 14 / 16 oz gun belt and the 20 oz steel core model.

The "tactical" belts you see at stores selling tactical clothing are usually garbage. If you can fold the belt in half so it is double thick and still feed it through your trouser belt loop folded end first, you are holding junk not suitable for a cap gun.

[southernscope86]

Make sure and get a good sturdy gun belt.

I 2nd that, life prior to a strong 1.5" belt was not fun.

[Lynyrd]

Just went to the store carrying for the first time, felt different, but good
Any tips?

You will probably notice that your situational awareness ratcheted up a few notches. If so, that's a good thing. Cultivate it. Work on it. Improve it. Knowing what is going on around you is a must if a bad situation ever occurs.