Ever leave home on an impulse or for a quick errand and realize you didn’t have your wallet, your house key, or your phone?  I avoid that by keeping wallet, keys and phone on my person whenever I’m dressed.

Same with the carry handgun.

There are other reasons to put on your gun when you put on your pants. Discussed here.

And, as always, you’re invited to share your thoughts here in blog commentary.

32 COMMENTS

  4. I figure at home is where I might be most likely to need quick access, so of course I have one on exactly like I carry everywhere else. To the mailbox, taking out the trash, outdoors with the Rottweilers…with at least one or two extra mags on the belt. Toilet and shower, same holstered gun hidden in arm’s reach.

  5. The Armed Citizen page of the American Rifleman often includes some variation of the phrase, “The homeowner retrieved his handgun…” That sounds like a tactical delay that could end very badly for the homeowner if the invader is in the room, and armed, and prepared to shoot at him.

    I carry a 9mm subcompact (Sig P938) in my right front pocket in a De Santis holster. I seldom even notice that it’s there. But when an unexpected visitor knocks on the door, I crack it open with my hand on the grip and my thumb on the safety, ready to draw if the visitor doesn’t turn out to be a friendly. But I look no more threatening to the visitor than a man with his hand in his pocket.

  6. Since I am divorced and an empty nester, I always worked in my home office and around the house with a handgun carried in concealed mode. No worries that way about having to answer the door without appearing menacing. Also, no having to run and get the pistol upon a home invasion. I also never un-holstered to sit down. You get used to it.

    Now I am old with bad knees and need to use a walker. I wear shorts now with elastic waist bands and therefore no longer carry IWB around the house. However, my Glock is holstered on the side of my walker. Therefore, where ever I am in the house, there’s my walker – and my Glock. Not appearing menacing when I answer the door is no longer a consideration. Old age makes one not worry about what others think the way the younger self did. 🙂

  7. We live in a very unusual time. it is a good idea, for self-preservation, to keep your firearm close. It is also a good idea to visit your local firearms range a couple times month, or more, and practice your draw, your aim, dealing with malfunctions. I run scenarios through mind at every opportunity. In my car, at the grocery store, even at home. Ambush? Run, if possible, fight if you must. Concealed Carry Insurance? If you don’t have it…. GET IT! Pants on, gun on is a good policy. Be the best you can be. God Bless America!

  8. I am always armed if I am dressed. If anyone asks I tell them it was my wife’s idea. (She told me that if she ever found my carry gun “laying around” she would get rid of it.) I have found it surprisingly easy to do and has been my practice now for more than 3 decades. I always carry concealed at home to keep from spooking delivery drivers and neighbors. In retirement I carry a single stack 9mm, but in my employment days it was always a full sized handgun.

  9. That’s why I wear one. I would rather be concerned not feeling it than feeling it. Being someone who likes cerebral shortcuts, I can’t think of a better one.

  12. POGO–nice! I agree fully with the concept; now I have a nifty acronym for it. How is it that I hadn’t heard that before?

    Wearing the gun continuously at home is a great way of getting comfortable with it–and therefore being less self-conscious when out and about. And, as Mas states, it totally beats any stashed gun for access time if someone kicks your door in…or if you have to run outside because you hear screams for help. While most such shouts will prove to be a non-gun-requiring event, like someone who just fell down on the road/sidewalk, you won’t know until you get outside.

    Unlike Mas, I don’t choose to keep my wallet in my pocket at home. But, that is because it pushes on an area traversed by the sciatic nerve and can contribute to hip, lower back and leg pain. Your anatomy may vary.

    Actually, there’s an old doctor joke about the surgeon who cured his patient’s sciatica by removing the patient’s fat wallet. It’s medically plausible.

    I like Simplex locks for heavy-duty gun lockboxes. Never worry about dead batteries. And the gun-in-the-box is great for my wife, who does not carry. The gun in the box can also have a laser/light combo that is largely unneeded for a holstered EDC gun, but great for a home defense weapon.

    Keeping all your immediate-defense guns either on your person or in rapid access locked boxes ensures that you needn’t make a mad dash when a friend brings some rugrats into your home. The rest of your guns can be in a proper gun safe for more leisurely access.

    While they can be very expensive, getting Dade County Rated hurricane doors will greatly increase the time it takes home invaders to get through your locked door. You do lock your doors, right?

    Finally, if you do rely on a gun-in-a-lockbox, consider placing it some distance from the door, lest you find an intruder between you and your “secured” gat. One in the bedroom, one near your favorite TV-viewing seat and one in your hobby room/den are all good locations. An added bonus is that this approach justifies owning additional guns. I mean, you can’t be too safe!

  13. Did that yesterday. I had come home from meeting some fellow retirees for lunch. I took off the clothes I was wearing to change the oil in the car. Took my pistol out of my holster and stowed it away. Then I carefully laid my presentable clothes on the bed to put back on later. When I finished, I changed back into my clothes worn earlier to run some errands. Guess where the pistol was? After about a half hour it occurred to me that my iwb holster didn’t feel quite right. Teachable moment for sure.

  14. I agree with pants on gun on but don’t forget the bathroom gun. I always have a pistol within my reach as I sit on the throne and read or take a shower. I just feel it’s wise to be prepared in every circumstance.

  15. In light of the current situation in the world and here at home in this day and age I have taken to wearing my carry gun in the house during all waking hours, minus the shower of course. I retired from law enforcement in late 2011 so my drawing reflexes have no doubt slowed down also. It seems that home invasions have become the norm instead of a rarity. Stay safe brothers in blue and brown.

  16. I carry a full size .45, specifically a Glock 21, all day everyday. This includes while at home for the very reasons outlined in the referenced article.

  18. Yes sir, shorts (and sneakers) on & pocket carry… and poof we’re in condition Yellow! The west central Florida scene, which I’ve enjoyed for my adult life has been more or less civil. Long removed from street violence witnessed and endured as a kid in Queens and Long Island, N.Y, I am well aware of how quickly it can go down fugly. Anyone watching the news lately has witnessed cam footage of attacks that happen so quick that ANY reaction time would be a gift. It’s from training like yours that has made concealed carry second nature to me. I got my first license in the late 1970’s. In the past I’ve enjoyed a few of your (LFI) classes, including Streefire at Wyoming Antelope Club (Pinellas Park FL). It was just on the cusp of the “No-Name” storm that did significant widespread damage. “Rain or Shine” really meant just that. (I missed winning that dollar by 1 “crappy” shot). Thank you for all you do. The knowledge and insight you have shared over your long career through mag articles, books, videos, and live in-classroom and on the range is nothing short of phenomenal and very much appreciated. Rock on, Bro!

  19. POGO!! I like it.

    I am stealing that fro now on.

    But seriously, I wear mine when my pants are on, in the house and elsewhere. I hope it’s never needed but it’s there with my wallet, knife, flashlight and phone.

  20. Excellent article. Covered all the bases. Thanks!

    In the shower, and in the pool, I keep a spear gun close at hand. JUST KIDDIN’! But, if I did, I wouldn’t have to worry about the spear gun getting wet. 😉

  21. Best replies ever. POGO for sure. I annie mountain living, so bears,coyotes, cougars, even wolves are neighbors we meet when walking our two little dogs, “Snack and Hors d’oeuvre”. Thugs not so much – they’ll have to take a number.

    • We live rurally, as well. The kind of living where if we go out of town for a week and forget to lock the doors, there’s a reasonable expectation that nobody will notice (and if one of the neighbors did happen to notice, they’d leave everything untouched and lock it for us 🙂 ).

      Two-legged predators are not a major concern here, but four-legged ones — coyotes, bobcats, cougars, and untrained dogs (usually re-homed and “not from ’round here”) — are, especially with chickens and small children running around. We’ve had no attacks on our kids, thank goodness, but we have lost chickens to various predators. I wear my normal carry 9mm and keep my eyes open when I’m making my rounds around the property.

  22. I am 77 years old, walk with a cane and am no longer capable of wrestling some thug. When I am in my own house answering the front door, I don’t give a rat if I appear menacing or not. That pistol is in my hand concealed behind my back or not so concealed in my hand at my side. The other person is coming to MY door, uninvited. Their perception of me or my character is no concern of mine.

    • Gotta warn you though, Wintters, their perception of you with a gun “not so concealed” in hand when you open the door may be of interest to the police. The definition of felony aggravated assault includes giving anyone the reasonable belief they are being threatened with death or grave bodily harm without just cause. If an anti-gun person soliciting for a charity comes to the door and sees a gun in your hand when you answer it, you could end up in prison. Keep it out of sight or better, don’t open the door.

      • Hanks Mas. I should have clarified this. I have a glass front door, so I can see who’s there and NEVER open it unless I know the person on the other side. And I’ll remember to keep my CCW concealed.

    • Exactly what I was thinking as I read. I have a Ring doorbell cam now but prior to that I would go to a window and talk to whoever was at the door from there. I live in a raised ranch so I was above them too at that point, which I prefer. Why would anyone answer the door for an unknown person?! Also, have a storm door. They’re usually more difficult to get through than the interior door. Only way is to break out all the glass which is mega noisy.

  24. I began carrying concealed full time at home about 25 years ago when I realized that in the event of a home invasion or a forced entry I wouldn’t have time to retrieve a firearm from a hiding or storage place anywhere near as quickly as I would from a holster on my person. Subsequent videos of home invasions confirmed my decision by showing how intruders can be all over an unsuspecting homeowner in just a few seconds. I also realized the advantage of having the gun under my control at all times so that no one else (especially children) would accidentally discover & mishandle it.

    I like handguns & I like the feeling of wearing a handgun so it’s not a burden for me, but the key is to find one that you can wear comfortably. These days, there are so many choices of subcompact & even high capacity micro compact handguns & holsters that finding a comfortable combination for yourself is easier than ever. I have several to choose from myself, including full sized, compact, subcompact & micro, in a variety of calibers so I’m free to switch between them depending on the situation, or just for fun.

    In addition, I’m a big fan of lasers which can be extremely effective indoors. Outdoors in bright sunlight, lasers can be very hard to see, except at close distances. However, in my experience, the projected laser beam is always clearly visible indoors regardless of the lighting conditions, even if you don’t have your glasses on, or if they get knocked off. Although shooting at room length distances is relatively easy even without a laser, it’s even easier & more effective with a laser that is sighted in for those distances, especially against multiple or moving targets. They can be the difference between placing shots in a VITAL zone quickly & effectively as opposed to hitting in a peripheral region or not at all. Furthermore, with a laser mounted handgun, you do not have to hold the gun at eye level in order to see your sights. You can “point shoot” holding the gun at chest level giving yourself a wide field of view in front of you while placing the red or green laser dot on the target(s) that you need to defend yourself against. This can significantly increase your shooting speed & accuracy with practice.

    For those who have occasional or persistent back pain, I have found that I can still carry a handgun comfortably by changing the way I carry it when the pain arises. Switching sides from strong side to crossdraw will often work as will pocket carry most of the time. Concealed carry jackets, shirts, or vests that have “holster pockets” built in to them are also good.

  25. We live in a stupid clown world, and the stupid will find you anywhere, even at home.

    On Memorial Day weekend 2020, a local man was murdered outside doing yardwork by a sword weilding nutjob on a motorcycle. That nut went on to commit another murder and a kidnapping before capture.

    The only time I ever had my PDW drawn and at the ready was Christmas morning 2012, for an undesirable character at my front door at 1AM. The full story can be found here:

    https://75mpop.blogspot.com/p/my-self-defense-story.html

  26. Many years ago, I read a book by some guy that suggested carring in a shoulder holster, if you were old. he used the TV character “Fish” from the hit show at the time ,Barney Miller. Being old, Fish was often going to the bath room, and wore a S/H in the show, maybe for that reason. he also talked about the fact then when you went to bed, the S/H should be at hand, so that you could “grab and go” and have both your gun, and spare ammo, no pants needed.
    I took the advice to heart, and bought a Jackass rig, in it rides my model Beretta 92 sb compact Inox , single stack, along with 2 mags, and a county comms flashlight. A light vest sits by the door when I go out to feed or pet the cats and blow on a butt on the front deck, or visit with the mailman or amazon person.
    I wish I could remember that writers name,,,,,,,,,,,

  27. This is off-topic but the firearms-prohibitionists are trying to use lawfare to drive a small gunshop out-of-business in the State of New York. The gunshop is trying to raise money to fight off these lawfare attacks. However, the prohibitionists are well-funded by leftist billionaires so it is David against Goliath.

    This is one method the prohibitionists are using. They want to shut down our 2nd Amendment Rights by driving firearms-related businesses into bankruptcy by using lawfare tactics.

    We need to stand behind these businesses that are under attack. A GiveSendGo page has been set up to collect funds to help this small shop. I have already contributed and I urge the readers of this blog to contribute too, if you can afford to do so. Here is the link to the GiveSendGo page:

    https://www.givesendgo.com/vintagefirearms

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