Helpful advice on giving Helpful Advice

It has been great to read all of your daily thoughts on what to carry, how to carry and I am glad so many of you have gone out of your way to help each other participate, daily, in our Armed Republic. I also see a lot of the same back & forth in comments that seems to go nowhere and degenerate into a fanboy fantasy. Lot of opinions* disguised as help that don't really help the OP.< TL;DR >I wrote this post to help your replies get more upvotes. No joke.I don't believe anyone can give the perfect CCW advice for YOU, all we can offer is our our experiences. The choices I make are a reaction to a set of circumstances unique to me that are different than yours. There is not one answer, tool or way of defending yourself. Period. It's a toolbox full of tools and a mindset to use them. But we can be more helpful to each other if we're all talking about the same thing. Remember, the OP may be lost in the woods and getting so much random advice and doesn't know what or who to trust. Be the one redditor that makes a difference for them.</>So, is there a "common language" we can use to help each other?I think so. What follows are some ways to get on the same page and offer the OP some really solid advice that may help save their life some day. Good advice is a deliberate thing, kind of like marksmanship, so I made some broke down my recommendations into steps to make it easier to read:GRIPYou: What is the problem you want to solve, OP?OP: I don't want to die because of X and Y and Z!SIGHTSYou: How will you counter that threat, OP?OP: With stuff & things from the gun store!TRIGGERYou: OP, have you thought about how you plan to conceal your stuff?OP: You mean there is more than one way?Now you're in a position to offer great advice that will help them protect themselves and their families.GET A GRIP - What is the threat?First, let's get on the same page with the OP about WHY WE CARRY, and use the same vocab for identifying a threats. I'm not talking about how to ID an active shooter across the room. I'm talking about how to ID risky situations you may find yourself in and actively plan your CCW to counter those threats.A threat matrix can be a useful tool to visualize what you're preparing for and start the process of making decisions on your gear. It's not a new concept but a helpful way to explain to each other what kinds of threats you prepare for so we're all on the same page and can offer the best advice and personal experience to the OP.Why do I need a threat matrix for concealed carry? I am always ready for anything because I CCW!Jeff Gonzales puts it this way, in his blog post over at ITS when he talks about "dressing for the threat":If we were to truthfully tackle this subject, I think we can all agree that if we really thought we were going into harm’s way we would:-Not go.-Grab a rifle and…-Grab some friends with their rifles.So, this perceived threat we envision is largely based off being able to handle a lethal encounter with a pistol only.Yup, so now we have to get more specific on what the OP is trying to solve for because not all threats are equal and not all threats can be countered with one tool. I recommend we describe the threat condition in the same way by what the threat is and how likely to the scenario will deal out pain & suffering.Perceived Threat: LOWMEDIUMHIGHProbable Impact: LOWLow/no perceived threats; physical harm is unlikelySurrounded by violence but not a victim (yet)MEDIUMHIGHLikelihood is low but if something did happen I help & support are not nearbyImminent threat; loss of life very likely / FIGHT IS ON​Some potential Q& A examples:OP's Situation: I work from home in a guarded compound with an ER in my basement and I never go outThreat Assessment: PT: Low, PI: LowCommon Threat Language: "Low Threat"OP's Situation: I am backpacking through the Denali during grizzly mating season with a jar of honeyThreat Assessment: PT: Low, PI: HighCommon Threat Language: "Low/Hi"OP's Situation: I'm an Amazon Prime driver in Chicago's South Side and I just got tasked with night deliveriesThreat Assessment: PT: High, PI: HighCommon Threat Language: Fucked...err "High"​"Cool story, bro. Anything could happen at any time so I walk around with a MK18 in a duffel bag all the time so..."If that's your life, great. Some people work and live in places where long guns are good to go and concealment is not the law or the requirement. If that's your situation, just know your personal experience will not help many people here.​It does raise good points to mention to the OP when assessing their carry requirements:You may have to move through different threat conditions during your day/tripAssess your threat level based on the availability of better tools and help/servicesALIGN YOUR SIGHTS - How will you counter the threat?That brings me to the way we talk to each other about our LOADOUTs. Once we're on the same page with the OP on the problem they think they want to solve, we can now approach giving helpful advice on what to carry and how to dress to the gun.The reason I brought up threat assessment, first, is because CCW is not about one gun and one holster. It's about the whole damn toolbox. So, we need a way to talk about matching the gear to the threat or situation. As threat conditions escalate, or as the environments we carry in become more restrictive, we need a different loadout.For example:It's winter, and my jacket is bulkier which means (in general) I can conceal a larger gun, carry more mags or have a backup on my legI am going to a formal event (or work) and can't wear a nylon belt or have visible clips, bulky mags, etc.I am at the gym and I need more freedom of movementI get a job at a store that has a history of armed robberies (HIGH THREAT)If you think one gun and one holster is it, you either 1) don't really carry every day in every way and 2) you aren't really concealing as well as you think you are. Think about it.So to avoid passing on bad advice to someone that over-simplifies CCW/EDC and that might put them in danger, let's agree that we may need to recommend more than one loadout.Again, I am channeling Jeff Gonzales here, so if you really want to go deep on CCW, he's a good person to train you. He taught me to build a loadout matrix. I paste it up in my armory (closet) to help me dress for the threat I might encounter that day. Here's an example loadout matrix for the average adult male with an average build. This is just an approach. Don't get caught up in the semantics of what's in each box:Loadout: LIGHTSTANDARDHEAVY (High Threat)NO PROFILE (clean belt line)OTB J-frame revolver, no backupOTB J-frame revolver, small flashlightOTB subcompact, spare mag or knifeLOW PROFILE (IWB)IWB subcompact, no backup, flashlightIWB subcompact, OTB J-frame backupIWB compact, OTB subcompact backupHIGH PROFILEIWB compact & spare magIWB compact, backup, spare mag(s) and toolsOWB full size, IWB subcompact backup, knives, multiple magsOTB = Off the belt; IWB = Inside the waistband; OWB = Outside the waistbandIf you are wondering where the line is between High & Low profile, it's pretty simple. Low profile means you can conceal your loadout in shorts & a t-shirt if you had to. If you need outerwear to conceal, you are high-profile. End of story. Most people never level up to No Profile. It requires more skill and training and the consumer market for CCW gear is not really well developed to support zero profile.You will notice that loadout says nothing about OFF-BODY CARRY, OPEN CARRY or other ways to carry weapons. It's out of scope and if you think about it carefully, it distracts from the main objective which is to conceal well on your person, any where, any time. In my opinion, avoid the topic entirely. I just muddies the water.SQUEEZE THE TRIGGERSpeaking of concealing well, use that same philosophy around loadout to offer fashion advice, too.If you look back at the loadout example above you can kind of imagine that it dictates a specific set of clothing requirements, right? That's the point. The last piece of the puzzle is clothing to conceal.We take for granted that "most people" understand how camouflage actually works and the importance of being comfortable when you carry, or that training in their various outfits is critical. In reality, "most people" never think about it or don't know how to select and wear clothes to conceal.​You can offer up some basic principles (along with your gear & clothing choices) that they may not know about:If you are comfortable, you will carry more and conceal betterShirts with patterns break up the outline of guns better than solid colorsLight fabrics (esp. polyester) tend to "hang on" the edges of slide frames and handles, cotton and heavier materials slide off and so you print lessWhen you move, especially athletically, your concealment requirements change.Insert a lesson you learned when a garment failed you​Ask them what they are going to use to conceal during peak summer and winter months, at church or dinner parties, and when they are working out. Show them pics or videos of how you do it and grade each other on how well you can conceal, not how much you modded your pistol.The job of dressing to your loadout and is a real art. Take pride when you do it well and call people out who should reevaluate their wardrobe choices. We can help each other here big time.BREAK THE SHOT - Putting it all togetherOk, here are some practical suggestions when you're cruising the next newb thread and hit REPLY:​First, ask some basic questions about:Their threats - Ask them to explain more about their environment and the threats they might encounter daily. Avoid the urge to go straight into what you carry, first, unless you know you have solved the same problem they want to solve.Their budget - Most of us are here because a) we take CCW seriously b) we love our guns and c) we are competitive about how well we use them. That usually means we have already spent more money and time to be in a position to offer advice in the first place. Chances are, they have not yet come to that point. The best thing our advice can do is to help them get started. Steer them away from choices that will cost them more at the counter and at the range. Instead point them to reliable, proven tools that work for a beginner and that are cheaper to own & shoot. Notice I didn't say inferior. They can always buy something better/cooler/smaller after they are proficient on a compact or duty-sized pistol. Everyone knows the usual suspects: Glock 19, M&P 9, P320,Their concealment requirements - Ask them how often they plan to carry, where they carry and how often then are in "unusual" clothing such as formal attire, uniforms, etc. Try and help them find solutions that will work for 80% of their situations. Avoid recommendations for truck guns or drawer guns as alternatives to the carrying on their person. Obviously, don't recommend a tool that they can't conceal. If you're a fatty like me, don't expect a 5' 5" 115lb female can conceal a G19. However it is totally appropriate to tell her that she needs to buy one first to learn how to shoot before she jumps into the deep end with a P365.​Second, help them connect the dots on the right loadouts to meet their threats:Remind them they need to be comfortableThey may need more tools than just a pistolExplain the principle of "two is one and one is none" to help them understand why backups are importantRemind them that every combo of pistol, holster and mag requires training​Last, when you finally are on the same page as the OP, and want to relay your experiences & gear selection:Offer your experiences, first, then mention the gear you use.Give some details on your situation and mindset, and let that info explain why your experience is valuable.If you don't have first-hand experience with a piece of gear or a gun, make it clear. Opinions are fine but most of us are looking to hear from first-hand experiences, in addition to the "wisdom of the crowd"​Friendly reminders you can offer with your advice when it makes sense. Being helpful is more than just telling them what to buy, but is also honest about what else they need to do to protect themselves:CCW/EDC is less about the tools and more about the mindset / lifestyleThey need the right training - marksmanship first, then tactical...maybe. Scenarios are bullshit unless you can hit a target consistentlyGuide them to try before they buy a pistol because grip, recoil and sight picture are different for everyone.Point them to how-to guides from this subreddit or the interwebs that speak to dress and mindsetRemind them that EDC and CCW is a journey and that trial and error is a part of the process​Now, when you see that other guy offering up an uninformed opinion about what or how to carry you will remember this post and they saying "Opinion are like assholes: Everybody's got one. Don't be that guy." You can hit reply and smoke that dude by actually adding value to the OPs life.​Hope you found this helpful. Admins, let me know how I can clean this up to be more useful. Thanks for running such a great subbreddit! via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/2H6UucP