Advice for a dad looking to CC.

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Mfarnham

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I've never carried, but I'm ready to start. I just bought a S&W Shield 9mm. My dilemma is I have 4 kids, with the oldest being 5. I'm looking for some advice and war stories from other dads.

Any suggestions on good holsters where I'm not going to lose my gun bending playing and picking up kids all day?

What do you tell your kids, and what do you say if they tell someone else that you're packing?

Any funny stories?

Much appreciated!
 
Crossbreed Supertuck is popular IWB holster:

http://crossbreedholsters.com/

I have one and it's my favorite.

You're also gonna have to dress around the gun, which means buying some new pants about two sizes+ what your waist normally is, and also a good sturdy gun belt, also 2 sizes above your normal waist.

I like Bullhide Belts, but there are plenty of good places to get one:

http://www.bullhidebelts.com/
 
I have a 2yo niece that is over my house every day, she's never asked yet, I don't think she's seen me handling a firearm either. I just got a crossbreed mini-tuck for my LC9, something I should have done a long time ago, great, great holster. Retention is fantastic, you can hold the holster upside-down and it won't fall out. You can hardly feel it when wearing it. I play around with her all day long and never had a problem...as long as you have an equally as good belt to hold your pants us.

My daughter is 7months, so don't have to worry about that yet.
 
when mine were smaller I carried in a leather holster with a thumb break for safety .
My middle one walked up to a LEO and told him my dad is wearing the same one he was.[smile]
 
mctrinket said:
You're also gonna have to dress around the gun, which means buying some new pants about two sizes+ what your waist normally is, and also a good sturdy gun belt, also 2 sizes above your normal waist.
Click to expand...

FWIW I've not had to get pants any larger, I wear jeans about 99% of the time and has not been a problem for me. I'm a larger guy and my larger shirts cover my firearm just fine.

- - - Updated - - -

also +1 for carrying and protecting that family...that's why I carry
 
The best advice I can give you for a dad who wants to pack a pistol...Get a darn good pistol safe.
With children around you want to have a GunVault biometric pistol safe for when the pistol is not physically on you.
To protect you kids you can never be too careful, they are worth the cost.
http://www.gunvault.com/microvault-biometric-mvb500.html http://www.gunvault.com/mvb1000.html
http://www.gunvault.com/minivault-biometric-gvb1000.html http://www.gunvault.com/multivault-biometric-gvb2000.html
http://www.gunvault.com/gvb3000.html http://www.gunvault.com/handgun-safes/speedvault.html?cat=25
Why because no push button combo in the world is as secure as what your fingerprint will be.
Only my wife and I can get into the biometric pistol safe we have upstairs bolted in the bedroom closet.

smitty
 
The 5 yo is ready for some range time with airsoft...
 
I have 2 kids, both too young to get into trouble yet, though the 1 year old gets interested when I clean guns in the kitchen. As a few before have said, Crossbreed. I carry a 1911 commander at about 5:30 (I'm about 240lbs) bearly prints in a t-shirt and shorts. With the crossbreed it's SO damn comfy compared to others I have tried that I won't try anything else. I do have to take lumbar support off my seat when I drive the xterra or the damn thing sticks right in my back, but other than that, I love that holster.

I had guns before kids and it was a bit different. I had no quams about having a fully loaded shotgun within reach while sleeping. Now it's all locked up. I keep my carry weapon in a gunvault next to the bed cocked and locked though. (I have been looking at the bio one, but I'm not convinced enough to swap yet, too many stories of it didn't read my print and I really don't need that when someone kicks in the door)

Horror stories right...so...my wife has a class A as well, but doesn't carry, but she is aware I do most of the time, so one time at the beach (It was colder, not a beach day) with the kids, I bent over to pick up my daughter and I get a "You're brandishing..." from the wife. And I turned that part of my body away from the few folks that were there and "adjusted"

I've also had the dreaded relative hug while carrying. most know I carry, so I never get questioned even if they felt the gun. But that sometimes gets a bit weird with the inlaws. I'm sure I'll have that problem with the kids when they get a bit older and start actually asking why daddy keeps so many guns...lol

What are you afraid of?.......not a god damn thing. [smile]
 
Best advice I can give, teach the kids all about the guns, and safety, at an age you feel appropriate. If they ask, don't try to hide it. Knowledge is the best safety tool. Once they have an understanding, and the curiosity is out of the way, your whole household will be a safer place. Same rule applies to the wife.
Good luck, and congrats!
 
andypieces said:
Best advice I can give, teach the kids all about the guns, and safety, at an age you feel appropriate. If they ask, don't try to hide it. Knowledge is the best safety tool. Once they have an understanding, and the curiosity is out of the way, your whole household will be a safer place. Same rule applies to the wife.
Good luck, and congrats!
Click to expand...
+1

Knowledge is power.
 
Great advice guys! Thanks.
I was raised around guns and grew up with a huge respect and understanding of firearms. My kids will certainly be raised in the same fashion. My 5 year old came shooting with me for the first time today.
 
Like mentioned before, i'd stay away from the biometric safes. If you do get one, pay the extra to get a really good one. I bought one for around $175 and if the finger wasnt put on juuuuuuust right, it would take a few tries. All the while, anyone breaking into the house would have heard 'BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP" after every incorrect try. I returned after two days.
 
andypieces said:
Best advice I can give, teach the kids all about the guns, and safety, at an age you feel appropriate. If they ask, don't try to hide it. Knowledge is the best safety tool. Once they have an understanding, and the curiosity is out of the way, your whole household will be a safer place. Same rule applies to the wife.
Good luck, and congrats!
Click to expand...

This!! I also tell them that whether or not I happen to be carrying is not something to talk about, especially with people we don't know very well. They have the understanding that type of discussion would be like talking about what color boxers I'm wearing that day. It's just not something they need to know, be concerned about, or bring up in discussion. Although, I don't mind them bragging about how many bullseyes they shot the last time they went to the range. [wink]

I carry a full sized XD in a Crossbreed Supertuck and have never been 'outed' by either my kids or my wife (or anyone else for that matter) when carrying. Occasionally a strategic turn of the body is in order when my 6 & 8 year olds come charging across the yard so that they don't hit metal when they jump on me, but that's about it.
 
I am very honest with my 5 year old. He's seen it and asked about. I told him and he has never mentioned it again.

I just got a Comp-tac Infidel holster that I really like. I wear a thick uniform belt I got at DoughBoys for 30 bucks or so.
 
My 2 cents: The most important thing you can do is teach your rugrats firearms safety at the earliest age possible. I was taught at a very young age about basic firearm safety and it was made very clear that if I were to find one of my father's guns I was not to touch it unless he handed it to me. Start them off right and hopefully not only will they abide by the HANDS OFF rule, but impart that knowledge upon their friends who may have firearms in their homes.
 
When my kids were old enough to be curious about guns, I told them "anytime you want to see Daddy's guns, just let me know - but it will only be when I'm there with you."

So on the several occasions when they did ask, I took them out of the safe, carefully double-checked they were clear, and let them handle them - obeying all safety rules. After this happened a few times, the "mystery" was gone, and they didn't care anymore.

As long as you start young, and teach them the right things, they'll carry away those lessons for life. Better they learn about guns from Mom and Dad than on the street. They DEFINITELY understood the Eddie Eagle mantra if they were to see a gun outside of our house: "stop, don't touch, leave the area, and tell an adult."

As far as the possibility of being "outed" by your kids while you're carrying - they just have to be taught that there are certain things we only discuss in our own home. With enough emphasis, they'll get it.

Good Luck!

*
 
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I have one on the way and have only been outed by the wife -- mainly because the desantis thumb break was put on wrong (missed a belt loop). I came from a decidedly anti gun home as a kid but having been an emt gives me mire than enough reason and plenty of examples as to why teaching them at a young age is crucial.

I usually carry a sw model 60 in a crossbreed or in a pocket holster on a 511 instructor belt.
 
I'm just very sensitive about who knows about my guns. I have an alarm system but ...security concerns are vital. Only very close friends and family are privy to that info. No one but my wife knows the exact no. So educate and teach the kids from an early age as you see fit but do tell them that some things are private. My kids are adults now. I do keep all firearms in a gun safe. Yiogo
 
I don't remember who it was(don't want to take credit for their story lol), but someone on here posted about when he was little, his dad took him out and shot a pumpkin or watermelon in front of him and said something like "that's what would happen if you shot yourself in the head" very to the point and I plan on using this when the time comes .
 
My kids are 7 and 9 been carrying since they were 4 and 6 Now they know Dad carries a gun to keep them safe and they know not to touch it. When they were younger "Dad just had a really big cell phone clipped to his belt" I use a IWB holster and I have never had an issue while playing with them, and I carry every day
 
andypieces said:
Best advice I can give, teach the kids all about the guns, and safety, at an age you feel appropriate. If they ask, don't try to hide it. Knowledge is the best safety tool. Once they have an understanding, and the curiosity is out of the way, your whole household will be a safer place. Same rule applies to the wife.
Good luck, and congrats!
Click to expand...
If you don't discuss it with them, they will discuss it with you at the most inopportune moment. Like in a grocery store at the top of their lungs when they bonk their head into your CCW and ask "is that your gun daddy?!?"

I am not a fan of hiding it from or ignoring it with family. It is safer for all involved to be informed, educated, etc... Make the kids safe with guns, since you can't teach the guns to make themselves safe with kids.
 
andypieces said:
Best advice I can give, teach the kids all about the guns, and safety, at an age you feel appropriate. If they ask, don't try to hide it. Knowledge is the best safety tool. Once they have an understanding, and the curiosity is out of the way, your whole household will be a safer place. Same rule applies to the wife.
Good luck, and congrats!
Click to expand...

This is great advice, and I have done this with my daughter, who is now 11, even though my wife did not want her to even know that I have guns at all. I figured that since she has been with me every day of her life so far (I was a stay-at home dad right from birth), I had a close enough bond with her to teach her even though my wife was against it. My biggest fear was that she has always had a habit of running up to me and either jumping up and hanging on me, or when she was shorter, just running up and hugging me tightly around the waist, and I was afraid she would ask "what's this" if she felt my IWB holster/firearm. I had visions of that happening in a public place and becoming a "big deal", so I thought it was prudent to teach her about it early. Now if I am printing, or my shirt rides up, she quietly walks behind me and fixes my shirt. Daddy's little girl, all the way![smile]
 

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