Congratulations! You’ve completed your concealed weapons class and have your permit. Now you’re ready to go to the local gun shop and pick out that one perfect pistol for self-defense. So far, so good. However, if you’re like most folks, you didn’t think much about how you’ll actually carry the thing around. This can lead to an uncomfortable exchange with the bespectacled gun-counter guy. If your experience is anything like mine, he’ll look down his nose at you while a little drop of white spittle forms at the corner of his mouth. You’ll ask which holster he recommends. And he’ll sneer.

I’ve seen this scenario play itself out more times than an I Love Lucy rerun. Holster selection for concealed carry is quite possibly one of the most misunderstood and glossed over areas in the gun world. Like clothing, holsters are very personalized so you’ll eventually wind up like everyone else who carries. First you’ll have a dresser drawer full of them, then one day you’ll wake up to the realization that a storage unit is needed to contain the rest. With the awesome responsibility of carrying a gun for self-defense comes the opportunity to prevail and survive an otherwise lethal confrontation. Yet that responsibility also becomes a life-changing event with the holster. In all its many interesting designs and variations it’s the one thing allowing you to keep your personal safety tool by your side and close at hand at all times, no matter how you dress. I hope this little book serves as a guide to help you do just that.