Your first few times out with the gun - you will inevitably feel like it’s 3-feet long and 6 inches wide, weighs 20 pounds, and sticks out like a sore thumb. Quit fidgeting with it! It will feel normal soon enough. If you keep checking it, people will notice. Just be as comfortable as you can. Have a qualified instructor with you for the first 3-4 times. The cost is minimal and will advance your skills safely and quickly

Be sure you have a sturdy holster and belt. No saggy thin belt or cheap elastic belts. Its important to use a good top of the line holster, not some cheap knock off. Unprotected (exposed trigger) carry is begging for a negligent discharge. Depending on where the gun is pointed, you, or someone else, could become very uncomfortable very fast. I have some belts that have a steel strap sewn through them - they will never sag! A belt that doesn’t sag is one I don’t have to concern myself with under a possible very stressful situation 

Practice. Empty the gun, purchase snap cap rounds and practice drawing, practice from different positions (sitting, standing, with your other hand - can reach your gun if your strong hand is injured? 

Practice shooting. Not just punching holes in paper, but if you can find a range that allows you to draw and fire, or to go through some sort of obstacle course, then do so. START SLOW. Speed will come but the basics must be mastered first. The last thing you want to do is try a fast action and shoot yourself or someone else. Keep your finger off the trigger until the barrel is pointed at your target. Gradually speed up but stop when your accuracy suffers. Get good at one speed, then speed up some more. You can’t miss fast enough to win a gunfight. Remember: Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

1. A copperhead bite one of my neighbor's dogs. My neighbor and I were searching and found it. It was in a small open space heading for deep cover. I had perhaps had as much as a second to shoot it. I brought the gun up, leveled the sights on the snake scurrying for cover, and got off 3-4 rounds. Clean hit. The snake can no longer hurt any children, pets or adults. The whole motion surprised me how normal it felt, how the muscle memory took over, how I instinctively made sure the area downrange was clear. All that in under a few seconds.

2. Was shooting a 9mm carbine at an indoor range. The guy next to me was shooting his rifle, and hot brass found its way under my collar. It was HOT! I danced around, finally getting the brass out. When the brass cooled down, people on the range noted I had always kept the barrel downrange, and that my finger was off the trigger the whole time I was distracted by the brass. That level of instinctive trigger and barrel control must be your goal as well.

I'll have more to say on this in future blogs, so please keep checking back.