CCW Conundrum

Reader PISSED (and yes, he's a gun owner in MA, so the moniker is well-deserved), writes in with the following questions:

Good morning Jay,

Thanks for taking your time to read this : )

I fairly new to concealed carry and gun ownership in MA.

I appreciate your blog and also have followed some of the links to others like Bruce's.

My question if you dont mind is, who do you recommend as a good instructor for
CC?

Also what would you recommend for a good gun to carry in an ankle holster?

I have purchased from Four Seasons Firearms in the past.

I live on the north shore as well.

regards, PISSED

Naturally, I had to respond (note: Saying good things about my humble poo flinging scribblings is a great way to get a response):

Thanks for reading MArooned, and thanks for your questions. As always, I'd like to use this as a post, as I think others may have good answers to your questions (I typically will leave off last names; if you're really concerned you can simply be "a reader").

As for who to go to for CCW training, really, in MA, there's no better place to go than GOAL (Gun Owner's Action League - you *are* a member, right?). GOAL offers numerous classes pertaining to MA gun laws; the best course for what you're looking for is the "Art of Concealed Carry" class. It's taught by Jon Green and Darius Arbabi, two very knowledgeable and personable gentlemen who are true assets to 2A community here in MA. There are some more specialized courses available such as the Secrets of the Concealed Snub Revolver course offered by Michael de
Bethencourt.

As to your second question, I happen to have two of the guns I'd recommend, and can and have carried one of them in an ankle holster for significant periods of time. While you can find ankle holsters for guns up to the subcompact Glocks and S&W M&Ps, I wouldn't recommend it due to the weight and bulk. I've carried my S&W AirLite model 360PD in an ankle holster, and at 13.9 ounces loaded it's really the heaviest I'd want to carry in an ankle holster. The AirWeight Model 637 would also be a good choice, only a few ounces heavier. I'd recommend getting a revolver with an exposed hammer and an ankle holster with a retention strap for security.

Since you're in MA, the other options are harder to come by - the Kel-Tec P3AT or the Ruger LCP. Both are lighter than the S&W J-frame and more compact, so they're both less obtrusive in the holster and lighter at the end of your leg... However, since the powers-that-be have determined them to not be safe enough for us peons, they're rather hard to find and will come at a premium (expect to pay $400 - $500 for a P3AT, which retails for under $300 new...)

As for ankle carry in general, a lot of folks don't care for it, and with valid reason. It's limiting to small, less-powerful guns that take practice to shoot well; it's much less accessible than IWB carry; it's more prone to accidental dislodging of the firearm under physical activity. The pluses are that it is pretty deep cover and that, most importantly, it allows you to obey the first rule of gunfighting: Have a gun. It's also good for carrying a back-up gun if you choose to do so.

The one thing I'd mention is that the guns I've suggested for ankle carry are also well-suited for pocket carry. I carry both the S&W 360 and the P3AT in DeSantis Nemesis holsters and find it to be a superior method of carrying IMHO. I've posted the methods of carry in this post. Carrying in your pocket allows for a much faster draw than from an ankle holster (did a video on drawing from the pocket here).

Thanks for writing, and I'll offer that if you would like to try either a S&W J-frame or a P3AT, give a holler and we'll figure something out.

Best regards,

Jay G.
MArooned

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Anyone got any better suggestions for either training (local to the Northeast, or around the country) or a gun for ankle-carry?

That is all.