It finally came! I proudly hold the distinction of being TTAG’s most recently licensed concealed carrier. My ticket showed up in the mail within a week of the state website telling me they’d mailed it. Not bad for the USPS, eh? From the time I submitted paperwork in person, to the time I received my license in the mail was about 6 weeks. Your mileage might vary. Now that I’ve gotten to carry a few times, I’d like to share some early observations . . .
1.) Working for a “gun-free” company is a major inconvenience. Specifically, when I ride my motorcycle, I can’t carry. Guns aren’t allowed in the building, and I don’t have a lockable storage place on the bike.
2.) Carrying is mildly uncomfortable. I’m sure it fades with time, but having a hunk of metal attached to your hip isn’t that natural.
3.) Certain pants are better for carry. Other are not. I wore some denim jeans the first night I could carry and my whole rig felt very secure. A softer pair of slacks did not have the same results. I was constantly adjusting things, but I felt like anything more active than a slow walk and things might have come unhinged.
4.) Nobody cares. I accidentally leaned the wrong way and printed a bit. The lady behind me in line at the store didn’t even notice. People are heads down with their phones, and mostly oblivious. That doesn’t mean that I’m not painfully aware that I have a gun strapped to me, but I do take some comfort in knowing that the world isn’t looking for a concealed handgun.
Finally, I have found the two biggest perks to having my CHL. First, gun buying just got a lot easier. The in-depth background check that Texas performed means that the buying process has sped up considerably. Second, there’s a liquor store in Kileen, TX that offers a 10% discount for CHL holders. What could be better?