Are you intending to carry a handgun concealed? If you are, you need to obtain adequate training.
Prerequisities to Concealed Carry training: 1. Handgun Training covering proper safety, grip, aiming, trigger squeeze and follow through (among other things). 2. Shooting several hundred rounds with the handgun you intend to carry. In short, you need to know how to shoot and have proficiency with your handgun. Note: It is very important to state the obvious - Full sized handguns are not suitable for concealed carry.
Training in the law: This is critical and especially important for "out-of-state" concealed carry licenses such as those issued by states of Florida, Utah, Virginia and several others. Each of these states have specific concealed carry requirements that you must know and naturally, obey. Read the fine print!
Training in the selection and use of a holster: Unfortunately most gun stores do not let you unpackage and try on the holster. So figuring out which one is best -- most comfortable and useable with your handgun, is no small task. Most concealed carry training provides several different types of holsters for student use.
Training in drawing from the holster: Learn the proper techniques and practice very often. Practice consists of Dry Firing and Live Firing. Dry firing can be done with snap caps or laser cartridges that project a red dot onto a target. At a minimum, practice a half hour twice a week. Live Firing from a holster is a challenge as most ranges in New Jersey do not allow holsters.
USPSA - United States Practical Shooting Association. United States Practical Shooting Association website provides all the details. In summary it is competition shooting using a holster and multiple magazines. It's a great way to practice safe and effective drawing from the holster. Some ranges in northern NJ have USPSA matches open to the public. Shongum Sportsmen's Association in Hackettstown, NJ has USPSA matches each month. Details are on their website. Shongum Sportsmen's Association.
Concealed carry and self-defense training are other ways to practice and reinforce skills. It is very important to take a course and do it more than once. KJD Fireams Training will have a "Basics of Self-defense using a Handgun" in the near future. Details will be on the website: