Reddit reviews Modern Day Gunslinger: The Ultimate Handgun Training Manual

Instead of shitting on you for being thoughtful and honest, I'll tell you what I did when I decided to start carrying a gun.

1. I read this book. It has stuff I don't agree with but it spends a fair amount of time talking about the mindset that you should have if carrying a weapon.
   
2. I find that carrying makes me a better, nicer person and more pleasant to be around. Because of the attitude discussed in the book, I don't let things bother me like they used to, and I have learned to control my ego and emotions.
   
3. When I started carrying I would carry the gun without one in the chamber (this lasted about a week). If you really wanted to take precautions, you could carry it unloaded. You get used to having it on you and get over feeling self-conscious about it. Maybe you end up deciding it's not for you and maybe you take the next step after realizing:
   
4. No one has any clue you are carrying a gun
   
5. It is not going to go off by itself, guns don't do that
   
6. You have the right disposition to have deadly-force at hand and not use it unless absolutely all other options have been exhausted and you are facing an imminent threat.

Some good advice in the thread and I would echo the need for preparatory research before investing time and money in your endeavor. It may help you to look over a book like Don Mann’s The Modern Day Gunslinger which despite the provocative title is a sound resource for answering a number of your questions as well a providing the premises for CC based upon the writings of Colonels David Grossman and Jeff Cooper. Particularly significant to training is the Shooter’s Triad, comprised of skills in marksmanship/weapons handling, tactics, and arguably the most important of all, establishing & maintaining a combat mindset to ensure that you will survive an armed encounter.

Edit: url

Amazon link

Look through these and read the reviews on them. Amazon always has good books. I'm reading the Modern Day Gunslinger I'm still reading this one, but I think it would be a good book if you're looking into shooting for self defense.