Some Thoughts Surrounding CCDW

The following are some personal thoughts and philosophies pertaining to carrying a concealed deadly weapon. It is not all-inclusive nor designed as a guide as much as some good material to provoke additional thought and discussion. The following was not written by a lawyer, or to be considered as legal advice. Carrying a concealed deadly weapon bears great responsibilities you owe to yourself, your family, and community- so become informed and do it right!

Make the philosophical and moral decisions before you decide to carry a weapon. Answer the following questions:

Get your information from reliable sources. Your uncle Louie who has owned a pistol for 20 years that has never left his sock drawer is probably not the best person to ask for information because people will give information and advice even when it is totally irrelevant. Ask experts. Do research on the Internet. This is typically something that a lot of people don't do when purchasing their first firearm. Even military experience without actual combat experience can be very limited and over time becomes hazy. Go to a reputable gun shop or range and ask people who are up-to-date on firearms and ammunition. Ask police officers. Although you will get a lot of different opinions, you will see trends among them to help you decide. Personal experience is sometimes the best resource and many ranges will rent revolvers and semi-automatic handguns to try. Take firearms classes. An hour of personal training on the range is also a great (and inexpensive) investment to learn the basics if you don't know.

Purchase a weapon you can control. Bullets that miss don't count. Missed shots can injure or kill an innocent person, and will do nothing more than enrage your attacker. Think it doesn't happen much?- do an Internet search for "innocent bystander". The best rule of thumb for self-defense is to use the largest caliber that you can control.

If you can't afford a reliable weapon, save until you can. Unreliable pistols can be found everywhere and usually very inexpensive. If you purchase a weapon that is unreliable, your best bet would be to practice throwing it until you know you could knock out a moving person with one throw. Sound silly? Buying an unreliable product to protect your life is, but some people do.

Don't rely on pea-shooters. Small caliber pistols (.22, .25, 32) are small, easy to conceal, and easy to control, BUT probably will not stop an attack unless you 1) get a very lucky shot off, or 2) are accurate and calm enough to hit a moving target the size of a nickel in stressful situations. There have been people shot with small caliber weapons who didn't even realize it until much later. If you're not sure where to begin, ask a professional. I personally wouldn't suggest looking below a .38 +p (revolver) or .380 (semi-automatic), but there is a growing number of people who think even that is too small- they suggest a minimum of 9mm.

Don't buy "Dirty Harry" hand-cannons for concealed carry. Admittedly, an 8 1/2" inch barrel .44 auto-mag would make most attackers urinate upon presentation, but that is if you actually were able to draw it fast enough. A one-second difference in draw could mean the difference between life and death. Another drawback to really large pistols is their weight and ability to conceal. If you stop wearing it because of the weight or cannot because the way you dress half the time, it is useless. An attacker probably won't let you run home or to your car to get it before proceeding with an attack.

Choose the right ammunition. A great firearm with junk ammunition is, well, junk. Even when practicing on the range, use good ammunition that wont foul the barrel or potentially damage the pistol. There have been cases of pistols actually blowing apart from bad or "hot" reloads purchase cheaply at a gun show. If you insist on purchasing cheap ammunition to use- see the "practice throwing" statement in the pea-shooters section above.

Keep your weapon concealed at all times. It is called a "Carrying Concealed Deadly Weapon" permit for a reason- if your weapon is inadvertently displayed in public, somebody will probably call the police. The weapon should never be displayed unless you are directly engaged in the act of defending yourself. Causing alarm to the general public will get you arrested.

Know and obey the law. Make sure you know state law and especially "off-limit" areas for carry. If you plan to travel, be sure to check the other state's laws in advance before taking your firearm with you. Some states have "peaceable journey' laws while others do not. A good source of state laws is www.handgunlaw.us. They provide cross-state references as to where your permit may be valid in other states, but be warned - some states only recognize "resident" permits from other states and not "non-resident" permits. An example is a Florida CCDW permit where 26 other states (at the time of this writing) recognize and honor both Florida's resident and non-resident permits while two states only recognize Florida's resident permits. Some states allow licensed CCDW holders to carry firearms within airports except within security areas, some do not. Be sure to know all of the laws for your state and any area that you plan to travel to.

Carry your firearm! Carry it every day, in every (legal) situation possible. A firearm not with you can't protect you.

Check your employer's policies before carrying a firearm to work. Some companies strictly prohibit firearm carry on company property, whether you have a permit or not.

Too much practice still isn't enough. Go to a range regularly and practice until drawing and firing (accurately) is as natural as walking or driving. If you haven't shot your pistol in six months, you are rusty. Practice to the point where you can draw, aim and fire without conscious thought or hesitation. Practice with the firearm(s) you intend on carrying. Practicing with a .22 caliber pistol when you are carrying a .45 caliber is the equivalent of using a go-cart to get ready for the Indy 500. Plan and practice for any situation you can. Have you ever tried (with permission and appropriate supervision if necessary on the range) to shoot while laying on your back? Why not? If you are suddenly attacked from behind and are knocked down, that is where you will be potentially shooting from. Defending yourself on a street is different than within your home - so practice shooting around barricades that simulate doorways, cars, or mailboxes. Have you shot while moving, or at multiple targets? Trust me, each is a different animal to master even if you are already a good marksman. Being able to stand stationary and repeatedly hit a target is not being fully prepared for self-defense. Many ranges such as JD Defense offer courses which cover these situations- take advantage of them.

Cycle your ammunition. Old ammunition is potentially unreliable ammunition for several reasons. The rounds you keep in your firearm may have oil from the firearm or sweat from your body eventually enter or seep into the cartridge. When you go to the range to practice, occasional use your current self-defense rounds and replenish them with new. This accomplishes two things- you refresh yourself on the difference of feel or recoil between your target rounds and defensive rounds and you know for sure that your ammunition is never too old.

Use common sense. Avoid situations that you know may result in the need to use deadly force. Deescalate situations whenever possible and look for avenues of escape wherever possible. Follow your gut instinct- if a group of people don't appear "right" or seem up to no good, avoid them. Look for potential hiding places when approaching an ATM- if you see somebody "just standing around"- don't stop- get the heck out of there!

A final word. To carry, you must be or become an "above average" citizen because you have been entrusted to hold a permit that carries with it greater responsibility than most other citizens must face. You have to think more, deescalate situations, and above all, keep calmer than everybody else when tempers flare. You must read and keep up-to-date with the laws surrounding carrying, and above all, follow them. You must set and be the example for others to follow. Sound like a lot? It is, but you are enjoying one of the greatest privileges you could be granted by your state.