False Hope: Concealed Carry Permits

Of the fifty states in the Union, only three — Vermont, Alaska and Arizona — do not require their citizens to apply and pay for a concealed handgun permit. Yes, pay for. There are always fees. It's like the poll tax. No money, no permit. If you are a law-abiding citizen, but can't come up with the $200 or $300 for classes and a permit, too bad. Is this fair? No. Does anyone making the rules care? Not so much.

But, as many people will say, aren't permits a good thing? Don't they weed out the bad, the unstable, the questionable who might want to carry a loaded gun concealed among the rest of us? It's a hope. But, as I hope to show, a false one.

What's in a permit that might provide a higher level of safety among the public? Well, you have to get a background check. Yes, but what does that mean? It usually means that if the applicant is known to the system, flags will be raised. A criminal record? Flag. A restraining order? Flag. Some record of alcohol or drug abuse? Flag. Arrest record? Flag. It should be obvious that many people who are flagged by a background check may not, indeed, be a liability with a firearm or anything else for that matter. Some people would then be prohibited from carrying a concealed firearm when there may be no actual or practical objections.

Then, those who can pay for the necessary training classes and permits, and who don't get flagged by the system, are issued permits and can carry concealed amongst the unarmed public. Does this make the world a safer place? No. It just means that there are fewer people who can carry a concealed firearm for self defense to counter those other people out there who don't have permits, never applied for a permit, and don't care about permits, rules, laws and regulations.

People who have their reasons to harm others, whether those reasons be for greed, religious fervor, malice, envy, power or just a twisted psychopathic brain don't care about permits and never bother to apply. They carry what they want, when and where they want and are much happier if they know you, and those around you, are unarmed.

In states where legislation that would follow Vermont, Alaska and Arizona's rule that the citizenry should not be prohibited from arming themselves if they so desire has been defeated, and those opposing such legislation get all dewey-eyed and jubilant that they've somehow made themselves safer, no one stops to observe that in those three free-carry states, there has never been an increase in violent crime that could be legitimately connected to permitless concealed carry. The violent crime waves tend to occur in states and cities that make it extremely difficult for a citizen to walk armed for their own protection.

But, as we all know, reason plays little part in this struggle. Reason will show that an armed society is a more polite and less dangerous society. Reason, however, usually loses out to fear, fear among the ignorant, uneducated and timid who just don't like guns and don't like people who do like guns. They would rather have a cop on every corner and in every classroom, but they of course, want someone else to pay for that.

Me, I respect cops and the job they do to keep us as safe as they can, but I certainly don't want to encourage a police state. I would rather be able to stand a chance against the bad guys, the terrorists and the ones who want to kill you and me as their ticket to their twisted version of heaven.

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When Other Lights Have Failed

 

When the Fellowship of the Ring leaves Rivendell they are given various items and weapons to guide them on their journey and protect them when things turn bad, as they soon do. Bows and arrows, knives, rope and a light. Not being able to carry (or effectively use) a bow and arrows, being only minimally skilled with a knife to the degree of not endangering myself or others, not packing a rope, that only leaves a light.

Yes, a light can serve as an effective self-defense carry tool. I'm not very interested in those "tactical" lights with the scalloped bezels meant to be used as a striking weapon. That might come in handy as a last-ditch defensive weapon, but I'm not building my tactics around that. Instead, I'm suggesting you consider carrying a quality, dependable, high-output flashlight as part of your EDC (every day carry) gear.

Why? Because one of the most important tools in anyone's self defense carry inventory is awareness. The best way to defend oneself and others is to avoid dangerous or potentially dangerous situations. To do this effectively means that one must cultivate awareness to see and acknowledge potential threat situations. This is much easier to do when potential threats or threat environments are readily visible, but not so easy in low light conditions or in the dark. However, if you carry a good flashlight it is a simple matter to click it on and take a look around.

In the larger town near out little village, Walmart is a popular place. It is busy day and night. It has a very large parking lot that is not well lit the further one gets from the building. The parking lot is always at least half full, and frequently more than that. There have been, and continue to be, incidents in which people are accosted, items stolen and people robbed. Panhandlers and sometimes drug dealers, or people looking for money to buy drugs, are in the lot at night. Walking to your car it pays to be alert and shining a very bright flashlight beam around does two things: spots potential trouble in your area, and alerts anyone who might be interested in trouble that you are aware, alert and looking out for yourself.

Any time you are out at night, especially alone, you should have a good flashlight with you and be ready to use it liberally to check out your surroundings. If you see something suspicious, you can retreat and call for help on your cell phone. You do carry a cell phone, don't you?

Obviously, if you are armed and must resort to your weapon for self defense at night, having a reliable, high-power flashlight at your disposal is a critical component of being successful in stopping a threat. Not only will it illuminate your threat, but if it's truly a bright light, will make it very difficult for that threat to see.

When I will be out and about at night, I carry the Fenix you see at the top of this post. Otherwise, I carry a small, but bright, Fenix light clipped to my pocket for that and general purpose use, like not tripping on my way to the bathroom at night, finding little things I drop in dark places and looking for my lost keys...

 

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Yet Another "Perfect" System

Back in January, I wrote a piece on  A Perfect Combination which extolled the virtues of the Dave Bullard leather OWB cross draw holster and the Ruger LCP. As such things will do, my thinking has changed a bit, improved I hope, about the nature of 'perfect' carry for people.

Perfect is too strong of a word for a concept that is highly variable, depending on factors such as individual build, sex, geographical restraints and considerations, and experience with handguns in general. I will have to say that my little sister taught me a lesson here.

One night a few weeks ago my sister called from her home in Arizona. She and her husband, who is often away for extended periods due to  his work, live in a metropolitan city there, in what I would term a "sketchy" neighborhood. She, having grown up in Texas like me, wanted my advice on what kind of gun she should get to protect herself in her home and when she was outside going to and from, or walking her dogs. So much for theoretical considerations. This is family stuff.

My sister is not going to be packing a big Glock or 1911 when she is outside her home. She could handle that type of handgun at home, but the big consideration in my mind was to recommend something that she would regularly carry on her person and not be tempted to leave behind because it was too big, too heavy, too inconvenient. Naturally, I settled quickly on a small frame semi-automatic. These include guns like the Kahr, S&W Bodyguard, Ruger LC9, KelTec, LCP, etc. Knowing my sister and how she dresses and that she lives in a predominantly hot climate, I felt that the gun must be a mite smaller than the usual "compact". My Ruger SR9c is "compact", but I wouldn't recommend it in these circumstances.

She also needed a gun that is reliable and easy to operate. I don't mean easy to shoot – that comes with practice, practice and more practice. Being a semi-auto, it needed to be easy for an older female to handle and rack. This is not a trivial point. Many older people have diminished strength in their hands and fingers, perhaps even suffer from arthritis in those joints. Short of using a revolver, an easy to operate semi-auto is a requirement.

Knowing that cost is a consideration and quality is imperative, I recommended she buy a new-model Ruger LCP with the better trigger. Yes, it has marginally better sights, but with that kind of weapon at the ranges where is is most likely to be used, sights are not really a consideration. She did so, and reported back that indeed she did have some difficulty racking the slide. I recommended she get a small roll of skateboard tape and cover both sides of the serrations on the slide with it. This is a great aid for people with weak hands.

Knowing that holsters are a big part of the package, I ordered a Galco Stow-n-Go IWB for her. It's a very nice holster to start with. After she gets used to carrying and shooting the LCP, I will likely recommend she move to a kydex or injection molded holster so that it will always retain its shape and be capable of one handed re-holstering.

So, is this the "perfect" system? No. And, really, neither was my LCP/Bullard Crossdraw the "perfect" setup. It depends. As a person gets used to concealed carry and gains more training and experience, it will become more clear what that system should be for him or her. Perhaps some basic requirements can be formulated, subject to change, of course. I'd begin with:

• Buy a quality gun you will carry as often as possible.
• Learn to shoot it effectively and safely and practice often.
• Buy a holster made for that gun and the place on your body where you will carry it.
• Carry it whenever possible.
• Practice regularly drawing and dry firing your UNLOADED gun. Do this in privacy or with a professional trainer.
• Carry at least one extra magazine or reload.
• Don't worry about how powerful your gun is. Any gun is capable of stopping the threat. Any gun is capable of not stopping the threat. Again, it depends on circumstances and your training.

In addition to all of this, it is your responsibility to know the laws governing concealed carry and the use of deadly force in self defense. I would also recommend that you review my post on the aftermath of a defensive shooting The Legal Aftermath of a Defensive Shooting

Cook’s Holsters – The Chef’s Surprise

Cook's IWB adjustable clip holster with the S&W M&P Shield

Cook's IWB adjustable clip holster

Cook's IWB adjustable clip holster, body side

Cook's IWB adjustable clip holster with the Shield, body side.

Last year I embarked on a project to find excellent IWB holsters for we civilians who carry concealed in everyday life. There are, of course, literally hundreds of holster makers out there vying for our money. Some of them are established, large businesses that also make other gear for law enforcement and military use. Some are medium to small businesses making gear of their own design to their own specifications and quality requirements. Some are people working out of their garages and basements making gear they believe in, and a few others are turing out cheap knock-offs to make some quick money.

Although one has perhaps too many choices in holsters, and most of us accumulate a box full of rejects while looking for the right one, holsters are a most important part of a person’s every day carry gear. You will see some people who have expensive handguns of which they are inordinately proud, but carry them in inexpensive holsters that may confer potential liability for the shooter. I have also seen some people who have inexpensive but well cared for handguns holstered in quality holsters that will always be ready to do their job effectively, every time. If you carry a handgun, you need, absolutely need, a quality holster.

A quality holster will do a number of things very well. It will keep your gun securely contained while protecting the trigger at all times. It will be constructed so that your handgun is easily accessed when needed, but will not come out unless you draw it. It will be designed to ride in the position you choose for carry, and not wobble, twist, or deform. It will be acceptably comfortable. I

t will be constructed so that it is ready for one-hand re-holstering without taking one's eyes off of the scene to search for the holster’s opening. Although some firearms pundits and internet ‘experts’ claim this is not necessary, they are wrong. There may be occasions when one needs absolutely to quickly and securely re-holster one’s firearm: if one is helping an injured person or shielding a child, or if one’s weak-side arm or hand is injured, or if the fight is probably over and the police are arriving. You do not want to be waving a gun around when the police are trying to sort out who they bad guys are.

After much trial and error, and as I’ve become more and more comfortable with concealed carry over the years, I have settled on appendix carry for 90% of my carry time. It just makes sense considering my life style and where I go and how I dress. Appendix carry makes getting to your gun easier and quicker while walking, standing or sitting, in the car or on the street. And, it is easily concealable even under a simple shirt. There are some who will not consider appendix carry because they have a fear of shooting themselves in the stomach, groin or leg when drawing or re-holstering their gun. It should be noted that many people and professionals choose this type of carry especially when concealment and quick access is primary. Given the fact that a modern semi auto handgun, even those without a manual safety like the enormously popular Glock, do not just go off by themselves, but require a positive, trigger pull, it only makes sense that keeping one's finger off of the trigger until ready to fire is a cardinal rule not to be broken. Allied with this is the necessity to keep any other object away from the trigger during holstering or re-holstering. That's where a plastic or kydex holster comes into it's own. They don't (or shouldn't, if the right holster is chosen) deform or collapse like fabric or leather holsters may do, especially after they are older. Keeping one's clothing out of the way when drawing or re-holstering is the shooter's responsibility regardless of the holster.

As I've mentioned before, there lives in our little town a retired law enforcement officer who often goes armed around town with his Glock stuck into the waistband of his jeans. No holster. No trigger shroud. He likes to call this "Mexican carry" and thinks he knows what he is doing. A few of us have reflected on how long it will be before he creates a negligent discharge. Speaking with him about the dangers of this to him and possibly others hasn't done much good. Maybe we should just take up a collection and buy him a holster?

Most of the various holsters I have used over the years are languishing in a box or have been sold. I’ve used leather, hybrid, synthetic, plastic and kydex holsters. For IWB appendix carry holster for my M&P Shield I reach for my Cook’s Holster’s IWB with the adjustable belt clip. Mine is made of 0.080” Kydex. Cook’s offers other thicknesses, but his one is light, strong and will not change shape. I could probably stand on it without damaging it. It has an ABS injection molded plastic belt clip that is strong, flexible and easy to slip on and off over the belt. Once it clicks into place, it stays put. The clip is wide enough to keep the holster and gun from rotating, and shaped on the end so that it’s easy to manipulate, but doesn’t stick out like those awful metal clips which are just waiting to sang on your shirt or sweater.

The other fine points worth mentioning are the sight channel built into the holster. No chance of your gun’s sight being snagged during the draw. The holster has a built-in sweat shield and sports a retention adjustment screw.

I have worn this holster in the appendix, cross draw and strong side positions to test its flexibility in placement. It rides extremely well in any of those positions and with the adjustable cant from the belt clip screws is readily adaptable when you wish to carry in different positions.

I have carried my Shield in many different places and situations riding in this holster. It is comfortable as a hybrid leather and kydex holster, and to my mind better, because it is easier to re-holster into, doesn’t move and I don’t have a large swath of leather and two clips to deal with. This is important when I need to quickly remove the gun and holster, then just as quickly and easily slip it back into place and secure it to my belt. Try that with a hybrid two-clip leather/kydex holster.

I’ve been using this Cook’s holster for the better part of a year, summer, fall and winter and I’ve yet to find something to complain about.

If you are serious about an everyday carry holster that offers quality, durability and is just plain outstanding at what it does, consider a Cook’s holster. They are plain outstanding kick-ass holsters. I call them “Chef’s” holsters, they are that good.

Another future candidate: G-Code's INCOG holster system.

I am looking for other candidates for my personal favorite IWBA (In Waist Band Appendix) carry holster for the S&W M&P Shield. I have been reading and seeing video reviews on G-Code's offering in this area. It's an injection moulded holster that can be part of a modular system, can be adjusted for different carry positions (not just appendix), has the ability to attach a magazine carrier, and has a unique coating called 'tactical fuzz'. It is getting very positive reviews. I hope to have one for testing and to report back here soon.