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3 Things You Need To Know About Buying A Conceal Carry Weapon

Rob SaysLeave a comment
You won’t be concealing this.

A close friend of mine reached out to me the other day, he’s been thinking about getting his conceal carry permit, and he’s looking to buy a handgun. He wanted to know what my take on a good handgun was.

I’ve conceal carried since 1994. I’ve owned firearms all of my life, I grew up with them. I’ve owned multiple handguns since becoming an adult. I worked a job for almost 20 years that required me to carry a firearm while on duty. I’ve had a little experience in this area.

So what did I tell my friend? I’m going to share that with you right now. You may find this information interesting if you are new to the conceal carry market and are looking at purchasing a handgun.

Before I get into the 3 things that you need to know about a conceal carry weapon, I want to cover a couple of other things first.

Purchasing a conceal carry firearm shouldn’t be done on a whim or taken lightly. You are buying something that can and possibly will end another life. Laws vary depending on where you live, but you will end up having a day in court if you use lethal force. Taking a life is no light matter, and if you use self defense as your defense, there is no disputing that you took that life, you killed them. In the eyes of the law, that is a homicide. Last time I checked, homicide is a crime throughout all of the United States, punishable by long extended stays in prison, and could possibly be a capital offense which could warrant the death penalty. Again, no one is disputing that you took a life, the evidence will show that clearly. We have a body, we have a weapon, we have possible witnesses, and we have all sorts of forensic evidence pointing directly at you. But was it justified? That’s the key. If it was justified, basically you are good to go, at least in the criminal sense. Civilly could be a whole other can of worms. If it wasn’t justified, well, you just committed murder. Welcome to prison and worse.

Check your local and state laws when it comes to what it takes to get a conceal permit and the use of deadly force. I’m not an attorney, I’m not providing legal advice. Ignorance of the law does not excuse you from the law. The consequences of ignorance are solely on your shoulders.

A few questions you need to ask yourself before getting a conceal permit and a firearm.

  1. Why do you want a permit and a weapon? What are your reasons? I don’t care about your answer, but you should.
  2. Are you willing to end a life if need be?
  3. Would you hesitate to use your weapon?
  4. Are you willing to accept the consequences of using that weapon?

You would be surprised how many people I’ve talked to over the years who didn’t think about any of the above questions. Especially the willingness and the hesitation questions.

Realize this: If you hesitate at the moment of truth, you will end up dead.

Let me say it another way: Let’s pretend for a moment that I’m the bad guy. If you hesitate, I will take your weapon from you and kill you with it. Your firearm doesn’t know who its owner is. It has no loyalty. Zero. It can kill you as easily as someone else.

Get some training and experience with handling firearms before you go out and get your conceal permit and a handgun. I am still somewhat shocked to see people who have never fired or owned a handgun going in to get their first handgun and their conceal permit. They are a danger to themselves and possibly others as far as I’m concerned. They are the ones that are most likely to either end up dead by their own firearm, or end up doing a long stint in prison because they were not justified in the use of deadly force.

Know the laws. Get training. Practice. A LOT.

Next thing, when it comes to a conceal carry weapon, don’t skimp on the price. Don’t go out and buy some cheap piece of shit “Saturday Night Special.” That cheap handgun will jam, misfire, stove pipe, you name it. You don’t want that happening when it is your moment of truth. Spend the money. Buy something that has a proven track record and is reliable. We are talking about yours, or someone you love, life here.

Try firing a bunch of firearms. Go to a range and rent a bunch of guns if you have that option. See what ones you like. Which one fits your hand best? Which one is the most comfortable to hold? How’s the weight? How’s the recoil if any?

How much stopping power do you realistically need? A .44 Magnum or a .50 caliber Desert Eagle are great for showing off your ego, shooting elephants and shooting through houses. The courts will probably consider it overkill when it comes to self defense. Keep that in mind. 9mm, .40, .45, and .357 are your best bets.

Carry factory ammunition in your conceal carry weapon. Reloads are great for target practice, not for self defense. A prosecuting attorney may go after the fact that you had reloads in your weapon when you used it and that may not sit well in your favor when you have your day in court. The goal of your ammunition should be to stop your target, not stop your target and the 12 other people in the vicinity. No reloads while conceal carrying.

Armor piercing rounds, if you can get them, are a bad idea too. Know why? Because they can go through all sorts of materials and hit bystanders, and they make you look like a cop killer. Do you want that when you have your day in court?

If you have stuck with me this far, I’m now going to give you the 3 things that I mentioned in the title of this essay. Let’s call them CCR. No, that’s not short for Creedence Clearwater Revival.

CCR stands for:

  1. Cost. A conceal carry firearm will usually cost you more than its full sized counterpart. You get a smaller sized gun for a bigger price tag.
  2. Capacity. A conceal carry firearm usually holds way less ammunition than its full sized counterpart. Keep that in mind.
  3. Recoil. A conceal carry firearm can be made of much lighter material than its full sized counterpart and since it is smaller, it is usually quite a bit lighter. Less weight of the firearm, more noticeable recoil. I’ve shot several conceal carry firearms that had a much greater recoil than their full sized counterparts, it was interesting to say the least. Try shooting a 4 inch or 6 inch barrel .357 Magnum and then shoot its conceal carry equivalent.

So what are my personal thoughts on buying a firearm that has been made specifically for conceal carry? Out of all the handguns that I own, only two of them are actually considered conceal carry. I have a Walther PPS and a Ruger LCP. Both of these purchases were made in the last couple of years. Before that, all I carried was full sized handguns. I still carry my full sized .40 concealed. I still carry my full sized .45 concealed. I have no problems concealing any of mine. It’s a matter of personal choice and preference when it comes down to it. Personally I like a cheaper price tag, more ammunition capacity, and less recoil. But that’s just me.

So let’s recap:

  1. Don’t skimp on price
  2. Know why you are getting this weapon and know what it can do.
  3. Get training and practice a lot. Become very familiar with your firearm.
  4. Factory made ammunition only for whatever you conceal carry when you carry.
  5. Know the laws where you live and where you are traveling.

Keep yourself and those you care about, safe. Stay out of prison. Stay alive.

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Sheep, Sheepdogs, and Wolves

Rob Says3 Comments

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A long time ago, in a prior life of mine when I worked in the armored car services, we had our bi-annual weapons certification course. Every six months we would have to get together with some state appointed instructors to qualify on our firearms to meet a minimum requirement by the state in order to keep our armed guard’s license, and in turn, keep our jobs. In addition to proficiency and maintenance of a firearm, we would have class training where we would go over the use of deadly force, the legalities of deadly force, common questions on conceal carry, and a host of other things all weapons related.

One time the instructor mentioned, Sheep (or sheeple, he had a high opinion of the general populace), sheepdogs, and wolves. Now for those of you that don’t know, sheep are the general population. Stupid, defenseless, crowd mentality, and weak. Wolves are the predators, villains, and bad guys. Sheepdogs are the “good guys.” The protectors of the sheep. The hero’s. Think cops, military, first responders. He went on and on about the virtues of being a sheepdog and vilified the wolves as much as he could have. But something about it sat wrong with me. Something was off.

I figured out what it was, and Jack Donovan, the author of The Way of Men and Becoming A Barbarian put it succinctly: (Bold and emphasis is mine.)

Plato referred to his guardian class, his sheepdogs, as “noble puppies.” I’ve borrowed that phrase many times myself – but aren’t puppies and sheepdogs both a bit too cute? Perhaps even insulting? Would ancient warriors have wanted to be called “puppies” or “sheepdogs?”

What is a sheepdog if not a domesticated wolf who, as the result of his breeding, training, and conditioning, does exactly what he is told?

A sheepdog is a pet. A sheepdog has a master. His master owns him. The sheepdog’s master is not the sheep. His master uses the sheepdog to control the sheep, who are his assets with which he will do as he pleases.

Perhaps a “sheepdog,” then, isn’t such a noble thing to be after all.

And being the sheep of a man who imagines himself as a sheepdog isn’t so great either.

If men are loyal to your tribe, and they are willing to maim and murder other men to protect you, why insult them by calling them slavish, domesticated pets? Why not call them your wolves? Don’t wolves defend their own pack?

If you are fighting to protect people you care about – your people – then why fight like a sheepdog when you can fight like a wolf?

I couldn’t have said it better.

The idea of being a “wolf” has gotten a bad rap over the years. I think that it’s time that we as men need to take the word back and make it an idea, or a virtue if you will, to live up to. It’s not bad being a wolf.

Personally I would rather be known and seen as a wolf instead of a sheepdog.

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It Can All Happen In An Instant

Rob Says2 Comments

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A little over a year ago, I had knee surgery. I tore my outer meniscus on my right knee by simply getting out of the truck. No weird twisting, no over-exertion, nothing like that. Just opening the door and stepping out.

Since it was a work related injury, I was covered under the worker’s compensation fund. Before I could get the surgery, I had to get an MRI to see exactly what was going on inside my knee and be able to pinpoint where the damage was and how much damage was there. Before I could get the MRI, I had to do physical therapy. MRI’s and surgery ain’t cheap if you didn’t know, and worker’s compensation wants to try everything else possible before going the expensive route.

While I was doing physical therapy and was waiting for the go ahead to get the MRI, I was hobbling along, doing the best I could with a bum knee. One evening, my girlfriend and I decided to take a shower together. It’s a regular routine for us. If you don’t shower with your partner, I highly recommend it. It’s a great excuse to see them nekkid, it’s a chance to get your back washed, it’s a great way to conserve water if that’s your thing, and it’s a chance for a moment of intimacy.

While we were in the shower, we talked about our days, we washed each other, and my girl decided to give me a shave. This is one of her skills that I love about her. The willingness to show affection and take care of me. She started by shaving my head and then moved on to my face and neck, making sure to not shave the beard off. While she was shaving my neck, I’m standing with my left leg locked and my right leg slightly “askew.” I say that because I couldn’t lock my knee on this leg because of the injury. While she is shaving my neck I’m looking up towards the ceiling. I start feeling a little bit funny and so I say, “I’m feeling a little light headed.” I was planning on squatting down in the shower to get the blood flow back into my brain. Yeah right. Good idea. Too bad it didn’t work out that way.

I come to in the bottom of the tub. Any time in my past when I have passed out, my hearing is what comes back first. Followed by my vision and then my body. It’s strange passing out, you don’t realize until after the fact that you did. Coming to is like waking up from a dream. You can hear things going on around you, but you think you’re dreaming them. My experience has been that when I’m “waking up,” everything is chaos. This time was no different.

I can hear her screaming my name over and over. I hear her say that she’s going to call an ambulance. I hear her leave the bathroom and go into the bedroom to grab her phone. About this time, my vision comes back and I realize I’m lying in the bottom of the tub. The shower is off and I’m soaking wet. Why the fuck am I lying in the bottom of the tub?

My girl comes running back into bedroom, buck naked and soaking wet, phone in hand. She’s crying. I tell her, “Hang on. Don’t call an ambulance yet. Just give me a minute.” My body and brain are still trying to reboot and get back online. I don’t know exactly how long I laid there in the bottom of the tub, but it felt like hours. Finally my brain and body are talking to each other again and I feel stable enough that I think I can get out of the tub without too much problem and hopefully I won’t injure myself any more than I already have.

My girl helped me out of the tub and walked me to the bed so that I could lie down for a minute and get my shit together. As we pass the bathroom mirror, I glance at myself, and I shit you not, I’m ghost white from head to toe. I lied down on the bed and let my brain and my body finish getting their shit together, and I ask her what happened. She preceded to tell me the very little that I knew, the part about me saying that I was feeling light-headed, and then from there the story got interesting.

“You stiffened up and then your mouth went slack. You started slowly sliding down the wall of the shower. I grabbed you and I started saying your name and you didn’t answer. You went completely white. I didn’t want you to crash down and bust your head open or something, so I tried holding you up, but you were dead weight. I started slapping you across the face to get you to respond, but you didn’t. I couldn’t hold on to you so I helped you slide down the wall and into the bottom of the tub. I was saying your name over and over, but you wouldn’t respond. I started freaking out. I thought you were dead. I thought maybe you had a stroke or a heart attack or something. Your eyes were open the whole time.”

That’s when she really started sobbing. I sat up and held her and told that everything was going to be all right. That I was going to be fine. That I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. She was really freaked out by the whole experience. If memory serves me correctly, this was the first time that she had ever seen someone pass out for whatever reason.

While it has taken me a while to write about this experience, and it’s taken you however long to read about it, the actual experience when it happened, the passing out and coming to part of it at least, was under 30 seconds. From me saying that I was feeling light-headed to coming to at the bottom of the tub and telling my girl to hold off on calling the ambulance was less than 30 seconds.

Yeah, so? What’s the point?

The point is that your life can be over faster than you can blink your eyes. You can be going along, minding your own business, doing whatever it is that you are doing, and just like that, it’s over.

You may think that what you do doesn’t matter, that nothing matters. You couldn’t possibly be more wrong. Everything matters. All of it. What you say, what you do, it fucking matters.

When I passed out, I had and have no recollection of what happened. Zero. I only know because of what my girl told me. I’m not sure what happens after we die, I don’t know about reincarnation or some kind of afterlife. The thought that I put to word, but feel a little shiver of fear when I utter it is, there is no afterlife. There is no reincarnation. When we die, it’s like turning off a light switch. One moment you are there, the next you are not.

Everything matters. You have this one life to live. What you do with it is up to you. You don’t know when your time is up. It’s up when it’s up. What are you doing to make the most of your time here? What kind of legacy will you leave behind when you are gone?

Oh, my surgery? I had it about a month after my incident in the shower. The doc fixed it up fine and it’s healed as much as it’s going to. Squatting is a bit painful for me now, I have to do a modified squat to get down. I can’t run as fast as I used to, and I can’t run for as long either, my knee starts to fatigue. When a storm is coming on, my knee gets achy, it’s my own personal barometer I guess, and it hasn’t been wrong yet. When I went in for the surgery itself, they put me under via anesthesia. I remember being wheeled into the operating theater, getting some chitchat with the nurse, and then waking up in a recovery room. It literally went like that. No talk about, “Okay, we are giving you the sedative, you should feel warm and tingly, we need you to count backwards from 10 to 1,” type of shit. I was talking and then I woke up. The surgery was a little over an hour. That’s an hour of life that I know nothing about other than through other people.

Light switch on. Light switch off.

What you do matters. Everything matters.

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