What is Your Concealed Carry Mindset?
Carrying a concealed handgun requires a certain mindset. Learning to determine what constitutes a threat to your life or that of your loved ones, and then making the decision to answer that threat in kind, is crucial. If you choose to carry a concealed handgun, will you be able to deal with such a threat immediately and not hesitate to fire if you are certain the threat requires that level of response? Think about it. Of course, a better response is to first avoid placing yourself in situations where you may need to use a handgun to defend yourself. But if you do find yourself in a confrontation with another individual(s) and you don't have the option of walking away or "talking them down" you must be mentally prepared to use deadly force and deal with the consequences of your actions.
Your mindset should also include the willingness to thoroughly know the laws concerning when, where, and how you are legally allowed to carry a concealed weapon in your state of residence. Laws differ widely from state to state. And if you travel with your concealed weapon, it is important to know the reciprocity laws of the state you will be traveling to as well as the laws of the states which you will be driving through on your way to your destination. Some states recognize the legality of a concealed carry permit issued to a resident of another state and some do not. Simply having a concealed carry permit issued to you by your state is not a blanket license to carry it in any state. For instance, some states extend the right to business owners to ban the carry of concealed weapons on their premises. In a way, this is an unenforceable law because, by definition, if your handgun is properly concealed, no one but you knows that you have it. However, if you are forced to use your concealed handgun in defense of your life or that of others on a premises that has banned concealed carry, then you may be treated as a criminal. At this time, every state has banned the carry of weapons, concealed or otherwise, on any school property and in all government buildings.
In addition, different states have different definitions concerning what constitutes a deadly threat. For instance, the state of North Carolina considers "a significant disparity of force" to be a deadly threat. Therefore, if you are faced with more than one individual that clearly mean to do you bodily harm, then it is considered a disparity of force and thus you are legally allowed to use deadly force to defend yourself. However, North Carolina also requires you to retreat from any perceived threat to your person before employing deadly force, whereas other states such as Florida have a "stand your ground" clause which says that if you are threatened or attacked, you are not required to retreat before using deadly force to defend yourself. These are prime examples of why it is absolutely imperative that you learn the laws concerning these issues in your state of residence and any other state in which you plan to legally carry your weapon. If you are ever required to use your concealed firearm to defend your life or that of others, you must be 100% certain that you are acting in accordance with the law so that you can defend your actions in a court of law if it becomes necessary. The mindset here is no matter how tedious, know your rights and the laws.
Keep in mind that simply knowing how to load, cock, aim, and fire your handgun is not enough. You might recall a news story a few years ago where a convenience store clerk was confronted by an armed robber. In response, he drew his handgun. Unfortunately, this individual had very little actual practice aiming and shooting his handgun and later admitted, "I was so scared that when I fired the first shot, the coffee pot exploded! Then, when I fired the second shot, the candy in the candy rack went everywhere and, when I fired the third shot, the front door shattered!" Needless to say, the robber escaped unharmed and the store clerk was also unharmed by the robber. All is well that ends well in this case, but the clerk's erratic shots might have resulted in hitting an innocent shopper and facing criminal charges.
Another news headline included a clip of a surveillance video from a jewelry store which showed the owner and his son at work at their respective benches in the back room. A man entered the store with a brief case, casually walked behind one of the jewelry counters, and proceeded to remove jewelry from the case. Perceiving a threat to his life and that of his father, the son drew his handgun from underneath his jeweler's bench, ran to the doorway of the sales area, and then fired two shots at the robber at a distance of less than 10 feet. He missed both times! Consequently, the robber charged the son, grabbed his handgun, ripped it out of his hands, and then proceeded to beat the son with it, and then turned his rage on the father, too, and beat him severely. It could have been worse. The jewel thief could have shot both men, but instead he returned to the sales area where he opened more cases, removed more jewelry, placed it in his brief case, and then exited the building via the front door. All the while, both the father and son were incapacitated on the floor of the work area.
Again, simply owning and carrying a concealed handgun is a fool's gesture if you are not properly trained in its use and if you do not develop and maintain your skills with the weapon, especially when under stress. Does your mindset include dedication to training? Even if you spend some time at the range practicing in a controlled environment, expect that your aim might be off in the heat of the moment. To improve your odds, strive to simulate actual combat situations in a controlled and safe environment. Many facilities across the USA offer this type of training so ordinary citizens like you can hone their skills prior to being confronted with situations where you will need to use your gun in self defense.
Sad but true, over the years, America has seen a sharp rise in the number of criminals and mentally ill individuals who are willing to do bodily harm to other individuals. If you want to be able to defend yourself and your loved ones if threatened, then obtaining a concealed carry permit and legally carrying a concealed handgun for self defense can be a wise decision. But first, ask yourself a few hard questions to ensure you have the best mindset to safely and legally carry a concealed handgun.
Your mindset should also include the willingness to thoroughly know the laws concerning when, where, and how you are legally allowed to carry a concealed weapon in your state of residence. Laws differ widely from state to state. And if you travel with your concealed weapon, it is important to know the reciprocity laws of the state you will be traveling to as well as the laws of the states which you will be driving through on your way to your destination. Some states recognize the legality of a concealed carry permit issued to a resident of another state and some do not. Simply having a concealed carry permit issued to you by your state is not a blanket license to carry it in any state. For instance, some states extend the right to business owners to ban the carry of concealed weapons on their premises. In a way, this is an unenforceable law because, by definition, if your handgun is properly concealed, no one but you knows that you have it. However, if you are forced to use your concealed handgun in defense of your life or that of others on a premises that has banned concealed carry, then you may be treated as a criminal. At this time, every state has banned the carry of weapons, concealed or otherwise, on any school property and in all government buildings.
In addition, different states have different definitions concerning what constitutes a deadly threat. For instance, the state of North Carolina considers "a significant disparity of force" to be a deadly threat. Therefore, if you are faced with more than one individual that clearly mean to do you bodily harm, then it is considered a disparity of force and thus you are legally allowed to use deadly force to defend yourself. However, North Carolina also requires you to retreat from any perceived threat to your person before employing deadly force, whereas other states such as Florida have a "stand your ground" clause which says that if you are threatened or attacked, you are not required to retreat before using deadly force to defend yourself. These are prime examples of why it is absolutely imperative that you learn the laws concerning these issues in your state of residence and any other state in which you plan to legally carry your weapon. If you are ever required to use your concealed firearm to defend your life or that of others, you must be 100% certain that you are acting in accordance with the law so that you can defend your actions in a court of law if it becomes necessary. The mindset here is no matter how tedious, know your rights and the laws.
Keep in mind that simply knowing how to load, cock, aim, and fire your handgun is not enough. You might recall a news story a few years ago where a convenience store clerk was confronted by an armed robber. In response, he drew his handgun. Unfortunately, this individual had very little actual practice aiming and shooting his handgun and later admitted, "I was so scared that when I fired the first shot, the coffee pot exploded! Then, when I fired the second shot, the candy in the candy rack went everywhere and, when I fired the third shot, the front door shattered!" Needless to say, the robber escaped unharmed and the store clerk was also unharmed by the robber. All is well that ends well in this case, but the clerk's erratic shots might have resulted in hitting an innocent shopper and facing criminal charges.
Another news headline included a clip of a surveillance video from a jewelry store which showed the owner and his son at work at their respective benches in the back room. A man entered the store with a brief case, casually walked behind one of the jewelry counters, and proceeded to remove jewelry from the case. Perceiving a threat to his life and that of his father, the son drew his handgun from underneath his jeweler's bench, ran to the doorway of the sales area, and then fired two shots at the robber at a distance of less than 10 feet. He missed both times! Consequently, the robber charged the son, grabbed his handgun, ripped it out of his hands, and then proceeded to beat the son with it, and then turned his rage on the father, too, and beat him severely. It could have been worse. The jewel thief could have shot both men, but instead he returned to the sales area where he opened more cases, removed more jewelry, placed it in his brief case, and then exited the building via the front door. All the while, both the father and son were incapacitated on the floor of the work area.
Again, simply owning and carrying a concealed handgun is a fool's gesture if you are not properly trained in its use and if you do not develop and maintain your skills with the weapon, especially when under stress. Does your mindset include dedication to training? Even if you spend some time at the range practicing in a controlled environment, expect that your aim might be off in the heat of the moment. To improve your odds, strive to simulate actual combat situations in a controlled and safe environment. Many facilities across the USA offer this type of training so ordinary citizens like you can hone their skills prior to being confronted with situations where you will need to use your gun in self defense.
Sad but true, over the years, America has seen a sharp rise in the number of criminals and mentally ill individuals who are willing to do bodily harm to other individuals. If you want to be able to defend yourself and your loved ones if threatened, then obtaining a concealed carry permit and legally carrying a concealed handgun for self defense can be a wise decision. But first, ask yourself a few hard questions to ensure you have the best mindset to safely and legally carry a concealed handgun.
