National Carry AcademyExercising Your Second Amendment Right Responsibly
June 10, 2019
Photo courtesy of pixabay.com
You’ve applied for a concealed carry permit and successfully received permission to buy and carry a handgun. You’ve arrived. You’re all set to exercise your 2nd Amendment right. Right? Wrong!
Just because you’ve circumnavigated the legal hurdles doesn’t mean you are ready to start concealed carrying your weapon.
If you are a rookie firearm carrier you probably don’t realize there are a lot of mistakes you can make. These rookie blunders could well compromise your right to conceal carry. You might lose your permit, your weapon or even end up in legal trouble.
Let’s look at seven of the most usual rookie mistakes and how you can avoid.
Rookie Mistake #1: Having the Wrong Attitude
Your new handgun is not a toy. It’s not a macho sidearm. Like the carpenter’s hammer your weapon is a tool. You use it for self-defense. You use it to protect your family and your property.
With concealed carry come responsibilities. When you pull that gun from its holster it’s not to perform tricks or bully others.
Rookie Mistake #2: Choosing Your Handgun Unwisely
Picking the most appropriate handgun for you and your purposes involves knowing realistic things about your goals, your abilities, your body type.
Your aim is to avoid shooting someone—on purpose or accidentally. To that end make sure you’ve got a gun you can pull smoothly and re-holster effortlessly. Choosing the best fit involves some research and some trial and error. Don’t go for the biggest baddest weapon you can find.
Rookie Mistake #3: Not Having Proper Training
Regardless of the training requirements required to get your concealed-carry permit, you should consider training on weapons use as an ongoing thing. You need to put in hours on the firing range regularly. Shoot wisely using eye and ear protection. Get ample target practice. Train in how to use your firearm for self-defense.
Look for courses which focus on accuracy and speed. Take firearms safety courses.
Rookie Mistake #4: Not Having the Right Holster
This may seem trivial. But, selecting the right holster for your weapon and body type is about as important as choosing the right firearm. There are many holster styles. Think about where and how you wish to carry—inside the waistband, outside the waistband, shoulder…Don’t opt for fashionable. Look for the best holster for your gun. The holster must fit comfortably. Try several holsters in different materials: nylon, leather, maybe Kydex. You won’t know what works best until you try them.
Rookie Mistake #5: Not Carrying
A concealed carry weapon is of little use to you in a dangerous situation if you are not carrying it. That’s why it’s important to take a lesson from the Boy Scouts: Always be prepared. Have your firearm on you whenever you are allowed to carry it. Get accustomed to wearing your handgun.
Get comfortable with wear it. Make it second-nature just like your seatbelt or cell phone.
Rookie Mistake #6: Failure to Practice Drawing and Firing Regularly
Concealed carry weapon owners have to be prepared to use their gun at a moment’s notice—and with accuracy. This comes with consistent, ongoing practice. Use your weapon in a secure situation: home, the firing range, courses. The aim is to be effective when you need to be.
Your firearm and your skills must be ready.
Rookie Mistake #7: Wrong Clothing
If you think this is not important then you’re wrong again. Your clothes with a concealed carry weapon can’t be too form-fitting. That screams, “I am armed.” The whole intent of concealed carry is that your handgun is not easily visible.
Choose looser-fitting clothes that more effectively conceal your handgun. This will also make drawing easier.
Don’t wear clothes that send up red flags about being armed. I’m talking about not dressing as if you were in the military or on a SWAT team. Discretion is the name of the game.
Look for future blogs on rookie mistakes new concealed carry owners often commit.
Exercising Your Second Amendment Right Responsibly
June 10, 2019
Photo courtesy of pixabay.com
You’ve applied for a concealed carry permit and successfully received permission to buy and carry a handgun. You’ve arrived. You’re all set to exercise your 2nd Amendment right. Right? Wrong!
Just because you’ve circumnavigated the legal hurdles doesn’t mean you are ready to start concealed carrying your weapon.
If you are a rookie firearm carrier you probably don’t realize there are a lot of mistakes you can make. These rookie blunders could well compromise your right to conceal carry. You might lose your permit, your weapon or even end up in legal trouble.
Let’s look at seven of the most usual rookie mistakes and how you can avoid.
Rookie Mistake #1: Having the Wrong Attitude
Your new handgun is not a toy. It’s not a macho sidearm. Like the carpenter’s hammer your weapon is a tool. You use it for self-defense. You use it to protect your family and your property.
With concealed carry come responsibilities. When you pull that gun from its holster it’s not to perform tricks or bully others.
Rookie Mistake #2: Choosing Your Handgun Unwisely
Picking the most appropriate handgun for you and your purposes involves knowing realistic things about your goals, your abilities, your body type.
Your aim is to avoid shooting someone—on purpose or accidentally. To that end make sure you’ve got a gun you can pull smoothly and re-holster effortlessly. Choosing the best fit involves some research and some trial and error. Don’t go for the biggest baddest weapon you can find.
Rookie Mistake #3: Not Having Proper Training
Regardless of the training requirements required to get your concealed-carry permit, you should consider training on weapons use as an ongoing thing. You need to put in hours on the firing range regularly. Shoot wisely using eye and ear protection. Get ample target practice. Train in how to use your firearm for self-defense.
Look for courses which focus on accuracy and speed. Take firearms safety courses.
Rookie Mistake #4: Not Having the Right Holster
This may seem trivial. But, selecting the right holster for your weapon and body type is about as important as choosing the right firearm. There are many holster styles. Think about where and how you wish to carry—inside the waistband, outside the waistband, shoulder…Don’t opt for fashionable. Look for the best holster for your gun. The holster must fit comfortably. Try several holsters in different materials: nylon, leather, maybe Kydex. You won’t know what works best until you try them.
Rookie Mistake #5: Not Carrying
A concealed carry weapon is of little use to you in a dangerous situation if you are not carrying it. That’s why it’s important to take a lesson from the Boy Scouts: Always be prepared. Have your firearm on you whenever you are allowed to carry it. Get accustomed to wearing your handgun.
Get comfortable with wear it. Make it second-nature just like your seatbelt or cell phone.
Rookie Mistake #6: Failure to Practice Drawing and Firing Regularly
Concealed carry weapon owners have to be prepared to use their gun at a moment’s notice—and with accuracy. This comes with consistent, ongoing practice. Use your weapon in a secure situation: home, the firing range, courses. The aim is to be effective when you need to be.
Your firearm and your skills must be ready.
Rookie Mistake #7: Wrong Clothing
If you think this is not important then you’re wrong again. Your clothes with a concealed carry weapon can’t be too form-fitting. That screams, “I am armed.” The whole intent of concealed carry is that your handgun is not easily visible.
Choose looser-fitting clothes that more effectively conceal your handgun. This will also make drawing easier.
Don’t wear clothes that send up red flags about being armed. I’m talking about not dressing as if you were in the military or on a SWAT team. Discretion is the name of the game.
Look for future blogs on rookie mistakes new concealed carry owners often commit.