We are living in perilous times. Law-abiding citizens are facing attacks on a couple of different fronts. The first front is from criminals who don’t fear prosecution and seem to operate with impunity. The second front is from politicians who seek to make it harder for the law-abiding to be able to defend themselves or their families. This is a perilous precedent that is currently being set. The data will support that MORE guns in public in the hands of the “good guys” is a good thing. There is a big push right now by the prohibitionists to restrict our ability to carry guns into different locations. They say that this will save lives but, what they don’t want to admit is how it makes all of us vulnerable. Say it with me “Guns save lives,” period! This is where concealed carry comes into play. I carry a gun everywhere, every day, every place I legally can. I am safer for it and the people around me are safer for it as well. I know that there are many others just like me. As much as we are made out to be “crazy” or “paranoid.” In reality, though we are prepared. We are not looking for a gunfight though. This is a very important distinction. We are simply prepared to be able to defend ourselves or protect others. We choose to have a tool that could make the difference between life and death.
When you incorporate a firearm into your daily routine, you take personal responsibility for your safety and the safety of your family. If you make the routine habitual, the likelihood of you having your firearm if you ever need it for personal protection goes up. I like the term P.O.G.O. It is an acronym that I use. Pants on gun on! It is part of my daily routine before I leave my home. My pants go on and then I will put my holster on. I do a quick “press check” to make sure that I have a round in my chamber. I then safely re-holster my gun. I put on my mag carrier and then I am now dressed for the day. One important part of the concealed carry process is having a gun that you can comfortably conceal, but effectively shoot, accurately! You always want to be an asset to society, not a liability. Being able to put effective rounds on target, under stress is important. My firearm for personal protection is worthless if it inadvertently hurts an innocent person, period! Training is another important component of being a concealed carrier. It is more than just carrying a gun.
It is important when carrying a gun concealed in public that your gun is kept discreetly on your person as possible. A good quality belt and holster help with this. They also work together as a system to keep your gun properly retained. Retention helps the gun stay in your direct control at all times. This helps prevent unauthorized access from your children because the firearm is in your direct control. This also helps prevent your gun from being taken from you and used against you or someone else. I try to not dress like I could be armed. It is no one’s business that I am armed when in public. So I don’t draw attention to myself. This helps prevent scaring those who are fearful of firearms or possibly making me a target. One thing that I can’t stress enough is that you carry into GUN FREE ZONES!! These are considered Criminal Protection Zones and according to Dr. John Lott, a world’s foremost expert on the topic of data. 94% of ALL mass killings happen in a gun-free zone. GFZ put big targets on the building for active threats that have evil intentions. It is YOUR responsibility to be able to protect yourself at all times. Remember that here in Oregon, private property is policy, not law. This means that if there’s a sign on the door that says no guns. I walk into the building there is nothing that they can do, but if I can do it. So can that evil doer. Public property has different rules, so you have to be more careful here. Make sure that you know where you are going and what their policies are there. It is better to be safe than sorry and to avoid possible prosecution.
The Oregon and Utah concealed carry classes that we offer will help you understand the complete picture of what it is like to carry a concealed firearm in public. There is a lot to think about and how to incorporate it into your lifestyle. Now is the best time for you to get up to speed. Society is not getting any safer and the criminals are being emboldened. This is a recipe for disaster. Having the too ls, the skills, and the ability to keep yourself safe. Our society will never change for the better because of the people who are currently in charge. Until people start waking up and start voting differently, we will never see change. People will continue to die and we will all be vulnerable. Being aware of your surroundings can be a way for you to avoid possible threats. Concealed is concealed because the goal is for no one to know that you are armed. This is a good thing. Once you become comfortable it will be a weird feeling for you not to be armed. One thing that I would encourage is a form of secure storage inside of your vehicle for times when you can’t carry legally into a certain location. Most criminals get firearms through car thefts. They will always check the glove compartment, center console, or under the driver seat. Please do your part to not be part of this problem. Responsibility is the most important part of concealed carry, and remember to train, train, train! We can help. All events are scheduled on our calendar. Please check it our. Until next time.
Be safe!!