Before I was a concealed carry permit holder, I used to wonder what it took to be able to legally carry a concealed firearm — it can seem daunting to someone just starting out.

Here are a few things to think about as you go on your journey from disarmed citizen to armed self-protector.

The first step is to determine if you are legally qualified to carry a gun. If you are a legal citizen of the United States and can answer questions 11.a. through 12 on ATF Form 4473 appropriately, and have the funds, you can buy the firearm of your choice from a federally licensed firearms dealer; or in some circumstances, another private party.

After making sure that you are legally qualified, the next step is to check the laws in your state of residence. While there are federal firearms laws that apply in all 50 states, each state also has its own patchwork quilt of firearms laws. The best resource for checking on your state and local laws is the NRA website. State government websites will often have a page detailing that state's laws related to firearms purchase and concealed carry.

The states of Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Maine, Montana, Wyoming and West Virginia allow for any legally qualified gun owner to carry concealed handguns without a permit (so-called "constitutional carry"). There are laws and restrictions on where you may carry in these states, so it is your responsibility to study the laws of your state to understand them as they apply to you.

The remaining forty-two states have some sort of "Shall Issue" or "May Issue" laws regarding concealed carry permits. Put simply, "Shall Issue" means the state will issue a license or permit to any person who meets certain criteria, usually legal qualification and some form of training. "May Issue" states add a further restriction by requiring the applicant to "prove" they need a handgun for self-defense.

The second step is to select a handgun for concealed carry. There is no "one-size-fits-all" answer here, because everybody is different — different sizes, body shapes, clothing choices, hand sizes, comfort with various calibers and platforms, and other factors. A larger framed man may feel perfectly comfortable carrying a full-size .45 caliber 1911 pistol inside the waistband. A smaller framed woman may prefer a .380 Glock in her purse. The potential concealed carry holder should shoot several different guns before deciding on one for carrying purposes.

Next, whether your state requires it or not, taking a concealed carry training course is a great idea. During this class you will review the legal ramifications of concealed carry, discuss tactical considerations and in many states will participate in a live-fire exercise. Many instructors who teach these classes also offer additional advanced classes for even more skill building.

Once you have completed your class, you will go to your appropriate state agency to apply for the permit (in my home state of Ohio, for example, county sheriffs are the issuing authority). You will be fingerprinted and a background check will be performed. It could take a period of days or weeks to finally get your permit, but once you do, you are legally sanctioned to become an armed defender.
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The last step in the process is to determine what you will do in a defensive shooting scenario, including what you will say when you call 911. Being involved in a defensive shooting is not something most of us anticipate, and having made the decision to carry a firearm, it is something we all must be prepared for.

Carrying a concealed firearm is a great responsibility, and there are plenty of reasons why someone would not want to carry one.  But there are a great many reasons why you should carry everyday. It is a huge commitment and you need to make the decision for yourself.

Here are just a three reasons that may help to persuade you to start to carry everyday, not in any particular order.

It’s Your Right as a Citizen of the United States

The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights guarantees protection of the right to keep and bear arms for self protection. The Supreme Court has upheld this concept. Just by being a citizen of this great nation, you have the right to carry a concealed firearm.

The World is a Bad Place

As much as we wish it wasn’t, the world we know today is not the same one we knew years ago. There is more crime and violence than in other historical periods. You just never know when or where something bad will happen.

To Protect Your Family

The most important asset in our lives are our families, and we need to protect them anyway we can. A concealed firearm is one of the best ways to protect them from the world we discussed above.

To Protect Yourself

We all want to come home to our families every night. I know I do. This is another tool to ensure we will make it home to hug our loved ones.

Reap the Benefits of Training

Some people just like to be able to train and learn, and by carrying their firearm, they are able to put that training to use.

Better Situational Awareness

Some people say that when they carry, they are more on edge and are better aware of their surroundings. When I carry, my senses are on high alert and I tend to know more of what is going on around me. Having a gun means I have to know what is happening to avoid a bad situation.

Everyone’s reasons for carry differ from person to person and place to place. However, it boils down to making a commitment to be a responsibly armed person not only for ourselves, but our families and friends.

What is your number one reason to carry? I would like to hear from you in the comments below.

You need to be mentally and emotionally ready to take action in the face of danger. You need to be ready to fight. If you are not ready and willing to fight, the gun you bought, the fancy personal defense ammo you loaded it with, and the holster you put so much time into choosing will do you no good.

And people are starting get it.  Apparently a growing number of people in this nation have realized that personal defense is indeed personal; that self-defense actually involves the “self.” Or maybe people are just fed up with being victims.

You, by reading this blog and by taking your training with Trigger Action, LLC you have taken an active role in your personal protection. Now that you have started on this path I urge you to continue along it, learning all you can about the laws, ethics, tactics, and gear that you need in order to keep your loved ones and yourself safe. Your skills are perishable. Laws change. Only two things remain constant: criminals don’t care about you and police cannot get to you in time to save you.

Every element of self-defense starts with your willingness to participate. Will you get training? Will you apply for a concealed carry permit if you need one? Will you hone your skills? Will you talk with your family about all of this? And, when the time comes, will you choose to fight or will you shrink back in fear?

I’m a believer if you can escape without a fight, please do it.  But when you can’t escape—when you are trapped with a madman—you must be ready, willing, and able to fight. There can be no hesitation at that time.

The root word of gunfight is fight, not gun. If you are not ready to fight, you are not doing anyone any favors.

We who can legally permitted and trained to carry in public have a special responsibility to focus on the task at hand, but also to remain vigilant, aware of the world around us: comings and goings through the
door of the restaurant, the backpack by the door with no owner, the man sitting in a parked car for hours.

This is called “situational awareness” and it is much different than multitasking. Situational awareness involves being attentive to what’s happening around us in order to understand how “things” in the
immediate environment—information, events, and one’s own actions—will or might impact us. Inadequate situational awareness is a primary factor in accidents attributed to human error.

Situational awareness is especially important when information flow is unusually high, such as a loud movie theatre or outdoor concert. I remember cleaning and reassembling an M16 rifle while a drill
sergeant shouted out orders. It was exceedingly hard because the brain said multitask: pay attention to the authority figure and rebuild the rifle. Of course the sergeant was performing a service, in a way, teaching what combat might be like when fear combines with a thousand extraneous inputs, any one of which might lead to death. What we eventually learned was that only through extreme concentration could we assemble our M16. We learned, in other words, to drop the drill sergeant into the background, to be aware but only to focus on reassembling the rifle. We learned situational awareness and we got the job
done. 

Only one thing can truly occupy your mind at any given time. In a fast food restaurant you try to eat the burger without letting the tomato squeeze out and onto our shirt and pants, all while fetching extra ketchup for the kids and talking to the spouse. 

If you remain situational aware you have a chance to respond effectively. One who is multitasking—talking
to a spouse, fetching the ketchup, and fiddling with a cell phone, not a chance.

When you carry, you have a responsibility to focus, to stop believing that you can multitask and to remain situational aware. Put the cell phone away!

You’ve spent countless hours researching which gun you should carry, which caliber you should buy, which holster might be best. You have taken some training and applied for a CCW permit. You have spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars and now you might let it all fall to pieces because of a cheap belt.

We are talking life or death here people. A good belt is that serious. True, the belt may not be the thing upon which the fight actually hinges but consider this: a good belt can mean the difference between comfortable concealed carry and uncomfortable concealed carry. So, you put on your crappy belt and your expensive holster hangs on your hip like a grenade pouch allowing your carefully chosen handgun to dig into your tender flesh. After a week of this you decide you don’t want to put up with the pain and discomfort so you decide to leave your gun at home—just this one time. On that very day, you stop to pump gas and a thug comes up to carjack you at the pump. And there you stand—disarmed—because your crappy belt didn’t hold up to the weight of a fully loaded handgun.

The lowly belt suddenly becomes a matter of life and death.

But what kind of belt are we talking about here? What kind of belt do you need?

In a word: robust. You want a solid, well-built belt that will distribute the weight of a pistol and ammunition around your mid-section. You don’t want a flimsy canvas belt or a strip of leather so thin you could use it as a bootlace if you needed to.

This does not mean that you must forego fashion. There are a great number of belts currently available that are both fashionable and robust. Several models include an internal layer of plastic sewn between two layers of leather to help keep the belt stiff. Others utilize extra-thick leather, sometimes with a backing material, to ensure the gun stays put. One element I can’t stress enough is width. Go with something at least 1.5 inches wide. I know you might be coming to the limits of your high-fashion belt loops with a wide, thick belt, but holding your gun securely is more important than fashion. Well, it is to me anyway.

Start your search for a good belt with your favorite holster maker. Chances are pretty good that the company making a good holster will also make a good belt to hold it. Yes, it will cost you a few dollars more than a cheap department store belt, but hey, it could save your life.

You need a good belt, buy one.

You’ve decided to carry a concealed firearm and that’s great! Before you dive head first into it, let’s go over a few tips that will help you on your way to successfully and safely carrying your firearm.

This article will touch on 10 Tips for the newbies, and will also serve as a refresher for those that have been carrying for years. Remember, you can never train enough.

Tip #1: Buy Multiple Holsters before Multiple Firearms

Choosing a firearm and accompanying holster can be an intimidating task, and you’re sure to end up with a drawer full of holsters until you find the one that’s right for you. Getting situated with a comfortable system is extremely important. Not only will it be the safest way for you to carry, but it will also help you carry every day (because it’s comfortable). So many people decide to leave their firearms at home because they don’t like the way their holster feels. Don’t be that person. Find a great holster that you love, then maybe get yourself a new firearm.

Tip #2: Wear your Holster, Belt and Firearm Around The House First

Some call this stupid, I call it proactive. If you don’t know exactly how your new setup will act while you’re out and about, you could have something unintentional happen such as your firearm dropping to the floor or accidentally exposing it to people around you. Neither of these will result in a good day.

Take your time with your new setup and get familiar with it. When you sit down, pay attention to it’s orientation. When you stand up, see if your holster has shifted around while you were seated. It’s better to figure these things out in the privacy of your own home vs out in public which leads me to the next tip.

Tip #3: Don’t Touch It, You’ll Only Draw Attention

On a few different occasions, I’ve picked people out of a crowd that were carrying a concealed firearm. How? They gave it away by adjusting and fidgeting with their setup in public. People do notice this, and it will draw attention. If you feel that your holster or firearm has shifted, wait to check it until you’re in a private area such as your vehicle or a rest room. If you’ve practiced Tip #2 enough, you should know exactly how your holster should feel if it ever moves out of place. If it doesn’t feel like that, keep your hands to yourself.

Tip #4: Keep Your Carry Firearm Stock

I love fancy gadgets just as much as the next guy, however I have a very strict policy with keeping my concealed carry firearms completely stock (with the exception of sights). The reason is simple: The manufacturer has spent a whole lot of time and money to make your firearm work correctly. If you start adding aftermarket parts like triggers and slide release levers, you are opening yourself up to failures.

Some people will debate this all day and never be satisfied with my answer, but I’m sticking to it and offering it up as a suggestion.

Tip #5: Don’t Act Like You Have A Gun

Very often, new carriers will act a little nervous while out in the public eye. If you aren’t playing with your firearm and it’s concealed properly, no one knows that you’re carrying it. Relax, take a deep breath, and go about your normal daily routine.

Tip #6: Actually Practice And Train With Your Setup

So incredibly important that I cannot stress this enough. It’s great that you want to carry, but even greater if you are as familiar with your firearm and cc setup as you are with the back of your hand. Take yourself to the range and practice drawing from concealment. Practice with different clothing on as well. Your draw will be different if you’re wearing a t-shirt than it is if you’re wearing a winter jacket. Be prepared for any situation.

Tip #7: Always Practice Safe Firearm Handling

Remember the 3 Rules of Firearm Safety? Recite them and practice them each and every time you’re around a firearm. If you pick up your firearm and safety check it, then set it back down, and then a minute later pick it up again, you should be safety checking it again. Any time that a firearm leaves your physical possession, you should be safety checking it the moment you pick it up again. Trust me when I say that it’s not overkill. If everyone were to do this without fail, negligent discharges would diminish close to zero.

Tip #8: Don’t Advertise

Telling your immediate family and very close friends is one thing, but advertising it beyond that is not usually the best of ideas. Don’t give away your carry location either. One wrong person that has this information would get an advantage over you. Retain your element of surprise by keeping this information as private as possible.

Tip #9: Be Confident With Carrying A Round In The Chamber

Laugh all you want, old timers. The fact remains, many people that are new to carrying are at first afraid of carrying with one in the pipe. If you never were, just move along. This section isn’t for everyone.

Tip #10: Have Fun And Stay Safe

Absolutely, carrying a firearm is a serious matter. But, it doesn’t need to be stressful or intimidating. If you’ve got a setup that you’re happy with and fits comfortably, you’re ahead of the game. The fact that you’re carrying at all is a testament to how much you value life and safety. Maintain this attitude, gain as much knowledge as you can on the topic, and carry on.

I started hunting with my dad at a very young age and took a hunter’s safety course as a requirement by my Dad.  In that course we were taught that mechanical safeties are by definition “mechanical devices prone to failure.” This has stuck with me throughout my years of shooting and even more so now that I am an instructor.

Many people have the misconception that these mechanical devices automatically make a gun “safe” and therefore you can let your guard down about the firearms safety rules once they are engaged. This leads to complacency and dangerous behavior. The thought that this mechanical lever or button is going to prevent someone from firing a gun if they gain access to it is far from reality. But due to the name of these devices, uninformed people assume they instantly make a gun “safe.”

Due to these misconceptions, I believe that calling mechanical safeties a “safety” actually leads to firearms being more dangerous — the idea that once you “turn the safety on” you can ignore the standard rules of firearms handling.  Following the rules of safe gun handling does not end because you utilize a mechanical safety. Instead, if you choose to own or carry a firearm that requires the use of a mechanical safety, you should make an even greater effort to follow the basic safety rules of gun handling due to these firearms having more likelihood of an accidental discharge if you forget to engage the mechanical safety.

There are many versions of the basic safety rules. To me, these three are the most fundamental:

1. ALWAYS KEEP THE GUN POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION. This is rule #1 for a reason. A safe direction means a direction in which, if the gun were to go off, it would likely not cause injury or damage. If you forget every other rule in the book and follow this one, even if the gun goes off, it will not hurt or kill anyone.

2. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO SHOOT. Ready to fire means you are ready for the bullet to leave the gun. Even if the gun is pointed at the target, you do not place your finger on the trigger until you are ready for the bullet to come out of the muzzle.

3. ALWAYS KEEP THE GUN UNLOADED UNTIL READY TO USE.  This is the best safety for making a gun “safe.” Whenever you pick up a gun, always check to see if the gun is loaded, remove the ammunition source, open the action, visually and physically inspect the chamber and magazine area, which should be clear of ammunition.  If you do not know how to open the action or inspect the chamber leave the gun alone and get help from someone who does.

Utilizing these safety rules as the foundation for everything you do with firearms and will keep you and others around you much safer than learning to use a mechanical safety.

Why I Don’t Have Safeties on My Defensive Pistol

I teach my defensive pistol students that if they ever need to utilize lethal force, they will most likely be surprised by the attack. After all, if you are expecting to need to use deadly force, you will avoid the confrontation if at all possible rather than preparing for it. This means you will need to react quickly under severe mental and physical stress. Your body will react in many ways, including the loss of fine motor skills. Operating a mechanical safety is a fine motor skill that will be difficult even with training under this kind of stress.

Without the pressure of someone attacking, I see people fumble the operation of a mechanical safety during training. This delay could mean the difference between your attacker being on top of you or not. It is now an accepted fact that the average person can cover a distance of approximately 21 feet in the time it takes a trained individual to draw and fire their defensive handgun (approximately 1.5 seconds).

Conclusions

Although mechanical safeties are intended to prevent accidents and injury, they can actually lead to lapses in normal safety procedures and result in injury. Combine this with the fact that in a defensive encounter, safeties could cause a delay in being able to protect ourselves or our loved ones.

Many people say that they train to work their safety. Only being in a defensive encounter would let us know if that training worked. My suggestion is to utilize that time practicing the two main rules of safe gun handling and get a defensive firearm that does not require the extra steps.

One of the most frequent questions that I get as a CCW instructor is what to do if stopped by a police
officer while legally carrying a concealed handgun. The answer depends on the local and state laws where you live, but I think that most situations merely call for a little common sense.

You have to understand that when a police officer approaches a vehicle, they have no idea what they are going to encounter.  Every traffic stop has the potential to be deadly, and every officer has been through hours of training reminding them of just how serious of a situation it can be.

So what does this mean if you get stopped while carrying? The first thing is that you have to do to make the situation easy and clear for the officer. Pull off the side of the road far enough, if possible, to give the officer enough room to approach your vehicle without having to worry about oncoming traffic. Roll your window down, place both hands on the steering wheel and leave them there until told to do otherwise. The first thing the officer is going to want to see is your hands, because that is where any threat is going to come from. If it is dark outside, take the added step of turning on your vehicle’s interior light; it is just one more thing that shows you’re looking out for his safety. It’s your responsibly and common courtesy as a CCW holder to remove as many perceived threats as possible from the situation.

This is not the time to start digging in your glove box or center console for your insurance card or registration. To an approaching officer, that looks surprisingly like someone reaching for a gun. This is also not the time to jump out of your vehicle and walk back towards the officer. Although your tag number, vehicle description and location should already have been called in before the blue lights come on, there may be radio communications occupying his or her attention. Seeing a driver exit their vehicle and start walking back raises all kinds of warning alarms as the officer thinks back to their training on how many deadly encounters started that way.

Once the officer approaches and begins speaking with you, make sure that he/she knows you have your CCW permit and if you are currently carrying, than ask the office for instructions.  The officer should be giving very specific directions to control your actions, so do exactly as told.  If asked for your identification, let the officer know where it is and what you have to do to retrieve it, and you don’t do anything without letting the officer know beforehand.   The officer controls the traffic stop from start to finish. Let him/her do that. Any issues can be dealt with through a supervisor after the fact.

If you follow the above guidelines, you’ll find that the majority of officers will show appreciation for it. They will recognize the efforts that you took, and it may even influence how they handle the initial reason for the stop.  A CCW holder identifying themselves is mandatory and could also relieve apprehensions during a stop, for Office’s already know up front you passed a background check, had been through training, and presented little threat during a stop. Rather than raising tensions, it eased them.

One last word. If you carry, make sure that you know the laws in your jurisdiction and those
jurisdictions you're legally allowed to carry, and make sure that, unless directed otherwise, your handgun stays out of view during a traffic stop.

The NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting course with CCW requirements is to teach the basic knowledge, skills and attitude for owning and operating a pistol safety.

You should expect at least 12 hours of instruction, which includes classroom and range time learning to shoot revolvers and semi-automatic pistols.  You will learn NRA's rules for safe gun handling; pistol parts and operations; ammunition; shooting fundamentals; range rules; shooting from the bench rest position, and two handed standing positions; cleaning the pistol; and continued opportunities for skill development.

Students will receive the NRA Guild to the Basics of Pistol Shooting handbook, NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure, Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification booklet, Ohio General Attorney Handbook, take the Basics of Pistol Shooting Student Examination, and receive a course completion certificate.

To earn a certificate, you need to pass the test and should be able to consistently shoot five shot groups within a nine inch circle from 1-15 feet prior to earning a certificate.

Please contact Trigger Action, training department at ohiotriggeraction@gmail.com or 614-496-0308 if you have any comments or concerns regarding your NRA Basic Pistol Shooting course.