Conceal Carry: Situations you've been in

ChewbacaTW Thanks for that video. Good firems porn right there.

On a serious note revolvers are some of the most reliable guns and are more concealable if you have some meat on your bones. But this little darling is more enamored with style and making gun porn then actually teaching anything useful. A small caliber auto subcompact WILL conceal anywhere along a belt line or in any pocket.

And last time I checked there are some really HOT rounds in the small caliber arms..

 

This thread has gone 10 different directions, but I must comment on this:

I understand some people have been trained this way and I'm not likely to change your mind, but please consider an alternative. There have been plenty of threat situations that have been diffused without violence by showing a firearm. It can be dangerous to make a statement like the quote above and put a definitive 'period' at the end. Here's one that I think is safer: "When the threat ends, your use of force ends. period." If you have it so deeply engrained in your mind that the gun must be fired whenever it's drawn, it's quite possible you'll follow through on that after the bad guy has turned to flee and you'll shoot him in the back when he's no longer a threat. Then you get to go to jail for a very long time. There are even instances when it's appropriate (in my opinion and from my training) to draw your weapon when there is not an immediate threat to life. For instance, if someone threatens me with a knife from 30 feet away, I'm drawing my weapon and issuing commands. If he rushes and attacks, I shoot. If he complies, I don't shoot. If he runs, i probably still don't shoot (other factors may come into play). The point is, as responsible citizens (LE or not) we must constantly reevaluate the situation and be ready to transition our own force level up or down at any time.

 

To "brandish" a weapon is to actually point the muzzle at someone or in their direction. If you have it in your holster and you unzip your jacket and they see it...that's not brandishing it. Of course, I live in New Mexico where it is also an open carry state. But...you have to really read what the definition of "brandish" is.

And also...working in Law Enforcement...no one is going to have a weapon on their person and not have mine pointed at them. That is just an officer waiting to get killed! If I see you have a weapon or you admit you have a weapon, I'm on guard and I'm going to make sure I go home alive.

 

x2. If pulling a firearm makes the threat decide to leave or stop, then great! I can always still use deadly force if I have to, but if I don't, so much the better. I really have no desire to shoot anyone unless that's my only option.

 

very well put.

 

On a traffic stop, I've been instructed to tell the LEO that I have a concealed weapon, at which point he can choose to disarm me or not.

I would certainly hope that a calm statement indicating I have a gun, with my hands visible, wouldn't cause an officer to pull a weapon on me.

(Now, if I'm shady about it or move my hands quickly or whatever, sure.)

 

At least in NC it is against the law to brandish a weapon when your life is not being threatened. In this instance you would be going against the law. I believe in this situation you are only allowed to use words to diffuse the situation, or if reasonable, retreat.

Personally I would probably have my hand on my gun (while still in the waistband) and be ready to draw. If you feel the needs to actually pull it, your life is in danger and you should be shooting.

For all you know, the assailant may have a gun and you showing yours gives them time to pull theirs and shoot you. Or more likely, some other assailant you didn't not know about (thinking they were a bystander?) could rush you and take your gun away. Or for all you know, while you are pointing your gun at the guy with the knife and screaming that you will shoot, a cop could walk around the corner and shoot you thinking you are the attacker. Who knows.

 

FYI - I have been told to call it a "firearm" when announcing to police that you are armed. Saying 'I have a gun' has certain connotations than can be misinterpreted. Take it or leave it, but I thought it was good advice.

 

should that have turned me on?

 

Good point on "firearm", I'll have to remember that. In any event, my point was that I hope most LEOs wouldn't react like the poster above, and flip out on me for calmly informing them that I'm carrying and letting them decide how they'd like to handle it.

I just wanted to mention, I can see plenty of situations where I would draw and not immediately fire. One thread on here was about a guy breaking into somebody's coworker's house, and the BG stopped immediately when the shotgun was pointed at him, far enough away that he couldn't make a grab for it without being shot.

In such an instance, I would absolutely not shoot unless the BG tried to make sudden movements. If he sits there, I'll sit there (albeit tensely) until the cops come.

 

More to the point, am I ready to fire? Sure. Am I going to take his life if it's him or me? Absolutely. All I'm saying is even if I'm lined up, round is chambered, safety is off, I may still delay actually firing if the situation means I don't have to.

 

Maybe that is my problem...my guns don't have safeties.

 

Some good points here. Yes, there are different laws state-by-state and different norms of training. If it works for you to put your hand on your weapon in that situation, that's great. I'm pointing my gun at the guy threatening me with the knife. If I'm prosecuted, the outcome will be as much about my ability to articulate my fear (which I can do) as it is about the regulations. Sure, it's possible (not likely, but possible) that someone could rush me and disarm me. It's also possible (not likely, but possible) that fellow LE could mistake me for the BG. But fear of these possibilities is not going to prevent me from safeguarding my life. The idea that drawing my weapon first somehow gives the BG the time advantage... that's going to be a no.

 

i understand this. Va is also an open carry state. but on that note, if you are in a gas station or something similar, in the open carry, whom do you think the gun man is going to go for first? just food for thought. that is the conceal carry point...

now in regards to dealing with the law, i honor up that i have a concealed permit, and weapon prior to them even asking. or if it is just a traffic stop, show my conceal permit with the driver's liscence. i dont want to get shot, and it is totally understandable the officer does not either.

i apologize on misconstruing what exactly the word "brandish" meant.

 

Awesome!! Another lady who shoots!!

You know of any women & guns forums out there? I'd surely be interested. Some of the manly forums are 'over the top'.

 

Have you seen this woman's website? http://corneredcat.com/ It seemed helpful.

 

I might have in the past, but I'll have to check it out again. I'm also reading a book that my husband just bought me..... "Personal Defense for Women" by Gila Hayes.

Pretty good so far. And this is weird.... although I enjoy shooting, I don't have the 'excitement' about the hobby the same way that my husband does. Maybe its a guy thing?? I find myself being more & more interested in the 'self defense' aspect of it. This is good...

 

*shrug* I think wanting to be able to defend yourself is a great reason to get into guns. If you don't absolutely love it, well, different strokes for different folks, no big deal.

I thought the Cornered Cat author had some good points on holsters for women; I remember reading some about it when my girlfriend was discussing whether to get a firearm.

Maybe you just need to find the right type of shooting, btw. My girlfriend likes shooting pistols and rifles (but doesn't love it), but she's all for going to the trap range to murder some clay discs with a 28-gauge shotgun.

 

M1911.org has some women on it. They would be able to steer you toward some other sites as well.

 

My mom was attacked at gun point getting into her 4runner by a fugitive. She doesn't carry, so she had to slam on her horn to get other people’s attention. While slamming on the horn the fugitive beat her continuously. Luckily someone heard the horn and came over, and the guy fled the scene. She was real torn up afterwards and still to this day gets spooked easily. I don't carry, but plan to after I graduate college.