The Loadout Blog

Firearms|Conceal Carry

There is a lot to consider when conceal carrying. If you are reading this you are potentially on the fence about conceal carry or conceal carry infrequently. Deep down you are asking yourself, “Should I conceal carry? If so, why should I?” Today, I am here to help you answer the question, “Should I conceal carry?”

A Teacher and A Student

There is an ancient proverb about a student asking his master about why he teaches about peace and yet he teaches him the art of war.  The student is conflicted and wants to understand the reasoning behind the methods his master has chosen to train him. 

The student asks his teacher, “You teach me fighting but you talk of peace. How do you reconcile the two? 

The master replied, “It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in war.” 

What the proverb teaches us that we should be prepared for violence. If you prepare for violence  you will be better off than if you simply ignored the realities of the world. 

We all know of someone who has been through a traumatic experience. When that person recounts the story they tell you how helpless they felt, frozen with fear, how time seem to slow down. These are all symptoms from a traumatic experience. 

The lack of situational awareness, unpreparedness, and helplessness is what attackers prey on. 

We live in a dangerous and dynamic world. With potential new threats and dangers appearing everyday. We should be prepared mentally, physically, and emotionally for these potential threats. As, the master advised his student in the proverb. When the moment arises and we are in that critical moment, we should prepare to act confidently. By acting confidently in that moment you defend your personal safety and the safety of your loved ones if need be.

We have a right to defend your personal safety and the safety of the ones we love. We have a right in this nation to bear arms in self defense, home defense, or in the defense of another.

These article isn’t meant to scare you and talk about the dangerous in the world. This article is here to give you 5 reasons why you should conceal carry. Each point is a reminder of what you should think about for your safety and that of your loved ones on a daily basis. 

Understanding the Realities of Crime in the U.S. 

Before we get into the 5 reasons why you should conceal carry let’s look at some crime statistics. Every year the FBI releases crime statistics for the last fiscal year. This is done nationally for all major crime categories here in the U.S. 

The crime stats I want to review are aggravated assault and burglary. These are the two potential crimes that most innocent Americans become victims to. The article will be referring to FBI Crime Statistics from 2017 for analysis purposes.

Aggravated Assault

The FBI defines aggravated assault as:

“The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program defines aggravated assault as an unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. The UCR Program further specifies that this type of assault is usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by other means likely to produce death or great bodily harm.”

Statistics overview from FBI:

• In 2017, there were an estimated 810,825 aggravated assaults in the nation. The estimated number of aggravated assaults increased 1.0 percent when compared with the 2016 estimate but decreased 3.9 percent when compared with the 2008 estimate.

• The estimated rate of aggravated assaults in 2017 was 248.9 per 100,000 inhabitants. From 2008 to 2017, the rate of aggravated assaults decreased 10.3 percent. 

• Of the aggravated assault offenses for which law enforcement provided expanded data in 2017, 26.3 percent were committed with firearms. Personal weapons, such as hands, fists, or feet, were used in 25.4 percent of aggravated assaults, and knives or cutting instruments were used in 17.2 percent. Other weapons were used in 31.1 percent of aggravated assaults. Other weapons include hand, feet, club, bat, and other instruments to commit a violent crime. 

Summary

Throughout the U.S. in 2017 FBI estimated 810,825 aggravated assaults in the U.S. A one percent increase vs 2016 crime stats and 3.9 percent decrease versus 2008 estimates. Top 3 weapons used during aggravated assaults where other weapons(hands, feet, pipe, and etc), firearms, and knives or cutting instruments. Informing us that a violent attack can take any shape or form. 

Burglary 

The FBI defines burglary as:

In the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, property crime includes the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The object of the theft-type offenses is the taking of money or property, but there is no force or threat of force against the victims.

Burglary statistics overview from FBI: 

• In 2017, there were an estimated 7,694,086 property crime offenses in the nation. The 2-year trend showed that property crime offenses declined 3.0 percent in 2017 when compared with the 2016 estimate. The 10-year trend showed that property crime offenses decreased 21.3 percent in 2017 when compared with the 2008 estimate.

• In 2017, the rate of property crime was estimated at 2,362.2 per 100,000 inhabitants, a 3.6 percent decrease when compared with the 2016 estimated rate. The 2017 property crime rate was 13.6 percent less than the 2013 estimate and 26.5 percent less than the 2008 estimate.

• Larceny-theft accounted for 71.7 percent of all property crimes in 2017. Burglary accounted for 18.2 percent, and motor vehicle theft for 10.0 percent. 

• Property crimes in 2017 resulted in losses estimated at $15.3 billion. 

Summary:

In the U.S. there where 7.6 million property crimes reported last year. But, property crime is down 3 percent in the last two years. Property crime is down 3.6 percent versus 2016 crime stats. Property crimes resulted in $15.3 billion dollars of lost goods last fiscal year.

What the FBI crime statistics tells us that danger can come in many shapes and forms. It is not always going to come how the media and television portrays it to us. We should be vigilant against the dangers that manifest in our world. 

Now Let’s move on to the list.

1. Personal Safety

First and foremost it is in our power to protect your life. We live in a dynamic environment when things can change in an instant. A normal situation can escalate 0-100 mph really quickly. 

You could be walking down the street, heading to your car from the mall, or at a gas station. In our dynamic environments you never know when  you will be targeted for a crime. Creating another potential victim and static. 

You never know when a potential attacker will seize his moment because he or she believes they have a soft target. That attacker becomes a predator ready to attack. Acts of violence are fast and aggressive. The attacker is counting on the element of surprise and chaos against there victim.

What gives you the potential advantage is your situational awareness, being mentally, physically, and emotional prepared for the moment, and being well trained with a firearm.

As, Narrator states in Fight Club, “On a long enough time line, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.”

It is unfortunate but, somewhere in our lifetimes we might be put in this dire situation. Taking responsibility for your safety and the ability to conceal carry gives you the opportunity to protect your safety in that moment of peril. 

2. Protection Of Your Family

Carrying and training with your pistol is apart of being prepared and ready to meet any threat that comes. A lot of people don’t think about carrying at home or having their firearm located safely near their person. People mistakenly believe that they will have time to react or safely get to their gun safe and investigate the threat. The simple task becomes difficult when your put into a stressful and dynamic situation. Here is a scenario to think about.

It’s 2 a.m. you awake to the sound of a loud crash in the front of the house. There is a burglar in your home or apartment. Now, your thoughts being to race.

What do you do? Do I call the police? What is the potential response time for local police? 

Did the kids wake up? Will one of the kids wake up and go down stairs? Where should I move everyone for safety purposes? 

There are a lot thoughts racing in your mind when a burglar threatens your home and safety of your family. 

If you have a firearm in a quick access safe near your bed or secret compartment allows you to protect and act quickly on the potential threat. You will be armed and ready to protect your loved ones against the invasion of your home.

As, home owner you should have a plan to secure your home externally and internally. You should have a safe place to move the family out of dangers way. While you investigate the disturbance and until the police arrive.

3. Police Aren’t Guaranteed 

Police can’t be everywhere at once. It’s just not possible to have police patrol every block and to be at a crime scene in a moments notice. Most cops patrol a quadrant that they are assigned to. Police response times are even more strained when taking into account rural areas and reduction of law enforcement due to budget cuts. This is the reality we live in so we should adapt to the challenges before us. 

The average police response time is between 5-10 minutes nationally when it comes to Priority 1 calls. Priority 1 calls include some kind of dangerous in-progress crime that requires immediate response time.

Here is an infographic from 10 major cities within the U.S. and their response times. 

The moments before and after you call the police are precious seconds and minutes before there arrival to the scene. During that available time an attack can be perpetuated by an assailant and cause great bodily harm to a you or a love one.

While waiting for law enforcement to head to your location you have a right and responsibility to protect your personal safety and the safety of loved ones. Having the proper training and having a concealed weapon can change the potential outcome against a would be attacker. Giving you the ability to deter the threat or end the threat before the police arrive. Potential saving your life and of the ones you love. 

4. Right To Bear Arms (2nd Amendment) 

Within the U.S. Constitution we have the amendments to the Constitution that makes up the Bill of Rights. The 2nd Amendment states, ”A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

The 2nd Amendment gives us the right to keep and bear arms. The Supreme Court has defended the right to bear arms and for Americans to protect their personal safety and their home from potential danger.

It is a right we as Americans possess. That many other countries do not possess. As, Americans we should protect that right regardless on how you feel about firearms. We should exercise that right fairly and responsibly. To protect our personal safety and the safety of our loved ones from potential dangers. 

5. Proper Training 

You may never know when you might need to use your firearm in a self-defense capacity. You need to be trained properly on how to safely use your weapon in a high stress situation. Being able to act in a high stress situation comes through practice and training. 

Empower yourself with knowledge and take a defensive pistol course. Defensive pistol courses challenge your skills, allows you to mentally and physically prepare to defend yourself, and gives you the confidence that you will be able to act if the moment arises.

Training is a constant evolution as a shooter. You should always be taking an active role to be become a more proficient shooter. You should become more knowledgeable about concealed carry tactics to make you a more verse and formidable opponent for that critical moment.

You may never need to use the defensive pistol training. Personally, I hope you never do.

However, if that critical moment arises you will have the proper training to handle a dynamic situation. You will be able to handle that dynamic encounter because you took the time, energy, and money to prepare yourself for the potential eventuality. 

When the encounter comes you will have an understanding of your situational awareness, spatial awareness, and sound pistol skills and tactics to lean on during that encounter. Leaving you better prepared to protect your life and not become a potential victim or statistic. Training is key in your personal protection. 

Conclusion 

The world we live in is a dynamic and potential dangerous one. We should be prepared to face those potential threats and ready to protect our personal safety. As, the master told his student in that ancient proverb, “ It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in war.” It is better to be prepared for violence, than to ignore its existence or the realities of this world. 

We live in a country where we have the right to keep and bear arms for protection. We cannot always depend on law enforcement to get there in a timely fashion when we need them the most. It is our responsibility to protect and defend ourselves against the potential threats of this world. 

With proper defensive pistol training and tactics you can properly defend your personal safety from a potential attack. It is better to be prepared  for the unknown than to allow the unknown to leave you unable to act in that critical moment. 

When thinking about the reasons to conceal carry these reasons are reminders on why you should. Conceal carrying is not about having a false sense of gravitas because you have a weapon. It is about putting your own safety into your hands and deciding your fate in that dynamic encounter.

Did this article give you good reasons on why you should conceal carry? Do you currently conceal carry? If so, what is the reason you decide to start conceal carrying? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for Reading 

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