 a Ruger with a Hi-Point, I do know that Ruger isn’t as high quality as pistols like HK, Glock, Sig or others. That doesn’t mean I think Rugers are junk, and I’ve actually heard very good things about their revolvers. But I’ve never known Ruger to be in the running for any police department’s duty gun or any military’s standard sidearm. So yes, Ruger makes some good stuff, but no, it’s not at the same level as the weapons I mentioned above.
Again, thanks for the comment. Please feel free to come back and add to the discussion anytime.
Great, commonsense article. Thanks for the posting… I am posting a link to a firearms class that I teach. I am a 22 year veteran, retired police officer and firearms instructor (for 40 years) and currently a college criminal justice professor. This is one of the best, clearest explanations of concealed carry I have ever read, and I am thus sharing with my students. Well done!
Thank you professor, I appreciate that. Please let me know how your students feel about it.
Chris, a respectful question about your comment regarding appendix carry. You say, “Also, appendix carry generally requires two hands for reholstering your weapon, which might cause a problem in some situations”. Could you elaborate on ‘problem situations’? From my perspective, since you shouldn’t be putting your gun away if you suspect you’re going to need it again soon you get no points for re-holstering fast, one handed or doing it without looking, it should be the slowest and most deliberate thing you do in gun handling, especially if you appendix carry. So, what is the issue with using 2 hands to re-holster? Other than not having 2 hands available because one has been injured during the fight, I don’t see any problems.
The issue with reholstering is more of a police concern than a CCW concern, but it still matters. As a cop I had countless incidents that started with my gun drawn but required me to go hands on with a suspect. That’s a lot less likely for an armed civilian, but it’s still a possibility.
Imagine this scenario: you’re in a convenience store and see a short (much shorter than you), skinny, drunk girl with a pronounced limp walk in and pull a knife on the clerk. You legally draw your gun and order her to drop the knife. She tosses it away, out of reach, then starts advancing slowly toward you while yelling insults. She’s aggressive and threatening, but you’re much larger than her, she’s drunk, she’s physically disabled to some degree, and she’s apparently unarmed. Are you going to shoot her? Are you going to run away? What if your wife is in the store, do you retreat from this tiny drunk and leave her there? You’re not legally justified in shooting a tiny, unarmed drunk girl in *this* situation, and pretty much any jury would expect you to manhandle her instead.
Again, this isn’t a reason not to AIWB carry. But having to put the gun away when you’re not justified shooting and need to use physical force instead is a concern.
Excellent article – Thanks!
In the early years of my law enforcement career, I found that off-duty carrying my Astra Garcia double action.380 was extremely convenient and concealable. But after a year or so of carrying the Astra and frequent range practice, I began to realize that it was strictly a close-up gun (which is fine) but I wasn’t at all certain that a.380 would provide adequate protection against a large and/or high-amperage attacker – and its accuracy was very iffy over 7 yards from target. So, I put the.380 away and began carrying my Colt Diamondback 4″, loaded with Remington 125 gr. SJHP +P. My holster was ITWB right hip. With this set-up, I felt well armed and was confident I could hit center of mass at 25 yards. However, I generally did not carry extra rounds. In 13 years of law enforcement, patrol and detectives, I never fired my weapon other than the range and I never had an off-duty encounter where I was glad I was strapped. These days, I carry (when I carry) a S&W.357 mag with one extra speedloader. I only carry when I travel well beyond my local universe. I just don’t perceive the need to pack while running errands close to home.
Gunblogger Tam from “A View From the Porch” once gave a reason why she carries pretty much 24/7. During gun school, there was a story about an officer who was shot down & killed on his doorstep by a goblin wielding a.25.
The responding officers spent hours finding, unloading, and tagging various guns stashed around the house.
We just never know when that bad day is going to hit us. It could be some thug seeing you as a target of opportunity during your quick stop at the gas station. It could be a pack of feral dogs between you and your back door. Best to be prepared.
And ergo lies the dilemma. When they’ve got the drop on you, or just assassinate you, all the guns in the world won’t help. And why would anyone think they would need to carry inside their home or answer their door with a gun in hand – ready to fire? If I felt that unsafe in my home, I’d move. I live in a place where anyone over 18 who can lawfully possess a firearm may keep a loaded gun in their car, home or office and may CCW without a permit outside city limits. It is also a “Must Issue” state and the bad guys are keenly aware that there are many, many people of all ages and backgrounds packing heat. Walking around with your shirt un-tucked where I live, is reason enough for a bad guy to steer clear. Very little random street crime here. Obviously, I understand that other communities suffer from high crime rates and strict gun laws affecting only the law abiding, and extra precautions may well be in order.
1st rule: Don’t answer the door PERIOD unless you are expecting someone and you have made transparent partition visual verification.
2nd rule: Try to do all or most of your errands during daylight hours.
3rd rule: Use online retailers whenever possible and have deliveries made to attended locations – not left on your porch.
4th rule: Practice situational awareness at all times. Ask yourself “what’s wrong with this picture?” Watch for occupied cars and people loitering around in places where you wouldn’t typically expect them e.g. parking lots, quiet residential streets...
5th rule: Reevaluate choices to be out late at night – especially in an urban setting. Walking back to your car through deserted streets can bring all sorts of potential safety challenges. If you must be out, maybe keep your hands in your coat pockets – let the BG’s wonder is he? or isn’t he?
i guess it is nice to have a lot of money and do what you want. some of us are just trying to survive, as i did when i had cancer or open heart.
i think of it as a boy scout, be prepared. yes it would be nice to live in a better neighborhood, but you should realize the criminals like going to those places instead of the poor neighborhoods they live in. most of us will never need our gun and i hope i never do. it is a lot like ammo. it is better to go home with extra ammo then to need more. i would like to think when out walking in my bad neighborhood, i am trying to make the place better. the dog i have right now would not let anyone close to me. just a mutt and i got her at 1 and 1/2 years old. don’t know what they did to her but she is past the running away stage. i am very surprised i did not get bit the first and second day trying to get to know her. she is very helpful, my hearing is getting old and certainly my eye sight. protection is not just a gun, it is like an onion. lots of layers…
oh, by the way, the first thing a criminal does is try and find an empty house by ringing the door bell. if no one answers then he looks for a place to break in. so trying to not answer can be the reason you have to use deadly force. when i am not wearing my gun it is in reach next to my recliner. and yes i have answered the door with a gun, i do not make it visible it is behind the door at ready. it is all natural to me now after 30 years of it. be prepared, it will happen and maybe there is nothing you can do, but if given a chance or while dyeing i might be able to stop it from happening to someone else. we all have to decide what we will do, but to make someone out paranoid for playing it safe, well i guess that is your choice.
Hi Art –
Well, I never meant that someone should completely ignore a knock on the door – necessarily; although I do.) Maybe the first thing to do is quietly go to the peep hole or adjacent window and see who’s out there and what they seem to be about. If you have concerns about creating an apparently unoccupied house scenario, then consider speaking through the door and asking the visitor what they want. However, don’t open the door if your are not expecting a visitor. Once the door is opened, you are exposing yourself to more