Why Carry Concealed?
By Tim Kelly
Why carry a concealed weapon?
The totality of violent encounters may require the use of a force multiplier. For this reason, it is reasonable to consider carrying a weapon in general. Furthermore, a violent criminal is more effective if he knows he can win. For this reason, we must seriously consider the elements of concealment as viable and valuable options.
If you plan to carry a weapon to defend yourself, consider concealing it. Having a concealed weapon gives you the element of surprise and the ability to rapidly change a violent encounter in your favor, along with maintaining the element of surprise; carrying concealed offers no concern of drawing unnecessary attention to you or the people in your company.
What is concealment?
The definition of concealment is the action of hiding something or preventing it from being known.
There are levels of concealment, and it takes time and effort to become good at it. However, for our purposes, there are mechanical principles that a person must intentionally follow to achieve the best concealability. Unfortunately, most folks who "conceal" a handgun but do it poorly often overlook these principles.
Our friends at Phlster Holsters describe these principles as; Grip tuck, slide tuck, and body placement paired with fabric drape. Here is an excellent article with videos on this subject.
There are many available resources that you can access to help you better achieve concealability. I will be sure to mention them at the end of this article.
Why not open carry?
There is a long list of reasons why this is not good practice. Let's start with the fact that it draws attention to you from EVERYONE. Open carry draws unnecessary attention to the user and the people around them. This attention means that it may change the behavior of those around you, which could result in a predator targeting the person walking around with a gun because they are the biggest threat. It can also create social friction from others who may disagree with a person carrying a firearm for any reason.
So why do people open-carry? The common assumption is that it will intimidate or ward off any predators. But serious risks are attached to an altercation if a gun is in play. Living under a veil of false security is not a course of action and certainly not worth betting on with your life. Besides, the purpose of carrying a firearm should not be for intimidation factors. It is a tool you may need to use as a last resort, not a show-and-tell piece.
If you have the internet, you are only a few clicks away from discovering many instances where this ends badly for the good guy. For example, on many counts, guns are stolen off people's hips in broad daylight because they are just as easy to get away with as a purse, even more accessible in some cases.
What are the legal steps involved?
Of course, you should check with local laws that govern concealed carry and the use of force to protect a person. If your state offers a Concealed Carry class, take it. Plenty of fantastic resources are available on this subject; I will list some at the end of this article.
A widespread concern is carrying a gun at work or in places where it may be frowned upon if found out. Check your employer's policies discreetly to determine the risks.
You want to avoid risking the chances of drawing attention to your intentions of carrying a weapon. Either way, you should find a way to have a force multiplier on you if needed.
If there is no way for you to conceal a handgun, try OC spray. A can of POM Pepper Spray costs less than $15 and easily fits in your pocket. Pepper Spray may not solve all your problems, but it is much better than taking the chances of an entangled fistfight where someone only needs to get lucky once.
MORE RESOURCES
More on Why Carry a Concealed Weapon
Tom Givens Concealed Carry Class
Varg Freeborn – Violence of Mind
More On Concealment
Comfortable Concealed Carry Explained
Open Carry Issues
Legal Considerations
Jeff Gonzales Concealed Carry Manual
Excellent Concealed Carry Gear