But given fiscal realities for the rest of us, it's actually an excellent question, without a simple answer. In fact the answer may change depending on your stage of life, interests, work place, ability to practice, illness or injury.
It's also a fun question, because it spurs more thought and research. It's similar to "What car should I buy?" or "What job should I take?"
There's no way you can predict how it will end, so you have to make a decision based on the information and options available to you at the time.
That's actually worth stating again: You have to make a decision based on the information and options available to you at the time.
We'll review Options in "Which Gun? Part Two" post, where we'll explore more fun attributes such as:
- Caliber
- Capacity
- Size & weight
- Durability
- Accuracy
- Reliability
- Aesthetics
- Conceal-ability
- Carry-ability
Before we get to the fun stuff (gun features), we should honestly examine our own characteristics before shopping for a new gun.
Sadly, too many gun enthusiasts will want to fast-forward the discussion to knockdown power, or "proven in combat," or "Recommended by Gun guru," or "Everybody knows..." the fact is a gun carried by Special Forces may not be ideal for a diminutive civilian to carry concealed on trips to CVS and Costco.
Sure, it would be great if we could carry something that would instantly freeze a threat and package him for pickup by the constable...
But whatever we carry has to be carried by a person in all sorts of situations.
Doesn't it make sense to start with the capacity of the carrier before determining the load?
Therefore, in this post we'll consider the characteristics of the carrier (you!) to consider in more detail before purchasing a handgun for concealed carry:
Sadly, too many gun enthusiasts will want to fast-forward the discussion to knockdown power, or "proven in combat," or "Recommended by Gun guru," or "Everybody knows..." the fact is a gun carried by Special Forces may not be ideal for a diminutive civilian to carry concealed on trips to CVS and Costco.
Sure, it would be great if we could carry something that would instantly freeze a threat and package him for pickup by the constable...
But whatever we carry has to be carried by a person in all sorts of situations.
Doesn't it make sense to start with the capacity of the carrier before determining the load?
Therefore, in this post we'll consider the characteristics of the carrier (you!) to consider in more detail before purchasing a handgun for concealed carry:
- Body type
- Flexibility/ Athleticism
- Daily habits
- Workplace
- Exposure
- Practice
- Budget
- Legal knowledge
- Decision-making
- Commitment
NOTE: Of course these don't apply if you are interested in collection, or target shooting, or just owning well-built things. The point of this post is helping you determine which gun to purchase for concealed carry.Body Type
Mister Rogers told us "Every body's different."
Slim, tall people have a different set of concealment options than muscular, widely built people. It's important to realistically analyze your body type and determine the best carry option for you.
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Inverted Triangle, Rhomboid, and Oval body types can use an IWB or appendix carry since the shirt will likely be bloused up and out, covering any print. Most American men fall into these body types, and therefore most holsters are built for them. Demand drives supply.
These body types can carry and conceal larger framed handguns -- especially taller, larger bodies. A gun strapped to the waist (Inside or Outside The Waistband, shortened to OWB and IWB) is less likely to show (or "print") and is therefore concealed.
Rectangle and Triangle body types are a bit more challenging, as anything carried at the waist will be more obvious, accentuating the triangle shape (which is not flattering in our society) or obviously unnatural to the rectangle shape. Therefore small of the back (SOB) or low front carry is the more likely option.
It's important to realistically assess your own body type and make sure it is part of your carry and gun selection.
Flexibility/
Athleticism / Fitness
This factor is also important to assess objectively. If you're not very flexible you probably should avoid small of the back carry of a full-size 1911. If you're going to carry a handgun, you must be able to draw it from wherever you carry it. Thus your ability to quickly place your hand on the gun and rapidly extract it must be part of your assessment.
If you're more athletic and/or larger you can likely handle a larger frame gun and caliber as you will have more mass to hold and resist recoil (inertia is a function of mass). A smaller or more slightly built person will have to work harder to resist or control recoil.
Athleticism also factors into carrying. If you're out of breath walking up a flight of stairs you probably should minimize the amount of extra weight you carry. So while you may be large and able to conceal a large handgun, you may not be up to carrying the extra 40 ounces all day long.
Daily
Habits
Are you a creature of habit? Do you carefully lay out your clothes before you retire for the night? Are you constantly losing your keys? Do you have a routine?These are questions that will help you assess your ability to own and care for a gun. If you're a scatterbrain, you should work on getting some routine in your life before introducing a handgun into the equation. If you're always misplacing important things like keys, maybe firearms aren't for you.
Of course anyone can learn self-discipline. And self-discipline you will need, because there won't be a Drill Sergeant or Range safety officer following you around yelling at you if you forget to clear your weapon before cleaning.
Perhaps a handgun will force you to adopt some routines to ensure the safety of yourself and others around you. Good -- it should. But humans are notorious for adapting to danger, and soon the respect and even fear that motivated good habits wanes and sloppiness sets in.
Firearms are just like aviation in the aspect -- sloppy will be gradually adopted. You'll get away with it a few times. And then sloppiness becomes acceptable.
It happens to pilots.
They fly enough they get confident in the fuel gauges. They don't visually check the fuel levels. They stop draining the moisture from the tanks.
"Those Flight Instructors, always worried about stuff..."
And then it goes bad.
Real bad.
The engine sputters, the aircraft comes down, and everyone wonders, "What happened?"
There's a reason Drill Sergeants and range officers are so uptight about weapons discipline.
If you aren't self-disciplined, work on it until you are before buying a gun. If you are, don't become complacent. Remind yourself regularly why you practice safe gun discipline by reading news stories.
When I was flying regularly I made it a practice to review the NTSB Accident database monthly. The database contains information from 1962 and later about civil aviation accidents and selected incidents within the United States. A preliminary report is available online within a few days of an accident. Factual information is added when available, and when the investigation is completed, the preliminary report is replaced with a final description of the accident and its probable cause. It's quite sobering to read about a crash with fatalities in the same make and model aircraft you have flown.
WARNING: Take this question seriously, as you really need to assess if your job is worth losing if you carry contrary to company policy.
Some companies have provisions for carrying as long as you sign a waiver or attend training. Asking about the policy may telegraph your intentions so do some research before asking. Read your employee handbook, or ask to see the company policies. The answer may be available without broadcasting your intentions.
If the policy forbids weapons on the work site you need to defer to the company requirements. If this offends you, look for other work.
Sure, you might be the only armed hero who thwarts the next disgruntled worker rampage. or you might be discovered with a firearm and be terminated immediately.
Which is the more likely scenario?
People who drive across state lines on a commute or for work duties have other concerns beyond the scope of this post. Get good legal advice and then adjust accordingly.
Shooting is a perishable skill. You need to keep shooting to maintain some level of proficiency, and your proficiency might be the difference between life, jail, or death when faced with a shooting situation.
Wildly sending rounds downrange may result in innocent bystanders being hit while the actual threat avoids being stopped.
A good shot can place the rounds where they need to go to effectively terminate the threat as quickly as possible.
A poor shot endangers himself and anyone in the vicinity.
So commit to practice, training, and skill improvement.
No one is born with shooting proficiency. It is a learned skill that must be practiced and improved.
If you're willing to commit to practice, you may be a candidate for handgun ownership and carry.
If you're not willing or able to practice, re-assess your commitment and wait until you are in a place when practice is available and part of a regular routine.
Before you shop you should work out a realistic budget for the gun, a holster, practice ammunition, and range fees.
There is a point of diminishing returns in the price paid over reliability -- for example, a $500 gun might be four times more reliable than a $100 gun, but only 3% less reliable than a $1500 gun.
The market is filled with $500 guns because it's the lowest price a manufacturer can offer while being competitive in a very tight market.
It's false economy to buy a gun because it's cheap. You will probably not carry it, fire it, or rely on it, which results in not carrying it.
Seek out competent professional legal advice before carrying a handgun. Every firearm owner should know how to safely store, carry, and operate a firearm, but some states place additional requirements on gun owners.
It's critical that you know when you can and cannot present a handgun, what constitutes a threat, and what to do immediately after you discharge your weapon in a defensive situation.
Your research should start at the NRA's Gun Laws page. Then consider Armed Citizens Network that publishes an excellent guide: What Every Gun Owner Needs to Know About Self-Defense Law
Here are several books worth reading:
Can you act decisively? Can you process information quickly? Are you able to make a judgement and then act on it? Do stressful situations cause you to freeze or cause your mind to go blank?
These are honest questions you need to ask yourself to determine if you have the decision-making skills required to safely carry a handgun for defense.
You must be able to quickly assess a threat's ability and opportunity to cause harm, and you must be convinced that the threat placed you (or someone you are defending) in jeopardy.
If you cannot or will not do this quickly, do not carry a defensive firearm -- it's likely you will either present your firearm in situations where it cannot be defendable in court, or you will be too late to actually influence the outcome of a threatening encounter.
This skill is not innate for most people. Usually some training is required to learn to act decisively in a high stress situation. Firefighters, law enforcement, military, pilots, controllers, emergency medical providers, lifeguards, and a few other professions inculcate decive action in spite of mixed or even conflicting data.
FUEL
EXHAUSTION PROVES FATAL
OCTOBER 14, 2015 BY GENERAL AVIATION NEWS STAFF
The pilot was departing on a short
cross-country flight to deliver the Cessna 172C for some elective maintenance.
He requested and received clearance for an
intersection departure at the airport in Fairbanks, Alaska.
After departure, an air traffic controller
instructed the pilot to turn left and proceed on course, but he did not
respond.
Controllers reported observing the plane
initiating a left turn before descending and hitting terrain on the south side
of the airport property, killing the pilot and seriously injuring two other
people.
Post-accident examinations of the airplane
revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
However, the examinations did reveal propeller
signatures consistent with the engine not producing power at the time of
impact. About two gallons of what appeared to be 100LL aviation fuel was
drained from the right fuel tank and about 0.5 gallon of fuel was drained from
the left fuel tank at the accident site. The drained fuel was clean, and no
water was present.
Given the amount of fuel
removed from the airplane at the accident site and the propeller signatures
consistent with a lack of power, it is likely that the loss of engine power
resulted from fuel exhaustion.
Sadly, it happens to gun owners too. This story is all too common:
MAN
ACCIDENTLY SHOOTS WIFE
LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- A Lakewood
man said he was cleaning his gun Thursday evening when he accidentally shot and
killed his wife.
Police arrived at the
Beaumont Grand Apartments at about 6 p.m. after getting a call about a man
accidentally shooting his wife, according to Lt. Chris Lawler with the Lakewood
Police Department.
Lawler said a neighbor made
the call because the husband was too upset.
When officers arrived at the
complex, located in the 8500 block of 82nd Street SW, they found a 19-year-old
woman dead inside the apartment.
The 20-year-old husband, who
has not been identified, told police he was cleaning his rifle inside the
apartment when it went off, hitting his wife.
Detectives are interviewing
the husband at police headquarters.
If you aren't self-disciplined, work on it until you are before buying a gun. If you are, don't become complacent. Remind yourself regularly why you practice safe gun discipline by reading news stories.
When I was flying regularly I made it a practice to review the NTSB Accident database monthly. The database contains information from 1962 and later about civil aviation accidents and selected incidents within the United States. A preliminary report is available online within a few days of an accident. Factual information is added when available, and when the investigation is completed, the preliminary report is replaced with a final description of the accident and its probable cause. It's quite sobering to read about a crash with fatalities in the same make and model aircraft you have flown.
Workplace
Your workplace or situation may constrain your choices. If you work on federal property, you won't be carrying at work unless you're on duty. For the rest of us, we need to be aware and abide by state, local, and company rules and ordinances.WARNING: Take this question seriously, as you really need to assess if your job is worth losing if you carry contrary to company policy.
If the policy forbids weapons on the work site you need to defer to the company requirements. If this offends you, look for other work.
Sure, you might be the only armed hero who thwarts the next disgruntled worker rampage. or you might be discovered with a firearm and be terminated immediately.
Which is the more likely scenario?
People who drive across state lines on a commute or for work duties have other concerns beyond the scope of this post. Get good legal advice and then adjust accordingly.
Practice
- How often are you willing to practice?
- Do you have a place to practice?
- Do you enjoy shooting enough to make it a regular
thing?
Shooting is a perishable skill. You need to keep shooting to maintain some level of proficiency, and your proficiency might be the difference between life, jail, or death when faced with a shooting situation.
A good shot can place the rounds where they need to go to effectively terminate the threat as quickly as possible.
A poor shot endangers himself and anyone in the vicinity.
So commit to practice, training, and skill improvement.
No one is born with shooting proficiency. It is a learned skill that must be practiced and improved.
If you're willing to commit to practice, you may be a candidate for handgun ownership and carry.
If you're not willing or able to practice, re-assess your commitment and wait until you are in a place when practice is available and part of a regular routine.
Budget
Before you shop you should work out a realistic budget for the gun, a holster, practice ammunition, and range fees.
There is a point of diminishing returns in the price paid over reliability -- for example, a $500 gun might be four times more reliable than a $100 gun, but only 3% less reliable than a $1500 gun.
The market is filled with $500 guns because it's the lowest price a manufacturer can offer while being competitive in a very tight market.
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| Walther PPS 9mm |
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| SIG P229 DA/SA 9mm |
Your research should start at the NRA's Gun Laws page. Then consider Armed Citizens Network that publishes an excellent guide: What Every Gun Owner Needs to Know About Self-Defense Law
Here are several books worth reading:
- The Law of Self Defense
- Deadly Force: Understanding Your Right to Self Defense
- Gun Digest's Concealed Carry Preparation &
Aftermath
Decision-making
Can you act decisively? Can you process information quickly? Are you able to make a judgement and then act on it? Do stressful situations cause you to freeze or cause your mind to go blank?
These are honest questions you need to ask yourself to determine if you have the decision-making skills required to safely carry a handgun for defense.
You must be able to quickly assess a threat's ability and opportunity to cause harm, and you must be convinced that the threat placed you (or someone you are defending) in jeopardy.
If you cannot or will not do this quickly, do not carry a defensive firearm -- it's likely you will either present your firearm in situations where it cannot be defendable in court, or you will be too late to actually influence the outcome of a threatening encounter.
This skill is not innate for most people. Usually some training is required to learn to act decisively in a high stress situation. Firefighters, law enforcement, military, pilots, controllers, emergency medical providers, lifeguards, and a few other professions inculcate decive action in spite of mixed or even conflicting data.
If you haven't received this sort of training it is best to seek it out so you can:
The last trait we need to consider is commitment to presenting and firing the gun at another person if the circumstances warrant such a grave action.
Many people claim that if they're angry or upset enough they would have "no problem pulling the trigger is some guy attacked my kids..."
The problem with this reasoning is that is presumes such a situation will allow for emotional response while reality is that most people can't process what's going on until after the situation has passed. Many people describe feeling "like I was watching a movie..." in a high stress or life-threatening situation.
You must rehearse your actions and reactions before they occur in order to buy back the initiative. It's axiomatic that you will be behind the aggressor in a defensive situation. Thus your reactions have to 'catch up" to the aggressor's initiative. This cannot be done on the spot -- you must rehearse your actions in order to react quickly enough.
You must also be completely committed to killing another human being if it comes to that. Half-way commitment will result in a delay which means the difference between life and death for you or those you are defending.
"If you can keep your
head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming
it on you,
If you can trust yourself
when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their
doubting too..."
--Kipling
Commitment
The last trait we need to consider is commitment to presenting and firing the gun at another person if the circumstances warrant such a grave action.
Many people claim that if they're angry or upset enough they would have "no problem pulling the trigger is some guy attacked my kids..."
The problem with this reasoning is that is presumes such a situation will allow for emotional response while reality is that most people can't process what's going on until after the situation has passed. Many people describe feeling "like I was watching a movie..." in a high stress or life-threatening situation.
You must rehearse your actions and reactions before they occur in order to buy back the initiative. It's axiomatic that you will be behind the aggressor in a defensive situation. Thus your reactions have to 'catch up" to the aggressor's initiative. This cannot be done on the spot -- you must rehearse your actions in order to react quickly enough.
You must also be completely committed to killing another human being if it comes to that. Half-way commitment will result in a delay which means the difference between life and death for you or those you are defending.
This DOES NOT mean you are
"preparing to kill." rather, it means you are prepared to act
decisively should the need arise.
In aviation this delay between the event and the response has caused many fatalities. The pilot is flying, everything is fine, when the engine sputters or the bird hits the windscreen. In many cases the delay between event and correct reaction as the pilot processes questions ("What just happened!? Is this happening to me?! What is that?!”) is the difference between recovery or fatality.
The options are very clear:
The options are very clear:
- The decisive pilot ignores feelings, stress, uncontrollable circumstances and acts correctly to recover and land.
- The indecisive pilot delays correct action, or acts incorrectly, which results in the loss of control and death for all on board (for example, the Continental Commuter crash that killed 50 outside of Buffalo, NY in 2009)
Therefore you must objectively
assess your commitment to decisive and deadly action if the circumstances
warrant, and you must rehearse those conditions and your actions beforehand.
If you can not be decisive --and make the right choice in that decision-- you are not ready to carry a handgun. Work on your decision-making and add to your knowledge and skill so you can act decisively and correctly,
If you are decisive, review and add to your knowledge and skill so you can act decisively and correctly.
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In Which Gun? Part 2 we’ll examine:
- Caliber
- Capacity
- Size & weight
- Durability
- Accuracy
- Reliability
- Aesthetics
- Conceal-ability
- Carry-ability
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Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment! I appreciate your comments and will review and post if appropriate.
thanks again!