What they don’t tell you about the GunCarrier lifestyle
There’s one place that has tripped up both professional and novice gun carriers. It’s a place we all have to go sooner or later—the bathroom.
This little-discussed matter is the source of too many avoidable missteps and mistakes, some of which are potentially tragic. I classify these pitfalls as “the Four D’s,” all to be avoided—
- Don’t DROP your gun….but if it falls, let it. The vast majority of modern firearms are designed to not discharge if they hit the floor. To attempt to catch a falling, loaded gun is to invite disaster. Of course, if your firearm of choice is a 1911 or other model made to be carried in the cocked position, you MUST keep the slide safety on.
- Don’t DESERT your gun in the facilities as you leave. This is perhaps the most common of the Four D’s and one that is easy to do if your carry method requires removing the gun from your body to use the restroom. Avoid distractions and make a habit of mentally asking yourself, “do I have my gun?” each and every time you prepare to leave the stall. It sounds so simple as to be stupid—but the distracted human mind does make mistakes. If embarrassment isn’t enough inspiration, just think of the possibilities of who might be the next person to follow in your steps, and what could unfold once your firearm is in their hands.
- Avoid negligent DISCHARGE of the firearm. Again, it sounds absurdly simple, but due to lack of observance of the “keep your finger straight and on the frame” safety rule, it’s happened too often. This rule is moot, of course, if your carry setup includes a holster that securely covers the trigger guard and retains the firearm. Or, if your carry method doesn’t involve the need to remove the gun from the holster or your person, this won’t be your embarrassing at best, or deadly at worst, problem.For those who think you’ll avoid D #3 by carrying with an empty chamber, you will, but that invites other problems that may be addressed in a future article. I’m an advocate of carrying a fully loaded gun, if your goal is self-protection. That opinion assumes your safe carry and handling habits are well-established.
- Avoid DETECTION of your gun by others. Unless you’re at your own residence, at a shooting range restroom, or are a uniformed officer, no one should know you’re in the stall with a firearm. Keep it that way by not setting the gun on the floor or—do I really need to go there?—in the cradle of the pants that are for the moment, around your ankles.
Perhaps this was “TMI” for some readers. It’s an important topic, though, and one that I believe is common enough to require mention by responsible instructors of every variety of gun carrier.
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left coast chuck
July 15, 2016 at 10:50 PM
Eve: I agree with you. I want the fact that I have a firearm to be a complete surprise when I draw it. I don’t want to advertise that I am armed to anyone. That said, while I have my own doubts about the advisability of exposed carry, if that floats your boat, I’m all right with it. I interpret the Second Amendment far more broadly than most. I think if I want to invest in a 155mm self-propelled howitzer, under the Second Amendment, I have that right. If you read the Constitution, congress still has the power to issue letters of marque. How can I execute a letter of marque without sufficient modern armament? Our founding fathers had no problems with citizens owning state of the art weapons. Many trading post on the frontier had swivel canons that were privately owned. No one had a problem with that unless you were planning on robbing the trading post. Many towns prior to the Revolutionary War owned canons and the well-regulated militia drilled with them because you have to know how to handle a canon. You don’t just walk up and know all about how to load it, with how much powder and how long the fuse should be. You need to get your drill down and you need to know how to lay the canon so that you shoot where you intend. If the government has it, I should be able to have it too.
I know all kinds of people will throw up their hands and shriek in dismay at that thought. So be it. Thats my 2¢ worth.
John
July 15, 2016 at 6:09 PM
I carry in belly band type holsters. The gun never leaves my body. Problem solved
Matt
July 15, 2016 at 2:14 PM
Mine doesn’t leave my back holster, and the holster stays on my clothing, so it’s pretty hard to leave behind.
In a conceal carry training course, the instructor told a story of an officer who laid his on the tissue holder, knocked it off, then kicked it several stalls away as he scrambled to pick it up. He called out, “I’m a police officer! Slide it back!” The gun came sliding back without comment. The officer quickly finished and got out as soon as possible.
Mort Leith
July 12, 2016 at 7:57 PM
This dipshiit is either from a LibT ard-NA Z1 State or completely clueless as to how NORMAL people look towards our 2nd Amendment in Ga etc
People in the SOUTH do not freak out when they see a semi-concealed gun like dipwad yankee N1663R-slaves of their politicians
Joshua Gillem
July 13, 2016 at 10:05 AM
You may find this hard to believe, but Georgia isn’t the only state in the union and our website caters to the entire United States of America. Furthermore, I’m sure you heard of this legislation that was being pushed by some of the lawmakers in your state that would seize your guns. Seems as if at least some of the people in your state are dipshits, libtards, or nazis. Here’s the article covering it, in case you missed it: https://guncarriernews.wpengine.com/the-radical-left-finally-admits-the-real-gun-agenda-seizure/
Now, if that bill hasn’t already fallen flat on its face, it will because, let’s face it, Georgia is very gun friendly. The point, is that us gun owners need to stick together regardless of where we are from or the color of our skin. We are all under attack, right now.
Eve M Flanigan
July 14, 2016 at 6:48 PM
Mort,
For me and many others who carry concealed, the point isn’t to make a statement but to be prepared for an emergency. The people who are on the wrong side of that emergency don’t need to know I’m armed. I don’t care if the sight of a gun upsets someone–that’s not the point.
If you want your firearm exposed in public, that’s your business and I stand behind your right to do so.