Should I Carry a Concealed Pistol for Personal Security?
Preparedness takes on many forms. Being prepared means making sure you have food to eat, water to drink, shelter, heat, and ensuring that every other fundamental need is met should something go wrong. Safety and security is as basic a need as any other, and it’s the topic of a lot of discussion among preppers.
If you live in the United States, then you live in a place where firearm ownership is a Constitutionally-protected freedom. And while certain states do their best to make it difficult because of politically-influenced motivations, carrying a pistol is the step millions of Americans take daily as a measure of personal security.
Politics aside, there is objectively no more effective option for personal security in the home or out in the world than a firearm. Guns don’t see gender, weight, height, or anything else. They are a tool that levels the playing field for those who have them and are proficient with them.
Who Should Carry a Pistol?
As I see it, there are three criteria that must be considered before a person begins carrying a pistol.
- Are you legally eligible to do so? Are you of the required age? Have you obtained a conceal carry permit if your state requires it? Are you a felon or other prohibited person? Unless the day comes where there is absolutely no rule of law, it behooves you to operate within the law. It’s difficult to prep in prison, and lawyers are expensive. You are better off without a gun if it means you get to be free. If you are legally eligible, you meet this criteria.
- Are you trained and proficient with a pistol? Many people decide to buy or start carrying a gun for security, while having never handled a firearm in their lives prior to that point. Most states with conceal carry permits require a certain amount of training, but Constitutional Carry states do not. And if you keep a gun at home or work, there are no such requirements. You owe it to yourself to become knowledgeable and proficient with your firearm. You owe it to the rest of us to understand firearm safety and the legal implications of using one for defensive purposes.
- Are you mentally prepared to use it? This is a subject covered in many defensive shooting training courses. Do you have it in you to pull the trigger? Do you have the fortitude, the will, the constitution to take a life? For some people, the answer will be, “No” regardless of how real the threat is to their own life. If that describes you, you become more powerful by acknowledging it and choosing not to carry a gun. A gun that you will not use is a liability to your safety, and not an asset.
For those who are eligible, trained, and mentally prepared, you should give thoughtful consideration to why you haven’t yet taken the step to begin carrying a pistol on a regular basis. This isn’t about duty, and it’s not just about practicing your civil liberties. I’ve spoken to preppers who have elaborate backup power systems, enough food stored for a hundred years, and even incredible bug-out vehicles, but no guns and no interest in having guns. They have made great investments of time, energy, and money towards preparing for the “what-if” scenarios. But they’ve invested zero towards the most effective means of threat equalization.
If you are just plain ideologically opposed to guns in modern society, then ok. That is your personal belief and choice. If your ideals are more important than basic personal safety, it’s ultimately none of my business. If you are prohibited from owning guns, then I get it. No explanation needed. But if you simply “aren’t interested,” then I must ask why. I’m not especially interested in water purification. It’s among the most boring things in the world to me. But my knowledge, equipment, and capabilities for purifying drinking water are substantial because I recognize the importance of it. It’s a grave situation when you need water and don’t have it, just as it is if you find yourself in serious need of some self defense.
“Why Would I Need a Gun?”
I have been asked plenty of times – usually by people who are becoming interested in prepping but have otherwise never been a practitioner – about why they should bother with guns. “Nobody will try messing with my house. There are 5 of us and we have all manner of bats and axes and knives.” I always answer by describing this scenario:
“There are 5 people in your household. All of you are either adults or teenagers. Each of you is able-bodied, with functioning arms, legs, fists, etc. You’re all of sound mind and perfectly good intelligence. In 5 seconds I could own all of you, your household, and everything in it.”
One skilled person with a gun beats 5 people with no gun. I ask them if they believe me when I say that. In nearly every case, they’ve responded with a quiet, “Yes.” after a moment of thought. I then ask how they feel about that fact. Of course nobody feels good about that. Think about all the things it means if an armed person stormed your house. Think about what is at stake. Your possessions, your bodies, your lives. What happens to those things are not up to you anymore. Having a firearm of your own doesn’t guarantee anything, but it levels the playing field in a way that nothing else can.
Carrying at Home vs Carrying in Public
When I talk about carrying a pistol, I’m referring to both at home and out in public.
Carrying at Home
I know many people who carry religiously while out of the house, but keep it locked up when at home. This makes no sense to me, because you spend more time at your home than any other place. It’s true that you are likely to encounter far fewer strangers at home than out in public, but home invasions are all too common. People of every race, gender, and socioeconomic status are not immune to home invasion. Your gun locked up or sitting in a drawer is immeasurably less effective during an emergency, because criminals and lunatics don’t schedule appointments with you in advance.
If you already keep a pistol at home, consider getting a quality holster and try wearing it around the house while not in bed. You don’t need any permits or paperwork to begin doing this now.
Carrying in Public
More and more states are adopting “Constitutional Carry” laws that do not require any special permitting in order to carry a concealed pistol in public. For those states that do require it, it’s a pretty straightforward process in most. With the exception of California, New York, and a couple others (you know who you are), it’s not especially difficult or expensive to become a licensed carrier. You may need a several-hour training course. You may need fingerprints. You may need a passport-quality photo. In my state, I need to renew the permit every 5 years. It costs $115 and takes a few minutes of my time. There is an online renewal option now, and I don’t even need to drive to the county building.
If you are eligible and willing, just do it. Get the permit process out of the way, jump through the hoops, and start carrying. After a few weeks, your pistol will become just another EDC accessory that you never leave the house without. Wallet, keys, phone, pocket knife, gun. And if you start, make sure to carry every time you leave the house. Except for legally-prohibited areas (these differ by state), carry everywhere you go. Only carrying sometimes is as good as carrying never. You don’t get to choose which day is the day a meth addict tries car-jacking you. Your input will not be solicited when it’s decided which day an armed-robber will be lurking in your Walmart’s parking lot.
