Month: August 2010

Three Things You Must Know if You’re Going to Carry a Concealed Handgun

By David Freeman

Texas law requires a curriculum for potential Concealed Handgun License holders that covers much of what you need to know to carry a firearm safely and legally, and the Texas CHL curriculum goes into more detail than the programs in many other states. Within the limited time we have available, we at Texas Gun Pros try to add more in the area of practical aspects of carrying a concealed handgun than the law requires. In reality, it’s an area that requires an ongoing focus of attention.

I like to break down the things you need to know into three major areas:

  1. You must know the law where you are carrying. This may or may not be your home state. When traveling, you need to familiarize yourself with the laws in the states you’ll be passing through or spending time in. As a minimum you need to know:
    • When and where you can carry
    • The use of force and deadly force
    • What’s expected of a CHL holder during a traffic stop
  2. You must know you can stop an assailant without harming innocent people. This involves being observent and careful, being proficient with your handgun and having the right ammunition as a minimum.
  3. You must know what to do after a shooting incident. This includes calling 911, what to say and what not to say, when to tell your story and to who, and dealing with the emotional aftermath, especially if it’s a fatal shooting.

You learn the basics of these things in an initial CHL class, but walking it out in daily life requires a commitment to read, study, practice and stay mentally alert. That’s one reason we offer additional programs such as the NRA Personal Protection Inside the Home and Personal Protecton Outside the Home classes. If you don’t see these on our current class schedule and are interested, let us know.

Personal Security for Ordinary People

By David Freeman

Guns are great equalizers. You don’t have to be big, physically fit or trained in the Marshall Arts to defend yourself  when you have a gun.

So much of the training I see about personal defense features young, physically fit, police or personal security-type individuals. You know what I mean, the ones with the ripped abs that run 10 miles before breakfast, rappel off the side of mountains and eat rattlesnakes for breakfast.

I’m not like that, but I can defend myself. I legally carry a concealed handgun and I’m relatively proficient with it. So while I’m not looking for a fight, if one comes my way I have a good chance of prevailing.

With a gun, a small woman can defend herself against a man the size of a defensive linebacker. An old guy like me can defend himself against a young, agressive street thug. A person in a wheelchair with a gun is no longer the easy victim an assailant might plan to rob.

While carrying a gun doesn’t require Olympic-like training, there are some things  you should do to insure you’re prepared to use one effectively to defend yourself:

  1. Be mentally prepared. This involves always being aware of your surroundings and recognizing potential threats early enough to do something about it should the potential threat become an actual threat.
  2. Have the right gun. The gun should fit you, it should be reliable and comfortable for you to shoot. It should also be of a large enough caliber to actually stop an attacker.
  3. Have your gun accessible. It must be concealed, but if it’s hidden away where you can’t get to it quickly, it’s of no use.
  4. Be proficient with your gun.
  5. Practice, practice, practice!
  6. Mentally rehearse possible scenarios, including how you would react.
  7. Get involved in the gun community – read the magazines, participate in shooting sports, train when you can.

Bottom line:  guns are great equalizers, but only if you know how to use them