ADVICE: 3 Things a New CHL Owner Should Know?

[seconds]

Most of this has been said in forms above. My take, just 3... okay...

1. No one needs to know you have a license, or when you have chosen to carry or not.
2. If the weapon comes out (huge decision, and a serious line must have been crossed), it goes in to its intended use immediately. No chatting, no 'stop or I will shoot.' Stop the threat.
3. 99% of the time, property crime is not worth it unless life are limb are at risk also. Exceptions might include your home (preventing arson), and protecting family heirlooms, high value uninsured items (could include weapons), irreplaceable photos and such, computers with intellectual property or sensitive information, etc. Review Joe Horn case periodically and decide if you want to have your life turned upside down. Sorry if I ruffled the feathers of any Joe Horn fans. IMHO he could have made much better decisions (including his choice to be chatty).

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[Rikk101]

Read this (and other) forums. You will learn a lot.... Especially the "never again" section of this forum. As others have said, no one needs to know that you are carrying. When you first get your CHL, you are excited and want to show it off. Once again, concealed is concealed.

[Dave2]

1. Know and follow the laws.
2. Know your gun and it's (and your) capabilities.
3. Practice self control.

I would add to #1, "and realize that legal does not always (or even often) mean wise."

[Thomas]

Don't advertise your CHL.

I've only told a few friends that I have a CHL and a couple of other people because it was relevant to a discussion, but now I kinda wish I didn't. Nothing bad that I know of has come from it, but it changes dynamics a little.

[stroo]

1. Concealed means concealed.
2. Be mentally and morally prepared to use your gun and for the consequences, including that you may kill a BG.
3. Always be alert; Avoid dangerous situations; de-escalate arguments.

[aaangel]

do your wally walk as soon as you get your chl
get ready to spend money on holsters.
and from now on you will buy clothes 1 size larger.

[The Annoyed Man]

1. Never squat with yer spurs on.

2. Dont tug on Superman's cape.

3. Don't spit in the wind.


Oh... this is a different topic....sorry....

1. Strap it on.

2. Cover it up.

3. Forget about it.


Seriously though, I don't think I could reduce it to just three things. There are lots and lots of foundational principles, but they are difficult to reduce to one sentence blurbs. Here are my three thoughts. These are not hard and fast rules. Consider them to be guidelines. There are more, but these three come to mind first....

#1:
C-dub's #4—"you had better think hard about where your line is and if someone crosses it do not hesitate or it could be the last thing you ever do"—is most excellent advice. A lot of the other stuff about what gun, or what clothes, or what holster, or what carry method all boils down to personal preferences and the individual's life situation. But the decision regarding whether or not one is willing to take another person's life if necessary to survive—that one had better be made well in advance, before you ever walk out the door with a gun strapped on. This is no-kidding serious business. We do not shoot to kill. We shoot to stop the threat. And the fact is that about 80% or more of gunshot people actually survive their wounds to fight another day. But, that doesn't change the fact that the other 20% won't survive, and that means that you have a roughly one in five chance of killing the person you shoot, even if that was not your intention! Therefore, you have to decide in advance that this is something you can live with if it comes to that......because it might. As part of this decision, be sure exactly where your line is when it comes to the defense of a third party; and be sure that in arriving at that part of the decision, you are comfortable with knowing that defense of a third party may lead to your own demise. Some people on this board, myself included, tend to think of ourselves as sheepdogs. Others on this board pointedly do not. Neither is a wrong answer. Just be sure in advance which you think you are, and then live your life accordingly.

#2:
A gun is not a talisman, nor is it a death ray. Its presence on your hip does not make you invincible. Your bullets will not likely immediately incapacitate your opponent. They may, in fact, absorb your bullets and then beat you up. Your gun does not give you any particular authority over the next guy. It does not make you special. It doesn't make you "almost a cop." You can still be killed; you can still be hurt. Worse yet, you might unintentionally kill or hurt someone innocent. Carrying that gun is a very, very sobering thing—so don't disrespect it. This means that you may have to make some grown-up decisions about modifying your own behavior, if you're at all inclined to behave irresponsibly or thoughtlessly. It means that you don't return road rage with a raised middle finger. It means that you might have to walk away from a verbal confrontation if at all possible, even when you know your are right. Consider whether or not you really need to go honkey-tonkin'. This leads to the next item......

#3:
One of the reasons our nation is in the trouble it is in is because somewhere back in the 1960s or so, the proverbial "we" decided that rights should be de-linked from responsibilities, but that is not what our founders intended. In their view, rights come with awesome responsibilities. The responsible exercise of our rights is called liberty. The irresponsible exercise of our rights leads to loss of liberty. When you carry a gun, that 1960s world-view is not something you can afford. Yes, you have a right, but that right comes with tremendous responsibilities. It is your responsibility to know the law. You don't have to be a lawyer, but you do need to be familiar with the law under which you obtained your CHL. You need to know the difference between use of force and use of deadly force. You need to know when either is justified under the law. AND, you need to be a big enough man (or woman) to know what you don't know and to take steps to find out the answers. I'm getting to be an old poop, and my memory for details isn't what it used to be. If you find yourself stumped for an answer, ask someone who knows. If you say something about the law and someone disputes it with you, listen. They might be right. Or not. But don't assume you are always right unless you really know the book forward and backward. Few do.

I could go on. Pick whichever group of three answers you like best.

[wacolivin]

Good stuff Annoyed Man. I really do appreciate everyone's insight and thoughts about being a CHL owner. The professionalism of this boards members and the discussions around being "responsible" are truly remarkable. I'm glad I found this!

[surprise_i'm_armed]

1. Carry 24/7 in all places OK'd by Texas law. You don't buy car insurance the day you expect to get in a wreck.
2. Always carry with "one in the pipe" - a defensive incident happens quickly and you can't afford the time to chamber a round.
3. Always carry backup ammo or a loaded BUG - you may have to engage multiple attackers, and you don't want to run dry.

SIA

[tbrown]

There's a lot of advice I could give on personal protection but most of it (e.g. awareness, avoidance, deescalation) applies to people long before they get a CHL. Assuming a new CHL knows all that already, the three CHL specific things I would tell them are 1. know the law so you don't violate it unintentionally, 2. carry 24x7 or deal with the consequences without whining, and 3. carry enough gun.

[Thomas]

More advice:

get ready to spend money on holsters.

Remember to look at eBay.

2. Always carry with "one in the pipe" - a defensive incident happens quickly and you can't afford the time to chamber a round.

This too.

[C-dub]

1. Never squat with yer spurs on.

2. Dont tug on Superman's cape.

3. Don't spit in the wind.


Oh... this is a different topic....sorry....

Nevertheless, it's still good advice.

[Warhammer]

1. Never squat with yer spurs on.

2. Dont tug on Superman's cape.

3. Don't spit in the wind.


Oh... this is a different topic....sorry....

Nevertheless, it's still good advice.

...Don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim...

But seriously, there's been some really good advice so far. There are definitely more than 3 top tips, but here are my 3 to add to the pot:
1. Always carry... ALWAYS. "But I'm just running down the street to CVS." Well, you can get just as killed in the CVS right near your house as you can anywhere else.
2. Stop fidgiting! No, it's not that obvious. Not every person who looks at you is thinking "hmm, I bet that bump under his shirt is a gun!" However, they might notice you constantly adjusting your pants, pulling down one side of your shirt and patting your hip like you think something might have fallen off.
3. Carrying is comforting, but not neccesarily comfortable. You may have to change your wardrobe a bit to effectively conceal. Your gun WILL feel noticable, but that's OK... You really don't WANTto forget you're even carrying.

[A-R]

Good stuff Annoyed Man. I really do appreciate everyone's insight and thoughts about being a CHL owner. The professionalism of this boards members and the discussions around being "responsible" are truly remarkable. I'm glad I found this!

Where's that darn "Like" button?

Anyway, I completely agree and greatly appreciate your comment above. The replies so far have been superb, which is par for the course around here.

My 3 things:

1. PRACTICE
"We don’t rise to the occasion. We fall back to our level of training."
Know your carry gun inside and out, know how to make it run even when it jams, know how to shoot it quickly and accurately with either hand and from any conceivable position. Know your holster rig and other equipment. Be able to draw from any holster wearing any cover garment you use in real life and put accurate rounds on target in under 3 seconds (minimum - many do this much faster).

2. PRACTICE
"Shooting a person is an unnatural act. You must train yourself to perform an unnatural act."
Be mentally and emotionally prepared. Be situationally aware and always scanning for threats (and 30.06/51% signs). Know the law, know when you can and when you can't, know what to do if IT happens, know where is your nearest escape, cover, concealment at all times. Awareness is your first defense, avoidance your first tactic. Roleplay "what if" games with yourself - what would I do if that guy over there pulled out a gun, pointed it at the clerk, and demanded money? What would I do if that guy who just passed me turned around and started following me?

3. PRACTICE
"Just because you can, does not mean you should."
"You cannot carry a gun and an ego."
Self control, de-escalation, retreat, and avoidance are all tools on our belt just as important as our firearm. Remain in the "adult" ego state. Be ready, willing, and able to be embarassed, talked down to, and made to "look a fool" without regret, remorse, retaliation. Rise above any non-lethal, non-physical slight. Be a better person, save a life, DO NOT EVER pull your gun unless it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. The only fight ever one is the fight that never takes place.

All of the above items must be practiced constantly to maintain the necessary skills and be able to execute the appropriate and necessary action.

And never forget the all-important fourth thing ...

4. EXECUTE
"Carrying a weapon is like prayer. It's a way of life, not an emergency detour."
"Carry 24/7 ... or guess right."

[Zylo_X]

As a 'newb' here also, unfortunately I can't give 3 'bullet points' that haven't already been said.
In general, I try to live by:
1) Knowledge
2) Skill and
3) Resolve.

My suggestion would be to pick from all the above tips the 3 or more (since 3 was your number) that address your weakest areas and work harder on those. I think the best first step has been studying this forum. To me, being a CHL holder is another phase of life, like why I drive a Lincoln now instead of a Z car (or 1968 GTO convertible ).