By Bob O'Connor
USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- The concealed carry COMMITMENT is a pledge to yourself and those around you to be a responsible carrier of your firearm. I believe that commitment for concealed carriers can be broken down into four principles, being MINDSET, EDUCATION, TRAINING, and JUDGEMENT. In the coming weeks I will present my perspective of these principles, but first I wanted to discuss what the concealed carry commitment means to me.
Often over the past several years, when I have been in social settings, and people around me learn I am a career investigator and firearms instructor, the conversation inevitably turns to concealed carry. I always like to talk about how people approach their own reasons to carry, but I have become frustrated and concerned with the overall lack of understanding even those who have a concealed carry permit have about their personal responsibilities relative to this important privilege.
Let me be clear here. I know I am writing for an “audience” of folks who already carry concealed (and in some states, carry open). Hence, you already have a license if required in your state. Good for you for exercising your Constitutional right to own and carry. Nonetheless, like anything else, it’s always good to review the circumstances under which you carry, know why you carry and under which you might give advice to someone who asks about it. Now, back to the social setting.
Typically, the first question I get is something like, “I am thinking about getting my CCW permit. Should I?”. My almost immediate reply is, if you have to ask me, you have not made your mind up to be a responsible concealed carry permit holder, and you are not ready for concealed carry. No one can
