Learning concealed carry lessons from other people’s mistakes.
Just a few days ago the Gazette Extra in Janesville, Wisconsin ran a story about a concealed carry permit holder accidentally leaving his loaded weapon on a ball field.
“Roger Gransee of Whitewater said he was acting as catcher as his granddaughter warmed up for her 12-and-under fast pitch game Sunday when he lost the handgun. Gransee said he usually keeps his gun on his waistband, but he had taken off his shirt on the warm day and didn’t want it showing through his T-shirt, so he clipped the holstered gun in his boot. He suspects the gun slipped out as he was kneeling. He didn’t notice it was gone until he arrived home that evening.”
Lesson number 1: If you carry a concealed weapon, always carry the concealed weapon.
If you carry a concealed weapon your decision making process has now changed. When the weather changes you have a decision to make. Carrying a deadly weapon and being prepared to use it is a sobering and overwhelmingly serious responsibility. Making the choice to carry a concealed weapon demands your situational tactics and responses now flow from that decision to carry a gun. The right decision in Roger Gransee’s situation is to keep his weapon in a “positively controlled position” on his person and just deal with the heat. Plainly put, “positive control” of the firearm is more important than your comfort or convenience in any situation. Mr. Gransee’s first mistake was to allow his situation and comfort level to influence and compromise his control of the weapon. He should have never removed his outer cover garment if he was unable to strategically and effectively conceal his defensive handgun in a safe, accessible location on his body.
Lesson number 2: Avoid paranoia when carrying concealed.
The gun Mr. Gransee was carrying is a Taurus PT 738. This is a .380 caliber “pocket gun”. Apparently, he was carrying his “pocket pistol” IWB (inside the waistband) or OWB (outside the waistband) at the time when he removed his outer cover garment. He was concerned that someone would see the gun on his waist so he repositioned the gun and holster by clipping it to his boot. I really don’t get a kick out of pointing out the obvious, but here it goes. “Pocket guns” like the Taurus PT 738 are designed for a particular type of concealed carry. Pocket carry guns are specifically designed to be carried … wait for it … in a pocket. Avoid being paranoid when carrying concealed. If your gun is so small that you can lose it in your boot, chances are nobody is going to see it on your waist or interestingly enough, in your pocket.
Lesson number 3: If you carry a concealed weapon, always carry the concealed weapon.
Now I know the 3rd lesson sounds conspicuously exact to the first lesson. Well, that’s because it is. Roger Gransee made a mistake. His mistake embarrassed him, but did not harm anyone. Certainly the potential was there for a serious incident to have occurred, but the fact of the matter is that it did not. However, in his embarrassment Mr. Gransee says “the incident has made him think”, and he said “in the future, he will lock the gun in his car when at sporting events, as he does when he enters buildings where firearms are banned.” Truthfully, he may be better off leaving the gun locked up at home in his gun safe whenever he plans to leave the house. Instead of regrouping and strategically planning how to be better prepared to carry his gun in the future, he decided to not carry it, just like he was entering a “firearm free zone”. If you carry a concealed weapon, always carry the concealed weapon. You may make mistakes or even become uncomfortable or embarrassed at times. However, if you care about your life and the lives of those you love, prepare yourself properly to lawfully, strategically and effectively carry your concealed weapon.
Read the original story here:
http://www.gazettextra.com/20140612/gun_found_on_ballfield_was_conc…
About the author: Anthony Battaglia is the founder, owner and developer for TactiPac – Tactical Solutions Provider , the founder of Missionccw.com and The Louisiana Concealed Carry Association . He is a Christian, Husband, Father, business owner, U.S. Navy Veteran, CCW permit holder, gun enthusiast and outdoorsman. You can receive more information or contact Anthony by visiting AnthonyBattaglia.org, Tactipac.com or MissionCCW.com .
