Concealed Carry For Off Duty
Violence directed at law enforcement is far from over no matter what happens in the near future. The need to carry concealed off duty is growing now that the genie is out of the bottle.
The Need For Change
Recent discussions with two different departments regarding the subject of training have helped illustrate a few concerns. In my experience, off duty carry hasn’t been popular across the law enforcement land. Talking with senior officers and training personnel it is a common complaint of theirs. This is changing and changing fast. As it changes we are seeing more requests for off duty or concealed carry training. I’m thrilled and excited to be working with many who are not just looking to carry, but doing it better. Traditionally, off duty training was non-existent; which was also part of the problem.
The Unlikely Concealed Carry Choices
In these discussions one of the subjects was regarding the type of firearm to be carried and how. Opinions are plenty on this subject, but my number one priority is to get people to carry. The old adage, “a gun is better than no gun.” drives this thought. It doesn’t matter what the carry within reason, getting more people to carry is the goal. A lot of times there is an aversion to anything that doesn’t have a boatload of likes on social media. At times I have had to work with students who brought firearms I wouldn’t use or own. Again, it doesn’t matter what I would use or own. Instead, you have to find ways to work with what the student brought as long as it is safe.
The Off Duty Gun No One Likes
I enjoy seeing a variety of firearms on the firing line. It is nice and I try to learn the reasons why a particular firearm was chosen. Excluding a department policy, the most common reason I hear for selecting a firearm is size. In this case, smaller is better. The smallest caliber I have had come through a class and do well was a 380ACP. While this round can get a lot of bad press regarding terminal ballistics I still haven’t found a volunteer willing to be shot by this caliber. When I have circled back with these students I’m not surprised to learn they have “upgraded” to a different firearm. In fact, it is one of the main reasons why I am so open to seeing a variety of firearms. It is my belief through a trial and error process the students learns about their choice and future choices.
Your Carry Gun & Magazines
Granted, I typically encourage new shooters to go with larger framed firearms. It can make learning the basics a lot easier and help the student achieve a positive experience. I’m trying to get students to carry off duty as often as possible. My objective is to increase the frequency and consistency with which they carry. In classes it means I end up modifying the curriculum to a degree with some of these small platforms. These smaller platforms generally means more reloading due to the smaller magazine capacity. My one request is to bring as many magazines as possible to facilitate the least amount of down time. This enables the student to participate in the most amount of range time with the little blaster.
I don’t mind seeing these smaller firearms, my goal is to educate the student with what they currently have. My hope is they become more comfortable carrying and my belief is they embrace their new lifestyle.
