First, the survey asked if the person had a concealed
handgun license (CHL) or not, and asked if they were a peace officer or similar
person. 14 responded as having no CHL,
20 with a CHL and 19 were peace officers.
The most common firearm is a full-sized automatic followed by a
compact. 22 carry a spare magazine and
11 carry two spares. 16 people
responding carry more than 17 rounds. Peace officers were asked to answer the survey referring to their habits of carrying a weapon off-duty.
12 reported carrying their weapon inside a vehicle and two
of them were peace officers. All of the
unlicensed folks carry in their car. 94%
of respondents carry a phone. Half said
they carry a knife and/or flashlight.
I expected fewer CHL licensees to carry outside of the
vehicle based on my experience as a CHL instructor asking renewal customers
about their experience. Most tended to
carry less as time went on, much like rookie cops. It’s encouraging to see holster use high,
with 19 using a holster and 11 carrying in a waistband. I hope the waistband people can be encouraged
to adopt some sort of holster. It’s hard
to put up a fight when your firearm is in your pants leg or laying in the
parking lot.
The survey showed a majority tilt toward good decisions when
carrying a concealed firearm in public.
Peace officers showed a higher tendency to carry in a holster on their
person and have more ammo available. They
also tend to carry a full-size firearm a little more often. While
this survey does nothing to evaluate skill and experience, it does show that
armed citizens are very close to sworn peace officers in the equipment
department. It’s also worth noting that
in places where concealed handguns are not allowed, half of the people in the
survey would be disarmed.
My recommendations for concealment have always been the
same: Full size or compact firearm (no
nano-guns), strong-side holster, at least 12 rounds and a cell phone. I’m happy to see this as a trend. It’s not something I dreamed up, it’s just a
matter of good sense based on experience.
Nano guns are tough to use. Only
movie stars can run a half-marathon through back alleys and not lose the .45
stashed in the waistband of their boxers.
A mass shooter picks the crime scene based on the
probability of success. They’re looking
for condensed targets like a crowd jammed in a doorway, close distances, and
the likelihood that no one will resist them.
They will do their damage within the police response time. All it takes is a single, well-placed
opponent to stop them.
