Armed self-defense for gun owners, new and old

May 14, 11:56 AMCharlotte Gun Rights ExaminerPaul Valone

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Author practices gun presentation from holster. Photo: Lori Roets,
LazyRPhotography

The gun salesman of the year, a/k/a Barack Obama, has put guns into the hands of thousands of people who never before owned them. Maybe that is you; maybe it’s one of your friends or co-workers; maybe you’ve owned guns for years but want to get advanced level training.

If you want basic or advanced handgun training, the “Armed Self-Defense” series, over the next two weeks, will provide you guidance on:

• Equipment selection and storage;
• Basic firearm safety and courses available;
• What to do after you take a basic course;
• Concealed handgun permits; and
• Intermediate and advanced-level training to include tactical considerations, malfunction drills and more.

TOO BASIC FOR YOU? MAYBE NOT

Even if you have owned and shot guns for years, you may find things here you have never thought about: The segment on ABC’s “20/20” a few weeks ago did its best to convince people they don’t stand a chance when using guns for self-defense. While nothing could be further from the truth, the reality is that the more training you get, the better your chances will be – and this applies not only to you, but to your wife, husband or aging parent.

Although I am a defensive handgun instructor with upper level courses under my belt, upcoming segments will feature interviews with Tom Iradi of Eagle Rock Training Systems, whose experience far exceeds my own.

PRACTICAL PISTOL TRAINING

The last segments will cover two actual courses taught at Eagle Rock: “Practical Tactical” Phases I and II. These one-day courses, held back-to-back, are designed to introduce gun owners to the skills and mindset necessary for armed self-defense. This column will feature extensive photographs and coverage as I embarrass myself by honing rusty skills.

SO YOU WANT TO GET A GUN

DO YOU QUALIFY?
The first question is: Are you legally able to do so? State laws vary widely, so check state-maintained websites or seek legal advice. I have lots of friends who are cops and I respect very much what they do. But cops are not lawyers: Occasionally, their advice on gun laws may lead you awry.

If you have a history of felonies, misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence or, in some cases, substance abuse; if you have been involuntarily committed to a mental institution; or if you are under a restraining order, you may well be a “prohibited person” under state or federal law. Consult a lawyer.

Ask yourself whether your personality – and that of others in the household – is well-suited to armed self-defense. If you live in a volatile household or you aren’t sure you could use a firearm in defense of yourself or your family, get a good pepper gas delivery system instead.

WHAT NOT TO DO
Presuming state and federal laws are not prohibitive, what happens next depends on your experience with firearms. If you have relatively little, I generally advise you not to listen to the “experts” among your friends and acquaintances who will tell you that nothing less than a .44 Magnum will suffice, or that “if you shoot ‘em outside, make sure you drag ‘em inside.” When it comes to guns, everybody seems to have an opinion, whether or not they actually know anything about the subject.

In general, seek advice from a reputable firearms dealer and take introductory level courses from instructors certified by the National Rifle Association. Doing so vastly increases the chance you will get the right equipment and know how to handle it safely.

WHAT KIND OF GUN SHOULD YOU GET?

Some of my amusing experiences at firing ranges:

•  When the guy brought a TEC-9 (popular with gang members) to a bowling pin match and was unable to shoot 5 bowling pins at 7 yards despite emptying two 30-round magazines;
• When the guy who brought the .50 caliber Desert Eagle (trimmed in gold) and proceeded to put rounds downrange everywhere but the target (including one in the ceiling above it); and
• The guys with the cute laser sites, where you can actually watch the laser jump around with trigger snatch and the many other technique flaws which render them unable to deliver a decent group.

Rule 1: The gun best for you is not the biggest, or the meanest, the most technologically slick. It is the gun you can reliably operate and hit with. Hitting with a .38 Special is better than missing with a .44 Magnum. It needs to be right for you, and it needs to be utterly reliable – as in goes “Bang!” each time, every time.

Rule 2: That mega-capacity, polymer-framed, techno-wonder, semi-automatic pistol might not be for you. A friend once told me his plan to replace his girlfriend’s Colt .38 Special revolver with a Glock. After asking whether she planned to shoot regularly (she didn’t), I asked: “Why?”

Rule 3: Don't buy junk. My greatest hope is that whatever perp decides to attack me is carrying a Raven, or a Stallard Arms, or some other pot metal piece of junk. (I also  hope he is holding the gun upside down, "gangsta"-style, but that's a different story.) A decent revolver -- Smith & Wesson, Taurus, Colt, Ruger, charter Arms or other -- can be had for less than $400. Is it worth that much to ensure that at a critical moment it doesn't go "click"? Spring for it.

Another acquaintance told me he and his wife planned to take a concealed handgun class, then showed me a beautiful, matched pair of Browning pistols (a High Power and a little Model 1922 from the early 20th century, both in 100% condition and still in the presentation case) that he planned to have he and his wife carry. Beyond telling him he would destroy two lovely collector guns, I explained the differences between modern defensive pistols and those of generations past.

For people who do not intend to train regularly, I general suggest a nice, old-fashioned revolver rather than a semi-automatic pistol. While reliability of semi-automatic handguns has advanced to the point that they are now as reliable as revolvers, semi-autos have a more complicated “manual of arms” (i.e. they require more complicated manipulation) which can result in safety issues for inexperienced shooters. Additionally, for women, hand strength for operating the slide can be an issue when chambering and un-chambering cartridges in semi-automatic pistols.

If you do decide on a semi-auto, unless you plan to become very proficient, do not get a single action pistol. The fact that a round must be chambered, with the hammer cocked, before firing renders it both more difficult to bring into action and more likely to produce an accidental discharge.

General Guidelines:

• Larger, heavier guns are easier to shoot: Weight reduces felt recoil, while a longer barrel gives you a longer sight radius, making it easier to hit targets.
• Smaller, lighter guns are far easier to carry: As a concealed handgun permit-holder, I would much rather carry my steel-framed Combat Commander. The realities of the world, however, make it more likely I will be carrying a little .32 caliber Beretta Tomcat in a pocket holster. A friend used to ridicule the little gun until one day, in a restaurant, I said: “My gun is in my pocket. Where’s yours?” It was in the car. Trite though it may be, the first rule of a gunfight is to bring a gun.
• Ideal defensive calibers generally start with “.38” or more: My “mousegun” notwithstanding, .380 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) is a generally accepted minimum for having enough stopping power to end a fight. The upper end of the scale is up to you, but bear in mind that heavier calibers generate more recoil, noise and muzzle blast. Improper training may cause you to “learn” flinch and recoil anticipation, which hurt your ability to hit the target.

Before selecting a handgun for self-defense, ask yourself what you plan to do with it. Will it be a nightstand gun, or do you plan to carry it daily? Will you be the only person depending on it, or might your spouse need it too? Will you need to load and unload it frequently (e.g. children in the home, local storage regulations, etc.)?

GUN STORAGE

There are good reasons accidental gun deaths among children are at historic lows: In a modern world, responsible people don’t leave them lying around for kids to get their hands on. That said, the less accessible it is to others, the less accessible it is to you, too. State and local laws may also play a large role in how you store your gun. The most draconian might even require you to lock it up, with the ammunition separate, rendering it useless for home defense.

Since there is no single solution, you must access your situation:

• Are there kids in the home, or who may visit the home?
• Is everyone in the home emotionally stable?
• Do you have other barriers to slow down intruders and give you a warning (e.g. alarm system, dog, well-lighted home exterior)?

My personal solution involves well-placed, quick access lock boxes which can be bolted to the floor or to a piece of furniture. Most have either biometric access or finger recesses which allow you to run the combination in the dark. Whatever you decide on, practice with it just as you practice with the firearm.

COMING NEXT

In the next segment, we will discuss obtaining training and follow up activities through which you can both enjoy and develop proficiency with your chosen firearm.
 

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