Posted on 04/29/2020 1:06:05 PM PDT by Kaslin
What I am about to say may surprise some people, especially considering that I am the president and founder of the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA). Despite the fact that I have been pleasantly surprised by the large swath of Americans who are working to improve their preparedness in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic — indeed, the last two months have seen record firearms sales — I want to emphasize that going out and purchasing a gun is not the sole requirement of actually being prepared. Rather, it's a small step at the beginning of a lifelong and life-changing journey for millions of Americans who want to keep their loved ones safe.
As the coronavirus pandemic has spread in recent weeks, many Americans have begun truly evaluating their own levels of personal security and preparedness for the first time and are also considering what they would do if they were ever forced to protect themselves or their families.
The result of such evaluations? Record firearms sales in virtually every state and municipality across the country. Gun sales in the states most affected by the virus thus far (California, New York and Washington come to mind) have been particularly high. Images of Americans — many of them first-time gun owners — lined up at gun stores and sporting-goods stores have become commonplace.The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) reported a 168 percent spike in ammunition shipments for the week ending March 14. Figures from the FBI show 3.7 million background checks were done that same month—the most for a single month since the system began in 1998.
Perhaps not surprising in a world where seemingly everything is politicized, particularly when it comes to firearms, anti-gun groups and politicians have predicted that rising gun sales, coupled with schools being closed, will lead to more accidental shootings and deaths. Kris Brown, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, recently claimed, for example, that an “unintended consequence of these panic-induced purchases in response to COVID-19 could be a tragic increase of preventable gun deaths.”
Try again, Mr. Brown. The reality is that this type of fearmongering and effort by some to use the pandemic to further erode gun rights is not rooted in fact. Even as gun ownership has consistently risen year after year — with roughly 100 million gun owners in the U.S. today — preventable accidents have steadily decreased; there was a 44 percent decline from 1999 to 2018. A recent report from the National Safety Council, a reference resource for safety statistics, shows that preventable or accidental gun-related deaths totaled only 458 cases in 2018, which was the lowest figure since the organization began keeping record in 1903. This represented just 1 percent of all firearms fatalities in 2018, even as concealed carry permits have soared by more than 215 percent in recent years.
One key reason for this is that responsible gun owners take firearms safety very seriously. Many of these individuals have proven that they are willing to comply with the law by fulfilling all of the requirements associated with obtaining a concealed carry permit. In fact, a recent report by the Crime Prevention Research Center found that concealed carry permit holders are among the most law-abiding demographic of Americans today.
All of this aside, the bottom line is that all of us share the common goal of working to reduce future tragedies. Being a responsibly-armed American does not stop with your constitutional right to bear arms. In fact, making the decision to carry a firearm, or even to simply keep a gun for home defense, is where the real responsibility begins.
In addition to firearms safety, education and training must be top priorities for all gun owners, particularly for the thousands of Americans who have purchased a firearm for the first time in recent weeks. There’s no substitute for live-fire training, and many gun ranges have closed their doors during this pandemic, but gun owners still have the option to access countless online training materials and courses from knowledgeable instructors.
Safe firearms storage is also critical. Every new gun ships with a gun lock. A gun owner should use that lock or another secure storage device any time he or she is not either training at a range or carrying said sidearm. Many police and fire stations offer free gun locks — no questions asked. Again, when not in use, a firearm should be stored in a secured lockbox to which only the lawful owner or another authorized individual has access.
There will continue to be political and policy disagreements about gun ownership in the coming days — and beyond — and that’s OK. But right now, as millions of Americans continue to embrace their right to self-protection and others still are just starting to open their minds to the responsibly-armed lifestyle, we need to remember that education, training and safety must remain the uncompromisable tenets on which we all stand.
Gov. Blackface Babykiller shut all of our ranges down, the idiot.
When the Nightrider, Bubba, Johnny the Boy, and Toecutter show up at your door, you will need to know how to wield that weapon. Main Force Patrol will not get there in time.
That will be a big help against an armed intruder at night.
How about this: Loaded handgun in my nightstand drawer, loaded double barrel 12 gauge in the closet.
Again, when not in use, a firearm should be stored in a secured lockbox to which only the lawful owner or another authorized individual has access.
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Excuse me, Mr. Homeinvader while I find my keys and unlock my gun.........
The dirty little secret is that guns are not that complicated. They spend all kinds of time trying to convince people that only retired delta force guys and people with massive amounts of training have any business ever touching a pistol. The fact is, five minutes with the clerk at the counter when you buy it and enough hand and eye coordination to run a blow dryer is sufficient to allow you to defend yourself. 80 year old grannies prove it every day.
But please, keep up with the drama
ImVho, Tim Schmidt is 100% CORRECT.
Further, as a US Army Rangemaster (my ID “expiration date” reads: INDEFINITE, i.e., FOR LIFE), Retired, I believe that EVERY new shooter should invest in PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, whether or not that their locality requires it, BEFORE they start carrying a gun.
Of course, every shooter should also comply with the lawful requirements for bearing arms of their city/county/parish/state as well.
(Most “new gun owners”, including those persons who have never even touched a firearm, will need no more than 8 hours of coaching to learn to clean, maintain, carry & fire their handgun safely.)
Just my OPINIONS, TMN78247
USAMPR, Retired
I agree about the drawer for the handgun, but one shotgun under the bed, and one in the closet.
Here here and Amen.
Neither do I need a PhD to understand most written word, but I do need be literate.
This is a part of the great American experiment, wether free men can govern themselves....
L, said, I do think we ought to obtain adequate skills for every task, from sweeping a floor or armed self defense.
We’ll be okay.
I mostly agree - training requirements tend to be exaggerated to A) create a market for trainers B) scare people into not buying them C) Create the impression for the average citizen that guns are simply too dangerous to be purchased by the average person.
However, people should definitely practice from time to time to be more comfortable in a time of need.
I ain't them...........
One way or another, the learning curve will follow and adjust to the sales.
Exactly. That locked storage is called “my house”. I keep a semi auto handgun in my night stand, full magazine seated, nothing in the chamber. 99% of everyone ever won’t be able to figure out how to load it to hurt someone. That’s safe enough for me.
That was Psalm 73 that recommended that.
I have three in the nightstand.
.380
.357
.45
Shooting skills atrophy without practice. My Governor Cuomo shut down my club - the guy can’t get anything right.
Agree completely with #6
I sell guns part time now.
We have a range associated with the store up the street.
We give a free hour of range time with every purchase.
My last phrase after thanking them for their purchase is “Practice, practice, practice”.
Thanks for your service.
Fact is, other than constitutional carry jurisdiction, the rest require some sort of certificate of training iot carry.
Regards
Pardon me for pointing out that SEVERAL companies make a SECURE handgun box that you do NOT need a key to open BUT will keep children & other “unauthorized persons” from getting access to.
YES, with very little practice, an authorized person CAN open the gun-box W/O turning on a light.
(A loaded handgun in a unlocked bedside drawer is an INVITATION for unauthorized people to locate, pick up & perhaps discharge the handgun.)
Fwiw, MY choice in a PRIMARY home defense weapon is a 12 gauge DB or pump shotgun, rather than any handgun.
(My primary shotgun is a 1960s vintage Remington Model 870 with 18.5 inch barrel. - It is loaded with 5 rounds of #4 buckshot.)
Yours, TMN78247
Shooting skills atrophy without practice.
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Agree.
I generally go to the range every week.
When I have laid off for this long, I can tell next time I go.
Usually only take a one magazine to get back to it, though because I shoot so frequently.
It does take a fair amount of practice to be good with a handgun, much more so than a long gun.
My brother-in-law comes once a year and it shows.
Lucky to get on the paper.
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