Sometimes the distraction can be the person you most want to protect. Recently when spending an evening stroll with my wife she turned and called me an “unromantic, paranoid clown.” In more than thirty years of marriage she has certainly called me worse but this time I was shocked because she reacted to something I had been doing for many years.
You see I carry my conceal carry weapon on my right side so when my wife attempts to hold my right hand in public I always step back and move to her other side to offer her my left hand. After many years of practice I assumed my maneuver was both smooth and unnoticeable. Not only did my spouse disagree about the smoothness, she added that the habit was annoying. I tried to smooth things over by turning on the charm and explaining that I need to “love you with my left hand so that I can protect you with my right hand.” Needless to say she did see the eloquence in that line and the mood did not get better. Rarely, have I found that there are things more important than pleasing your wife but this time I felt strongly enough to declare that this was one habit that wasn’t going to be broken. She continued to grumble but she did not demand her share of the community property. No matter how much I practice using my left hand I know that my right hand is better. With that fact in mind I need to ensure that I present the best possibility for success should a threat occur. Restricting the use of your dominant hand is never a good idea. Too often folks load down their dominant hand and as a result an efficient and complete defense becomes impossible. When fast reaction time is crucial to success wasting time freeing your strong side hand is time you cannot afford. Always keeping your dominant hand available for rapid use is crucial to personal defense.
Of course having your hand free is not enough. In fact carrying a weapon that you have practiced with and are competent using is not enough – the weapon has to be reachable. When riding in a car your weapon does you no good if a seat belt or sitting position precludes you from effectively drawing and aiming your weapon. I often wear a “small of the back” holster because it allows me to fully conceal my weapon but I also recognize that it is a less effective carry method when traveling by automobile. At those times I shift my weapon to a position that is easier to reach and allows a faster, controlled draw.
Being a slave to fashion also does not help. I always marvel at my colleagues who go with style over effectiveness when choosing a holster to carry their weapon. Since the weapon is expected to be concealed anyway I just don’t see where fashion needs to be a consideration. While they might feel good about the way they look it does them no good if the rig does not provide an effective platform from which to draw their weapon. The holster you use to carry a firearm needs to first perform well and next be comfortable so that you never find an excuse to be unarmed and you can always bring your weapon into play when needed. There are even times when no holster is the better way to carry and all of us need to continue to experiment, and research to determine the best techniques and products.Developing good habits takes practice and time and maintaining good habits takes personal discipline and vigilance. You must always assume there is the possibility of danger. The best defense against a violent threat is caution and preparation not bravery or marksmanship. Always pay attention to your surroundings. If you are someplace, which makes you suspicious or fearful for your safety and the safety of your loved ones, leave immediately.
