Concealed carry is one way that people can keep protection, in the form of a firearm on their person at all times. I have frequently written about the merits of concealed carry and even the best way to carry concealed in my opinion for those who so choose. For the law-abiding citizen, carrying concealed is one way to provide defensive capabilities to yourself should you end up in a bad situation and your life is on the line.

Recent events like the terrorist shooting in San Bernardino or any one of dozens of other examples of terrorism here in the US might  be spurring millions to purchase a firearm for security. I agree that for me at least this makes sense, but carrying concealed isn’t a magical unicorn that will flawlessly offer you peace of mind and protection from all evil forces in a simple and convenient way. I don’t mean to imply that this option works for everyone either or that you specifically should carry concealed. It is an option that I think sober people who want to protect their families and loved ones should consider, but it isn’t for everyone.

There are a few drawbacks to carrying concealed that I thought might be worth mentioning for perspective and to showcase another side of this issue. I will say up front now that I have faced all of the situations I am listing below and still choose to conceal carry virtually everywhere I go, but I hope this does give someone considering carrying concealed a little more information to reflect on before you make your final choice.

One of our readers commented on a separate post about some of their perceptions about the drawbacks of carrying concealed and that prompted my list below.

One size does not fit all

There are literally hundreds if not thousands of handguns out there you could consider as your concealed carry weapon. Some weapons are designed with smaller frames and shorter barrels to ease concealment. Others are full-sized weapons not designed specifically for concealment that people choose to simply hide a little better, but if you aren’t showing that on your hip for the world to see it is concealed. This presents the first problem I had to deal with.

I wanted my concealed carry permit for a lot of reasons. Most of them are detailed in my post titled Obligation to Carry Concealed and if you are considering if this is right for you, I might recommend you read that article first. Once you do decide that carrying concealed firearms is something you want to pursue, I would first check out the laws in your state. The website USAConcealedCarry.com has a lot of useful information. I would also talk to friends and family you know if possible for their advice and perspective.Read more….

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Weapons Security – Bug In Or Bug-Out

How to Survive a Violent Home Invasion

Ammo Storage DOs and DON’Ts