Philadelphia concealed carry permit
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Let’s get this out of the way first: constitutional carry should be the rule, not the exception. That being said, I don’t think conceal carry permits should go away any time soon. Even as my home state moved to permitless carry several years ago, I maintained my permit and encourage others to get theirs as well.

Why should someone put in the time, money, and effort when it isn’t required? I’d love to tell you.

Training Above Minimum Standards

There are a lot of myths about what a “typical” or “average” gunfight looks like. We won’t get into that topic now, but you’ll probably never wish you had less skill if the time ever comes to use your pistol defensively.

While standards in conceal carry classes are typically very low, they’re still standards that are recognized by the state. Having established a record of your marksmanship skill is an excellent thing to have on your side if you ever have to use your gun in self-defense.

In addition to that, the record of your written test, in states that require one, can also reflect a higher level of knowledge than that of average gun owners. That’s especially the case in permitless carry states, showing that you’ve gone above and beyond the minimum required.

Gunsite 250 Pistol
More shooters in my 250 Pistol were novices than not. Both were accommodated and pushed to grow during class.

While we can study and train on our own all we like, much of what’s done in private may not matter much in court. Training where an independent third party tests you will likely hold more water than your latest Instagram reel.

Take a conceal carry class, record scores on the FBI handgun qualification course, go train with people like Citizens Defense Research or FPF Training. Not only will you build your skills (and a record of doing so), but you may meet some legitimate subject matter experts along the way to go to bat for you in a worst case scenario.

Greater Knowledge of the Laws

Most states have pathetically easy tests of shooting ability as part of their conceal carry permitting process. On more than one occasion I’ve seen shooters pass tests blindfolded, even when attempting more challenging qualification courses.

The real value in these classes is often found in the legal aspects of conceal carry. Knowing where you can and can’t carry your pistol and the consequences of being caught if disobeying the law. Use of force considerations are another big topic these courses usually cover. They can help you to avoid a lot of common pitfalls you frequently spouted by couch commandos online, and may help to keep you out of prison by avoiding bad shoots.

Kenosha Rittenhouse trial verdict not guilty
Kyle Rittenhouse is comforted by his lawyer as he was acquitted of all charges at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021. (AP Photo)

I’ve taken three different conceal carry classes in my lifetime and I’ve taught teaching conceal carry in the past. This is always the portion that generates the most learning and knowledge transfer among students.

These classes are often the only training that many people get, especially in the legal aspects of concealed carry and the defensive use of firearms. Taking a few hours to sit through a course could be the one thing that stops you from landing in jail.

Visible Support of the Second Amendment

Accurate statistics for gun ownership can be difficult to find. Outside of NICS data, many gun owners are hesitant to answer questions about how many they own, how often they carry, and more.

It’s virtually impossible to account for how many people conceal carry on a daily basis, or at all. This is made even more complex in states which allow for permitless carry.

While I completely support data masking, having hard numbers to support gun rights is an important thing. In 2019 it was reported that nearly 19 million Americans have conceal carry permits across the country. Those numbers have only continued to grow.

This shows Americans’ innate belief in the right to bear arms, helping to secure our rights in the face of those who wish to strip them from us. Having the ability to record hard numbers is critical, and getting your conceal carry permit is one way you can help advance the cause.

Reciprocity

Half of our nation now allows for constitutional carry, though each define their versions of permitless carry slightly differently. Even with the rise of constitutional carry, though, many states — even constitutional carry states — still require a concealed carry permit for out of state visitors.

Without a permit reciprocated by your destination and other states, your only options are traveling unarmed or riding dirty. As the law-abiding citizens we are, the latter isn’t much of a choice.

courtesy teenvogue.com and Travel Ink

While some may be content to never leave home, others don’t have that option. In more than one place in the US you’ll find yourself drifting across state lines as the road winds ahead of you, inadvertently putting yourself into another jurisdiction.

Maybe work or a training opportunity sends you away from home. A family emergency or natural disaster can suddenly strike. You may find yourself in another part of the world, asking yourself “well, how did I get here?

Whatever the reason, there’s little purpose to not being armed when you can. Skimping on a conceal carry permit could have dire consequences, both legally and for the safety of you and those around you.

Final Thoughts 

We should continue the push for greater acceptance of constitutional carry. There are still 25 states that need to join the fraternity. The ability to carry legally without a permit is a huge benefit for safety and the Second Amendment, and helps ensure the most vulnerable populations can protect themselves.

That being said, maintaining a valid conceal carry permit offers multiple benefits, even when it’s not required. From protecting you while traveling, to educating you about legalities of carry, and more, the advantages more than justify navigating the hurdles involved in getting one.

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116 COMMENTS

  1. Millions of idiots with driver’s licenses go through much more classwork than any CCW holder and still don’t know the laws about driving.

  2. I could not agree with this advice more. In Texas you have more places and freedoms to carry (wear) with a permit than without. I still support permitless carry though. I also support repealing the anti full auto laws.

    • The biggest drawback to a CCW is two agencies in the Peepuls Republic of Kalifornicadia have release the complete information of CCW holders to public media. First the attorney PFC (reduced in rank due to gross incompetence) of Kaliforniacaida released that information and claimed it was a mistake and just this past week, the County of San Bernardino did the same as a result of a FOI demand by a left wing newspaper in that county.

      So, if you don’t mind having your name, address, the kinds of firearms you own and how old, tall, weight hair and eye color being published in the local commie rag, thing ahead and get a permission slip from your local sheriff.

    • Only those employed by the organized crime cartel of insurance support mandating “carry insurance”. You don’t need insurance to exercise your constitutional rights and folks shouldn’t let anyone try to convince them otherwise.

      • I in NO way support mandatory carry insurance.

        I personally chose carry insurance because it can protect a firearm owner from financial ruin.
        Even in the event of a good shoot.

        The home hazmat clean up coverage is a nice feature too.
        Also the bail fee coverage………also the check for 1k should the firearm be taken as evidence………..

        • You absolutely DO support the organized crime cartel of modern day insurance. We never needed such nonsense in our society until the paranoid, control-loving GROOMERS came along.

        • “You absolutely DO support the organized crime cartel of modern day insurance..”

          I support acknowledging risk threats to my financial stability, then taking measures to minimize those possible threats. If you call that….
          “You absolutely DO support the organized crime cartel of modern day insurance..”
          so be it.

          Mandatory carry insurance is BS for a constitutionally protected right.

          In our litigious society I see a $200 annual fee that covers legal defense after a ‘good shoot’ (sometimes in excess of 1 mil dollars) as a reasonable fee IMHO. I choose to protect myself and what I’ve worked for, as do most who EDC.

          But by all means, you do you. 👍

        • @JC

          Years later, still eating the costs from the last. Reasons are valid, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

          Used to have the same disposition as GRA. Need but feel that chunk taken out of your ass one time to change your mind. I only wish they could’ve backdated that policy.

          Mandatory training req’s or insurance can FOAD, making my position clear.

        • Fortunately in my state, Citizens who find it necessary to use their legally carried firearm in self defense or defense of others. Are legally protected from frivolous civil lawsuits in the event of a ‘Good’ shot.

        • @Dark

          That’s nice, but it didn’t stop them from going after me with a catchall charge. Discharging a Firearm in Public.

          As I said in a previous complaint, of fucking course you discharge neutralizing imminent threats. Malicious arrest for unwarranted false charges, with a attempted malicious prosecution?

          Getting made whole again after all that? Good luck.

      • No need for any kind of ‘carry insurance’ in Texas. But having the USCCA, US Lawshield, etc. is advisable regardless (for what happens after).

        I also recommend keeping/renewing/acquiring a license. I like knowing it isn’t required but it does make thing flow easier.

        • If I ever go to another state, it’s nice to know I can carry there too. I doubt I’ll ever have to use it but, I find myself carrying now even in my own neighborhood, or to go get a gallon of milk. One never knows when someone may ‘go-off’ and it’s better to have it & not need it than need it & not have it.

      • There are two radically different forms of insurance. The one the anti-ginners want to mandate is insurance to compensate for his injuries the home invader, carjacker, madman, etc. that you fought off. The one you want pays your bills after a DGU. Primarily, this means a good lawyer but the best programs also provide bail and other things. Prosecutors and plaintiffs’ attorneys hate this kind of insurance since it means you are no longer an easy victim in court. It’s like having a friend or big brother come to your rescue when you are being victimized by a bully.

        • Mine also covers lawsuits by the deceased persons family, I don’t shoot to injure/wound, not the way I was trained.

      • Upon further replies read, I stand corrected. I severely underestimated GRA’s stance, and was nothing like that in the past.

      • Carry insurance should not be mandatory. Carry insurance should be a decision made by an individual and not made mandatory by politicians.
        Further, a person does not need carry insurance to exercise a constitutional right, but if they want to purchase carry insurance, then that is their business and their money to spend as they please.
        If a person desires to protect property, finances etc, then insurance offers a way to do that and it does not matter if a person wants to protect a home investment, auto wreck expenses or a DGU the choice to purchase the particular insurance is left to the individual. Who knows where the premium paid goes. And when it comes claim time who really cares? The purchaser merely wants the protections insurance offers. The rich man may not want insurance, but it is the only option others have other than merely taking a chance should a bad event occur. No GRA I am employed by or retired from an insurance company. I am retired.

        • Once insurance to exercise a constitutional right starts trending you can bet your ass it will become mandatory.

    • Absolutely must have insurance if you carry. You do not want to face the control mob without experienced, specialized expert representation.

  3. I keep my old states permit current because I can do it all by mail. Here I have to go in person to drop off a form then again to pick the permit up a week later. A minor inconvenience but a stupid one so I haven’t bothered since we went permitless.

    • Same in CA. Everything has to be done in person, and the main station where the processing happens is a full hour away from me.

      Meanwhile, my non-resident permit from a neighboring state is by mail.

      • FL renewals are done online, just take a “selfie” adjust it to fit their template send it with the “fee” and you’re all set.

        • Iowa has removed the need for a picture on it’s latest Weapons Permit and has put laws in place to protect it’s citizens from civil suits in the event of a ‘Good’ shoot.

        • LASD puts your name, stats, DOB, thumbprint, home address, employer, employer’s address, and your guns’ (up to 3 max allowed) make, model, S/N. There’s so much info on it, the font size is the smallest I’ve ever seen on any ID card.

  4. “In addition to that, the record of your written test, in states that require one, can also reflect a higher level of knowledge than that of average gun owners.”

    In my state, it just reflects your ability to pay attention and retain some facts. There was no handbook which I thought was odd. You just show up and listen to a very long lecture (it’s an all day event). Then you’re tested on it. Then you shoot several rounds at varying distances. I got a 100 on both tests, as should everyone who takes it. They should have a handbook like the drivers license. They should also notify you of every change in the law, like they do with professional licenses.

  5. I agree with much of this article.
    While I get the the 2ndA is a right, I do think there needs to be a training standard of not only accuracy, but of safe weapons handling and understanding the law regarding the use of deadly force.
    Also like to see the availability of not just a basic standard, but advance classes.
    That is what we need, more responsible, trained citizens.
    Not more gun control laws.

    • Due diligence and time at the range

      There is nothing ring with going to the range before taking the class.

  6. This is very good advice. I can carry concealed in all fifty states. A nice perk as a result of my former profession. It should not be so. Every citizen of the United States of America should be able to carry a weapon. Except for violent convicted felons. They are forfeit.

    • “Every citizen of the United States of America should be able to carry a weapon. Except for violent convicted felons. They are forfeit.”

      That seems to be the consensus of the legal folks, and I’m mostly OK on that. If you’ve finished your sentence, I think you should be allowed possession at home, but not out in public…

  7. Anyone who thinks jumping thru gummint hoops to exercise a God given right should not be allowed to carry a rubber gun let alone a real one.

    • Saw a nationwide law firm on YT not to long ago stating that many cases in the last decade have seen trending prosecution tactics that trained individuals are:

      1) Police are trained, and should’ve been able to deescalate. Therefore use of force was in no way, under any circumstance justified.

      2) Military/ex-mil are trained for dangerous situations, consequently are not in fear for their lives. Thereby defeating the standards for claims of self-defense.

      3) Concealed permit holders are looking to manufacture a situation in order to create an opportunity to kill.

      4) Largely the same as the last. Disingenuous statements that anyone training, especially at a higher level than introductory courses, is a bloodthirsty savage.

      • One of the biggest problems with all of that is that it ONLY recognizes one side while completely ignoring the other. Some people just simply cannot be reasoned with. It just doesn’t matter at that point if it’s a cop, military, licensed citizen, or anyone else.

        • No doubt. At large is substantially worsened by the fact that those incapable of being reasoned with are intentionally ignoring the facts with purpose. Obtuse by design.

          Juvenile behavior. Akin to children sticking fingers in ears while yelling “I can’t hear you” repeatedly. Strikingly, the same reason that we carry et al, focused in a slightly different purview.

      • Here you go. Was just going to post this myself, but saw you already mentioned it. It does start to sound like the old “we shouldn’t excercise our rights because it may scare people into restricting our rights” stuff.

        https://youtu.be/7vXeUUEDpvM

  8. James Campbell;

    “ In our litigious society I see a $200 annual fee that covers legal defense after a ‘good shoot’ (sometimes in excess of 1 mil dollars) as a reasonable fee IMHO. I choose to protect myself and what I’ve worked for, as do most who EDC.”

    Then I suggest you stop wearing a weapon then if you’re THAT paranoid. Or you sell insurance?

    • You don’t have to carry a weapon to need self defense insurance. Attacks that don’t justify defense with deadly force are much more common than are attacks that do justify deadly force. Suppose you have the strength, skills and opportunity to kick a mugger in the balls and then in the face before you escape and report the incident to police. A prosecutor hostile to self defense or an ambitious lawyer hired by the mugger or his whining friends and family can drag you into court. A strong defense, to shove their bullsh!t case back up their a$$es, costs big money. Self defense insurance provides it.

    • Thanks for the advice to not carry, but no.

      I don’t sell insurance, just chose to cover myself from catastrophic financial loss.

      Fun fact. I have an ’03 BMW X5 4.4 and ’05 MB E320 parked in my garage. I have liability insurance ONLY on these vehicles. If I’m negligent and damage one, I’m on the hook for loss or repair costs.
      I choose to accept the financial loss of writing off the value of each vehicle.
      I have comprehensive extended warranty coverage one each one though. The X5 just had a reman ZF 5HP 24 trans installed, the repair bill was 8.5k, I paid a $200 deductible. 😃

      This is how risk assessment works.

      But again, you do you. 👍

        • I chose to carry insurance that provides financial stability.

          Everyone gets to make that choice.

          It’s not that difficult a concept.

        • James Campbell:
          Give it up. GRA is stupid. Ignorance can be fixed, but stupid is incurable.

    • I guess you’re one of those people who only have the minimum legally mandated auto liability, despite $15k being a ridiculously low amount of damage given modern prices and $50k being the low end of an emergency room visit. There’s no need for theft or uninsured coverage, despite rocketing crime and half the drivers being uninsured in some states. if you pay off your house, would you drop homeowners insurance? Do you skip health insurance? Besides, the good “carry insurance” isn’t insurance and isn’t backed by an insurance company — it’s prepaid legal. if you’re totally broke and don’t mind spending time in jail, you can rely on a public defender and skip the doctor except for what Medicaid covers. If you’re fabulously rich, you can pay for the best legal team with what you find in your couch cushions and have a concierge doctor. The rest of us have to decide whether a few hundred or thousand bucks is worth betting against our retirement or college funds.

      • My policy covers medical costs. My vehicle are the ONLY things not covered.

        I choose to accept the risk of those things not covered.

        Everyone gets that choice in our society.

    • Do you have “state mandated” automobile insurance? Or are you one of those uninsured motorist assholes that cause me to carry additional insurance to protect my property from those people… I carry gun owners “insurance” too, NOT to exercise my constitutional right but to protect myself from catastrophic financial loss. If you don’t own a home, have no credit and live paycheck to paycheck then you have nothing to lose but I spent my life working my ass off for what I have and would rather not lose it all to defend myself after killing some ass that felt he deserved my stuff more than me. You don’t like insurance companies? Neither do I (and I totally disagree with mandated insurance for gun owners), and I don’t like colonoscopies either, but I’ve had four in the last 20 years to ensure that I don’t get involved in something MUCH worse. Hope you never get into a DGU situation that wipes you out financially and leaves you in debt for the rest of your life, good luck with that.

  9. AGREE TRAINING ALWAYS GOOD , AND WITH USCCA FOR ME IS GOOD JUST IN CASE .
    YES LOT IDIOTS WITH DRIVER LICENCE , HOWEVER LOT PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT , DO BEST TO FOLLOW RULES AND DRIVE FRIENDLY. SAME AS WITH GUNS FEW IDIOTS RUIN IT ALL FOR REST LAW-ABIDING …

  10. the latter isn’t much of a choice.

    If it is the only other option to being unarmed then so be it, I “ride dirty” every time I encounter a gun free zone, one law I would not hesitate to ignore.

  11. “As the law-abiding citizens we are, the latter isn’t much of a choice” can be clarified as “as the good subjects we are, disobeying master and not having his permission while asserting our rights isn’t much of a choice”

    Logic like this is why the country is in the shape it is. You have three choices, beg master to allow you for the 1000th time, mass noncompliance without violence, or noncompliance with violence.

  12. James Campbell October 22, 2022 At 12:31
    I chose to carry insurance that provides financial stability.

    Everyone gets to make that choice.

    It’s not that difficult a concept.

    And it’s not difficult to realize you support the organized crime insurance cartel.

    • Show us on the doll where the bad man touched you, OK?

      Geeze… 🙁

        • Well GRA, with your views/opinions of insurance resembling someone who lives in their mom’s basement and owns nothing, you’ve made yourself an easy target to make fun of. You seem to be TTAGs ‘low hanging fruit’ at the moment.

          What’s that Forrest G statement again?…….. stupid is as stupid does. 🤔

        • “Doesn’t surprise me you make fun of this.”

          And, there you have it, a typical Leftist Scum ™ tactic, when they lose the argument, resort to ad homium attacks.

          Exactly the same as “Gun owners have small genitalia”.

          By any chance do you smoke pot on a regular basis? Smokers who started as kids can get emotionally ‘frozen’ at the age they start. I’ve seen it personally with kids I grew up with.

          Your argument is the same as a 10 year-old kid on school playground would make. I bet you’re the kind of a person when driving on a two-lane road and the driver coming at you drifts in your lane, you stay in your lane saying to yourself “I’m not violating the right of way”, and crash head-on instead of making a small steering correction.

          Carry insurance, pre-paid legal, whatever the fuck you want to call it, can save you from going bankrupt if you’re not wealthy. It sure must be nice to be so fucking rich, you could care less about being sued. For those of us who live in reality, we make a small wager against something catastrophic happening to our families… 🙁

  13. Going forward, I’ll likely maintain mine for one reason, travel. It’s a handy “I am not a convicted felon” ID card, and that can make all the difference when dealing with some cops…

  14. Constitutional carry will never happen because the Republicans are always their own worst enemies. Constitutional carry would mandate safety training and knowledge of when you could and could not shoot and the new Federal Law would trump all state laws which would result in a big legal fight which the far right would never accept. So forget there ever being a constitutional carry law its just never going to happen.

    • There would be no mandated safety training. That is a poll tax. You either can exercise a right or that right is denied. It is fairly simple. You Fascists want to suppress human and civil rights. You roll the same as the klan.

      • to Jethro the Janitor

        If you had graduated from High School you would have known that a poll tax has to do with voting and has zero to do with gun regulations. Remember genius janitor that you have to pay for a $200 tax stamp to buy a used machine gun. I could mention other fees some states require people to pay before they are able to purchase any firearm but why bother you would as usual ignore reality with the usual wave of your hand.

        And now it’s your turn for the usual nonsensical school yard insults.

        • You’ve proven my statement with your counter, fascist man. Voting is also a constitutional right. But you’ve made it plain that rights can be fettered at least in your opinion. Remember. It was your sides invasion of privacy via background checks and 4473’s that made banning abortions legit. You guys keep putting restrictions on rights and then get shocked when it is used against you.

          Comparing mandated safety training to a poll tax is accurate. Comparing you to a fascist or klansman is also accurate. The fact that you’re too uneducated and low iq to see it doesn’t change the fact.

        • “…you have to pay for a $200 tax stamp to buy a used machine gun.”

          Oh, we’re working on that one. The comprehensive background check isn’t a tax…

        • Hey Geoff

          We socialists are also working on the $200 tax stamp to update it with the inflation that took place since 1934 which would mean the new updated tax stamp should be just slightly in excess of $4,000.

          And remember the new jackbooted Trump Court is almost as anti-gun as past courts as they banned bump stocks so do you think they will ever overturn precedent and legalize machine guns over the counter. Hell would freeze over before that would ever happen.

          And remember when they refused to hear the bump stock case they were just avoiding the heat and bad anti-gun publicity that would have occurred if they had heard the case and then banned bump stocks themselves. They simply let the lower courts ban bump stocks and then had a good laugh about it.

          As we Socialists say “Trumps disingenuous Court is slicker than eel shit”.

        • $4,000 and re-open the registry, and you just cut the price of a transferable machine gun to just 25 percent of what it is now.

          You Leftist Scum ™ are so stupid… 😉

  15. James Campbell October 22, 2022 At 13:25
    Well GRA, with your views/opinions of insurance resembling someone who lives in their mom’s basement and owns nothing, you make yourself an easy Mark to make fun of.

    What that Forrest G statement again?…….. stupid is as stupid does. 🤔

    LOL … no argument about it; I’m 100% right. If you buy such insurance you’re supporting the organized crime insurance cartel. Of course I’m sure you follow all the instructions from the Clintons and Giffords too.

    And you’re still supporting the organized crime insurance cartel.

    • That’s your opinion. 👍

      Easy to see NOBODY posting in this comment section agrees with it though.

      HAND.

      • I can care less who agrees with it. It doesn’t surprise me you’re too slow to catch what the facts speak of. And everyone else in here following right along with you are supporting the organized crime insurance cartel also.

        • What is YOUR personal issue with the insurance industry? My experience has been that, with one exception, every claim I have ever made be it auto, home, motorcycle or health has been honored with payment in full after the agreed upon deductible was met. The one exception was when Charlie wrecked my roof and the insurance co only paid 70%, no problem I no longer have that insurance co on my home. Insurance companies, underwriters and reinsurers are going to be out billions this year on Ian alone. If you got fucked by an insurance co or you bought some cheap shit that didn’t cover anything that’s on you, I deal with reputable National companies and get excellent rates for top coverages with everything in writing. Give it a rest, you can care less (means you actually DO care because you COULD conceivably care less than you do now), however I COULDN’T care less (which means I have no more fucks to give) about your problems with insurance companies. As far as gun owners’ “insurance”? no one made me buy anything and it’s a clearly written document that guarantees to back me for any legal DGU beginning with competent representation, bail if required, getting my gun back covering all costs of legal proceedings and representing me in any civil case and covering any award to the plaintiff as well as replacing lost income and personal expenses during the process, If YOU are independently wealthy you are good to go, if not and you can’t afford all that stuff maybe YOU should reconsider your decision to carry a gun in public.

        • I had hurricane roof damage on my home in St Pete around 20 years ago. Took pics, bagged a few blown off shingles, notified my insurance. I called my roofer and he informed me he had all the products needed to do the replacement roof. Scheduled the job for the 4th day after informing my insurance company of the damage.
          The roof was totally replaced less then a week after filing my claim.

          The adjuster showed up more than a week after the job was completed, and he was pissed my roof had already been replaced. I handed him the pics, bagged shingles, and the bill. Told him he’s welcome to inspect and take pics of my new roof.
          Informed him the insurance company has THREE days to appraise damages before a homeowner can legally complete repairs. Made it clear whatever issues he had rattling around in his head were a YP, not an MP.
          They covered my roof 100%.

    • “If you buy such insurance you’re supporting the organized crime insurance cartel.”

      Do you drive for transportation, or walk?

      Did you buy your house for cash, or did you finance it?

      • Yes I did pay cash for my house.

        Car insurance; the state was bought out by the organized crime insurance cartel about 40 years ago.

        • “Yes I did pay cash for my house.”

          Must be nice to be so rich you could care less if it burns down on you.

          For the rest of us not so rich, the 100 a month is well worth the peace-of-mind…

  16. I’ve held a Mississippi permit for over a decade and will continue to do so even with the passage of “constitutional” carry (which in my mind really isn’t, but for all intents and purposes may as well be, but that’s another topic). While MS has good gun laws compared to most states, I also live adjacent to Alabama that for a long time has not. What AL did have was reciprocity with MS, so that was one abiding benefit of having the permit.

    Then there is the MS enhanced carry system that provides expanded options for legal carry. For instance, when I go to church armed I don’t have to worry about running afoul of state law. Plus, due to the MS Church Protection Act and the establishment of and my inclusion in a church security team, I can do so without having to worry about personal liability in the event of having to make lawful use of said firearm. In fact, the only places I legally can’t carry in the state would be active courtrooms, police precincts/sheriff offices/prisons, places of nuisance (crackhouses, whorehouses, etc) and federally prohibited areas.

    And then there’s the benefit of not having to wait on NICS when I buy a new firearm. Because the state has already checked my background for the permit, and I haven’t done anything since to warrant them rescinding it, there is no NICS check required within the state. Is that alone worth the cost of the permit? No, but it’s yet another benefit, and not one limited to MS, either…if you have a Kentucky permit you can bypass NICS there, too.

    I’m sure I’m missing other valid reasons to want one, but those are some of mine.

    • “What AL did have was reciprocity with MS, so that was one abiding benefit of having the permit.”

      Greatly simplified and lower stress out-of-state travel.

      That’s the major reason I will continue to maintain mine…

  17. The author states repeatedly to keep records of your training. In todays convoluted world I can see some overly zealous prosecutor pointing to your records after a DGU and twisting it into premeditation. Am I being unnecessarily paranoid?

  18. As long as the leftists can convince one of their allies to provide them your information, you are not safe. How many times have leftists “outed” or published concealed carry license holders’ information? I seem to recall several severe breaches in the not terribly distant past.

    It is a horrible idea to let the State require any kind of permitting or licensing to exercise a Constitutionally protected right. It transforms a right into a “mother may I?” process which means it is no longer a right.

  19. I disagree with normalizing the attitude that an otherwise lawful shoot may be perceived as unlawful because of a lack of training. This is analogous to suggesting that a car thief drove off with your car because he didn’t complete the driver’s license test. Training is about discharging your firearm to the intended effect. I find it hard to believe that any functioning adult doesn’t know when or when not to discharge their firearm.

    Or let me say it another way: No a mount of tactical training would have prevented Alec Baldwin from manslaughtering his cinematographer, and no amount of training would have prevented Kyle Rittenhouse from having to do what he did. One of these was a good shoot, the other wasn’t. The difference isn’t in their training.

    There are two good reasons to keep a carry permit: reciprocity and exemption from NICS.

    • “There are two good reasons to keep a carry permit: reciprocity and exemption from NICS.”
      Indeed they are and in addition keeping a current permit should demonstrate to others that you have enough discipline and where with all to keep a permit.
      In Louisiana honorably discharged veterans don’t have to have a state issued permit or CHP(concealed handgun permit) as long as they are a citizen of Louisiana and are a honorably discharged military veteran. Even active duty military assigned in Louisiana do not have to get the CHP. There are so many exceptions now that not much is left except non-veterans. Would to be nice to see this nation wide. Not the whole apple but a nice bite.
      As for me, I am a veteran and have a CHP even though I have no plans to travel out of state. Even if Louisiana was a CC state, I would keep the permit as long as it is offered for the reasons stated above.

  20. 18 USC sec. 922(q)(2)(B)(ii) provides a primary exception to the GFSZA prohibition on possession near schools. It says:

    “(ii) if the individual possessing the firearm is licensed to do so by the State in which the school zone is located or a political subdivision of the State, and the law of the State or political subdivision requires that, before an individual obtains such a license, the law enforcement authorities of the State or political subdivision verify that the individual is qualified under law to receive the license;”

    Why does one think Constitutional Carry works?

  21. “ MADDMAXX October 22, 2022 At 16:58
    What is YOUR personal issue with the insurance industry? My experience has been that, with one exception, every claim I have ever made be it auto, home, motorcycle or health has been honored with payment in full after the agreed upon deductible was met. The one exception was when Charlie wrecked my roof and the insurance co only paid 70%, no problem I no longer have that insurance co on my home. Insurance companies, underwriters and reinsurers are going to be out billions this year on Ian alone. If you got fucked by an insurance co or you bought some cheap shit that didn’t cover anything that’s on you, I deal with reputable National companies and get excellent rates for top coverages with everything in writing. Give it a rest, you can care less (means you actually DO care because you COULD conceivably care less than you do now), however I COULDN’T care less (which means I have no more fucks to give) about your problems with insurance companies. As far as gun owners’ “insurance”? no one made me buy anything and it’s a clearly written document that guarantees to back me for any legal DGU beginning with competent representation, bail if required, getting my gun back covering all costs of legal proceedings and representing me in any civil case and covering any award to the plaintiff as well as replacing lost income and personal expenses during the process, If YOU are independently wealthy you are good to go, if not and you can’t afford all that stuff maybe YOU should reconsider your decision to carry a gun in public.”

    I can care less what your philosophy is about this.

    Regardless … if you purchase that you’re supporting the organized crime insurance cartel.

  22. DACIAN; “Republicans are always their own worst enemies.”

    I firmly agree. This is the only accurate thing I have ever heard Dacian say in here.

    Democrats and especially Libertarians are even worse.

  23. Obtained my CCW about 12 years ago now. I do re-register when that time rolls around. What I had to go thru : A deep dive DOJ background check , A shooting test , An 8 hour class about the do’s and dont’s. Very very satisfied with the process. I think it should stay that way. Now, every yahoo that wants to stick a gun in their pants, can. Sorry guys, but I do not think it un-reasonable to take a class, a shooting test and of course a background check.

  24. “Constitutional carry” doesn’t mean what it says. If it did, there would be no restrictions on where you could go armed. You could legally carry in bars, courthouses, police stations, hospitals, schools, airlines, etc. In many, if not all, constitutional carry states that still offer a permit, not having one reduces the number of places where you can legally carry. Arizona, for example, is constitutional concealed carry. However, without a permit, you cannot legally carry inside a bar or restaurant that sells alcohol.

  25. As the writer says, you should have a permit for interstate travel. Family emergencies may occur that call you to that relative’s state. However, there is another concern. When the Supremes struck down the overbroad federal law that prohibited carrying firearms within 1,000 feet of public schools, it was replaced by a similar law BUT with the condition that states could make an exception for permit holders.
    I have yet to see any constitutional carry state (including mine, AL) that has addressed this. Therefore, even though a state has ceased requiring permits, the Congress has not passed an amendment regarding whether constitutional carry is an allowable exception to school zone carry. Until state legislatures address this, over zealous federal prosecutors may try to prosecute for not having a permit when you pick up your kids at school, or attend a PTA meeting. Contact you legislators and Congresscritters about this.

  26. Ansel Hazen October 22, 2022 At 20:16
    Looks to me like they’re all buying prepaid legal services, not “insurance”.

    Yes that’s part of it but sadly some most likely don’t know the difference.

    • Looks to me like they’re all buying prepaid legal services, sadly some most likely don’t know the difference.

      Reply

      “Prepaid” indicates that you are making regular payments to be disbursed when needed, I pay an annual premium of $300 for what amounts to $2,000,000 in liability insurance plus costs of criminal and civil trial defense plus $100,000 bail, $10,000 for incidental expenses and up to $750 a day in lost wages, so yeah mine is pretty much an insurance policy that “insures” I won’t lose my house, my retirement and everything else I own over a DGU. Just common sense to me. Yeah, I know the difference.

      • I know the difference too.
        My annual premium is just over $200 for the top package coverage from Firearms Legal Protection.

        https://firearmslegal.com/

        Locked in that awesome low price when I first got my Texas LTC, was an LTC class offer only.
        That price is locked in for as long as I pay my annual premium.

        That package is $330 per year now.

  27. So the argument is that we should be registered as gun owners with the state?

    Or as a former roommate put it, be treated like a criminal in order to exercise a constitutional right.

  28. Even though Al is going permitless to some extent, I will continue to keep my permit. I do travel across state lines from time to time and would like to be more or less legal. And I do carry the legal coverage/insurance simply because the annual fee is much less than what it would cost out of pocket if some chump decides I have something he needs more than I do, or thinks an old man is an easy mark etc.
    I’ve had an AL permit since I moved down here several years ago, and had a permit in a couple of other states I’ve lived in.
    Not now, nor have I been a proponent of mandatory insurance of any kind. And, when a much younger man with little to lose, I didn’t carry anything but bare minimums on liability insurance on the crappy vehicle I drove. Not full coverage. Just enough to cover me if I got in a wreck and was held liable for damages/injuries.
    As I built a little more of a life, I came to the conclusion I needed to cover my assets with insurance. And, now as an old fart I do have a desire to both keep what I’ve worked so may years to build up and have something to pass on to my kids and grand kids. Not lose it because some chump thinks they hit the jackpot because their kid/husband/whatever ended up assuming room temperature for being stupid.

    • It’s true what they say: When you are young if you are not a liberal you have no heart, when you are older if you are not a conservative you have no brains… (traditional liberal not this shit they are pushing today)

    • Keep your permit. These politicians will turn on us all on a dime. When they do you still don’t have to wait for a permit to be approved and arrive. Sometimes there could be more value in that than can be easily imagined.

  29. Although Texas has Constitutional Carry I still keep my LTC current. I buy lots of firearms annually and I like having the NICS call-in b/g checks waived with that LTC. I also have a Arizona non-resident license for other reasons. I never conceal carry. I OC exclusively everyday. This author, Dan Reedy, once told me that OC is “inviting trouble”. BS!

    • We went to Tombstone a few years back and it was just as I expected; pretty much all the residents of the town wore open carry. I carried concealed but I enjoyed the experience of the time capsule with the way a lot of people dressed.

  30. Geoff “I’m getting too old for this shit” PR October 23, 2022 At 00:02

    “ Must be nice to be so rich you could care less if it burns down on you.”

    We’ll yes as a matter of fact;YES it IS nice. So what’s your point?

    You haven’t figured out that $100.00 could best be saved until you actually have a need to spend it. But you go right ahead. Never know which pocket that winds up in.

    • “So what’s your point?”

      You’re a very *special* kind of stupid, aren’t you?

      You can afford to be sued, few of us are…

  31. To the original story – Utter Bullskat

    This nation needs a good interstate commerce and interstate reciprocity test of Constitutional carry. IE nationwide Constitutional carry

  32. The author failed to provide the PRIMARY reason to get a carry permit. Compliance with the National Gun Free School act.

    If you don’t have a permit, you are committing a felony every time you drive past a school with a gun.
    ************
    (A) It shall be unlawful for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm that has moved in or that otherwise affects interstate or foreign commerce at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone.

    (B) Subparagraph (A) does not apply to the possession of a firearm—
    (i) on private property not part of school grounds;
    (ii) if the individual possessing the firearm is licensed to do so by the State in which the school zone is located

  33. I never knew that it was possible to have a concealed carry permit to carry a firearm for self-defense. My colleague noticed that crimes are becoming rampant around his new neighborhood. I think this should convince him to get one of these permits by visiting a gun range in the future.

  34. Guns Craze blog is an online platform that provides news, reviews, opinions, and information related to firearms and shooting sports. This blog may cover a wide range of topics related to firearms, such as shooting techniques, gun maintenance, and accessories.
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