BehindBlueI's
Grandmaster
- Oct 3, 2012
- 26,608
- 113
Why listen to me? Easy answer, don’t. These are all just thinking points based on my own experience. Carry whatever you choose, I just ask that you apply some logical and critical thinking to that choice. I call the logical decision making process “the calculus of risk”. Forming a realistic expectation of the situations you might encounter, your chances of being able to overcome that situation with a specific handgun, and your dedication to carrying a specific handgun.
What is my experience? An adult life spent carrying a firearm domestically and overseas, but more importantly years in law enforcement dealing with people on the receiving end of violence. As a beat car I worked one of the highest homicide areas in the city. As a detective I work exclusively with robberies, people shot or stabbed or otherwise critically injured/killed. I haven’t kept count over the years but am into the triple digits on dealing with shootings. Many people bring experience to the table, and I read as much as I can, but everyone has some limitations. Coroners only see the ones who died, ER folks only see those who lived long enough to transport, and researchers tend to believe that people are denim clad bricks of jelly. While all of these bring knowledge to the table, each is limited in their own way. While not an expert in any of their field’s, I’m a fair hand at all of them. Overseas I’ve dabbled in threat analysis and protection plans, etc.
How do I decide what’s a realistic threat? Gaven De Becker has several good books and even an automated computer program (MOSAIC) that helps answer that, but good ol’ common sense will get you close. Do you have anyone actively seeking to harm you? A domestic violence situation? Fired someone from work who’s sending threats? Arrest someone who’s posting on their Facebook they’re going to kill you? Al-Queda documents found that put a bounty on your head? Or are you worried about random violence? You know your neighborhood, your acquaintances, your co-workers, the crime rate in the areas you travel, yes? These are going to come into play. I’ve received credible death threats and had a terrorist bounty on my head, along with the rest of my crew, complete with photographs found in a cache. You can be assured I took additional safety measures during my remaining time in country. Remember that threat level changes, reevaluate when your situation changes.
Now that I’ve gotten my threat level, how much risk do I believe I am likely to face? Here’s where I’ll lose people. There are lots of folks who will say prepare for the absolute worst scenario you may ever face. Those people should be considering a crew served weapon for when armored ninjas attack at battalion strength. A handgun is not a worst case scenario weapon. Handguns suck. Repeat it. Handguns suck. The only reason to carry a handgun of ANY KIND is convenience and concealability. You've already made the decision to trade effectiveness for convenience by not carrying a long gun, so don't get your panties twisted that someone else is placing the slide a bit further up or down the convenience/threat scale.
The rest of us, facing no specific credible threat, are a bit more free when it comes to weapon selection. The remainder of this post will assume that your threat assessment results in either one dedicated individual seeking to harm you or, even more likely, no specific credible threat and an average risk of random violence.
What is my experience? An adult life spent carrying a firearm domestically and overseas, but more importantly years in law enforcement dealing with people on the receiving end of violence. As a beat car I worked one of the highest homicide areas in the city. As a detective I work exclusively with robberies, people shot or stabbed or otherwise critically injured/killed. I haven’t kept count over the years but am into the triple digits on dealing with shootings. Many people bring experience to the table, and I read as much as I can, but everyone has some limitations. Coroners only see the ones who died, ER folks only see those who lived long enough to transport, and researchers tend to believe that people are denim clad bricks of jelly. While all of these bring knowledge to the table, each is limited in their own way. While not an expert in any of their field’s, I’m a fair hand at all of them. Overseas I’ve dabbled in threat analysis and protection plans, etc.
How do I decide what’s a realistic threat? Gaven De Becker has several good books and even an automated computer program (MOSAIC) that helps answer that, but good ol’ common sense will get you close. Do you have anyone actively seeking to harm you? A domestic violence situation? Fired someone from work who’s sending threats? Arrest someone who’s posting on their Facebook they’re going to kill you? Al-Queda documents found that put a bounty on your head? Or are you worried about random violence? You know your neighborhood, your acquaintances, your co-workers, the crime rate in the areas you travel, yes? These are going to come into play. I’ve received credible death threats and had a terrorist bounty on my head, along with the rest of my crew, complete with photographs found in a cache. You can be assured I took additional safety measures during my remaining time in country. Remember that threat level changes, reevaluate when your situation changes.
Now that I’ve gotten my threat level, how much risk do I believe I am likely to face? Here’s where I’ll lose people. There are lots of folks who will say prepare for the absolute worst scenario you may ever face. Those people should be considering a crew served weapon for when armored ninjas attack at battalion strength. A handgun is not a worst case scenario weapon. Handguns suck. Repeat it. Handguns suck. The only reason to carry a handgun of ANY KIND is convenience and concealability. You've already made the decision to trade effectiveness for convenience by not carrying a long gun, so don't get your panties twisted that someone else is placing the slide a bit further up or down the convenience/threat scale.
The rest of us, facing no specific credible threat, are a bit more free when it comes to weapon selection. The remainder of this post will assume that your threat assessment results in either one dedicated individual seeking to harm you or, even more likely, no specific credible threat and an average risk of random violence.