This Is When You Don’t Want To Carry Concealed

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It’s a common line of thinking among pro-gun folks that you want to carry concealed pretty much all of the time, and, for the most part, I would agree with that sentiment.

However, it might make sense to not carry concealed at certain times. You know, like when you’re playing with your dog. Take this story from the Associated Press, for example (hat tip to here for the story):

An Iowa man says his dog inadvertently shot him while they were roughhousing Wednesday.

Richard Remme, 51, of Fort Dodge, told police he was playing with his dog, Balew, on the couch and tossed the dog off his lap. He says when the pit bull-Labrador mix bounded back up, he must have disabled the safety on the gun in his belly band and stepped on the trigger.

The gun fired, striking one of Remme’s legs. He was treated at a hospital and released later that day.

Remme told the Messenger newspaper that Balew is a “big wuss” and lay down beside him and cried because he thought he had done something wrong.

Now, maybe you got a chuckle out of that story (and, because the injury doesn’t sound like it was too serious, there is a humor to it), but it does raise a serious point: should he have had the gun in his belly band while sitting on the couch playing with his dog?

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In retrospect, I suspect that he would say probably not, and I would agree with him about this. Sitting on the couch is not exactly an ideal situation in which you would be pulling out your weapon, and having it on his body set him up for what could have been a serious injury.

Having said that, I don’t think anyone would suggest just laying your firearm around anywhere, but the point is to be aware of the situation. It may make more sense, in this kind of situation, to have your firearm sitting beside you on a table or elsewhere easily reachable (but not accessible by children). You certainly wouldn’t want your pet to shoot you either.

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18 COMMENTS

    • FIRST of ALL,, WHY in the hell was one in the CHAMBER ??????????????????? fucking STUPID STUPID STUPID. you shouldn’t be carrying a gun if you have to keep it ready to fire.

      • Really Mark, are you kidding me????

        The article was quite clear on what he should have done. Not having your firearm ready to be deployed is foolish at best and ignorant at worst.
        I an ex military and a certified NRA firearms instructor and I would recommend getting some training on weapons handling and retention.
        When the chips are down you most likely won’t have the time or be able to rack the slide on your automatic pistol. How is this different from one carrying a revolver? They by the way typically have not safety to engage or disengage, therefor always in battery.

  1. An excellent reason not trust a belly band, or any holster which does not adequately protect the trigger. There is no way a trigger should ever be activated while fully seated in a good holster.

  2. I don’t keep it on me after I’m in the house. I lay it on an end table right beside my big chair, with a dust rag, or napkin over it.

    • A gun without a chambered round is a rock. The movie baloney that you will remember to chamber a round is garbage. Under pressure you’re going to forget. Just don’t carry a gun call the police.

  3. Each person’s needs are different. However, a person carrying a weapon in their beltline, without a box or holster, is asking for trouble, and certainly not with a round in the chamber—-and certainly not when wrestling with a dog, person, especially one’s significant other. I acknowledge there could be limited circumstances where one would place a round in the chamber, but such individuals have to be honest with themselves as to the need and danger. I am 86 years young and a retired USAF officer/pilot and I have been a Life Member of the NRA for over 50 years, and I have never had an occasion to disagree with that august body on any substantial gun issues. I am against unconcealed carrying of a pistol, in that doing so, can invite confrontation and alerts the criminals to one’s capabilities—i.e., you could become “first” on the criminal’s list of “take-downs”. Also, everyones’ “at home” policy is different, as to where to have their weapon reasonably available, yet secure from the kids or the curious—-immediately by the door, has major shortcomings, as a child or spouse may answer the door, and be the first to confront the problem. Probably the most violated issue is to have the weapon by the bed in an unlocked night stand or under the edge of the mattress, were children has access to them. While I am now 86 years young, when I had a family, I admit to having a gun in a night stand, with a not obvious drawer with a mechanical lock but it did have a sliding lock and the kids were threatened with severe punishment for messing with their father’s “locked private papers”. Opening the drawer dropped a small inconspicuous card on the floor. There just is “no size that fits all”.

  4. Yeah not good to have it charged I always take out the magazine at home but keep it someplace near or just pop it out slightly, other than that I put it in a high place and the magazine in a separate but close area, never charged especially at home. I’m glad a kid didn’t get hurt.

  5. I am always amused when I hear someone freak out over having a round in the chamber of their semi-auto pistol. I was employed as a police officer for over 35 years and when switched over to semi-autos we never hit the street with an empty weapon. I don’t know in what world certain people live in where you think in a critical situation you will be able to pull your weapon and rack a round before the attacker kills you. If you carry a weapon with no round in the chamber why carry at all. The problem with the gentleman who was shot while playing with his dog is because he was obviously to cheap or to dumb to purchase a holster for his weapon. I have never understood why someone would spend money on a high end weapon and then be so cheap that they won’t buy a good holster. For those who role their eyes about my comment about having a round in the chamber of their weapon, here is a simple test. Go to range with a friend who does practice carrying a loaded firearm (one in the chamber) face the targets and both pull from the holster and see who gets off the first round on target. In the real world the predators are not going to play fair. If you believe you can walk around with an empty weapon and try to bluff someone the cost may be your life. Thanks for allowing me to express myself, stay safe and practice, practice, practice. Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum

  6. Don:
    I’m 82 yrs young and I agree with you! After a 20+ yr career in the USE Marine Corps, decorated two of the top three, followed by 20+ years as an LEO fifty years as an NRA Tactical shooting Inst.
    I have a very healthy respect for firearm, safety I’m NOT a fan of this BS in your Belt especially in the Back side, however, to each his / her own. Just be aware of what you are doing, and as far as being a Police officer.
    I’ve trained a few thousand Marines, Civilians and LEO’s and most of the worst shooters are Police officers.
    The round in the chamber “Condition one” Is fine as long as your head is out of your Six! In the belt IN MY OPINION SUCKS
    SEMPER Fi
    Ed “Machete Eddie” McCourt
    Capt USMC (ret)
    still thinking like GySgt!

  7. As a peace officer for many years, even in retirement I often carry a gun on my person in the house and the yard. I carry in a holster that protects the trigger and the safety, but is readily accessible. And there is always a round in the chamber. During my years in law enforcement, I had to draw my weapon twice in self defense. I both instances having to rack the slide would have made my wife a widow. That being said, when I’ relaxing at home at night there is a gun with in easy reach, plus there are guns concealed within one stride of any place in the house. Am I paranoid? Maybe, but I worked a detail that dealt with violent criminals that would have liked to kill me or my family. My wife is trained, and a good shot, and my children when they were home were taught to shoot by the time they were ten years old, and when to shoot. I may have been a poor parent, but both of my children grew up to be honest responsible adults, and there has never been an accidental discharge.

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