Apologies…

Just dropping in, had some personal issues that had to be taken care of, and a vacation in the middle. 

I am back, and updating this blog back to a regular basis!

Primary Arms – good guys in the industry

I am just passing along that these guys are good guys. I have bought a good bit from them, and only on one instance was less than pleased, and they made it right as fast as humanly possible.

I don’t usually refer people to buy from places, but may point people different places to look. I am referring y’all to PA, they are awesome.

Short post today, but want to mention good guys in the pro2A industry.

Www.primaryarms.com check them out.

I am in no way affiliated with them, no kickbacks or anything, just passing along a good company.

Meet your Maker: GuardianConcealment

Another installment of Meet your Maker, featuring GuardianConcealment. I have seen his work and it is excellent, with high quality parts and exceptional craftsmanship. Offering both full Kydex and hybrid style holsters, designed for IWB and OWB, offer a comfortable place to rest your weapon, while keeping it within reach.

He was kind enough to answer a few questions we had, and able to bring you into the mind behind GuardianConcealment.

1. What do you guys think is the difference between a good holster and a great holster?
For the most part a holster has to just do it’s job, without fail, and hold up to long term daily use. In the kydex world this starts with a good design and build process. As I mostly do hybrids, I will focus my response on that type. The small details matter greatly when it comes to design. For example, being able to get a fully grip, access the mag release, adjustability, and weight distribution. Anyone can take kydex, heat it, cut it, slap it to either more kydex, or leather and do the basic function of a holster. But it will most likely ride poorly and not stand the test of time and use. 

2. What consideration do you make when making a holster, for any position and role?
I only make what I know will function and be safe. Safety is the responsibility of the end user, but a good holster is critical in the carry mix. I turn down lots of custom requests that just do not make sense or that I feel will not be what the customer truly will want. For example I will not do any small of the back or cross draw holsters. Just not worth it in my opinion. 

3. What difference goes into making a holster for IWB and OWB, even if both are for concealed carry?
In my opinion, there are great differences when it comes to the amount of retention needed between an owb rig and IWB rig. My hybrids are best suited for IWB carry but with the belt slots can work when adjusted correctly as an occasional owb solution. Ride height and close carry are also very important with owb. In the kydex world this greatly depends on the belt loop and mounting. There are lots of new injection molded clips and wings on the market. Some are better than others for stability and ride. Every time I make an OWB kydex holster I remember why I love hybrids. 

4. What got you guys into making holsters?
I purchased my first gun, a glock 19. And like any new gun owner, I thought I needed a holster. I turned to the web and found companies like Raven Concealment, and was blown away by the huge wait times. I then googled, how to make a holster. I stumbled upon some very rough you tube videos first put out by John Hauptman, AKA Phlster. He was just starting out and was posting his processes. Then he did a fully video, start to finish, with all the tools and materials listed in the video. My wife was out of town with the kids, and I though “I am going to make a holster”. My first holster cost me about $500. That first year I sold about $1500 in holsters to friends, and brave first adopters. I was hooked. The first couple years were spent refining my craft. Then I transitioned over to hybrids. I was lucky enough to be blessed with some great people in the beginning like Eddie Robertson (Wahoo95), and Don Bryant, from Lawmens. Don introduced me to fellow leather worker and amazing knife maker Mark Hazen (Hazen Knives). Mark truly showed me what I could do with a hybrid from the leather perspective. He let me stitch with his walking foot for the next two years while I saved for my own. My point in all this is to say, good people, and the drive to do something creative got me into holster making. I work an office job, I make holsters to get out of the 9 to 5. I am blessed to be able to do it because I want to, not because I have to. I owe a lot to the local gun community and my wife for putting up with this through the growing pains. 

5. Other than your own, what is your favorite holster and holster companies and why?
There are so many good companies out there. I made my first holster for my first gun, and have never purchased any other companies holster. I do have lots of respect for companies like Phlster, Crossbreed and Raven.

Check out his website http://www.GuardianConcealment.com and see what he makes!

Meet your Maker, Part 1 – Chief’s Holsters

Starting a new series, interviewing a holster maker that’s out there, showing the maker behind the mold.

Jason is a regular on my local shooters forum, http://www.carolinashootersclub.com and has been putting out a great and very good looking product. He does business through word of mouth and eBay.

He agreed to answer a few questions for you guys, and share some work examples with you.

1. What do you think is the difference between a good holster and a great holster?

fit and finish. 

Fit- Gun fit and body fit. 

I’m a fan of molded holsters rather than generic fit. I like to see the lines in the holster, either molded in the kydex or boned into the leather. That said, it’s more a personal thing than a necessity. There are great holsters out there that are lightly boned. But personally I like to see nice boning and detail work in leather. That’s one of the reasons I take the time to do it. 

The gun needs to mold well to the firearm for retention. I’ve eased up my thoughts on retention, i.e. I don’t feel the need to be held up by my feet and have the gun stay put. Or do cartwheels. But it needs to fit snug so it does not move in the holster and that fit needs to provide a level of retention too. Enough that the gun is secure. 

The holster needs to ride well. Tight to the body. One of the reasons I do my pancakes with flat backs. It lets the back of the holster ride very tight to the wearer. A 50-50 mold will set the holster off the belt by half the width of the gun. A flat back holster rides right up against the belt on the back. 

Finish is both materials used and how they are finished. Good quality materials are the best start. I use 8-9 oz natural strap leather, the best grade my supplier sells. I don’t get caught up on the leather brand name though. I’ve seen some bad cuts from some good names. How they are finished includes dying, oiling, waxing, edging, etc. I hand dye my holsters, which is where I get the mottled brown leather look from. To that I add an oil/wax finish that really deepens the finish. Then acrylic sealer. And finish with a finish wax to shine it back up a bit. All edges are dyed black and burnished smooth. Even my hybrids are edged and burnished. And I use 10-12 oz black bridle leather on my hybrids. One of the things I hate are poorly finished or non finished edges. If that detail is left off what else is left off? 

2. What consideration do you make when making a holster, for any position and role?

There is always a compromise of safety, security, and fit. I want to make a safe holster, no obvious safety flaws on my end. A secure holster that holds the firearm well. And a holster that fits well when broken in so the customer want’s to carry it. 

For the most part I make it how I would want it made. Unless the customer has specific requests, then I go with those. Most holsters get a 12-15 degree forward cant. I put the belt line where the top of the belt runs behind the trigger guard and ejection port which gives it a good ride height. I also have a few absolutes in my designs. The mag release is always cleared of material and I want a full grip that clears the knuckles and keeps the sweat shield clear. And all my holster have a sweat shield and combat cut unless requested otherwise.

3. What difference goes into making a holster for IWB and OWB, even if both are for concealed carry?

Here we go, I don’t do multi role holsters. I have been talked into a couple IWB/OWB holsters. The customer was happy, but I’m never happy with them. I feel each holster has requirements specific to its role.

OWB needs to be wide enough to mold well and I like them to jump 2 belt loops so the loops ride behind the holster. That depends on the pants too. But with that said, I don’t want the loops set unnecessarily far apart either. I run very rough patterns, so each holster is slightly different. And I tend to trim them out in a manner that will look good and function well. Set forward cant. Somewhat high ride. 

IWB double clip or loop holsters tend to run a bit wider than OWB. The exception are single clip IWB holster. I tend to offer a couple adjustment holes for ride height and cant in my leather and hybrid holsters. I like to give the customer some options here because some folks want higher ride, and some folks want it closer to the belt line. 

The reason I don’t like dual purpose holsters is it makes an OWB holster that’s too wide. The IWB holster might be wider than necessary. When the holster breaks in, it will natural fit better one way over the other. And changing hardware is annoying.

4. What got you guys into making holsters?

Price. I’m a cheap skate. And I have a wicked tinker gene, lol. Also, my first real carry handgun was an older S&W. By the time I got my hands on it, no one offered holsters for it. I was stuck with crappy generic holsters. When I bought a G19 I ordered a big name hybrid. Looked at it and figured I could make that. Then hybrids got me into leather. 

5. Other than your own, what is your favorite holster and holster companies and why?

Red Nichols, Brigade Gun leather, Mitch Rosen, Milt Sparks, Zlogonje Gun leather. I’ve learned a ton by reading stuff online from Red Nichols. Probably the best holster maker in the world right now. Brigade GL is just amazing to look at, plus they have several pages dedicated to how they make their holsters that I spent a lot of time looking at. Rosen and Sparks have been doing this for a long time. And Zlogonje is a member of a leather board I frequent and I’ve always like the looks he gets for his leather.

6. Why should I buy your holster over any other one? In other words, sell me on yours as if I am on the fence about buying it vs the leading brands

As for why, I’ve relied pretty heavily on word of mouth here, feedback on eBay, and local word of mouth. Which means I have to put out a good product, and on the rare occasion where something does not work out I stand behind it. Personally, I don’t like having to fix a mistake. So I try and catch them in house. I have my hands on every holster, start to finish. Today I cut up 2 mag holders that just didn’t work out and re started them. Didn’t like the old pattern I had for a hybrid so instead of just going with it I re patterned it for the holster I’m getting ready to send out. I think that attention to detail has worked very well so far. 

I’ve got several guys that refer to me as “their holster guy”. You see it on gun boards too. Guys like their gear, and they like being able to talk to and work with the guy making it. And I’m still small enough to be able to do that. And I’m not really out to be the biggest guy on the block. I want to put out a solid product, at a good price, that I would use. 

But to be honest, holsters are like shoes. Some guys love my stuff, some guys don’t. And that is fine. Which is why you see so many folks in the market. And why some of these niche makers are out there doing one or two things but doing it very well. If I am doing what someone else likes, great. If I can’t do it, I’ll try and point them to someone that is doing it.

Check out Jason’s work, and grab a holster from him if you’re needing or wanting one. EBay name is chiefjason50, or Chiefjason on the Carolinashootersclub forum.

What does your car say?

A lot of these gun companies have gotten into merchandising as well, and one of the highest sellers is stickers. Some companies include them with the gun. But where are we putting these, and what do they say to others?

I was driving down the road the other day and saw a truck that had so many gun stickers that he could not see out of the back window. Everything from manufacturers, vendors like Midway USA, holster companies, and everything else, there is no way he can remain concealed like that. Also, that is making your vehicle a target for thieves, advertising that you have something they may want.

I, personally, only have an ar-15 bolt face sticker on my truck. I have been asked what kind of gear it is, been told it’s a fancy logo, but in two years only one person knew what it was. While it is still not completely concealed, I do not have any branding or other logos at all on the truck, much less gun logos.

Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing the outpouring of support for the second amendment, and the Tea Party movement  (not trying to get political, just that lines up a lot with the pro 2A movement as well), but think there are better outlets for that support, personally. I don’t promote political candidates, policies, nor am I a rolling billboard for their advertising to the masses, and my main concern is to remain concealed, and not draw attention to myself.

How do you feel about gun stickers on cars, especially as a concealed carrier?

REVIEW: Streamlight ProTac HL USB

The ProTac HL USB from Streamlight,  a robust and solid light, is an awesome torch for the money. I received this as a Christmas gift from my wife, I have no affiliation with Streamlight except as a customer.

I was needing a new light, my Streamlight 2AAA has kicking the bucket, the switch was finicky at best (not bad for daily use for 4 years, and I turned it in under warranty, I just wanted more output) and the light was dim at times, and the brightest was a matter of how I held my tongue. So the search began.

I was looking at the Stinger series, also great lights but big, and I stumbled across this light. It’s rechargable, using a micro USB plug, and holds good life. It’s very bright, 800 lumens bright, and holds a steady beam. It has a pocket clip, and it’s a stout clip, it has snagged and been pulled on and has not bent or popped off, I can’t say that about the 2AAA version.

These pictures, taken from my phone so excuse the poor quality, show the same scene, with one being illuminated by the ProTac. If that tree was a doer-of-bad, he has been spotted and easily recognized. What the picture doesn’t show well, that is a construction site beside the house that’s been cleared, and the entire width of the clearing and the tree line on the other side is also lit up, which is good news for the hunters out there needing a good light.

To charge, pull the collar back and plug in your cord. The red light means charging, it will be green when done. The light will not turn on while charging, which isn’t a big deal, but sometimes I can see that being a good idea.

One thing I do like a lot is the push button switch, it does not have to be turned on to flash the light. I have a Solar Solarforce that I need to turn on, then as I pushthe button the light will go out, I don’t like that setup very much. On the ProTac, I can slightly push the button and the light will come on, for a quick and disorienting flash. It also has modes, strobe and dimmer light modes by clicking the button as quickly to find the mode you desire.

The bad, for some, is its big. It’s bigger then I thought from seeing it in pictures, but I can still carry it comfortably using the pocket clip. It just about disappears in my back pocket.

Here it is next to the 2AAA offering.

In short, if you can carry a bigger light, it’s a fantastic option, and very user friendly. I carry mine with me everywhere I go.

Gun and trigger modification and carry

Reading any gun forum out there, the topic of modification of the gun and the law always comes up. As we’ve shared already, from our friends at USCCA, what happens after a shooting, this is more about the gun itself and any modifications done.

First off, why do we need to modify our guns? We change sights to make it easier to see, even in the dark with night sights. We stipple or add grips to help holding the gun, especially under recoil for better control. We add extended controls to reach them better. We add different barrels for better accuracy, ported barrels for better recoil management, conversion barrels for different calibers. We modify our triggers for better accuracy and control, as we need to control any round that leaves our gun. On top of that, we want to enjoy our guns. I enjoy going to the range and shooting a few boxes of ammo, and that is going to be more enjoyable with a bun tailored to me personally (don’t get me wrong, I will shoot any gun though!)

There are gun “experts” out there that say, for a carry gun, you should buy it, shoot it to test function and reliability, and holster the weapon. There are arguments stating that any modification or alteration to the weapon makes it more likely to be used, either as “show off”, AD/ND from the work being done poorly (or in the case of trigger work, too light of a trigger pull), or the owner making it more ” user friendly and easier to kill with”.

“Why modify a weapon and not show your friends?” I’ve read in several articles. True, we have been known to show our friends, but concealed is concealed, and any modification for carry to the gun is concealed as well. I really feel this is a moot point, just used by people writing articles to say what they want to say.

Experts say that the protection gun should have a trigger of at least 5 lbs of pull. It is a good round number, but very arbitrary number. Why 5 and not 3 or 7? The average custom 1911 has a 4 lb crisp trigger, is that not safe? With the variances in tooling in mass produced guns, trigger weight can vary up to a pound from gun to gun, ranging from 4.5 to 5.5lbs. Would that mean that one factory gun is safe, being over the 5 lb mark, and the other unsafe? Would taking your factory 5.5 lb trigger, putting in factory parts to lighten the trigger to match a different factory gun make yours unsafe, as in the case of using the Glock “-” connector? Every round leaving my barrel is controlled and accurate, I would say this is a good thing.

Why would making a gun that I can shoot better, have more control over, and be more accurate with be an issue with the law? If its a good shoot, there is no issue. If you were well within your rights and your state’s laws to shoot, it wouldn’t matter if you shot with a tuned 1.5 lb competition trigger or a 14 lb heavy and gritty DA revolver. If its not, same applies. The gun is just a tool in the matter.

My opinion, if the factory gun works for you, great. Of it doesn’t, then modify it to fit your needs, within reason. Dropping down to a sub 3 lb trigger isn’t the best idea, but smoothing it out and taking out the creep and a better reset I think is a good thing, and when at the range will make it more enjoyable as well. Basically, be smart about what you’re wanting to do to your guns, and remember that if a shooting happens, you may not be able to get the gun back. I would also advise that you be able to say why you did the modification, just in case you ever need to answer the question.

Stay safe, be armed!

Your handgun in your car

This will mostly be related to NC law, check your local laws before taking any information herein. All information here is not regarded as law, just information based on my interpretation of the law.

I do not recommend leaving your gun in the car. If this has to happen, be sure it can be locked up securely and out of site. Several companies make car safes, strapped to the frame of the seat or other secure location. Don’t leave it just thrown under the seat or in the glove box, its not secure and any thief will find it and bring a world of grief to you. I personally like an ammo can bolted to the floor for other secure needs as well, as far as cash on vacation or anything you need to keep secure. In my pickup trucks I’ve had, behind the seat works very well, in my Suburban, its right at the back hatch, a smaller can to fit into the hole behind the wheel well.

Legally, hiding your gun in your car within reach is the same as on your person. A loaded gun in your glove box or console is a concealed weapon, and will be treated as such by law enforcement. An unloaded gun in your glove box does not. Having a loaded handgun on the dash or seat also does not, as that is not concealed and viewed as open carry. If you don’t have your carry permit, be sure to have it open. If you open carry on your person, be careful sitting in your car, as your body and clothing may conceal your weapon.

If you are pulled over by the police, I know in NC they mention this in the classroom portion of the CCW class, pull over, put car in park, cut the ignition and keys on the dash, interior light on if dark, hands in plain sight on steering wheel. In NC, its a “must declare” state, meaning you must tell the officer of your concealed handgun. I do it anyway, even before I had my permit just because their job is dangerous. Make it easy on them, they may take it easy on you. I’ve gotten out of a few tickets, and met some really cool guys in the process.

Be sure to secure your gun, my recommendation is on your person. If that can’t happen, lock it up securely out of sight!

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After a shooting, 48 hours after…

https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/danger-now-first-48-hours-self-defense-shooting/

Courtesy of USCCA, the best I have read, fully comprehensive and easy to understand. Most of this is their article, in its entirety without breaks.

“The two days after you’ve been involved in a lethal force encounter will be as trying as any you’ve likely endured. Like all things self-defense, it’s better to consider your options now than to wait until it might be too late.

» YOU’VE TRAINED FOR THIS DAY. The crossroads of danger and preparation have intersected, and you’ve ended the life of someone who threatened yourself, your family or your home. After the shooting stops and the smoke clears, there is a lifeless or injured body lying in front of you. In a split second, you saved a life — your own, your family’s or someone in grave danger. Guess what? You’re not out of danger yet. This is where the most uncomfortable limbo starts. Will you be charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder, reckless endangerment or a host of other criminal charges by some crusading district attorney? Or will the matter be closed as a justifiable homicide as a result of self-defense? The first 48 hours after any self-defense shooting will very likely determine whether your home is where your family is or if the state will provide you shelter in the ol’ Graybar Hotel. You’ve mentally scripted and rehearsed every angle of attack for the self-defense action you’ve taken, but have you prepared for the legal battle that could ensue?

The actions described in this article are simply non-negotiable. Stick to the script or be prepared to spend enough money to put your attorney’s children through college. There is no guarantee that the advice given in this article will keep you out of jail, but it should greatly improve your odds and force any hot-shot district attorney to consider whether it’s worth the time, money and judicial resources to attempt to get a conviction when your actions can be reasonably justified. The following steps are designed to avoid arrest, an indictment by a grand jury or, the most humiliating of all, a ruinous civil suit by the family of the lowlife perpetrator who’ll claim that you used unnecessary and deadly force to stop their kin from making you a crime statistic. Let’s work through this chronologically.

Shots Fired, Man Down

Your immediate actions here are some of the most important elements of any judicial action law enforcement might decide to take. According to any number of statistical sampling, the average response time for the police to appear is between 8 and 11 minutes. During this time, you need to clear your head and take some critical mental notes. First, holster your weapon when police arrive. The last thing you need is a police officer walking onto the scene, seeing you with a drawn weapon and shooting you before you have time to proclaim your innocence. Make sure you can also tell police where the perpetrator’s weapon is. The last thing you want is someone picking it up and leaving, thereby making you appear to have shot an unarmed person.

Speak Carefully

Hopefully there will be witnesses there, so someone will have called 911. You do not necessarily want a voice record of you calmly calling the police after you’ve shot someone. Emergency dispatch operators are trained to keep you on the phone and to try to extract as much information as possible. This tape will be played nationally, so don’t give a prosecutor the opportunity to tell a jury that you were cold-blooded and clear-headed after the shooting.

Make mental notes of the witnesses and their positions to the shooting and the aftermath. Create a mental grid of where people are standing. My suggestion is to look around you and pretend you’re standing on a piece of paper. Mentally divide the paper into four squares, count how many people there are in each square and try to guess how far away from you they are.

The crime scene will be scoured, and the homicide detectives will be taking statements from each witness. You want to make sure someone who was 30 feet away doesn’t swear that they heard every syllable of conversation between you and the perpetrator. You want to be able to recall if witnesses were close enough to see the shooting and, if necessary, attempt to impeach their testimony.

Don’t Touch the Crime Scene

This will only aggravate the police and make you look like a suspect, or worst of all, create grounds for arresting you for hiding evidence or tampering with the scene.

Don’t Reach for that Card in Your Wallet You Picked Up at the Gun Store that Tells You What to do if You Shoot Someone

Some people think that handing responding officers a pre-printed card with a statement is the best substitute for memorizing your rights. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Some hotshot district attorney might try to prove that this was premeditated and that you were looking for a victim. Invoke your right to have an attorney present during questioning and wait for his arrival.

Ask Someone to Call for an Ambulance

If your attacker is still alive, you want to demonstrate that you’re not a stone-cold murderer. Stay still, observe and if anyone asks you if you’re OK, tell them you think you might be in shock. Don’t have any sort of discussion with bystanders or witnesses. Don’t ask if they saw the whole thing, if they will tell the police what happened or anything else. Everything that happens after the bullet left the gun is now evidence.

When the Police Arrive, Don’t Answer Questions Without Your Attorney Present

They will start asking you a battery of questions including how many times you fired, what the other person was doing to provoke your reaction and if you are licensed to carry a concealed weapon. Don’t consent to a search (they’re going to do it anyway), and if you’re with family members, tell them not to answer any questions until they too have spoken with an attorney. Cooperate with the police to the barest minimum — but respectfully. Tell them you need to speak to your lawyer before you make any statements. (Never, ever say, “I think I need to talk to my lawyer.” This will allow them to continue questioning you.) If an ambulance hasn’t arrived, ask for one for yourself as well as the perpetrator.

If the police inform you that you’re under arrest, politely but unequivocally decline to answer any questions without your lawyer present. You need to give your attorney and yourself time to react to the situation. Going to the hospital and being checked for shock, injury and any other possible reaction will help you clear your head and prepare for the days to come. If the police decide to lock you up, which is a probability, be mentally prepared to stay there until you’ve had a bail hearing. Don’t talk to any inmates if you can possibly avoid it; they would sell you into slavery to reduce their sentence.

Contact Your Lawyer When You’re Alone

You don’t need anyone overhearing you tell your lawyer you killed a lowlife and need representation. This is a conversation that should take place face to face without any observers. Before your meeting and at your earliest convenience, write down everything you remember.

Prepare a Statement of What Occurred as Soon as Possible

Write down every detail you can remember on paper. What words were spoken? What actions caused you to draw and shoot? How long was the confrontation? How many witnesses were there? Where were you coming from and where were you going? What were you wearing? When did you and the perpetrator draw your weapons?

All of this information is going to be pulled from other witnesses, so you need to have your story straight and logically formatted. If there is a trial, you might need to testify, so your attorney will rehearse with you multiple times to avoid an ambush.

The Morning After

Killing someone in self-defense makes a great news piece. As they say in the press, “If it bleeds, it leads.” If you’re allowed to go home, you might wake up to find camera crews on your lawn, photographers looking through your windows and other gawkers wondering what happened. This is when rumors begin and the full-bore investigation gets started. Have someone in your family call the police and tell them that there are news crews trespassing on your property. If they’re on the sidewalk or the street, leave them alone.

Never speak to the media or have any family members speak to them. Even if they are in your face when you leave your house, do not answer anything no matter how much they provoke you. George Zimmerman gave an interview with Sean Hannity, and the special prosecutor used it as evidence against him.

Meet With Your Lawyer the Day After

Prepare to tell your story in painful detail. Leave out nothing. Your lawyer is sworn to secrecy, and she can’t protect you without knowing absolutely everything that happened. Your lawyer will call the police and ask for any information related to the incident, including witness statements, ballistics testing and whether there is an assistant district attorney now assigned to the investigation. Additionally, your lawyer will contact the police and ask if charges are going to be issued against you, whether a grand jury will be convened and if a list of witnesses is available. Realistically, none of this will be given out until actual charges are initiated, but proactive legal work might help avoid a trial.

Work with your attorney to find out anything and everything about the perpetrator. She will ask for discovery if you’re charged, and it will all come out, but a running start might help reinforce the reality that you were assaulted by a repeat offender.

Stay Out of Sight

This might sound difficult, but it is not impossible, and time is your friend here. I would recommend avoiding anyone for two weeks if possible. You want this to become old news replaced by the latest incident in order to prevent continued front-page coverage. Don’t talk to the media, police or anyone other than your lawyer about what happened.

Check All of Your Weapons for Proper Storage

If the police decide to obtain a search warrant and look through your home for evidence, the last thing they need to see is a gun sitting on the kitchen table without a trigger lock on it. Get on the Internet and double check what the legal requirements are for proper storage of a firearm in your state. You don’t want a prosecutor who is unable to prove a case to use your carelessness as evidence of reckless endangerment.

Two Days After

Within 48 hours of the shooting, the police will have finished with the crime scene, and evidence will be collected. Toxicology reports will be started on the corpse of your attacker. If you were arrested, bail will likely be arranged by this time. If you haven’t been charged, you’ll be at home staring at the walls wondering what to do next. The police are investigating, your lawyer is probably speaking to contacts to see if you’re going to be charged or indicted and you feel as if your life is in the hands of people who don’t understand that only one person was going to walk away from the worst night of your life. Thank God it was you.

Your next move is to begin your own investigation. Any questions, requests for information, freedom of information requests, etc., cannot be seen emanating from you. Have a trusted friend, spouse or relative begin to build a case against the perpetrator. Go online and do a criminal check on him. The Internet has a host of sites where you can find criminal records. Start to put together a matrix based on your search of Facebook or any other social media site of this person’s friends and contacts. Did they post a picture of themselves on Facebook pointing a gun? Are people they associate with on the web as well?

Remember, if the district attorney is going to prosecute you, they will be doing the same to you. This effort will save you the money you would have to pay your attorney or a private investigator to research. Even if you’re charged and found innocent at trial, legal bills will grow very quickly. You can never tell what your attorney might miss, so protect your own interests. Send out freedom of information requests for lab results, the 911 message, police tapes, etc. You might not be a lawyer, but this is all information that will be critical to your defense should you need one. Share the information with your lawyer as soon as you receive it. Your goal is to get this done as soon as possible in order to begin a strong argument against indictment. Once again, don’t tell your story to anyone but your lawyer or your spouse. Neither can be forced to testify against you, but anyone else is fair game.

Stay calm, stay focused and gradually ease back into your daily routine. This will be on your mind for months, if not years, to come, but right now, you need to reinforce the narrative that you’re the victim.

Keep your head up. You trained for this day, and you successfully defended yourself. Now comes the second phase, where you need to prove it was justified.”

That’s an amazing read, and better than I could have done, USCCA is an authority in concealed carry, and has so much information on everything  concealed carry.

Remember, police are not your friends when they have a job to do. Their job is to investigate crimes and make arrests. DA jobs are to prosecute criminals, and while you have done nothing wrong, you are in their cross hairs. Your attorney is to protect you, help them help you.

Thanks to USCCA for use of their article, check out their website at http://www.uscca.com