By Tom McHale
USA –-(Ammoland.com)- While “Carrying for Terrorism” sounds like a Sally Struthers TV infomercial cause, it’s becoming a legitimate self-defense topic worthy of a rational consideration.
Let’s get one thing out the way first. The odds of you getting caught up in a domestic terror attack are pretty darn low.
Yes, terrorism is now here on our shores. Actually, unless you work for the New York Times, you already know that it’s been here for decades. Yes, I fully expect there will be more attacks like the recent one in San Bernardino. Our enemies are persistent if nothing else and there is no reason to believe that they’ll take up scrapbooking instead of decapitation if we promise to reduce the exhaust levels of Ford F-150s.
Nonetheless, the odds of your home catching fire are pretty low too, yet a prudent person keeps a fire extinguisher near the kitchen. The bottom line is that there is nothing wrong with observing reality and taking rational and prudent measures to increase the odds of successfully protecting your family.
But what about the arguments that concealed carry can’t have any meaningful impact on a terrorist attack.
The anti self defense media will say “Come on! A concealed carrier citizen isn’t going to be able to stop a terrorist attack!”
Listening to this type of argument makes me crazy, because the people making these statements generally know nothing about the topic of self-defense. I saw a meme the other day illustrating a van full of SWAT team members armed to the teeth. The caption read something like “It took 23 men like this to stop the San Bernardino killers. What makes you think an average citizen with a CCW will be successful?” That misses the entire point.
Take your brain to the very ugly scene of a mass shooting. By its very definition, a mass shooting is unopposed by design. Virtually all of them have taken place in a legal “Gun Free Zone” where the perpetrators knew that they would be completely unopposed for 10, 20 or even 30 minutes. Now imagine how that went down. Picture innocent people sitting or kneeling, with their hands up, waiting their turn to be killed, completely at the discretion of the killer. There is no scenario worse than that. None. A concealed carrier drawing his or her gun and getting killed anyway is not worse than that. Even that’s better as it slowed down the process of others being executed.
What stops this methodical and orderly killing? Disruption.
It’s as simple as that. With any resistance, whether successful or not, the painstaking killing plan of the murderers is suddenly shifted into reaction mode. They are no longer the complete master of every second in the timeline.
Enter Chris Mintz
In the recent Umpqua Community College shooting, the perpetrators plan was disrupted by the actions of unarmed Army veteran Chris Mintz. Mintz ran towards the danger, getting students in the library to safety before arriving at the room where the shooter was present. After yelling to people outside to call the police, Mintz was confronted by the gunman. Efforts by Mints to talk the gunman down failed, and Mintz was shot five times. Thankfully, he survived. Shortly after, the gunman killed himself when police started to close in.
We’ll never know exactly how many lives that simple act of disruption saved, but it was a lot.
People got away while Mintz distracted the gunman from his slow and methodical killing spree for a period of time.
Another example is the Clackamas Mall shooting, which happened just before Sandy Hook. A gunman armed with a rifle and over 150 rounds of ammunition went into Clackamas Mall and started shooting. He managed to shoot two people before he was confronted by concealed carrier Nick Meli. Meli aimed his gun at the gunman, who then ran into a stairwell and took his own life. Meli never even fired because he was worried about bystanders behind the gunman. That’s right, whether Meli’s handgun was a match for a semi-automatic rifle was irrelevant in this case.
The killer’s complete ownership of the situation was disrupted and his plan foiled. Action and disruption means everything.
One more factor to consider is that the range of these attacks is almost always frighteningly close. Even if the murderer is using a rifle, the range of shooting is typically measured in inches or feet. In a crowd of people waiting to be executed at will, would a person or two in the mix with a handgun be able to inflict damage on the attackers? Would they be able to provide a few seconds of critical disruption? You tell me.
Would a concealed carrier be able to stop a terror attack?
Maybe or maybe not. Will they get killed in the process? Maybe or maybe not. Will they disrupt the killer’s plans? Almost certainly. When seconds mean the different between life and death for innocent bystanders, a little bit of disruption can make all the difference.
So what’s the rational course of action? I would hope that you’ve read the owners manual on your fire extinguisher, so you know how to work it. Learning its operation as a stove fire consumes the dishwasher is no time to figure that out. If you choose to use a gun for protection, that concept is far more important. In a home fire, your lack of preparation can result in the loss of your home. In an active gun use scenario, we’re talking about immediate life and death consequences.
A few years ago, while terrorism was a real threat, most people planned their defensive strategies and equipment around the more likely scenario of a criminal attack. In those scenarios, small revolvers, and lower capacity pistols are perfectly rational solutions. Reviews of defensive firearm use encounters show that the vast majority of gun uses involve no shots fired. In the cases where triggers are actually pulled, a relatively small number of shots usually ends the attack.
The Right Carry Gun for Terrorism
Should these types of planned and deliberate murder attacks increase in frequency, and I think they will, you’ll want more rounds. It’s as simple as that. Many folks, me included, are finding that they feel a little better carrying a gun with 15 or more round capacity and an extra magazine or two. ( Read more about my choice of specific guns here ) I’m not telling you that’s the only proper response; I’m telling you that I feel more comfortable these days carrying a gun with 15 or more rounds.
If you choose to carry a gun, first and foremost, get training. We’re blessed with a myriad of self-defense live training options all over the country. As long as you do your homework, you should be able to find a good one near you. Worst case, watch and study reputable video training programs. Then put those strategies to work on the practice range. If your range doesn’t let you draw or shoot and move, then do it at home with a squirt gun.
Only after you’ve made a commitment to training and practice should you think about whether it makes sense for you to upgrade your carry gun capacity.
About
Tom McHale is the author of the Insanely Practical Guides book series that guides new and experienced shooters alike in a fun, approachable, and practical way. His books are available in print and eBook format on Amazon. You can also find him on Google+, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Make sure you shoot them raghead Islamic terrorists with pig blood bullets too !
Nobody seems to remember the shooting in Salt Lake City, UT, at the mall. A guy went on a shooting spree killing 9. What stopped him? An off duty police officer there with his family. He was there as a concealed citizen in an unofficial capacity.
Practice. Practice. Practice. Always practice shooting while moving around and from behind/around cover. IMO, caliber is optional, accuracy is not.
“If you need more than 5 bullets, you must be a bad shot”
H. Joaquin Jackson
Former NRA Board Member
Former Texas Ranger
REST IN PEACE
melanie, you keep writing that Joaquin said this stuff and that stuff, yet everything you write is very different from my experiences. If all you have in a modern gun fight is five rounds, then you are in sad shape. I think HJJ would have known that.
Seriously? I guess that means our military personnel are also bad shots, seeing as how all of the sidearms issued carry more than 5 rounds.
Some people should keep their mouth shut and comments to themselves lest they look like a fool.
In a hostile critical situation where everything is going a 100 miles an hour, your heart is pounding through your chest,sweating,nervous,scared,shaking all at the same time. If you have a small caliber handgun in a situation like that shot placement is more critical than ever. If all I have is a .380,.25ACP,head shots only !
As I read the first half of your commentary, I was thinking just the opposite of your conclusion that 15 or more rounds are needed. If the biggest factor in stopping the terrorist attack is disruption, then two or three shots will be plenty disrupting. Furthermore, a mall full of people with 5 shot revolvers would be full of disruptions of the attack. When the terrorist turns toward one person firing one or two shots, another person can fire one or two shots. I have no illusions about stopping an attack by myself. I just want to be able to… Read more »
Here’s another good example. 1 man with a handgun put down two terrorists seemed with what some refer to as assault weapons in Garland, Texas.
ANY firearm is better than no firearm.
AMEN! Better a J frame Smith & Wesson revolver on your belt than your Browning Hi Power in the safe at home.
I normally carry a .45 M1911 with four magazines of 8 rounds each for a total of 32 rounds.
If I feel the need to carry a bit more discretely, I carry a 9mm with two magazines of 12 rounds each. I plan to shop for one or two extra magazines as I am not sure 24 rounds will be sufficient if life takes an ugly turn.
A few points I’d like to add to this article: – Whatever your carry stance is I highly recommend utilizing firearms that can use compatible magazines between them. Glock does that very well and so does SIG; I’ve fired P226 magazines out of a P229-1 9mm with no issue. My eventual carry posture is going to consist of a P229 Legion with a P226 TACOPS off body but in my control. The 20rd magazines that come with the TACOPS where I’ll be purchasing mine should also work in the P229 with no issue. Spare magazines will be in the car… Read more »
Well first you need to have it with you and the odds are you won’t have a even a full size HG with you with extra ammo. My initial thought is to get out of harms way and engage the shooter only if they get in my path. Since nobody will be carrying an AR or AK for self defense you want as much handgun as you can carry. I think the best compromise would be a 9mm double stack compact like a Glock 19. With 15 rounds and a spare mag for 30 total rounds it is unlikly that… Read more »
I carry a gun some people wouldn’t pick up if were the last gun in the world n they were catching fire, I’m a disabled American don’t have the resources to buy a nice colt,or a s n w I own a hi point 9mm.a lil feed ramp polish n I’m confident that it will do the job its meant to do and that is to protect my family n myself if needed! $150 n 25 minutes of experience with abrasive paper n oil not a jam or nose dive since10 yards your thru I’m a proud American willing to… Read more »
I am personally trying to obtain my carry liscense but for right now I take my sidearm with me, everywhere that I legally can. I have a 9mm with 18 rounds plus one in the chamber. I keep an extra mag with it and will soon be purchasing another mag. I would rather carry a gun and not need it than to need it and not have it. After all it’s better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6
I carry a .45 (11 Rounds) because they don’t make a .46! Plus, the USMC taught me how to shoot EXPERT UNDER PRESSURE!
How many EXPERTS have you shot? Did they live?
Kent,why do you have to always reply to people in a smartass way ? The man was just making a statement about training he got in the Marines (and the USMC has some of the best you can get) ! Kent,what branch of the service were you in ? Get a life !
Very good article and many really good comments. One of my instructors suggested some reading to help me prepare Mentally for the Apocalypse in my life, and believe me, shooting someone IS the Apocalypse in your life – it will never be the same again. His point, and I agree, is that Mental Preparation is 90% of the outcome and physical training is the other 10%. If you are NOT prepared mentally to take another person’s life, you will hesitate – and we all know what happens to “He who hesitates” do we not? Yes, carry whatever you can and… Read more »
Great Posts, mostly all true and good reading for the average carry guy. The last few months makes a regular shooter dad rethink the everyday defense strategy. Because I live in a heavily patrolled area, and rarely go through a bad neighborhood, and intentionally try to avoid any gatherings, I carried my little P3AT with confidence 24/7. Last fourteen years I practiced a lot and was so over confident , five years ago I stopped carrying the two extra clips. I’m stuck in a Tee-shirt and shorts every day but after San Bernardino , I took the Glock 17 out… Read more »
That first question reminds me of asking a Catholic priest for martial and sex advice. Old joke. Young priest doing research sees old priest crying while reading a really old Bible. Young one ask the old one what was wrong. Old laments,”The word was CELEBRATE”.
Agreed. Breaking the mental state of the perpetrator is the first thing that happens if they are someplace they don’t expect resistance. Even if they are wearing body armor, a few hits from a decent pistol round is going to slow them down and perhaps break a rib or two. You aren’t guaranteed a “win” but you are guaranteed options you wouldn’t have otherwise. And hopefully a mindset that will help you to act and survive. Sadly, you have to recognize you can’t save everyone, but you may be able to save someone. After all, most of us aren’t wearing… Read more »
Great article and posts.
Great responses, all valid arguments and answers.
I find the .45 auto to alleviate my anxieties, a 3″ Kimber Ultra TLE. But it’s only a 7 round mag w/1 in the chamber! Carrying an extra nag or two is necessary if you are engaged in a shootout, which might happen never, or in a few minutes.
Long ago, I walked S&D, and RIF missions with best. I ran out of ammo once. It never happened again!
No one knows what there response will be in a moment of facing death that is why you train, Your muscles during training develop a “memory” and your reaction becomes familiar enough to take effect in crisis without a lengthy thought process… “Terror is not a new weapon. Throughout history it has been used by those who could not prevail, either by persuasion or example. But inevitably they fail, either because men are not afraid to die for a life worth living, or because the terrorists themselves came to realize that free men cannot be frightened by threats and that… Read more »
Good points. I think it’s worth-while to consider self-defense in 2 categories: – “ordinary” criminal and crazy attacks; – terrorist attacks. Suppose, for the sake of discussion, that we do a statistical analysis and conclude that the threat of “ordinary” attacks is statistically low. So low that we conclude that it’s not worth while to increase the rate of civilian gun-carry in public. Let’s suppose we might conclude that the negligent discharges, misjudgments, collateral damage, etc. exceed the benefits. OK, then, what about terrorist attacks? How do we measure the statistical risk of terrorist attacks? Do we have enough statistics… Read more »
When a gunman started shooting up a mall, one armed citizen had him in his sights, he did not take the shot because he may have hit another person, the gunman then ran away and took his own life. Not one shot fired from a law abiding citizen. We may not be able to stop the shooter(s) but we can slow them down until help arrives. Be aware of your surroundings, the armed couple who executed two Nevada Officers in Cici’s pizza at lunch, then walked to Walmart, the guy fired his pistol to the ceiling, an armed citizen walked… Read more »
After years of “totin”, for protection, I found MY all time favorite. Glock 30 sf, with 13 Rd Glock 21 mags. Always using the exterra grip spacers, they work great. Will turn a compact 10 rounder, into a full sized acurrate 13 round 45 ACP. I equally agree, nothing can compensate for practice. Mr J. W. Clark, Ammoland is one of the more honest, unpolitically correct reads, out there. They really research information, and, will not appease nay Sayers, or want to be’s. My point, and I never do this, is. I really don’t understand your post, or its puzzling… Read more »
Jay Warren Clark; You are very much correct and your line of reasoning should become the mindset of all loyal Americans! This will happen when we all understand the sole reason that the Armed American Amendment was included in the Bill of Rights. Lets hope this happens quickly.
How many more ‘Gun Free Zone’ massacres have to happen before it is clear they are the problem. The very best gun control would be to end gun free zones.
Tom: Isn’t there a way that you could write an article like this and not play into the narrative that Points a finger at people who may very well not be behind this suspicious string of “terrorist” attacks. I would begin that string at the assassination of Kennedy or at least the Oklahoma bombing? Conn. passed a gun control bill immediately on the heels of Sandy Hook–an attack were we never saw any blood or even one injured or dead body! And you know the anti-gun rhetoric in the media after each of these events. And now one branch of… Read more »
in WW2 they dropped hundreds if not thousands of the little single shot .45 cal. “liberator” pistols behind enemy lines, just so you could take out an enemy soldier and use his weapons. i’m not suggesting that you use a single shot pistol, I have a friend that carries a two shot derringer (22 mag) but I like my 9mm diamondback (6+1 and two 6 rd. mags) that’s just as small and good for at least 10 yards, or S&W bodyguard 380, 6+1 but with the backup 10 rd mags that improve the grip, with the laser. however like col.… Read more »
I live on a barrier island in North Carolina where my usual uniform of the day is shorts and a tee shirt. This limits my options for concealed carry. I settled on a Kel Tec P11 which offers me 11 rounds of 9mm. It’s advantage to me over my 1911 Government Model is that the P11 won’t pull my pants down; the Colt will. Better to depend on the 9mm that I carry religiously away from home than the .45 that I leave at home because it’s too heavy. And whatever the deficits in firepower I may have with just… Read more »
The problem is we have so many concealed weapons carrier permits but most people with them don’t carry. If you need a weapon and don’t have it on you, the permit is not going to save you or others. You need to take the weapon any and everywhere you go. There are many signs on the doors of stores that say you can’t carry concealed weapons inside. There is a long list of what these signs have to look like and other things. If just one thing is off, it makes the sign null and void and you can carry… Read more »
Excellent article. Most importantly, know your weapon’s capability and know that it is reliable and will not fail when it’s needed most. Train often, shoot often. One thing I liked best about this article was the statement that if you draw your weapon, you at least have disrupted their flow and taken away whatever tempo they may have thought they had. Besides, in that situation, if you are armed, your chances of surviving are much better than otherwise. The other important point that was made is that we here in the U.S. did not start the war against Islamic terrorists,… Read more »
My EDC gear has always been a double stack .45, although I now carry a XDm with the 5.25 inch barrel, 13 Rd capacity, plus 2 spare mags. I practice with it at least weekly, so I know where it shoots at any range from the muzzle out to 25 yards. If I have to take on anyone further away than that with my .45, I guess I’ll just have to move in closer, like the cop at Garland did on his 2 Jihadis with AKs. As for the disruption effect, as the old Ranger adage says: “Incoming rounds have… Read more »
I’ve noticed that the anti-gun folks on TV or radio, while debating the host, often smugly claim that a pistol can not be used to stop someone with an AK, or AR. All too often the well meaning host can’t, or won’t dispute that claim. If the discussion were about a combat zone outdoors, at 50 or 100+ yards, that may be a valid statement. However, terror attacks and criminal gun use is overwhelmingly a close range affair. That is precisely what handguns are designed for! Raw firepower? No question, the rifle wins. But in most situations, where a pistol… Read more »
There was a story reported in French-speaking and Spanish-speaking (but not U.S.) media about the Paris attacks. Apparently, there was a restaurant attack planned to happen simultaneously with the night club and sports arena attacks. Two misunderstood youths entered the restaurant in a northern part of Paris, produced AKs, and yelled, “Aloha snackbar!” It happened that there were three businessmen from Colombia in the restaurant, negotiating a business transaction. Because of the nature of the transaction, all three Colombian businessmen were armed, and when the two misunderstood lads announced their intention, the Colombians killed them. As I said, this was… Read more »
Ammoland Shooting Sports News is picking and choosing what comments I post.
I guess some information I give out to fellow firearm enthusiasts dose not meet their political correctness standards?
It’s a sign to me that this may not be a safe place to exercise your 1st amendment right.
@Russ, stop posting links in comments so you won’t be held up in spam…
USpatriot77; our current Imam obama is NOT the only one to blame for this situation we are living in today. It goes back much further than that, after all G.W. Bush started the importation of radical islamist terrorists into the country and the south of the border variety of terrorists goes back as far as 1965 and the infamous senator Teddy Kennedy, it was, after all, HIS immigration bill that opened up our borders to the THIRD WORLD mentality of immigration! Whereas before kennedy’s bill we only took in the BEST and BRIGHTEST and those who WOULD CONTRIBUTE to our… Read more »
Sorry to burst your bubble but undocumented migrants do not gent food stamps. They nave top work their plants off mowing grass and cleaning dishes forma $5.00/hr. And that is a great contribution top América.
They are still criminals and should NOT be in the USA. Sorry to burst your bubble.
You don’t burst anyone’s bubble. You’re just an irrelevant pissant !
Oh yes Bob, illegal aliens do get Electronic Benefit Transfer cards. They have learned to go from state to state to sign up under several names and collect from several states at the same time. From the fed. gov’t they get Housing Assistance, a cell phone, and $1000 per month cash in addition to general relief. The can also collect Soc. Sec. Disability payments. They contribute little, but unskilled labor, but they take everything already mentioned plus your child’s seat in college, the job that your child would have had, the house your child would have had, and the family… Read more »
This to me, is a very narrow view of carry options, and I can’t see how it’s helping the public fight terrorism. How about booby trap your property, and the government can issue all good American citizens battle rifles to outwardly carry? Consider these options for carry. 1. a Glock with it’s concealable mag in it, & side carry 2 high cap (33rd) mags on the side. 17 + 2 x 33 = 83 rounds total. 2. FNH FiveseveN Fires the 5.7 x 28mm, defeats soft body armor, holds 20 rounds, + 2 x 30 high caps = 80 rounds… Read more »
Glock 19, period.
My G19 is really badass,accurate,dependable. My G21 is the same !
Roy Wilt – Funny you mention that. Kind of as an experiment, I’ve been carrying an FNX 45 Tactical (Read: HUGE!) in an Alien Gear IWB holster. Turns out it’s pretty doable! Not nearly as unwieldy as I expected. Can’t complain about 15+1 rounds of .45 ACP although it does stretch the pants a little 🙂
I carry a FNX-45! It Has 15 plus 1 in the chamber for 16 rounds of 45 acp! I also carry extra 15 round Magazines! 2 for Green all the way up to 6 for Red conditions! I would rather run out of targets before I run out of ammo! I don’t mind carrying what I don’t use back home!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good article. Well, living in the People’s Republic of New York, I can’t follow the weapon recommendation, as Il Duce has mandated I can only defend with 10 round mags, with only 7 rounds loaded in them. He wants the crooks to have every advantage they can.
Carry the gun you can actually hit something with, which is probably the one you train the most with. If you are taking training with a Glock 17 and your every day carry is a KelTec P3AT, you are doing something stupid.
Living in Douglas County, Oregon where the UCC shooting took place, knowing some of the victims and witnesses has given me a new outlook on my personal security. CCW permits are no longer just a fancy thing to have, but they have become a necessity in our current environment in America! It is sad to think back about walking at night as a kid and not worrying, playing in the parks during the day and not having a care in the world, going to the mall with friends and not worrying-all these things are gone and part of American history!… Read more »
Good article and good points. Disruption is an essential component of foiling an enemy’s plans. Train . . train . . train! I spent several years in Iraq as a private security contractor doing security for Westerners working on DoD Reconstruction contracts, and still travel to not-so-nice places. And we never stop training. The entire concept of security measures is not to stop so much as to delay, and if i can kill some of them in the process so much the better. As for guns, my EDC is a full sized Glock 21 (13+1 .45ACP) and at least one… Read more »
I conceal carry a Walther PPQ 9mm and my wife carries a Glock 42 which is easy for her to handle. We don’t carry just for Terrorists. We have a large population of illegal Aliens and a big Meth problem here. You never know what will happen but we are prepared. We have a good selection of Long Guns also. So we are ready for whatever turns up.
The best gun to have to stop a threat is the one in your hand at the time.
Don’t forget the two wannabe jihadists from Phoenix who attacked the TX cartoon event.
A officer with a handgun stopped them.
thx
That cop showed some damn good shooting too.
The best gun in a situation like this is the one you have with you! Not the one sitting back home. Whether it’s a .22 or a .44 Mag, it’s better to have one and not need it, than to need one and not have it. Personally, I carry my Rock Island compact 1911 in 45 acp. Less capacity, but makes a loud noise and a big hole.
In an ambush the ONLY hope of survival is to charge the ambush. The same applies to mass shooters – the bastard can’t aim if he/she is getting hammered with textbooks, chairs, whatever is at hand. Counterintuitive to be sure but better than sitting there like a damn sheep waiting to be slaughtered!
I train at the range and at home. As my range frowns on drawing from a holster, I use Laserlyte Laser Trainer Cartridges in 9mm or .45 from various distances, usually five to thirty feet. I use life size hostile targets for a more realistic scenario. The laser “shoots” to point of aim, and it really shows up any faulty trigger technique. They are excellent training aids, and a great way to introduce a new shooter to proper gun handling. Of course, I always make sure the gun is unloaded with no ammo or loaded magazines in the same room… Read more »
A gun is not a magic talisman that renders the person who wields it impervious from harm – rather, it is a piece of safety equipment that during a violent attack may shift the odds in your favor. To argue against carrying a firearm because it is not an absolute guarantee of safety during a terrorist or other violent attack is about as logical as arguing against fire extinguishers and smoke alarms because people still die in fires, or abolishing seat belts because some crashes are still fatal.
Durabo: “….limited effective maximum range…”. I suggest yo might want to brush up on modern handgun loads. When in training we’d take an hour or so just to practice on steel silhouettes at 100 yds. I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end. Would I prefer a rifle instead, sure, but don’t sell a handgun short when the chips are down and that’s what you have.
At FrontSight, their motto is “any gun will do, if you’ll do”. Use what you have, not what you wish you had.