Most concealed carry courses, from online CCW training to in-person defensive handgun practice at your local range, are developed to make you feel comfortable protecting yourself with your handgun.
Unfortunately, the comfort you develop during a concealed carry course can cause 7 of the most common mistakes professional instructors recognize in even the most ex perienced shooters.
Over the course of my career as an NRA-certified instructor (teaching both in-person and online concealed carry courses, I’ve helped multiple shooters un-train the bad habits the myths you’re about to discover cause.
So keep reading, pay attention, and make sure you’re not buying into these 7 most common concealed carry mistakes.
Concealed Carry Myth 1: “I Won’t Use My Sights Under Stress”
When you’re in a fight for your life, “you’re unlikely to use your sights.”
You’ve heard this advice before, you may have read the studies, forum posts, or anecdotal evidence about the “time I was out of options and had to shoot.”
And, in many cases, you may be training with an instructor who believes it’s better to focus on your target and get rounds out as fast as possible.
Here’s the problem…
When researchers interview people involved in gun fight situations, they reflect on reaction time and automatically assume there was “no time to think about using the sights.” Nearly every researched article and study on the subject declaring that you won’t use your sights under stress is based around that fact—there’s just “no time.”
The reality is this…
Every concealed carry course you take will teach you the second most important concealed carry principle after the “4 rules of gun safety.” That principle is that practice makes perfect.
The reason many people who successfully defend themselves in a gun fight don’t believe they’ve used their sights is because they’ve trained to instinctively do it.
And studies actually show, instinct and blind fire almost always leads to failure in actual “must shoot” situations.
It’s important to practice, make using your sights second nature, and develop a comfort level with your firearm that allows you to stay calm under pressure.
Concealed Carry Myth 2: When It Happens, You’ll Be Ready
Fact: When you’re in a “must shoot” situation, you’ll automatically default to your concealed carry training. Period.
On top of that, analysis of over 300 interviews with concealed carry holders involved in shoot situations proves that your skills will actually deteriorate under pressure.
You may have a fighting mindset. You may think you’re prepared to face any challenge. And you might have confidence because you have a concealed carry permit and the ability to protect yourself and your family…
But when your life is actually on the line, your mindset won’t matter. It’s your concealed carry training that will take over.
Concealed Carry Myth 3: “It’s Only Natural”
During the first online concealed carry course I taught, I worked with an instructor who mentioned to every student: “I want you to work on this shooting position first, it’s natural.”
Here’s another reality: There’s absolutely nothing about firing a handgun that’s natural. There’s nothing instinctive about it.
No position or stance comes naturally.
You didn’t know how to shoot before someone taught you.
That’s one of the reasons why many states require a certified concealed carry course before you can even apply for a permit!
Concealed Carry Myth 4: “Here’s How You’ll Respond to Stress”
Here’s one big myth that ties everything together…
One of the things many instructors and concealed carry students take for granted is stress response.
We prepare and train as if everyone will respond to stress the same way. Guess what? They won’t.
You’ll respond to stress differently than I will. And your spouse will react differently as well. Everyone is wired differently, built with different default reactions and stress tolerances.
And the only tool you have to fight against your reaction to stress is training.
The best way to master your reaction to stress, stay calm under pressure, and protect yourself when it matters is to train as often as possible with a diverse variety of scenarios, instructors, and drills.
The more you learn during concealed carry courses and training, the more prepared you’ll be to deal with stress.
Unfortunately, the comfort you develop during a concealed carry course can cause 7 of the most common mistakes professional instructors recognize in even the most ex perienced shooters.
Over the course of my career as an NRA-certified instructor (teaching both in-person and online concealed carry courses, I’ve helped multiple shooters un-train the bad habits the myths you’re about to discover cause.
So keep reading, pay attention, and make sure you’re not buying into these 7 most common concealed carry mistakes.
Concealed Carry Myth 1: “I Won’t Use My Sights Under Stress”
When you’re in a fight for your life, “you’re unlikely to use your sights.”
You’ve heard this advice before, you may have read the studies, forum posts, or anecdotal evidence about the “time I was out of options and had to shoot.”
And, in many cases, you may be training with an instructor who believes it’s better to focus on your target and get rounds out as fast as possible.
Here’s the problem…
When researchers interview people involved in gun fight situations, they reflect on reaction time and automatically assume there was “no time to think about using the sights.” Nearly every researched article and study on the subject declaring that you won’t use your sights under stress is based around that fact—there’s just “no time.”
The reality is this…
Every concealed carry course you take will teach you the second most important concealed carry principle after the “4 rules of gun safety.” That principle is that practice makes perfect.
The reason many people who successfully defend themselves in a gun fight don’t believe they’ve used their sights is because they’ve trained to instinctively do it.
And studies actually show, instinct and blind fire almost always leads to failure in actual “must shoot” situations.
It’s important to practice, make using your sights second nature, and develop a comfort level with your firearm that allows you to stay calm under pressure.
Concealed Carry Myth 2: When It Happens, You’ll Be Ready
Fact: When you’re in a “must shoot” situation, you’ll automatically default to your concealed carry training. Period.
On top of that, analysis of over 300 interviews with concealed carry holders involved in shoot situations proves that your skills will actually deteriorate under pressure.
You may have a fighting mindset. You may think you’re prepared to face any challenge. And you might have confidence because you have a concealed carry permit and the ability to protect yourself and your family…
But when your life is actually on the line, your mindset won’t matter. It’s your concealed carry training that will take over.
Concealed Carry Myth 3: “It’s Only Natural”
During the first online concealed carry course I taught, I worked with an instructor who mentioned to every student: “I want you to work on this shooting position first, it’s natural.”
Here’s another reality: There’s absolutely nothing about firing a handgun that’s natural. There’s nothing instinctive about it.
No position or stance comes naturally.
You didn’t know how to shoot before someone taught you.
That’s one of the reasons why many states require a certified concealed carry course before you can even apply for a permit!
Concealed Carry Myth 4: “Here’s How You’ll Respond to Stress”
Here’s one big myth that ties everything together…
One of the things many instructors and concealed carry students take for granted is stress response.
We prepare and train as if everyone will respond to stress the same way. Guess what? They won’t.
You’ll respond to stress differently than I will. And your spouse will react differently as well. Everyone is wired differently, built with different default reactions and stress tolerances.
And the only tool you have to fight against your reaction to stress is training.
The best way to master your reaction to stress, stay calm under pressure, and protect yourself when it matters is to train as often as possible with a diverse variety of scenarios, instructors, and drills.
The more you learn during concealed carry courses and training, the more prepared you’ll be to deal with stress.
