Remember when I said a few weeks ago that I had to split my analysis of the Great Concealed Carry Survey into three parts? Well, I had to split the third part into two parts. The free-response final question of the survey (which is still up, so please share it with your friends and family and take it yourself if you haven’t already) asks how carrying a concealed handgun has affected respondents’ thought processes and lifestyles. I was impressed with the level of care and detail people were willing to put into their answers; if you’re one of those who wrote up a whole paragraph for me on your concealed carry mindset, thank you very much! I wish I could include all of them, but for the sake of brevity, I had to trim some down and exclude some others. I used the most commonly used meaningful words (so, excluding things like “the” and “of”) to make the word cloud you see above, and it reflects the ideas you all raised in your short answers—care, responsibility, and situational awareness. We have more than a hundred gun owners talking about how the concealed carry lifestyle has made them more emotionally mature, attentive, safety-conscious, and informed on the law than they were before. After this survey, the biggest question I’m left with is this: Given that people who carry are more law-abiding than the rest of the population, train more actively than many police officers, and are apparently have a better attitude, who wouldn’t want everyone to be a concealed carrier?
Calm Attitude and Avoiding Confrontations
“I’m a lot more mellow. [I]…try to be as courteous as possible.”
“Deescalation and avoidance is first on my mind at every confrontation point.”
“Conflict and risk avoidance. Thoughtful when driving and interacting with strangers.”
“I am aware that I cannot get into any confrontations, including road rage.”
“I’m much more levelheaded while carrying thinking about consequences of my actions prior to acting.”
“I am more careful where and how I walk or drive and try to avoid any arguments when I am carrying.”
“Carrying a firearm means understanding that avoidance, deescalation, and restraint are always the first priorities…In many ways, carrying has made me a calmer, more patient, and more disciplined person.”
“It has also helped me in conflict resolution while working with the public in my job. I don’t tend to get as upset or frustrated with other people’s antics or their temper tantrums. I brush it off and walk away so much easier.”
“I tend to avoid arguments or deescalate on the theory that there is always a non-zero chance of ‘bang.’”
“Carrying a concealed handgun has significantly shaped the way I think and live my daily life. Above all, it has deepened my sense of responsibility. Being a responsible gun owner isn’t just about safely carrying a firearm it’s about actively choosing to live in a way that minimizes risk and avoids unnecessary conflict. I am constantly aware that my actions matter more because I am armed, and that awareness guides my behavior.”
Situational Awareness
“My situational awareness is hyper active when I’m carrying. I find myself studying other people and performing quick risk assessments when in different situations.”
“I pay attention to my surroundings. I look for exits out of a building. I try to sit where I can see the entrance of a restaurant.”
“I notice more quickly when I’m feeling uneasy about a particular location (gas station, etc.) and opt to go somewhere else instead.”
“I exercise more situational awareness. I deescalate more. I experience less road rage. I am quicker to remove myself from undesirable situations.”
“I’m definitely more situationally aware. When a strange situation arises, my first thought is, ‘What’s the best thing I can do right now to avoid having to use my gun?’ I go by the saying[s that] avoidance is key and don’t be a hero. I hope if I ever had to make the decision, I would do the right thing.”
“Carrying a handgun has made me more aware of my environment. I find myself more attentive and focused on where I am at and what is going on. The exact opposite of the effect carrying a cell phone has on most people in public.”
“I am constantly watching my surroundings, places I visit and people to make sure I never need to use my CCW. I also have to make sure no one sees my CCW under clothing.”
Clothing Choices
“The biggest effect I’ve noticed is my choice in clothing. I don’t buy into the whole ‘gray man’ carry attire, but I find myself often buying larger and looser-fitting shirts for the sake of not printing. I also find myself investing in a lot of belts.”
“I have to think about buying different kinds of shirts and think about wearing darker colors to minimize printing.”
“It is also very challenging with clothing and trying to keep it concealed. Especially as a woman. I hate having the gun off the body. Still trying to figure it out. I’m looking into slimmer/smaller guns and other things.”
“Other lifestyle changes are making sure clothing doesn’t print.”
Laws and Regulations
“I am more aware of my situation and also the laws regarding self-defense.”
“As onerous as they are, I comply with state law in all aspects of my daily carry and my vehicle is equipped with a DOJ-approved console safe for secure storage when I enter venues that prohibit carry.”
“It’s made me MUCH more aware of CA state and local politics. I feel my civil rights are absolutely violated. It’s almost like they make laws to make a person slip up and become a criminal. I feel so small at times, especially when new laws are introduced.”
“Sorry, I cheated on your survey because I’m a retired Fed and have LEOSA. Other than…[California’s] stupid magazine capacity of 10 rounds, I carry everywhere.”
“As a university administrator/faculty, we are prohibited by law from carrying in the classroom or our offices. We are required to leave our firearms in our cars secured. So most of the time I am not carrying.”
“I brush up on the new laws, because we know that they are always changing in California.”
“Carrying has become a daily habit for me and I carry almost everywhere. I also take into consideration where I am going…[and] whether it is legal to carry [there].”
“It has only highlighted how ill-informed our California gun policies actually are. I believe California gun laws are based solely on outdated action movies from the 1980s, and actually have no real bearing on gun safety or proper use (the term ‘gun violence’ is a vague and useless term, for instance). While vicious gangs continuously commit heinous gun crimes in blighted and minority communities, safe, responsible gun owners feel the brunt of dated, out-of-touch gun laws that only stigmatize and ostracize normal, law-abiding Americans. California conceal[ed] carry requires real reform. Reforms that include gun experts and Second Amendment rights organizations. More often than not, gun policies are determined by policymakers…[who] rarely understand how firearms even work. They’re often left with outdated, out-of-touch perspectives formulated from watching bad television. It’s sad really.”
