spellcheckman's Blog

A while back I posed the question:  When to shoot, in self defense.  It is slowly coming clear to me through a bit of research and burning away an entire Saturday in mid November for the 9 hour class.  An excellent class btw, taught by an instructor on the forefront of conceal carry legislation (Ks) and a law enforcment close tactical weapons trainor, along with a separate companion class called:  refuse to be a victim--which has nothing to do with guns. 

I'm not a right wing gun nut, but can accept reality reasonably quickly.  Bad guys have guns, they don't adhere to the "gun buster" signs.  These are the signs outside businesses that prohibit guns.  Being from Switzerland, no one has guns, same thing for Holland, Denmark, England.  That culture clearly doesn't exist here.  Having a gun merely levels the playing field.   You can walk the streets of any major city in those countries and not fear being shot or jacked.  To do so would require hand to hand combat, too much work for the average criminal.  Things are getting worse, people are desperate, here in the USA, there are too many examples of the average law abiding citizen becoming an unintended victim and being ruined for life. 

Several things made an impression on me, after taking the class: 

Everyone passes.  Even the 82 year old guy with the oxygen tank.  Hitting the target is easy, 5 shots single hand from three yards, 10 shots (double handed if you want) from 7 yards,  and 10 more from 10 yards.  Of those 25 shots only 18 have to hit the target. 

Up to this date, there are no cases in Kansas involving questionable use of deadly force with a conceal carry permit holder.  The first permit was issued Jan. 3 2007.  Nearly 20,000 permits have been issued state wide.

Cities and counties regulate open carry.    Merriam is an open carry city. Very few others are.  There is no conceal carry in Illinois and Wisconsin.  There are no permits required for Vermont and Alaska. There were 504 murders in Chicago.  Kansas is a shall issue state, meaning if you pass all the hoops, you WILL or shall get a permit.

If you do get a Kansas Conceal Carry permit, you're a real law abiding person.  Don't lie on the paperwork you're going to submit to the Sheriff's Office.  They will charge you with a felony.  Expunged records ARE checked.  Domestic violence conviction is a disqualifier, so are a couple of DUI conviction, behind on child support, don't apply, and the list goes on and on.

Police don't have a problem with the conceal and carry permit holders, for the reasons above, they are law abiding.  The permit looks just like your drivers license,  in fact you go down to the motor vehicle to get it on an approval letter from the AG, currently Steve Six.

Spree shooters target gun free zones.  Virginia Tech, Omaha Mall shooting, Columbine, military bases----yes military bases, few guns allowed!   Criminals don't care much to adhere by the rules of the gunbuster signs. 

Brandishing a weapon is a crime.  Deadly force can only be met with deadly force.  Kansas, as well as many other states have removed the "Duty to Retreat"  statute from dwellings and vehicles, and everywhere for that matter.  A permit holder CANNOT escalate a disagreement, full well knowing that they are armed and the person they are having the disagreement with is not. 

I would have liked to see an "attorney" part of the class, fielding questions from applicants regarding, say, recent events which have happened and the justification or not, on whether a victim would have been able to use deadly force to protect themselves.  For that reason, I'm scheduling a session with a criminal defense attorney for that very purpose.

If you're involved in a shooting, two things:  call 911 and ask for an ambulance for the perpetrator, never say you shot them, only say you  used enough force to thwart what he was doing.  Of course if they play 20 questions with you it will come out to that but calling for an ambulance shows a reverence for life, plus it is recorded, and you will hear it again.  Do not talk to the police, comply with demands, they are not your friends, many people have talked their way into jail, call the attorney first.   This very post could come back to visit me!

A 9mm is nice to have.  90% of all shootings are survivable.  .45 is a stopper.  Once the threat has passed or is traveling away from you, you cannot use deadly force. 

A Kansas permit has reciprocity with Mo. Tx, Okla, Co, Fla. Ut, Ark, and a bunch of others.  Iowa is NOT currently on that list.  Illinois and Wi have strict transport laws.

Being from another country, the AG wants a copy of your citizenship papers, passport, and birth certificate.  Office Depot, Max and others, will NOT make exact copies of such, making the process that much more difficult, they're worried about terrorists and fraud!  Pay the Lady (PTL) extra and she'll do it, but then the AG wonders how you produced those  really nice color copies. 

A Glock 30SF (slim frame) carries 11 rounds 10+1 and its a .45.  A Kahr PM9,  8, 7+1, both excellent, small weapons.   A CZ 97b is a very reliable large (.45) weapon. 

Be aware, don't underestimate the power of surprise.  If you're at the ATM or drive through lane or at a light and someone is coming at you with a deadly weapon........it's justifiably  on?

Practice, practice, practice,  one hand shooting, weak hand shooting, draw, etc.  The best gun control is a well placed shot. Know your weapon in the dark.  In a panic situation, past training is automatic.