1. They don’t stop doing what they’re doing when they get nervous or frustrated.
Firearms handling can be a bit frustrating sometimes. We are using muscles in our hands that we otherwise would not. This can lead to a bit of fatigue or needed practice to do certain things with the firearm. When this happens, just take a moment and breathe. All too often people get flustered and embarrassed and try to power their way through a movement. This can be highly dangerous and often leads to making mistakes… So, just remember, take a moment, breathe, close your eyes, envision and talk through the movements you’re about to make, and then execute them so you do not make a mistake.
2. They think smaller is better for conceal carry.
Yes its true, smaller is not always better… Just because we want to be able to conceal a firearm doesn’t meant we must have the smallest gun possible. When we get a firearm that is too small we have a hard time controlling it when shooting and manipulating it. Be sure to test out whatever firearm it is that you want to use before making a commitment. If you need help with this you can always reach out to us directly at Southern Cross and we’d be more than happy to help!
3. They do not know the condition of their weapon at all times.
A weapon’s condition is relative to it being loaded or unloaded. The weapon’s conditions are reliant upon 3 things.
– Is a magazine inserted,
– is a round in the chamber, and on hammer action guns,
– is the hammer forward or locked to the rear (double or single action).
When shooter’s don’t know the condition of that weapon at all times it means they are overwhelmed mentally with the events taking place around them. I recommend you always stop, point the gun in a safe direction, and do a “brass check” to determine if the gun is loaded or not.
Its important we always know the condition of our weapon because it is a representation to our level of awareness and focus when it comes to our firearms maturity… however, remember, we always treat the weapon as if it were loaded, even if we know its not.
Alright everyone! Ensure you and others around you are not making those mistakes and you’re on the way to being a firearms owning pro!
Take care, stay safe, and always be kind!