If you’re going to carry a concealed firearm, make sure it’s a safe firearm. I was in a local home improvement store a few years ago when a lady in the checkout lane dropped her derringer, which went off when it fell. Worse yet, the bullet hit the cashier.
That cashier made a full recovery, but she shouldn’t have been injured at all. If the lady with the gun had taken a few simple precautions, the accident could have been avoided completely.
First off, the gun owner should have chosen a better gun to carry. From what I could see of the gun, I’m pretty sure it was a derringer. That might have been a fine choice of protection for a dance hall girl in the wild West, but it’s a horrible one in this day and age.
There are a bunch of guns that would be better for carrying. The first thing you should look for is one with a working safety. An additional grip safety can’t hurt, either. Anything that will keep it from going off if the trigger gets snagged or the butt gets hit will help keep you from having an accident.
Then there’s the question of carrying it with a round in the chamber or not. Many people say if you’re going to carry, you need to carry ready. But if your gun doesn’t have a safety, you’re asking for trouble.
But just having a safety on your gun isn’t enough. Test it from time to time by double-checking to make sure it’s unloaded, then point it in a safe direction – preferably at the range or at least outside. Then, with the safety on, try to pull the trigger.
Tomorrow I’ll help you pick a holster that’ll keep your gun secure so you can carry safely and avoid hurting yourself or anyone around you.
