Being a CCW owner is a serious commitment, that’s true. But the reasons that led to the decision to carry a handgun should be large enough to help in maintaining the commitment. So many things can happen in our day-to-day lives and this reality caused the decision to get a permit and to purchase the right gun in the first place. Yes, it can get tedious and it’s not a big deal to slack off every now and then, but the habit of maintaining the gun and your own ability to use it is so very important. In an article by Benjamin M. Shepard on USConcealedCarry.com this issue is addressed.
Gun Safety Killer: Complacency
“But our veteran guy has grown weary of the gun’s weight, even though by now he has downsized from the full-size, all steel 1911 to an ultra-light, titanium snubby. He no longer carries 24/7 where legal. He has a busy schedule, so range trips are now every other month or so. Besides, cleaning the darn thing once a week is a pain it the rump. And another thing, friends have noticed that compared to the average person, he is always looking around, and they are starting to tease him about being paranoid. Heck, he has carried long enough, he has renewed his permit twice, and he hasn’t once needed his gun. So now he only carries in the bad part of town, after dark.” (Full article here)
The point made above is that slipping into this kind of an attitude can be really dangerous. This is something that we all have to be careful about and consciously work against. When we get rusty, that’s when we allow in one of two different scenarios. One, our habits and thinking get muddled to the point of widening the gap for accidents to happen in regard to our guns, or two, we find ourselves in a dangerous situation unprepared and unarmed. Either way, allowing ourselves to become complacent is one big gun safety killer!
Don’t let this happen to you. If you have been slacking off in getting to the range to practice or haven’t cleaned your gun in a while, now is the time to resume those good habits again. Get back into the routine of carrying your gun with you on a regular basis. You’ll be glad you did.